Lin pushed forward, breaking through the crowd. "Hey lady, we're all waiting here!" shouted a man as she bumped into him.
The crowd turned to see the commotion, gradually closing in on her. One of them said, "They won't let you through without the toll. It's pointless trying to talk with him."
"Scram before I make you," Lin growled, shoving ahead. The group, now thoroughly annoyed, began to pull her back. Her patience worn thin, her eyes glowed an ominous red. She leaped into the air, stepping lightly on the heads of the crowd. She reached the knight just as he caught her, preventing her from jumping over the townspeople.
"Miss, you need to pay a toll of thirty mora to enter this town. You can't just jump in," he said, as the crowd erupted into laughter.
"We told you, you can't enter the town without paying the toll!" someone jeered.
Lin calmly rummaged through her pockets and produced a ring with a fire pattern on top. It was the sigil of the House of Flames, one of the five great houses of the empire. The knight instantly fell to his knees, leaving the onlookers astonished.
"What did she do to make the knight fall to his knees?" they all wondered.
"I apologize for my earlier words. I didn't know you were the one who saved the Lady of Morning Light. She informed us of your arrival. Please, follow me," the knight said, bowing deeply.
The crowd's demeanor shifted. "Atta girl, show him who we are. They're just NPCs. How dare they block real people like us?" someone from the crowd said. Others quickly followed, "Yeah, you're right. Now we can go inside, right?"
Lin shook her head. "I will be taking only one person, and that will be Alex," she declared firmly. The crowd gulped collectively, understanding the implication but unwilling to admit it.
Suddenly, a man from the back pushed forward, carrying a young boy. His face was lined with desperation, his clothes tattered and stained with blood. "Ma'am, please, my son was bitten by a venomous spider. He needs medical attention immediately. If you let me in, I have ten mora from defeating that spider," he pleaded, his voice trembling with urgency and fear.
Lin didn't respond, calling out, "Alex, we should go now." The crowd parted to let Alex through.
"Alex, sir, please let me in as well. My son needs medical attention," the man implored, his eyes filled with tears. Alex looked at the boy, noting the pale, sweating face and the way he clung weakly to his father.
"Okay, you can come with us, but remember that seeing a doctor might be pricey," Alex said. The man fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. "Thank you, thank you so much. I'll find a way to pay. Just please, save my boy."
Lin watched this interaction and thought, 'As idiotic as ever.'
Immediately, others began concocting their own stories, but Alex smiled and walked away with Lin.
The knight escorted them to the cathedral, a grand structure of stone and stained glass that loomed over the town square. Inside, the church was even more magnificent. The high vaulted ceilings were adorned with intricate frescoes depicting scenes of divine intervention and epic battles against demonic forces. Chandeliers of wrought iron hung from above, their candles casting a warm, flickering light that danced across the polished marble floors.
The air was filled with the faint scent of incense, a soothing blend of frankincense and myrrh. Pews of dark, polished wood lined the nave, their surfaces worn smooth by countless worshippers over the centuries. At the far end of the church stood a grand altar, draped in rich, crimson fabric embroidered with golden thread. Behind the altar, a large, ornate stained glass window depicted a radiant figure wielding a sword, standing triumphant over a vanquished demon.
The little girl stood with an elderly lady and a stern-looking man in red knight armor which had a fire pattern on it. When she saw Lin, the girl ran forward and hugged her. "Mother, this is the woman who saved me in the jungle."
Alex looked puzzled. 'Mother? That woman looks too old to be a mother,' he thought.
"That's wonderful. We were terrified when we found out that Lady Mavis had run away into the forest without supervision," said the old woman, dressed in a nun's habit with a rope tied at her hip. "Are you the people sent by the Heavenly Father?" she asked.
Lin nodded. "Yes, we are here to clear the tower before the resurrection of the Demon Lord. The same applies to the people outside. We would appreciate it if you allowed them entry."
Alex's confusion deepened. 'This is a game, but the NPCs know about the tower that needs to be cleared. If they are aware of it, why haven't they cleared it themselves?' After some thought, he voiced his question. "If you know there's a tower, why haven't you cleared it? Wouldn't that make things easier for everyone?"
"That's a wonderful question, now if you will be kind enough please follow me inside." the old woman replied, smiling as she led them deeper into the church.
Inside, the atmosphere was serene, with light filtering through the stained glass windows, casting colorful patterns on the stone floor. The walls were lined with tapestries depicting scenes of historical significance and mythical tales, each one a masterpiece of craftsmanship. A choir of ethereal voices could be heard faintly from a distant chamber, their harmonies creating an almost otherworldly ambiance.
"Look, son, unlike people from your world, we don't receive any incentives," the old woman explained. "For example, when you kill a boar, it drops money, correct?" Little Mavis raised her hand.
"Yes, they got ten mora. I saw big sister Lin take it," she said, hugging Lin.
"But when we kill a boar or any monster, they just drop dead. For this reason, many don't take up the job of adventurer. The only ones who do are the five powerful houses of the empire, who see it as a duty given by the empire. They have been trying for years to complete the tower. Currently, for some reason, the tower has closed all its floors except the first. We're unsure if this is due to your arrival, but we hope it's temporary. The House of Skull has already cleared up to the fiftieth floor," she concluded, standing near the church podium, which was adorned with paintings of long-forgotten battles.
"Does that mean we have to start from the beginning?" Alex asked, to which the old woman sadly nodded.
"We believe that God has given us another chance. Seeing that we couldn't complete the task, He must have summoned you for the job we failed to finish," she explained.
"Where can we find this tower?" Alex inquired.
"It's in the capital of the Skull Kingdom. You can get there via a teleportation point in the well. All you need is a teleportation parchment from the knight over there and jump into the well," she said.
Lin nodded. "If that's all, we will take our leave now. Is it possible for us to get some weapons?" she asked.
The red knight stepped forward. "You can get weapons and the parchment, but I need you to do something for me first."
**Tutorial Quest: The Knight Wishes to Evaluate Your Power**
- **Rewards:** Mini Dagger, Sword, and 1x Teleportation Parchments
Novel Bin 