“Wow”
Vienessa looks up at the towering, ancient walls reaching for the sky. Madeleine didn´t exaggerate when she said the capital is ginormous. The receptionist pays the carriage rider the second half of the agreed fee, deducted the troubles on the way, and beckons Vienessa to the gates. She enjoys seeing the Demon baffled for once.
In front of the entrance stretches the usual lengthy line that mostly consists of adventurers and merchants. But instead of heading to its end, Madeleine passes all people waiting and goes straight for the gateway. Vienessa raises an eyebrow, then just shrugs her shoulders and follows the receptionist. Some people throw them a side glance and give off a mocking snicker while pretending to not really care. They know how the guards treat people around here:
“Hey, you!” as if on cue one of the knights shouts and steps toward the two, a hand put on the sheathed sword at his side to stress its presence “Don´t even think about cutting line, I´ve dealt with enough of you people today. So get the hell back there!”
Vienessa gives the big angry man in metal armor a short glance but quickly loses interest in what he´s got to say, all bark no bite. Instead her attention shifts to Madeleine, how´ll she react? The Demon remains a little behind and simply observes. Madeleine releases a deep, exhausted sigh and closes her eyes
“Every time. Every. Single. Time”
She lets her head sink, then pulls a small silver pendant out of her pocket. The guard freezes in place when he sees it
“Ah – U-Uhm, I,” he chokes on his words.
Madeleine walks up to him and puts a hand on his metal-plated shoulder. “I believe I personally instructed for an improvement of behavior at this post, more than once already. Didn´t anyone tell you? Or, don´t tell me, was it still not clear enough?"
The soldier doesn´t respond
"Send the knight captain to the Center Guild after his shift ends, and you´ll be there too. If not, I´ll make you regret. Understood?”
The man slowly nods
“Good,” Madeleine says and turns to Vienessa with a completely changed expression on her face “Let´s go?”
“Okay~”
Vienessa gives the slightly trembling guard another look: ´Weak,´ she thinks before catching up to Madeleine with a few steps. The two enter through the gates while being warily followed by all eyes around them.
--
The inside of the walls is incomparable to the outside. If Vienessa had one word to describe it, she´d probably pick ´Wow´ again, though ´Advanced´ would fit better. It´s as if Vienessa and Madeleine passed a portal that brought them a few centuries into the future, or maybe to another world entirely: Bustling, loud streets illuminated by lights in various neon colors as far as the eye can see, shops for tourists and adventurers that offer ´Only for today: Limited Wares´ and what impresses Vienessa the most is that the ground is covered in stone plates which release a faint glow when stepped on. Wherever one´s eyes set, there´s something new to be seen.
“Alright then,” Madeleine starts “You probably don´t care for sightseeing anyways, so I´d like to hurry to the Center Guild so we can–”
“Hey Madeleine, what´s this giant snake thingy?” Vienessa interrupts and points at the nearby thing as long as three houses in a row
“You mean the tramway?”
“Yeah, that. Why are all these Humans going inside?”
“I´m surprised you don´t know. Don´t Demons usually… no, anyways, just watch”
A second after Madeleine says that, small metal plates appear in the doorways through which the Humans just entered and intersect like puzzle pieces until the multiple identical entrances of the vehicle are completely plugged. Thin lines of green and blue appear and run various patterns through the silver metal body as it begins to emit a hissing sound that makes Vienessa think this really can´t be anything else but a snake. Though it´s really just the power gathering at its core. It slowly starts parting from the ground until it floats, yet remains at a low enough altitude that not even a child could fit beneath. Then the vehicle gains speed and whizzes off.
“So it´s basically a big carriage?” Vienessa concludes
“It´s brazen to call it a mere carriage, but I don´t think you´d understand even if I explained… or be willing to understand anyways. So yeah, let´s just say it´s a ´carriage´ with a fixed route through the city so people can get around”
Vienessa crosses her arms and looks in the direction where the tramway gets smaller with each passing second
“But… It´s slow,” she says. Madeleine sighs but Vienessa continues “Wouldn´t it be faster to just go by foot? Why are you Humans always making everything so complicated and inconvenient?”
