Decisions and Choices, Fate and Destiny

“Bounty hunting huh…?”

Priscilla muttered under her breath as she carried Rionara on her left arm. It was already mid day and she wanted to find better clothes for the otherwise poorly dressed young woman.

Rionara on the other hand wasn’t even paying any mind to her clothes—instead, she was less than thrilled to hear those words come out from the knight’s mouth.

“Pris, are you really going to do it?”

The young woman asked with concern clear in her tone.

“Hm?” The knight glanced briefly at her before smiling quietly. “It’s not a matter of if, but more of how. I have been tasked to eliminate individuals before but that was from a direct order of my commander. Bounty hunting seems less… chivalrous.”

“And dangerous besides…!” She stared down at her own hands before closing them lightly. “I… I want to help you so you don’t have to risk yourself like that.”

Priscilla’s footsteps slowed down a bit as she looked at her with surprise.

“You’re surprisingly assertive today.” She smirked and ruffled her hair for a bit before picking up the pace again. “No, Rio. This is something I must do alone. These hands of mine aren’t unfamiliar with bloodshed but at the same time I don’t want you to witness me killing another person.”

“But… Pris…”

The knight had a faint bittersweet expression as she kept quietly walking forward. Arcadia’s civil war was nothing compared to anything she had ever experienced before. All the training and nurturing she received while under the Queen’s direct command felt like a burden.

It was true, she became one of the strongest knights in Arcadia but at the same time this power was like a curse.

‘I can’t help those who need it in time… then what good is this strength of mine for…?’ Despite those burdens, she carries on because she still believes in her Queen’s words. ‘To protect those who cannot protect themselves…’

After a long walk, they both made their way to the clothes shop. In the middle of the central street.

Unlike the day before, the town crier was nowhere to be found nor his wooden stand. People walked around carrying food or other necessities and didn’t seem to pay much mind to Priscilla carrying a rag-wearing child in her arms.

“Here we are.” Priscilla looked at the wooden board with the written sign named. “Jean’s boutique, huh? I think I read about this man before.”

“About Jean?”

Rionara inquired.

“Yes, he was the one who created a textile called jeans. Very popular amongst miners and workers alike for its durability. My jacket is made out of the same material except it’s magically enchanted to add further protection.”

“And yet you let me use it for the night?!”

“Well… the enchantments do help with maintaining a comfortable temperature around the body.” She chuckled shortly. “Besides, it’s a waste to not use it. The Queen had it made specially for me.”

Rionara gently held on the edge of the jacket’s collar and rubbed it against her finger to get a feel for the texture. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement.

“Wow…”

Priscilla felt joy deep in her heart upon seeing her happy. But that moment didn’t last long as she felt a creeping sensation surge from her stomach, as she turned around she noticed a slim man with lanky limbs flourish his arms out towards her while also kneeling in the middle of the street. He wore a black suit and a deep red bowtie. His black hair was slicked sideways in a pompadour-esque style while his thin yet sharp chin held a wide smile.

“Ah mademoiselle. Your beauty shines upon myself like the brilliance of a hundred—nay, a thousand suns.”

She flinched upon seeing his strange behavior as she took one step away from him.

“Huh… thank you…? I guess…?”

“Pardon me.” He quickly stood up and elegantly placed his right hand across his chest while lifting the left far and wide. “But what are you looking for in this humble shop?”

“I’d like to tell you, but…” Her eyes glanced at the passerbys and she noticed they were all staring at them. “I don’t think you’ll be able to help me.”

She was about to take another step back and turn around to quickly dash in the store before the man glanced up with furrowed brows.

“Moi? I am the proud owner of this establishment! Any piece of cloth bows before my magnificence in weaving any matter of outfit your heart may desire!”

“Okay, okay!” Priscilla felt overwhelmed as she raised her right hand in defeat—her face burning red. “Can we head inside first? I’d like to buy an–”

“It would be my pleasure!” Despite his thin limbs, he moved surprisingly fast and in less than three large steps he was already beside the entrance of his shop. “This way, beloved customer.”

