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Slightly short and in need of some polish. Comment any mistakes you find, please! Thanks for reading~

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Time passed quickly while I worked on the staff. Walking outside, relying on my armor’s auto-cleaning functions to wipe off the sawdust and stains, I found Tenia and Benson waiting. They seemed to be talking to one another in low voices, but they stopped as I approached. A warning bell immediately rang through my mind. What were they talking about that I couldn’t be allowed to hear?

“What’s going on?” I asked, trying to hide the suspicion in my tone.

“Tenia thinks we should hire an etiquette teacher from this world,” said Benson.

“An etiquette teacher?” I repeated.

“Yes. We don’t know of this world’s customs and, if we’re going to continue dealing with higher and higher ranked people it’s important to understand their society’s rules.” Said Tenia in a lecturing tone.

The color drained from my face immediately. The mere thought of ‘lessons’ made my blood curdle after what happened last night.

“Don’t make that face,” said Tenia as she met my eyes, “I’m thinking we should employ a proper teacher. I understand what happened last night may have turned you against such things, but at least consider it mistress.”

I swallowed hard, forcing bile back down my throat. A burning sensation permeated down my neck. “It must be someone I approve of beforehand,” I said, trying to sound as authoritative as possible.

“This much is fine,” Tenia replied in a curt manner. I didn’t see any of the earlier amusement in her eyes, only a strange determination. “It will take time, but I will have you become a proper lady, mistress.”

“I don’t think she needs to become a proper lady, Tenia,” said my hero Benson in a small voice. “She needs to only become a proper herself.”

“A proper herself?” Tenia and I said in unison, both clearly confused by Benson’s wording. There was a moment of pause as he met my eyes. His gaze was filled with a deep kindness, but it also held an odd melancholy.

“Nevermind that,” said Benson, breaking the silence with a wave of his hands. “We can discuss the matter of what is ‘proper’ later.”

Thankful to change the subject, I quickly added, “I agree. Let’s head to town.”

“... Fine. But we will talk about this later.” Said Tenia with a sharp tone.

Perhaps the most terrifying thing about the entire exchange was that I agreed with Tenia. A faux pas could easily make a bad first impression with the people of power in this world. In my search for a way home, I can’t overlook even the most unlikely of sources. Proper courtly etiquette will become necessary for me; that didn’t stop it from being utterly frustrating, though.

I found myself fondling my hair as our group moved through the forest. The newly built dirt road felt nostalgic to me. It reminded me of our end-of-the-lane mailbox and colorful neighbors. The sun, approaching its apex, gave off an iridescent orange glow while the breeze tumbled my red curls. I could already smell the farms.

Kelding was waiting for us at the end of the new road, a wagonload of White Lodestone at his side. A scowl stretched across his face; his eyebrows bowed downwards in such a manner that his nose looked to be a sinkhole sucking in the forehead above.

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“What did you do!” Cried the halfling when he noticed us. His voice was filled to the brim with fire.

“Excuse me?” I replied, a bit lost on why he was so angry.

“What did you do to the Guildmaster!” Kelding rephrased.

“Oh,” I muttered aloud, finally realizing what was going on. I turned towards my beastman companion and whispered, “Benson, what did you do to the guildmaster?”

“I gave her a warning, mistress.”

“You didn’t kill her?” I asked.

“No. She is very much alive, mistress.”

I found myself frowning at the situation. I turned back to Kelding and asked him, “What’s wrong with her?”

“What’s wrong with her!?” Kelding cried, frothing at the mouth. “She won't leave her damned house, crying about your, and I quote, ‘Monster disguised as a Lion Beastman’.” Benson wore a proud smile. He seemed content with the results of his warning.

“She was being rude. Benson simply taught her about respect,” I said, making my tone as haughty as possible. “I don’t see why this has anything to do with me at all.”

“You know damn well it does-”

“Mr. Kelding,” I interrupted, my voice seething with anger as I used the halfling to outlet my pent-up frustrations. “If my bodyguard is strong enough to make a former S-rank adventurer piss herself in fear, do you really think I’ll accept being talked down to by someone in your position, of all things? I will not repeat myself again: this has nothing to do with me.”

The halfling seemed almost stunned by my outburst, but he recovered and bowed his head in shame. “I apologize for my rudeness,” he said as he crossed his right hand over his chest, “please, let us forget this tiresome topic.”

“I see you’ve brought my Lodestone,” I said, changing the subject with all the grace of an elephant in tap shoes.

“Yes. With the mine already drilled and reinforced, we had a plethora of unemployed vagrants to shove down it with a pickaxe in hand…”

“This looks to be enough for one [Gate]. I’ll need at least five or six more shipments of this size. Better make it ten to be safe,” I said while inspecting the wagon.

“Y-yes, right away. We should be able to get two wagonloads delivered to you a day. Would you like to settle the payment for that right now at my office?” Asked Kelding.

“I’ll have Tenia deal with the payment. I’m going to be busy now that I have the materials. If you need to speak with me give a message to one of my assistants.” I said as I grabbed the yoke to the wagon and lifted it with minimal effort; the statistical reinforcement on my current armor was quite high. Of course, Benson immediately bounced over and took over.

“Then, Kelding, I’ll be seeing you later.” I said as I waved to the halfling. “Tenia, I’m relying on you to take care of matters in town.”

“Yes, mistress,” she replied with a slight bow. Her shoulders seemed stiff, but her expression belied her true feelings. She was probably upset about how I strong-armed Kelding. It wasn’t a very ‘Lady-like’ thing to do. Suppressing a snicker, I walked with Benson back towards my home again. I wished, genuinely, that I hadn’t left in the first place.