“And that should do it for the preliminary treatment,” Priest Talmang said as he turned my head from side to side. “Though, that scar may be permanent if you don’t get another round of treatment. If I were in my prime, I would have been able to take care of it in one round… But alas… Age comes for all.

“I understand, thank you.” I said.

“If you want, I should feel up to it within the next 3days.” He stated as he let go of my face and began to rummage through a bag he brought. “The window for scars to become permanent is about 8 days. 8 being the shortest observed window I know of. Though… Its a shame about your arm. If I had the rest, I could have reattached it… And such a young fair lady… I fear your marriage prospects may be harmed…”

I laughed. “My father said used to say something similar…”

“Well, I won’t delve into your personal life,” he said before he handed me a potion with a light green liquid similar to mountain dew. “This is a standard stamina potion. Head trauma can leave you more fatigued than normal after healing, so please drink this.”

I did as he said and drank it… It tasted… Close to mountain dew…

“You can find me at the Sun Shrine Temple just outside the lower ward of the castle,” He said. “The largest building in the town square. I’m sure you won’t be able to miss it. With that, I shall take my leave. May the Sun shine upon—”

He stopped and stared at me for a moment, his jaw lowering slightly before he briskly bowed to me. He turned and said “Good tidings upon you.” before leaving.

It was a strange parting.

[A: He sensed my blessing on you.

A: My blessings are the rarest.

A: To get my blessing is to mean I’m watching you a lot.

A: Unlike those other-shit brains. They bless whoever prays to them or allow their priests to bless whoever without a care.

A: I don’t like that.]

I rolled my eyes and got up. I felt renewed with that potion. Maybe even a little gitty. Similar to a good sleep that made you drool, but not so good that you felt like you were the queen of the world.

Sir Hembree knocked on the door of the room.

He cleared his throat, looking somewhat awkward. “The priest said you’d need one more round of healing.”

“Is there no patient secrecy here?” I teased him as I grabbed my coat off the bed.

“Ah, I - uh -” He avoided looking at me.

“Is something wrong?” I asked.

He glanced at me before looking at the door. “I didn’t realize that was… A strange outfit.”

I looked down. The suit was form-fitting. Which meant it hugged every major curve of my body from my bust to my rear and thighs. I definitely had above average bust, tone, and — I remembered the females in the castle… The servants wore dresses while the Duchess wore a thick dress with furs. Compared to them,I was practical nude without being nude.

“Ah… I see.” I nodded and put my jacket on as my face began to feel slightly hot. “It’s a survival suit. I think it’s meant to be worn in the event that someone’s clothing is destroyed in an incident.”

“Like earlier?” He asked. “Speaking of earlier, it looks practically brand new. Did you have a spare?”

“Something like that,” I smiled and he turned away, his cheeks slightly red.

“I didn’t think it’d fluster you though, being a warrior and all.” I chuckled as I stepped out of the room.

“I think you underestimate the power of a pretty woman.” He said.

I had no counter to that.

“Let me treat you to a meal,” He said. “Apparently, we saved one of his ‘good for nothing’ grandkids last night. So your treatment is free.”

“Ah, I see. Yeah, that sounds nice. When?” I asked

“Now?” He asked.

We left the barracks and stepped out of the lower ward. The blizzard had calmed, leaving only a soft sprinkle of constant snow. Men were out in force to clear the roads, especially the main roads as Sir Hembree said. The entrance to the lower ward was adorned with two large plots of nature. With it being winter, the trees were bare. Their limbs pointed to the dim white sky.

He led me to the town square. There, I saw the large cathedral with an ornate sun over its large doors. Across from it on the south side was an assortment of shops and two taverns. He led me to one and we grabbed a corner table with a window. We ordered stew and bread. He got a beer and I got water.

“This place… Seems nice…” I was unable to hide the unease in my voice.

“Ah… Well, I can assure you that the food is safe and up to par.” He said as he rubbed his beard while looking down at the table. “It may not be upper-class food, but it fills the stomach.”

“Don’t get me wrong, Hembree - it’s nice. I’m just too used to grand things.” I shrugged with a playful smile. “I used to think that maybe visiting the less grand things would be better. But where I’m from, I’m well known. The chances of me trying to enjoy more common things meant a significant risk in being kidnapped again.”