Priscilla’s left eye twitched slightly as she was still put off by his demeanor but if what Lucina said was true, he was probably the only one in the city even willing to put an outfit on Rionara.

Upon entering the shop she knew from her gut that she was in the right place. The man before her was not simply all talk, he was the person for it. Rolls of textiles were stacked up to the ceiling with a variety of color, types and sizes. Mannequins were outfitted with all sorts of different pieces ranging from durable mining overalls to dresses of the quality one would find in Londria’s capital.

“Woah…”

Both Priscilla and Rionara said simultaneously as they looked in awe at the sheer amount of pieces on display. He was truly the real deal.

“Madams, feel free to browse to your hearts content. I shall patiently wait for your inquiry behind the counter.” He slowly bowed. “Adieu.”

He took his leave and left both of them free to look around the shop. It wasn’t particularly big since it was about half the size of the guild’s hall but the amount of mannequins on display made the place feel a bit more crowded than it should have.

“Hmm…” Priscilla looked around but didn’t see any clothes designed for children which made her kneel to put Rionara on the floor. “I’ll go talk with him for a bit. Look around and see if you find something you’d like.”

Rionara smiled faintly and nodded.

“Sure, thanks a bunch, Pris.”

The knight made her way to the counter where she could see him working on sewing a piece of dark cloth.

“Um… sir, what is there–”

“Ah, sorry.” He glanced up. “I have forgotten to introduce myself, you can call me Jean and as for your…” He leaned to the side and took one glance at Rionara before returning to her. “...child, I can make anything that comes to your mind. Just tell me what kind of clothing you need for her.”

“Oh, I see. I thought you didn’t make clothes for children.”

He stopped sewing and looked up at her, blinking a few times as if he heard something incredulous.

“No, no, good madam, everyone must wear something of dignity. Even children.” He put the sewing on the side and leaned forward while narrowing his eyes at Priscilla’s jacket. “Is that… denim?”

“Huh? Yeah, it is.”

“May I ask where you acquired this piece from?”

“I wasn’t the one who bought it, but I heard it was made in Londria.”

“Tsk.” Jean clicked his tongue as he turned to the side, muttering. “Father is still the best at what he does, I see.”

“Sorry?”

“Ah, pardon me, dear customer. Do not mind my ramblings.” He leaned back on his chair and picked up the sewing material once again. “As to your request, I may have something already made in the back, if you wish I can bring those for your child to peruse.”

“That would be great.”

“Then, if you excuse me.”

He took with him the sewing materials and quickly vanished amongst the stacks of textiles. In the meantime, Rionara approached Priscilla while looking confused. The knight then asked.

“Did you find anything you’d like?”

She shook her head with her brows slightly furrowed.

“No… dresses are too frilly and fragile while the workers' clothes seem a bit too heavy for me…” The clear disappointment in her eyes didn’t seem all too bad for Priscilla as she started to chuckle. “Huh?”

“Sorry, I’m not laughing at you.” She patted her head lightly. “I’m just thankful that you can also show that side of you.”

“Hey, what do you mean…?”

“Nothing, I’m just glad.”

It didn’t take long until they heard a noise come from the back of the store. Priscilla instinctively reached for the handle of her rapier but in the next second, Jean hurriedly came back and was carrying five different outfits in his arms.

“My apologies dear customers.” He smiled as if trying to keep his calm demeanor. “I had a minor accident while gathering the goods, but–” He then placed each outfit on the counter. “Here they are made with comfort in mind and are great for growing children that prefer to play a lot.”

Unlike the other clothes on display, they all had vibrant colors that were sure to be appealing for children, red, blue, yellow, purple and even a shade of pink. But Rionara herself didn’t seem very enthusiastic about the eye-catching colors.

