Servi walked over to the door and opened it up, allowing Momo to walk through first. After a polite thank you and you’re welcome, Servi walked and joined her friend. The sun was already high in the sky, and the heat beating down affected everyone but Servi.

“I don’t know how you do it. You’re carrying that heavy shield, and you're in that armor…” Momo said as she pulled a white handkerchief from her bag. She wiped her face clean before putting it back.  

“I consider it training. Like, I’m preparing my body. Besides, I’m pretty used to the weight of this shield,” Servi raised her arm, which was inside and gripping the handle to the shield, to the sky and lowered it. To her, it weighed just a little more than a rock.

“Amazing. And your arms are still so slender too!” After realizing what she said, Momo went red in the face and covered her mouth.  

Servi laughed and took it off her arm. “Here, you want to try it?” 

Momo nodded, and the two of them walked off to the side of the road. Servi held it up while Momo slipped her hand through the strap.  

“Let me know when you got a good grip, okay?” 

“Hmm… Okay. I think I got it..." A falsely confident smiled formed on Momo’s face. She didn’t have it.  

“Alright. I’ll slowly remove my hands, alright? If it gets heavy, just say something, and I’ll grab it.” 

Seeing Momo nod, Servi slowly removed her hands from the shield as Momo dug her feet in the ground and took a weird stance. She was almost leaning backwards while she used her other hand to support the one holding the shield.  

“How is it?” Servi stepped back and away, but she still had a grip on the shield through the use of her Telekinesis. The first thing she did was apply an anchor point, which was an invisible spot where she could control and manipulate objects. But she didn’t do anything with it. It was there just in case.  

“It’s…super…he…avy..” Momo gritted through her teeth, and Servi took that as a sign to help her.  

“I don’t see how you do it. It’s like paper to you, isn’t it?” 

“It’s just like with archery. Once you get used to it and practice, even you can wield a shield like this,” Servi said as she slipped her left arm through the two straps and made a fist around the handle. Her sword was still in the hollowed-out slot on the top of the shield. It acted as something of a sheath, but Servi vaguely suspected the hole was for something else.  

The two walked away from the corner and continued their journey to the forum location. The two enjoyed each other’s company as they chatted, and they were glad they were in a party together. Along the way, the two saw a few merchants a few blocks away selling various types of juices and food. They wanted to get in on the potential profit that came with a public gathering. A lot of people could mean a lot of customers.  

The first stall had a faded and worn-out sign of a cow holding a sword, and it was oddly called Fight Milk. Perhaps it wasn’t the best presentation, considering the name was written in what looked to be yellow and green paint, but it had heart.  

The second stall was, weirdly enough, a sword with arms holding a cow. Predicatively, the name was called... Cow Sword?  

“How about it? Want something to drink?” Servi asked, and Momo nodded.  

“Yeah, but I don’t know about those two stalls. I don’t want to judge, but they’ve been bickering ever since I saw them.” 

“Eh, you’re right. Let’s see if we can find something up ahead,” Servi continued walking, having just enough space because people would rather avoid her and her shield, and kept an eye out for another stall. Even now, she heard some guy yelled at another man named Charlie to shut up.  

Leaving that behind them, the two friends quickly found a more reputable and normal-looking stall from which they ordered juice. Momo wanted apple juice, and Servi settled for orange juice. It was a few dupla each, and if they returned the cup, they’d get one dupla back. After downing their glasses, they took them back and received their partial refund. 

“Man, I wished I had a watch,” Servi mumbled as she approached the sight of a battle so fierce, hundreds of men lost their lives. The gate she had stolen with Absorption had a replacement, and so they waited in line. From what she gathered, she would have to show her ID to the guards to enter.  And even then, there was another checkpoint a bit further ahead.  

The sun beat down harder and hotter as it approached noon, and other than the guards, Servi was the only one in full armor. Everywhere else she looked, she saw people with a chest plate and nothing else or a mismatched variety of different parts. Though the one thing they all had in common was the fact that everyone here had a weapon. It seemed the guards thought they had everything under control in the event of an attack. Or perhaps the new governor was that confident in his skills. Servi didn’t know.  

She continued to people watch as Momo replied to her previous statement of owning a watch. “I want one too, but they’re surprisingly expensive. Even a simple one costs a few hundred dupla. It’ll be nice knowing the exact time, but I don’t think we’re late,” Momo did a little hop. She saw a long line of people that went all the way up the driveway and into the exact spot the house used to be. In the area where the mansion used to sit, there were rows and rows upon white chairs.

