It didn't take long for him to get his new ID and belongings back, the twelve coins which had been confiscated when he was initially brought in.
The ID was a small, rectangular, red card featuring the imperial logo: a helmet with an arching crest surrounded by a wreath. Alongside this was a name reading Pax Garnier, and his age 18.
A little under, there was some fine print reading:
Identifier: OP7PNE18
Date of Issue - 6/17/267
Date of Exp. - 6/17/271
Peace lifted his hood up over his head and made his way out of the inspection agency as a free man.
'How did the original owner of this body live not being seen for... who knows how long…'
'And that woman, Ashren… she'd honed in on three years for some reason.'
Is that when this mysterious event or organization happened? Just what was Night Parade exactly?
There was one place Peace thought he'd be able to find an answer: the library.
There was, however, a significant issue with that. While he'd escaped scrutiny for now, the library was probably a heavily watched facility. After all, it was perhaps the place most Jinn went to learn about this world once they figured out their situation.
It would be painfully obvious someone wasn't from this place if they started reading up on commonly known history and the history of their own race.
Not to mention his appearance seemed to bring eyes in the first place. He was bound to be entirely visible no matter where he went.
For now, the library was a dangerous place. At the very least, he needed to establish himself as a non-threat to the local community.
His current focus should be preparing for tomorrow, the opening of the labyrinth, and finding lodgings for tonight and food to fill his rumbling stomach.
***
Finding necessities proved to be quite the herculean task.
First, he'd gone to buy a loaf of bread and got overcharged by a whole two extra bronze coins. Then, he went to buy a weapon and ended up being overcharged again, taking nearly the rest of his savings!
Peace would have tried to haggle if it weren't for the fact that most places turned him away, immediately calling for the guards at the sight of him. Thankfully, the ID was working wonders in proving his humanity 'elvenity?' and rumors of his existence were already spreading around.
While people were still wildly prejudiced against Night Elves, hopefully, they'd stop being deathly afraid of him once they got used to him.
At any rate, he'd also managed to secure lodgings for one night… albeit it had cost him the rest of his coin. He was now flat broke with only some tattered rags and a crude dagger to his name.
'Who the hell is going to want to party up with me?'
Not to mention his inability to consume essences and his peculiar trait that persisted despite his demonsterification…
'Does this mean I have to eat beasts?'
Peace's stomach rumbled as he lay in a small bed.
'Even dirt would taste good at the moment.'
Peace closed his eyes, bringing an end to his first official night in the Immortal Citadel.
Or it was supposed to be the end of his day…
Once again, he felt a rushing wind brush against his cheek.
Peace threw open his eyes in a fervor and found himself in quite the familiar scene…
It wasn't the bed he was lying in nor his home back on Earth. He'd not woken up and realized it had all been a dream. No…
He'd woken up on the thick branch of a large black tree covered in sleek, inky miasma. He was once again in the small body of an abomination.
'What the…'
'Was that all a dream?'
'Or is this a dream?'
'Is it all a dream?'
'Or is it all real?...'
Peace willed himself forward and tried to rein in his thoughts, but his thin stomach felt as if it were pressed back into his spine.
He was hungry, very hungry.
Peace looked below and saw that the corpse of Lacan had disappeared, probably devoured by some passing scavenger.
Peace didn't dwell on the loss; his ravenous hunger wouldn't allow such rational insight.
Instead, he began running through the corrupted trees in search of something to fill his stomach.