“Um…” She timidly raised her hand while looking away. “Is there… maybe a less colorful outfit?”

Jean raised an eyebrow then glanced at Priscilla, who in turn nodded. He cleared his throat and straightened his back before looking at Rionara.

“I believe I do have something for you, young lady.”

He quickly disappeared again amidst the textiles and mannequins. During the time, Rionara nervously massaged her own wrist as she fidgeted in place. Priscilla noticed her restlessness and asked with a faint smile on her face.

“What’s wrong?”

“Huh? Oh… I… I’m probably inconveniencing him, aren’t I?”

“Not at all.” The knight chuckled lightly. “I think he appreciates customers that are truthful to themselves.”

Her fidgeting stopped for a brief moment as she turned to her with a concerned, yet softened expression on her face.

“Are you sure?”

“Yup.” She nodded with conviction. “People like him—passionate for their craft, will only be satisfied when their customers are also happy. Besides, the best kind of happiness is one not built on lies, but honesty instead.”

“You are correct, good madam.” Jean’s voice prompted the knight to take half a step back while turning at him. “My apologies, I didn’t mean to interrupt. Here, this was a smaller model I’ve made for an adventurer outfit, but it never became more than just a project.”

He put it down on top of the other outfits. From beneath the counter, Rionara could only see the brown trousers sticking out. She looked up at Priscilla with both hands clenched tightly before nervously asking.

“Um… could you… lift me up?” The knight smiled and nodded without saying a word. After kneeling and picking her up, Rionara could finally take a proper look at the outfit Jean brought. “This is…”

The outfit itself was rather simple. A faded green linen shirt covered with a small white denim poncho and brown pair of linen trousers with a simple leather belt. Both Priscilla and Jean remained in silence as they looked at an awe struck Rionara as she uttered a few words without taking her eyes off the outfit.

“This is perfect…”

The knight smiled quietly as she glanced at the shopkeeper as she reached for her coin purse.

“How much is it?”

“Nothing. This set of clothes weren’t made to be sold, but if your child is happy with them, I’ll be more than glad to part with them for her happiness.”

“No, no, I couldn’t possibly…” Priscilla was put in a spot and her mind was racing. She didn’t want to take things for free, especially when it meant so much to Rio. “Wait, you have children’s footwear as well, right? I’ll pay for those instead.”

Jean flinched, surprised by the knight’s insistence, but it only took a second for him to recompose himself and give a dignified bow.

“A moment, if you please.”

A few minutes passed as the young woman went to change her rags for the clothes given to her by him and the boots Priscilla bought. Once the rustling of clothes stopped, the linen curtain of the fitting room opened slightly and Rionara slowly came out of it.

Her jet black hair and azure eyes contrasted with the white poncho which made her look like royalty for a brief moment. The belted trousers and high boots fit her perfectly as she didn’t have any trouble taking her next few steps towards Priscilla.

Rionara stopped at arm’s length with her small clenched hands near her thighs. They both softened as she opened them while looking up at the knight.

“T-thank you.” She then turned to Jean and bowed her head. “T-thank you for making these.”

Priscilla smiled as she replied softly.

“You’re welcome, Rio.”

Jean placed his hand across his chest and bowed with his left arm flourishing outwards.

“You are more than welcome, dear customer.” There was a brief moment where the knight noticed Jean’s shoulders relax. Seeing a master of the craft also on the edge felt somewhat refreshing. After that, Priscilla turned to take her leave but not before the shopkeeper offered them his goodbyes. “If you desire anything else, come by again. I shall be waiting.”

With a quiet nod, Priscilla left the establishment with Rionara discreetly waving at Jean until she was out of the shop.

Outside, the central street was still quiet. Some pedestrians filled the street but none seemed to pay much mind to either of them.

Upon looking closer at Rionara, the knight noticed how different she was. Her jet black hair that would usually be covered by the dirty hood was now in full view, while the droopy azure eyes now had a renewed glint of hope in them. That made her smile involuntarily.

