After thirteen minutes, three minutes passed the agreed-upon ten minutes, Servi was starting to get worried.  

Why don’t you take a look around? She might have come down before us. 

Servi did just that. Roaming through the lobby, Servi dipped and swerved and squeezed through the group of parties that were about to head out on their afternoon quests. It was currently 11:34 am, and the late morning and early noon happened to be the busiest time of the day. People were waking up, getting ready, and all trying to find a party at the same time and place as each other.

It was chaos. And yet, that chaos is what people loved about Warden. The feeling of camaraderie and the fact that everyone was working together to make the world a better place was something everyone could get behind.

Whether it was a quest to put down a rampaging dragon, a task to find a mystical ore in the bottom of a thousand-floor tower, or a helping an elderly lady with finding herbs, any mission that came through Warden needed to be completed.

“Excuse me, pardon me, my bad. Excuse me,” Servi apologized as she went, squeezing around Kobolds while doing her best to avoid running into anyone. Before long, she heard the familiar voice of her party member.  Unfortunately, it was followed by three she didn't know.  A bad feeling welled up within Servi's heart.

“Umm, I’m waiting for a friend, so I’m sorry, I can’t leave. Please, I should be by the stairs looking for her. AHHH--!"

Turning her head, Servi saw her new friend leaning against the hard wall. A man wearing a set of grimy yellow armor complete with an equally nasty yellow helmet slammed his hand next to Momo’s head. Servi recognized the woman and the other man with him as the two who were leaving when she first arrived at the building yesterday. The two had black hair and matching scars that went from the bridge of their nose to their lips.

“Come on, baby, leave the friend and hang with us,” the yellow armored guy said in a syrupy tone. “Whatever friend you're waiting on, she ain’t got nothing compared to me."

“Yea, you don’t want to cause a scene, do you? Damn, I bet you taste good. Let me get a good look at what you got,” the woman said. She had on a red buttoned shirt and brown pants. A small dagger, visible on her hip, was begging to be used. She licked her lips seductively as she put a hand toward Momo’s stomach, who closed her eyes in fear.  

“Nah, open her eyes. I want her to look at me when—” the second man said. He had a watch adorned on each wrist. A small axe found a spot inside his belt loop.  Fortunately, he didn’t have time to continue his sentence, nor did the woman fully reach her hand out. It was stopped by Servi, who stood between them.  

The woman turned to look at the intruder and clicked her tongue.  

“Sorry, Momo, it took me a bit longer to get ready.  Are you ready?” 

“Umm… Y-y-yes—” Momo began to speak, but she was so nervous that she couldn’t help but stutter.  

“Listen, girlie, we wanna have fun with the Singi. You know, the base of the tail is the most sensitive,” the woman licked her lips again, and Momo wrapped her tail around her waist. From behind her, Servi could feel her shake in fear.  

Please permit me to kill them.  

“No!” Servi said, speaking to both Itarr and the woman. “Look, my friend and I have quests to do, so let us go.  If you refuse, well, I don’t mind screaming for help,” all three stared down Servi, who had her stick by her side. She remembered the rules and knew that she couldn’t make trouble in the office, but she couldn’t stand by and watch this happen. Before long, the woman spoke.  

“Bitch, you ain’t any fun. Axel,  Yellow, come on, let’s get out of here,” she pointed at the two men and jerked her head. The three started to walk off but stopped when the woman did. She turned back around.  

“The name’s Mossi. Remember it, because I’m gonna get revenge for stopping my fun,” after saying her piece, she threatened Servi and Momo. After realizing they were within range, Servi spoke quietly.  

“Itarr, take everything they have that’s small enough to not light up the ring, but don’t take the clothes or armor that the two men have on.” 

Gladly.  

Though she could have done it herself, Servi was too stressed out to concentrate.

“Hot damn, check out the tits on her!” 

“Bahaha! I always knew the carpet matched the drapes.” 

“How much for a lay? I’ll give you 20 if you suck me off, Mossi.” 

“AAHHHHH!” though Servi had turned her back and had her attention was on Momo, she chuckled when Mossi screamed.  

“M-M-M-Mossi?! When did you get naked?!” the one called Axel screamed out. A moment later, a slap echoed throughout the now quiet lobby, and the door flew open.  

I took three coin purses. They held a combined total of 459 dupla. Also, I manage to snag one dagger, an axe, and Mossi's clothing. I also managed to take three pieces of cloth they had. I think they were called handkerchiefs? I made sure they're clean.

In a sweet and calm voice, Servi hugged Momo, who slowly opened her eyes.  

“Don’t worry, Momo, those three left. It’s okay, I’m right here.” 

“S-S-Servi!!” Momo cried out and hugged Servi back. “I’m shorry, I’m so shorry.” Her emotions ran so high she couldn't correctly pronounce her words.

“You have nothing to be sorry about. Come on, it’s okay.” 

Even though people turned their heads and watched as the Human hugged the pink-haired Singi, the two didn’t care. After a few minutes, Momo stopped crying and grabbed a handkerchief from her bag. She put it back in after wiping her face.   

“Now, are you feeling better?” Servi asked. She wasn’t hugging her, but she had her hands on Momo’s shoulders.  

Momo nodded. 

“That’s good.” 

I have their faces and names memorized.  

“You probably think I’m weak, don’t you? And I bet you don’t want to party up with me anymore... Especially after you saw me cry...” Momo looked at Servi, then at the ground. She could feel the tears coming back, but she did her best to keep them at bay.

