Minutes passed and we’re still walking north.

   Strange… Garren said that monsters will appear more frequently, but… I don’t see any of them at all… maybe I should ask Bella, she’s an adventurer, right..?

“Uh… excuse me, Bella..? why are there no monsters around here..?”

   Isabella looked to me and then looked back ahead of her.

“… you see… it’s because of my…” Isabella said slowly in a gloomy tone.

“Your..?”

“It’s…” Isabella said, reluctant to continue her sentence.

Oh… I- I’m sorry… nevermind what I asked… sorry…”

   It looks like she doesn’t want to discuss that… what a fool I am… insensitive trash of a human being…

“I- it’s fine… don’t be sorry…”

   … what..? the light is getting more intense… is that..?

   Are we finally there..?

   I ran past Bella and sprinted towards the clearing.

“Ah!” Isabella yelped in surprise as I ran past her.

   I gotta hurry… Mika…

   I keep running and running until I got out of the forest.

“Haa… haa…” I panted as I was holding onto my knees, exhausted and out of breath.

   As I focus my sights at the town in the distance, I could see a big and magnificent scenery of the town with stone walls circling it.

   Wha… what a sight… is this really what Lissen looks like..? I’ve never seen scenery as beautiful as this, simply breathtaking…

“…” I paused in awe, staring longly at the town’s scenery.

   Now is not the time to be sightseeing… I need to find her.

“E- excuse me…” A soft voice was heard behind me.

   I looked behind me and I saw Bella with her blank expression.

“Oh, Bella… I didn’t know Lissen is this incredible…’

“Yes… I like seeing it from afar…”

“No kidding… I like it too…”

   Now that I’ve seen the town from this far… it is a pretty big town… how am I supposed to find an information center or some buildings like that… maybe I… no, I really shouldn’t bother Bella… she already helped me more than necessary…

“Ah. Sorry, Bella... let’s go to the town, then…”

“…” Isabella nods silently and we start to walk through the dirt road linked towards the town’s gate with Bella on the lead.

   How am I supposed to navigate this whole town..? the only person I could try to ask for help is… Bella…

“What’s wrong..?” Isabella asked with a slight concern.

“Huh?”

   I snapped out from my thoughts and I saw Bella looking at me with worry behind her blank expression.

“It’s just… I’ve been thinking…”

   Damn it, now Bella’s worried… I really should stop with these deep thoughts…

“Yes..?” Isabella asked more worryingly.

“It’s… going to be my first time going to Lissen… I don’t know the important locations and where to go…”

   Now I’ve said it… she’s going to-

“I… I’ll be glad to offer you a guide…”

   Wha..?

“B- Bella..? are you sure..? don’t you have some other things to do?”

   Why would she…

“I don’t… I’m free this day… and… I want to help you…” Isabella said with a slight blush on her cheeks as she tucks her head down.

“Bella…”

“This… is my thanks… for sharing the food…”

“…”

   The food… I guess this is okay..? but, she’ll go through with guiding me… won’t that be exhausting..? she shouldn’t waste her time and energy for me-

   Bella then stops her track and I stopped too.

   We are already by the front of the town’s gate, and I saw lots of people lining up.

   I didn’t realize we’re already in front of the gate… there’s a long line of people waiting in line to get into the town… I see that these people are getting inspected by those guards by the gate’s entrance over there…

“What’s happening..? what’s with the lineup..?”

“… It’s…” Isabella muttered and went silent again after.

Clank Clank Clank

   Sounds of metal footsteps were heard.

   I saw 2 people wearing a lightly armored outfit and spear holder running towards our direction.

“Isabella! Where have you been?!” Yelled one of the guards.

“I…”

“We need you! There’s a new crisis arisen!” Yelled the other guard.

   Crisis..? what is happening? Is it related to this long line just to get in the town..?

   Bella then turns to me.

“I… I’m so sorry, Dian… I have to go…” Isabella said with a faint sadness and disappointment on her face.

