“The reason why Inventory Cores are such a big issue is that they allow people to carry dangerous items without detection,” Gracey began. “This is a major security risk for any city, so we take precautions to ensure that no one enters our walls illegally.”

I paused for a moment to consider the irony of her words. This rhetoric is eerily reminiscent of a certain politician from how many iterations ago...though he was more of a clown than an actual political leader. Not the funny kind of clown either, more of the ‘why has no one killed it with fire yet?!’ type of thing. Now that I think of it, that guy got into an argument with another man-baby leader over whose hands were bigger, or some stupid reason like that, and ended up pushing the button that destroyed the world.

So glad that iteration is behind me.

Back to Gracey though, was that really it? Inventory cores are illegal because they can be used to hide dangerous stuff? You might as well ban all forms of bags and luggage in that case. Clothing too, people can clearly hide lethal weapons beneath them.

I looked Gracey straight in her eyes and clearly said, “That sounds absolutely ridiculous.” I didn’t intend to sound rude or offended, the absurdity of the reasoning just changed the tone of my voice…

However, Gracey did not seem to mind. Instead, it looked like she was expecting such a response from me, going by her amused expression. Before I could continue, she beat me to the punch. “That was just a simplified reason, given to lay the grounds for further understanding of the circumstances, it’s standard procedure here. You have a backpack with you, correct?”

I do… “Yes,” I confirmed.

“Why?” She asked. “Why have a backpack when you have an Inventory core to store everything in, including that very same bag?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but then paused, remembering why I bothered to pick up the bag in the first place. It was to give thieves a target they could focus on instead of me, minimizing my damages.

“Almost forgot about Lilia, right right…” I muttered out loud.

Although I was muttering to myself, everyone’s attention suddenly intensified on me. What did I- oh, maybe because I mentioned Lilia? Come to think of it, there might be a bounty on her, especially if she kept naming herself and leaving her victims alive. I noticed that Cornelius was especially focused on me, and the arms wrapped around him seemed to squeeze a bit tighter. A comfort squeeze? Trauma? Something else?

Better question is, exactly how long is she going to hold on to him?

“What do you know about that thief?” Cornelius demanded.

“Nothing, beyond the fact that she robbed me and left me to die on the way here,” I told him. “I’m guessing she’s a major problem around these parts?”

Cornelius gave me a sharp look, almost as if he was searching for lies, but even if I was lying he would never be able to tell. I’ve had far too much experience in spinning the truth to be found out that easily. In any case, he eventually let up and said, “She is. There is a bounty out on her, but it’s not that important right now. Let’s not take up too much of Gracey’s time, the crowd is picking up and we don’t want to hold up the line.” I looked behind us and saw that he was serious, the room was filling up more than when we first got here. I wanted to point out that we could have been done earlier if he wasn’t flirting so much at the start, but it didn’t seem appropriate this time. There will probably be opportunities to tease him later, it’s kind of fun getting under his skin.

Turning back to Gracey once more, I paid attention as Cornelius brought us back on topic. “Gracey, I can handle the other things he needs to know, just tell him about the Arena after you finish with the core. We’ll come back when you’re free another time to get more in depth.” Oh yeah, I’m sure he wants to get ‘in depth’ alright.

Who said such a pervy thing? Surely, not I?

Gracey nodded, “Sure, that’s fine. Okay, so going by what you said about Lilia, you seem to understand that not everyone has an Inventory skill and you can use a visible bag to mask the fact that you have it. That means you also understand that there is no way for a person to know you have an Inventory unless they use Scan, which is also not typically available to the public. What you may or may not know is that the Inventory cannot be accessed by anyone other than the owner, so searches and theft are practically impossible.”

Okay, I did not know that last part, I guessed it but only now has it been confirmed. I can see why this skill is more of a security threat, but... “So what do people do then? The public knows that Inventory exists, but they need to be registered to use it, wouldn’t there be a tidal wave of complaints?”

Gracey smiled at that. “Maybe around the time when the government started regulating it, yes, but there was an alternative ready at that point, so the complaints never got too loud. Bags of Holding were widely available since finding Inventory Cores was rare at the time. They are not as secure, since anyone could access them, but they were much easier to search by the guards in case of suspicious activity. Also, theft is not as much of a problem, since accessing them is pretty obvious most of the time.”

Now I get it. These Bags of Holding give the general public the ability to carry many items easily, but are also easy to investigate for the sake of security. Someone with an Inventory, however, can get away with a lot more because it would be impossible to see what they have before entering the city. However, since it would be foolish to outright ban people with those skills, the government decided to provide a layer of accountability by relying on the Adventurer’s Guild to keep track of their members who have the skill. It all makes sense now.

