My Werewolf System

Chapter 1593: The West Gate

The group had learned the hard way not to just charge in through the front gate, even the impulsive Gary understood that in this unknown world, where they didn’t know the complex rules of engagement, it was smarter to think first. They immediately stopped outside the imposing walls to strategize.

“Steve said it would be best if we didn’t try to join the Werewolf pack straight away, but to gather information first, right?” Gary asked, confirming the plan. “But if we do head inside, won’t the other Werewolves immediately smell us?”

“If they are roaming all around the city, then your sense of caution is correct,” Kai replied, consulting the crude map. “Steve had told me that the Red Wing Pack is primarily located on the very far east side of the city. That’s where most of them stay unless they need to go out and do something specific. There are four gates in total, so as long as we head in from the west side, and start our exploration from there, that’s our best chance of not getting immediately stopped by one of Jack’s pack members.”

“And our best chance of simply getting let in,” Lupus added, his eyes scanning the guards patrolling the ramparts.

There was one major bureaucratic issue with major cities in this era. From what Steve had explained, almost everyone possessed a tag, a physical identifier dictating what city or region a person came from. The way the major cities controlled crime and tracked outsiders was through these tags. If someone had committed major crimes, rather than face execution or imprisonment, a common punishment was to remove their tags. A person found with no tag was considered a vagrant, or just as dangerous, a bandit, and many of them were.

Of course, there were ways to get past this. There was a whole black market for fake tags for one, but the tags were also routinely updated and checked from city to city, so at some point, those individuals would be caught out. Visitors, after a certain amount of time, needed to register for a tag in the city they were in, and so forth. The system was complicated, but apparently, it worked effectively in helping lower organized crime and banditry within the kingdom’s borders.

Steve’s pack had no tags, which was why they had to work as mercenaries and adventurers only for the smaller, less-regulated cities or on invasions from the larger cities. And the reason Gary and the others had no problem before was because they had visited a small, remote village rather than a proper city.

The kingdom didn’t want to immediately turn away anyone who had no tag, however. There was an extensive interviewing process for those who admitted to having no tags, which was almost like this world’s version of a magical background check. From what Steve explained, they would use magic among other techniques when asking questions to determine whether a person was trustworthy enough to be given a temporary tag and be allowed entry. According to Steve, this was something they desperately wanted to avoid; otherwise, their identity as time travelers would be instantly found out.

This was the reason why Kai had two sacks: one filled with various copper and silver coins, and the other filled with the larger, valuable crystals they had acquired, they were prepared to bribe their way in.

When the three of them came to the west gate, they noticed that almost no one was coming in or out, which made it the ideal spot for a discreet transaction. However, there were quite a large amount of guards stationed there. Some of them off to the side appeared to be training, using large, reinforced wooden dummies to practice strikes against, and other dummies that were magically animated to move and strike back, which looked odd and highly advanced.

Regardless, with fewer civilians there, it was better for them.

“Halt! You are not meant to use the west entrance for entry,” the guard stated, stepping forward with his spear raised. “Head back to the north or south gate to be checked and registered.”

“Actually, we were looking to speak to someone here,” Kai said, maintaining a polite, non-threatening demeanor. “Is there someone who is in charge of this post?”

The guard looked around for a second, about to dismiss them, until a man in a full suit of metallic armor, holding his helmet under his arm, suddenly appeared from the guard barracks.

“I’m in charge of these lot for the day, and on duty for the west gate,” the armored man announced. “To what do I owe the pleasure of the three of you?”

“Ah, maybe it’s best if we talk somewhere more private,” Kai suggested, his eyes flicking toward the man’s hand. As he spoke, Kai opened the flap of one of the bags, revealing a glimpse of several of the different colored coins glittering inside.

The man’s face instantly lit up with blatant avarice. He quickly cleared his throat to hide his change in demeanor and directed the three of them toward a small tent that had been set up just off the main path. The tent was filled with spare weapons, crates of supplies, and a table positioned at the back.

The man quickly sat down and then gestured towards Kai, impatiently waiting for the bribe. When Kai gave the pouch over, the man seemed to be mentally counting each of the coins right there and then.

“I guess this could work,” the guard said, the coins now safely tucked away. “But it depends on exactly what it is you’re asking me to do... or not to do?”

“None of the three of us have identification with us,” Kai stated, getting straight to the point. “So we were hoping that you would be able to look the other way, grant us entry, and save us from the background check.”

The man nodded, considering the money, but then suddenly shook his head.

“It is my duty as a guard to protect these walls from danger. Although I can look the other way, I do have to ask, what is the purpose of your visit that has to be so secretive? Are you bandits?”

Kai then smiled, the answer a mix of truth and strategy.

“You can choose to believe us or not, but we actually came, wishing to join the Red Wing Army.” Kai laid out their request. “I don’t suppose you could help us with that, could you?”

“You three join the army?” The man almost scoffed at the sight of the young-looking group, but then he stopped when he looked at Lupus, who seemed the only one that was more so fit for immediate purpose.

“I can’t just send three youngsters to their death,” the man stated, shaking his head. “Even in the assessment, there are those that end up dying every year! And that’s just to join and have a chance to become a knight. It takes years of training to become a proper knight!”

“Years!” Gary exclaimed, his patience wearing thin. “We don’t have years, is there any other way to get in faster?”

The guard thought for a moment, the glitter of the recent bribe still in his mind. “If you can face off against some of my men right now, prove you’re worth the hassle, then I guess I could send you directly to Gary himself. As my personal recommendation.”

“Gary... but I’m right here,” Gary said, pointing awkwardly at himself, completely confused.

****

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