“I didn’t know they were that expensive,” Servi replied.  

“Yeah. It’s a Skill Item, and that’s only for a simple one that only tells the time. By paying a lot more, you can get watches that tell you the current date and time, as well as how hot or cold it is. But those start at about ten thousand.” 

“Ten thousand?!” exclaimed Servi. “For just a watch?!” 

“Yep. My grandpa told me that as long as people willing to buy crazy and expensive things, they’ll always be a market for it,” Momo said as an absentmindedness smile appeared on her face. Her eyes looked down into the ground like she was watching the events of a long past day.  

“I see,” replied the girl who didn’t know a single thing about her friend other than her name and the fact she was close with her grandpa. Servi thought that maybe it was time to get to know her more since they’ve been party members and friends for over a month, but she quickly stopped that line of thought because it wasn't fair.

As far as Servi was concerned, Momo knew even less about Servi. All Servi had was her first name, and that was it. Servi didn't know if she had a last name, if she had any friends or family, or why she woke up just a few hours away from Canary. Of course, she could lie and make it all up, but then when Momo finally learned the truth, and she would, one day, it’d make telling her that much harder.  

Quick question, what are you going to do if Eina and Blasé see you? You told them your name was Flyneria.  

“I’ll say they have the wrong person,” Servi pretended to sneeze and covered her mouth. During the past few weeks, Servi noticed Momo stared at her whenever she tried to talk to Itarr. She had to get creative with it when she wanted to speak to her beloved Goddess.

I guess that’s a good plan. 

The yellow replacement gate the new Governor picked out was nothing like the one Servi stole during the attack. In fact, it was still stored in her ring. It did occur to Servi that she should sell the gate. If Parrel, a man who kept thirty million dupla in a chest, had it, it had to be worth something. But she didn’t want it to be traced back to her. 

Looking over, Servi saw Momo take out another cloth from her bag. She wiped her soft face and neck somewhat erotically, though she didn’t do it on purpose before putting it back. 

“Hey, how much is a good canteen? Do you know?” Servi asked.

“Umm…” Momo put her index finger to her chin and started thinking. “I guess it just depends... I saw one a few days ago that was going for 105 dupla. It was made out of a material that guaranteed to keep cold cold and hot hot for hours.” 

“Cold cold and hot hot?” Servi asked, and Momo went red in the cheeks.  

“It was on their stall, and it sounded kinda cute. Don’t you think?” 

“It’s adorable, I’m not gonna lie. But I might want to pick up one soon. Maybe next time we score big in the sewers. Depending on this announcement, the number of people going into our hunting grounds might decrease.” 

The line shifted forward a bit more.  

“It’s not like our names are on them, but it would be nice.” Momo agreed. The line shifted forward again.  

“Hey, the lines moving pretty quick now. Maybe we got here a bit too early, and now they’re just letting people in?” theorized Servi.  

“That’s probably it. In that case, it’s probably around 11:20 or so.” 

The line started to shift forward, and this time, it never stopped.  

---

After a few minutes of constant shuffling and moving forward, they finally made their way through the new gate and up the driveway to where the mansion sat just a month ago. Though Servi expected there to be a giant black mark from the fire, it was anything but. Green grass laid before her. Beautiful and softly glistening, it seemed to Servi as if the grass was freshly watered.

Three sections of white lawn chairs stood grouped together to cover the disgustingly open space. In between each group of chairs stood an adjustable metal pipe with a thick base. It had some kind of odd object attached to the top.

The guards standing at the side directed each person to find a chair. Not wanting to stand out, Servi made her way towards the back and sat down. The white wooden chair creaked under the combined weight of Servi's armor and shield, so Servi removed her equipment and laid it beside her. Momo, meanwhile, took the seat right next to Servi and hugged her bag tightly against her chest. As more people took their seats, the overall noise gradually raised to something more than a murmur. It was clear to see that both excitement and apprehension filled the invisible atmosphere. 

In front of the chairs sat a stage containing three more chairs and metallic pipes. Servi couldn't hold her curiosity anymore and asked Momo if she knew what they are.

“Those? They’re called voice loudners. It’s a type of Skill Item that amplifies your voice. That little thingy on top does it all, and the rest is just for support.” 

“They look just like a microphone.” 

