The Re-Estize Kingdom — Royal Domain, City of E-Rantel.
Protected by three layers of towering stone walls, the city served many roles for the kingdom: fortress, trade center, transport hub, and most importantly, one of the kingdom's most stable food-production regions. Even though the undead-infested Katze Plains loomed nearby, the city's walls and favorable soil made the surrounding lands exceptionally safe and fertile.
Skilled adventurers, second only to the famed Blue Rose of the capital, frequently made this city their base. Commerce flourished. Traffic from the Baharuth Empire and the Slane Theocracy constantly flowed through. Wealth, people, and goods—everything converged here.
But because the kingdom was at war with the Baharuth Empire, border inspections had grown stricter than usual. Despite the gates opening an hour ago, the line of carts and travelers still stretched far behind the checkpoint. The air was thick with complaints.
The young guard on duty had already endured a barrage of insults from an obese merchant earlier. His mood was foul. Sleepy. Irritated. Exhausted.
"Next. Step inside," he called wearily toward a side room.
The door groaned open.
And his eyes widened.
Entering the room was a woman clad in pitch-black full plate armor. A massive kite shield rested on her back, accompanied by a greatsword nearly as tall as she was. The armor's artistry was exquisite—elegant engravings, master-crafted steel, and the unmistakable aura of equipment far beyond the means of common adventurers or even most nobles.
She looked like a heroine who had stepped straight out of an epic ballad.
"...Welcome to E-Rantel," the guard managed. "May I have your name?"
"Call me Momon," the woman replied softly.
"Mom—… very well, Momon-san. Your identification?"
"I'm a traveler. I passed through Carne Village before arriving here."
She presented a sealed letter—Carne Village's official recommendation.
The guard scanned it, nodded—then hesitated. "One final step. May I see your face?"
Moments of silence passed.
Momon—Momonga—froze. The guard saw her stiffen.
"...Must I remove the helm?" she asked timidly.
"It is regulation, yes."
A long, reluctant breath.
"...Very well."
Slowly, almost painfully, she lifted the helmet from her head.
The room stopped breathing.
Her face—no, her existence—was breathtaking.
An impossibly beautiful woman stood before them: long raven-black hair cascading like silk; pale, flawless skin reminiscent of fresh snow; lips as soft and pink as cherry blossoms; emerald eyes shimmering with nervous light. Even a master bard could not have described her fairly.
Every guard in the room was struck silent.
Someone gulped loudly.
"A-ah… pardon us," the guard stammered. "Y-You may sit."
Their hostility evaporated instantly. Even their posture softened, as if compelled to show respect before a princess.
Momon blinked shyly. "Thank you…"
"So, your purpose in E-Rantel is… sightseeing?"
"Partly. But mainly, I wish to register as an adventurer."
An adventurer?
The guards exchanged glances. A woman like this, fighting monsters? Absurd. Dangerous. Foolish, even.
"A-ah, well… that is… quite hazardous work for someone as delicate as yourself…"
Momon held up an arm, making a tiny "muscle pose."
"I assure you—I'm stronger than I look."
The guards nearly fainted.
After confirming her papers and finding no suspicious items, the guard finally bowed.
"Welcome to E-Rantel, Momon-san. We wish you a pleasant stay."
Momon bowed gracefully and left the room with elegance befitting a noblewoman.
The moment she disappeared, the room exploded.
"Did you SEE her!?"
"That was an angel—no, a goddess!"
"She said she'll be an adventurer—what if I ask to join her team!?"
"Idiot, you have a wife—"
"No one would blame him!"
Their shrill excitement echoed hopelessly down the hallways.
Momon, blissfully unaware, stepped into E-Rantel proper—wide streets, busy markets, armored patrols, exotic goods—her first true step into a new world.
"Alright," she whispered under her helm. "First—let's find an inn."
Her adventure had begun.