The gates of Springvale Village were more imposing up close than they had appeared from a distance.
Thick wooden beams reinforced with iron bands formed a sturdy entrance easily twelve feet tall. The walls extending from either side were stone, well maintained and showing clear signs of recent repair work. Guard towers flanked the gate on both sides, positioned to give clear sight lines down the approach road.
'This is more fortified than I remember from the game,' Cid thought, approaching cautiously. 'Springvale was always described as a peaceful starting village. But these defenses suggest they're expecting trouble. Or have experienced it recently.'
Two guards stood at attention beside the open gate, both wearing matching leather armor with a distinctive emblem emblazoned on their chests. A shield with a mountain peak behind it, surrounded by what looked like wheat stalks. The seal was rendered in silver thread that caught the fading sunlight.
'Noble house insignia,' Cid recognized, his game knowledge providing context. 'So Springvale is under the protection of a noble family. That's new. Or at least new to me. The game never specified who governed the starting villages.'
As he approached the gate, one of the guards stepped forward, raising a hand in a gesture that was polite but clearly meant stop right there.
"Hold," the guard called out, his tone professional rather than threatening. He was maybe in his thirties, with a weathered face that suggested years of outdoor work. "State your business in Springvale."
Cid stopped a respectful distance away, keeping his posture non threatening and his hands visible. Regulus and Rimuru remained perched on his shoulders, the cub on his left and the tiny slime on his right. Both familiars stayed perfectly still, playing their roles as harmless pets.
"I'm looking to register with the adventurer's guild," Cid said, keeping his voice steady and respectful. "This is my first time traveling outside my home village."
The guard's expression softened slightly at that admission. His eyes took in Cid's appearance, the torn and dirty starter clothing, the obvious exhaustion in his posture, the minor cuts and bruises visible on his arms.
"First time out, huh?" The guard's tone became more sympathetic. "Rough journey?"
"You could say that," Cid replied, which was perhaps the understatement of the century. "Got turned around in Delevaro Forest for a while. Finally found my way here."
The second guard, younger and with a friendlier face, stepped closer to get a better look. His eyes landed on Regulus and Rimuru, and his expression brightened immediately.
"Nice pets," the younger guard said with a grin. "Lion cub and a slime? Don't see that combination often. Where'd you find them?"
"The forest," Cid answered, sticking as close to the truth as possible. "They seemed friendly so I've been traveling with them."
Through his bond with Regulus, Cid felt a surge of indignant pride. Friendly. As though the Lion Emperor would deign to be merely friendly. But the cub maintained his innocent appearance, even tilting his head in a way that enhanced the adorable factor.
Rimuru wobbled happily on Cid's other shoulder, clearly enjoying the attention without any of Regulus's wounded dignity.
The older guard cleared his throat, bringing the conversation back to business. "Right. So you're here to register with the guild. That's fine. But I need to ask a few standard questions first. What's your name?"
"Cid Raimon."
"Age?"
"Seventeen."
The guard pulled out a small notebook and began making notes. "And do you have any identification? Travel papers? Letter of introduction from your home village?"
Cid shook his head. "No. I don't have anything like that. I'm sorry. This really is my first time doing anything like this."
The older guard's expression shifted from professional neutrality to something closer to pity. He exchanged a glance with his younger colleague, some unspoken communication passing between them.
"No papers at all?" the younger guard asked, his tone gentle. "Not even a letter from your family?"
"I left in kind of a hurry," Cid said, which was technically true if you considered being forcibly trapped in a game world as leaving in a hurry. "I didn't think to get documentation."
The older guard sighed, closing his notebook. "Alright, kid. Look, normally we'd need some kind of verification before letting you into the village. But given your age and obvious circumstances, I'm going to make an exception."
Relief washed through Cid, though he kept his expression neutral. "Thank you. I appreciate it."
"Don't thank me yet," the guard replied, though his tone was not unkind. "I'm letting you in, but you're going straight to the guild under escort. No wandering around on your own until you've got proper identification. Understood?"
"Understood."
The older guard turned to his younger colleague. "Tomas, take him to the guild. Introduce him to one of the receptionists. Make sure they know he's got no papers and needs to start from scratch."
Tomas nodded enthusiastically. "Got it, sir. Come on, Cid. I'll show you the way."
The younger guard gestured for Cid to follow him through the gate, and Cid complied, falling into step beside Tomas as they entered Springvale proper.
The moment they passed through the gate, Cid's impression of Springvale underwent a dramatic revision.
'This is not a village,' he thought, his eyes widening as he took in the scene before him. 'Calling this a village is like calling Regulus a housecat. This is a town. Maybe even a small city.'
The main street was wide and paved with smooth stones, easily broad enough for two wagons to pass each other comfortably. Buildings lined both sides, and these were not the simple wooden structures he had expected. Many were two or three stories tall, constructed from a combination of stone foundations and timber frames. Shop signs hung from posts, advertising everything from weapons and armor to food and lodging.
People filled the streets in numbers that far exceeded what a starting village should have. Hundreds of them, maybe thousands. Merchants called out their wares. Children ran between buildings playing games. Workers hauled goods on carts. The noise and activity level was that of a thriving urban center.
'The game undersold this place dramatically,' Cid realized, trying not to gawk too obviously. 'Or something changed. Population growth from the game becoming reality? Players settling here? Both?'