After noticing her gaze, the girl asked.

“Pris? Why are you smiling?”

“Huh? Oh, nothing. I’m just happy.” She closed her eyes and breathed in. With the worries plaguing her mind now gone, she needed to find a better place to sleep before continuing on with her mission. She glanced at Rionara with a softened look on her face. ”Well, shall we go check this other inn? I think it’s better to do it now since it should be less crowded than during the evening.”

“Mhm.”

They walked together to the central square. Rionara’s quiet footsteps on her right made Priscilla feel at ease. Meanwhile, the girl kept sneaking glances at the knight’s frame. Her straightened posture, dignified strut and confident gaze all gave her a fuzzy, warm sensation inside her stomach, until a low growl came from the same place. She looked down while holding her belly with both hands.

“Ah…”

She murmured as Priscilla turned to her with a surprised look on her face.

“That’s right… I’ve completely forgotten we haven’t eaten anything since yesterday…” She shook her own head while cursing quietly. “It’s way past mid day as well… let’s hurry to the inn, maybe they serve food as well.”

“Mhm.”

With a quickened pace, they made their way through the central square to the street behind the guild. Thanks to Rionara’s new pair of boots she didn’t have any trouble keeping up with Priscilla.

The inn itself seemed simple at first, with only a wooden sign showing that they had rooms available and were open for business.

Priscilla took a quick look around the street in order to gauge the sort of individuals that lived there.

“Hmm…” She mumbled to herself as her eyes darted from person to person, scanning the potential threats. “This seems like a decent place.”

Rionara tilted her head slightly as she asked.

“What were you looking for?”

“Potential dangerous individuals. No matter what city you find yourself in, you’ll always come across some rotten apples here and there.”

“Rotten apples?”

“Yes, as you’ll probably know, rot tends to spread—same can be said about people, if you see one dangerous person walking around in an open street like this, you’ll probably find even more of that sort.”

She walked into the inn and Rionara gingerly followed right behind her.

“Uh huh…”

“Of course, you shouldn’t let your guard down. But one glance never hurts any… body…”

Priscilla’s words started to trail off as the place they walked in was filled with menacing looking men. None of them had weapons on their person but given their sizes and numbers it wouldn’t be impossible for them to overwhelm a single armed person.

Five of the dozen or so men stood up which prompted the knight to rest her hand on the sheath of her rapier. They made their way to the entrance while looking at Priscilla. Rionara nervously held onto the hem of the knight’s jacket as the men gathered around them.

“...Can I help you?”

Priscilla asked as she examined each one of the possible assailants. They stood beyond arm’s reach—close enough that she could wound two of them before the others could even reach her.

“Never seen you around here before, Lass.” The bald tanned man spoke up. His deep voice and muscular frame made it clear that he was the strongest out of the five. “You’re not looking for trouble, are you?”

“Not particularly, but trouble seems to follow me wherever I go.”

She pushed the guard of her rapier forward which made a distinct clink sound as the rounded guard of the blade loosened from the scabbard.

At that moment the men stopped walking around her and the knight was mentally preparing to strike. The stillness felt stifling—Rionara’s trembling hand held firmly on Priscilla’s jacket as she tried to keep herself from running away.

The bald man started to grin before he eventually arched his back and laughed.

“Hahaha! I’m just messing with ya. You’re Priscilla, right? Heard ‘bout you from Geralt.”

She raised a suspicious eyebrow.

“Geralt?”

“Aye. That fool of a brother never bothers to visit so I came here instead–”

His explanation was cut short as he was hit on the back of the head with a club. The muscular man came crashing down at her feet—unconscious. Rionara flinched at the loud thud while Priscilla’s right hand grasped the rapier’s handle.

“Curse you lot.” A haughty female voice came from behind the men as an equally tanned and muscular woman made her way through them while shoving them aside like insects. “Stop bothering my clients, you useless bums!”

