Just as their party was finally starting to form nicely a warning for Demon Lord Cultists was issued to the whole city so everyone got tensed and safety measures were increased with both everyone who both leaves and enters the city being thoroughly checked.
As if nothing’s allowed to go smoothly…
Thought Dakrus to himself. It was already the next morning, but his fatigue still hadn’t left him from all the boxes he had to carry.
I don’t wanna see another big box for a long time…
Thus were his thoughts this rowdy morning. He swiped his blanket down, the sun shining in his eyes, as he tiredly tries to get up. The boy himself looked like a typical teenager, slightly fit, he was 1,78 meters tall (5’ 10”) with brown hair and eyes. He washed himself in the inn's bathroom and put on his armor before he got out of his room like he does every morning. His armor was a chain shirt with gambeson underneath, which in turn was a padded linen jacket. Just as he was leaving his room again, this time for the day, he met his friend and comrade Firlana. She was just going to the bathroom to wash herself in turn. She was a healthy girl, slim, 1,69 meters, with short and messy bright red hair, crimson eyes and wearing her pajama pants and a sleeveless T-shirt and a towel around her neck which she was holding down both ends with each hand.
“Oh, hi” she replies nonchalantly “I’ll be done in about 10 minutes and we can go eat then”
“Okay.” the young boy replies unenthusiastically.
They both continue their ways till they meet later in the inns dining hall where they have breakfast before they head out to the Adventurer’s Guild. There they meet up with two more girls and wait for their other party members to join them. Meanwhile, a big part of the guildhall was up in a roar about this rumour about a newbie who carried half the supplies by herself and also talked back to miss Loetarsa. Sitting on one of the tables was the boy that said rumoured girl came to the guild for the first time with and he was pretty sure about it being the same person, considering the described appearance and strength. He could only think to himself how is she even able to manage such things while he tiredly laid his head on the table from another night patrol.
“Are people really such idiots to believe baseless crap like that?” one of the two new girls says while having her arms crossed and looking annoyed. She was called Vyria and was the only one presently who wasn’t with armor, but with a night purple cloth dress that went up to half her thighs and had a belt on to keep it tight to her as well as serving to ally her to have some useful potions and backpacks easy to reach for quick access. She also had slightly darker purple gloves, boots and a wide witch hat as well as stylish glasses. She was 1,76 meters (5’ 9”) with curvy, shoulder-length brownish-purple hair and orange eyes.
“Come on now, these kinds of rumors are always based on some kind of truth even if over exaggerated.” Replies Stela, their other female part member with them. She was an elf with slightly paler skin than the rest and had pale greenish hair with bright turquoise eyes and was 1,89 meters tall (6’ 2”). Her clothes were in shades of green and slightly brown with layers of cloth and a chain shirt underneath. She had a bow with a quiver of arrows on her back and a short sword on one side of her waist with a dagger on the other.
“It’s not like this kind of rumors last forever. Eventually, when the person in question does more public activities everyone will learn how true those rumors really were.” Added the last girl present with them. She was, of course - Firlana, the girl who ate breakfast earlier with Dakrus. This time she was wearing brigandine which of you would have never noticed due to how meticulously it was made to look like normal leather. Of course instead, it was plated armor with big straps of leather riveted on top for added protection and to hide the holes between the plates.
Just as everyone was getting rowdy in the guild as it was getting almost noon and everyone was either entering after completing preparation so they can get their quest or exiting to go complete their quest. But suddenly a small part of the noise vanished as some started to stare at a person who just entered. Of course, Truelip as usual ignored all the stares and just continued calmly going straight to the quest board to select a quest for today. As everyone had an idea of what the person in the rumors looks like they all had weird idealized versions in their heads and yet all of them were mesmerized and perplexed at how truly beautiful she actually was. Some expectations were met, but even those that weren’t, did not mind as what they got was remarkable in its own way.
Seeing that Firlana went over to Dakrus’ shoulder and whispered in his ear “Do you think it was about her…? I mean they did say she was supposedly very beautiful, but knowing men, they’d have said that almost about anyone as the rumour progressed…”
“I guess we’ll see eventually… It’s not guaranteed it’s her…” replied Dak.
As Truelip surveyed the quests she finally picked one and took one of its flyers to bring to Catharine. Of course, everyone was trying to track her every move to see what she’d do, some not being noticeable in the process, others failing to do the same and some not even trying. As she finally reaches her destination and places flyer on the desk, in front of the receptionist she normally talks to.
“I’d like to do this one today.”
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And as usual, Catharine's face goes pale as she sees the quest in question.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t allow you to do this one… this time seriously!”
“Why not?”
“What do you mean why not?!? You’re very aware that the entire city is on high alert, cause of the cultist! They have explicitly banned low ranking solo adventurers from going out on their own! Not to mention that this is a medium level mission! Even if it is low-ranking it’s still too dangerous for you!
“I think I can handle it.”
“We haven’t let any lower adventurers on such missions with less than six party members! You’re not gonna be able such difficult opponents!”
“So you’re saying that if I’m strong enough to beat six other people all by myself I can go on it?”
