At the reception room of the guild. The three girls were sitting. They were waiting for Escobar and Lord Adrian to give their assessment and their first mission.
Alexa: Show off…
Akino: What?
Lyka: She said you’re showing off.
Akino: Oh, wow. Like what both of you did also isn’t showing off, is it?
Lyka: I’m not! It’s just my abilities, that’s all…
Alexa: You’re just pissed because he called you an anvil chested.
Akino: Can you stop making me remember that?!
Escobar and Lord Adrian enters the room. The guild leader carries a rolled long paper, and he unrolls it on the table center. The three went near them to take a look.
Lord Adrian: Before I discuss your first task… I would like to say that all of you passed the test, at a record-breaking manner…
Akino: Why is that?
Escobar: Well, we haven’t seen newly recruits defeated them, until you three came.
Lord Adrian: Especially on Kal’s case. It’s the very first time I saw him down on the ground, defeated only your unbelievable sheer strength. Monsters can sometimes overwhelm Finn and Diana, but not Kal.
Alexa: Is that really surprising?
Lyka: Well, magic is a top-tier combat capability. It is more formidable especially on casters like me, and paladins or guardians like Kal. Strength won’t be of any use if your enemy has an arsenal of spells. But I knew it already that Aki would win.
Lord Adrian: Kal is a paladin class warrior. He takes the front, receives all the attacks for his teammates and ensures his the only one taking all the damage. He realized it will be better not only to defend others, so he trained to strike while protecting others. I remember when he engaged a giant troll in a fist fight to make sure the other adventurers escape and call for help. The help came in 8 hours, and still he’s fist fighting that troll, with him already in advantage because of his magic.
Escobar: That’s why he’s on the gold rank. That’s the time he was promoted… and yet you took him down in a matter of minutes. Impressive!
Akino: He just pissed me off, it’s a bit of unprofessional of me… is he alright?
Lord Adrian: He’s fine. Finn and Diana took him to our infirmary and our healers will deal with him. Oh, may I take your quartz necklaces?
Alexa: Wait! So, that means we’re done? But you told us we passed?
Escobar: Yeah, and we’re handing you this instead.
Escobar shows three necklaces, each with a cubic piece of silver and he hands it to the three.
Lord Adrian: The test showed to us more of your capabilities, and we decided to rank up your statuses.
Escobar: Congrats, girls!
Alexa: WOOHOO!!!
Akino: So… what about the ‘lurking’ thing you’ve said before?
Lord Escobar puts all his hands on the table. He points at the map of the whole Dasman City.
Lord Escobar: This is the guild place. And about two hundred blocks on our west, there’s an entrance leading to another underground area, like the one under this guild.
Akino: And this ‘lurking’ stuff was something like… illegal stuff?
Escobar: Slave trade.
Alexa: Heh, cliché.
Lyka: I thought we will be, you know? Wiping out small dungeons? Like in the light novels?
Alexa: Light novels?
Akino: You’ve been reading stuff?
Lyka: Umm, yes? Inside the virtual space, every time I sleep.
Lord Adrian: Virtual space???
Akino: Ahem…
Lyka: Oh – sorry!
Akino: It’s fine. So, you want us to send in a risky place for our first assignment?
Escobar: I saw how you handled yourself last time.
Akino: Don’t tell me –
Lord Adrian: Yes. They’re involved.
Escobar: We sent in some eyes and ears in that underground square, and they saw some Altruisian nobles buying dozens of slaves… we don’t know why, but it is sure pretty bad.
Akino: And if these Altruisian bastards, by chance, got us and knew we came from your guild?
Lord Adrian: They won’t know. We’re not giving out our member lists on untrusted parties.
Alexa: Is this an espionage mission or something?
Lyka: What exactly you want us to do?
Lord Adrian: Our eyes and ears there couldn’t be able to take any information about the slave trade situation. So, we want you take some, that’s it.
Akino stares at Escobar.
Akino: Escobar, you piece of shit…
Escobar: WHAT?
Lord Adrian: Forgive Escobar, he’s a bit talkative.
Escobar: We’re even now. You disgraced my skills last night, I put you on a tight spot.
Akino: Intel gathering, huh? And we do it on our own… you better pay us good.
Lord Adrian: Well compensated, my friends.
Lyka: Can we… never mind…
Akino: What? Speak up.
Lyka: The slaves… can we… save them?
Akino: We could… and we can place them under the guild’s protection, right?
Lord Adrian: That is – risky.
Alexa: You could say they are refugees… the others won’t bother.
