The next day, early in the morning, Myra checked out of the inn and caught a six-seater open carriage from Granch, along with Polly and her husband. It was a little less than an hour's ride to the capital.
"Our daughter is going to be worried," said Polly, looking at Myra. "We had informed her that we would be at her place yesterday — if only those deadwalkers hadn't attacked!"
"I'm sure she'll be relieved to see you both safe and sound, even if you're a day late," replied Myra, as the carriage reached the outskirts of the village.
They passed through lush green fields with lovely landscapes in the background. A few farmers were working in their fields, reaping crops amidst the chirping of birds. Since it was early in the morning, the air felt fresh and calming.
Terracota was one of the most developed villages of Arcardia. It was a magnificent town of wealth and opportunity. Lots of elite families resided in this place, meaning that there will be more people to work for them.
In no time, they were riding through the busy roads of the capital. Myra looked around in awe — it was her first time in this place. There were many different types of houses, both big and small, depending on the kind of people who lived in them. Shops and private carriages were everywhere.
People were around doing their regular duties, She could see a mix of all kinds of men and women around irrespective of their social standing. Some were well dressed wearing costly silks and leathers while some were in their regular faded cotton clothes
The coachman parked the carriage in front of a building Myra assumed was the town's transport office. All the passengers got down.
"Finally, we're here!" said Polly excitedly.
Their son-in-law was waiting for them, and they left with him after bidding Myra goodbye.
Now all alone in this new place, she started to feel lost. She didn't know anyone here and had no idea what to do next. It was as if her mind went completely blank.
She had thought it would be easy to survive alone if she could find proper employment, but once she reached the capital, fear began to set in. She started having second thoughts about her decision.
Taking a few deep breaths and trying to calm her nerves, she began walking around the village.
The houses at the lower part of the village was layouted in an organised way. Most of the people living here were working class people. The higher up people of the society lived in the upper part of the village which had large mansions spread over acres of land. There was atleast a mile distance between two neighbouring residences in the upper locality.
She turned toward a local woman walking past her, carrying a child on her hip.
"Excuse me," Myra called out. The woman looked at her with a blank face.
"Umm… I'm actually new to this place and am searching for work. Do you, by any chance, know of a place that could offer me one?" Myra asked.
"I don't know much about that," the woman said apologetically. "But ask the village guard standing there", she pointed at a man in a black uniform, "he might be able to help you."
Thanking the woman, Myra walked toward the guard, who was talking to an old man on the other side of the road.
"Excuse me, sir!" she called. The guard, a young man with red eyes, turned to look at her. "Sir, I'm new to the capital and am looking for a job here. Could you please tell me where I can find one?"
"If you are new to this place, then you should first head to the Magistrate's office and register your name there. Once you are done with that, then you can go and apply for a work at the Employment cell. Based on your qualifications and skills they will appoint you to a place where there is vacancy of work." He informed her.
Employment Cell? thought Myra, feeling confused. She had expected to find a decent job just by asking around. She hadn't known there were procedures to follow before getting work.
"May I know where the Magistrate's office is?" she asked.
"Go straight, then take a left, then the first right. The third building is the Magistrate's office," he said. But seeing the confusion on her face, he added, "You know what, forget it. Let me accompany you instead."
Myra felt grateful for his offer. She was new, and there was a high chance she'd get lost if she tried finding the Magistrate's office on her own.
"Why do we have to register at the Magistrate's office?" she asked as they walked.
"It's a rule issued by the Ministry that every newcomer's details must be recorded."
"Is this rule applicable only to this village?" she asked curiously, as she hadn't heard of it in her native village.
"No. As far as I know, this rule applies to every single village in Arcardia. The same procedure is followed across all five lands to avoid illegal immigration from one land to another," he explained.
Myra nodded, and he asked, "Where are you from, by the way?"
"I'm from Fidora," she said. Fidora was her native village, located near the Arcardian border.
"Oh! Then you shouldn't have a problem. You'll get the identity tag without much trouble, since you're an Arcardian," said the guard. "The process would've been more tiresome if you were originally from another land."
"Identity tag?" Myra asked. She had never heard of that before.
"Yes, everyone gets one. It identifies you as a citizen of this land and proves your right to live here." Myra just nodded. She'd never had an identity tag before.
A few people greeted the guard on their way and he greeted them back.
"Do you know of any place I could stay at? A place for rent perhaps?" Myra questioned the person walking with her.
"There are a few houses available for rent. But I suggest you find a place to stay just for two or three days for now. It usually takes that long for your job application to be verified and for you to be assigned a job," he said. "If you're appointed to work at a rich household, they'll usually provide servant quarters. Otherwise, you can look for a small house near your workplace."
That made sense to Myra. All she had to do was stay at a decent inn for two days and decide her next move after that.
A few moments later, they stopped in front of a huge two-story building.
"Go inside, tell the officials you're new, and give them your details so they can register you," the guard instructed.
Nodding, Myra gave him a polite smile. "Thank you."
With that, she stepped into the Magistrate's office.