“Mmmmmmmm…”

Diane groans softly in displeasure, her face contorting in her sleep as she latches on to Clover ever so tightly, before her eyes fly wide open!

Her breathing ragged, she loosened her grip on the Saber Tooth cub, which by now it had hardly even noticed anymore. Its size had rapidly grown in the past few months, and it was now certainly larger than Diane! She could even ride it if she wanted to.

At the moment, however, she was more concerned with the dream she just had… or more like an almost nameless reoccurring nightmare. One that came and went completely at random, one that she couldn’t escape from, but that would fade from memory almost as soon as she woke up again. It wasn’t a nightmare where she would feel any physical pain, but somehow… it still hurt, and left not much more than a deep, empty sadness behind.

“Maria… Gloris… I need to at least remember that… name…”

Diane quietly whispered it to herself, her voice imperceptible to even the most astute of ears, almost as if telling herself a secret, before quietly drifting back to sleep.

*CLANG CLANG CLANG*

The loud noise wakes Thistleman up with a start!

“C’mon sleepyhead, get up! Did you forget what day it is??”

Thistleman rubs his eyes as he groans, slowly sitting up.

This is definitely strange… did I actually fall asleep again? Since when did I start needing to sleep so much? What… day is it? Oh… right…

*Yaaawwwnn*

“Of course I didn’t forget, today is your opportunity to take the next rank up exam!”

Thistleman slips in an enthusiastic grin as he speaks,

It’s about time too! There is no way MY contractor can be allowed to just sit at the bottom of the totem pole! Ugh, if only they could just move her up faster without it becoming a big fuss… In Daemon society the strong would always get duly acknowledged! Then again… I don’t think she would be able to handle her lessers conspiring to kill her all the time. What a backwards society, if the top always suppresses the bottom, how can they ever make a stronger society?

“Diane! Thistle! Breakfast is readyyy!”

Rhyme’s melodic voice, the sizzle and smell of fresh cooked beast strips (a type of bacon) and freshly fried Casterna Root Hash (A starchy food, similar to potatoes but with a natural tang to it), and the murmurs denoting the stirrings of life began to fill the inn. It had become the Inn’s new routine, one which was slowly building a famous and iconic reputation!

The doors to all the rooms in the Inn slowly began to open, and the various patrons came pouring out, following in Diane’s usual morning rush to breakfast, as well as the usual scattered commentary.

“Yare yare, who needs an alarm when you got this little monster around, eh? Raring to go at the same time, every morning! Gwahahahaaha!” “She will wake you up on time every day, whether you want to or not. Mmmm, but to be up in time for this breakfast every day… it certainly makes the ruckus much more endearing!” “A breakfast good enough to even entrap the Little She-Devil herself! Rumor has it, the reason all the food is so fresh here is because she hunts it herself every day. I wonder if that is really true. Which beast did she hunt?”

With a loud thud, Jotuun slams a round of Ale onto the table filling up with gossiping patrons. Behind all the fuzz, you can somehow get the feeling of a beaming smile.

“All true. Fresh Highland Boar. Hunt yesterday.”

Jotuun’s massive frame and simple speech shocked the rowdy patron.

“Eeeeeh?! But doesn’t that monster take a large hunting party to bring it down?!?” “Hahaha, you must be new visiting here friend! She hunts everything down herself. The other two she brings with her just to help carry her kills back!”

3) “No way! Isn’t she only a copper plate?!”

4) “Aye, but you should know that here in Njord, we are far heartier than what any metal plate can say! Gwahahaaha!”

2) “Make way! The Devil’s cub is coming to join us for breakfast!”

Clover: “NYOWH!”

3) “WHAT?! SHE HAS TAMED A SABER TOOTH?!?”

1) “You should be careful what you scream around here friend, I hear she might steal your soul too if you’re not careful… but don’t you worry! This here Sempai will surely guide you in the right direction!”

The shock and awe of newcomers to the Skeever and the Bear had become almost a regular morning show, and one of the favorite past-times of the locals was to hype up and embellish on Diane’s stories. In a way, it let them become part of her legend while also having a good spot of fun.

“Thistleman! Late as usual to breakfast, I see! If you don’t hurry up, Diane will leave you behind again! Also, Diane! Don’t forget to bring the gift we got for Elsie!”

Ryme halfway sighed as she made a half-baked attempt at scolding Thistleman.

“Mmmrmrmm… hrmmm… mmmmhummum..mmm… morning.”

With nothing more than an unintelligible mumble of words, the greeting was about all that could be made out from what he was saying.

“I swear, that girl is gonna work you half to death! Just look at you! DIANE!”

