Minutes went by in tranquility. I talked with Ofris about the goddess and my place in the world, about how being a foxkin would affect my social standing and my ability to get a citizenship, but he promised me over and over again that there was nothing to be feared. It was an easy process for me to get citizenship, one he would readily help me through.

The first step to all of that was the hardest. It was standing up and facing the two girls once again. Sure, I knew they had hated me for all the wrong reasons and maybe still did, but how could that help me deal with them any better?

There was no choice for me in this matter, that much was for sure. I needed that stupid stick on my chest to prove my status as a citizen or face nasty stares for the rest of my life. Maybe I could even earn a name for myself by becoming somebody like Ofris. Nobody had dared to mess with him even with me around. They had joked, sure, but it never went further than that.

“I need that for me…”

Before I knew it we had already reached the door that separated me from the mess I had left behind. I could hear soft voices speaking on the other side of the dark wood, and Ofris’ sighing, but there was little I could do but stare at his hand that soon knocked on the door.

“Sahria?” He asked. “Risa? We are back.”

“Com- come in.” A surprised voice answered.

When we entered the room I found the magic circle empty and the floating runes gone. The two women were sitting on chairs in front of the window. Both of them stared at us like deer in the headlights.

“I calmed her down,” Ofris explained. “Can we please continue?”

Sahria silently avoided our eyes. She stared at the ground in front of us, at the magic circle and then at my tail, but never did she try as much as look into my face or even say a thing to me. She looked as close to a wet cat an elf could possibly look, with her feeling guilty over her behavior.

Despite seeing her like that and knowing she had good reasons for carrying her grudge, I wasn’t ready to forgive her. The attack on her hometown had happened dozens of years ago and long before my birth, after all. There was nothing I could have done to deserve her hate.

Risa was better off. She stood up almost immediately and walked over to us, ready to finish her job as the desk worker of the town hall. Nothing she had learned today had really changed a thing to her, as she likely had never hated me for being a beastkin but rather Ofris’ supposed toy, but I was glad she somehow managed to keep her words and mimic professional.

With just a few words and a short excuse for her rude behavior she was already ready to lead us back to the front desk. Sadly, there was nothing to do right now but follow her back. I still had an ace in my sleeve, something that would shut her down once and for all, but I couldn’t even begin to fathom the possible risks involved with doing it.

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“What would happen if I kissed him?”

Risa would flip out, that one was for sure. But other than that? I would grow white tips on my ears and tail, proudly presenting my supposed heritage to everyone seeing them. Most would see it as a fancy hairdo, but those that knew better would see me as what I was: the sole survivor of the foxkin tribe. And in a world that had slavery, being unique was a safe way into disaster.

“They would abduct me in seconds.”

Still, having magic meant I would be able to defend myself and grow stronger, maybe strong enough for me to earn a name for myself. Having white tips could even benefit me once I am known, as people would easily recognize me. Of course this meant I needed to become strong in the first place.

I couldn’t help but sigh. All of this was just a mess, a giant mess.

“I should ask Ofris what to do…”

⊱————　❈　————⊰

Once again I was standing in front of the counter, and once again I was watching Risa do her job. This time, however, she seemed content with just doing what she was asked to do without any complaint.

“Please place your hand on this stone.”

She asked me after a minute or two, pointing at another one of the roundish, black stones that had runes inscribed all over it. A small hole to its side had a metal rod stuck into it, one that I desperately wanted.

“It will inscribe your mana signature to your citizenship identification,” she explained.

When I did what I was told to, a cold feeling attacked me. It didn’t exactly hurt me, but I was surprised enough to pull back my hand. Luckily, Risa didn’t say a word to my reaction. She simply carried on by pulling the rod out of its hole, pushing a bronze colored ring around it and then turning around to a sturdy table at her back that had a small hammer and a metal plate waiting on top of it.

Risa took the hammer, placed my citizenship identification on the plate and hammered its end flat, so the ring wouldn’t be able to slip out. The sound of her work immediately pulled all attention onto us.

“Do you want a leather string with it?” She asked, not minding the prying eyes. “It is 5 copper more.”

“More?” I heard myself ask. “I have to pay for it?”

“Give her the string, Risa,” Ofris interjected and placed some coins on the counter, “I will pay for her.”

Hearing and seeing that Risa’s business smile slipped for a second, but she soon slung a leather string through the rod’s hole and placed it on top of the counter.

“Wear it whenever you travel,” she advised me. “It is important, so don’t lose it.”

“You will need it when you try to find work at the guilds.” Ofris added.

Hearing that, I immediately placed the rod around my neck, where it dangled like a weird amulet. A way too expensive, way too important amulet.

“Thank you, Risa.” Ofris nodded satisfied.

“Thank you,” I quickly added.

“You are welcome. Please don’t hesitate to ask me when there is anything I can help you with.”

A shiver ran down my back when she stared at me. Risa seemed nice on the surface, but I couldn’t help but feel danger when being near her. She would never do anything to me, I knew that much, but it was clear her jealousy was on a different level. Hesitatingly, I took a step aside and away from Ofris who only sighed once again.

“Let’s go back for now. I think we need to let off some steam.”

“What do you want to do?”

“How about we go and find you something easy to fight?”