“Again…?” He looked at me before he gave me a thoughtful look. “No, you’re quite the beautiful woman. But you were quite the tiger on that ridge…”

“It happened when I was 15,” I said. “They… Didn’t touch me. At least, they didn’t stick anything in me.”

His face darkened and I quickly changed the subject. “Well, that aside, I actually have a few questions you might be able to help me with.”

Sir Hembree looked like he wanted to push more on the previous topic. There was a fire in his eyes that a few people got once they heard of what happened. Yet, I felt he’d actually carry through with whatever he would say to make me feel better. He was quite the fighter as well, not a suit who grew up in high-security towers with luxury.

I gave him the signature pleading eyes and he sighed. “If I can answer, I will. I owe you.”

“Consider whatever debt paid by making sure no one took advantage of me while I couldn’t fight,” I said. “And by giving me a meal that has meat in it. Anyways, will I be needing identification to leave or enter towns? What kind of money will I need?”

“Before that… Will you tell me why you ask?” He said as he leaned forward.

“Nope.” I sang the answer. I liked these kinds of men. Doers. I saw the gears switch in his head, but that didn’t mean I wanted to say outright I knew jack-shit about this world. “That’s an answer for people I know well.”

“I see,” He nodded. “Any walled city will check identification. Some can be circumvented with a tax. Some will ask for both. Most villages or non-walled towns most likely won’t ask. As for currencies. The lowest and most common coin is the penny followed by a crown, and then a sun. There is also the moon, but those are handled in large transactions.”

He looked around for any suspicious persons before he reached down into his pocket and pulled out a few coins. It now clicked that he wasn’t in armor. This felt normal in a weird way. I felt a sense of dread at the suddenness of that observation. I pulled myself from that reality crisis and looked at the three coins on the table. All of them had holes in them.

He pointed to the smallest copper one. “This copper one is a penny, the silver is a crown, and the gold is a sun. Pennies are the ones you’ll see used for buying common everyday items like food. Silvers are more for larger purchases. If you’re a mercenary or an Adventurer, you’ll deal mostly in crowns. Monster parts or contracts pay well to their danger level.”

“I see,” I nodded. “And circling back to the identification subject - where do I get those?”

His eyes narrowed briefly but he answered. “Four ways. Through the local government, Adventurer Guild, Mercenary Guild, or Merchant’s Guild. The castle is the cheapest and easiest to get, but also requires you have housing wherever you’re trying to get it. Both the Adventurer and Mercenary Guild require capability tests as well as to be over the age of 14. The last one requires you to have a letter of Commerce from any authority in the region you apply.”

If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

“Great!” I said and gave him a pleased smile. “So, riddle me this, what’s the difference between Adventurers and Mercenaries? how much do they cost?”

“Per the laws of the Kingdom, Adventurers handle matters of monsters and beasts, as well as any activity that requires material gathering or land exploration.” He said before moving the penny to my right. Then he moved the crown to my left. “Mercenaries handle matters to humans. Bandits, protection, and war. Adventurers may not take up contracts of handling bandits or protecting buildings that are not at risk of monster attacks. Mercenaries may not handle what adventurers do either.”

He moved the gold coin in front of me. “You didn’t ask, but since you might not want to try and stay here from what I heard of the meeting with the Duchess - Merchants handle matters of business given their name. They can peddle any legal wares in their shop, on their land, or while traveling. You can apply for any and may hold all four. You just have to meet their requirements.”

“Okay, well, what are the requirements for a merchant?” I asked. “Is it the easiest one to do?”

“Easy, but expensive,” Hembree said as he collected the coins before pushing them to me. “Keep them. To get a merchant ID, you must present a banknote certifying your reputation and that you have at least fifty crowns to your name. Before you ask, Adventurers' entry floor is either a combat test or plant identification test. The last one is only a combat test.”

The tavern girl arrived and placed our bowls on the table with our drinks. I nodded at her as I took the coins off the table. Hembree passed her a handful of pennies. She nodded and left.

“I see,” I nodded. “Well, I guess I’ll have to get an Adventurer’s ID then.”

