Merlin and Luna walked through the city hand in hand.

Luna occasionally glanced at their clasped hands, her shyness gradually growing.

Even so, she didn't try to let go. She knew they were holding hands to avoid getting separated.

After all, the city was crowded with people passing by, and it wouldn't be strange if they got lost in the crowd.

"This city is so beautiful," Merlin murmured with a small sigh. "But in the end, it was destroyed too."

According to historical records, the Kingdom of Avernia was destroyed after being invaded by the Holy Kingdom of Aldoria's army.

Although the Tharot family eventually agreed to become a ducal house, the process was far from easy.

Both sides went through numerous negotiations that always ended in failure. It wasn't until the second year that the Tharot family finally accepted the royal family's offer.

This happened because the royal family resorted to both open and hidden threats.

Luna's expression turned grim at his words.

Many cities in the Kingdom of Avernia were destroyed during that war, and this city was among them.

The thought of thousands—perhaps even hundreds of thousands—of lives lost and people forced into suffering made her chest tighten.

Even after centuries had passed, the Tharot family's hatred toward the royal family still lingered.

As such, Luna naturally sensed it too.

The two of them walked toward the west side of the city. But suddenly, Luna remembered the tavern and subconsciously asked, "By the way, I'm curious about something. At the cashier earlier, you paid using the currency from our world, right?"

That question made Merlin freeze in place. His face stiffened, and his eyes widened in fear.

"Merlin?" Luna called out softly, uncertainty in her tone.

Before she could process what was happening, Merlin suddenly lifted her up and dashed through the crowd.

"Merlin!? What's going on? Why are you doing this!?" Luna cried in panic.

Even so, she didn't struggle. Instead, she clung tightly to Merlin's neck as his rapid movements made her dizzy and disoriented.

Merlin ignored her cries and pushed himself to run even faster, sweat dripping down his neck.

Up ahead, he spotted an alley about twenty meters away and immediately turned toward it.

He kept running until he found a large trash bin, then hid behind it.

Gently setting Luna down, he brought a finger to his lips.

"Shh! Stay quiet. Don't make a sound," he whispered.

Luna nodded stiffly without a word.

Seconds passed in silence, but nothing happened.

Luna was about to speak when a faint, angry voice echoed from the distance.

"Damn it! Where are those two? Did they manage to leave the city and head to the capital?"

"Apparently not. The distance between the tavern and the west side is quite far. They should still be there enjoying themselves. We have to catch and interrogate them!"

"That makes sense. To make the search easier, call in support from other units so we can capture them quickly. Also, close the exit routes on the west and east sides temporarily to make sure they don't escape."

The voices gradually faded, leaving Luna's heart pounding.

"Merlin, just now…" She started to speak, but Merlin cut her off.

"Yeah, those were city guards. They're looking for us."

Luna froze, then suddenly remembered the two gold coins he had given to the cashier earlier.

"Wait! Don't tell me those coins are the reason."

Merlin let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples. "Yes, that's right. If you hadn't reminded me, I would've completely forgotten that foolish mistake."

He had been careless with those two gold coins from the Holy Kingdom of Aldoria.

For hundreds of years, the gold, silver, and bronze coins of the Holy Kingdom of Aldoria hadn't changed at all—and he had used them without a second thought.

If Luna hadn't noticed, they might have already been caught by the city guards.

Luna's expression darkened. "So, what should we do now? Are we still going to the west side of the city?"

"Of course not," Merlin replied calmly. "But we can't wear these cloaks anymore. Our appearance has already been noticed. So, take off your cloak."

Merlin removed his cloak and tossed it into the trash, and Luna followed suit.

"Let's go," Merlin said, gripping her left hand firmly.

Luna nodded slowly. She glanced at their joined hands and felt an inexplicable sense of safety.

The two stepped out of the alley and blended into the crowd.

However, because of the commotion caused by the guards earlier, people were confused and murmuring among themselves.

Just then, a loudspeaker powered by a magic stone crackled to life, broadcasting a cold voice.

"Attention, everyone!"

The crowd—including Merlin and Luna—froze, their faces tensing as they turned toward the speaker.

"We have just confirmed the presence of spies from the Holy Kingdom of Aldoria. They've infiltrated the city and are currently hiding among you. The west and east gates have been locked to prevent their escape."

"The suspects are wearing black hoods and are of short stature, resembling teenagers. If you spot them, report immediately to the security headquarters. A generous reward awaits anyone who provides useful information."

At once, murmurs spread through the crowd.

"Spies? Damn it! How could the guards let that happen?" One citizen exclaimed in frustration.

"I don't know either. But this is serious. We need to help the guards find them as soon as possible," another replied coldly.

The crowd fell into tense murmurs, while Luna looked visibly terrified.

She clung to Merlin's arm and whispered, "What should we do? The west side of the city is locked down. We won't be able to leave today."

It was her first time facing something like this, and she truly didn't know what to do.

Merlin gently rubbed her head to calm her.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine. I'm here," he said softly.

Luna nodded weakly, her fear slowly fading.

"[Ding! Gave heroine Luna Tharot a sense of security. Affection increased by 2 points! Current affection: 65 (40)]"

Merlin ignored the system panel and continued walking, carrying Luna, who clung closely to his side.

"Are we going to sleep outside?" Luna asked hesitantly.

She had never spent a night outdoors before, but under these circumstances, she had no intention of complaining.

"Sleep outside?" Merlin chuckled lightly. "Of course not. Just watch how I earn money."

Luna gave him a puzzled look, but Merlin didn't explain further.

He returned to the previous alley and told Luna to wait there.

Luna obeyed without protest, while Merlin walked casually out of the alley, both hands tucked into his trouser pockets.

Thud!

His shoulder bumped hard into someone, sending the person stumbling to the ground.

"Ouch!" the person cried out in pain.

"Oops!" Merlin feigned surprise and quickly reached out a hand. "Are you alright?"

A faint, almost unnoticeable smile crossed his lips as his purple eyes glimmered softly.

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