Akino: And the Altruisians doesn’t bother with guilds, I remember. Your guild could earn respect and support from others who hate these guys.
Lyka: And with that, the slavery in this city could end!
Escobar: A bit ambitious, for me… but it won’t hurt if we try.
Akino: Okay. We do the job, and you take in the peeps. You can pay whatever the way you want, but you must keep and protect these people.
Lyka: You could also train them as your members, right?
Alexa: More people, more fun!
Lord Adrian thinks.
Lord Adrian: You’re putting me in a VERY tight situation…
Akino: So? Yes, or no?
The guild leader sighs.
Lord Adrian: Okay… deal!
Akino: Deal!
The two shook their hands.
Lord Adrian: Good luck on your first task. And be careful.
Akino: We will.
The three girls and Escobar left the room. Outside, at the lobby area of the guild place, Escobar’s friends we’re waiting.
Sarah: How is it? Did they pass?
Escobar: Yep, and they got their first task as adventurers.
Akino: Thanks for the help, Escobar.
Escobar: Don’t thank me yet, my team will be joining with your first task.
Alexa: Oh, the more the merrier!
Akino: H – hold on… if we are… one, two… seven of us enter that underground square, it will be a bit suspicious, you know? We should split and took timings in entering.
Escobar: Good. Coming up with a plan already, very impressive.
Escobar gave Akino a map of the underground area of Dasman city.
Escobar: We will head in, we’ve got another task besides joining with you guys. There’s a single tavern in that area, near the entrance. We’ll meet up there.
Akino: Got it.
Escobar’s team left.
Alexa: What now?
Akino: Assuming black markets work the same in our world… it would be a good idea to investigate during this morning.
Lyka: How are we going to enter in the markets? Let alone the slave trade market, we can’t just barge in…
Akino: I have a plan for that.
Alexa: What? Drones?
Akino: And you.
Alexa: Me?
Akino: I saw your… camouflage? And it’s freaking amazing! No heat, no heartbeat, like there’s nothing. Well, I could still detect you via brain waves and minimal neural electricity, but still the people of this world could not see through that, not easily.
Lyka: Are you serious? You’re putting Alexa in danger!
Alexa: Ma, it’s fine.
Akino: We’re going in as well, so don’t worry.
Lyka: And how is that?
Akino: We’ll pretend to be nobles buying slaves.
Lyka: Ummm, what?
Akino: You’re going to be my milady, and I’m your bodyguard… of some sorts… but we need to buy you a dress…
Lyka: A – a dress?!
Alexa: Won’t they kick you out since you guys are... I don’t know, outsiders that just entered the place?
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Akino pushes the two outside the guild tavern. They went to an alley where no one could see them. Akino looked around, and after confirming no one’s near to see them she showed the gold coins they got from the Altruisian knights.
Akino: These are the keycards we need to enter that place.
Lyka: But I’m a demi-wolf! They can’t just let a demi beast enter a slave trade market, right?
Akino: Hmmm, you’re right… but if we present you as a servant of an Altruisian knight, it is likely we can enter. Plus, I’ll choose an ‘attractive’ dress for you so that they will overlook you being a demi-wolf, is that alright?
Lyka: A – an attractive dress?!
Alexa: Aki, you’re gonna freak the hell out of her.
Lyka: I – I’m fine… but if they ask who’s my master – what will I answer to them?
Akino stops for a moment and thinks through.
Akino: There’s a high-ranking magus named Rosial, a knight captain named Wels, a cavalry captain named Cail… hmmm… they are the good candidates, I guess…
Lyka: How do you know about them?
Akino: Those are the names of the Altruisians that attacked me last night.
Lyka: The magus sounds a good pick, I could demonstrate a spell for them to prove something…
Akino: Okay, this is the plan: we enter the store as the Altruisian servants while Alexa foloows us with her ‘camo’ mode on, and sneak through. Lyka, I’ll keep on talking to you telepathically, and you too Alexa. If things didn’t turn out to be expected…
Alexa: I’ll lock the doors and neutralize the hostiles!
Lyka: Can’t you just incapacitate them? And how about Escobar’s team?
Akino: They can… wait outside as lookouts? I’ll ask what they can do…
They left the alley and went to a nearby clothes store. They asked for a glamorous, seductive dress that could fit on Lyka. The shop keep gave them a long, red waist-high even split dress, that shows too much of the thigh skin and chest area, and a glove for the left hand that extends up to her left shoulder. Lyka and Akino were flustered upon seeing the dress.