Puzzled, Momo asked what that was.  

“It’s a little object that you speak into, and it amplifies your voice.” 

“I never heard of a microphone before. Maybe it’s the same thing but a different name?” replied Momo. She spoke while watching the vast amount of people struggle to find an empty seat.  

“Hmm,” meanwhile, Servi watched as three lines steadily formed behind the three microphone-looking objects.  

“What do you think they’re lining up for?” asked Servi.  

Momo raised her arms up and stretched before answering. Her pink ears twitched slightly.  “They’re probably lining up to ask questions. Grandpa said that when he was traveling, some towns he went to had these forums every week. Do you have anything you want to ask?” 

“Well, I might if I knew what was gonna be announced.” 

Just then, three people walked up the side of the stage and took a seat. Even from this far back, Servi never forgot the blond hair and blue eyes that belonged to a set of twins. Eina and Blasé Dearton. Servi thought Blasé’s smooth and fancy black suit suited him a lot more than the very low-quality armor he had on when they first met. Meanwhile, Eina wore a black pantsuit that hugged her attractive body. A set of glasses sat on her cute face, and a black briefcase completed the secretarial look. Servi had to admit she looked quite beautiful up there.  

Then, she glanced to their left, and it was like a sack fell inside her stomach. It was a man who wore black armor with the word ‘Justice’ and an unmistakable face, brown hair, and brown eyes she would never forget.  The look on Seko and Seka’s face as he pushed Seko to the ground. The twins' look of resentment and fear of that moment, possibly being the end of their life, was too much for Servi to take.  She didn't have any power at the time to do anything.

But now? She did. The amount of power available to Servi was astronomically higher than anything he could do. It was like comparing a hammer to a legendary sword enchanted with the seven elements. Even now, thinking about it was enough for her to grip her shield. Though she couldn’t dent it by squeezing it--she physically wasn't strong enough-- Servi broke the tips of her fingers. After they healed the first time, she pinched the metal with more force and broke them three more times.

Servi fantasied about how she would punish Fisher. First, she’d tear off his fingers one by one before running a knife up his arm. Then, Servi would take some skin and peel him alive before pouring boiling hot water on his exposed muscle. Oh, how sublime his screams would be, she thought.  

That bastard doesn’t deserve a painless death. He deserves more and more and more! I will rip his fucking heart out and feed it to the dogs!!  

Itarr sensed the hatred growing in Servi’s heart and calmly talked her down as much as she could.  

Please, I know you want to make him pay, but we can’t do it now. Think of Momo. Imagine her instead of that man and be still your heart. I promise that we’ll kill him later.  

Servi released her grip from her shield and took a deep breath. Momo, hearing this, glanced over and was a bit shocked to discover such a look on her friend’s face. The Singi went to ask Servi if she was okay but stopped when the man in the suit on the stage spoke. Momo made a mental note to ask her friend later.  

With a booming voice amplified by the microphone-like object, Governor Blasé spoke.  

“Everyone, I thank you for finding the time to come to this forum. My name is Blasé Dearton, and I was sent here by the King to govern the town after he received news of the previous Governor’s passing. I’m sure you all have many questions, so please ask when we get to the end. In the meantime, we will now announce something we’ve been planning for the last month.” He stepped away from the microphone, and Eina walked up to it. The tight clothes hugged her body oh so well, and there was no doubt many men felt the blood rush to their lower heads.

“As Governor Blasé said, we have been working with Warden for the past month to introduce something that will establish confidence,” she spoke with such conviction as she used her free hand to adjust her glasses. “We’re happy to announce that starting tomorrow, Warden will implement a mentor program for Rank 10 members.” 

There was a slight buzz amongst the audience, Momo included, who listened with wary ears. A few people thought that this couldn’t possibly be the announcement.  Why would the governor make a scene out of something that wouldn't suit most of Warden?

“The reason behind this is simple: during the horrific attack last month, we’ve found out that the confidence of all Rank 10 members, as well as those of lower ranks, have dropped dramatically. Experienced members will be paired up with Rank 10 members and tutored for a month to improve their confidence. After which, we will hold a tournament for Rank 10 members who applied to be in the program,” Eina stood back from the microphone as the murmur returned. Everyone in the audience talked amongst themselves for a moment before Fisher took the stand.  

