Chapter 3: The Pursuit of Happiness

"HOLY SHIT!" The man currently beneath Rin squirmed. Rin twirled her hips as she basically danced on top of him. Now that she had something to work towards, Rin was putting up the performance of a lifetime.

[Just say it, it's cringe, but just say it.] She thought as she grinned down at the guy and leaned towards him.

"I love how your hard cock feels inside me."

She suppressed a gag that came up instinctively and forced herself to continue looking into the man's eyes. He was breathing so heavily, it was like he was in the middle of an intense workout.

"I'm... AGH!" As the guy reached an orgasm, he closed his eyes and fell limp, and Rin could finally stop. "You... You're amazing!"

[Years of experience, finally working out for me.]

"Only cause I had a good partner," she winked at him.

By the time he left the room, Rin was holding another plat.

[YES!] She laughed as she felt it in her hands. [I can do this. I swear I can do this.]

[One guy at a time, Rin. Come on, you can hold out for longer.]

Another customer soon emerged after the last one. He was a short, slightly chubby old man with a handlebar mustache. Rin's determination was at an all-time high, so, little did this guy know, but he was about to have his brains fucked out.

A few minutes later, Rin danced on top of him like she had with the other one, carefully eyeing his reactions to make sure she was performing as well as she could. On occasion though, her eyes drifted to his belt, where he carried several things tied to it.

See, the part of the plan that she came up with was that she also planned to sell everything she'd stolen. And that hopefully, she could get one or two more valuables from any of the day's clients.

This man, in particular, was the third of the day. He seemed like a scholar, so Rin hoped he'd have a couple of things worth taking. [Should be easy enough. I can't imagine he'd notice a pen missing or something.]

"By the fucking Divine!"

The kinds of moans that Rin was in the middle of faking even had her blushing, but she had to. She needed to squeeze every drop she could from these people.

So when the man climaxed into his condom, instead of her usual "okay, now get out", she bent down, kissed his forehead, licked his cheek just above his mustache and in a low voice asked:

"Want to go again?"

"Huh?" The man looked dazed. "But my time's almost up."

"I won't tell if you won't," Rin spoke in a lower register and the man's eyes lit up.

Soon enough, she was counting extra coins the man and the others had left her, along with a pen she'd taken from this one's belt. [Eighty-nine, ninety, ninety-one. Ninety-one silver. So, nine gold. Almost another plat. This is pretty good progress actually. Assuming I don't have any other plats at home, I should be about seven plats away. I can do this, I can do this!]

Rin walked over to the mirror in the bathroom and splashed some water on her face. She looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes passing over the white hair and crescent moon symbol that marked her. [Maybe someday I won't see myself like this again.] After inhaling and exhaling, she left.

She emerged out onto the streets of Dren with, for the first time in months, a proud smile. Her backpack's weight served only as a pleasant reminder of her current objective. She was doing it. She'd be out of this place in no time.

Then, one small thought appeared in her head. One she desperately wished wouldn't have shown up but barged in anyway like an unwanted guest you couldn't kick out.

[Who's going to take care of mom?]

She shook her head. She could think about that later. For now though, as she passed by a few kiosks that were set up near the brothel, she stopped. [You know what… I could probably sell these items off right now. Save myself the time.]

Nodding to herself, she did just that. She approached a general trader and dropped her backpack off in front of him.

"Not interested." He said, glancing at the tattoo on her forehead.

"Me neither." She replied with some bite and the man appeared offended. At least until she pulled out an item she randomly grabbed. A small amulet. "I'm here to sell stuff."

"Huh?" The merchant grabbed it. "Okay… Where did you get this from?"

"Gifts." She replied confidently, then with a wink she said, "people like to show their appreciation when you show them a good time."

He rolled his eyes.

"Alright. Show me what you got."

All in all, Rin had picked up around eight different items. Everything that was in her backpack along with things she kept home. Most were jewelry, but there were a few things in there that stood out. One was a small silver knife, another was some kind of emblem that had been on a man's blazer. However, Rin's eyes widened when she found one item in there that she'd forgotten about.

The golden necklace. Her face heated up just thinking about the night she'd shared with that woman. Was she really ready to sell it off? Give up on remembering her face? Not that she planned to do anything with the knowledge, but she hoped she could someday attach a face to what had been one of the best nights she'd had in this job.

With a deep breath, she reached forward and snagged the necklace before the man could appraise it.

