Chapter 18: Book One – Chapter Three – Part One – Joining Warden, A New Friend, And A Loss Of Innocence.

“You know, I’m not getting that many funny looks anymore,” Servi said to no one in particular as she stood in line. When she entered the building, she spotted a sign that said ‘Join Here,’ and she walked to the queued in the back of the line forming underneath it. About seven people were ahead of her, so she took the time to scout about since she couldn't before.

The beautiful mahogany wooden floor was as spotless as it was the day before. Servi could feel the wonderful smell of detergent used to wash the floor invade her noise. It was like the smell of soap and burnt forest were fighting, trying to reign supreme. In the end, soap won.    

From what I gathered by looking around the place, it’s not exactly out of place to be dressed like you. Many people have armor and a weapon equipped.  

Servi had to agree with Itarr.  Scaled being with claw-like weapons attached to their forearms were the slightest frightening thing she saw. It was like weapons were being given away based on how many people had them.

I wonder...am I the only killer here? Servi thought.

After around fifteen minutes, there was only one more person ahead of her. She was a girl, somewhere around the age of 18 or 19. She was a Singi-- a cat person-- and had hair that came down to just below her shoulder blades. It flowed like the falling petals of a cherry blossom: a beautiful and serene pink that brought a certain calmness to Servi’s heart. Every time the girl spoke, her ears and tail, also pink, twitched slightly. She had on a red vest with a white undershirt tucked into her black pants. Chain mail could be seen under the vest but over the white shirt. It was an odd look, for sure. She wore black socks with black boots that had a pink cat embroidered on them.  A thin longsword dangled from her hip in a black sheath, and a black messenger bag hugged her shoulder. Servi had to fight back the urge to touch the tail and ears.  

“Excuse me, next in line?” a voice brought Servi out of her wondrous dream of furry tails and fluffy ears. She looked up at the speaker, and to her surprise, it was the woman with the red hair with pointy ears.

“Yes, you. Can I help you?” the Elf asked as Servi walked forwards. Her red eyes glanced to the woman's chest, eying a little patch with the name 'Claire' written on it.

“Hello, I want to join Warden,” Servi said.   

“Okay. I need to see your ID.” 

“Here you go,” Servi handed it to her.

“Servi…. That name sounds familiar…" the Elf touched a slender hand to her chin.  "Hey, you were in here yesterday, right?” she asked.

“Nope. Today is my first day here.  I'm new to the area.” 

“Are you sure? I’m pretty sure I saw you yesterday. You came in and spoke to me in a weird language. Then you tossed me your ID.”  

“Nope. That wasn’t me. It might have been someone who looked like me.” Servi spoke with a bit of an edge in her voice. The reception caught on to it and dropped the subject.  

She smiled. “You’re right. It must have been my mistake. Now, what all do you know about Warden?” 

“Not much. As I said, I’m new to the area, and today is the first time I’ve ever heard of it.” 

Claire explained the guild as if she was speaking to a toddler. “Warden is a peacekeeping organization created by the few Gods that came down to the world. If one wishes, they can sign up by registering their ID to become a member.  By becoming a member and completing quests, a person can earn points called Potential. When enough Potential is earned, a person can spend it to learn skills. The skills that available to learn are dependent on your current Rank. Do you understand so far?” she asked with a practiced smile.  

Well, that lined up with what we saw in the ID this morning, but that was the second time Warden was described to us as a peacekeeping organization. Itarr offered her own commentary.  

“Okay, I understand that much,” Servi nodded, and Claire continued.

“There are eleven ranks that Warden offers. The lower the Rank, the stronger you are considered to be.  They are numbered from Rank 10 to Rank 0. The highest Rank a member can reach by normal means is Rank 1. Rank 0 is reserved only for those who save the entire planet from a world-ending threat, like defeating a Demon Lord or an Elder Dragon, and therefore, they can only be reached by the strongest of the strongest.  As of right now, there are very few living Rank 0 members. That's partly due to the absolute herculean effort required and the fact that currently, there isn’t a world-ending threat. Are you still with me? Any questions?” Once again, she asked with a smile.  

I wonder what Rank we can achieve? If I had to guess, I believe we would hit Rank 1. You and I would have to get stronger to reach that level, though. Itarr was right. Rank 1 was home to the mightiest members of Warden. And of those, very few were capable of reaching that fabled Rank 0.  

“So if I’m getting this right, if I want to learn a skill that requires me to be Rank 9, then I need to be Rank 9 before I can buy it using Potential?” 

“Yes, ma’am. In fact, skills that can be bought only show up if they are available to learn. In summary, if you can see it on your ID, you only need to save up Potential to buy it.  Oh, and I forgot to mention this, but if you want, you can use Potential to enhance the skills you have instead of buying a new one. For example, if you have Fire Wall, which is a Rank 9 skill I highly recommend, you can make it into Fire Wall +1, and it’ll be stronger."

