The sun had long since set behind the mountains. Darkness had started to creep in when Liz, who had disembarked from the carriage, crouched in a corner and pounded her chest.

The darkness would deepen even more soon. She needed to find a place to stay before then.

Liz lifted her face from her knees. Then, with a pallid face, she looked around, trying to figure out where she was.

A sign reading “Kallier Outpost Village” caught her eye.

“Damn.”

Liz muttered a curse under her breath.

Kallier Outpost.

A fortress surrounding the capital. Which meant she still hadn’t left the capital.

“This place is disgustingly huge.”

After all the trouble to get here, she still hadn’t escaped the capital.

When would she ever reach the southern coast? Could she get there within a month?

Liz suddenly felt overwhelmed.

But first, she had to find a place to stay.

Fortunately, this place was a carriage transfer station, and because it was adjacent to the fortress, accommodations were readily available.

Liz picked up her sling bag and stepped outside. The fresh air seemed to relieve her frustration a bit.

Not far from the transfer station, a small row of inns had formed, and the innkeepers were touting their services.

“Hey, young man. Got a place to stay yet? How about our place? Three silver for one night.”

“We’ll do it for two silver seven bronze, and that includes a meal.”

Liz didn’t need to pick the cheapest option. She had plenty of money. And lots of jewels.

She could live off of them if she was thrifty. However, Liz would rather work and spend lavishly than scrimp and save.

Therefore, she chose the cleanest hotel with the best services and unpacked her luggage there.

After bathing in warm water and rolling around on the soft bed, she finally felt alive again.

Her stomach was gradually getting hungry, so she ordered room service.

Shortly after, the owner brought a hearty meal consisting of soup, bread, grilled lamb, salad, and even a bottle of red wine.

When the hotel owner opened the door, he looked a bit puzzled. He had certainly guided a man in a cloak to this room, but the person in front of him was a woman.
But when Liz handed a silver coin to the master, his suspicion quickly faded and he left.

Left alone, Liz picked up a wine glass and savored its sweet scent with her nose.

“Mmm… a good start?”

The glass emptied quickly and was refilled. Liz realized that one glass wasn’t her limit today.

She easily finished off one bottle.

“What? I thought I couldn’t drink.”

She considered having another bottle. She stood up to pull the bell cord, but the world began to spin, and the bed seemed to close in on her… then her memory cut off.

When she opened her eyes, it was morning.

A strange bed, a strange ceiling. It felt like being born anew in the middle of the vast universe.

Felt familiar somehow?

Liz rolled her head around and looked to her side.

No one was there.

There used to be someone there. Lying next to me. Pretending to sleep to deceive me.

Liz briefly revisited that memory before quickly shaking it off.

She didn’t want to be entangled with the past in any way.

Liz wanted to start a new life in a new place.

And ideally, form new connections. Perhaps, something like marriage…

‘It’s bound to fail again.’

After several failed matchmakings, Liz had completely lost her confidence in marriage. Now, marriage seemed like an unreachable world.

Liz got up from the bed.

Despite finishing a bottle of wine, there was no hangover. Just a slight headache, which was tolerable.

Still, she needed to improve her condition since she had to travel a long distance by carriage.

Liz pulled the bell cord to call the hotel servant.

“Yes, Miss. What do you need?”

“Do you have any food spicy enough to make me sweat?”

The servant thought for a moment before answering.

“How about seafood stew? It contains garlic and peperoncino, so it should be spicy.”

“Then I’ll have that.”

Might as well eat that, given the circumstances.

After dismissing the servant, Liz washed her face with cold water and brushed her tangled hair. She was about to change into her active wear when,

Suddenly, there was commotion outside the window.

She opened the curtains to look down and saw four people and three horses in the yard. Three of the four people were dressed the same, looking like constables. The three horses belonged to them.

And one person was the servant who had just left the room.
The three military police officers showed something to the hotel attendant and asked a question. At a glance, it looked like a portrait.

‘Whose portrait is it?’

Intrigued, Liz leaned over the windowsill to get a better look at the portrait, intending to see whose it was when…

Gasp—!

“That… That is…”

It’s me?!