VII.

The morning winds were beginning to pick up and Madoka's nose could still smell the rough salt and foamy mist from Audrey's water magic. They left quite the mess behind and trouble awaited them if they were caught going into the forest. Still, the maid thanked the kind gods that they were alive despite the trouble waiting for them ahead. An acrid and unsettling smell crept up on Madoka as she led Audrey towards Livertorjan.

She realized that the town was much larger than she thought when the girls first entered days ago. A rise in the terrain granted the town a natural advantage over those below its view. The Guild Hall was settled above several other buildings but the sight that caught the maid's attention was a curtain of smoke rising from a curious workshop.

She pondered if that was the Artisan Guild's own particular Hall. Madoka scanned the paltry defense in front of the town. Several stone formations were erected in order to ward off whatever attacked them. They looked similar to the ones Lord Leopride conjured up. Behind the defenses were a group of soldiers and what she presumed were bands of adventurers. They stood in front of a wall much older than the maid.

It was then when she noticed that some of the stone formations were not actually stone at all. They were piles of dead monsters! Green bloody creatures were dragged along the once beautiful flower fields. Their corpses left a trail of congealed guts from where they were slain to the piles. The soldiers must have had little time to prepare, Madoka thought. The sight of the dead did not move her as much as she thought.

Was it because she has seen so much death already?

The green corpses looked like rotted shrubbery with broken limbs reaching skyward so she turned her nose away. Could such a battle take place while they were trapped inside that strange realm? Madoka worried that perhaps time did not freeze like Audrey proposed. A shadow loomed over her, taking her away from her thoughts. Madoka was prepared to draw her swords the moment she sensed danger but as they drew closer she felt a tug on her sleeve.

"Incoming," she pointed. She looked shaken up by the sight of the dead creatures but her eyes were focused on something in the sky. "Above us."

Madoka growled and prepared for an aerial attack. She squinted at the peculiar shadow above them. A man? She readied her sword but Audrey tugged her sleeve once again. Madoka relaxed and stayed her blade. The princess must know something she does not.

"You two," called the flying shadow. "Get back to town at once! It's not safe... Oh it's you two."

Madoka recognized that voice as its owner drew closer. The flowers were crushed and a wake of dust pushed around the shadow's feet as Luxgor landed. The maid caught a glimpse of golden chains embedded in each of his limbs and wings. He had a stern look on his face as he scrutinized the two girls.

"Sir," Madoka greeted him and bowed. Audrey still remained behind her. Only the kind gods knew what trouble she was possibly up to. Luxgor was a powerful spellcaster, Madoka determined. His ability to walk and use golden chains must take considerable effort. After all, she found it difficult to move when she pulled on the strands. She refrained from touching the crystal in her heart.

"So," He slowly eased at the sight of Madoka. "I presume that you two were not involved with the monster battle in the forest, right?"

Madoka glanced to Audrey. She expected the woman to spin up a lie on the spot but only heard a nervous gulp.

"When you say battle," Audrey began but Madoka cut her off.

"No," Madoka declared. A small pang of guilt ricocheted in her throat but if she was afraid to admit they were responsible for the damage in the woods. She did not recognize the slain creatures or see any in the forest after all. "We were getting back from the copper commission we had completed. Right, Audrey?"

"Hai!" Audrey pulled out one of the flowers from her bag. She knew it was the clever portal trick.

"We will speak of this incident later," Luxgor sighed and straightened his coat. His wings twitched nervously at the sight of Madoka although the maid did not know why. She wondered if this was another of what the princess called a follow-up interview. She shifted uncomfortably as Luxgor seemed like he was troubled over something. "The scouts did give a report on peculiar activities in the forest. When you come by the Guild we shall speak of the incident further."

Was he protecting them by not revealing their involvement? Luxgor clearly suspected them to have a role in the fighting but instead of announcing anything he simply let them go. With a circular motion with his arms and tails, Knotting magic twirled and traced his same movements. A shining gold light revealed his red wings before the girls and took off.

"He's flexing on us!" Audrey muttered irritably from behind the maid. "Quick, you can cast that same type of magic. Grow some wings or whatever!"