So that means that we can learn every skill that we saw, even the Rank 0 skills? You and I should go through it later and check them out. I wonder why we have access to them? Servi thought that Itarr made a good point. Why, indeed, did they show up? She wasn’t even a Warden member, but apparently, that rule didn’t apply to her.  It might have been because Itarr was a Goddess.  Because of that, there was a chance she had a say in the creation of the Skill System.  In that case, would it not be prudent to think that she held an administrative role in it? That would certainly explain a great deal of things.

“I see,” Servi nodded.  

The Elf cleared her throat before she continued. “I see here that you are not blessed. It is company policy to give a warning to all who want to join but aren’t blessed. You might have a tougher time when searching for a party. Most parties would choose someone blessed over someone who isn’t, but don’t take it to heart. Once you complete a few quests, you should have enough Potential saved up to learn a skill or two. With enough practice and perseverance, I’m sure you’ll find some trustworthy people to party up with. Did you understand that?” 

It was a bit longwinded, but I believe I have the gist of it. If you need to hear it again, let me know.  

“Yes, I understand.” 

“Very good. Now, if I can get you to sign your name on this paper. It says that I have explained what Warden is and that you acknowledged that explanation along with the warning I gave earlier. Do that, and I’ll hand you some money, and you’ll be free to go,” she bent down in the chair and pulled out a document and a small bag from underneath the desk. She kept the pouch in her lap while placing the contract on the table.

“Is it a gift?” Servi asked, puzzled as she stared at the little bag that was sitting in Claire’s lap.   

“Well, it’s not a gift but a loan of 50 dupla. It’s enough to buy some cheap armor and a weapon at our store. It’s just up those stairs over there are against the wall. We do have an inn if you’re interested. That’s on the third floor. If you wish to know more, ask the Innkeeper. Once you start turning in quests, the guild will keep a portion of your reward and put it towards paying back the loan. Once the loan is paid off, you will get the full monetary reward,” Claire explained.  

Servi turned her head and saw the stairs Claire was talking about. She then turned back around.  

That doesn’t exactly sound right. Getting a loan from Warden and spending it at a Warden-owned shop? Wouldn’t they get the money back when you spend it? Once again, Itarr offered her thoughts on the topic.  

“I see,” Servi nodded as she signed her name. It was only her first name since she didn’t know her last. Perhaps that was normal since Claire didn't ask for one.

Claire scanned the paper with her eyes and smiled before pulling out a small match. She lit it, causing a trembling red flame to come alive. She touched the signed document to the flame, burning it, and allowed the ashes to drop onto Servi’s ID. The moment it landed, the ID absorbed the ashes and glowed slightly.  

She handed it back to Servi with a smile and laid the pouch of dupla on the table.  

“Congratulations, you are now a Rank 10 member of Warden,” she pointed over to the wall that had a giant piece of wood divided into eleven sections. “That is our quest board. We put up new quests every day at 10 am. As a Rank 10, you are only allowed to undertake quests that are in the section labeled 'Rank 10.' Once you find one you like, you can take it over to one of the eight windows. They can help you with the process of accepting and reporting a quest. Is there anything else I can help you with?” 

“No, I don’t think so. Thank you,” Servi said as she picked up her ID and the bag of dupla. She held it near her body with the back of her hand facing away.  A moment later, it disappeared after being absorbed inside her ring. 

“Oh, I almost forgot. When you summon your ID, press your finger to the word ‘Warden,’ and a skill list will pop up with the skills you can learn. Your current Potential will be displayed there as well.  Since you're a new member, it should say 0,” Claire added on. 

“Thank you,” Servi said to Claire as she focused on listening to Itarr.  

This bag contains fifty 'dupla.' I don’t know if that is a lot or not, but that seems to be what the currency is called.

Servi never thought about removing items from a bag while it was stored in her ring, but now was the perfect time to do a little bit of experimentation. She attempted to take a single dupla out of her red ring from within the pouch and discovered that she could. A metal coin rested within her clenched hands. It had a ‘1’ engraved on it, and it was cold to the touch.  

Servi also discovered her ring only glowed red when absorbing either a soul or a large object. She could use a small pouch as a proxy to retrieve items from her ring without anyone knowing as long as they were small enough.

“Have a wonderful day, ma’am.”  

“You too,” Servi said, walking away.

Servi looked at her ID and confirmed it said Rank 10 on it. A new section was also added. Right below the Rank, there was a line that said ‘Loan Amount: 50 dupla.' However, there wasn’t anything like a time limit next to it, so Servi didn’t know how much time she had left to pay it. She wasn’t worried, though.  With her Absorption, it was possible to outright steal the money from passing strangers and use that to pay it back.  If that didn't work, she could kidnap someone who looked rich and get the money that way.  Servi didn't want to be a thief. But from what happened so far in her life, she had to look after herself. She only had one ally in the world, and that was Itarr.  