"Sorry." She said, "I changed my mind on that one."

He shrugged and went back to his… Whatever he was doing. Rin had no idea how the value of an item was determined. All she knew was that whatever price she was given; it was likely to be an undersell.

"Alright… I have a price for you. Eighteen gold."

[Holy fuck.] Rin took a sharp breath. That was much more than she had expected. She had to keep herself from nodding fervently, and instead said:

"Twenty."

"No."

Then, as much as it pained her, she reached forward and grabbed one of the items, about to put it in her bag but the man stopped her, harshly grabbing her wrist. Rin tried to show no pain at all.

"… Nineteen."

They stared at each other for a moment.

"Okay."

"Good." The man nodded and the deal was made.

When Rin walked away, her backpack was much lighter, but her pockets were far heavier. She walked back into the Silver Rose with a successful smile on her face. She was so happy that when a few workers greeted her, she waved back at them eagerly and walked to the lounge, hoping more clients would be available.

Instead, she found Jay and some man standing inches apart from each other, as though they were about to fight. Everyone around them was silent and Rin felt the tension in the room hit her hard.

As soon as she stepped in, everyone's eyes went to her.

"Her! She stole it!" When the man turned to face her, Rin's face went white.

"Doubt it. No one's had a negative thing to say about Rin in the years she's worked here. Not once."

"Fine, fucking search her!"

Okay, Rin." Jay called her over. "Come on."

[It's fine. I don't have it anymore. It's alright.]

Rin calmed her nerves and walked forwards. As soon as she could, she handed over her back to Jay who held it upside down and let its contents drop on the ground. All that came out was that golden necklace.

"Bullshit!" The man spat. "She took it, I know she did!"

"Unless she's got it up her ass, and unless you really want to start trouble with me over a fucking pen, I suggest you look somewhere else."

The man did not even register Jay's words. He stomped over to Rin and before she could react, he had a clenched fist up in the air and ready to lay her out. He was not allowed to use it though.

Jay grabbed him by the wrist, pulled him, and flipped him over her back. The man smashed into the floor, letting out a pained yelp as Jay put a boot on him to keep him down.

"She. Didn't. Steal from you. Calm the fuck down."

He stared up at her for a moment and then nodded. Rin was frozen. Her hands shook a little and she took a step back. The man got up, grumbled something, and walked out. Everyone watched him go, silent.

"Alright," Jay called out to the crowd. "Back to work, all of you."

One by one, the spectators resumed whatever they had been doing. Rin just stood there though. She could feel her heart threatening to burst out of her chest.

"Rin," Jay said. "Come with me for a sec."

"O-Okay." She nodded and when Jay walked into her office, she followed, picking up the necklace and her backpack on the way. Jay closed the door behind her and sat down beside her radio.

"So, tell me, how long have you been stealing for?" She asked.

Rin nearly fainted.

"I didn't…"

"I know you've been doing that."

"But I didn't even have the thing he…"

"No. I know because of the necklace."

"What?"

"That necklace that fell from your backpack. It belongs to one of the noble families in Libera. The D'Ana family. You can tell because of the phoenix symbol on the small coin it carries. It's an emblem. And I know specifically who it belongs to because only one of them has ever even shown up here. So, yeah, you stole it." Jay put her feet up on her table. "So, how long?"

Rin was baffled.

"I... What?"

"How long have you been doing this for?"

"About two years." She answered honestly, and softly.

Jay shook her head.

"Rin, what the fuck?" Jay stood up and walked over to her. Rin looked away. She couldn't handle seeing the disappointment in her eyes. "You know, whores already have enough of a bad reputation as is, being known as homewreckers and disease spreaders and shit. And you pull this?"

"I needed the money," Rin argued, still as softly as she could.

"You could have asked me. I'd have helped you out."

"You don't really look all that friendly, boss, It's not easy to walk up to you and ask for things," Rin replied quietly. Jay took her words in and sighed. She stood up, walked over to Rin, and put her hands on the girl's shoulders.

"Rin. I promised your mother I'd look out for you. I had hoped that at this point you'd know that."

"... Sorry."

"... No, I guess it's a bit my fault too. But, listen, I can't have you doing that anymore. One wrong move and you create a shitstorm for all of us. Hell, it's amazing that you even pulled it off for two years. But seriously, stop. It's a miracle no one's caught you and cut your head off."

"… Then, can you help me?" Rin asked.

"Hm?"

