After a sudden and violent exit from the adventure guide building, a passing carriage snared her, pulling her into its chaotic wake. Multiple knights were in hot pursuit, their shouts echoing through the street.
"What on earth is happening?" she demanded, jostled into the carriage where two buff men were already situated.
"We just kidnapped you," one of them stated plainly.
"What!? Let me go!" she cried, but her words were met with indifference. The knights were closing in, their voices demanding the carriage stop, a command the men completely ignored.
Suddenly, a knight in gleaming armor appeared before them, a beacon of polished steel and authority. With a flourish, he cast a spell, and ice erupted from the ground, striking the cart and sending it careening. As she was thrown from the wreckage, the knight caught her mid-air, the shattered remains of the cart disintegrating behind him.
"Are you okay, my lady?" he asked, his accent thick and theatrical, making her cringe.
"Yeah, I'm alright, thanks, I guess," she muttered, dusting herself off before turning back to him. "So, what happened?"
The knight gestured to the two men who were now being apprehended by his comrades. "Well, miss, a group of bandits stole a cart. It seems after they took it, they also saw you, which then led to... this." He motioned toward the cart's remains, a pile of splinters and broken wood. "Anyway, miss, why is a noble such as yourself on the city streets alone with no guards?"
The question alarmed her, a stark reminder of her unusual circumstances.
"I was checking out the adventurers guild to join it, before I was kidnapped," she explained.
The knight's eyebrows rose in surprise. "A noble joining the adventurers' guild is very rare, but I won't bother you with it," he said, turning to leave.
Man, this luck isn't lucking, she thought, a sense of dread creeping in. "Wait... I have no place to go," she called out, hoping for a miracle that never came.
"This is some bull!" she yelled at the cold, uncaring street. "Wait... The gold I got from those guys," she remembered, and a sliver of hope returned. She found a nearby inn and, upon entering, was greeted by the innkeeper.
"Give me one room," she said, pulling out a silver coin.
"A room is 1 silver, and dinner and lunch are included with that," the innkeeper replied.
"I'll take it," she said, handing over the coin she'd taken from the bandits.
"Bed!" she exclaimed, throwing herself onto the mattress, only to recoil. "This bed... is not very good." It felt like sleeping on rocks with sticks for support. "My back is going to hurt in the morning," she sighed, trying to force herself to sleep.
She didn't sleep at all. As the sun rose, she groaned, "Man," before getting up, fixing her clothes, hat, and sunglasses, and heading downstairs. A crowd of people were staring at her, a silent, unsettling audience.
Well, this is surprising, she thought, finding an empty table. A waiter approached.
"What's your order, ma'am?" he asked.
"I'll get this one," she said, pointing to an item on the menu.
"Of course, I'll have it served to you," he said before leaving.
My morning is weird, with multiple people watching me... scary, she thought, before her meal was served. Looks yummy, she mused, digging in. It wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible either.
After eating, she stood to leave, but a worker stopped her. "Miss, don't forget to check out, okay?" they said. She simply nodded and left.
Okay, first things first, money. I need money. I'm already in the adventurers' guild, but my clothing makes me stand out... Wait, maybe I can buy different clothes in the shop? She opened her character menu.
[Skins]
Chance:
Homeless skin - 100 gold
Double cross - 400 gold
Blue day - 400 gold
Pink day - 400 gold
[...]]
All these skins just make me stand out more! she sighed, closing the menu and heading toward the adventurers' guild.
The moment she entered, many eyes fell on her. She walked up to the guild receptionist. "Where can I get a quest?" she asked.
"Over there, miss. Don't forget, you're F-rank, so you can only take F-rank quests," the receptionist said.
"Okay, thanks," she replied, walking toward the quest board. "Luckily, I can understand this," she muttered, before picking a quest to investigate a missing bag in the forest. She got it approved and was heading for the exit when a large man blocked her way.
"Hey, missy, how can I let a noble get into our guild? I can tell you ain't cut out for this, so best to go back to your daddy's castle and leave," he said, puffing out his chest.
"Sorry, I don't take orders from you," she said, her voice serious.
"What was that? Gonna call your daddy?" he mocked.
"Oh, you're so going to regret saying that," she said, pulling out a coin and flipping it as she switched her flintlock to stun mode.
"Though I bit the bait, I just laugh and keep gunning," she said, before shooting him once. He fell to the ground. "That was easy," she said, spinning her gun.
Another person appeared behind her, but she was ready. "Go ahead, I've been backstabbed a third time," she said, shooting over her shoulder and hitting them. Then, another person charged.
"Oh, you should let me transform your sword into a bright light," she said, shooting his sword with two charges. The weapon let out a bright flash and a ringing sound.
The larger man woke up and charged at her again, but she leaped high, shooting his leg to make him fall. She then aimed her gun at the back of his head.
"And with a gun, to your head, why shouldn't you be dead?" she said with an accent.
She saw him grit his teeth, and a smirk crept onto her face. "You're lucky I'm a kind person," she said, holstering her gun and putting her coin back in her pocket. She turned her back and headed for the exit.