She held a wooden club that had seen more than its share of struck heads. One of the bald man’s friends cowered as he noticed the woman tap the club on her left palm.

“Ah… l-lady Karla… we weren’t–!”

“Get this bum out of here and get lost!”

“Y-yes ma’am!”

The four men quickly carried their unconscious friend to the back of the inn’s hall. The woman sighed before setting the club down on the counter and turning her attention to Priscilla.

“I’m very sorry for that—are you here for rooms or food?”

“Uh… both.” Priscilla’s muscles softened as she took her hand out of the handle while quietly sheathing her rapier with her left thumb. “Mind if I ask, who are you?”

“The innkeeper.” She took a good look at Priscilla if sizing her potential as a customer. “From your appearance… are you the woman that needed a room for a kid as well?”

Rionara cautiously peeked from behind the knight’s legs while raising her left hand.

“Um… hi.”

“Ah. So you are the one.” Karla looked at the girl and smiled—something that Priscilla wasn’t expecting to see coming from a woman that just knocked out a man with a club. “I have a room, but it’ll cost you twenty coppers.”

“Is that with meals included?”

Priscilla inquired.

“Of course, we aren’t exactly a charity but we don’t exploit our customers like those fools near the guild.”

“Sounds like a rough time.”

“Oh, you bet.” She made her way behind the counter and picked a heavy looking book from underneath it. “So, what’s your name and how long will you stay?”

Priscilla cleared her throat as she gently pushed Rionara to stand beside her.

“I’m Priscilla and this is Rionara. We’ll stay here for… let’s start with ten days.”

“Oh?” That made Karla glance up from the book she was jotting down the names with a piece of thinned charcoal. “That’ll be two silver coins if you’re looking to have a meal here everyday.”

The knight nodded as she pulled a single gold coin from her purse and placed it on the counter.

“Here.”

Karla looked at her strangely for a brief moment before reaching for a coin purse behind the counter. Gold coins weren’t exactly common in that part of the city—not that Priscilla had any way of knowing.

“Let me get your change.”

As the innkeeper counted out the coins from her bag, the knight took another look around the inn’s hall and noticed the majority of the people there seemed to be workers, either from farms or tending animals as their dirt-riddled clothing would suggest.

But despite the rag-tag individuals, the place was surprisingly clean. The wooden floor had a few specks of dirt and mud but it wasn’t dried which means the place was constantly being cleaned by someone.

“Here you go.” Karla raised another sack of silver coins and placed it on the counter alongside a copper key. “Your room is the first upstairs. Enjoy your stay.”

Priscilla reached for the key and bag, but the innkeeper leaned over closer to her and whispered.

“Careful to not go out at night—especially with your kid. Some rough looking folk are roaming around the streets lately.”

The knight nodded once with a faint thankful expression on her face.

“I see. Thank you for the warning.” Rionara’s grip on Priscilla’s jacket tightened as she heard Karla’s words. Her nervousness was swiftly addressed by the knight’s warm hand on her small back. “Oh, aside from that, could you serve us lunch? I’m afraid we skipped eating.”

“Ah, of course. Just take a seat and I’ll have the food brought to you.”

“Come, Rio. Let’s get something to eat.”

The girl quietly nodded—still not letting go of her jacket.

They made their way through the busy hall and took one of the empty tables near the corner to avoid unnecessary attention. While some stares were expected, the other patrons soon lost their interest after the lack of reaction from Priscilla and went back to conversing between themselves.

The knight let out a quiet sigh as she glanced at Rionara—who was shrinking against the wall beside her.

“It’s okay, Rio. I’m here.”

“Mhm…”

She felt small in her seat. The sounds of wooden tankards clanking, the smell of booze and baked bread in the air, the murmuring of different conversations happening in the hall were all intimidating for someone who only knew the loneliness and indifference of the streets.

