Chapter 3 - Introductions

When they reach the guard station, Senna greets the same two guards. “Hello, I’m back.”

“Ah! You’re back already?” (Guard A)

“Yes. I have the money for the tax. It was 30 Triton right?” Senna pulls out three large copper coins.

“Yes. You should hurry and…” Guard A starts to accept the money slightly panicked.

“Oi. What’s going on?”

Guard A clicks his tongue before facing his Captain. “Nothing Captain! The girl from before is paying her entrance tax.”

“Oh. This is her? I believe I said to inform me if she came.” The captain looks up and down admiring Senna’s body.

“She just arrived, so I didn’t have the chance to inform the Captain yet.” (Guard A)

“Fine. Come with me.” He motions to Senna and starts walking back to his office.

“Tch… Sorry.” Guard A whispers to Senna.

“It’s fine. It’s not like it matters.” Senna smiles briefly and follows the captain. Anahid follows along with an annoyed expression.

Guard B’s expression hardens. “I’m going to follow them.” He chases after them while glaring at his captain.

“Leave it to me.” Guard A happily supports his partner’s choice as he runs off.

Anahid discreetly glares at the Captain’s back. “Did you do something to catch his attention?”

“No. This is the first time I’ve seen him.” Senna replies calmly.

“I don’t think the way he looked at you bodes well.” (Anahid)

“Mmmn… I expect he wants to blackmail me to do something lewd?” Senna mutters calmly. Anahid briefly stops staring at Senna’s calm demeanor. Before she can say anything further, Senna enters the guard office.

“Tch. Not on my watch.” Anahid hisses quickly following her into the office with Guard B quickly following behind.

The Captain sits down as his desk, while Senna enters the room. She ignores her surroundings and focuses on the Captain waiting for him to speak. Anahid and Guard B enter the room quickly after Senna. “Who are you?”

“ adventurer, Anahid Galstyan, head thief and number 3 of the .”

“Tch.” He clicks his tongue quietly. “And why are you here? I believe I asked for this young lady.”

“She’s a friend of mine that I was late in meeting. It’s my fault that she couldn’t get through the gate. Naturally, I’ll be here.” Anahid sternly replies with a glare.

The captain inwardly groans to himself seeing his plan fall through. “There is no trouble. I wanted to make sure she properly pays the entrance tax since she did not pay earlier.”

“I have the money. Here you are.” Senna calmly places the money on his desk.

“Good. I will also ask that you do not spread the fact that you entered the city without paying the tax. It would be troublesome if people constantly enter the town and never pay the tax.” (Captain)

“I know. I won’t speak of the topic anymore.” Senna smiles.

“Good. You can leave.” The Captain sighs. Guard B breathes a sigh of relief that his Captain’s lascivious desires did not affect this girl.

“Thank you.” Senna bows. “And since Sir Captain was so kind as to let me off. I should give you an important piece of information.” Senna smiles innocently, but her gaze gives off a mischievous air.

Senna points to her face first, and then to her chest. “My skin here is far different from the skin under my clothes. Rather than pretty, it’s better to say mauled by a monster? Scars and scabs everywhere. Ripped flesh in various places even on my breasts. It’s quite the sight.” She calmly speaks with a cheerful tone. The others go pale listening to her talk. She rolls up the sleeve of her shirt showing her upper arm riddled with various whip marks and fresh scars. “There was one occasion where a piece of my back was sliced off and a flesh eating bug dug into…”

“Stop! Stop! I got the point!” The Captain yells at Senna. His face is completely pale listening to her talk and slowly turns a tinge of green. Anahid and Guard B are equally pale listening to Senna.

“Right? I don’t really care at this point, but the damage is quite heavy. Seeing it is more likely to induce a trauma than feel any erotic emotions?” Senna continues to talk in her cheer free tone. “I don’t mind taking off my clothes for you to see everything.”