“O- okay…”

   Isabella then turns towards the town’s gate and ran alongside one of the guards.

   How peculiar… he said crisis… I hope it’s not a big one.

   The other guard looks at me full of suspicion and then walked towards me.

“You… may I see your ID?” Asked the guard with distrust.

   ID… so Garren was right… so, all I need is to show Garren’s medal to the guard and hopefully sort this out nicely…

“I… don’t have an ID, bu-“

“Just as I thought… HEY! CAPTURE THIS GUY!” The guard yelled as he looks at the direction of the post guard by the gate’s entrance.

“What?!”

   C- Capture?! What did I do wrong?!

   3 guards that were checking the line of people rushed towards me.

“W- Wait! I can explain!”

   The guard that called me out points his spear at me.

“There is no use in denying! Surrender yourself or you’ll be taken prisoner by force!” The guard yelled with the look of spite in his eyes.

   The 3 guards circled me and are pointing their spears at me.

   W- what should I do?! I have Garren’s medal in my backpack, but… if I make even a move, the guards will probably apprehend me by force…

   I hold my hands up in the air.

“I… surrender…”

   Rather than making things worse, I’ll do as he said… I don’t want to cause any trouble…

   The guard that called me out smirked at me and then restrained both of my hands.

“Hehe… I knew there is something fishy about you…”

   The other guards low down their spears.

“What’s the problem here, Hans?” Asked one of the guards.

“Suspicious acts and no ID, take him to the interrogation room.”

“…”

   2 of the guards apprehended me and taking me inside the town.

 

...

 

   I was taken by the guards to a building and I was put in a well-decorated stone slab room with only a wooden table and 3 wooden chairs.

   Well… at least they didn’t handcuff me… but my backpack is confiscated by the guards… what will happen to me..?

Creaaak

   A sound of a door opening was heard and I saw 2 men wearing a rather fancy outfit walked in the room and sat on their chairs across me. One of the men is holding a tablet while the other one is holding a clear orb.

“Greetings, we are here to test whether you are lying or not.” Said the man who is holding the tablet.

“I am here to write your records, while my partner here will test you and confirm it.” Said the man with the tablet.

   The man then puts the orb on the table.

“Please, put your hand on this orb.”

“Okay…”

   I put my hand on the orb.

“Ah, yes. First of all, let me introduce ourselves, my name is Hendrick and my partner here is Khan. What is your name?” Asked the orb holder.

   Did the test already started..? okay, I am not taking my chances to lie, then…

“My name is Dian, Dian Subagja. Nice to meet you…”

   The orb then glows in a brimming white light.

   What the?!

“Hmm… positive.” Khan whispered.

   Khan wrote on his tablet.

   So… is white a good color..?

“What is your profession?” Asked Hendrick.

“Profession..? like a job?”

“Yes, what kind of work do you do?”

   A job, huh..? I am still a high school student and I don’t work part-time jobs…but now, I am just wandering around in search of her…

“I… am a wanderer… I don’t have any job…”

   The orb glows white again.

“A wanderer..? positive.”

   Khat wrote on his tablet.

“Why do you want to go to Lissen?” Asked Hendrick.

   Why..?

“I… came to this town to find information… regarding my missing friend…”

   The orb glows white.

“I see… I’m sorry to hear that. Positive.” Hendrick said with a look of sympathy on his face.

   Khan wrote on his tablet.

“Just one more question. Where are you from?” Asked Hendrick.

   Where am I from..? if this orb flawlessly tests your honesty, then… they’ll believe me, right..?

“I am from a faraway place called Indonesia…”

   The orb glows white.

“Indonesia..? I’ve never heard of that place before… but it seems like you’re honest. Positive.” Hendrick said with a puzzled look on his face.

   Khan wrote on his tablet.

   Hendrick placed a slightly bigger clear orb on the beside the other orb on the table.

“Okay… now, put your hand on this orb.” Hendrick said with a faint smile.

   I put my hand on the other orb that Hendrick placed.

   The orb shines in a bright white color.