But despite her newfound anxiety, just having Priscilla by her side made her feel reassured and as her left hand unconsciously reached for her jacket again—Rionara looked at the knight’s eyes.

“Hm? What is it, Rio?”

“Pris, are you going to do what the receptionist woman told you?”

“Bounty hunting?” At that moment some farmers at a nearby table overheard her say that and turned a few glances in her direction—interested in the newcomer’s goals. “Yeah, I have no choice if I want to go into the dungeon.”

Rionara hesitantly opened her small hand and let go of the knight’s jacket.

“T-then, please, be careful.”

Priscilla offered her a calm smile while gently patting her head.

“I will. You don’t have to worry about me.”

On the other table, the three middle aged farmers each looked at each other with suspicion and started to whisper amongst themselves.

“Isn’t she the one who caused trouble at that famous inn?”

The oldest looking one asked.

“Yeah, I heard she was taking care of a kid and they didn’t want to let her in.”

The middle one said and the last one nodded with his arms crossed.

“Those idiots don’t even let kids in nowadays. They rather have gold coins from those noble bastards than dignity.”

The oldest one raised an eyebrow and lifted his tankard to him with a smirk on his face.

“You say that, but if you had those coins you wouldn’t be mixing cow shite now would ya?”

“Hahaha!”

“Oh, shut it.”

Hearing the inn being lively with laughter took some weight off Priscilla’s shoulders. Not having to worry about food or shelter was also another relief that made her whole body feel lighter.

The knight leaned against her chair and let out a quiet relaxed sigh before she noticed Karla approaching with a wooden tray through the corner of her eyes. Instinctively, she straightened her back and adjusted her jacket.

“Here you go.” The innkeeper started by placing two empty wooden bowls and spoons on the table before putting down a large iron pot of meat stew with a wooden ladle, another plate with more bread than what they could eat and two tankards full of water. “I have beer as well if you prefer it.”

“Oh, no need.” Priscilla shook both hands slightly. “I’d rather drink water.”

“I see. If you two need anything else just ask. Though any more than this will cost you extra.”

“I don’t think we’ll need more than this…”

Karla nodded once before turning around and raising her hand in a short farewell.

“Enjoy your meal.”

“Thank you.” Priscilla turned to look at Rionara—but the girl was clearly at loss with so much food in front of her. Her azure eyes were sparkling, a heartwarming moment for the knight. “Rio, let’s eat.”

She turned with widened eyes to Priscilla as if asking, ‘Can I?’. But instead of answering, the knight took the ladle and scooped out a generous portion for her bowl before placing the same in front of the girl.

“Here, feel free to get more when you finish.” She proceeded to serve some to herself and after filling a bowl of the red broth stew, she grabbed the plate of bread and placed it in between them. “Let’s eat.”

Before Rionara could pick up the spoon, she looked up at Priscilla—who was devouring her meal. She wasn’t wolfing down her food, but there was a sense of speed that seemed unlikely for a knight of her stature. As if trying to follow suit, Rionara grabbed the bread and took a bite out of it.

The crunchy outside of the freshly baked good contrasted with the soft fluffy inside, it was warm but not enough to burn.

She grabbed the spoon and scooped a chunk of meat floating in the herb rich red broth—the savory smell of meat and acidic scent of the broth made her mouth water. Her lips felt a slight sting as the piping hot liquid touched them but seeing how Priscilla voraciously ate her meal, she took a mouthful of the broth which mixed with the half eaten crunchy bread—resulting in what could only be described as a culinary delight for the girl who had only known stale, hard bread and raw vegetables.

The rich flavors filled her stomach and the experience of eating a carefully prepared meal filled her heart with joy but also with a hint of sadness as her eyes uncontrollably began to water up.

She chewed her food as tears fell down her face. A heart wrenching sight which made Priscilla stop her meal mid-way.

“Are you okay, Rio?”