“Well, certainly it would be faster for you,” Madeleine begins “But many Humans don´t even have an Agility stat in the three digits if they´re not Adventurers or Knights. Also, imagine if everyone just ran around in these narrow and crowded alleys at insane speeds. It´s much safer to use a multi-transport with given routes, don´t you think?”
“Hmm,” Vienessa doesn´t look very convinced by her friend´s reasoning “I don´t?”
--
Madeleine prompts Vienessa to use the tramway, to at least try it out, and because they would arrive at the Center Guild in half an hour that way, but the Demon is adamantly against it. Though not for the reason Madeleine thinks, the girl just really wants to explore the city
“You want what now?” Is Madeleine´s reaction to her words.
But it´s not often that the Demon is interested in anything besides fights and getting stronger, so after some back and forth the receptionist gives in and the two begin to their destination by foot.
Surrounded by all these new things Vienessa reverts to a child-like state. The girl´s eyes can´t stay on one spot for more than two seconds: “Hey Madeleine, is that one of these weapon shops?” she asks curiously and points at a building across the street.
“Almost, this one is called a blacksmith,” Madeleine replies “They do sell prefabricated supplies, but people mainly request custom weapons and equipment to be forged there. Blacksmiths also handle reparations and inscribe |Effects| on a variety of items”
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
“|Effects|?” Vienessa tilts her head to the right
“Yeah, you remember the crystals I gave you for the Mid-Rank Dungeon?”
“The |Artifacts|?”
“Exactly, uninscribed they´d be simply Magic-Stones, a source of power. But thanks to |Effects| the power takes form and can be used in versatile ways.”
Vienessa takes the information in with a questioning look forming on her face “So blacksmiths create those crazy strong |Artifacts|?” she asks more herself than Madeleine “So like, that means this snake-carriage was also made by a Blacksmith. Because it´s an |Artifact| too, right?”
“Ah, not quite,” Madeleine puts a hand to her lips, intrigued by teh girl´s question “Blacksmiths don´t deal with |Artifacts| of that level. For advanced |Artifact| Crafting a team of experts in Magicology is needed as well as craftsmen who are capable of highly precise… Vienessa?”
She´s not listening anymore. And she´s not there anymore either
“Vienessa?” Madeleine says a bit louder, but her voice is drowned in the mass of people that is everywhere. She looks around and finds the Demon at the Blacksmith´s shop holding a huge heavy sword in one hand and inspecting its black blade. The receptionist pushes herself through the crowd, but before she can reach the girl, she is already in conversation with the shop’s owner:
“I´m amazed you can swing that double-hander around so easily. You look so delicate at first glance, but I see a fierce warrior´s soul inside you. I feel that sword likes you. I´ll make a special price, how about it?”
Vienessa´s gaze doesn´t leave the weapon for the burly man with a fuzzy beard. She turns it back and forth some more and looks at the sword from several other angles before finally putting it back
“Nah, my claws are stronger than that. Also I don´t like this Curse on it.”
Hearing that last part the shop owner stumbles back a few steps and begins sweating as a few customers turn their heads toward him. While he´s occupied with the swarm of… let´s call them ´irritated´ people, the girl simply takes Madeleine, who finally got here too, by her hand and disappears into the crowd together, leaving the mess she made behind without losing another thought about it.
“Madeleine, I want to see that next!” she says without giving the receptionist even a chance for word
“Hey, slow down a bit! And don´t just run off on your own like that!” But although the receptionist intends for her voice to come out as a bit angry, she can´t help the faint smile of excitement and mischieve sneaking onto her lips.
--
The size of the Adventurer Capital is really no joke. Madeleine didn´t just suggest the tramway without a reason. At their current pace, it´ll take the two another few hours before they reach their destination. Though that doesn´t seem to bother the excited Demon girl in the least, and before long, Madeleine gives way to her friend´s attitude and decides to focus on enjoying guiding her through the streets. Maybe she´ll even get her interested in some of the city´s history? Here goes:
The Adventurer Capital was once a stronghold in times of war and famous for being in possession of one of Humanity´s strongest |Artifacts|: The |Unlimited Cover|. This |Artifact| is capable of fully cloaking the capital in a nearly impenetrable barrier. For reference of strength, not even Demons in the middle three-digit levels would be able to breach it. If we assume they are ´normal Demons,´ that is. Its only drawback is the astronomical consumption of energy. The |Artifact| would´ve sucked up all resources in no time if left activated continuously.