…

“HEY AUNTIE RYME, UHHH, I GOTTA GO! CAN’T BE LATE FOR MY BRONZE RANK EXAM!”

With a nervous laugh, Diane jumps off her stool, snatching a small package, and dashed towards the door.

“Cmon Thistle! Emily! Clover! We gotta go!”

“Girl! They haven’t even had time to finish eat…. Eh!?”

She turned her head away for just a moment, and looking back… Thistleman’s plate was already completely cleared, and with a quick slurp, the last beast strip disappeared into his mouth.

“Hrmmmmnmnmmm… bye autinie… *yawn*…. Bye uncle…”

Is it just me, or does that boy seem more lethargic than usual this morning?

Somehow, it seems he grabbed on to Clover just in time as he came running by to follow Diane. The Saber Tooth cub wound up practically carrying him out of the inn! He was swiftly followed by Emily, with several beast strips in hand and scarfing them as she wordlessly ran to catch up.

“Jotuuun! When they get back, we need to give them a good scolding!”

“Hrmph. Work/Life Balance. Very Important.”

All: “HEAR HEAR!”

Rhyme: “Who are you to want to scold my precious niece?!”

All: “Ehhhhhh?!?”

The crisp morning air greets Diane, as does the warmth of the slowly rising sun as she darts down the road! She hardly even has to pay attention to much of her surroundings, as her ritual is so engrained now that most people intrinsically move out of her way.

Even being in the slums, reputation can be considered more important than in the higher class parts of town. It can clear out trouble before it even begins.

A large, burly man with a face covered in scars and a knife strapped to his belt eyed Diane as he and a small squad of ruffians meandered down the road. His expression alone made clear he was looking for trouble, with a wicked smile as he stood directly in her oncoming path.

Yet…

“Hey Joker! Hurry and move out da’ girls way! You trying to get us killed?!”

“The Hell you on about, slick?”

With a swift tug, ‘Slick’ yanks ‘Joker out of her path.

“I know you ain’t from around here, but that’s the Little She-Devil of Njord! You may have killed a man or two back in the big city, but that girl comes through here every night soaked in blood and some horrible monster in tow for food! She ain’t like the rest of us, ya dig?!”

“Da’ Fuq slick? You tryna pull my chain?!”

A quick look at the scared looks of his fellow ruffians told Joker all he needed to know…

“Ya Serious? Tha’ little dame?”

Just as soon as he looked away, Joker was almost bowled over by the rapidly following Clover and Company, flying out from around the corner.

“Ay! Watch ere’ u… erp!”

Joker shut his mouth quickly, just as soon as he realized *what* had run through him. The fangs on the rapidly growing Saber Tooth Cub were plenty intimidating on their own, glistening in the rays of the morning sun… but something about the cold, hostile glare from the boy… it downright chilled his soul.

“Ah’m sorry Slick, Ah… I owe ya one. I believe ye now…”

“Aye, now listen here and listen well Joker. Make sure to tell Slim when he gets to town too. Tha’ there little ‘Dame’ as you call her has nothing but them little monsters followin’ her around. She may seem like an innocent girl, but ain’t no way a normal upstandin’ human can do what she does. Tha’ little boy, they call him Thistleman. Right as rain ain’t nothin’ good ever happened tah anybody that got on the wrong side a him, all terrible accidents… an he tends tah her every whim and fancy. And tha’ there brings me to anuther thing…”

With a wordless gulp, Joker made sure to listen to every word Slick had to say.

As the doors to guild flew open, Elsie no longer reacted with shock. She had finally acclimated to her new routine. In fact, she was sure there wouldn’t be much that could shock her anymore. Ever since Diane had arrived at the guild, crazy was her new normal!

“Nyah! I cyan see that nyour right on tyime!”

To be expected, really, the guild manager said she would definitely come the moment she was allowed to rank up again, nyah! And Thistleman came by nyesterday and dyid all her pyaperwork…

“Nyour pyaperwork is already dyone and the evaluator is… mmmmmm wyaiting out back!”

“Good morning Elsie!!! Thanks for having everything ready for me! You’re the best!”

Diane’s energy and excitement was clearly palpable.

To thyink… such a chyange this syoon… she wyas such a myess when she fyirst came here… nyah!

Diane stopped short in her race to the exam pavilion.

“By the way, Auntie Ryme wanted me to give this to you as thanks!”

With a swift flick of her wrist, she sends the package flying towards Elsie, before running off again to the exam room.

*sniff… sniff*

“FYISH!”

Elsie moves to pounce towards the package, her mouth watering…

Not just any fyish! Fresh Salmon!

However, Elsie’s excitement soon gave way to despair, as Clover’s massive maw engulfed most of the bagged fish.