The girl swallowed her food but didn’t want to look at the knight’s eyes as she felt a tinge of embarrassment from crying.

“Y-yeah… I’m just… happy.”

Priscilla smiled quietly as she reached for a handkerchief inside her jacket.

“Here, clean your nose.”

She quietly grabbed the cloth and was about to blow her nose onto it before she noticed how silky the texture was—she knew just by touching it that it was no mere piece of cloth to be discarded.

“B-but… I’ll get it dirty.”

“A handkerchief is better if it gets used.” She spoke while taking a bite out of a loaf of bread she held. “Besides—you can just clean up later for me, right?”

Her calm demeanor and warm expression made Rionara feel at ease. The girl nodded and discreetly cleaned her nose. After folding the cloth once she tightly held onto both edges while lowering her head. Her thumbs rubbed against the handkerchief slightly.

“Pris… thank you for everything…”

“You’re welcome, Rio. But if you want to show me your gratitude, then eat a lot.” She spoke softly before taking another healthy bite out of the bread she held. “My mentor always told me that a strong body is made with a lot of food and training in equal measures.” She stopped and turned around before giving Rionara a gentle squeeze on her left arm. “And right now what you need to do is put on some weight.”

“Mhm.” She smiled quietly before returning to her meal with a glint of determination in her eyes. “I’ll grow strong to protect you someday too.”

“Haha! That is reassuring.” She playfully ruffled her black hair. “I’m quite strong, you know. You’ll need a lot of effort to catch up to me.”

As they were happily conversing between themselves, the other patrons started to look at the duo with satisfied expressions.

“Ow… my head is killing me…”

On the other side of the hall, the previously knocked out bald man was now coming back to, on the other side of the hall.

“Hey boss, are you alright?” One scrawny man worriedly asked. “Wasn’t expecting ya missus to knock you out like that.”

“He was asking for it.” Karla came up to them while holding a tray full of tankards filled to the brim with beer. “Stupid moron, why did you have to go up to her like that?”

The bald man sluggishly lifted his body up and sat against the wall.

“L-look, Lucina is a kind girl, but it’s not like we can accept just anybody she invites over.”

“Do you really think that girl would invite troublesome people here?”

“It never hurts to be sure… besides, did you warn her? About the other guys hanging around the streets at night.”

“Aye, who do you take me for?”

“S-sorry, I just wanted to make sure. She’s with a kid and all.”

Karla sighed while shaking her head.

“For a man of your stature you’re awfully compassionate, did you know that? Gerolt?”

“It runs in the family.”

“Now, come on, get your ass up the floor and help me clean the hall.”

“You knock out your own man and tell him to clean the floor?”

“Aye, do you want another beating?” She flashed the wooden club tucked inside her belt. “I may have one hand busy but the other can wield this thing just fine.”

“N-no, I’ll go clean the hall.” He wobbly stood up and looked at the other men around him. “You guys heard her, let’s clean this place.”

“Aye, boss.”

After eating their fill, both Priscilla and Rionara climbed the stairs to their room while the men cleaned the floor and empty tables. With the girl behind her, the knight used her key to unlock the door.

Inside, there was a single double sized bed with a clean beige mattress and sheets of the same color. The window overlooking the street below was closed with the sun settling halfway down the horizon.

“About three in the afternoon…” Priscilla muttered to herself as she noticed the light coming from outside. “Rio, I’ll head to the guild to check the bounties available, can you stay here for the rest of the afternoon?”

“Yes, I can… but be careful.”

She nodded with a firm smile on her face.

“I will.” But before she left, she pulled the key out of the lock and knelt to hand it to her. “Keep it with you. You can roam around the inn or stay in this room but don’t go outside until I’m back, alright?”

“Mhm.” The knight stood up and left the room. As she headed down the stairs to the entrance, she heard a thud behind her and turned around to witness Rionara following her. “Stay safe.”

