I start walking down the dirt road. After sometime I hear what sounds like a carriage.
Clack, Clack.
I look ahead and see well... A carriage. It was surrounded by tough looking men with steel armor on with swords hanging from their wastes although one had a bow. I looked closer and saw a cage on the back of it. When it passed me, I see... A surprising sight. Inside the cage was obviously what appeared to be slaves. But the thing that cought my attention was their ears. They had dog and cat ears but the rest of them were human enough.
That either means these guys had a weird thing with ear headbands or there are... Beastmen? They were all women though. So I guess beast woman? Looks like their going to be sold. It's probably a profitable business... Maybe- eh no. It's not like I'm currently starving. And maybe it's actually outlawed in this country. I'd rather not become a criminal right after getting to this world.
The men all glared at me as they passed. 'Ohhh scary.' I thought as I continued to walk.
...*
I've been walking for a little bit now. How far away is this town? Wait what if I was supposed to go the other way? Mhm. Too late now I guess.
Just as I thought that I come out of the forest to see a huge town. No it's a city with huge stone walls protecting it. I hope this counts, after all the quest said town not city. I spend a little time walking around looking for the front gate. When I found it I walked up. I saw two men wearing heavy armor with spears I assume they were the gate's guard. One had a spear with a red feather on the end. The other just had a normal spear.
I see a similar carriage to the one I saw before leave the city. This time it had guards who looked more intimidating, some were even on horses. So I guess slave trading was a legal business.
I finally walked up to the gate. When the guards saw me, the one with the red feather spoke "What's your business?" In a bored voice.
Business? Mhm. I can't say trade. I don't even have anything on me. I'll just say work.
"I'm here for work." I respond.
They both slightly cock their heads. But the one with the red feather spoke up again "One gold coin please."
Was this a entrance fee or a bribe? I don't care either way as long I can get in I guess.
Wait where is my coins even stored? I look at my waist and find a pouch hanging from my side, I take it and opened it to find roughly 10 Gold coins.
"Is there is problem?" The man without a feather said.
I smiled and responded, "No, no here you go I hand a gold coin to the man with a feather.
He looks at it for a second, nods and says
"You may enter." He moves to the side.
I walked passed him into the gate, the second I entered I noticed that there were quite a few merchant stalls lining the street. And the street itself was paved stone and not just dirt this time and was covered with people. Also the houses really were medieval, stone and wood. Windows had no windows. I hear people chatting, Thankfully I can understand them, 'at least we can speak the same language' I think to myself.
Ding!
The blue window pops up once again. No one near me even reacts so I assume I'm the only one who can see it.
It reads,
Congratulations! You completed your first quest. Reward granted: 3 SP. Please open status window to use SP.
I'll use the SP later. I would rather not randomly say status screen in the middle of this bustling road... Plus I want to focus when I use my points.
I should probably find somewhere to stay. At this point it was getting a little dark. I wonder if there's a motal- Inn I could stay in. Maybe I should ask someone if they know a inn nearby?
"Watch out!"
Suddenly, someone rams into to me from behind causing me to crash to the ground. Ow. Who the-
"I-Im so s-sorry."
I look at the person who is currently fallen right next to me. She had blue hair that stretched down to her shoulders, Snow skin, and blue eyes, her blue eyes shown almost mysticaly. She looked to be wearing a classic mages hat which was also blue. And a robe that was well... Blue again. She also looked young. I guessed she was a mage of course.
I lean up and say "It's no problem."
"Still I'm sorry!" She jumps to her feet and offers me a hand. I accept and she struggles to stand me up quite a bit. Now that I was standing next to her I realized she was really short.
She spoke again, "Oh let me introduce myself, my name is Garden bluefox, and I'm a novice mage, 15 years of age." She pauses for a second almost like trying to decide something. "It's nice to meet you. C-can I ask your name? i-if it's no trouble..." Her eyes shine blue when she says this. Literally like actually lights up blue.
Bluefox? That last name actually matches her.
I respond, "It's no trouble at all. My name is Edwin Thomas." I bow gracefully as I interduct myself and then smile. If you smile delayed once you meet someone, that person will likely think that smile is more for them. Even if it's a stranger.
"Oh uh...!"
She panicked and also bowed back.
"So where were you going in such a hurry that you bumped into me?"
"Oh uh... I was..." She finally makes direct eye contact with me and Freezes. She then speaks, "Do-Do you know of the magic god by any chance...?"
"Wha-" I suddenly remember what my magic stat said. You have been touched by the magic god. Rejoice. Should I tell her the truth? It seems she's happy? And since she knows of the magic god, she could be blessed by him too, so she could make a good ally. "Yes why?
Garden, without warning moves closer to me and goes on her tippy toes, still quite smaller than me and looks into my eyes. Her eyes again quite literally light up and she says "Your like me!"
I suddenly have the feeling that this meeting wasn't a coincidence. Probably orchestrated by that 'god' or whatever it's called.
She continues, "people who are touched by the magic god have beautiful mystical eyes. Even though yours seem a little weak the shine, the magic is still there!-" She then puts her own hands over her mouth.
She sighs removed her hands and then says, "Sorry about that outburst. I got a little excited thats all." She rubs the back of her head- no hat maybe?
"Oh that's fine. But how many other people are touched by the magic god?"
"Not many. Very few in fact." She raises her hand in a fist then puts one finger out pointing at the sky like trying to make a point. "It's said that the people who are touched by the magic god, or the god of magic, whichever you prefer, are destined for great things!" During this lecture she was making hand signs.
Yeah great things... To entertain-. Because I'm bore- . Anyway she seems knowledgeable. She could be useful as a friend. Plus I have no idea what magic is. She would probably be the best source of information available to me right now.
I put my best smile on and said, "Wow that's interesting. Can we talk a little more perhaps?"
She looks surprised and responded, "Wait really?" Her eyes sparkle again.
"Yes, really."
She smiles, "Ok but I'm not the best teacher."
From that earlier display, I for some reason doubt that.
"Oh but where would we talk?"
"I know a good inn! That serve the best chicken soup. It's all brathy and- oh sorry I got carried away again."
"Let's go there then." Two birds with one stone.
"Ok let's go!"
We arrived at the inn called 'Moonlight Stone.' it's three stories tall. Not bad for this day and age. Outside it as a sighn that has a moon painted on it. Simple but most people probably can't read so it's understandable.
When we entered, it was packed full of people. And servers were running back and forth from the kitchen. People were talking and drinking. It was a overall warm atmosphere.
We both find a open table and sit down. Garden takes her hat off and sets it on the table to the side, she then looks at me, takes a deep breath and said "what do you want to know?"
"Well first, what is magic?"
She smiles, eyes shining like stars and then she responds, "Well magic is-"
...*