The world had many chances to prove itself to Servi, and it had yet to do so in a way that made her feel safe.  To her, it was like the world thrived on survival of the fittest.

She pressed her finger to the word ‘Warden,’ and her ID switched to the two-column layout. It was mostly the same. The only difference being that Rank 10 was showing, and she had no Potential. Not to mention the fact that the Learned category was empty. Servi was about to panic when Itarr spoke to her.

Since I can choose how much is displayed. I will keep it legitimate for the time being. Do not fret. You still have access to the skills you know, and you still have the same amount of Potential. They are only hidden from view. Whenever you want to look at and learn a skill from the other ranks, let me know.  

“Okay.  Thank you,” Servi said quietly so no one but the Goddess could hear. 

She dropped the ID to the floor. Before it landed on the ground, it transformed into red dust that was absorbed by her body. She then walked over towards the quest board.  

After arriving, she moved over to the section that was furthest to the left. Rank 10 was written in big black letters above it. Surprisingly, it was empty save for one person. It was the Singi that was in front of Servi. Her pink tail swished through the air as she read over the finer details of each quest.  

“Hmm, should I take this one or this one? Or maybe even this one?” she said in a singsong-like voice. Servi walked up, standing beside her, and tried to find a suitable introductory mission. Though she tried to be subtle about it, Servi noticed a set of blue eyes were stealing little glimpses at her. 

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It seems that there is a task to kill giant rats in the sewers and bring back their claws. I would suggest that one. Itarr said.

“Sounds good to me, I’ll take it,” Servi reached out to grab the quest paper and made her way to the only available window, leaving the pink Singi behind. Three people were in front of her. While she waited, Servi took out her ID and looked at the Rank 10 skills. But before she had a chance to do it, the catgirl walked up behind her.  

“Hiya! You were behind me in line earlier, right? So you're a newbie as well?!” she asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet as her ears twitched.

“Uh, yeah,” Servi said, a bit surprised. She couldn’t help but stare at the dazzling smile on the girl’s face. It was mesmerizing.  

“That’s cool. What’s your name? My name’s Momo. Is this your first quest? Hey, what quest did you pick?”  

This 'Momo' talks very fast, doesn't she?

“My name is Servi, and yeah, this is my first quest. I have to kill rats and bring back their claws,” the super bright and cheerful attitude sort of irritated Servi, but she still kept a smile on her face as she replied. 

“That’s the same one I chose! Hey, do you wanna party up?” Momo clapped her hands together as she waited for a response.  

“Err, sorry, but I’m not blessed,” Servi said.  

“That’s fine, neither am I. That’s why I joined Warden. My grandpa could use all of these amazing skills, and I want to learn them, too. He’s strong, you know. Managed to reach Rank 3 before he retired. He’s my hero. So how about it?!” 

“Sorry, but how about next time?” 

Momo’s ears drooped, her tail stopped moving, and a sad frown appeared on her face. The happy atmosphere that seemed to radiate from a humanoid-sized bundle of joy had all but disappeared. Servi instantly felt like someone took a dagger to her heart because she turned the Singi down.

“Oh...okay... I’m sorry for bothering you.” Momo stopped talking and stared at the ground.  She stole tiny glances at Servi, but that was all.  The thought of asking again never crossed her mind.

Why did you say no? 

“I don’t know….probably because I absorb the soul of those I kill? I mean, how can I explain that to her if she asks? Or the fact that I can’t die,” Servi murmured, barely above a whisper. 

You have a point, but not once did I say you have to keep it a secret.

“…” 

Servi thought hard about what to do. She could party up with Momo, and the only thing she needed to hide was her immortality.  In her mind, that was the only thing that needed to stay a secret, no matter what. Servi believed she could come up with a good enough lie to explain the soul absorption. And if that didn't work, she could just deny it and pretend it didn't exist. After all, she had been lying since the moment she arrived in the city.

If she did party up with Momo, she could ask her for information about the city and such, and Servi wanted someone she could call a friend. It was true she had Itarr, but she wanted someone to hug and touch. She wanted a friend who was physical and not a voice in her head.  

Servi turned around and took a look at the girl standing behind her.  Her eyes only saw the wooden floor below, but she didn't dare to look up.  Momo wanted to, but she refrained from doing so. Even her hyperactive tail stopped swaying from side to side.

With a deep breath, Servi spoke. “Hey, you said your name was Momo, right?” the person in question looked up, nodding her head as her ears twitched. “Sorry about before, I declined because I have no experience. I didn’t want to be dead weight and cause more trouble than good. But if you would have me, I would like to join your party. I don’t know anyone here, and I shouldn’t pass up a chance to make a friend,” Servi said as she held out her hand. She waited for Momo’s response.  