*Chomp*

Elsie only had enough time to make out part of the note on the bag before it disappeared forever…

“Thanks Elsie for putting up with Diane for so long! I hope this present makes the wait for her to rank up worth it! ~Ryme”

*Despair*

“Nyah… my… fyish…”

Just like before, Diane entered the exam room. However, this time was much quicker. She was able to breeze straight through to the pedestal. Unlike last time, there were only two hooded men in the room.

With a slight gesture, one of them motions towards the pedestal.

(Branch Manager) “It’s a pleasure to see you in person, Lady Diane. I have heard much about you. Please, no need to worry. This is all mostly a… formality of the guild anyways. Just a quick drop of blood and a bit of mana like last time, and we can send you on to the practical exam while we prepare your new plates!”

A firm, calm voice greets here from one of the hooded men. Diane has always seen them occasionally around the guild, and most people react quite quickly to them.

“Normally don’t other adventurers handle this part?”

(Branch Manager) “You see, we are a little short staffed right now. Furthermore, I see no need to tax our limited adventurer supply with such a mundane process, I hope you understand.”

“Hmm. Easy easy. Alright then, let’s see just how high I have gotten now!”

(Assistant Manager) “Confidence is all well and good, but it is always safe to keep reasonable expectations. Also please keep in mind this is the last rank up we can do for a few years, as unfortunately guild policy is very strict on what we can allow kids to do… even if they are the children of Nobles.”

Compared to the first man, this voice is definitely much less sure of itself…

What a strange pair! What is with this man?

With a disdainful glance at the Assistant manager, and a sharp “Hmph!” she proceeded to make a small cut on her hand to drop the blood on the tablet, before channeling her mana into the pedestal.

As the familiar red and black aura begins to fill the crystals, another side effect also begins to manifest in the room. Almost imperceptible at first, the light slowly begins to drain from the room, the glow coming from the tablet consuming Diane’s focus…

(Branch Manager) *Ahem* “I do believe that is more than a sufficient amount of mana, My Lady.”

“… What?”

Almost startled, Diane’s eye’s jump back up from the pedestal, light immediately returning to normal in the room.

(Branch Manager) “You have done very well. Please head to the Pavilion for your examination. The rest of your team is waiting there for you as well.”

“Oh, teehee! Right, thanks Mr. Guild man!”

With a smile, she dashed through the back door. As soon as she is out of the room, both the hooded men look at the tablet.

(Assistant Manager) “Baal, please answer me seriously. What is she?”

(Branch Manager Baal) “The former cripple of the Culaine Family. Eric, you must support her, and even Guild Manager would easily be within your reach. Oppose her, and we may yet meet a fate worse than death.”

Baal’s voice quickly changed its tone as soon as they were alone, an uncharacteristic fear and… admiration trembling through his every word.

[Baal] It’s him. Without a doubt, it’s him… but why? Lord Dagon, what are you up to?! How am I supposed to help your goals if you won’t even tell me what they are!

(Baal) “In fact, at the rate she is growing, in less than 10 years, she would likely rival some of our top Adamantium adventurers. Given 20… I doubt this world’s Demon Lord would even be able to stop her.”

(A.M. Eric) “So is she a new hero?”

(Baal) “No, she is nothing of the sort.”

(Eric) “Then… a monster?”

(Baal) “No… but in a sense, yes. Come, we need to clean up as much of this as we can. Absolutely nobody can know what her growth really is, especially with rumors about her becoming as uncontained as they are. With any luck, you may have your branch manager position sooner than either of us expected.”

Baal’s face began to open into an absolutely insidious grin, however Eric Von Straught, Assistant Manager of the Njord Adventurers Guild, couldn’t help but line his aging face with more wrinkles of worry. Then… horror.

“Wait… isn’t her opponent for this exam…?”

“Oh… SHIT! THERE IS NO WAY THEY WILL LET HER GO!”

The morning sun was reflecting brilliantly off the morning dew dripping from the plants surrounding the pavilion.

“Hupp… hupp… huppp… hooo!!!”

A large woman was inside the pavilion, normally used for the aptitude exam. However, she was spending her time waiting doing various warm-up exercises. Sweat dripped off of her face and arms, and off of her signature fur armor, her massive muscles rippling in the light. Leaning against one of the pillars was a titanic battle axe, the likes of which couldn’t even be lifted by an everyday person.

To the side were three onlookers, also waiting, as well as the just arriving Thistleman, Clover and Emily.

Thistleman’s eye subtly twitched upon seeing them.

Recognition: Immediate.

Well… This… is about to get very interesting…

A nervous smile formed on Thistleman’s face, Diane’s opponent for the rank-up aptitude exam was clear.

I definitely didn’t prepare her enough for this.