We ate the food. It was… Bland to my taste but Hembree looked to have enjoyed it. Something about good food with good company was his comment. It was the first time I’d had a meal with someone who looked to be genuine about that comment. Which, was weird to say, made me happy.

One the meal was over, Sir Hembree insisted on showing me to the Adventurer Guild.

It was three medium-sized brick buildings, with only the corner building closest to the town square being the public one. He escorted me in where I saw people who looked more… unique. Everyone was dressed slightly different. Different in that they all looked to be from different places. There were several people with ears on their heads. Some with pointed ears. And there were a few that came up to my midriff.

There was a long counter with several different lines. Each had a sign in a language that looked closer to being a blend of Arabic and Russian. I looked at Hembree. He cleared his throat and led me to the smallest line where three people looked out of place. Like me

I tapped his arm and gestured for him to come closer. He leaned over and I whispered in his ear. “I can’t read the language on the board.”

His eyebrows twitched. “Can you read?”

“I can read English, Chinese, and Japanese!” I hissed through my nose.

“Got it.” He nodded.

Within ten minutes, it was our turn.

He took out a metal card from his pocket and placed it on the counter. “I am Sir Hembree Oxnard. This is Lady Mercy Xu. She wishes to apply to become an adventurer.”

The clerk was a woman with a clear customer service smile. She looked down at the identification and then asked us to follow her. We did and she led us to a private room to the side and down a hall. It looked to be a nice meeting room.

“Our branch manager will be here in a moment to see to you two,” She bowed before closing the door.

“What was that?” I asked and looked at him.

“I heard that any nobles who came would get nicer treatment.” He said and gestured to the couch. “Please, have a seat. I haven’t helped or signed up myself since I’m a Baron. There were a lot of issues to tend too, so I did not have the luxury to play adventurer like a lot of the children of nobles do.”

“You’re a Baron?” I asked.

“Yes?” He said.

“Ah…” I just nodded, not sure what to do with that information.

It was silent for ten minutes until the door open softly. A well-dressed man stepped in. “Welcome, I hear a few nobles came to our humble branch. May I see your IDs?”

Sir Hembree nodded and handed over his metal card. The man then placed the card against a large orb by the door. It glowed green. “Sorry about that, My name is Olly, Fort Coven’s branch leader. We’ve currently been dealing with an uptick of people attempting to pass themselves off as nobles again.”

“Again?” Hembree asked as he took his card.

“Every few years the commons remember that nobles can sponsor someone to skip over the qualifications tests. “ Olly said. “Those who try forget that nobles have enchanted cards. And that attempting to pose as noble for gain is a felony. We’ve opted to just take the offenders to a meeting room to vet. Pretenders get arrested.”

“I see!” Hembree nodded. “I like it. Clean and quick. Less of a public mess if they try to fight.”

“Indeed,” Olly said. “Now, Baron Hembree - I understand you wish to sign up this Lady right here? Of which family is she from?”

“Yes, Lady Xu,” He nodded. “She is not a noble but she is a friend. She wished to sign up.”

“Certainly,” Olly said before he pulled out a paper from below the orb. “I’ll just need to fill out this information. What is your name?”

“Mercy Xu,” I said and spelled it to him.

“Ah, what a lovely voice,” He smiled. “Like a bird’s song.”

“Please don’t,” I said. “I just want to get this over with.”

“Er, if I may,” Hembree interjected. “Lady Xu, despite how fair she looks, is quite the capable fighter. I trust the adventurer guild knows of the situation last night?”

“My apologies,” He said to me. “Yes, I’m aware.”

“Lady Xu and her machine helped buy valuable time for reinforcements to arrive,” Hembree said. “If not for her help, we would have perished.”

“I see…” Olly nodded. “Then… She is an artificer?”

“Yes,” Hembree nodded.

“I apologize for trying to treat you as if you were trying to play at being an adventurer,” Olly gave a deep bow. “We at the guild see it too often that the children of nobility come for fun. Only for them to either ruin a contract or get hurt or scared before quitting. Few make it here.”

“I don’t mind, I just don’t like how sleazy you sounded,” I said and waved it off.

