<div>


    Nikolas had thought his fears were unfounded; in his first real quest, everyone knew what they were doing and everyone had been kind to him. As long as he followed his role, there was nothing to fret.


    But not every party leader was like Markus. Not everyone was as laid back as Magni, or as attentive as Willow. Sometimes his luck won''t always work either.


    Gaius the Axe Warrior and his two lackeys—he really tried to find the kindest way to describe them—had sneered at his bronze badge the moment they met. Whatever Gaius said, the other two would follow. If Gaius scowled, they scowled. If Gaius laughed, they laughed. So when he sat down, Nikolas had felt small and outnumbered as they looked at him with derision.


    "Let''s make one thing clear. You two do as I say. You will heal when I say heal, and you will block when I say block. Got it? I won''t tolerate any disobedience from you pipsqueaks who probably hadn''t seen a drop of blood in your sorry little lives."


    Nikolas had wanted to correct him: he HAD spilled blood, and he HAD slain goblins. He had stopped himself, realizing it didn''t sound as impressive if he had said it out loud. If only he had his sister''s sharp tongue, then maybe...


    Claire, the Cleric, was different. She stood straight and alert, like the slightest detail deserved her attention. It was as if she had expected it from Gaius; but whatever she felt about it, Nikolas couldn''t tell past her blank yet gentle expression. The two lackeys would snigger and say things even though she was in earshot, but she would let it all pass over her as if it was just the wind.


    For a moment, Nikolas was reminded of a certain White Mage.


    Was this casual abuse common among supporters in the Support Corps?


    Before he could even think about everything wrong with the party, they were on the move. Claire had followed—so demurely, so serenely, that he found his feet following, too. By then it was too late to back out, and Nikolas realized there was no point in arguing. They''re a party now. All he could do was trust in his shield and believe it would carry him all the way through.


    They were out the door. They were following the path up the river, along Bard Street, and then walked past the few Merchants and Bards who remained in Risadel after the announcement of the Wild Hunt. By now, the party should be marching out of town...


    ...only to be stopped by a familiar face.


    "—and that, gentlemen, is why I will loan you a special, one-of-a-kind Return Scroll! Tada~!" Magni pulled from her pockets a scroll decorated in symbols and lines that could make a layman''s head spin. They glittered like fairy dust, humming with a power unmistakable even by Nikolas''s untrained eye. "The real deal! Every adventurer should own at least one in these trying times!"


    The blue-haired wolf girl was panting between words, sweat dripping down her brow as if she had just ran a marathon. Somehow the Merchant fast talked the obviously scary group of adventurers into a dialogue without a hint of fear or shame.


    What... Why was Magni all the way out here? Shouldn''t she be back in the guildhall, drinking Salamander Wine, talking with Willow?


    She wasn''t alone. Her riding bird Sven was right behind her, looking like he had been dragged into a day trip without his consent. But considering the piece of meat it had just thrown up into the air and swallowed in his beak, he had actually been bribed to come here.


    "Hmph." Gaius crossed his arms. "Not interested."


    "Oh, come on! Hear me out~! You can''t miss out on this killer deal, mister!" Magni thrust out two fingers in a dramatic flourish, almost like a peace sign. "200 gald as collateral! That''s almost a fifth of the market rate! If you use it, I keep the money. Don''t use it, then you can return the scroll to me and get your money back guaranteed!"


    But...was that not just a purchase and a refund?


    "You can''t fool me," Gaius growled. He flexed his arms and shoulders, making himself look bigger and taller. "I bet that thing doesn''t even work!"


    Behind Magni, Sven had paused from eating. He stared at the Axe Warrior, a dangerous glint in his eyes.


    Nikolas gulped. He had seen the Humblewing flip an ogre off the ground, and even if Gaius was a bit mean, he had done nothing to deserve getting ripped into next week. Not yet, at least.


    Magni looked up Gaius in the eyes with a tut in her lips. "I can assure you that this item is the genuine article. See these lines? See the sublime craftsmanship of the mage who inscribed these symbols? The breath of the arcane that lies deep in the ink and parchment?"


    The Axe Warrior didn''t bother giving the scroll a proper look. "Just pretty dust and random pictures. Like I would fall for such an cheap scam."


    Magni gasped. She waved her arms at him, never minding how it made her look like a petulant child. "How rude! Why, for slandering my good name, I oughta charge you for damages! A Merchant''s success hinges on her reputations, and I thought an adventurer of your standing understood at least this much."