“Okay, I understand the situation, I can see why I was held by the guards. Thank you for clearing that whole mess up,” I said to Gracey. She gave me another one of those adorable smiles, I could really get used to this treatment. “Now, about this Arena? And then we have to go, I guess, according to Cornelius here.”

“Ah, yes,” she began. “The Arena is a place located in each of the 8 capitals designated for gaining combat experience. It has multiple types of challenges: simple practice against other Adventurers, monster battles, tournaments, execution matches, pretty much anything you could think of.” I frowned at the ‘execution matches’ but I figured I could learn more about each of the options if I go there directly. “Are there any requirements for gaining access to the Arena?” I asked.

“You need to be registered with a guild, any official one, before you can have the right to use the Arena. More than that, there aren’t any requirements...just a bit of a stipulation.”

That doesn’t sound good. “What sort of...stipulation?”

“If you choose to use the Arena you must agree to be available for a draft in times of war. No agreement, no Arena,” Gracey said firmly.

Ah crap...I hate being roped into situations like this. Let me choose who to fight for myself, don’t push me into doing it for your interests. “Is this something I need to decide here and now?” I asked cautiously.

Another smile. “Oh no no, you can do that any time you go to the Arena, we don’t take care of that here. Just be sure to keep your Adventurer’s Card with you when you go. In fact, you should really keep it on you at all times, especially in your Inventory, since you are now legally allowed to use it. If you decide to agree to the draft, your card will be needed for the contract.” Great, a contract is involved. Oh well, I’ll decide on my own what to do when the time comes, even if I agree to the draft for the sake of being able to use the Arena, I will exercise my free will regardless. If the government comes down on me for breaking my agreement, well...it won’t be the first time I’ve fought against a nation.

“Are there any specific benefits to having access to the Arena? What I mean is, something beyond the obvious experience you can get from fighting in the different scenarios,” I inquired.

“I would say that the battle experience is more than enough, but I think I know what you are getting at. Why fight there when you can train outside of the city, something like that?” Gracey asked. I nodded, that was exactly what I was getting at. She continued on, saying, “Think about it like this. When you train in the Arena, depending on the type of matches you fight, there are healers on hand who can tend to any injuries you incur. They are free of charge, as they are typically apprentices who need the practice to raise their skills, but you can also pay for an advanced healer to look after you. That is the recommended option for when you do the higher tier fights, by the way, although there is always a risk of serious wounds no matter what kind of fight you participate in. Still, it is better to have healers of any capacity here rather than out in the wild, where the environment is less controlled and they are more exposed to danger. Also, because the Arena offers a wide variety of opponents, it is a great place to learn about certain monster weaknesses before you travel anywhere. Finally, this place is a reliable, stable way of gaining levels, which is more than what I can say about doing free-training.”

Is that so...I wonder if anyone else has realized that the leveling system is not based on gathering a predetermined amount of experience, but entering different states of being based on your personal growth. I should discuss this with Cornelius later, he should understand what I mean since he is also from Earth, we should have an outside perspective with our culture’s background in video games that should provide a different insight than what the natives here have.

Still, I think I will end up trying this Arena, it may prove even more useful than the impression I’m getting from Gracey. Especially considering that I have no desire to constantly enter and exit the city walls just to train, even if I won’t be hauled into the guardhouse every time with my new identification. The line for entry is just ridiculous, I could spend that time more wisely just remaining in the city for now.

“Alright, I will consider the Arena later,” I said to Gracey, to indicate that I have no further questions.

“Well, I think that’s all for today, we’ll come back another time if necessary. Thanks Gracey, you were a big help as always,” Said Cornelius as he smiled at the clerk. As he guided us away from the desk, Gracey said, “No problem! Take care, and good luck showing Zareb around!” I like her, she’s sweet.

Stepping away so that the line could move forward, Cornelius, myself, and the mystery woman attached to him managed to make our way outside to an open space. There, we stopped, and I finally got to see the identity of our third member.

She’s not human!

Slightly wavy black hair that gradually turns into a shocking blue at the bottom, reaching down towards the top of her chest. Deep green eyes that sparkled in the light of day. A pair of pointed ears on the top of her head that twitched and swiveled towards any noise. A prehensile tail with black and blue fur, identical to her hair. Tight curves that befitted her petite size, as she stood a full head shorter than Cornelius. She was a deadly mix of sexy and adorable, with a face that can pass for both an adult and a child at the same time. It almost hurt to look at her, as she is definitely arousing but makes you guilty for the reaction!

A blend of cat and human...a cat-girl!

Cornelius was watching my expression, searching for what, I don’t know. “By the way, this is Kitara Lyana, my closest friend. Kitkat, this is Zareb, he is one of us.”

Kitara gave a small wave and cheerfully said, “Hello! Nice to meet you!”

Oh, my melting heart!