*Rowans POV*

Mistress must surely hate me now, there’s no way she wouldn’t. To have lost my temper like that… She even had to use magic to stop me. I am… A failure…

I look up towards mistress, before I look down again. I am truly ashamed.

I can hear steps comming towards me. It’s mistress. She is surely gonna shout at me, say I am a disappointment, that she doesn’t need me anymore. I crouch together, preparing myself.

“Mistress, I-”

“Are you Ok Rowan?”

Eh?

“I’m sorry I used magic on you. I didn’t mean for this to happen”.

I look up. In front of me stands mistress. She looks sad.

“Mistress…”

“It wasn’t your fault. You got angry because of what Zar said, and I understand that. I should not have acted the way I did. I am sorry”.

“Mama wai-”

“No Zar. You did the wrong thing when you said those things to Rowan and refused his apology”.

Mistress looks me in the eyes.

“Rowan, can you forgive both me and Zar?”

“Of course mistress!” Inside me I can feel my emotions stirr and I get a warm feeling.

“Mama…”

Mistress turns around, facing Balthazar.

“Zar, while Rowan reacted like that you were the cause of it. Please, in the future, think of the consequences of your actions”.

Balthazar stares into the ground, obviously ashamed.

“Yes mama…”

… Mistress I am so proud of you.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

*Ruths POV*

With the situation solved we continued to walk. Rowan seems happier now but Zar seems kinda sad now, facing the ground while he walks beside me. But he have to learn these kind of things, otherwise it will cause him troubles in the future.

Morgana seems happy to. While she have said nothing since she butted in between Rowan and Zar she seemed happy with the results. While hanging on my shoulders she sometimes hisses, making her tounge tickle my cheek.

We finally enter the forest and arrive at the mountain. It’s huge… While we have seen it before it have always been at a distance, so it always appeared smaller. But now… I wonder how large this mountain is. It stretches for miles as far as I can see and I can’t see the top.

But what shocked me the most was the large gate leading into the mountain and the line of people waiting to get in. Not only could I see humans, I also saw people with animal ears and tails (I came to the conclusion that they were beast men) and shorter, more robust humans (dwarfs).

“Mistress, it appears that in order to pass through the mountains we need to get through that gate”. Rowan says.

“It appears so”.

“Well, they ain’t gonna let usss through without compenssation” Morgana pointed out.

“Compensation?” Zar asked.

“That means coins kid, coins we don’t have”.

I start thinking. From what I learned from Taros tutors there is one type of currency that is used in all the countries. The coins that excists are copper, silver, gold and adamantium coins. The lowest kind of payment is copper coins. Next is silver coins, one silver coin have the same worth as 100 copper coins. 100 silver coins are the same as one gold coin and 10 000 gold coins are the same as one adamantium coin. Only royals can afford to have adamantium coins.

Sadly, just as Morgana said, we don’t have any coins. I didn’t take any of Julia-samas money cause that would just be wrong. I am not a thief!

“Mistress, what should we do?” Rowan asks.

“I don’t know but for now all of you get in the storage, except Morgana. You will attract unwanted attention”. I don’t know how usual it is to be able to create golems but I better be on the safe side. I can keep Morgana, she can hide if needed.

I summon everyone to the storage, even the feather minions. I then open my bag and pick up a robe. It is to large for my tiny body large but the hood covers my face and the feathers on my body.

“Mistress, be careful”.

“I am always careful”.

“...”

After putting on the robe and hiding Morgana in my hoodie I walk out of the forest and stand in line. Crap, this is gonna take a while.

I stand behind a large man with wolf ears and grey hair. He is talking to a woman, also with wolf ears, besides him. I don’t mean to eavesdropp but he talks so loud that I can’t help but hear what he says.

“Just wait and see Loreen, we are gonna make a fortune here. With our abilities we will be the most famous and sought after mercanies in the whole city!”

The woman besides him, Loreen, sighs.

“We could have been in the last town to if you had not flirted with that count daughter”.

“Hehehe, what can I say? Women loves me”.

“No, you are the one that loves them”.

The man laughs a little while scratching his head while the line moves forward. After a while they arrive at the gates. Only one guard stand there, another beast man, this one clad in brons colored armor.

“State your names and reason to travel through” the beast man demands while holding a white crystal in his hand.

“Our names are Loreen Autumstone and Greg Greytail and we wish to join the mercenary guild and make a living here” Loreen says.

The crystal in the guards hand shines green.

“You’re clear. If you wish to pass through pay a tax of 2 silver”.

“Of course” Loreen says, picking up a pouch from her pocket. She picks up two silver coins and hands them over to the guard.

“Thank you and welcome to the city of Ozlem” the guard says and let’s them through the gate. Now it’s my turn. I take a deep breath and takes a few steps forward. When the guard sees me he rises his eyebrow. It must be weird seeing a child without the company of any adults wanting to pass through.

“State your name ond your reason for travelling through” the guard says.

“My name is Ruth and I want to come in so that I can pass through the mountain”.

The crystal in the guards hand shines green. It must mean that I’m telling the truth. But when I say my name the guard gives me a sad glance, full of pity, I wonder why.

“You seem to be telling the truth. Now please pay one silver coin as tax”.

I get nervous. I start checking inside my pocket, even if I know I don’t have any money. I need to think of something!

Suddenly an idea strucks me. It’s not the best idea but it just might work.

I start talking, using Hypnotising Voice. I can see the guard gets dizzy and his eyes dazed.

“Here” I say “one silver coin”. I show him my hand. Of course I don’t have any coin in my hand instead there is a leaf, but if my plan works correctly then the guard will believe it is a coin.

The guard stretch out his hand and takes the leaf.

“Thank you and welcome the city of Ozlem” the guard says and let’s me through the gate.

It worked! I can’t believe it! As I walk through the gate a screen appears before me.

//You have leveled up Hypnotising Voice! Your title Mediocre Liar have evolved into Good Liar! Your lies are now even more believable!//

Even if I don’t enjoy lying I got happy when I saw this.

“Good jobb boss!”

“As expected of mistress”.

“Mama is the best!”

((Hehehe! Thank you!)) I laugh in my mind while I walk into the city of Ozlem.