"I… I want to apply for the Adventurer's Academy."

"Wait, what? Where the fuck did this come from?" Jay asked, but then a look of recognition dawned on her portrait. "Wait… Those two from yesterday. You talked to them?"

"No, just one. And, yeah, she said I could go there if I had the money."

"Damn. How much is it?"

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"I'm missing, uh, around six plats."

"... That's a lot of money, Rin."

"S-Sorry, I'll just keep working for it, I..."

"I'll give it to you," Jay suddenly cut her off.

"What?"

"I'm going to give it to you."

Rin blinked.

"What? That easy?"

"Yeah. And, by the way, when were you planning on telling me this? You know you're under contract right? I'll have to sort that out. Would have been a nightmare if you didn't tell me. But, anyway, I'll give you… Five."

"Seriously?" Rin asked. "You don't need anything? Like… I don't know, an extra shift before I go or something?"

"Oh, I'm going to ask for something, but Rin, I just told you I've got your back. This is a good time to show that, I guess."

"Uh... Well, what do you need?" Rin asked.

"Simple. The last plat you need." Jay paused. When she spoke again, her voice took on a strange tone. "Ask your mother for it."

Out of everything Jay could have said, that was something she had not expected for a second.

"What? Why?"

"I dunno. Just a hunch." Jay crossed her arms.

"You're saying I should ask my mom for a whole plat because of a hunch?"

"Is it that hard to ask your mother for things?"

That sentence hit Rin much harder than she expected it to.

"No."

"Mhm. So, what'll it be?"

Rin shook her head and nodded.

"Okay… I'll do it… I'll get back to work then."

"Nope. Go home. No point in working if you're leaving. Go ahead, and good luck, kid."

"... Thank you, Jay. Seriously, I... I won't forget this."

And, with a nod and an anxious look, Rin left the room.

After she washed out the disguise, she was free to walk the streets as herself. She wondered if she'd ever see herself with white hair and that tattoo ever again. Walking away from the brothel, the town as a whole took on a new light. Things seemed brighter, the sun felt warmer.

[It's not over and done with yet though. Rin thought. I guess I have to talk to mom now. When was the last time we really did that?]

Ever since her brother's passing, she and her mother barely saw each other. Rin woke up early and headed out to work for the duration of the entire day, only coming back late at night to sleep. As for her mother, Rin had no idea what she did all day. Maybe she just laid on her bed and watched the hours pass.

Rin's home looked desolate even from the outside. She stood outside for a while, just watching it as people passed by wordlessly. [Alright. Let's get it over with.] She walked in. [Has the living room always been this dusty?] She wondered. She noticed the radio at the center, which hadn't been turned on in months. She saw two couches positioned around the machine, both of which were dirty and unkempt.

She could barely hear footsteps coming from the right side of the house. Moving toward the source of the singular sound in the air, the silence in the house unnerved her. Eventually, she realized that the footsteps weren't coming from her mother's room, but her brother's. Her brother's, which had been left untouched out of respect.

Rin saw that the door was open and slowly pushed it in. She found her mother sitting on her brother's bed, holding a painting of him that she and Rin's father had commissioned some years ago when he first started adventuring. It was surreal. Rin barely ever thought about it, but her mother really did look like a grown-up, frailer version of herself. She shook her head.

"Mom?"

"Huh?" Her mother tilted her head. "What? Rin? You're… You're home early."

"Uh, yeah." Rin scratched her head. "Can I come in?"

"Y-Yeah." Her mother put aside the painting and moved to the right, leaving a space for Rin to sit.

"Thanks."

They didn't speak for a minute or so. It dawned on Rin just how little they ever conversed these days.

"I, uh, I have something to ask you."

"What is it?" Her mother sounded curious. Like she couldn't imagine why Rin would be here.

"I need a plat... If you have one."

"Oh, of course, honey, no problem." Her mother replied instantly, much to Rin's surprise. "Why though?"

[Shit… I didn't think about how she'd take this.]

"Um, I want to apply… I want to apply for the Adventurer's Academy."

The silence that entered the room almost seemed permanent. Her mother was making a face like she couldn't comprehend the language Rin was speaking. With a stutter, she asked:

"Why?"

"I thought about it. I don't think I can keep working at the Rose. It's been taking a toll on me mentally and… Yeah, I need something to change. I want to try something else, make money doing something else. And, well, it takes way more money to go back to school and get a job that way, no one's really hiring in Dren, the only thing I can think of is to go to Libera and try this out. If it doesn't work, I'll look for a regular job there then."