Another point of interest would be that there are five Adventurer guilds in total here: One at each entrance in the north, east, south and west and the main guild at the center which is also the holder of the previously mentioned |Artifact|. Well, not for nothing is it called the ´Adventurer Capital,´ of course the most important structure would be affiliated with Adventurers. Because in this region of the Nikites Alliance, Adventurers have the upper hand on the Knights and the Church.
--
A wise man once said ´Time flies when having fun´
Well, before the two know it the Center Adventurer Guild is right before their eyes. It´s grandiose, the building looks much more refined and majestic than the one Vienessa saw in the small village. They enter and are greeted by an unexpectedly clean and empty interior. Or at least unexpected for Vienessa because Madeleine goes straight for the reception desk without giving the usual sight another glance.
“Madeleine-Sama, I wish you a good return. I hope your arrival went without accident?” the young, blond-haired girl behind the counter greets the Sub-Guildleader and finishes off with an elegant, yet professional bow
“Yes, thank you Sara. Did you receive my letter?”
“Certainly, the lodging has been prepared as you instructed,” Sara looks behind Madeleine at Vienessa who just finished gawking around and is walking up to the counter “May I ask who that is?”
“Yes,” Madeleine puts her hands on Vienessa´s shoulders and pushes her to the front “Her name´s Vienessa. Register her as a new Adventurer. Though she´ll start off as a C-Rank, I personally guarantee her strength and capabilities.”
“Understood”
As Sara disappears behind a door with the words ´Personnel only´ written on it, Vienessa subtly leans over to Madeleine without moving her eyes from the front and whispers in a voice low enough so that no third party would be able to pick up
(Aren´t I registered already though? And what´s become of the sisters act?)
(Don´t worry, I have everything taken care of already. And no, no sisters act, I´ll register you as an independent adventurer)
(Why?)
(Trust me, it would only complicate things. Also, get ready to disguise your species and adjust your Level to about 100)
(Alright)
The girl knows better than to ask unnecessary questions in this situation.
The door opens and Sara comes back with a crystal ball which she points at Vienessa
“Do you have a middle or surname?” she asks
“No, just Vienessa”
“I see”
The ball glows up and reminds the Demon of the one she was inspected with at the village where she met Madeleine, though this |Artifact| continues to make a short beep and something akin to a card comes into existence inside of it. Sara turns the upper half of the thing which splits the ball into two identical parts. White steam escapes with a sizzle after which the blond-haired girl takes out the card and closes the |Artifact| up again. She skims over the newly created license as her brows begin to furrow
“Level 17?” she asks, slightly confused
“Eh?” both Vienessa and Madeleine make
(What happened? Isn´t that your actual Level?)
(It is, I´m sure I set it to 107 though…)
(So the latest |Artifacts| can even see through |Absolute Appraisal|? Dammit…)
"Is something the matter?"
“No, 17 is correct,” Madeleine answers in the girl´s stead
“Is there anything else that is… out of place?” she continues while trying to sound composed, which she fails
“Well, she appears to already have attained the Class of White Mage. Usually one needs to be at least Level 40 to do so… Should I just conclude this is one of the reasons you evaluated her as C-Rank?”
Madeleine sighs in relief that Vienessa´s identity as a Demon remained hidden. “Yes, please do,” she says and without another word Sara hands the Adventurer Card to its owner. A big, bold ´C´ is imprinted in the middle with all sorts of other information.
“She´s now officially registered in the Adventurer data bank,” the blond-haired girl says and takes a bundle of keys out of her dress´ pocket with which she turns to Madeleine “I suppose not to tell the Guildleader about it as well?”
“I´m thankful for a subordinate as quick-witted as yours,” Madeleine takes the keys
“Please, I´m not worthy of your praise,” Sara shakes her head
“But, you are. We´ll be going now, tell him that my arrival to the city has been delayed until evening. Don´t mention anything about Vienessa.”
“Certainly”
Madeleine turns away and heads to exit the building, Vienessa walks closely behind her. Just as the Demon is about to leave through the entrance though, she turns around for a final look at Sara
´Hmm´
She thinks
´Something´s…´
The Demon screws her gaze at the receptionist for a moment, but then just shakes her head and walks out. The door behind her shuts with a heavy sound.