Chapter 69: (Chpt. 53) Discovering a new light (1)

Alice.

Ahh… I wonder, what could I make, what could I do? Well, rather, what should I make this time. A pike, a halberd, another dagger? Should I even make a weapon? Just looking at the anvil brings me joy, the limitless possibilities on that shiny metal surface. Polished to the brim with no blemishes… This is exciting! I wonder⁠— 

As I was fantasizing in my own thoughts suddenly the world turned dark and I was assaulted by a burning pain on my cheek. 

“Wake up!” Eh… 

I opened my eyes, it was Aizen looking at me in annoyance. The first thing I did was look at her with confusion, I was sleeping in bed, that was normal. But the light coming in the windows indicated it was way past early morning, or rather, academy hours. I looked to the sides of the bed and sure enough, Cecil and Ari were missing. I became even more confused. 

“Weren’t you going to go to the academy?” 

“I have things to take care of first.” She nonchalantly answered me with a grin. 

“But what about Ari?” I mean, she isn’t even a mage and she left her alone. 

“Eh,” she paused. “Don’t worry about it, the old man should do a good job at it.” I lifted my brow in suspicion. “Don’t look at me like that. I left her with Dan and the old man…” I nodded to her explanation, Dan had shown that he could take care of her. So it was fine by me, however, I was still confused. 

“So… What things do you have to take care of?” I decided to ask in curiosity. 

She just smiled. “That’s a secret…” Then… Don’t even tell me about it. “Anyway, I will be leaving. Are you going to go to the forge?” I froze and then excitedly nodded, how could I not go there? It was pure joy after all! “Well, good luck with that. Good bye~” She hurriedly left the room. I tilted my head yet again. 

I heard her voice outside the door again. 

“I will be taking Fenri.” 

“Woof!”  Fenri sprinted off the room. 

‘What was all that about?’ I thought. ‘Well, whatever, I want to eat something…’ With those ideas, I left Cecil’s room and went downstairs. I decided to leave the mansion and have food outside. I wanted to explore things; we are in the capital. Meaning it has the highest population density in this kingdom, it ought to have some interesting foods, no? I left the knife that the Guildmaster made me, I did not think I would need it for shopping. 

“Oh, you are going already?” The gate guard gently asked. 

“Yes! I want to try the stuff that they sell in the capital. I don’t know much about culture so it would be nice…” I sheepishly said, halfway through the sentence I realized how dumb it sounded. However, the gate guard wholeheartedly laughed. 

“Is that so? I hope you have a good time. My job is pretty boring so chatting with you girls has given me a better time.” He smiled. I couldn’t help but awkwardly nod, I was not really used with such interactions. After saying my goodbyes to the guard I exited the residential area. For some reason, it was normally pretty dead, which made it confusing for me. 

I headed towards the guilds in the direction of the castle. I saw various food stalls yesterday so something had to be good. I kept having eye contact with strangers so I started looking at the old cobblestone floor as I walked through the guilds. I noticed a dark wood stall that sold meat skewers. They looked really good! I approached the bearded bald man on the stall. 

“How much are they?” 

He smiled. “Oh, you have a sharp eye!"

I tilted my head. "Is that so?"

"Yes, they are from a rare rank A monster. They would normally be one silver coin. But for you.” He smiled. “Only five copper coins. Seeing such an innocent and cute girl around makes me happy.” Eh… You can just take my one silver coin if you are going to compliment me like that...

I handed him a gold coin, he kind of froze but he gave me a skewer and change. “Have a nice day…” He did not seem as cheerful as before… I shrugged as I ate the juicy and soft meat, it was a nice meal. However, it was just a skewer with not that much meat. I was somewhat hungry, I also realized. Food was really cheap, which honestly, did not feel accurate. I mean, didn’t that guy sold an apple barrel for one gold coin? As far as I know, meat should be more expensive. So that doesn’t really make sense… I wonder. 

