Transferee

Adrian sets the plate of eggs and toast in front of me, his eyes wide and curious. He's definitely seen something he wasn't meant to, but he's playing it cool. Good for him. "This is the outskirts of Tale, in the Panacea Shipping Industries district. It's mostly for the workers and some of the less, uh, prominent residents of the city."

"Uhuh uhuh, and why is your place so uniform? Are you rich?" I ask, swallowing a mouthful of egg.

He chuckles nervously. "Not really, I just work in the industry. It's a decent job, I guess. But enough about me, tell me about your adventures. How did you end up with a scroll like that?"

"Why do you ask too many questions?" I retort, eyeing him suspiciously.

He shrugs and goes back to cooking.

As I finish my meal, I ponder what to do next. The scroll mentioned something about a ceremony, but it didn't give any details. The Royal Castle is my next stop, but I need information. And clothes.

Huh, clothes…

"Hey, if a naked lady barged into your house and threatened to kill you what'd you do?"

I'm now walking in the cobble road with an intersection of three roads, nine roman miles from the house I'm now living in wearing clothes too big for me, making me look like a potato.

This place is a bit more crowded than the usual, with stalls set up all around, and people haggling like it's the last day of their lives. The smell of roasting meats, freshly baked bread, and the faint scent of magic in the air. This must be the central market.

I spot a tailor's shop, with the words "Sewn with Love" written in a fancy script. I guess this is as good a place as any to get myself some decent clothes.

I enter the shop, and the bell on the door jingles. The woman behind the counter looks up, a smile spreading on her plump face. "Welcome! How may I help you today?"

"I need some clothes, something that won't make me look like I just stumbled out of a dumpster." I smack my lips.

The woman's smile doesn't waver. "Of course! I have just the thing for you. What size are you looking for?"

"Something that fits well enough that I won't trip over myself."

The tailor nods and leads me to the back of the shop, where racks upon racks of clothes are neatly organized.

"These look… the same." I flick through the clothes with a frown.

"They are. But they're made of the finest fabrics, and I can alter them to fit you perfectly. What's your price range?" She asks, eyeing me up and down.

"How about this?" I pull out a gold coin from my pocket, and her eyes light up like stars.

"For that price, I can give you the best I have, and maybe throw in a little something extra. What's the occasion?"

Stop being nosy lady and just give me "The black flack ones."

With a hum the lady goes to the back to get some clothes, and I lean back into the chair she offered me. This is going to be a long day.

The market is a maze of sights and sounds, and I feel a bit overwhelmed. It's been a while since I've been in a place this lively.

I can feel the smell of this place sticking to my face. The clothes are definitely an upgrade from what I've been wearing, and I feel a bit more confident.

The tailor comes back with a bundle of clothes, and I throw them over my shoulders without even looking.

"Here you go, dear. I hope these serve you well. Remember to come back if you ever need anything else!"

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." I toss her the gold coin, and she nods in satisfaction.

I slip into the back alley to change, and the fabric feels like a warm embrace. It's been a long time since I've felt this good.

I emerge from the alley feeling like a new person. The clothes fit like a glove, hugging my curves in all the right places. The fabric whispers secrets to the wind, and it comes to me, cooling me down despite the glaring light of the sun.

I find myself in a small clearing, surrounded by people, and at the center, a man with a lute and a hat filled with coins. He's playing a cheerful tune, and everyone seems to be enjoying it.

I lean against a building, watching the crowd sway. I realize how much I've missed this kind of normalcy.

But the scroll's words echo in my mind, reminding me of my mission. I can't get too comfortable here.

My mission? Is to remind humanity of fear why we are the fear of human kind.

Without a concrete plan, I just chose a direction and walked off there. The streets are The streets are crowded with people, all going about their days, not knowing much about the wider world.

I walk to what looks like a College. The architecture looks regal and old, with religious texts sprinkled around the campus.

In the belly of the beast.

I need to blend in, so I approach a young man with glasses and a scroll under his arm. "Hey, you go here?"

He looks at me, surprised. "Yeah, I'm a student. Can I help you?"

"I… I want to transfer to this school."