“Okay, you’re clear!” Hendrick said with a big smile.

“You need no more questioning,” Khan said with a happy look on his face as he finishes his note.

   I unhand my hand from the orb.

“What is the difference with this orb..?”

“This orb shows whether or not you have a criminal record in your life, the redder it becomes the more bad records you have.”

“So… am I safe..?”

“Yes, you’re safe. Don’t worry, we already confirmed your status.” Khan said with an assuring look on his face.

“We are sorry for making you go through all of this…” Hendrick said with a sorry expression on his face as he bows his head to me.

“N- No! Please, raise your head! It’s not your fault…”

   Henrick then slowly raised his head.

“Do you know who apprehended you? And why they did it?” Said Hendrick.

   Who… if I’m not mistaken, I heard one of the guards said “Hans”… he caught me because I don’t have any ID and I look suspicious..?

“I think the name was Hans… that guard caught me because I don’t have an ID... and I seem suspicious according to him…”

   Khan and Hendrick looked at each other with a resentful look on their faces.

“He’s done it again…” Khan whispered to Hendrick with a peeved look on his face.

“We have to do something about this…” Hendrick whispered back to Khan.

   They then look at me again.

“Why do you have no ID?” Hendrick asked curiously.

Oh, yea… ID… how am I supposed to explain this to them..? should I just tell them that I lost it during my travel..? I’m not holding onto that orb, so… I think it is fine.

“Um… I lost my ID during my travel…”

“Really..? that’s unfortunate. Well, you can get a new one over in a Guild.” Hendrick said as he puts the orbs back in his bag.

   Guild… there is an Adventurer’s Guild in this town… maybe I can register my ID there…

“Umm… may I ask where the Adventurer’s Guild is located..?”

“Oh, you’re an adventurer? It’s pretty close. Take a left when you exit this guard post and keep going straight, then you take the second turn left, you may find the Adventure’s Guild there.”

“I see… got it…”

   They got up from their seats and signaling me to come with them, we then got out of the room and Hendrick handed me my confiscated items.

“Once again, we are truly sorry for the inconvenience our personnel caused you…” Hendrick said with an apologetic expression as he bows his head at me again, Khan follows soon after.

“I- it’s okay… so, please… raise your heads…”

   They both raised their heads.

“If you need anything, just come to us in this interrogation post. We are always here, 24/7.”

“Yes, I will… thank you.”

   I got out of the interrogation post and I waved my hand to them, they waved back.

   I survived that interrogation… I didn’t have the chance to show Garren’s medal to the guards… next time the guard questioned me I’ll show them immediately. Now, take a left out of the building and keep going straight…

   I turn left and keep going straight, passing plenty of people.

“…”

“…”

   I just realized my surroundings… what peculiar world this is… there are so many different races of people. Humans with animal ears and tails, humanoid wolves that stand on two feet, and many more… this truly is a fantasy world…

   I kept walking past the first turn left and I arrived at a town center.

   Whoa… there are dozen of people in this town center… there are also a lot of interesting things during my walk, like merchants selling things I’ve never seen before, a plethora of races, the atmosphere is so peaceful and soothing… I’m amazed…

“..?”

   I could feel stares all around me.

   Why do these people stare at me..? I caught some of them staring into my clothes… actually… I’m still wearing my High School uniform, the cloak is helping with hiding it even for a little. The people in this town wore clothes like in the medieval century… dresses, blouses… no casual or similar clothes like on Earth… I should buy clothes in this town just to avert the unnecessary attention I’m getting…

   I then turn left just as Hendrick said, and I saw a huge building with the sign “Adventurer’s Guild” on it.

   So this is the Adventurer’s Guild..? what a magnificent structure… there are a lot of people… I’m assuming they’re adventurers, gets in and out of the building. Some of them wield swords… bows… staves… maces, and a lot more… will I be able to pull this off..?

   I gulped out of anxiety.

   I have to be brave… I’m sure that’s what Mika would say to me in this situation… I… have to change… well, then. Here we go.