“I got it! So please stop!” The Captain covers his mouth imagining the state of her body.

“Then so long as you understand.” Senna rolls down her shirt. “Thank you again.” She bows and walks out of the room. Anahid follows after her, while Guard B remains in the room.

“It’s your fault for aiming at her Captain.” Guard B comments with a smug look on his still pale face.

“I know that! Damn! Who would have thought a pretty one like that is such a huge miss?” The Captain slams his fist on his desk. Guard B shrugs and leaves the room.

**

“Thanks again for the help Anahid. I’m grateful that went so smoothly.” Senna smiles when she sees Anahid catch up to her.

“No problem.” {Just what kind of things have you gone through?} Anahid inwardly mutters the question in her heart.

Senna sees her pondering face and decides to answer her. “I was a plaything to a cruel aristocrat for eight years. Let’s leave it at that…since I’ve probably made you ill enough already.”

Anahid looks at Senna in shock. She opens her mouth, but no words come out. She opens and closes her mouth like a goldfish, but not a single comforting word comes to mind. When walking back to town, Senna waves to Guard A, and gives a nice smile. He gives a sigh of relief that things went well, none the wiser about what happened.

Anahid’s mind runs at top speed processing Senna’s words. {Eight years!! I can’t believe it! She was captured for so long!! Just what kind of things did she go through?! How can she even smile like that?! I would still be in pain and traumatized. No, I would have gone insane by the looks of the scars on her arm. And the rest of her body is supposed to be even worse?!}

“I guess I should find a place to stay… Or not, I have to get money first. I guess I should sell that piece off.” Senna comments to herself.

Talk of a place to stay snaps Anahid out of her reverie. “Before that, why don’t you come with me first?”

“I don’t mind. Where to?” Senna tilts her head at the sudden suggestion.

“My house.” Anahid directs Senna to her home. They arrive at a simple wooden house painted a pale orange. The homes in the area are all similar in design, so the bright color of Anahid’s home made it easier to identify. Anahid knocks on the door and opens it immediately after. “I’m home!”

“Oh Anahid! You scared me! You said you wouldn’t be home until this evening.” An older woman with mahogany brown hair stands near the doorway. She is dressed conservatively in a yellow long dress with an apron over her clothes.

“Sorry Mom. Something came up. Is Dad home?” Anahid asks looking around the house.

“He just stepped out to take out the trash.” The door slams as the woman speaks. “That’s him now.”

“Dad, I’m back.” (Anahid)

“Oh? Weren’t you coming back this evening?” The man asks looking at Anahid and moves his gaze to Senna. Senna takes a look at the man. He is taller than her by a head with crew cut blonde hair. Even with simple clothing, his body emanates a sublime strength.

“I had something important to discuss with both of you.” Anahid makes a quick glance at Senna.

“Let’s sit down then.” The mother welcomes Senna in and the four of them sit around a table. The table has a small candle like object made of silver metal. With a click, a ball of light forms lighting up the entire floor.

StatusNameRussell GalstyanLevel45RaceHumanAge44 yearsHP2280MP180Strength130Endurance112Agility86Dexterity64Intelligence42Wisdom31Luck26SkillsSword Lv. 4

Earth Magic Lv. 2

Enhanced Strength Lv. 2

Survival Lv. 2

Tactics Lv. 3

Presence Detection Lv. 2

Cleaning Lv. 1

StatusNameLeah GalstyanLevel34RaceHumanAge42 yearsHP875MP1023Strength47Endurance32Agility56Dexterity25Intelligence132Wisdom108Luck32SkillsStaff Lv. 2

Light Magic Lv. 3

Null Magic Lv. 3

Magic Spell Proficiency Lv.3

Magic Power Lv. 2

Magic Manipulation Lv. 2

Dark Resistance Lv. 1

Bartering Lv. 3

Persuasion Lv. 3

Appraisal Lv. 2

Arithmetic Lv. 2

Cooking Lv. 3

Cleaning Lv. 3

“Like I said earlier, my name is Anahid Galstyan. I work as a thief class adventurer with my clan, . These are my parents. Leah Galstyan and Russell Galstyan. This girl is Senna… ah… what’s your family name?” Anahid introduces everyone, but falters with Senna.

