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The sounds of awakeners shouting, merchants hawking wares, and the general bustle of base activity signaled Moon's arrival at Rocketer's entrance. Moon dismounted from Mirage and walked beside the exhausted horse, leading him by the reins gently.

At the entrance, Moon was stopped by guards who informed him of the mandatory entrance fee. It wasn't excessive, approximately one thousand dollars, but it was still a barrier designed to filter out those without resources.

Moon didn't complain. He simply paid the fee without argument before being waved through the gate.

'Okay, so Selene told me to look for the Mountain Inn,' Moon recalled as he led Mirage into the base proper.

He walked through the crowded streets, scanning building signs and asking occasional passersby for directions. After several minutes of searching and navigating the somewhat disorganized layout, Moon finally located the inn Selene had specified.

The Mountain Inn was average in size with no particularly notable features. It looked exactly like dozens of other inns Moon had seen throughout the First Sanctuary. Built modestly, and designed purely for temporary lodging rather than comfort or aesthetics.

Moon secured Mirage at the inn's stable area first, ensuring the horse had water, feed, and a clean stall before entering the main building. Mirage deserved proper rest after everything he'd endured.

Inside, Moon approached the person working the front desk, a middle-aged man with a bored expression that suggested he'd been doing this job far too long.

"I'm looking for room number five," Moon said directly. "My companion is waiting for me there."

The desk worker's expression changed slightly as he checked the ledger, his eyes landing on the name registered under that room.

A knowing smirk crossed his face. "Don't be too loud, it's still early in the day, and other guests are trying to rest," The man said with an exaggerated wink.

The meaning behind his words were obvious and completely incorrect.

Moon stood there for a brief moment, slightly taken aback by the assumption, before simply turning and heading toward the corridor the man had indicated.

He didn't care to explain his actual relationship with Selene, nor did he feel any need to correct the misconception. Moon would probably never see this man again, and how some random inn worker perceived him changed absolutely nothing about Moon's life or objectives.

People would make whatever assumptions they wanted based on incomplete information. That was their problem, not his.

He knocked on the door gently, then waited for a response.

"…"

After a few more seconds with no answer, it became apparent that nobody was inside the room currently.

Moon had half-expected this possibility. Selene was likely out conducting her quarterly reconnaissance check of the realm entrance to ensure it remained undiscovered, or perhaps gathering final supplies for their expedition. He'd simply need to wait for her return.

Private communication devices would be incredibly useful right now, Moon thought with mild frustration.

Just like bases had their own communication devices with dedicated channels for internal coordination, private communication devices existed that allowed individuals to establish personal encrypted channels they could share with specific contacts. The technology was similar in principle but far more expensive to acquire and maintain.

The cost difference stemmed from versatility. Base communication devices were locked to a single organizational channel, making them relatively simple and cheap to produce. Private devices, in contrast, could establish multiple independent channels, switch between them seamlessly, and weren't restricted to any particular organization's network infrastructure.

That flexibility came with a premium price tag that put them out of reach for most average awakeners. Moon made a mental note to acquire one once he had more disposable income and stable contacts worth maintaining private communication with.

Thankfully, Selene didn't take long. After approximately thirty minutes of waiting, Moon spotted Selene approaching. Her eyes lit up when she saw him, and she immediately grabbed his arm with visible excitement.

"Moon! You're here already!" Selene said, practically pulling him along as she moved. "Come on, we need to talk."

She unlocked room five quickly and ushered Moon inside before closing the door behind them.

The room was modest with a single bed, small table with two chairs, storage chest, and basic amenities. A hand-drawn map was already spread across the table, clearly prepared in advance.

Selene's enthusiasm was obvious as she moved to the table. "I've been doing additional scouting while waiting for you to arrive. The realm entrance is approximately an hour from here on foot through rocky terrain. I've identified the safest approach route and confirmed the entry mechanism is still completely inactive—no one else has discovered it yet."

She gestured for Moon to examine the map more closely.

Moon moved to the table, his mind already shifting into planning mode as he studied the terrain features Selene had sketched.

After explaining the potential beasts they could encounter on the way, and the path they would take to ensure they weren't followed, Selene and Moon set out of the Inn.

On the way out, Moon walked up to Mirage who was in the stable area. Seeing the white horse, Selene's eyes glinted.

"So cute…Where did you get this beautiful horse from?" Selene asked with big, wide, doe eyes.

"…I got it as a gift from someone near my base."

"I see. What's the name?"

"Mirage," Moon replied, as he stroked the horse's neck. "I will be going to a dangerous place, so I won't take you with me. I don't know how long I will take, but don't worry I will come back to get you, okay?"

Mirage snorted loudly, and raised his hooves in disapproval.

"What? You want to come?" Moon's eyes widened in disbelief.

Although Moon couldn't understand the horse's language, he had spent enough time with Mirage to understand his body language.

Selene's expression was as shocked as Moon's.

Moon was conflicted, he knew that the expedition inside the realm could take him months just like the hidden realm he was thrust into before, it would also be filled with dangers.

Despite knowing that, Mirage still wanted to come. It was truly touching to see such a loyal horse.

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