Rin concluded with a small shrug, but her eyes wouldn't meet her mother's. She was almost scared to see her reaction.

"Okay." Her mother said with a tight throat. "That's fine. I'll… I'll give you the money."

"Oh, thanks, mom. I'm going to start packing my things then, I'll let you know when-"

She felt her mother grab her hand and squeeze down on it. Rin stopped talking and looked to her left.

Tears were threatening to fall from her mother's amber eyes.

"Mom?"

"I, Rin, sweetie, I don't want you to go missing too."

It was that sentence that made this a reality. Not the money, not the prospect of traveling. This sentence. As much as Rin held her brother, and by extension all adventurers, in reverence, she knew precisely because of what he'd told her that this was a dangerous occupation.

Rin hadn't even thought about the risks involved. Just traveling was a risk. People in Dren were taught a very condensed version of history, but one thing that was always hammered home in class was how dangerous just the mere act of stepping outside of a city's walls or a town's limits was.

It was easy to forget, but this hadn't been humanity's world for hundreds of years. And adventurers were the people looking to change that. That was a fact Rin knew all too well. Her brother had been one of those determined souls, after all.

And yet, she wanted to go through with this. Maybe it was the desperation speaking, but she was too determined to stop here. She had nothing against the other girls working at the Silver Rose, but she couldn't see herself being a prostitute for another day.

So, even though now tears were popping up in her own eyes, she turned to face her mother.

"I have to." She stated. "I can't think of anything else. Yeah, in half a year I could probably save up to go to a university or something, but I can't spend another day at the Rose. I need to do something else."

Her mother pulled her in for a hug. It was such a strange gesture that Rin didn't know how to react for a few seconds, eventually wrapping her arms around her and returning it.

"I understand. I'm just… I'm just sorry I couldn't do better for you."

"No, no. Mom, you're fine. I… Um… What happened to Tristan and what I've been doing… We needed money fast and I found an opportunity. I knew what I was getting into. It's not your fault, I just… I don't want to do it anymore."

"… Yeah, yeah. Of course."

A few fallen tears and sniffles later, and Rin was packing up in her room, with her mother sitting at her bed.

"Make sure you work hard." Her mother blew her nose into a tissue and told her. "And eat well, Tristan was eating boxes of pasta by the hour."

"Yeah."

"And don't take any missions that are too hard."

"I have to do well over there for that to ever be a problem," Rin noted with a smile.

"Oh, you will." Her mother replied with a wave of her hand. "You're too stubborn not to."

Rin shook her head with a chuckle.

"OH!" Her mother stood up and ran out of the room. What the hell? When she came back, she had a small box in her hands. "Rin, do you know what this is?"

"Uh, no."

"Yeah, you've never been out of Dren, so you've never needed anything like this." She took the lid off and Rin saw two small wooden carvings of birds.

"Uh, some bird art? Who made this?"

"It's not art." Her mother replied. She made some kind of sign in the air and suddenly, the wooden birds transformed into actual living beings.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Rin looked at her mother with wonder in her eyes.

"These are Essence-made messengers," her mother explained with a smile. "You can use them to send messages to people. Simply single the person out in your mind, in this case, me, and the bird will understand," her mother said.

Coming across real magic like this was surreal. In Rin's life, the only magic she ever really interacted with came in the form of her potions.

"Holy shit."

"I might buy one of those new, what are they called? 'Telephones' or something. If I do, I'll let you know in a letter."

"Mom, holy shit!"

"I know, I know."

"These things are awesome!"

"And one's yours now."

Her mother passed one to her, and as soon as Rin touched it, she saw a green string form in the air between them and disappear. The other bird did the same with her mother.

"If you want to use it, just do this sign in front of its eyes." Her mother waved her hand in a circle and the bird in front of her turned to wood. "It activates and deactivates them."

"Okay, wow, thanks," Rin said with a grateful smile.

"Well… By the Divine, let's get you to Libera then."

Just like that, Rin's time in Dren was officially concluding. But, with the relief that this new reality brought on, so too came anxiety.

What the hell was being an adventurer even like? How expensive was it? Were the people in Libera kind or just like the ones in Dren? There were too many questions and Rin knew she would learn the answers to each one soon. But whatever it was like, there was virtually no chance it was worse than the life she'd been leading up to this day.

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