Lyka: I’m supposed to wear this?!
Akino: Y – your choice… if you don’t want it, we can –
Lyka quickly grabbed the dress.
Lyka: I’LL TAKE IT.
Akino: Okay…
Alexa: Heh, nice pick.
Akino: Shut it.
After packing the bought dress, they immediately went to the underground area of the city. There’s a secluded area west of the city. The majority of that area is slums, with some decent houses and establishments, to wooden shacks and abandoned place. At the farthest corner, there’s a tunnel with five men guarding the entrance.
They looked first for an abandoned building, Akino changed her usual purple turtle-neck crop top into a black and white casual suit, of course with her ability to fabricate material out of her skin. Then, Lyka changes to her dress and she hands out the leather clothes to Akino. Akino looks away as Lyka dresses up, and Alexa keeps on teasing on Akino non-stop.
Alexa: What’s the matter? Being shy?
Akino: Shut up. I’m not a perv, you know?
Alexa: Oh, by the way, you could just fabricate the dress, right? Why bother in buying one when you can create it?
Akino: I… never thought of that…
Lyka went out, all dressed up. The glimmering redness of the dress stunned the two girls, especially Akino.
Lyka: H – how is it?
Akino: You look – great!
Lyka: R – really?
Alexa: Ummm… can we go now?
The three went to the tunnel entrance. The guards looked at the three and ignored them as they enter the place. There are stairs leading down, and about a hundred steps they could already see the lamp lights and establishments of the underground area. Unlike outside, the underground area seems to less populated, like a ghost town. However, they could hear people inside the establishments, the place must lively only at night hours.
They saw the tavern Escobar was talking about and they went in. Escobar’s team gazed on Lyka, mesmerized with her wearing that red dress.
Akino: Stop staring at her, will ya?!
Escobar: So, what’s the plan exactly?
Akino: We can’t talk in here –
Escobar: Don’t worry, this tavern is secretly owned by Adrian. It’s safe in here, probably the safest place in this underground area.
Akino: Okay, so here’s the plan…
Akino talks about them entering the slave trade as servants of an Altruisian mage, and Alexa stealthing herself to enter and scout the area. She said that Escobar’s team can wait up outside and act as lookouts.
Escobar: Are you sure about this?
Akino: I am? Of course, I am. And so are they.
Lyka: I’m fine with it.
Alexa: Let’s just do it! I’m getting excited!
Escobar: We’ll take our leave then. Good luck.
Akino: Take care.
The three went out of the tavern. As they left, Alexa already turned herself invisible. Akino watches Lyka’s every step until they reached the place where the slave trading happens.
Akino: You know your line?
Lyka: I know… but please, help me out when it comes sideways…
Akino: Don’t worry, we’ve got telepathy. I got your back.
Lyka: Thanks.
A guard in black armor confronts them as they enter the place. He gazes at Lyka but Akino cuts off.
Akino: AHEM.
Guard: This is the slave trade market of Dasman. Sure, you’re not going to turn yourself into a slave, demi-wolf. You’re pretty well dressed, huh?
Lyka: Hmmmp! And I thought this place is very welcoming to Altruisian people. How disappointing!
Guard: You do know that Altruisians hate demi-beasts, right? Or perhaps you guys are con-people…
Lyka: I am a servant of Master Rosial, sure if you don’t let me in… I’ll just talk to him instead and let him settle this. Let’s leave! This is very upsetting!
Akino: Yes, ma’am!
Guard: Wait – wait! I’ll check the records… please wait, ma’am.
Lyka: Make it hurry, lowly guard!
The guard rushes inside the establishment.
Lyka: (Am I doing it right?)
Akino: (Yeah, yeah, just keep it up.)
The guard returns, with a scroll on his hand. This time, he is accompanied by a man wearing black robes, a slave market’s servant.
Servant: The list shows that Master Rosial, is a mage of the Altruis Knights and has entered the city walls days ago… but we never knew he had a… demi-beast servant.
Lyka: If you have a problem with that, I’ll tell him.
Servant: No, no, no! Please, ma’am. We just want a proof that you’re his servant.
Lyka waves her right arm, a magic circle appears out of her palm and another on the ground beside her. An armor of a knight ascends from the magic circle of the ground.
Lyka: Rosial personally taught me this spell. Is that enough?
Lyka elegantly waves her hand as the summoned knight disappears. The guard and servant whispered to each other, then they faced the two girls.
Guard: We’re sorry for the intrusion, ma’am!
