Elsewhere, Gideon stepped out of the tavern in Nikua Village after relaxing from a long and exhausting journey.

One day after the battle at the mountain base ended, Gideon's team decided to move west through the canyon.

Hannah had never traveled through the canyon, not before the war and not even after it began. That made their journey blind, forcing them to just follow the dirt road that cut through fields and forests.

Fortunately, they came across Nikua Village, the farthest southeastern settlement in Luthe's territory.

It could be said that Gideon and his team would begin their journey from there while gathering information about the nearest towns.

Gideon wasn't so lucky with money. The coins they carried were Moko currency, but Luthe had its own money. Still, the villagers accepted Moko coins, though at a low value.

One Luthe copper was worth five Moko coppers. One Moko gold coin was worth five Luthe silver coppers. The exchange rate was harsh, since the villagers couldn't spend Moko money.

But they melted it. That's right. Gold was still gold. It wasn't fake or worthless. They melted down Moko's gold coins and turned them into jewelry, which sold for higher prices.

What a bunch of crafty thieves.

Still, it was better than nothing. Gideon had no tools or skills for melting metal. Luke also refused to try.

Smelting gold required a fire hotter than 1000 degrees Celsius, and without proper equipment, it was dangerous.

After exchanging their coins, Gideon and his team managed to survive in Nikua Village. They rented rooms at an inn, bought maps, and picked up new clothes.

They had to blend in with the locals as much as possible so no one would suspect them.

The room door opened. Lena and the others were sitting on the floor, discussing things. They knew well that walking into a city dressed as soldiers was a bad idea. Something had to change.

"Are you talking about something?" Gideon asked.

"Yes. It's about our camouflage," Lena replied.

"What about it?"

"I heard that security in every city is tight. Many soldiers are on guard because of the war. We can't just show up in these uniforms and knock on the city gates," Lena explained.

"Do you have an idea?" Gideon asked.

Lena nodded. She said she had a clear plan, one of them being disguising themselves as merchants. Gideon narrowed his eyes, curious about the idea.

"As merchants, we can enter any city, even Luthe's capital. If we pretend to be traders, our movement will only be limited by the role we take on," Lena said.

Gideon sat on the floor, listening closely to her and glancing at the map of Luthe spread out before them.

If they followed this plan, the mission would probably take longer, and the war outside would grow even worse.

But Lena was right. Pretending to be merchants might restrict their freedom, but it also gave them cover.

To reach the capital, they would have to truly act like merchants, maybe even live as Luthe citizens.

Gideon and his team didn't mind. None of them were bound by Moko's rules. They could abandon their status freely without guilt. Hannah, though, was different.

She was the Princess of Moko. Becoming a commoner in Luthe was something new to her. She would need time and confidence to adapt to that role.

"What do you all think of Lena's idea?" Gideon asked.

"I don't mind. I think it's the best way, and it makes us less suspicious," Luke said.

Gideon agreed. He looked toward Hannah, who kept her head lowered. She couldn't bring herself to speak. Lena's plan clashed with her loyalty to Moko.

"I… I don't know."

"I understand how you feel. You're the King's daughter. Becoming a citizen of Luthe feels like betrayal," Gideon said.

"If you don't like the plan, you can refuse. We will—"

"No. It's an interesting and good idea. I believe we can succeed with it."

"But still…"

Hannah fell silent again. A storm raged inside her. She had to choose between her identity and Lena's plan.

She didn't want to betray her kingdom or family, but she also didn't want to be left behind by Gideon.

Gideon glanced at Lena, who nodded firmly. She would follow her own plan, blending into Luthe's society and starting a business as cover, while slowly infiltrating from within.

"Alright. I've decided. We'll go with Lena's plan. Talk about what kind of business we'll start and check the village conditions," Gideon said.

"If you need something, I'll be ready to help."

"Got it, Captain," Lena replied. Luke stayed quiet, his eyes on Hannah, who still looked torn.

"If you don't mind, come with me for a walk, Lena. We should take a look around the village," Gideon said.

Lena agreed. Leaving Luke with Hannah wasn't to give them time for romance, but to give Luke the chance to convince her.

Gideon knew Luke's nature. He wasn't selfish, and he always put the mission first. He would definitely try to persuade Hannah to follow the plan.

Outside the inn, Lena occasionally glanced at Gideon. She was curious about his thoughts, especially since Hannah was clearly struggling with her choice.

"Are we going to force her?" Lena asked.

"I won't do that. If she only goes along halfheartedly, she'll be trouble for the team."

They walked calmly through the evening streets as lamps were lit and Luthe's soldiers passed by without suspecting Gideon. Lena sighed. Hannah's situation was complicated.

They stopped at the village square, where a fountain and a statue of Luthe's hero stood. People gathered there, tossing coins into the water. The legend said that throwing a coin into the hero's fountain would grant any wish.

"Hannah lived her whole life safe in Moko's palace. Her love for Moko was planted since childhood," Gideon said.

"In her case, the inner conflict is natural. She doesn't want to become one of the people who slaughtered Moko's citizens."

"Making her join us would be impossible."

"So, do we still take her with us?" Lena asked.

Gideon went quiet, watching the villagers toss coins and whisper prayers. Luthe was far more religious than Moko.

"Taking her along would mean her name becoming known here. That's equal to admitting her citizenship," Gideon said.

"Becoming a Luthe citizen is the same as betraying her family and kingdom."

"We'll send her home," Gideon said.

Lena was shocked, though she had suspected Gideon would make that choice. He always acted with logic and realism. He wouldn't let something manageable turn into a disaster for the whole mission.

From the beginning, Hannah had never been fully part of Gideon's team. He only brought her because Queen Anastasya insisted. After hearing this, the queen would likely understand his decision.

"I guessed you'd suggest that," Lena said.

"It's too risky to bring her. If she goes back, Queen Anastasya will surely understand."

"What about Luke?" Lena asked.

Gideon paused, then sighed. Luke and Hannah's bond had always been special, but Gideon couldn't let emotions come before the mission.

"He can see her again when we return."

"Tell Luke my decision. Let him be the one to take Hannah home," Gideon ordered.

"Understood, Captain."

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