"I don't think I can," Madoka sighed. "I don't have a tail nor wings to speak of."

Still, it must be nice to fly places, the maid thought. She could reach high places to clean much easier if she had wings. He signaled to the soldiers and the two hurried over past the stone barricades.

"A race trait?" Audrey mused. "Hmm. So these creatures... They seem capable of using tools. Those crude weapons they carried. They are definitely a social species and even have sentience. If we were to slay one of them... Would we be the bad guys? Ew, Madoka, they smell gross!"

"Oi!" A guard yelled for them. As they got closer, Madoka noticed the two guards waving over at them were actually George and Boris. "You two got some Abyssal luck, bloody 'ell! Ain't that right, Boris?"

He ushered them quickly behind the stone walls. Madoka prepared herself for anything by grabbing her sword's hilt beneath her cloak. She felt Audrey's hand once again brush against her back. Did they know they were the ones who battled the slime? Madoka paused. They seemed to be concerned for them. The maid decided that her paranoia was unwarranted but she still could not shake the habit. It was not like she would want to be relaxed anyways.

"I'd say, I'd say," He repeated. "I can't believe you two nearly got swept up in that monster battle! You both alright?"

"Y-Yeah," Audrey stammered. Madoka nodded even though that was a lie. The two guards seemed satisfied with their reaction. She shuddered. Was Audrey's ability to lie somehow infecting her? She was certainly not alright after the battle with the slime and that strange golem.

"'Ey, Boris, you bumbling fool!" George barked at Boris. Guard 2 shot back a confused look. "Use Reverent Noble, you idiot!"

"M-My apologies!" Boris groveled in his thick accent along with George but Audrey waved him off.

"No need," Audrey sighed. The two looked surprised at Audrey's reaction. The maid would be surprised but she went through the heresy of speaking in Noble with Audrey at the Estate. She ignored the bickering and wanted to get some information.

"Do you two know what went on in the battle?"

"You don't know?" Boris eyed the maid. The two reached the gates past the large rock barricades. Madoka could easily destroy them with a weapon or fist since she could sense Knotting magic embedded within the conjurations. "We couldn't see the big monsters through their massive attacks, but they caused these little guys to start attacking our walls. Those creatures usually stay in the forest but something in there got them to flee."

"Ain't nothing we can't handle, yeah," George grunted triumphantly.

"Yeah, nothing we can't defend against in 'ere ol' Livertorjan!" Boris agreed and thumped his free hand to his chest. "We're too strong."

Madoka turned to Audrey, who stood there awkwardly. The guards paid them no mind and kept rambling.

"Armor's stanky, though," George checked himself. "Going to cost a bunch to get this stench off."

"Nah, mate, you're the stanky one," Boris howled with laughter. "No need to get your rank ass cleaned, it'd be impossible!"

Madoka felt bored from the bickering guards so she strode on by into town. She was thankful that they were not in trouble. For now, she thought. They had a duty already to finish and she heard those light footsteps barely scratch the snow beneath their boots. Their walks together were kind of content, a silent comfort that guided the two of them along even through busy streets. They found themselves entering the Guild Hall.

"Greetings," Brown Hair bowed and stifled a gasp when she noticed Madoka. "Oh, it's you two!"

Madoka looked at Audrey. The princess had nothing to offer but a confused look. Brown Hair looked amazed at the maid but shook her head and waved them off.

"Lady Saze provided you with those clothes," the Guild Lady hastily straightened up. "You two look great! Now, I take it you are here for a commission but I recall you have already gotten—"

"Completed," Madoka interrupted. "How do we deliver the herbs?"

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Brown Hair still looked flustered at the sight of Madoka though the maid chose to ignore it.

"T-To think you've only been out there for two hours," the Guild Lady's expression filled with awe. A silver scaled tail swished behind her, Madoka never noticed it first but realized that Brown Hair was also related to dragons somehow. The girl shyed down when she noticed the maid glancing at her tail.

