It's probably around 6 PM.
I'm walking behind my own long shadow on a dirt track, the sun is behind my back. Its reddish dye hugs the massive city just 200 meters away from me, along with everything else.
My eyebrows are frowned because of a heavy headache. Sleeves of my shirt are rolled up. Hands in my pockets.
I've been walking under the blazing sun for a while now. Not even a drop of water has touched my tongue since morning, and same goes for the food. The rumbling stomach is the constant reminder of that. I'm still surprised my legs haven't given up.
Basically, I'm thirsty, hungry, tired, really irritated, and still feeling the 'aftertaste' of killing for the first time, the images of the gore are flashing at uneven intervals. Did I mention the headache?
I have about 3,450 Valis, thanks to the goblins so, that should take care of the entrance fees.
Dragging my feet I slowly 'crawl' my way to the city gates. I'm now just a few meters away.
There are guards dressed in blue almost everywhere carrying swords, spears, or bows. Some are standing straight- keeping watch. Some are patrolling around, while most are inspecting the goods inside the long line of horse-drawn carriages.
Beside the carriages there is another queue. Thankfully, there happens to be only 4 people in it. Now 5 including me.
The man standing before me is wearing a standard amour with a broadsword on his waist and a huge bag resting on the ground beside him. His biceps are big as my thighs. My shoulders barely reaching his chest- this man is rather tall. Tanned skin, proving his hours of hard work under the same blazing sun that I couldn't stand even for a few hours. His tattered clothes are covered in mud and splatters of blood. There's dust on his beard, and much more of it on the face. His messy hairs are the same.
A state I couldn't picture myself in, no matter how hard I try.
[Is this what it means to be an adventurer…?]
Sensing my gaze, the man turns around. His tired eyes looking at mine, as he speaks in a rough voice, "What…"
"I! Um…nothing sir…I was just wondering…are you perhaps an adventurer?"
An eyebrow of his curls up, his tired eyes flickers in amusement, "Ain't I flashin like'un?"
I'm too irritated for any word plays so, I just try end the conversation before I offend the man somehow. Waving both hands in front of my chest I speak, "No, it's nothing like that…Please forget I said anything."
The man pauses for a second, before his non-dominant hand rests on the hilt of his sword as he looks at the setting sun.
"Cheeh…it was juz'like today…walking down this exact same path…me skull a-da same thing goin…" Says the man before slowly turning away. Speaking no more.
[Was he trying to warn me…somehow?]
Soon it was my turn. I stand in front the guard sitting behind a desk.
Before I could even open my mouth to speak, the man states, "Okay, kid…1000 Vs and your ID."
I reply as politely as I can, "I have the money, sir…but not an ID."
Nodding he speaks again, "You see him over there…go to him, he'll issue one."
Nodding back at him, I make my way to the man he pointed at.
"Good evening, sir. I'm Argus Hale, and I need an ID issued."
"A very good evening to you as well, Argus. You can call me Dax, as for your temporary ID…you'll have to pay 500 V + 1000 V entrance fee, that will be 1500Vs in total."
"Temporary…?"
"Yes…a temporary ID will be issued which you will have to renew every month. That will cost 1000 V, until you have a permanent one. You'll know the rest when you enter the city."
"Alright, here's the money."
After the documentation signifying my entry through legal channels, I enter the city with an excited heart beating in my chest.
.
.
.
Words cannot describe how beautiful Orario is. Balls of magical lights encased in glass spheres are studded everywhere shining like brilliant stars, illuminating the whole street before me. The city was alive with the sounds of all kinds of different races.
My face goes red in dumb stun as an, impossibly beautiful woman with pointy ears walks by with dignified steps. A cheerfully smiling pair of mother and daughter, with pink hairs and long bunny ears are walking not far from me with hands full of paper bags. My sparkling eyes are following every person I see, like it's the first time I'm seeing someone walking on two legs. Elves, Demi-Humans, Dwarfs…all different kinds of races are right before me. The kind I only every saw on a screen.
To think that, I am now am a part of something this magical is filling me up with a surprising amount of anticipation for tomorrow, a feeling I had long forgotten.
Beautifully architected buildings surrounds the wide road I'm standing on. It leads straight towards the center of the city- The tallest structure of Orario, Babel.
Since, I'm standing at the entrance of the city, I see a lot of carriages either going about their way, or parked on the side of the stone road- 'Taxi Services'.
As I'm looking around, I see a man on my left, smoking a… cigarette?
Looking at him puffing smoke, I realize, [That's what I've been carving for so long…isn't this supposed to be a new body?]
But, the fact of the matter was, I needed a cigarette. Hesitating for a long time, I finally couldn't control myself. On top of being irritated, I'm now angry at myself.
Sighing I walked up to him, "Excuse me sir, can you tell me, where can I find the cheapest inn nearby?" I initiate a conversation, I needed to know of an inn too, it's dark now.
Looking slightly annoyed at me, he takes a deep puff and answers, "Turn left, 5 blocks in that direction…'Welcome Stay' is there, ya can't miss… unless you're an idiot."
"One last thing…"
"What do'ya want now, kid…" he cuts my sentence off. No longer to hiding his annoyance.
"Where do I get a pack of cigarettes?"
His annoyance takes a shade of amusement, "Grow some hair down there first boy…cigarettes...?"
[Kid? Boy? Hair? I'm twenty-fuckin-two.] The irritated mood finally gets the best of me.
"Trust me 'gramps'…I'ave enough to traumatize you for life."
