Chapter 4 fateful encounter...
“I can fill out the paperwork for you for a gold piece,” he said causing me to look up, there was a sneer in place on his lips.
I didn't have any gold…
“Oh’ Runin, you grubby bastard!” a voice called out from behind me and turning I saw a tall bear of a man walking towards us. He was bald, and stood a full head taller than the man at the counter, meaning he simply towered over me, I barely came to the lower part of his sternum, he stepped next to me and leaned over the counter, his bushy blond eyebrows shadowing his eyes, the mustache on his face quivering as he spoke in a low tone. “You may be able to pull a fast one over on her, but you can't do that to me...”
Wha~
What was going on here?
“There is nothing in the rules that prohibits me from charging to fill out the form for her.” the clerk apparently named Runin crossed his arms and leaned back, not budging an inch in the face of the Bearman's menace.
I suddenly have more respect for this clerk.
“You ass, there is no fee for filling it out!”
And there goes my respect for the man…
“There is now,” Runin said, still not backing down.
“Fine, I'll do it then,” the Bearman snatched the paper and a quill and poised it over the paper before looking at me. “Name?” he asked.
“She is called Rinmua,” I answer.
“How do you spell it?” he asked me, then pauses, “Dumb question, seeing as if you knew that you would be able to write it yourself,” he chuckled to himself. “Place of birth?”
“She is from the Pontiff valley, Jurina Tribe.”
“Jooorrriiinnnnaa Tribe,” he sounded out as he wrote it down. “Ok, you are a female Khatan, what is your age?”
“15,” he glances up at me a look of surprise on his face but then he simply looks down and scratches a figure on the paper.
“You use the bow, so Archer, any other weapon skills?” I flex my claws and he looks at them, “Hmm, there is not a checkbox for claws, so other it is… toughest animal you have killed?”
“Juji, Rinmua has killed many many Juji,” I answer proudly, but he simply looks at me confused.
“Juji?” Ah so that is the issue, I pull off my pack and pull out the fur I had taken off of the Juji I had last killed and held it up to him, the damn thing is so tall, I can only lift part of it but it is more than enough to see what it is.
“Ursinar?!” the Bearman looks surprised before shaking his head, “I don't believe you,” I pull an arrow and point it at the bear’s eye. “You shot it in the eye,” to which I nod, and then I flex my claws and show him the ripped section that was the Juji’s throat. “And you clawed it’s throat out?” I nod again. “There is no way in hell you did that alone...”
I drop the Juji’s pelt and rush forward, using my leg to kick his knee powerfully, before he can blink he is down on one knee and my paw is swiping past his neck, softly, of course, seeing as I don't have my claws out, it likely simply tickled him.
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The guild fell silent, someone lets out a low whistle as the Bearman reaches up and touches his neck looking relieved when his fingers don't come away bloody. “I see...” slowly he gets up and writes once more on the paper, while he does this I stuff the Juji back in my bag. “Khatan are known for hunting Ursinar after all...” he mumbles to himself as he writes. “‘Kay, all that is left is for you to sign it,” he pushes the paper my way and I look at it. “Sign it here,” he says pointing to a small section on the paper.
Well, that is an issue.
Nothing for it I simply sign it in my language, the characters look odd and angular next to the more fluid human writing. Oh well, nothing says I have to write it in any specific language… like that I push the paper back to the clerk who takes it and with a sower expression stows it away in a filing box with other applications.
“It will take a day or so to be filed and then we will issue you a card, please return here tomorrow to get your card, failure to do so will forfeit you from the guild and you will not be allowed to apply at this branch again, Now NEXT!”
I pick up my bag and sling it over my shoulder and am about to leave when the large Bearman calls out to me.
“Hey wait just a second for me ok?” Not really knowing what to do seeing as he did help me out so much I simply nod and wait for him to finish his work with the clerk. After which he stomps over to me and smiles. Well perhaps stomps is the wrong word, seeing as it is likely just due to the weight of his feet and equipment, but I could still practically feel the ground vibrating as he walked towards me…
“She thanks you for the help,” I bow my head, touching the nose on my face with the two middle fingers in a traditional sign of thanks.