Madoka did not know why that seemed to impress the lady but she was done trying to piece it all together. She had enough of this day even if time did not seem to flow the same as she remembered it. Those guards seemed to recall the battle with goblins as if it were an hour ago. However, the two girls had been lost in a different realm entirely from theirs for what seemed like a whole day.

"You can deliver the herbs to us or to the Apothecary directly," Brown Hair smiled. There was something in the girl's freckles and carefree face that made Madoka want to dote on her but she shook her head out of it. "After the fees and items are processed, the commission's notch will be given to you."

"I see," Audrey mused. "Well, we'll going to the apothecary guy then."

"Physician Faragor's store is down the street, you can't miss his potion sign!" Brown Hair cheered. "Good luck."

"See you," Madoka almost bowed but stopped herself.

Brown Hair bowed and resumed her duties. Madoka strode by her princess's side but a glimpse of orange hair flashed in the corner of her view. Several adventurers noticed the maid and cleared out the way.

"Isn't that the new Copper party who took out Juujee's party?" One murmured to another. "Amazing!"

"I want to spar with her! The noble is powerful as well!"

"No the hell you don't! I saw her defeat Skulk the other night!"

"You did?"

"Aye."

Shut it, fools! Madoka wanted to scream over her embarrassment but secretly she did not dislike the whispers. The dangerous reputation alone would make people not approach her. From the corner of the Hall's entrance the mage known as Rin silently sat on a bench glaring at her. Madoka glanced at her and noticed her party was missing. Still angry over her insults towards her princess, Madoka simply gave a menacing smile and let her killing intent flash towards the mage. Rin flinched and looked away.

"So," Audrey scanned the building's signs for the apothecary building. The streets were clear, possibly due to the attack. "What the hell are goblins doing in this world? Are they annoying like the novels I read? Why are they green? What the—"

"Hush, Audrey," Madoka quieted the princess. Of all the things to make the girl question goblins seemed like the least of their problems. "Need I remind you what we've gone through today?"

"Well," Audrey stopped. "You're right, but we're probably going to have to kill those things if they are a thing in this world."

"My heart," Madoka placed a hand on her cloak above it. "I was not moved when I saw those dead things out by the wall. Not quite the same when I hunted..."

"Same for me," Audrey confided. "Although, I don't think you and I are referring to the same emotion. Maybe monsters dying is programmed in our brains... I mean, in our nature to not see monsters as living beings we should care about as one would a child or a loved one."

"Is that so," Madoka left it at that. The two decided to get a move on before the streets became crowded again.

Audrey stopped again as she looked up at the signs hung high from posts of the buildings. Snowflakes pattered her head so she pulled her hood up. Brown Hair was right, Madoka mused at the beautiful clothes adorned around the Royal's slim body like Spring leaves and flowers hung from the Palace's verandas. She was truly an angel — or could be one had she not had such a propensity for dangerous situations. Audrey looked embarrassed and turned to her maid. Her radiance made Madoka nearly flinch.

"This seems to be the place," Audrey seemed like she refrained from a different subject. Madoka knew she was thinking about love. She could tell by her rosy cheeks that it must have been an annoying comment.

Love is always uncomfortable, Madoka sighed. It must have been forcing its way beneath the girl's skin. For how long? Would it fade away before Madoka realized she, too, had love? To be a burden to one's heart by merely existing filled her with guilt. This was Her Highness, after all, even if the "former" Royal did not admit it.

"Madoka?" Audrey's voice pushed through her thoughts. The feeling of a cold handle slipped its way in her grip. She realized she fell into deep thought while in the middle of opening the door. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," Madoka scoffed and pushed the door open. The scent of herbs assaulted her nose when she entered the office. This building was connected to the rows of shops on either side of the main road. Beyond the road the guild and the Artisan Forge that Guild Master Koj mentioned rested on the northernmost part of town. Madoka scanned the room when Audrey timidly shut the door behind her.

Various beaker and glass jars full of unknown fluids rested on dusty shelves lining the walls. More vases made of translucent glass stared back at her as if they each contained lost souls. The jars were filled with more fleshy objects that wriggled on their own within their confines. Madoka simply dismissed all of that for far beyond those things something else disturbed her more: This place was a horrible mess!