“The city guard agrees with the Governor. But that’s not all. We believed that damage to the city and markets could’ve been reduced dramatically. During our investigation of the attack, we discovered a tunnel underneath a house in a particular part of the city, mainly visited by Rank 10 members. Upon further investigation, we found out that a not-so-insignificant amount of people were knowledgeable about the tunnel, including a large group of Rank 10 members. Unfortunately, they were threatened by the foul enemies to stay silent. We believed that if they were more confident and had more faith in their abilities and strength, as well as Warden, this entire attack could’ve been avoided and prevented. If it were, then we’d be having a public execution for those responsible. Since the city guard agrees with this plan, we have decided to send some of our former mid-ranking members to Warden to take part. Thank you.” 

If news about the mentorship and training caused a murmur, then the knowledge about the attack was an eruption of both excitement and regret. More than a few members thought that it was disrespectful of those who were threatened to stay silent. But those people didn’t understand. They didn’t understand the fear that a young man or woman would experience by having a bloody knife pressed against their throats, knowing that they were literal moments away from having their neck slashed.  

Death was frightening for those who feared it.  

For Servi, who was directly involved in the attacks, she didn’t even blink at that newfound knowledge. In her eyes, a little bit of threatening behavior was worth it if it resulted in the freedom of hundreds of slaves.  

Back on stage, Fisher sat down, and Blasé came back to the microphone.  

“Now, we’ll be taking questions. If you have any, please get in line behind the voice loudners.” 

At that declaration, many stood up and took their place in line. Each one had at least thirty people standing behind the tall metal object.  

“Alright, we’ll start with you on the right,” Blasé pointed to his right to a young Dwarf holding a shield.  

“Aye. Who will be the mentors? Is it just those who are lower-ranked in Warden? And how many students to a mentor? 

“Yes. Over the past month, we asked the receptionists at Warden to ask anyone they thought would be a good match. Of course, if you didn’t get asked and think you would be a good fit, please ask a receptionist, and they will go over your Warden history and give you an answer. We’re aiming for a one-to-one system, but if we get too many applicants, then some mentors will have two or even three students.” 

The middle line was next to go. It was a rugged Human with black hair and one eye. “How is the city funding this? The markets that were attacked contributed a lot to the financial success of this city, and it's the reason why Canary was turned from a forgotten dirt town to something respectable.” 

Respectable? Don't give me that shit. There ain't anything to respect about how this city acquired its wealth. Servi thought, picturing the one-eyed man's death.

“Good question. The previous Governor had a secret fund set aside in a hidden location for such an occasion. I have decided to take that and use it to fund this tournament, the mentorship program, and other things I have planned. In the meantime, we are working out the details on something that will replace the markets yet bring even more money. Be rest assured, the city will thrive and survive for many years to come. Next.” 

The last line was the last to go. It was a Singi with black hair and a white tail. “Where will this tourney be held at? And is there a prize? Or is it mainly a feel-good thing? And what about any fees? 

Blasé was taken back by the bluntness of the Singi but recovered near instantly. “In one month from today. I have hired some workers to turn a large abandoned warehouse, which I bought, into a fine arena complete with a ring and bleachers for watching. After this tournament is over, we plan to hold regular ones in its location. And yes, there will be a prize; for both this one and for all the ones to come. The one who comes in first place will receive a camping set for two. We know that they can be a bit expensive, and we figured having this item up for grabs will provide a lot of incentive for those who wouldn’t usually sign up to sign up. In addition, the mentor who taught the winner will also receive a reward that is to be revealed at a later date.

“On the subject of fees, the tournament is free to all who participate. For those who want to watch, there will be a small entrance fee. Food and drink vendors have already been contracted."

“How do I sign up?” asked the Singi before they were shuffled away by the person standing behind them.

“Tomorrow, and this applies to all who want to participate, go to Warden and speak with a receptionist. They will ask you some questions and take your information. They will run that against a list of mentors to find the best one for you. Afterwards, you’ll receive their information as well as directions to meet them. Once you meet them, it is up to both of you to accept the mentorship. Remember, this is based on trust and mutual relationships. Both parties have to agree for the mentorship to work. Note: sign-ups last a week, and then they’re closed. Be sure to register as soon as you can if you want in.” 

After he said that, the Governor and Fisher answered questions for thirty more minutes. Eina, Blasé's secretary, remained sitting and penned everything down on paper.

Governor Blasé ended the forum by thanking everyone for their time and announcing the following day's paper will have more information.