Ah, right... As I stand in the hall outside Krulm's room, I slowly realize that I have been locked in that room so long, I have absolutely no idea how to get out of this building. Well, the hall dead-ends a short distance off to one side, so there's only one way to go.
I start walking. Without any idea of where I'm going, I start to move. Halls pass one after another, and eventually I find some stairs. I know I at least need to get back to the ground floor, so I go down, before continuing my wandering.
Of course, it isn't too long before I come across a guard. I don't know what to do, ask for help, or, or...
Why did Krulm have to be so tired? Why didn't he give me some sort of instructions?!
“Hey.”
“Eep!” I squeak, jumping when he calls out to me.
“Hey, girl. Hurry up, your group is going to leave without you.”
“Y-yes!” I rush to head in the direction he points. I don't get it, but I don't care!
Some way further down the hall, I suddenly pass through an archway into a little courtyard, and find a bunch of people standing around. They're all dressed in armor with packs over their shoulders, and a few turn to look at me.
Oh, I think I get it, it's another group leaving for a quest, like that other one. With all my gear, I do kind of look like them.
These students look older than the last ones, about my age. Well, my 'real' age. My Status lists me as twenty four now, which I think makes me a little under twenty years old. Looking them over, I think, if I follow them, I should be able to get back to the guild, right?
“Ooh la la,” one of the guys coos, walking right up to me. “That's some outfit, girl.” He steps well into my personal space, making me freeze up because he's so much taller than me. Just as he's about to say something else, a hand smacks him over the back of the head. “Ow!” he yelps and flinches from the blow.
He stumbles a step forward, right into me because he's already standing so close. His hands flail for balance, finding me since I'm the only thing here. I almost lose my balance too before shifting my weight to keep us both upright.
“Ooh, sorry,” he apologizes, but...
“Your hand,” I grumble. One is holding my shoulder, but the other landed right on my breast.
“Hmm?” He actually has to look down before he realizes. Oh my god I'm that flat now... After he jerks away, a huge girl in plate armor slaps him in the back of the head again.
“Come on, stop groping the new girl, jackass,” she berates him, before socking him right in the stomach. While the guy doubles over, fighting for breath, she approaches me. “Sorry about Vil. Guys.” She rolls her eyes to make her point.
Thinking back, she's right. No matter what world you're in, high school guys will be stupid high school guys...
“Anyway, I'm Ruwinana. Ruwi for short. You?” I hesitate a moment, half caught on getting accidentally groped, half cringing at her laying him out like that, half overwhelmed by someone new suddenly talking to me like this, and half in awe of her thick, muscular figure.
Wait, that's way too many halves...
“Yumi,” my answer leaves my mouth on its own as I stare. Then I shake my head to get it working again. I look over the girl with her dark, tanned skin and thick, bulky muscles peaking from under her deep red platemail. Far bigger than most women I've ever seen. Her hair is chocolaty, almost as dark as my own, in a kind of fancy braid that ends around her shoulders.
“Good to meet you.” She sticks out her hand and I stare at it. It's so big...
Maybe I do have a thing for big muscles after all? Only on women? Do I like women? I liked Master...
Trying not to think about any of that, I demurely lift my own hand and shake hers. “Damn girl, no need to be shy.” She eyes me briefly, up and down, and I don't know how to feel about it... “I guess you're a transfer? Judging from your equipment, age...”
“U-umm?” I don't understand. Transfer, like a transfer student? From another school, or, uhh academy here, I guess?
Now Ruwi takes a slap to the back of the head, but with her build, it doesn't even stagger her. “You're no better, Ruwi. Stop scaring the kid.”
Kid?
The guy who steps past her shoulder is dressed in mage robes, a few inches shorter than her, but I still only come up to his shoulders.
“Hey, I'm Frimulcha, you can call me Frim.” I look up at him, with his curly blond locks, until he puts a hand on my head and ruffles my hair playfully. “You got advanced, I guess?”
When he withdraws it, I finally turn my attention back on myself. My heart starts to sink.
Short, check. Scrawny, check. Underweight, check. No bust left to speak of, check. Asian features everyone always calls childish, check. Even my short, self-cut hair probably looks cute and silly to them...
Fuck...
How old do they think I am?
“I-I... umm...” I mumble, no idea how to answer. I'm guessing it's like when a kid gets skipped ahead a grade or something? How would that relate to getting transferred from another school- academy? Do they even have school grades here?
I'm so lost, and there are so many people, and they're all talking to me one after another. Even the ones behind are all looking over at me.