    "Why, you..."


    What she''s saying barely made any sense. Gaius grew irritated with every word she spoke. Anytime he would interject, she would blast back with five times the word count, refusing to let him get anything in word-wise with all her yapping.


    Nikolas was biting his fingers because, Magni, please shut up!


    One of the lackeys whispered, "Wasn''t she the Merchant who crashed her cart?"


    "Must be getting desperate, selling something so valuable," the other said. "It looks real, too."


    "But it''s too suspicious, don''t ya think? It''s probably a fake, like Gaius said..."


    Was it? Uncle Markus had shown him around the market along the Bard Street of another town, once. He had shown him what a real Return Scroll would look like. Explained the signs. The feeling. No matter which angle he saw it, the scroll in Magni''s hands was genuine. And at the price she''s offering, it''s practically a steal.


    "Oh shut up already! Even if it''s real, we don''t need it." Gaius''s armor rattled as he rolled back his shoulders, not-so-subtly showing the size of his muscles. He looked like was going to show her a world of hurt. "Only low-lives would be afraid of a bunch of slimes and goblins."


    "O-Oho!" Magni acted like she wasn''t the slightest bit fazed. "A customer who likes the thrill of danger, I see..."


    Just now, was that a backhanded—?


    "Then perhaps a seasoned, battle-hardened adventurer such as yourself would appreciate something like...this!" Magni reached behind her and pulled out a map! No, not just a map, but also a few sheets of parchment, and she raised them up high like they''re the most sacred relics in the world. "This is a collection of notes and logs, built upon the blood and sacrifice of our brave adventurers! You will find all there is to know about the monsters that spawn around Risadel!"


    Gaius growled. "So it''s junk then. Don''t need it."


    "But my good sir, you must be new to the area. It hasn''t been a week since you first arrived to our humble town of Risadel, yes?" Magni spoke mysteriously, acting like she had been a native for years. Nikolas knew for a fact she wasn''t much better than the rest of them. She smirked. "I''ll even cut you a deal: 100 gald, and all this will be yours~! Trust me, it''ll be worth it."


    Why did she look at Nikolas when she said that? And was that a wink?


    "...Tch. Only I decide what''s worth it and what''s not. Lemme see."


    Gaius tried to grab it, but Magni pulled away and clutched the papers to her chest.


    "Nope! Nuh uh. With this one, you gotta pay up," she snapped her fingers, "or you''re not seeing a word."


    Whatever Magni was scheming, it failed because Gaius had completely lost interest. With a shrug of his giant axe, he stared down at the wolf girl and was seemingly a push away from taking a swing.


    "What a waste of time. Just take your damn bird and scram. Don''t need you pesky Merchants peddling your crap."


    At the mention of the "damn bird", Nikolas felt his eyes pop out. Sven had stood up from where he was eating. His feathers were ruffled, and his gaze was locked toward the unsuspecting Axe Warrior. A low, dangerous sound rumbled from his beak. Thinking fast, Nikolas started reaching deep into his own pockets.


    "N-Now, sir..." Magni had to physically hold Sven back from just mauling the poor bastard. "You must watch your words. Seriously!"


    "Hah! Or what?" Gaius showed teeth. "What''s it gonna do? Peck me to—!"


    Nikolas raised his hand. "I''ll buy it!"


    Everyone looked at him.


    And then at the shiny, gleaming coin in his palm.


    Silence.


    "And sold~!"


    It happened in a blink: Magni yoink''d it off his hand, and the papers took its place. By the time Nikolas processed what happened, the Merchant was already going. She was dragging Sven by the reins down through Bard Street, her tail swaying like she had just gotten away with the greatest crime of her life.


    "Pleasure doing business with you~!"


    There was an indignant squawk.


    "I-I''ll make it up to you, Sven! I promise!"


    She turned a corner, and then she was gone.


    Nikolas had done it in the moment. He thought if he just paid instead of Gaius, it would make Magni go away and stop causing trouble. So why did it suddenly feel like he had been scammed like a complete idiot?


    One of the lackeys slapped his back. "Bwhahaha! Wow! The fresh meat might actually be a Rustie! You could buy a full potion with that kind of money! No wonder you look so green!"


    "Hey, Rustie," the other said, "if you had so much money to throw around, ya should''ve bought us a few beers! It''s the least you could do for us letting you in to be carried by our party, haha!"