Regulus shifted on his shoulder, and through their bond Cid felt curiosity. The Lion Emperor was taking in the new environment, cataloging potential threats and interesting locations with the instincts of a predator even while wearing the shape of an adorable cub.
Rimuru wobbled gently, the tiny slime apparently content to just exist and be carried. Through their thinner bond, Cid sensed simple satisfaction from the slime. No complex thoughts. Just basic contentment with the current situation.
As they walked, people noticed them. Or more specifically, noticed Regulus and Rimuru.
"Oh my goodness, look at that lion cub!" a woman's voice called out from a shop entrance. She was maybe thirty, wearing an apron stained with what looked like flour. A baker, probably. "Isn't he precious!"
A small group of children playing nearby stopped their game to stare. One little girl, maybe six years old, approached with the fearless enthusiasm only children possessed.
"Can I pet him?" she asked, her eyes fixed on Regulus with the kind of desperate longing usually reserved for expensive toys.
Cid glanced at Tomas, who shrugged as if to say your pet, your decision.
Through his bond with Regulus, Cid felt conflicting emotions. The Lion Emperor was deeply uncomfortable with the idea of being petted like a common animal. His pride rebelled against the very concept. But there was also a strange sort of satisfaction. These people recognized his magnificence, even in diminished form. They were drawn to him. That was only appropriate.
"You can pet him gently," Cid said, kneeling down to the girl's level. "He's friendly but he doesn't like rough handling."
The little girl reached out with exaggerated care, her small hand touching the top of Regulus's head and stroking down his golden white fur. Her face lit up with pure joy.
"He's so soft! And warm!" She looked up at Cid with wide eyes. "What's his name?"
"Regulus."
"That's a big name for such a little lion," she said seriously, as though this was an important observation.
Through their bond, Cid felt Regulus's smug satisfaction. Yes. A big name. Because he was not actually little at all. These people just did not know it yet.
The girl's attention shifted to Rimuru. "What about the purple jelly?"
"That's Rimuru. He's a slime."
She reached up to touch Rimuru, who wobbled enthusiastically at the contact, clearly delighted by the attention. The slime's form jiggled with what could only be described as happiness.
'Rimuru has no pride whatsoever,' Cid observed with amusement. 'He's just happy someone noticed him and thinks he's interesting. Simple creature. Simple pleasures.'
More people stopped to look as they continued walking. A teenage girl cooed over how cute Regulus was. An elderly man commented that he had not seen a tamed lion cub in years. A merchant asked if Cid was interested in selling either creature, an offer Cid politely but firmly declined.
Throughout it all, Regulus maintained his dignified cub persona while internally bristling with wounded pride that Cid could feel through their bond. Rimuru simply basked in the attention like a plant soaking up sunlight, wobbling happily whenever someone commented on him.
'This is good,' Cid thought as they continued down the main street. 'People see cute pets, not dangerous familiars. They see a kid with harmless companions, not a summoner with S+ rank threats. Perfect cover.'
They passed shops of every variety. A smithy with weapons displayed in the window. An armor shop with leather and chain mail on mannequins. An apothecary advertising healing potions. A general store. An inn called The Resting Griffin. A tavern called The Silver Mug.
And people. So many people. Cid found himself studying faces as they walked, looking for a specific characteristic. The slightly dazed expression. The hint of confusion behind the eyes. The way someone might move like they were still adjusting to a body that felt slightly wrong.
'Players,' he identified several as they passed. 'Former players. People like me who got trapped here. They're trying to blend in but there's something off about them. They move differently. Look at things differently.'
He saw a young man examining a sword in a shop window with the clinical interest of someone checking stats rather than appreciating craftsmanship. Saw a woman haggling with a merchant using pricing knowledge that suggested game economy understanding rather than lived experience. Saw a group of teenagers talking in hushed tones near an alley, their body language suggesting they were discussing strategy rather than gossip.
'Half the people here might be players,' Cid estimated, keeping his observations to himself. 'Maybe more than half. They're all trying to figure out this new reality. Registering as adventurers. Taking quests. Surviving.'
The realization was both comforting and concerning. Comforting because he was not alone in this situation. Concerning because thousands of confused, scared teenagers with newfound powers and no supervision was a recipe for chaos.
Tomas led him through the winding streets with the confidence of someone who knew every corner of the town. They passed residential areas where families were settling in for the evening. Passed what looked like a training ground where people were sparring. Passed a large building that Tomas identified as the town hall.
Finally, after maybe fifteen minutes of walking, they arrived at their destination.
The Adventurer's Guild building was impossible to miss. Three stories tall, constructed primarily of stone with reinforced timber, and occupying a position on one of the main thoroughfares that suggested its importance to the community. A large sign hung above the entrance, showing a stylized sword and staff crossed behind a shield. The words "Springvale Adventurer's Guild" were carved into a wooden plaque beneath the symbol.
The building radiated activity. People streamed in and out of the main entrance in a constant flow. Through the open doors, Cid could see a large interior space filled with more people, hear the buzz of conversation and occasional laughter.
'This is it,' he thought, feeling a flutter of nervousness in his stomach. 'The guild. Where I officially become part of this world's systems. Where I start taking quests and earning money and building a life here until I can find a way home.'
Tomas held the door open with a friendly gesture. "After you. And don't worry, the receptionists are all nice. They'll help you get sorted out."
Cid stepped through the entrance, Regulus and Rimuru still perched on his shoulders, and entered the Adventurer's Guild.