It's making my heart seize up. I wasn't mentally prepared for something like this!
“Come on everyone, form up!” an older voice suddenly cuts through my panic, and everyone jumps to attention. Automatically finding myself following the harsh voice's words, I duck into the back of this group, just kind of standing with them to hide so he doesn't yell at me or something...
Peaking out from the back, I see the man standing up at the front is downright scary, with a shaved head, a scar on one cheek, and clanking, dark metal armor.
“All right, kids, we'll be heading out for your yearly evaluation, so keep it together. This is your last one before graduation, so you're almost done. We won't be pulling any punches, this is going to be like a real quest, and we expect you to behave like real adventurers out there.”
“Yes, sir.” They all respond together, making me shrink down and hope no one noticed I didn't. I just want to find my way back to the guild! I consider asking their instructor, but he looks terrifying!
“Now come on, let's get moving. Quest isn't going to finish itself.” Without any further instructions, everyone starts to move, and I hurry to keep up.
Alright, good, this is fine. I can get out of here and back to the guild like this. Just have to keep following along.
Unfortunately, a few of the students move in around me before long. “So, you're Yumi?” one guy asks. He has heavy armor on, so I guess he's a tank like Ruwi. I give a tense nod in response, my throat starting to close up with so many people around me.
“Where did you come from? Your stuff is so beat up...” another boy says, but that earns him a jab in the ribs from a nearby girl.
“I like your earring, it's really pretty,” comes from a girl in mage or healer robes. She has really pale blond hair trailing down her back, strands of it slipping close to my face as she leans way into my personal space and touches my ear, rubbing a finger along the side in a way that makes me flush deep red.
Oh god why are they all so touchy-feely?!
The bombardment continues for a while, my head spinning as they all talk, some to me, some to each other, and some just going off about things like classes and parents and the food in the cafeteria. Thankfully, it starts to trigger my memories of hanging out with my friends at school. It makes the situation feel just a tiny bit more normal, which helps with the paralyzing terror from so many strangers around me.
Still, there's only so much I can take. “Guys, guys, new girl's at her limit. She must come from some tiny country town, give her a break.” With those words, Ruwi pushes the others aside and lifts me right off my feet. “Damn you're light, girl. You need to get more meat on those bones.”
Then she tosses me, to land sitting on her shoulders. She the big metal shoulder plates of her armor are really uncomfortable, but I don't care. Even her head pressed right between my legs in a very precarious position hardly bothers me at all. I'm not completely surrounded on all sides by people, all looking at me and talking to me...
Why are they all so tall? Am I really that short? I was used to it with the altraska because they're supposed to be like, giant. These are humans, they shouldn't all be so damn tall, should they? Are Verilz humans taller than Earth humans?
Were the people in Thanifa like this? Sort of, I think, but it wasn't this bad! Regional differences?
Either way, it's no wonder that they think I'm younger than them!
Practically curling around the huge woman's head in silent thanks, I duck to avoid hitting my head on the doors and archways, and accept the ride on her shoulders, even with the other kids laughing about it. The embarrassment beats out the panic attacks, every time.
We finally, gratefully, make it to the front of the building. Passing out through the large doors, I feel like I can breathe a little easier. Unexpectedly, my position high atop Ruwi's shoulders affords me my first real, good look at the city, when I'm not too tired and starving to pay attention.
Woah, it's huge. I never got a chance to look around Montheric, but it must be like that. It beats the hell out of Rialetra, that's for sure! The Helia academy is at the top of a hill too, so I can see the entire sprawl stretching out below, lights beginning to glint on in the streets and windows of innumerable buildings as it grows dark, with only a few moons and the one far, far distant sun gracing the sky overhead.
Watching the sky as much as the land, I still haven't gotten over how incredible this world is. Despite all of the ups and down living here, or maybe because of them, I can really, truly appreciate how magical this all is...
Besides getting my first good look around, the trip through the city goes a long way to helping me familiarize myself with the layout so that I'll be able to find my way around better. It also helps understand where the academy is, compared to the guild. I even get somewhat of an idea of the richer and poorer districts as we go.
----------------------------------------
When the guild does come into sight, I quietly ask Ruwi if she'll let me down. Again tossing me around like I don't weigh anything, she sets me right back on my feet. What is this girl's Strength stat...?
As soon as I'm back on the ground, the surrounding students look at me sheepishly and try to reassure me about... I don't know, fitting in or something? It's fine, I've made it back to the guild successfully. Everything will be fine.
