A Proper Wizard, Worthy of Respect
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The city where Zaria lived, Sleeping Maw, was not short on adventuring guilds, but that didn’t lessen their importance nor their popularity. No matter how much the government worked to ensure safety, a surface-level settlement would never feel as safe as the floating islands everyone had immigrated from. Thus, the greatest comfort would always be heroic figures promising to save the day. 

Young Zaria had always dreamed about becoming an adventurer like any kid. When she’d discovered she inherited her mother’s affinity for magic, that fantasy suddenly became a realistic plan for the future. But really, her mother’s greatest contributions to Zaria’s career path were an arguably unhealthy work ethic and the ability to make the right connections.

In this case, the right connection was Evalina Rainbird III, the guildmaster of Shimmerforce. 

“Then we will visit Guildmaster Rainbird together.” Edilyth had spent the entire walk to Zaria’s new guild’s headquarters planning how to ensure her child would be immediately set up for success. “We must leave the impression that you are a confident new employee with great potential and a supportive family to back him up.”

Zaria nodded and jotted in her notepad. 

“Honey, doesn’t that sound a little unnecessary?” Benjamin asked. “Evalina has been a family friend for years now.”

“Perhaps. But she’ll be more impressed if we show our son is a proper wizard and not just her daughter’s old playmate. Any respectable professional should—”

“Oh my gosh, Lithy, I knew you’d come with ZarZar!” a cheery shrill called out as Zaria’s family turned a corner. Standing in front of the colorful headquarters of Shimmerforce was its equally vibrant leader. “Oh, and Benji, too!” The giddy guildmaster turned to the guard standing at the door. “See, Charles, I told you his whole family would come.” 

The guard said nothing but gave a warm smile and a nod.

Zaria’s mother remained unaffected by the guildmaster’s energy as they approached. “Guildmaster Rainbird, we are honored you’d personally welcome our arrival.” She and Zaria gave a curt bow.

Benjamin quickly followed suit. “Uh, yes, thank you… ma’am.”

“The pleasure is all mine! I just absolutely had to see you all in person. Oh, Lithy, you’re still just as beautiful and smart-looking as the day I first met you. And Benji! Is that a new suit? Lithy must’ve helped you pick it out; it is simply stunning. And little ZarZar… Well, you’re more like a big ZarZar now. Big, handsome ZarZar! Sorry, Benji, your boy has you beat. What a statement!”

“Well, actually, I got a tailor I met at a gardening seminar to make both our suits.” The proud father placed his hands on his child’s shoulders. “The colors are all his choice, though.”

“Gasp!” the guildmaster said out loud. “I am impressed! You must be so proud, Lithy.”

Edilyth’s serious expression was broken by a soft smile. “I am.”

 


 

Evalina insisted on personally giving the family a “quick” tour of the building. At every turn, she stopped to introduce every guildmember to Zaria, or she’d tell silly stories about where every dent and decoration came from. Had Zaria’s mother not been so experienced at cutting off Evalina’s rants, the guildmaster could’ve talked for hours before they left each room.

Zaria figured the tour took three times as long as the ones at the magic university she attended despite this building being much smaller than the campus. Still, she took diligent notes on everything Evalina said. 

Afterward, the guildmaster was whisked away by her secretaries to attend to some guild business. Zaria’s family wanted to help her settle into her new room, but Zaria insisted they just head home. She could unpack by herself. A few prolonged hugs later, she was waving good-bye.

Alone at last, Zaria immediately collapsed on her new bed. New environments, new people, new… everything were so draining on her. It wasn’t even lunchtime, and she already needed a break. How would she survive going on missions where she had to travel?

The sound of a door slamming shut interrupted her thoughts. “Hey, Zaria.”

Zaria flinched. 

“Relax, it’s me.” A blonde, five-foot girl sat on the bed across from Zaria’s. “Who else would know your real name?”

“Eva!” She rolled over to face her friend. “We’re roommates?”

“Would you rather be stuck with some random guy?”

“No…”

“Well, you’re welcome. It was surprisingly not easy getting this to happen. You think your mom being the guildmaster means you can do whatever you want, but nooooooo, she decides to be the problem. Even with my mother knowing you’re completely harmless, she was hesitant to let me live with a ‘boy.’ Half the people here are fucking gay, and she still wants to be so old-fashioned about who shares rooms with who? Unless she wants to prove why the kid she ‘loves like a second son’ is a danger around women, she can fuck off. Moms are so dumb sometimes, right?” 

“Oh… uh, sure.”

“Well?” Eva stood up. “You can thank me now.”

“Sorry. Thanks, Eva.”

“You’re welcome.” The blonde held out her hand to her friend. “Now, it’s lunchtime in the mess hall. I’m going, so you better come with me before you just hole up by yourself and starve.”

“Okay…”

“Lighten up already.” She grabbed the anxious wizard and pulled her to her feet. “You’re a fucking adventurer now. Zaria. Zaria? Do I have to call you fucking Azariah? Look at me.” She grabbed her friend’s head, forcing eye contact. “You have it so good! You’re one of the youngest licensed adventurers ever, and you get to live here with your best friend. Even better, you’re in an adventuring party with your best friend. We finally get to go on adventures instead of being cooped up reading books! I can’t imagine what’s stopping you from enjoying this.”

Zaria shrugged. “I guess you’re right.” 

“I’m always right. Look, after a few missions, you’ll have a shit ton of money, and your parents will have to respect you. Everyone will have to respect you. You’ll make them use your real name and then pay someone to make you prettier or whatever. You’re on your way to being a real woman.”

Zaria grimaced. 

“By the fucking gods, just relax. Let’s go eat something so we can live long enough to see it happen.”

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