I chewed some more meat before a stranger roughly bumped into me. He looked pretty shady and used a deteriorated cloak that covered his face. However, I did not really move from my spot from the bumping, it was... Not strong enough to move me, I noticed he tried to grab something but ended up grabbing the air, somewhat brushing against my cloak. I continued walking a bit, it was just a straight path towards the castle after all. The capital had a pretty straight-forward layout of three streets, one being the main one and the other being residential areas. Well, it did have a lot of pathways in-between, I thought the layout was pretty dumb, but I don’t know much about infrastructure, besides, it seemed to work well. 

As I looked at the ground I saw a shadow move! I really did, well, I don’t know if it was a shadow. It kind of looked like a cat, weirdly enough. It went into an alleyway, of course, I had to go and see inside the alleyway. Besides, I did not even need to go to the forge, it is just that I wanted to go. Derailing a bit wouldn’t hurt much. I hurriedly went into the dirty alleyway, the walls were mossy and everything was dark. Then I saw a shadow surge from the wall, I started sensing presences near me, and soon enough I was surrounded by four people. Two in front of me, and two behind me. 

I quickly became confused. “Do you need something?” I sheepishly asked. 

One of them just smiled. “Yes, we just need your coin pouch, little noble girl.” I tilted my head yet again. 

“Coin pouch?” 

“Don’t joke with me! I saw you pay one gold coin to the man in the stall!” He spat-out in annoyance. Well, that was fair enough. Except I did not really have a coin pouch or any pouches for that matter. As I was thinking, the man pointed his head at a cloaked person. It was the same guy from earlier. 

“My friend over here tried to pickpocket you. But you had nothing! So, where are you hiding it? We clearly saw you put it inside your cloak,” he said in annoyance. I was still confused, they just wanted to rob me. But, they really couldn’t, so the entire quarrel was pointless. 

“Well… I can’t really give it to you.” 

He laughed. “Don’t worry we will get it from you if you can't give it.” He pulled out a knife. 

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I stiffened, but I had to think. These people think I am a child of some noble, wouldn’t my supposed noble family have a lot of influence. I put on a bitter smile. “What if my dad finds out?” They stopped moving.   

The leader that had been speaking to me just smiled. “Ah, yes… Your dad. I don’t know your family, and I am well aware that noble leaders are way stronger than regular people. However, their kids tend to be really weak for some reason. Almost as if they just wanted their kids to not fight and get stronger… Well, regardless. If we kill you right now and take your gold, even if your dad finds out. Nothing will happen. It happens very often, so it’s not uncommon. So, girl. Gold or death.” I just stiffened again as he gave me an evil grin, my plan had backfired. 

I did not have combat experience, well I technically did but I didn’t. Fighting a hell hound that spits lava is not the same as fighting a human that just wants to kill you because of greed. Also, the movements of monsters are way more monotone and easier to predict. This is outside my grade of expertise… I also, did not have a weapon to defend myself since I had forgotten it. I stood there, frozen. 

“Tch… Looks like you’d rather die. Let’s do this guys…” He murmured something in regret but steeled himself and looked at me with murderous eyes. He tightly gripped his dagger and rushed me, trying to stab me right in the stomach with a tackle. However, I quickly noticed something... They were too slow. I moved aside and dodged him. 

His eyes were wide-open. I felt a sense of danger behind me and moved again. Soon enough, another dagger swiped to cut my neck. I quickly distanced from the group of four, they were coordinated and hard to deal with. 

“Ohh… What do we have here?” The leader was impressed. “I did not know you were this agile. I wonder what that agility stat looks like?” Umm… You probably don’t want to know. “Well, regardless. Your end is here⁠—” A pained scream resounded throughout the back. 

They quickly distanced themselves, being careful to not get too close to me either. One of the guys had a sword stabbed in his chest. Blood trickling down and pelting the floor. The sword effortlessly slid out, leaving a limp body to dully crash on the ground. There stood an old woman with glasses and white hair.  Wearing a Chinese styled dress for some reason, she was fully dressed in black. 