Still encircled on all sides, we press through the crowd, into the building, until we reach an unoccupied section of floor to gather and wait while their instructor heads up to the counter.
“U-umm,” I mumble at the surrounding students. “I, uhh...” When my anxious words get their attention, they all look at me and I squeak, my whole body going stiff. They won't be mad that I tricked them, will they? I don't know, but I'm safe in the guild, right? A lot of them seemed nice, maybe they'll just laugh it off?
“I...”
“Come on, speak up,” one of the guys says, slapping me on the back.
I squeeze my eyes shut and cry, “I have to go!”
It takes a solid couple seconds to realize what I just said.
Pretty much all at once, they roar with laughter. I cover my burning face with both hands and mewl, “That's not what I meant...”
Before they've brought themselves under control, the instructor returns. “Hey, cut it out, you're causing a commotion over here!” he scolds them. “It's time to start the quest.”
“I-I'm sorry s-sir,” the blond healer fights for words as she tries to control herself. “Yumi said she needs to use the toilet first.”
“Oh, for heaven's sake, why are we bringing a kid along?” he asks when he sees me. Then he starts flipping through some paperwork.
“I-I...” I keep trying to explain, but the eyes and voices all around me are making it hard to breathe. Looking around for help, I see... Arkida?! The guild receptionist standing there, head cocked at this group, is the same woman who helped me before. “A-Arkida, help... Please...” I cry quietly.
Unfortunately, that just makes her more confused. “Certainly miss, the toilets are over that way.”
I want to curl up and cry... This shouldn't be so hard. Why won't anyone understand? Why can't I just speak clearly...?! They all just keep getting tangled up inside my head and none of it comes out right...
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
“No, no, I don't... It's me...” Since I clearly can't accomplish pushing my useless words through my useless mouth with so many eyes turning my brain to an anxious pile of mush, I pull up my Status and send it to her.
She physically jolts in response. “Yumi?! What are you doing here? I didn't even recognize you! Where have you been?”
Her outburst of questions draws a chorus of confused sounds from the students, wondering how I know a guild receptionist.
Come on, calm down, speak in a straight line... I take a breath, and finally manage it. “I, well, I was basically locked in Krulm's room, how long has it been?” I cringe when I hear the surprised gasps and coughs, and realize how that might sound. “I-I mean, he basically shut me in with orders to eat and sleep until I recovered,” I quickly add. I don't want to accidentally create weird rumors about him.
“Ah, I see,” she says, nodding her understanding. “It's been about a month, but wow, you're looking so much better!”
Then without warning, Arkida suddenly starts handling me. Grabbing me here and there, turning me around, feeling me all over. My muscles, stomach, even my breasts and butt without a hint of reservation or embarrassment.
“Yes, yes, you've made a very nice recovery already,” she speaks as she feels me up, hands going right under my clothes. I'm absolutely mortified, but can't budge an inch from shock and the laughs that come from the students. “He did good work, you're still on the thin side, so you'll need to keep up on the food for a while longer, but a month of rest really did wonders for you.”
Then she turns me around to look me in the face. “Really, just look at you. You look ten years younger than before! I'm glad things are turning around for you.” It feels like steam is coming off my face, but when she throws a big, beaming smile at me, it still makes me smile back.
“Alright, alright, explanation please? I don't know who this is, and she's not on my roster,” the instructor finally cuts in, tapping a hand at his paperwork.
“O-oh, certainly, sir.” After extricating herself from halfway down my damn pants, Arkida addresses him. “This is Yumi, she has a bit of a... unique history behind her. She arrived in Miselka about a month ago, in an extremely unhealthy condition, nearly starving to death. She went on a quest with some Helia academy students, but went into debt to Instructor Krulm. In exchange for... I'm assuming food?”
When she turns the question to me, I nod. “So after that, it sounds like he took her back to the academy and let her rest for a month to get her heath back in order.”
The scary instructor whistles. “Hell of a story, but how does that end with her mixed into my class?”
Finally a little better able to think now that Arkida is sort of acting as a buffer between me and everyone else, I answer, “Krulm just released me, I was trying to find my way back out of the academy. I kind of got mixed in with your students...”
The man just snorts and shakes his head. Then it's Ruwi, pushing to the front of the group, that asks, “Wait, you're already an adventurer? How old are you?”
I turn to stare off to the side when I answer, “U-umm... twenty four... Sort of...” Even if I'm only really nineteen...
“Woah, I wouldn't peg you a day over sixteen...” she chuckles.
“Sixteen?” one of the guys in the back scoffs. “With that chest? Try eleven.” Half of the students cover their mouths or pretend not to hear him, except for one that elbows him sharply in the side.
