IV

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Arc IV Chapter 11

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10th Ignis Solar 753 AAC

“Fourteen?” Aurora raised her eyebrow in a display of slight incredulity.

“Yes, do you have any problems with that?” Lambert was calculating in his mind. “You are now officially fourteen. If anyone asks you, you are fourteen, and not younger, got it?”

“...” Aurora raised no objection following Lambert's sudden burst of impetus. In the end, the matter was settled rather quickly. Not that she complained. After all, fourteen was her true age, despite her petite stature suggesting otherwise.

“No problems? Good. Let's continue. I want to get over this form sooner than later ... Is something the matter, lass?”

Aurora raised her hand. “Well, I don't want to disagree, but isn't it dangerous that we are potentially lying about my age?”

“Nah.” Lambert dismissed her concerns with supreme confidence and a wave of his hand. “Rest assured, you are most certainly neither the first adventurer, nor will you be the last adventurer to lie about your age upon application. If every applicant told the truth, the world would have run out of adventurers long ago. They shouldn't pry into it too much.”

“...” Aurora had nothing to add. Practical considerations clearly outweighed any technical and administrative concerns.

“Very well.” Iris scribbled down her true, untrue age. “Now to the last point ...”

Iris looked up from the form, her face visibly troubled. “It seems that we need a name for her ... The guild wants her name.”

...

...

....

Lambert drummed his fingers on the table, scowling. “A name ... That's indeed troublesome.”

His gaze turned to her. “Do you remember anything? Do you have a hint or clue for us?”

“Not really.” Aurora shook her head, continuing her helpless girl act.

An exasperated sigh escaped him. “I guess, it's time to think about a name for you. At least, for the time being, and until you recover your memories.”

Iris seconded his opinion. “Lambert is right, you definitely need a name. You can't go without one forever.”

“I guess you are right.” Aurora hugged her doll, hardly able to deny their requests. Their motion had its merits from a multitude of angles.

“I suppose that's something that we all can agree upon.” Lambert stroked his chin, thinking. “Do have you any suggestion how you would like to be called? Do you have any preferences? We are flexible, after all. Not that we have much of a choice.”

Aurora contemplated her options after consulting with her loyal doll. Both of them knew that regardless of whatever name they would be given, it must exude an adequate degree of dignity and decorum. It must be a name befitting her status. “My doll says our name must elegant and graceful. I agree with her.”

“Elegant ... Graceful ... That's quite vague, to be honest.” A frown crossed Lambert's lips, who chose to ignore the fact that the girl was talking with her doll. “Iris, any suggestions?”

Their domestic mage looked puzzled. “Why are you looking at me?”

Lambert leaned back into his chair. “The reason is simple, you have an academic background, and our girl here wants an elegant and graceful name. As such, you are perfect for this task.”

Iris conceded his point. “I guess so ... But just because I studied doesn't mean that I am your private lexicon, but I guess that I can make an exception this time. You wish for a graceful and elegant name, right?”

Aurora nodded affirmatively. “Yes, Sister Iris! I would like a noble name, a strong name, a name with dignity!”

Iris crossed her arms, thinking and pondering before commencing an impromptu discourse on Arcadian history. Rummaging through her memory of historical records and figures, piece by piece, a name formed in her mind, one that she was certain would fit her specifications. “What an odd request for a girl with your age ... A noble name ... A strong name ... But I suppose that I might have an idea. It's an ancient name, but still fairly common today among commoners and nobles. It's the name of a saintess of old, known across Arcadia, and hailed in folklore and legends. The woman was a slayer of dragons and demons, and was revered by the masses. The church respected her and even the nobility and the crown were forced to acknowledge her despite her humble birth. Her name was Angelika. What do you think about it? Isn't it a pretty name? It would suit you.”

Aurora blinked. “Do you think so? Doesn't it seem it a bit grandiose to name me after a heroine of legends?” The name was adequate, yet it felt too conspicuous for her taste in terms of popularity.

Iris raised her index finger. “I don't think so. The name fits you perfectly. After all, we believe in you and your future, little one.”

Aurora raised a sceptical eyebrow. “You do?”

“We do?” Lambert seconded her motion of distrust.

Iris smiled him away. “We do. We believe in you very much, right, Lambert?”

“Well, ... Ouch!” Lambert flinched in pain, kicked hard across the table. Iris made her message clear. “Of course! Of course, we believe in you.”

“That makes me happy~.” Aurora hugged her doll and beamed. They really believed in her. Even Lambert did. He just needed some gentle encouragement to do so.“But aren’t there any other names you can think about, Sister Iris?”

“Hmm. Hmmm. Hmmmm. Hmm. Hmmm. Hmmmm.” Iris was contemplating. “Hmm, well, what about Edelgard in that case? She is a figure from the early imperial era during the time of the Arcadian empire, an empress if I remember correctly. A noble name, for sure.”

“Hmm.” Aurora considered the new proposal, thinking for a long moment, before her doll finally gave her approval. Aurora's mind was made up. “I will take it.”

Lambert crossed his arms. “Then it's settled, your name is now Edelgard.”

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Erika hummed along through much of the rest of her uneventful workday. Until a certain little customer once again sought out her assistance at the counter.

“Hello~, I am back, as promised~.” The strange girl and her doll had both returned with the application form in her hands.

Erika greeted her familiar face with a smile. “Welcome back, my dear. I guess that you need my help after all. Shall I help you to fill out the form?”

The girl and her doll looked at the form and then shook their cute heads vigorously. “That's not necessary. I asked some friendly adventurers to help me.”

Erikea beamed. “Oh, that's wonderful~. It's always useful to have some fellow adventurers helping you. That's the true spirit of a guild, helping each other. ”

“I guess so.” The girl offered a pensive nod before placing her filled out form across the counter. A serious expression occupied her face. “I want to apply to become an adventurer.”

“... ... ...” Erika returned a polite smile. So it was, as she had feared, the girl truly intended to become an adventurer. “Understood, I will see what we can do.”

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