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The night gradually quieted down. The gentle light of the three moons enveloped the land, creeping silently across the dark blue sky, accompanying the sleeping stars.
Mengdie lay on the table, breathing smoothly. Her long eyelashes rested on her eyelids, and her slightly flushed face wore a faint smile. As time moved into the deep night and all was silent, those eyes brighter than the stars gently opened...
Dangerous tasks are for men? Exactly, and I am a man! Aiya, Niya, I've eaten your food for so long; it's time I paid my share.
Mengdie quietly got up, folding the blankets neatly. She put on her usual peasant clothes, tying a hemp rope around her waist to keep the loose garment from being cumbersome. She never touched the clothes Aiya and Niya offered her, preferring her own attire.
After dressing, she stood in front of a mirror in the living room, holding a ribbon for her hair in her mouth. First, she brushed aside the hair on her forehead and used a white hair clip to keep it to one side, ensuring clear vision. Then she gathered her long hair, combed it neatly, and tied it all together with the ribbon in her mouth. After ensuring her clothing and other aspects were not hindering her movements, she smiled slightly and headed for the door.
"Oh, right. I should leave a message for the sisters."
Mengdie went back to the living room, took some paper and a pen, but struggled with what to write. In the past two months, although she learned to understand and speak the language, her literacy was lacking. She knew no more than ten words in total.
"Hmm..."
Sitting at the table, she tapped the pen on her cheek. Writing in Chinese wouldn't work; they wouldn't understand it. But writing in this world's language...
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After thinking, Mengdie first wrote a single word on the paper—‘I’. Pondering for a moment, she realized she couldn't form a fluent sentence. Left with no choice, she wrote three simple words: "I, go, money," and ended there.
Now, for the signature. She really wanted to write her name in Chinese, despite not being fond of her Dharma name. But ‘Mengdie’ in Chinese was unknown to the sisters...
Well, to avoid trouble, she decided to write "Dream Butterfly"... which sounded a bit like an online nickname...
And...
This was her first time writing, and her handwriting was terrible...
Putting down the pen, Mengdie gently pushed open the cottage door. She carefully locked it, took a deep breath leaning on the door, and ran towards the city wall, bathed in bright moonlight.
In the past two months, Mengdie had become familiar with the city's layout, reaching the city wall faster than before. The wall she had once damaged was now repaired, and the patrolling soldiers were not as strict as before.
She leaned against a dark corner of the wall, resting and waiting for sunrise. In those few hours, her excitement grew with the westward shift of the three moons. Finally, when a hint of dawn appeared, the awaited city gate slowly opened...
As the rooster crowed, Mengdie brushed off the dew from her clothes, stood tall, and walked towards the opening gate. The soldiers guarding the gate woke from their drowsiness and watched in disbelief as the girl passed by them.
Mengdie was extremely displeased with the soldiers' "ardent" gazes. No matter how many times, being scrutinized by men in such a way never felt comfortable. Once outside the gate, she found a temporary camp by a section of the wall, likely the registration point. Mengdie smiled slightly and walked towards the camp.
It was still early morning, and the city inside was asleep, but the camp was already bustling with the sounds of clashing weapons and magic. From afar, Mengdie could see magical forces flickering above the camp. It seemed that self-discipline was indeed the foundation of being a qualified mercenary.
Mengdie glanced briefly at the camp, seeing several people practicing combat in the training area. Unlike the fully armored soldiers, these people had diverse and casual attire. Their weapons varied: axes, hammers, swords, and more. Nearby, a group of cloaked figures with staves stood, their robes marked with the insignia of the Silvermoon Mage Association, indicating they were mages.
Nodding, Mengdie walked towards the training area. There was a table nearby, obviously for registration.
"Hey, are you in charge here?"
The clerk behind the table, clearly sleep-deprived, was annoyed at being woken by a girl's voice. He continued to watch the combat in the training area, yawning, "Yes, I'm in charge."
"Good, I want to register for the bandit annihilation operation. Please process my application."
Hearing the girl's voice again, the clerk finally looked up. The sweet voice had made him think he was dreaming. When he saw the true appearance of the "applicant," the sleepiness vanished from his mind, replaced by shock and drooling disbelief.
"You... you want to register?!"
His loud exclamation not only drew the attention of the fighters and mages but also those still in their tents. When they saw the new recruit was a delicate, youthful girl, they wore the same expression as the clerk.
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