I suddenly want to be anywhere but here.
Fighting down a grimace, the instructor speaks up again. “Well, as long as she's not an issue for my class, it's not my problem. Come on, let's get this quest started.
“Sure,” Arkida steps forward, but suddenly stops. “Actually, Yumi, you should go with them.”
“Huh?” Both me and the instructor have the exact same response.
“You're going to have trouble taking on normal quests at your current Rank, you should take the chance to stick with academy students when you can.”
Oh? Is my Rank that much of an issue? What should I be? “S-sure...” I agree uncertainly.
Wait, I still don't know if I even want to keep going on quests! Every one I've taken has ended with me as a slave!
But Arkida is already talking to the instructor, going over the participants. The man looks over at me, clearly annoyed that I'm suddenly being added into his quest, just like I was with Krulm. When I shuffle forward to listen, I immediately gulp nervously. All of these students hover between Rank fifteen and twenty.
When she reaches the end of the list, she asks them to wait a minute so the guild can get my Status again. I'm about to just send it to her, but she pulls me back over to the reception counter, then grabs that same guy from last time.
I'm confused, but she sheepishly explains that it's protocol to keep a closer eye on former slaves than other adventurers, and keep a log of their Status over time. That and... one other thing, but she'll get to that later. I endure the man doing an extra thorough Scan, and writing it down. I guess that's why, so they can keep a log.
I don't know how to feel about this...
While he works, I use the little I made from the last quest and pay Arkida for more travel provisions, to ensure I have enough food to eat this time.
“Alright,” the man says when he finishes writing, then we all lean in to look at the Status and they both start coughing. Even I hiss when I see it.
Yumi Adventurer Rank: 4 Race: Human Age: 24
Job: Offensive Magic Class: Synergist Style: Finesse Focus: Area Control
Health: 119/119 Stamina: 132/151 Mana: 460/460
Status
Strength: 53 Vitality: 80 Stamina: 128 Agility: 48 Mind: 397 Magic: 84 Remaining Potential: 170
Skills
Speech: 92 Reading: 84 Math: 58 Logic: 67 Serving: 16 Cleaning: 29 Magic Casting: 18 Magic Weaving: 23 Mana Regen: 18 Mana Absorption: 9 Rapid Casting: 15 Multi Casting: 15 Magic Control: 9 Mana Cleansing: 1 Mana Channeling: 7 Cooking: 19 Massage: 8 Sex: 4 Appraisal: 12 Diplomacy: 4 Maintenance: 5 Grooming: 14 Walking: 15 Fasting: 17
Traits
Work Ethic: 80 Self-Esteem: 25 Loyalty: 46 Devotion: 48 Adaptability: 38 Integrity: 39 Obedience: 54 Restraint: 60 Sincerity: 39 Respect: 45 Charm: 27 Pride: 14 Trust: 68 Anxiety: 32 Hope: 24 Fear: 15 Dependency: 31 Servitude: 28 Resentment: 5 Hatred: 1 Vengeance: 2 Depression: 35
Misc Slave Rating: SS Warning: Social Anxiety Warning: Depression
All I did was spend time recovering in Krulm's room, and I made it back to a SS rating.
And apparently, I have social anxiety now. That's why I've been so useless trying to deal with the students, I'm really that out of practice dealing with people...
I don't know whether seeing things like this laid out in front of me helps, or just makes me feel worse...
“Alright, Yumi.” Arkida smiles wryly across the counter. “You Ranked up, so that's good. Let's get you on your quest.”
She leads me over to group again. “Here's Yumi, she'll be joining you on your quest. She's a Rank four Synergist.” The shock at her words is palpable. But before the instructor can say anything, she adds, “Lirushik, here's what you're dealing with. Like I said, she's... unique.”
The scary man's mouth falls open in plain-faced shock. “The hell is this?!” I can see his eyes flicking back and forth across the window in his vision, my Status I'm sure. All the students perk up, drawing closer.
“What is it? Her Status?” one of the more courageous students asks, only to receive a whack over the head.
“Don't worry about it.” Lirushik grunts. “Just focus on the quest.” Then he turns to me. “I don't care what your story is, you're going to be a burden in combat. Stay back and stay safe, or you'll get mauled to death.”
“Y-yes, sir...” I stutter under his terrifying gaze. That scar on his cheek makes him look like some sort of evil bandit who's just going to... I don't know, do some sort of terrible things to me...
I shudder at the thought, glad when he finally turns away.