    Gaius narrowed his eyes. "Always with the stupid Rusties," he muttered. "Think money solves everything? People like you don''t live for long. Whatever, get a move on, everyone. We don''t have all day."


    "Yeah, yeah, boss."


    "Whatever you say."


    Nikolas swallowed, trying his best not to shake. It seemed that now there was some sort of misunderstanding. But, at least, no one got hurt. It''s for the better, right? Slowly, he eased his shoulders and looked at the parchment in his hands.


    Claire, though, had not gone ahead yet. She looked over his shoulders, curious.


    "What does it say?" she asked.


    "Huh? O-Oh, uh..."


    She was a bit too close. Feeling his face heat up, he tried to ignore it and started flipping through the papers.


    From what little Nikolas could see, the notes were neatly written within the margins, and where there wasn''t enough room, more were in the additional pieces of paper with headers and everything. Migration patterns, possible hunting spots, common behaviors specific to Risadel terrain... Besides the strange terms like Boss Arena, Kill Box, and Corridors, the detail was incredible.


    Uncle Markus had lectured more than once on the importance of information. The problem was finding a reliable source. The Dragon Tale guild and its information network were lauded for their timeliness and accuracy, but places like the Risadel branch could only do so much, lacking manpower to update the maps.


    Nikolas could hardly believe it. Shouldn''t this be shared with the entire guild?


    "Oh..." Claire blinked. "One of Willow''s maps."


    "Willow''s?"Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "Every adventurer keeps their own set of maps. It just so happened that Willow had gone on enough quests to cover almost half the entire domain of Risadel. The guild usually uses her written reports because they''re so broad and detailed."


    "So why hadn''t the guild...?"


    Claire smiled bitterly. "Ink is expensive. We don''t have enough this month to make and replace all the old ones."


    "Oh."


    Nikolas had overheard the guild attendants complain about that. Something about how they literally couldn''t afford any mistakes, getting price-gouged by the Dream Ink company. Things behind the guild administration must be rough if even their necessities were scarce.


    As he thumbed through the rest of pages, he found something different from the rest of the map notes.


    "...What''s this?"


    Underneath, hidden between the pages, was a certain scroll. The power of the Return Scroll, the real deal, buzzed between Nikolas''s fingers.


    The Shielder felt his jaw drop. He jerked his head toward where Magni disappeared, having half a mind to chase her down and return it, but he knew it was too late.


    "Oh, Willow..." Claire whispered. "She pulled through."


    Nikolas looked at her. "Pulled through? What do you mean?"


    "Um," the Cleric worked up her lips, "it''s...an arrangement we had. We share the same Return Scroll, passing it on to whoever had the most dangerous or most urgent mission. We try not to use it, but it''s very reassuring to have. I just never thought she could get another so soon..."


    If Gaius had realized how valuable the things in his hands were, he would''ve monopolized them for himself. Now, with this, Nikolas and Claire had an edge. Realistically, they shouldn''t need so much for a simple extermination quest, but after an encounter with a Wild Hunt, Nikolas felt his anxieties ebb away from the warmth of the Return Scroll. The certainty of knowing there was a way out, that their fates were still in their own hands...


    Magni. Willow...


    Even now, he was being spoiled rotten.


    "Quickly, now," Claire urged. "We''ll be left behind."


    "Right!"


    His fingers tightened around the scroll. He refused to let it go to waste. This quest must only end with a resounding success!


    Luck Leveled Up!


    <div>


    ...Huh?


    <hr>


    If everything went well, then Magni had delivered everything.


    Maybe it was a bit excessive on her part, but one could never tell with anything involving the protagonist. Besides, that party of his just screamed trouble: face-slapping shenanigans or a wild encounter with a high-level monster or both. Worst case scenario, Claire was one of the heroines of this JRPG world, and Nikolas''s plot armor should handle the rest.


    Willow won''t be around, but at least the Return Scroll and notes she gave them should tip the scales a little more in their favor.


    For now, Willow must give the mission her full undivided attention.


    Quest: River Slime Extermination


    Requirements: a party of three, minimum rank of Silver.


    Objectives: clear the Risadel river of slime monsters from the First Wall up to the Second Wall, report any anomalies. Reward: 1250 gald.


    How nostalgic. This used to be one of her first quests when she reached Silver.


    The road from Bronze to Silver required the completion of a certain number of quests at certain difficulties. Search and extermination quests were the quickest way to meet all the criteria. After that, there were rank-up exams held once every month—at least for other guild branches. Risadel was small enough that the silver badge was just handed to you as a matter of professional trust. Though, with more adventurers coming in with prospects of money and glory, the monthly exams might be coming back.