The bandits were frozen. The leader recovered his composure. “Tch… Guys we have to go, it’s a noble!” He hurriedly left, however, one of the guys froze. 

“A noble? What could a no⁠—” His head fell on the ground. I squinted my eyes as the pained screams resounded throughout the alleyway, it was way too much for me. 

I heard another dull sound and some sandpaper-like grinding. “You wench! Do you think stepping on me will do something?” He grit his teeth. “Because of you nobles and your bloodthirst, to evolve and get stronger. Just because of that, I have nothing left. My wife was killed, for being ‘too strong’. Do you think that is okay?!” He exclaimed in rage. 

“I don’t care… I never did that, maybe the king did.” The old and raspy voice coldly responded. She sounded like a grandma. “Well, regardless. You may find your wife now.” After those cold and eerie words, all I heard was almost total silence. The only sound I heard were the slow and rhythmic footsteps approaching me. I slowly opened my eyes, everything was stained in a deep red, it didn't look real. 

The woman gently smiled at me. “Girly are you okay?” I awkwardly nodded. “Good, tell your dad or whatever that Lin saved you. He owes me one now.” Eh… 

“I am not a noble…” I awkwardly admitted. The woman froze. 

“You are not a noble?!” She grabbed her face in annoyance. “Tch, I just saved a commoner, whatever. I will go now.” Eh… She waved off and gave me her back as she left. 

I kind of felt bad so I opened my mouth once again. “I know Firil, if that works for you…” She stood and looked back with wide eyes and a half-opened mouth. 

“What did you just say?! Firil? As in the archmage?!” Before I knew it she was standing right in front of me. 

“Eh… Yes… I am currently living with him due to special circumstances…” I scratched my head. 

“I-Is that so… Well. Tell Firil that Lin saved you.” This time she said it in a more submissive way. 

“He doesn’t owe you one?” 

“Of course not!” She said somewhat red. “Well, anyway. I have to go to a noble meeting at the castle. Apparently there is a new royal court mage. So we are supposed to test her and whatnot. Boring things.” 

“I see… Thanks for saving me, Lin.” 

“You are welcome girly.” She patted me. “Sorry about the thing I did…” She looked at the alleyway with a bitter face. “Not something kids should see…” Well, the thing is… This sight isn’t really that strange… Just, brutally killing people is not my thing.  “Take care.” She started leaving again.

“Umm… I am also going to the castle. Can I go?” She stopped again and looked in surprise. 

“Well… I don’t know what business you have there, but I can tell you are important to some extent. Despite being a commoner.” She gestured me to go out of the alleyway. We stood in the main street. Once we were facing each other she extended her hand with a warm smile. 

“I am Lin, master of the sword.” I gripped her rugged hand and smiled. 

“Yami… Um… Blacksmith?” I said with doubt. 

“Oh, a blacksmith eh? That’s not normal. Well, I don’t know much about boring things.” Did she just call it boring? “Also, don’t worry about the mess in the alleyway, it will get cleaned up.” 

I thought for a second, it was weird. “Why is no one really interested in the alleyway?” People just looked at us, but completely ignored the screams from earlier. She gave me a bitter smile once again. 

“Looks like you are from the outside, eh? Well, where to start?” She pondered for a second before giving me a stone-cold look. “Murder is somewhat common here since it's not really a punishable offense.” Her cold voice resounded in my ears.

“Why?” I instantly asked her. 

“Beats me.” She shrugged. “I assume it’s only because one gets more experience from killing strong people than with monsters. The King is crazy with levels.” What is wrong with people? “Don’t put that panicked face, it’s really not that common. After all, status reigns supreme. So one wouldn’t want to mess with people. Besides, just because it’s possible to kill someone it doesn’t mean one will go on a killing spree.” I nodded to her fair explanation.   

“Anyway, this is nothing you should worry about.” She patted me again. “Let us go to the castle.” She started walking with the same sword in hand. I awkwardly followed. 

Alice.

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