At this point, the receptionist girl just grabs her head as she lays face first on the desk
“Why do I have to deal with this…”
The blond just stays there, doing nothing as she stares at the scene in front of her quietly.
“It’s not a matter of strength but numbers! They can use tactics and help each other out, covering for each other’s weak points. We can’t let someone like you on this level of mission even if you have slightly higher stats, because your equipment isn’t strong enough.
“I’m fine as I am.”
“You don’t even have a weapon!? What? Do you plan on taking your opponent's weapon in the midst of combat??”
“How did you know?”
The girl stood there speechless with an agape mouth as she tried to process this conversation, but her brain couldn’t handle the weird individual in front of her.
At the same time some footsteps could be heard closing in, despite that Truelip ignored them, until they called out to her.
“Um, excuse me?”
Truelip turned around to the voice that supposedly called out to her.
“If you’re looking for a party, would you like to come with us?”
In front of her was a fit boy she hadn’t spoken to before. It was Dakrus.
“Yes! That would be a splendid idea! You should definitely go with them!” Catharine said enthusiastically with the hopes this mess will finally go away from her head.
The blond just looked at the guy for a few seconds without answering and the other two visibly start getting anxious, before she finally replies.
“Okay”
“Ah great… let me introduce you to the rest! They’re right there.” He said as he gestured towards the others, just as another girl was joining the other ones from the party.
Truelip just nodded and Dak nodded back, turned around to head towards them, soon followed by her. In the background the relieved sighs of a tedious work shift with this crazy girl could be heard.
As everyone watched Dak slowly come back with the supposedly rumoured girl, everyone wondered what she’d be like. She didn’t seem very impressionable, but they’re gonna try their best to impress her anyway. After he finally got to them he introduced her.
“Everyone, this is our new temporary party member, please be nice to her. My name’s Dakrus by the way.” he says as he turns around to the girl.
Looking at the small party the beautiful girl can’t help but scoff in her mind at how all these girls were hanging around this guy.
“Hello, I’m Truelip.” She replies in a short and quiet manner. Everyone else slightly tensed as they hope she’d be a bit more talkative when they actually are on their mission.
“Hi, I’m Firlana, But you can call me Lana for short! It’s nice to meet you, I hope we get along well!” the girl says enthusiastically as she uses her hands to motion and express her excitement further.
“I’m Vyria.” Replied the mage, still with crossed arms. Everyone again tensed since they didn’t want to deal with two such individuals.
“I’m Stela and this is Dallia.” The elf said after which pointing towards the final member – a 1,45 meter (4’ 9”) with messy long pale blonde hair and green eyes. She was wearing a white robe with a chain shirt underneath and had a staff in both hands which she was gripping tightly. The girl did not introduce herself, but just gently nodded when her name was mentioned.
“So which quest did you pick out for yourself? Continued Dak.
“This one” the blond replies simply handing the flyer over so everyone can see. It was a quest to defeat a band of orcs that has started to cause trouble up ahead on the main route in the forest outside the city.
Everyone glances at it and Stella takes it from her hands to get a better look at the details.
“Ah, we were going to do that one too…” replied Lana “but they didn’t let us because we were missing a party member…”
Truelip simply didn’t reply to that statement and she ignored it so profoundly no one was actually sure if she even heard it.
“So then…” Dak took control of the conversation again “We should prepare everything we’ll need and set out tomorrow, is that okay with you… Truelip?”
“Of course.” She responded briefly.
“Okay then… then shall we all meet here tomorrow morning and set out to the forest outside the city?”
Everyone replied with either a nod or an affirmative answer.
“Okay then, I’ll be going now to get the things I want. Firlana, do you wanna come with me?” continued Dak
“Sure, somebody’s gotta make sure you don’t find any more party members.~”
As they split from the group to their own destination, it could be heard Dak replying “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea…”
As that was happening Vyria quickly said “Then, I shall be going too” and without wasting time also departed instantly.
“Ah, do you wanna come with me and Dallia then?” the elf girl asked with a smug as she slowly crept up on Truelip with her hands slightly forward and down as if to grab her along.
“No thanks, I’ll go directly home after I quickly buy what I need so there is no point in waiting for me.” The blond replied instantly.
“Ah, are you sure?~ It’d be a lot more fun if we had another person?~” Stela continued her persuasion.
“Sorry, I’m sure you’ll have plenty of fun with the two of you.” And with that she turned around and started to leave, effectively ending the topic.
“Ah, too bad… guess I’ll just have to do with what I have…” the elf said to herself as a slight mischievous smile appeared on her face and in the background one can vividly hear Dallia swallowing saliva in her throat.
As Truelip was leaving the guild she could hear voices behind her starting to chatter up behind how she had just randomly joined a party, but she couldn’t really hear the details, nor was interested to know what it was.
She headed towards the market that was between the way towards her home and the guild, that she passes by every day. She didn’t spend much time into looking at what was on offer, only checking its quality - whether it was high, therefore unaffordable, or too low, therefor useless. She only bought a pouch and some weak potions for healing, mana and stamina regeneration as well as a medallion which supposedly improved focus. And with that she went to her house to sleep through another night.