"Coming, coming!" Someone's coarse voice called out from behind a doorway seemingly crammed between two of the shelves. The door itself had a small opening with a shelf on it as well. A reptilian eye glanced at the girls from the spyhole. "My apologies, Narms, but I cannot go beyond this door. My patients need not be further harmed by outside elements."

"Smart," Audrey muttered then she squeaked as Madoka elbowed her.

"We're here to deliver the Carnials," Madoka kept her voice even. The eye in the spyhole pointed at her and then she heard rummaging from behind the shabby door. A hatch opened and then a bowl was pushed out by an old, scaly hand.

"Many thanks, please put them here, put them here," the voice urged. Audrey complied.

"Patients need flowers, huh?" She mused.

"Important, yes, yes," the voice she presumed was Faragor's rumbled. The man's shaky hands scooped the bowl of flowers up. "Treatment for the Possessed. I shall bring you young ones the Writ of Completion."

The mention of the Possessed perked Madoka's ears up.

"Possessed?" Madoka thought of that twitching maid from the inn they stayed in.

"Yes, yes," the hatch opened and Faragor slipped a piece of parchment through it. "I am the only one who cares for them here. It is important."

"Thanks," Audrey simply took the page. A grunt of gratitude was heard as the hatch closed.

"Come back later, young ones," Faragor closed the spyhole.

Audrey held up the Writ of Completion. Madoka could see the golden strands swirl into a complex seal on its paper but it was evident the princess could not see the magic.

"A magic seal is on it," Madoka attempted to explain but she did not know anything else about the Writ of Completion. "Where to next?"

"Food, maybe?" Audrey suggested. Madoka's stomach lept at the word. "We'll take the Writ thingy to the Guild and ask where to get food."

Madoka did not need another word after that but before she opened the door something sharp hit her ears.

Eyes.

Help me.

Give me.

Eyes.

Make me happy.

A flash of gold pulled itself through the corner of her vision so she pulled at the golden chains instead of the door handle. The tingling sensation of the shocking strands and shattering their chains felt satisfying as they guided her fingers behind her ears and the voices stopped. Madoka was not in the mood for invading thoughts.

"Madoka?" Audrey bumped into her maid.

"It's nothing," Madoka lied.

"Your ears are glowing, though," Audrey poked her earlobe. Madoka swatted her fingers away and caused the girl to click her tongue. "Aw."

"It's just a loud animal outside passing overhead so I shielded my ears," Madoka guessed. The cold wind brushed her face and hair as the door cracked in. Truth to be told, she was not sure what kind of animal that was but after her spell lifted she did not hear the voices again. "This magic... It's hard to explain it."

"Ain't that the truth," Audrey sighed. "My magic has hit a wall. Although I'm sure it's more than enough power to stop most things here. I know, I know, no fireballs."

She interrupted Madoka's worries although her face reassured the maid. The sun barely poked through the grey clouds above. The weather here was a lot more colder than Fiara, she mused.

"It's not that," Madoka was not worried about her fire magic. "It's just that in battle—"

"Maybe you and I could do another training sesh?" Audrey stretched. Madoka eyed her and she got defensive. "What, I feel like we got rusty after fighting that robot... Plus you know, you like throwing me around."

"I do like that," Madoka mused in agreement. The princess's incredulous look made her smirk but before Audrey could whine they found themselves in the Guild Hall already. The adventurers inside murmered about them as usual but Madoka ignored their useless chatter.

"Here," Madoka placed the Writ of Completion on the desk before Brown Hair, ignoring the stares of the other Guild Ladies. She seemed to not mind Madoka's attention. "Now what?"

"We'll need your tags to add a notch to them!" Brown Hair explained as she took the scroll and tags. She made a series of simple movements and guided her Golden strands to the two tags. They gleamed and Madoka could see notches forming on her own. "Although Guild Master Luxgor wishes to speak with you two."