“Um…” Senna thinks about her name. {I’m not taking Rimmer as my family name. That would just be disturbing at this point. My original family name… no good, I can’t remember it at all. I guess it was erased.} Senna ends up shaking her head and gives a sad smile. “Sorry, I don’t have one.”

“Oh sorry.” Anahid averts her gaze at the uncomfortable topic she brought up. Russell and Leah notice the uncomfortable atmosphere, but patiently wait for her to continue. “*ahem* I noticed she was having a bit of trouble and wanted to ask if she can live here for a while?”

“EEHHHHHHHHH?!?! WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?!” Before Leah and Russell can react, Senna stands up yelling at Anahid in a high pitch.

Anahid is surprised by Senna’s interruption, but makes use of the situation. “That would be best, wouldn’t it? You’re lost in a city that you’ve never seen before. You have no place to stay and spent most of your money to enter the city. The money you have left wouldn’t be enough to pay for a place to stay and food.”

“That may be so!! But how can you offer a place to stay to someone you’ve barely known over an hour?! I could be a criminal or thief for all you know!!” Senna yells back completely flustered. None of her usual composure is seen on her face.

“If you were a criminal, you wouldn’t have been able to enter the city. And do you think an expert thief like me would be able to tell if we had the same profession?” Anahid calmly refutes her wild claims. Senna opens and closes her mouth at the obvious logic.

“Stop.” Russell calmly interrupts the two of them.

Senna’s face pales when she realizes the attitude that she’s been using. “I’m so sorry! I’ve been very rude!”

“Come here.” Russell tells her to stand next to him. Senna obediently walks up to him and stands completely still with her head hanging down. “Look at me.” Senna meets his eyes and stares at him patiently. He mumbles to himself. “Okay. Sit down.” Senna tilts her head at the pointless action, but still obediently sits down. “She can stay.” Russell declares once Senna sits back down.

Senna’s jaw drops at the decision. “Ho…” She starts to protest, but stops realizing how far things have progressed.

Russell responds to Senna’s unspoken question. “I’m a veteran adventurer myself. I can tell who can be trusted well enough. I don’t have a problem letting an innocent girl like you staying here.”

“It’s decided then.” (Leah)

Senna stares in shock at their kind decision. She snaps out of her shock and bows to them. “Thank you very much.”

“You’re welcome dear. Please feel free to treat this like your own home.” Leah smiles warmly at Senna. “Now then, from what you said. You have nothing at all?”

“I have about 10 Triton and something I can sell for emergency money. I have nothing else. I plan to work as an adventurer to earn my keep.”

“That’s a dangerous choice. Will you be able to handle it?” (Leah)

“I plan to spend a year or so doing odd jobs around the city while learning the basics. I don’t know anything, so I want to cram as much knowledge as I can during that time.” (Senna)

“Then the first thing you need is clothes. Your body size is much too petite to wear Anahid’s clothes. We’ll have to buy a whole new set of clothes for you.” Leah declares with a glint in her eye. She stands up circling around the table.

“Eh?” Senna stares as the sudden turn in the conversation.

“Don’t just stand there dear. We’re going.” Leah grabs Anahid and Senna and dashes out of the door.

“Have fun.” Russell resignedly waves as his wife goes on a shopping spree.

Author's Note

Chapter 3. Not the best since I tried to do some world building, but I generally suck at doing descriptions. I'm working out what length of description is good for this type of story since it involves more traveling than I'm used to.

Also I've stopped using the Japanese quotation marks since it was troublesome to copy and paste all the time when I need them. {a} for thoughts and for Special names, spells, etc.