The frown instantly turned into a smile as happiness came back to her face. With surprising haste, she hugged Servi. “Thank you!  Thank you! I promise I won’t let you down!” Momo’s tail swooshed happily back and forth. The smile attached to her face seemed to be permanent.

“Uhhh… Same here. I’ll do my best to pull my weight,” Servi said as she hugged Momo back. She was warm to the touch, and Servi smelled the scent of sweet-smelling fruit coming from that soft, pink hair.

“Next, please! If you two would stop bugging and hugging and holding up the line, you could already be out there hunting.” 

An elderly voice came from the window and scolded the two new friends.  Momo had dried blood stuck to her vest from the embrace, but it seemed like she didn’t care.  

“Sorry about that,” Servi apologized quietly and quickly backed off from the hug.

“Hehe,” Momo giggled, slightly red from blushing.  

I've only just arrived, and now I have a friend! Momo's mind instantly became occupied by pure happiness and joy.

She walked to the window with Momo by her side and laid down the quest paper.  The old woman grabbed it from the small rectangular hole at the bottom.  

“Claire said you would talk to me about accepting and reporting quests?” 

“That’s right. Hand me your ID,” the old woman asked. Her tired and withered face was full of wrinkles and liver spots. 

Servi did as the woman asked and gave it to her. Afterwards, she snapped her finger, and a small red flame danced above it. She burned the paper, and the ashes fell to the ID.  Instead of dirtying its red surface,  the ashes disappeared on contact.

How strange that she didn’t need to use that match...

“This how you accept quests. You bring the paper to us at the window, and we burn it. The ashes fall and are absorbed by the ID. If you look at it, you will see the description, objective, and Potential earned in the empty space below your Warden Rank. For example, this quest requires that you enter the sewers, obtain 16 giant rat claws. The reward is 1 Potential and 15 dupla. Understood?”  

Servi nodded.  

“Once you have the claws, come back to Warden and get in line at a window. To officially complete the quest, you need to hand over the items required by the quest and your ID. If the objects are too big, then set them outside, and an employee will be with you soon. Before I forget, here are your dog tags. Keep it around your neck at all times because they’re used to identify your body. It has your name and Rank. When you go up in Rank, you get a new one. One more thing; if you see one hanging on a dead body, bring it to the nearest Warden office as soon as you can. Understood?”  

Servi nodded once again.

How did she know to have these 'dog tags' prepared for us? Itarr asked.  It was a minor-enough question, but it was one she could live without knowing the answer to.

“Just for the record, an entrance to the sewers is located behind the office. Just head outside and walk around the back. You can’t miss it,” the woman handed Servi a necklace with two dog tags, which she promptly clasped around her neck. "Understood?”  

For the third time, Servi nodded.  

“Keep in mind that there is a punishment for failing or abandoning a question without a good reason. The first time is a warning. The second time is a loss of Potential. The third time is a demotion. The fourth time is a double demotion. The fifth time is a permanent ban and expulsion from Warden. Understood?” 

Will this woman ever stop speaking? She has more to say than our new friend!

“Another thing: there is to be no violence between members inside the office. If you have grief with someone, keep it outside. You can kill each other for all I care. Just don’t do it in the building because that’s an immediate demotion for both parties responsible. Got it?”  

Servi nodded for what felt like the fiftieth time. She tried to get a word in, but she was cut off.  

“Now you know how the process works. Next!” the old woman waved Servi away.  

A bit rude, I think, Itarr said. 

Servi moved away from the window and sat down on a bench. A few minutes later, Momo walked up with a hop in her step. Two shiny new dog tags sat around her slender and smooth neck. Other than the Warden Rank on their ID, a dog tag was definite proof that one had joined Warden.  

“Look! I have one!!” she pinched the silver surface between her fingers.  "Is there anything you need to do before we head out?” Momo asked.  

“There is,” Servi pointed to her current attire. “I need to use the money Warden loaned me to get a weapon and armor. I was attacked on the way here, and this is all I have left." Servi ran a hand up and down her body, displaying her lack of clothing, weaponry, and items.

“My goodness, are you okay? Did they hurt you? Who was it?” Momo assaulted Servi with questions.

Servi held her hands out. “I’m fine. It was some crazy woman who controlled these flying monsters.  My clothes were damaged, and my shirt is little more than a napkin. That’s why I’m wearing this breastplate. I’m hoping to get something lighter,"  Servi tapped the metal armor with a finger.  

“Thank goodness you weren't hurt. Let’s head to the shop.”  

Servi stood up off the bench and followed Momo over to the stairs. Ascending them, they found themselves on the second level of the building. The stairs to their left led up to the third floor, the inn, while the second floor was one giant shop.  

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