    Silvers were expected to have proficiency in combat. And these two Rusties?


    They were good.


    Water Slimes the size of watermelons were climbing out of the river in a swarm. When they touched land, the grass submerged inside them dissolved into bubbles as they rolled and hopped and slid.


    The Magic Fencer was already in the fray. The overwhelming wave of monster slimes seemed too chaotic to navigate, but she ducked and weaved where she could and backed off no more than two steps to keep herself from being surrounded. With her hand firm under the swirling, wave-like hilt of her rapier, she slashed with her blade coated in an orange light.


    The hood of her cloak had fallen away during the fight. Bright ginger hair as blazing as the sun, woven into a side braid, swayed with her movements. Calm, blue eyes tracked the slimes, reading the most efficient path for her blade, then executing each swing which shredded more than four slimes at a time. Her armor remained light to match her quick and fast fighting style, but if a slime got too close, she wasn''t afraid to use her arm guards to punch it away.


    Still, it was a lot of slimes. That''s when the girl beside Willow raised a wooden staff and cast a spell.


    "[Wind Wall]!"


    She raised layers of wind on each of the Magic Fencer''s sides. Any slimes that tried to pass through were blown back into the swarm, forcing them into the middle, where the Magic Fencer ripped through them with ease.


    The slimes would jump on top of each other, trying to go over the wind walls. The Wind Mage, while maintaining the spell, simply pointed and cast: "[Gale Cutter!]"


    Razorblades of air slashed through and toppled the entire pile. She only needed to cast it twice before the number of slimes thinned out to the point they couldn''t climb over the walls anymore.


    From there, it was like a tug of war. Sometimes the Magic Fencer gained ground, and other times she lost it. This would last until either she exhausted herself or all the man-eating slimes perished. Though, considering they''ve already done this before, all bets were on the Magic Fencer.


    Good plan. Willow liked it. They kept to their strengths and took advantage of the single-minded behavior of the monsters. Already, they''re better than most adventurers she partied up with.


    Frankly, Willow felt a little redundant, having done nothing but watch so far. But that''s a good thing. It''s rare for her to just sit back like a White Mage was supposed to.


    Everything was going well.


    For now.


    "And that''s the last one!"


    With a dramatic thrust, the Magic Fencer pierced a slime in mid-air, and it popped like a balloon. The ground was all brown and muddy from all the slimes she had killed, but as for herself, she was spotless. A swish and a twirl, and the rapier was back in its sheath.


    The ginger head eased out a low, solemn breath. For a moment, anybody would''ve seen the perfect picture of a knightess, a woman of honor weighed by her duty to her kingdom, secretly awaiting the day a sublime fate would sweep her off her feet. It was the kind of romantic image that Bards would sing about, that writers would write about.


    But then she broke into a childlike grin and threw a thumbs up.


    "See that, Anne? Justice prevails once again!" And she winked. "I believe that deserves a round of applause!"


    Anne the Wind Mage giggled and gave exactly that. "Hooray! You''re amazing, Aire! Good job~!"


    With nothing else better to do, Willow quietly clapped along. They''re both goofy little goobers, but they really did good. The four times they''ve done this have gone off without a hitch. She''ll humor them at least this much.


    "And I see our stoic White Mage was impressed as well!" Puffing her chest and a hand on her hips, Aire the Magic Fencer swept her cloak like a cape riding against the wind. "Tell me, young White Mage, was I dashing, or was I dashing?"


    "...It was okay."


    "So cold!" Aire gasped, a hand over her chest. "You wound me, young Miss! As fellows of nobility, I would''ve thought you''d appreciate better vocabulary than that! Where''s your sense of adventure?"


    "Again, I''m not a noble," Willow said flatly. This was going to be a thing, wasn''t it? "Should a grown woman really be acting like this?"


    "Youth has no age, friend. For as long as there is the Sword of Justice and the Lake of Evil—with the Goddess as my witness, I will be like the sun and strike down the shadows wherever they may lay!"


    Willow sighed. The Magic Fencer was quite the character. She wished it was all just a phase, but no, this heroic wannabe had been acting like this for hours. She was starting to think that if Aire actually ever did stop, then she would just keel over and die. And really...


    "...did you really just quote Mars Sunglass the Sun Knight?"


    Aire went stock still.