Even more amused now, he says, "Fine…I'll tell ya…See the little stalls over'thea? They sell the ciggies. You can find'em all around the place."
"Thanks…" I say, before turning around.
.
.
.
I'm strolling my way towards the inn he told me about, with a cigarette between my fingers. Getting the nicotine my body wanted, I'm finally able to form rational thoughts.
The first thing that seems odd to me is that, every person I talked to is calling me a kid.
Second was, everyone I spoke with ever since reaching here, seemed rather tall…taller than me.
Third, my body is still carving for cigarettes. Logically it shouldn't.
Fourth, people are looking at me funny.
\Maybe it's just because you're tired…if not then, I would suggest you practice control, and try getting over cigarettes. The path you'll be walking requires a lot of physical work.\
[Point noted…now go to sleep.]
Why won't 'she' just leave me be?
Connecting my consciousness with the little storage I have in my hand, I count the money I still have on me.
[1,500 for the entrance… cigarettes were 150…water bottle took 50… I've got 1,750. *sigh* let's just hope the inn isn't too expensive.]
.
.
I'm standing in front of an inn that looks more of a café. The establishment is painted in an easy blend of baby pink and pink. Above the main entrance, 'Welcome Stay' is written in red with a cherry drawn on top.
[This is gonna be expensive…] I sigh before walking in.
A bell rings the moment I enter the place, revealing a relaxing café like lobby, half filled with patrons.
[It has a decent vibe…could've been better.]
/You wouldn't have been able to afford it, if it was…/
[I'm so ignoring you…]
Before sleepy, I'm hungry. Finding myself a place to sit, I pick up the menu while signaling the waitress.
My heart skips a beat as a really cute girl shyly walks to me…almost blushing?
Dark Blue hair, aquamarine eyes. Wearing an apron.
Too tired to make sense of her expression, I ask about the cost of staying here a night- so, that I could calculate the budget.
Did ever mention that I get really nervous when talking to girls.
"How much for a night?"
The shy girls pink face takes a dark shade of red in an instant. Eyes wide open, body frozen. A second later, She jumps with a squeak, furiously blushing, "Wah…What are you saying! I mean, I'm sorry sir… we don't provide such services…I'm just a waitress…and we just met, I could…we should… know each other! you know…"
"Huhg…?"
My body too, freezes. [What the…]
Thinking back to what I just said, my face responds with an equally powerful blush. I exclaim, "I wanna stay here! The cost of it…that's what I…"
/Lol! This really is an anime world…isn't it? Hehaha…/
Her face is now blood red. Her eyes 'spinning' as she fidgets left and right. I can see it on her face, how desperate she was for the ground to swallow her whole.
Like a savior, a man with hair a lighter shade of blue comes to our rescue.
"Please forgive us sir…My daughter is new and still learning. Would you mind if I take it from here?"
"Please do…and I'm sorry…I'm partially to blame as well. If only I had framed my words properly…" I reply as I bow my blushing face a little.
"Anna, you should take a break…" says the man to his daughter, before turning to me. The poor girl was on the brink of tears, as she turns her beet red face away after one last look at me, and almost sprints towards the supposed kitchen.
"A good evening, sir. My name is Vincent, and I'm the owner of this establishment. I believe you were inquiring about cost of a night's rest…"
I can see the polite smile on his face was painfully forced. Fighting the awkwardness, I nod and say, "This is exactly what I was asking! Nothing more, nothing less!"
"Of course, sir…A single night is 700 valis. Would you like dinner included?"
"I wanna order something right now…" My stomach is killing me.
"The menu is before you, sir… and please take your time."
"Thank you, I will."
[Ahh…I just can't hold a proper conversation with a girl… the cuter she is, the more nervous I am…] I lament while ordering dinner which costed 200 V.
.
.
I'm walking up stairs, with a key in my hand. 7 is the room I'll be sleeping in tonight.
My heart skips another beat the moment I reach the corridor, I see a white glittering silhouette floating at end of right before me. What differed was that, there were no whispers. It was silently floating at the end of the corridor.
[A secrete Rune…?]
/Most probably…Kind of Runes you only come across coincidently. /
[My internal monologues are not permissions for you to start yapping.]
Walking to it, I touch Rune with my left and it dissolves into glitters before rushing into my Mark.
Too tired to do anything else, I simply open the door of room no.7 and walk in.
The room had a bed with clean sheets, a desk and chair, dressing table, and a bathroom. [Quality of the furniture is not what I'm used but, I'll do…]
The first thing I do is rush in to the bathroom. I'm sticky all over.
.
.
.
[What the hell is this shit!!!]
That came to me when I was done with the shower and looked at myself in the mirror.
I have same hair, eye, and skin color but, my body just looks slimmer, shorter, and I have a little baby fat on my cheeks!
I look 15!
[Did he make younger? That explains so much! Is that why she was blushing? Can't blame her, I would've blushed too if I was a girl.]
/ That was creepy…/
You some, you get some.
If I was handsome before, I look downright sexy now… or I will look by the time I'm 22 again.
/ To be perfectly honest…you look kind of adorable~/
"No one asked for your opinion!" I reply blushing.
[Too call a grown man adorable…]I thought, wiping the imaginary tear from my eyes.
Making peace with my new 'baby body', I put my clothes back on and channels mana in them. A force field erupts making my clothes clean again, before shaping them into T-shirt and shorts before hopping on to the bed.
I'm too damn tired for any more drama. I'm asleep before I even know it.