Chapter 4 - Entrenching Yourself

                                        

                                              



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Location: Fields of Wall Rose
Year: 844
Time: Early Morning 









The steady clip-clop of hooves on the hard-packed dirt road was the only sound that filled the quiet stretch of countryside around me. 
Every so often, a gust of wind stirred up clouds of dust that clung to my boots and coat.
I never mentioned how dirty the Walls were, didn't I?
Besides those useless thoughts, I was busy with the pressing question of money.
How can I get it without attracting suspicion? I thought as I watched the sparse trees lining the road pass by in a blur. 
Money wasn't something I could do without here, yet making too much of a scene wasn't an option either. 
I considered various ideas, some a bit more practical than the other.
Bounty hunting came to mind first. 
Simple enough, really, and it provided a quick, legitimate route to coin—an essential point when standing out was the last thing I wanted. 
I had no shortage of skills for the task. It would even let me move around freely, to do whatever I wanted. 
Yet, I could already see the downside. Bounties would eventually dry up, leaving me short on options in the longer term. 
No point in bleeding the only convenient well dry.
The thought of stealing flitted across my mind... 
No, I've done enough already.
Not only was it reckless, but it would also attract exactly the kind of attention I didn't need. I wasn't desperate enough to risk compromising my position or drawing unnecessary suspicion.
There was always the matter of official documents, too. I've been wanting to get my hands on some ever since I realized my situation.
Getting hold of papers—authentic or fake—would be advantageous. Being documented would open doors to more stable work within the Walls. Between my physical abilities, my efficiency with various tasks, and my general lack of visible emotions, I was confident I could fit in wherever I was placed. 
How difficult could it be?
Steering my horse around a bend, I reached into its saddle bag, pulled out a piece of jerky and ate it. 
It wasn't like the stuff back in ANHS, but it'd do.
A stray, unrelated thought drifted through my mind, lingering on the ODM gear smugglers I'd tailed last week. 
They were careful, but not too careful.
Payment...
Not handfuls, nor pieces of coin. Pouches, large ones.
That kind of transaction was well beyond anything the average citizen would see. It told me enough—just who the buyers were, I could figure out later.
I adjusted my grip on the reins, glancing toward the horizon where the Walls were meant to be. 
If I moved just a few more kilometres to the left, I'd be able to see those 50-meter giants for my own eyes...
Yeah, those things were definitely made by some magic powers.
Sotomura would love this place.
There wasn't much of an explanation besides magic, to be honest.