    At first, Willow thought she had been surprised or offended being called out like that, but then Aire turned to her...and gasped.


    Were those... Were those sparkles in her eyes?


    "So you do have a sense of adventure! Do tell where you first heard it from—was it from the Chronicles of the North, the Songs of Sunshine, the Thirteen Victories of Rosarium? O-Or was it perhaps from the controversially acclaimed Romance By Daylight?" Aire awkwardly coughed into her fist. "I won''t judge."


    "Uh..."


    "A-Aire!" Fortunately, the Wind Mage spared Willow the indignity of answering. She slapped her wrists on the Magic Fencer''s shoulder with a pouty frown. They hit about as hard as cotton. "Please, you''re being a bother to the White Mage. Can''t you see you''re intimidating her?"


    Anne was a farcry from her companion. From under her hood, dull yellow locks swept over one eye, almost like they''re trying to hide her from the world. The maid uniform under her cloak had seen a lot in its journey, the wear and tear at the skirt making it shorter around the knee yet easier to move around. A maid attendant following her lady, shy, soft-spoken, maybe a bit too pretty; it was hard to believe she was a willing participant in this wild journey, and had reached Silver rank at that.


    Anne gave Willow an apologetic look. "I''m so sorry for her behavior. I-I know she''s a bit much, so you don''t have to listen to her if you don''t want to."


    "But, Lil—Little Anne," Aire whined. "She''s the first person to recognize the great sayings of the great Knightess! A fellow connoisseur of the great literature, just like us!"


    "Aire, please..."


    "I take it you''re a really big fan," Willow droned.


    "But of course! In fact, my family is—is, um..." Aire sucked her lips, her eyes wide, just for a moment. "Every story about her was read by my family. Yes. Indeed! Achieving such glory for ourselves one day is the family dream!"


    Well.


    Willow now had a pretty good idea which family Miss Dashing hailed from.


    Long ago, there was a self-made noble who returned to his roots and began adventuring again. To reconnect with the common people and to keep his skills from "rusting," he said. Sometimes noble sons and daughters were sent out not only to see the world but also to prove their worth as a mark of adulthood.


    But when the less than pragmatic nobles heard about this, it became one of the biggest fads, treated it like a casual camping trip. It used to be that they''re called "Rusties" for staying stuck at the Bronze rank—less than useless basically—or, as the Bards famously quoted, because the only taste of adventure they had was the rust in their bleeding mouths.


    But in this world, JRPG logic still applied. You don''t survive with such lofty dreams of justice and adventure without being someone important, after all.


    As it just so happened, the Sunglass Family was quite known for their blazing red hair and their martial prowess. Descending from a legendary Knight, they''re one of the few houses that espoused the codes of chivalry.


    "U-Um, we''ve made excellent progress! At this rate, we might finish this quest in time for the next one. Ah," Anne looked to Willow bashfully, "if you''re okay with that. We don''t have to if you don''t want to."


    "...It''s my job. So don''t worry about it."


    Aire nodded approvingly. "I admire your sense of duty, White Mage. Very well! We shall depart for the next slime nest post haste!"


    She poked two fingers over her lips and blew a loud, sharp whistle. Then, a fair distance away, two riding birds popped out of the bushes. They chirped. Chirped and chirped and chirped, running toward them while flapping their happy wings. They were eye-catchingly pink and fluffy, like flamingo cousins of ostriches, big and fast enough to almost tackle Anne and Aire to the ground.


    "Woah there, Quartz! Ahaha!" Aire laughed as one of them peppered her with light pecks, tickling and checking her all over. "I''m okay, boy. See? Not a scratch!"


    Even though she hadn''t been in the frontlines, Anne''s riding bird kept going in circles, stroking at her shoulders, before snuggling against her head. Anne smiled and returned the gesture with a stroke of her own. "Okay, Ruby. We still have a long way to go. Can you please carry the White Mage and I along again?"


    The mention of the White Mage broke it out of its reverie. It was shuddering, squeaking. The big bird ran around Anne and hid its face behind her back.


    "There, there, Ruby. The White Mage is not a scary person."


    Ruby peaked over the maid''s shoulder. She looked at Willow, looked at her beaten and worn staff fixed with a viciously sharp end, and went back to hiding behind the maid, shaking her head.


    "Pretty please? For me?"


    Again, she shook her head.


    "I could just walk this time," Willow offered.


    "No, we couldn''t do that to you. I''m sure Ruby will come around. She''s not always so..."