Servant: The spell you’ve casted is unique only to Mage Rosial… it confirms that you are an acquaintance of him, we are truly sorry for the trouble we’ve caused you!
Lyka: It’s ok – I mean, you better be! Let’s go, my servant.
Akino: Right away, ma’am!
Lyka: (Good thing you saw his spell when you searched his mind...)
Akino: (Yeah...)
The guard and the servant let the two enter the building. The establishment is like an extravagant hotel: red carpets, fancy chandeliers, paintings and sculptures, and an elegant counter at the lobby area.
Akino counts the number of people inside the area. Other than the guard and the servant who follows them behind, there’s a total of 7 people, 5 guards including the one following them, a servant, and the one that is approaching them wearing a suit and tie. The man reaches out for Lyka’s hand, but Akino stopped him.
Akino: Hands off, sir.
Man in suit: Ah, apologies. It’s a bit of my mannerism…
Lyka: Hmm, you are?
Man in suit: I’m the manager of this place. Welcome, to the renowned and only slave trade market here in Dasman!
Lyka: I see… my master wants to see the available slaves for his… sensual activities.
Man in suit: HAHAHA! Rosial is really a good guy! Even employing this demi-wolf as his servant, that’s a first for me!
Lyka: So? Can we get this done? I’m in a hurry.
Man in suit: Oh, please. Right this way.
The manager assisted the two towards a room, like a small theatre. He left the two sitting on the theatre-like seats and went to the back of a small stage. There, a group of small girls: one elf, two humans, a kobold, and two nymphs appear, falling in line along with the manager. They wore only ragged clothes, and wears nothing underneath it, all of their hands are tied on their backs.
Seeing this, Lyka’s expression turned very upset, gritting her teeth. Something made Lyka remember what happened in her tribe, the horrible fate they faced during that day her tribe was massacred and pillaged of morality. Akino saw this sudden change in Lyka’s mood.
Akino: (Calm down, we’ll get them after we’re done here.)
Lyka: (I – I know… I’ll be more careful…)
The manager walks towards the two, holding a paper and a fountain pen.
Man in suit: Feel free to take a look.
Lyka: I’ll take all of them.
Akino hands over the bag of gold to the manager. The manager checks the bag and becomes confused.
Man in suit: There’s no… magic in them?
Lyka: (Oh my… I forgot about that…)
Akino: (Tell him that Rosial gave it to you when it was freshly smelted.)
Lyka: My master gave it right after it was smelted. He loves giving me fresh stuff.
Man in suit: Hmmm, the gold is authentic… but not sealed with magic… still, it is gold. Sorry for the doubt I gave.
Lyka: Just get over with it.
Man in suit: Please, sign in this paper and stamp it with your Altruisian ring.
The two girls looked at each other. The manager starts to get suspicious of the two.
Akino: The Altruisian ring… oh, oh that ring, right?
Lyka: Where is it, my servant?
Akino frisks her pockets while Lyka nervously looks at her.
Lyka: (Aki, where is it?!)
Akino: (I didn’t know they have a ring thing!)
Man in suit: Umm, ladies?
Lyka: Can you wait for a moment?
Akino: I remember I placed it in my pocket… must be in here…
The manager steps back and pulls out a dagger.
Man in suit: You guys are not Altruisians, are you?
Lyka: Where did you get that preposterous assumption?!
Man in suit: An Altruisian gold that has no holy magic on it, and an Altruisian servant that doesn’t have any stamp rings? That gives me the assumption. Now, how do you want to play this out? You surrender and we turn you into slaves, OR I’ll kill you instead?
Lyka immediately kicks the manager on his face, throwing him off and crashing to the theatre seats. The slaves at the stage were startled and began screaming in fear. Lyka immediately rushes to the slaves to calm them down while Akino makes sure the manager is knocked out.
Lyka: Calm down, we’re here to rescue you.
The slaves stop on screaming but they kept on whimpering while Lyka cuts off the ropes tied on their hands. Akino confirmed that Lyka knocked out the manager, then Lyka assisted the slaves to stay hidden under the theatre seats.
Akino: Now, this is getting ugly.
Lyka: I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have kicked the guy.
Akino: Don’t worry. I ran out of alibis, so it’s fine that you knocked him out instantly.
Lyka: The guards outside must have heard the slaves screaming.
Akino: You protect the girls, I’ll sneak outside.
Lyka: Got it.
