Since we had to be on the move first thing in the morning today, Gosha and I were both up and eating breakfast together. Around us, people in the same situation were having breakfast or leaving without it.
　Then Camilo came back. He looked both refreshed and not so refreshed.
"So, how did it go?
　I ask Camilo. Of course, I'm not talking about the whorehouse level.
"Yeah. Well, we've corroborated some of the information. We know which city he's in.
That's usually good information.
It's just .......
Just?
　Camilo looked at me and said in a hushed voice.
I think we're going to have to make up our minds a little sooner than we thought.
Well, well, well. ......
We'll talk about it on the way.
Oh.
　After Camilo had shoveled down a meal at the inn, the three of us went outside together. It was almost dark yesterday, so we couldn't see it clearly, but the mountains were showing themselves. The border must be on that mountain.
　We got into a carriage and left the city, aiming for the border.

　We took a horse-drawn carriage along the only road in the area. There were no more forks in the road, and the mountains were getting closer and closer. By the looks of it, the town where we stayed yesterday is almost a frontline base.
　Eventually, the carriage arrives at the foot of the mountain. At what seems to be the border, there is a wooden fence, and a reverse bush has been installed. Nearby is a stone fort from which you can see the surrounding area. A soldier with a bow on his back is standing on what appears to be a watchtower.
　Horses were tethered to the perimeter of the fort. In case of an emergency, they may be used to chase or send messages.
　There was a simple gate at the end of the fence, which looked like a gate in a historical drama of the previous world. Well, it is actually a gate.
　The difference is that the guards standing there are heavily armed, and there is a flag with a coat of arms of the empire fluttering in the wind around the fort and the gate.
　There was a queue of people waiting for the passage check. Normally, there should be a queue from the Imperial side to the Kingdom side, but there were few people there. It seems that the embargo is true.
　However, it seems that it takes a long time to check if there are any residents of the empire hidden in the luggage.
　Normally, we would have to pass through here on the way back, but since Camilo and I, as well as Gosha and Helen, are not Imperial citizens, we should be fine. Both the way there and back should be fine.

　We lined up in the line to enter the Empire. The line moved slowly and it was our turn. A guard calls out to us.
"State your purpose for entering.
I'm a peddler, and I'm going to travel around the city to do business. Here is your proof.
　Camilo takes out a wooden bill from his pocket and hands it to the guard. The guard checked the contents, nodded and gave it back to Camilo, who then approached me.
"Who are you?
I'm a blacksmith from the north, Yoshimitsu. I work for him, fixing sickles and hoes.
That's my business, too.
　Camilo took over my explanation. Camilo said this was all right, but he had never experienced anything like this before. I've never traveled abroad in my previous life.
　My name is a pseudonym, just in case. I don't have a copy of my family register, and even if I did, I don't have one, so it's really just a precaution.
"......
　The guards stare at me, and I give them a smile, which I'm not very good at.
"Okay, you can go through.
　I bowed to the guard, feeling relieved inside, and the carriage began to move forward.

"Oh, that was close.
It's the only clean road here, and we're so close to the mountains that we have all that equipment, but it's not common.
Is that so?
What do you think the city has walls and gates for?
Oh, yes, indeed.
　There is a fence, but the function of the gate is just for the sake of things, I guess. The real function seems to be to detect an invasion from the kingdom here, stall it to buy time, and call for reinforcements by sending in fast horses to hold it off.
　However, it is not impossible to bypass this fort. If you take the risk of crossing the mountain, you can go from the Empire to the Kingdom or vice versa without going through the barrier. In fact, some people may have tried to do so. I have no way of knowing how it turned out.

So, what do you think?
　I asked Camilo when there was no one on the street.
"The girl at the brothel said that in the last few days a lot of peddlers just like me have been coming through.
Did she say anything about an impending coup?
Yes.
But wouldn't it look suspicious to the Imperials if we suddenly started getting weapons?
That's part of the reason. If we make our move before the Empire's investigation is over, we can take them by surprise.
I see.
　I'm not familiar with this kind of scheming. In the previous world, I had no desire to get ahead. I guess I should have read a manga about a chief who is reincarnated as a knight commander.



"So, I'm sorry to break it to you, but now that we know where you're going to be, we're going to try to get to that city today without staying there. We'll need to rest, so we'll stay in the field.
Okay.
I'm sorry. Hey.
　The gentleman nodded and whipped his horse. Thanks to the suspension system, the carriage we were riding in was able to run along the street at a very high speed.