    "Scared? Cowardly?"


    "D-Don''t say it like that! It would hurt their self-esteem!" Anne cupped Ruby''s head and began stroking. "Cherubs are quite sensitive, so please be patient with her."


    Cherubs, the Birds of Elopement.


    If the Humblewings were the most violent birds of them all, then the Cherubs were the most cowardly. They''re the kind of birds that Bards sang and laughed about. With their never-ending endurance and powerful legs, they gather up everything they love and flee to high heaven the second they sense danger, ignoring all other orders.


    The number of loving couples they''ve accidently helped to elope was legendary.


    Most people preferred it this way. Caravans employ Cherubs to protect their goods and owners, and they always had the senses to find the nearest safe haven. Willow rode on plenty to know how they tick.


    Enough to know that they really, really don''t like her.


    Eventually, the riding birds settled down. Aire and Anne were atop their mounts, the one named Ruby now convinced for the fifth time today that Willow was totally a harmless person. However long that would last.


    Anne held out her hand. "Okay. Now''s your chance before she loses it again, Miss White Mage."


    Willow stared at the girl''s bare hand for a moment before nodding and accepting the offer. She stepped awkwardly onto the Cherub, managing to mount and then clutch at Anne''s waist just as the riding bird gave one more worried glance toward her back.


    The maid giggled proudly, taking up the reins. "Good girl. See? Was that so bad?"


    Her animal just let out a depressed cry, her wings raised like how a mopey child''s shoulders would when they crossed their arms, a gesture almost comical coming from a bird the size of a small cow.


    Anne stifled another laugh. When the bird finally composed herself and relaxed, the maid gave a light kick and then they were running.


    The river was beautiful at this hour. The flowing waters sparkled under the sunlight, so clean and clear that anyone would''ve been tempted to swim in it if not for the man-eating slimes. As they rode down the path along the river, the girl''s words nearly escaped Willow by how soft and distant they were.


    "It''s amazing, isn''t?" Anne murmured. "Even while tainted by Demontide, so close to the Evil Lake, the slimes still kept the river water clean. Despite their nature, they at least cared for the world around them."


    Willow hummed. "Have you seen a Monster Spawner before?"


    "Oh! Um," Anne stuttered, like she wasn''t expecting a response. "I have not."


    "Then you might change your mind. The things Demontide would do... It''s not pretty."


    "Even so..." There was something heavy in her voice—a shudder that threatened to spill out of her chest like a crack in a dam. Her gaze was on the sparkling river, filled with a will far out of place for a mere maid. "Even so, I wish this same sight could be shared everywhere else in Rosarium."


    Willow''s eyes narrowed. "...Are they still trashing the river at the capital?"


    Anne snapped out of it, back to being the subservient and out-of-her-depth maid she was supposed to be, a brief tremble in her eyes. She faced the road, hiding her expression from view, but not before the White Mage caught the slightest glimpse of a blush.


    "Please excuse me. I have spoken too much, haven''t I?" A pause. "Are you sure you have no relation to the nobility? Not even the royal family?"


    "I''m sure."


    "But your hair..."


    ...Ah.


    So that''s how it is.


    "My hair was originally brown," Willow spoke slowly. "It all started from a...magical incident. It had turned whiter ever since."


    "Oh. What happened?"


    Willow went quiet. It was a loaded question about a time she never wanted to think about again. A lot of things had happened. But if she had to sum it all up in the neatest, vaguest way possible, then...


    "Let''s just say I got too proud of myself and was reminded I wasn''t really the main character of this story." She shrugged. "Typical wizard things. A tale as old as time."


    "...I''m sorry."


    Willow rolled her eyes. "Don''t worry about it."


    A strange conversation with an even stranger maid. Then again, if her [Mana Sense] was up to par, an ordinary maid wouldn''t be running a spell over her hair, nor would they be throwing around competent wind spells while serving a house renowned for their martial arts, not without access to a magical education.


    Anne had too much going on with her just to be Aire''s accessory.


    "What about you?" Willow asked. "Are you related to nobility? I''m sure a few bards must''ve tried to flirt with you, at least."


    "A-are you teasing me? You''re teasing me, aren''t you?" Anne tried to look composed, but the hunch in her shoulders was too obvious. "I assure you, I am merely a maid attendant, following my Lady Aire to handle her every need. Nothing more, nothing less. But... I am flattered..."


    "...Whatever you say, princess."