Both of them gulped as Luxgor stepped down the stairs with sharp eyes on the two of them. They definitely were in trouble and it was all the magic and Audreys' fault. Can she not do anything normal? Madoka nearly groaned as Luxgor approached them. Brown Hair squeaked as she noticed him and bowed.

"Glad you two made it back," he calmly nodded to Brown Hair but kept his eyes on Madoka. "Now let us speak upstairs again."

Madoka could only imagine what they were going to speak about. How much did the Guild Master know? If Ceghinort controlled the Guilds across the world could Luxgor be in contact with him?

Luxgor sat at his desk and rubbed his temples. He looked quite disturbed over the recent battle between the soldiers and the goblins outside. The girls stood silently as he rummaged through paperwork before stopping at one that seemed hastily drawn up. After a sigh he finally spoke.

"Scouts are reporting some type of Domination magical attack that cleared out a massive chunk of the forest," he raised an eyebrow at Madoka. The maid was confused. She could not cast magic. A snicker was heard but Luxgor could not hear the devil behind her. "They also observed a massive water explosion near the King Slime's habitat before needing to flee."

"Domination...?" Madoka asked. That must have been the name of red strands. Substance, Knotting and now Domination. Her head swam and Luxgor noticed before finally addressing Audrey.

"You do realize that Rustazian Carnials grow in those areas, right?"

Audrey gulped.

"Well," she finally cracked under the pressure. "I didn't know that little Guild Wand could create a giant laser—"

"That's because the Wand doesn't! It's connected to your own power! How do you two not know that? And what was that spell?!" Luxgor looked like he was going to pop but calmed down. Madoka realized they were definitely in trouble now. "The Truth Guild is going to be all over the site soon. How shall I explain it to them?"

"Exactly how you have been explaining it, I guess," Audrey mused. "A monster broke everything around."

"And you," Luxgor stared at the maid in disbelief. What did he see in her? Madoka gulped. "Scouts found shards of several broken swords around the torn up remains of the King Slime."

He withdrew a shard of a certain sword's hilt bearing a familiar crest. Madoka was tempted to lie and say she had never seen such an emblem but instead said nothing.

"This belongs to a certain slave warrior from Esmeralda, does it not?" He finally sighed. The sword matched the other swords Madoka used to swing at it. They were skilled at uncovering clues, Madoka credited the Truth Guild in her mind. She did not care at this point and instead revealed her swords. "How did you manage to destroy the slime's core? Even tier 3 weapons cannot pierce its defenses or get through the shell..."

"So it was a boss," Madoka sighed and ignored his ramblings as she lined her sword's hilt parallel to the broken one on the desk.

"An elite mob," Audrey corrected her. "A boss would probably be bigger."

"Bigger?" Madoka asked. She could not imagine a bigger slime monster. "That seems a little..."

"Iron rank!" Luxgor interrupted their arguing.

"What?" Both of the girls asked at the same time.

"You two are to shadow Iron Ranks tomorrow morning," Luxgor cleared his throat. "Because of your power... or spell... you've uncovered a Goblin Settlement. It was formerly a Sovos settlement known as Tritorjan and now it has fallen to the blight of monsters."

"What is a Sovos?" Madoka asked but then she added apologetically. "We have not been out in the world for too long, sir."

"We who are under Ceghinort's Divinity," Luxgor pointed at himself and did not seem to mind her question. "We are born with an adherence to his Sovereignty. Our scales, our wings, our tails and our lives all belong to worship him."

Madoka was confused since they spoke to his skeleton in the grotto but she turned to her princess. Audrey chose not to speak about how the two of them had talked to him. Before they could continue the Guild Master made a series of movements and activated his Knotting magic. Madoka felt a tug on her neck as the Copper tag floated before her vision. Luxgor concentrated before opening his eyes. The tags began to recieve 5 notches before floating down again around their necks.

"Tomorrow you shall meet with the adventurer parties that are headed," Luxgor ordered. "You are to support them and not cause trouble."

"Yes sir," Madoka saluted but glared at Audrey.

"I never cause trouble!" Audrey protested but shrunk beneath both Madoka and Luxgor's scrutiny. "Nae waah!"

Before they could bicker, Madoka's stomach growled.