Priscilla smiled before ruffling her hair a bit.

“Don’t worry. I’ll come back later.”

Seeing the two back in the main hall made Karla stop by with a tray filled with tankards of beer.

“Leaving so soon?”

“I’ll return in the evening at the earliest.” The knight answered as she adjusted the jacket. “Could you maybe bring food to Rio if she’s in our room?”

“You can leave it to us.” Gerolt said from across the room while still sweeping the floor with a wet mop. “We’ll take care of your kid.”

Priscilla faintly smiled after waving to him.

“Thank you.” She glanced at Rionara before turning to the entrance. “I’ll be off.”

They both waved as she left. The girl felt a bit lonely seeing the knight depart but she clenched both small hands into fists while taking a deep breath—determined to make sure she made some sort of progress until Priscilla returned. After all, if she wanted to truly stand as equals to a royal knight, she couldn’t waste any time.

She frowned her brows before turning back toward her room, unaware that both Karla and Gerolt were witnessing the sudden steel in her expression.

Rionara closed the door behind her and locked it with the key given to her.She plopped down on the floor and took a long, deep breath. She knew deep down that Priscilla was taking care of her out of kindness but she couldn’t rely on that kindness forever.

It was true that she was physically weak. Even providing simple manual labor such as helping at the stables would be too much for her, but she had something else in mind.

She stared at her own hands. Small, weak, frail, filled with faint scars and old burns. Upon closing her eyes and taking another deep breath she started to ruminate on the past.

In the short span of her lifetime she had learned many things that would be otherwise useless for the current situation she found herself in. Namely, magic.

In her eyes, it was nothing but a tool to inflict pain and suffering. Misery with the snap of one’s fingers. Yet that power could serve to protect Priscilla if it came down to it.

Upon closing her eyes she felt a terrible chill go down her spine. Her small hand clenched in reflex from the lingering pulsating pain she felt across her back. The many scars left from whips and blades felt like they were alive again.

Sharp stings of searing pain scarred her mind as she could feel her entire body tremble from fear. The mere act of tapping into the magic that resided within her was enough to make her snap her eyes open as if trying to escape from a nightmare.

Her eyes traced down to her own hands once again and each of her fingers were involuntarily twitching out of fear.

‘No… I need this power if I plan to stand by her side or all that I said will be nothing but empty boasting…’

She forcibly clenched her trembling hands into fists while closing her hesitating eyes to meditate. A technique imprinted in her mind, soul and body through violence in order to increase her mana capacity.

The warm room tickled by the settling sunlight suddenly felt cold, but it was a different kind of cold—the type that drains the heat from within the body. The horrifying chill would linger as long as she kept her mana flowing from within the core of her soul to her extremities where her mana gates were.

As her mana seeped out into the room—the whole place started to feel colder. This time it wasn’t just within her body, the air started to feel eerily devoid of life as the excess mana settled near the ground like fog before it started to change from its gentle light blue color to a despairing dark purple—almost black-like smoke.

It only lasted a few minutes before Rionara eventually snapped her eyes back open while panting heavily. Beads of sweat covered her brow as she tried to breathe like she came out of water.

“Haaa… haa…”

Her body, both inside and out, felt cold. The room had an eerie aura of death as she looked back at her trembling hands only to see a flash of blood dripping from her scars and once she blinked again, it was gone. She shook her head and took a few quick sharp breaths while glancing up at the window tinted red-orange from the settling sun that gave its place to the impending darkness of the night.

Each beat of her heart made her vision pulse slightly and within one of those pulses lay an image of cold iron bars with barely any light tickling through it. It was as if she never left that cold place devoid of warmth.

She hugged her own trembling body and lowered her head—making herself even smaller in the middle of the room.

“I left that place behind years ago…” Her small fingers dug into her own clothing. “I don’t want to do this… not again…”

With shaking hands and clenched teeth, she let tears run down across her face as she tightened the grip around her own body.