Just like that, Lyon, commander of the Empire's Azure Dragon Knights, and his deputy, Liat, along with the others, settled into the inn beside the road on the edge of the village.
By then, night had fallen completely.
Aside from the two soldiers standing guard outside, their conspicuous green Imperial armor hidden beneath cloaks, the remaining hundred and thirty-odd men had all crammed into the modest inn.
"Ha ha..."
"Drink!"
"Look!"
"Captain Bart, taking the long way has its perks. At least we've got wine and hot food to enjoy, right?"
"Exactly!"
"Following Lord Lyon was the right call. You were too impatient this afternoon. Good thing Lord Liat didn't hear you, or you'd have been in for it."
"Aw, stop it! Drink!"
"Here!"
"Cheers!"
"Gah!!"
"Another..."
"No!"
"We can't drink any more. We've got an early start tomorrow, and if Deputy Liat catches us, we'll get another lecture!"
"You know that stiff old Liat? He's such a..."
"Shh!"
"Eat your food, Captain Bart. Best not to say too much!"
"Here! Hurry up and eat!"
"We've got to be full before we take the next shift!"
As you'd expect, aside from those who had squeezed into the rooms to sleep, the rest of the Imperial soldiers had gathered in groups of three or five in the inn's common room, eating, drinking, and hollering. The already cramped place was packed to the brim and noisy with merriment.
"..."
Meanwhile, the innkeeper was weaving between the crowd and the kitchen.
She was exhausted and busy, her expression complicated. She listened to the Imperial soldiers' conversation, half-consciously, but didn't dare look too closely.
The food and drink for more than a hundred people had nearly emptied her inn's supplies of wine, meat, grain, and other provisions. She was the only one working, inside