Akino sneaks up on the door, checking the hallway for the guards. To her surprise, no one is there, not even a single shadow. She activates her stealth cloak and walks up towards the lobby area. She saw the guards and the servant down on the floor. The other guard was curled up, crying. Then she hears a monstrous voice, it was Alexa, who’s still in her camouflage mode, harassing the poor guard.
Alexa: WHERE ARE THEY?!
Guard: Please! I already told that you head there, and you will see them! PLEASE!
Akino: Stop that, kid. He’s about to piss himself, have some sympathy… jeez…
Alexa shows herself, with her 6-tentacle hair ending up with needles. She pricks the guard, and he immediately falls asleep.
Akino: You did all of this?
Alexa: When I heard about the guy complaining on the ‘unmagical’ coins, I started blasting them, with a neurotoxin, of course…
Akino: We’ll find the other slaves. Go out and tell Escobar they can clearly get inside. Once you’re inside, tie these guys up.
Alexa: ROGER THAT!
Alexa went out of the building. Akino went back to Lyka and assisted her on taking out the slaves. They checked out the backstage of the theatre where they went first and the other rooms, seeing only more slaves. 15 in total, 8 of which are females. They guided them out where Alexa and Escobar’s team is waiting. Escobar scratched his head as he sees the slaves coming out in line.
Akino: What?
Escobar: I’ve expected this, since you’ve told it to us a while ago… but I never knew you’d do it…
Lyka: Let’s just be grateful they are not harmed. We have to take them out of this underground place.
Escobar: Our tavern here has morning deliveries of carriages of supplies from the main guild building. We can use that to transport them out of here.
Akino: Then we should leave now. Lyka, Alexa, go with them. I’ll stay here for a while.
Alexa: Don’t go puncturing their skulls, okay? The neurotoxin lasts for 12 hours, but don’t abuse them. They could still feel stuff, but little, but still they could feel.
Akino: That’s… alright, I’ll be gentle.
Lyka: Are you sure you want to stay in here?
Akino: You know what? You can stay with me.
Alexa: Then don’t do something dirty, got it?
Akino & Lyka: WE WON’T.
Escobar: Then, good luck finding something in here and in them.
Alexa and Escobar’s team left with the slaves. Akino and Lyka placed the tied guards and servants of the trade house on a corner near the lobby counter. One by one, Akino plugged her hair cable to the napes of the men.
Lyka: You got anything?
Akino: Not that much of importance… slave trading stuff, illegal transactions, and drug injection to the poor kids… that’s all. I’ll write it down later and submit it to Adrian… but I can see the manager heading somewhere…
Lyka: Somewhere? Inside here?
Akino: Yeah. I can see, in these guards’ perspective, that this manager is heading towards there.
Akino points on the hallway where they went, near the small theatre room.
Akino: But when I look at the manager’s perspective, it’s gone… or it seems that he entered there in the past 3 hours.
Lyka: You can’t look in deeper?
Akino: If I look deeper, or further than the past 3 hours this guy has seen or experienced, his mind might collapse due to intense mind data transfer… I tried it on the other knight that confronted me last night, and let’s say I can’t look past the memories of other people… 5 hours of experience is the most I can get…
Lyka: And if you go beyond than 5 hours?
Akino: I might kill them… I’m sorry about that… I can’t just kill someone who’s defenseless, let alone killing him just because I looked only on his memories…
Lyka: I know how you feel… and if that’s the case, we should check it out ourselves…
Akino and Lyka stood and went back to the hallway. They reached the dead end of the hallway after a minute of walk.
Akino: Weird…
Lyka: What is it?
Akino: My Geiger sensors… they are ticking, detecting a small amount of radiation… or a large one but it is hidden…
Lyka: Where are you seeing it?
Akino: Beyond that wall…
Akino looks up at the dead-end wall.
Akino: X-ray’s not working either, I can’t see something beyond there. Wait, it must be a lead like material…
Lyka: I can’t see through as well, but I can sense a faint of magic on the other side…
Akino: Let me check it…
Akino pushes the wall. Then, a portion of the wall slides like a sliding door, revealing a dark passage.
Akino: Hah! A secret room!
Lyka: Wow…
Akino carefully observes the inner walls of the secret passage. Lyka did the same as well.
Akino: A wall made of lead… interesting…
Lyka: The walls also have some sort of… what do you call that? The thing where your lightning passes through to be used for TVs?
Akino: Electrical circuit?
Lyka: Yes, but with magic… a magic circuit???
Lyka touches something on the wall and small lamps of blue light lit up on the inner walls of that secret passage.
Lyka: Should we head in?
Akino: Yeah, let’s go.