“I apologize, I never thought some people would view it like that,” Olly said. “Well, on with the topic, as a Baron, you can only wave her entry test. She would start out at the bottom as Copper.”

Hembree looked at me. I nodded. He turned back to Olly. “That is fine.”

“But I will need some basic information,” Olly said. “Your appearance I can write in myself. But I need some more information. Where are you from?”

“She’s from Ironcove, the town I oversaw and was overran yesterday,” Hembree interjected.

I nodded.

“You both have my condolences,” Olly said. “And your age?”

“I’m 22,” I said.

“Ah, I thought you were older,” Hembree said in surprise.

“How old did you think I was?” I asked, slightly offended.

“Around 28… Don’t get me wrong, it was because you seem so mature. And you fought quite well.” Hembree said.

I let it slide as the compliments made me feel good. I couldn’t help but beam.

“And we mentioned you were an artificer,” Olly said and wrote that. “Any skills?”

“Well, I mainly handled administration for my father’s business but I don’t think that’d come in handy…” I said to myself. “I know some hand-to-hand and knife skills.”

Olly shook his head from side to side before answering. “We’ll just leave that blank. Can you use magic?”

“Not that I am aware,” I said.

“Well, that finishes it off,” Olly said. “Give me a moment to put this into our system and you’ll have your identification in the minute.”

He went back to the orb, rolled it up, and pushed it into the orb. It glowed a pretty light blue for a few seconds. Olly came back and handed me a metal ID that looked similar to a brushed aluminum credit card, but with a copper F on the top. It had my characteristics as well as my age and class. At the very bottom, said that Baron Hembree Oxnard was my guarantor.

“One last thing,” Olly said. “Since the Baron has vouched for you and allowed you to skip the entry tests, he would be responsible for any major problems you cause. He can also view your quest history and check your status within the guild.”

“That… Seems like a lot just to pass an entry test.” I said and took the card.

Olly nodded. “It seems a lot right now, but higher-ranked nobility can vouch for someone up to B class. Our system runs as such: F, D, C, B, A, and finally S class. Since they can avoid the tests up to B-Class, it means that someone would have to be responsible for their failures if they are a fraud. Since implemented last year, fraud has gone down considerably.”

We ended the meeting there and Olly once again expressed his apologies. I didn’t like him still, so we left quickly. Once outside, Hembree asked what I was to do from here.

“Right now, I need to leave town,” I said as I pocketed the ID. When I looked back at Hembree, he gave me a sad look. “Temporarily.”

I smiled and he gave a shy chuckle.

“Ah, Well - since the town I oversaw is no more, I will be here in Coven. Should you wish to see me, I’ll be staying in the castle until the Duke comes back to town. Which, I’m sure he’s already gotten word and is on his way back from the Capital.” He said.

“How far is that?” I asked

“About a week by carriage if the snow gets worse, or a day by wyvern or airship.” He said. “Why do you need to leave town - temporarily?”

“Girl’s secret,” I hummed.

“Well… if I knew, I could possibly give you some help,” Hembree said. “I grew up in Coven. I know the surrounding areas.”

“I’m looking for a large area far from the eyes of the castle,” I said. He gave me a suspicious look. “To get some exercise - and not to be seen by the Duchess and anyone who’d want to spy on me. I like my privacy.”

“Well, the northern areas will be heavily patrolled from now on, so you’re better going to the eastern forests,” Hembree said thoughtfully. “Though, due to being on the fringes of the kingdom, its less patrolled. Bandits and monsters are common. So south may be safer, but if you’re trying to avoid the castle, there will be more patrols. But since we’re still snowing you don’t need to go so far….”

He paused for a moment in deep thought before nodding to himself. “You don’t need to go that far actually. The northern farmlands will be empty around this time. And since it’s still snowing, you just have to keep walking until you can’t see the castle. The patrols shouldn’t heckle you since they’re only on guard for monsters.”

“Then I’ll do that,” I said.

He said to look for him when I got back. He'd be in the room I stayed in. Since it was the room assigned to him, he’d rest there until I got back. If I needed to sleep there again, he’d go back to the barracks.

I left town 20 minutes later and headed north along the main road.