----Chapter 7----
Sigh… I exhaled loudly, letting my breath scatter into the near-noon air.
"Don't pressure yourself too much," a sudden tap on my back made me jolt.
Desil's hand smacked lightly against my shoulder.
"You'll have your dagger back. Don't worry."
I tried to smile faintly.
"Yeah, I hope so."
"Lord Hemlin wasn't that bad, I assure you," she said. But a faint green glow shimmered around her, betraying her fear.
"Yeah I think so,"I muttered.
Mhhm… then a huge chunk of meat was stuffed into her mouth.
Pfft, I stifled a laugh as her cheeks puffed out like a hamster's. But inside, unease lingered. That aura… the green glow clung faintly to her, a shadow of fear behind her grin.
"Where did you even buy that?" I asked, curiosity temporarily breaking through my thoughts.
She jabbed her finger backward, toward a small vendor we had already passed.
"We walked right by it. You were too busy sighing like a dying mule to notice I slipped away."
She grinned, meat still half-chewed.
I shook my head, a reluctant chuckle escaping me.
••••
The market was alive with midday bustle.
Vendors shouted to advertise their goods: baskets of steaming bread, fish freshly caught and still glistening, pouches of herbs with sharp and unfamiliar scents.
Exotic fabrics in deep blues and crimson reds rippled in the breeze. Somewhere close, I caught the sizzling crackle of meat skewers roasting over open flames.
The air was thick with a mix of perfumes, spices, and the earthy tang of animals penned nearby.
Children darted between stalls, chasing each other while their mothers haggled over fruit. A man strummed a lute on the corner, singing a ballad that half the market joined in on.
I tugged at my sweatshirt, uncomfortably aware of how out of place I looked.
My sneakers squeaked against the cobblestones, and more than once, passersby gave me odd looks.
Desil noticed and sighed, dragging me behind a fabric stall.
She returned moments later with a leather cloak.
"Here. Wear this. At least you won't look like some foreign noble's runaway servant."
"Don't worry, it's on me," she said, draping it across my shoulders.
The rough leather scratched against my neck, but the attention from strangers lessened as soon as I pulled the hood up.
••••
As we walked, I couldn't help but ask.
"Hey, Desil, what's the deal with money here? I only have this one coin on me."
She paused, then pulled out three different coins.
"These are called Zelies. Bronze and silver Griffin Zelies are used by commoners like us. Dragon coins are for the nobles. Phoenix coins are only ever used by aristocrats or the imperial government. You'll almost never see one up close."
I touched the coin in my pocket. My only gold Griffin Zelie.
She noticed and smirked.
"Tell you what, I'll give you fifty bronze Zelies in exchange. That's enough for a night at the inn with meals, and a cheap dagger too. Don't worry, I'll keep the other half safe for you."
I hesitated, then handed her the gold coin.
"I'm trusting you on this."
"You'll thank me later," she teased.
••••
Finally, we reached a modest wooden shop with dried herbs hanging from the eaves. A painted sign read: Apothecary Supplies.
"This is where I work," Desil said proudly.
"I'll drop these off, then finish my errands. But you," her tone turned sharp,
"You need work too."
I blinked. "Work? Already?"
"Yes. Register at the guild house. As an adventurer. It's the only way you'll survive here. Look for Vories. Just say my name, and he'll guide you through the registration."
She shoved a parchment into my hands. A map. The scribbles looked more like doodles, but I didn't complain.
"I'll see you around, Hiroki. Keep safe. And remember to stay calm."
She disappeared into the shop, the door's bell jingling faintly behind her.
••••
As I followed the sketch, I noticed a sign ahead. A weapon shop, maybe.
The crossed swords looked like they'd been ripped straight out of an RPG.
I stepped inside, the scent of oiled steel and leather filling the air. Racks of swords, spears, shields, and armor lined the walls, their polished edges glinting in the sunlight that filtered through the windows.
"What are you looking for, boy?" the shopkeeper, an old man with a scarred cheek and rough voice, called out.
"A blade. Or maybe a shield," I said, scanning the racks.
He grunted. "Everything you need's in here. Look close."
That's when I saw it. A dagger resting among the others, not overly large, but its edge gleamed dangerously sharp, almost exaggeratedly so.
"That one," I said, picking it up.
"I just need something temporary. A dagger, at least."
The old man's eyes narrowed. "Sharp eye, boy. That's not your typical dagger, but I'll throw it to you for twenty bronze Zelies."
I reached into my pouch, recalling Desil's earlier words. Fifty bronze is enough for a night's lodging, a meal, and a dagger.
I handed over twenty bronze. "I'll take it."
The man smirked. "Then it's yours. Come back if you need anything else."
"Thanks. Good day, sir."
I stepped back into the sunlight, the dagger now sheathed at my waist. The weight of it steadied me. For the first time since arriving in this world, I felt a little safer.
••••
But that moment didn't last.
As I walked further down the alley, the sound of shouting made me stop.
A slave merchant's boot crashed into the ribs of a small girl, chains rattling as she fell. Her ears, long and animal-like, twitched weakly. A demi-human.
"You useless brat! Do what I say or starve!" he snarled, kicking her again.
The sight made my blood boil. My fists clenched, trembling. I was seconds from rushing in when a hand seized my arm.
"Bad idea," a whisper brushed against my ear.
A blonde girl in a hood. Her grip was firm, almost painful.
She nodded at the merchant's crest.
"He's part of an elite merchant family. Under Lord Hemlin's protection. Cross him, and you'll be crossing the lord of this town."
Her fingers dug tighter into my arm. And for a moment, unintentionally, I caught a glimpse of her aura.
Maroon. Anger.
But before I could speak, she let go. And just like that, she vanished into the crowd.
I stood frozen, the cries of the chained child still echoing in my ears.
I looked at the parchment in my hand. Desil's childish scribbles swirled like a cruel joke.
I need to do what can be done for now.
Gritting my teeth, I turned away, forcing myself to follow the map deeper into town.