“Don’t worry about it, that guy is just an asshole, by the way, you said your name was Rinmua right?” I nod, “You mind if I call you Rin? That seems a lot easier and quicker to say,” I look at him and finally nod.
“She can be Rin,” I say slowly.
“Good, then Rin, are you going to sell that erm,” he looks at me, “Juji pelt?” I simply nod.” Ah, ‘Kay, then you should follow me, the best place to sell that is at Olams, he is a little bit of a swindler but you should still get a decent price for it.” and with that he turns and leaves, Rushing forward I dart in front of him and cause him to stop moving. “What is up?”
“Rin wonders why she should follow a man who has yet to tell her his name~”
“Oh!” he slaps his bald forehead as his face lights up in understanding. “I am so sorry, honestly Alaina says I would forget my ass if it wasn't attached to my rear, my name is Harland, pleased to meet you,” he sticks out that massive bear sized paw and I hesitantly shake it. “Good now that we are acquainted let's go sell that Juji pelt!”
Why do I suddenly feel like I was drafted?
***
“That is highway robbery Olam!” Harland slammed his big meaty fists down on the counter, it is a surprise the damn thing didn't break under the impact of the blow. “Now offer her a proper price!”
This was a highway robbery?
The thought made me want to cry, seeing as the price he had initially offered me was in itself more than twice as much as the traders paid for the pelts when they visited…
My people are being swindled…
In fact, the price that this one Juji hide would bring me is more money than I have ever seen in my life at one time. “Fine, but no one can ever say Olam is unkind, my last offer is one silver, five gold, and thirteen copper.” it was a staggering price, I even got one silver! Money in this world was interesting, the cheapest was of course copper, but the next was gold, with silver being the highest currency. The reason for this was not that this world had more gold than silver or anything like that, but was rather a matter of usefulness.
Gold didn't hold spells.
Silver, on the other hand, was amazing at taking enchantments, meaning it was more valuable due to its utility. So while gold was less common, silver was the most expensive. In fact, it took 10 pieces of gold to equal one silver coin, and 100 copper coins to be the same as a gold.
“She accepts!” I practically shout out the word not caring for the pitying look Harland gives me. A whole silver? What could I buy with that? Anything! Carefully I take the money that is placed on the counter and put it into my bag, making sure to put it under some minx fur to prevent them from jingling as I move and announcing to any thieves that I have coins to take.
“I guess that is a passable price,” Harland sighs, “Where to now Rin?”
“She wonders if there is a fletcher in town? Rinmua broke a few arrows and has no more feathers to fletch new ones...” why is he helping me out anyway?
“Yeah, sure, but you can also simply buy arrows from the smith, he has a good selection, also don't you want some erm, clothing?” I look down at my body, it looks fine to me, in fact, all of the important bits are covered already.
“You are talking to a Khatan, they traditionally don't wear clothes...” Olam says, and Harland looks up at him surprised.
“You're shitin’ me, no clothes?”
“Rinmua’s tribe has no need for clothes, we have fur yes?” I shrug, “Rinmua’s sister gave her clothes so that she didn't look strange to the humans.”
“No joke, so you all ran around naked?”
“Fur,” I say, pulling on a patch of thick fur on my stomach to show him.
“That is in no way the same thing...” he is right, I am sure I would want to wear clothing in one of my previous lives, but not wearing it is something I have gotten used to you know? “You mean you saw you own father naked?” I nod, then pause.
“Rinmua’s father is the tribe shaman, he wears the shaman’s headdress,” I mime the feathers above my head and Harland looks at me stricken.
“He wore a hat and nothing else?” I nod. “Gods that's worse than just being naked!” its funny, seeing as I would have likely thought the same thing in any other lifetime, but now its just natural to me… “lets go before I get more disturbing thoughts in my head...” he mutters as he walks out of the store, shouldering my bag I quickly hop along to follow him.