“…” 

“Heh, I’m right. I bet you’re thinking, ‘how can a girl who’s too afraid to stand up for herself be strong enough to fight monsters?’ I don’t know myself… I’m just a pathetic cat...” 

“……” 

“I don’t blame you. You’re better off fin—” 

“You’re wrong!” Servi interrupted her.  

“But I’m no—” 

“Yes, you are. You’re not weak, and you’re not pathetic or anything of that. Look, we’re party members, right? Earlier, you said, and I quote, ‘I’ll watch your back, and you can watch mine.’ And that’s just what I did.  I know we just met, but we're friends, aren't we?” 

Momo still stared at the ground, so Servi put her stick down and gently turned Momo’s head so that they were making eye contact. Powerful and confident red eyes stared deep into scared and frightened blue eyes. Eyes that had lived through a hard life, and even though Servi didn’t know it at the time, she felt that pain. And it resonated with her.  

"Friends?"

“Look, you’re the one that wanted to get stronger with me, right? So let’s do that. And next time, you can defend yourself from people like that, but if you can’t, I’ll have your back. We’re a team, right?” 

“Do you mean that?” Momo said quietly. Though she tried not to, tears slowly fell from her eyes.   

Servi reached into her pouch and secretly pulled a handkerchief from her ring.  

“Of course I do,” she said as she wiped her new friend's tears.  

“Now, if you need more time, we c—” 

“I’m ready. I’ll be outside waiting on you.” Momo smiled as she spoke. Though her face was red and wet, it was like she had discovered a new source of courage and strength to draw from.

And that strength was the very first friend she made after leaving her village.

Momo bent down, grabbed Servi’s staff, handed it to her, and made her way outside.

If you don’t mind, can you tell me why you said all that? Not that I’m saying it’s wrong, and I’m happy you did that since I like seeing her happy, but I want to understand the logic behind you doing that.  

“It’s simple. I've only met four people that I don't want to instantly slaughter. I like Aier and Claire, and Rakred doesn't seem that bad. Momo's a bit too naïve, but I do want to be friends with her. But it's not just that. Tonight is when I’m going to patrol the town and take revenge for those who can’t fight back.  While I’ll try to be sneaky about it, she’ll discover it sooner or later, and when she does, I want her to understand that I’m not a person who kills indiscriminately. That’s why I need her trust."  

I can understand that.  

Servi continued. “I don’t know how, but when we made eye contact, I felt the anger in her eyes. She might not be aware of it, but it was like something thrashed out in anger, desperately wanting to slaughter and maim those three.” 

What is your end goal? 

“I want her to realize that she isn’t pathetic or weak. I want her to have the strength to stand up and take care of herself. That doesn’t mean I’ll leave her, but in cases where I can’t be around, I want her to have the confidence to stand up and protect herself."  

Should I add that to your list of goals? Is that three so far? 

“That’s right. My first and main goal is to get stronger so we can find our memories, my second is to take revenge for those that want it but can’t, and my third is to rebuild Momo’s courage and confidence. Speaking of which, if we can complete quests and raise our Rank, I can do the first and third concurrently.  I guess I can do the second, too. Hell, maybe this Warden thing won't be that bad. That sound good to you?"

Yes.  

“Good. Now, let’s go meet up with our new friend.” 

Servi trekked through the crowded lobby and eventually reached the door. After silently cursing under her breath, she went outside to search for Momo, who was leaning against a nearby wall. She waved and smiled at Servi, then the two walked around the Warden building. They found a sign that pointed to a staircase leading down to a metal door. That door had ‘Path To Sewer’ written on it. When Servi and Momo opened it, they found themselves in a downward-leaning tunnel faintly lit by torches. It wasn’t that long, but it was wide enough that four large men could walk side-by-side and have room to spare for a fifth. At the end of the short path, they found another door. It had ‘Sewer Entrance’ engraved on it.  

Once they opened that door, a large circular area came into view. It was around the size of the Warden lobby. Ten beds, separated into two groups of five and divided by a curtain, sat to the far right. A sign that hung from the ceiling above the beds had ‘Infirmary’ written on it. Two people sat in the two chairs nearby. The white and red band wrapped around their arm said ‘Healer On Duty.’ To the left, on the opposite side of the makeshift hospital, sat three makeshift stalls with various items and weaponry on display.  

The area itself was dark and dank, only illuminated by a few torches here and there. The room contained two doors. Servi and Momo came in through one and the other, located just ahead of them, sandwiched between two guards. Once they entered that door, they would officially be in the sewers. Giant rats, roaches, and bats crawled, slithered, and fluttered around, making it a perfect place to learn how to fight and kill.  

“There's a store and everything in here!” Momo said after her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. She and Servi walked further in and went to the three stalls.  

“Well, you’re not wrong. This is something Warden set up. Statistically, most first-time Warden adventurers choose a sewer as the location of their first quest. Because of that, Warden set up this base at the entrance,” Servi and Momo turn to look at the speaker. A young man with metal armor walked over. “My name's Arty, and I’m a Rank 10. I work here in my spare time to make some extra money,” he held out a hand.  

“My name’s Servi. So, are you like an employee?” Servi asked as she shook his hand. 

“Yep. Warden hires Rank 10 members to run this base. We have three merchants selling beginner items just over there. Over there is the infirmary. You gotta pay, but it’s cheaper than buying a potion. And me? I’m a guard that keeps a lookout for runaway monsters.  You can usually find me right over there," Arty pointed towards the door that led deeper into the sewers.

“Interesting,” Momo said, shaking his hand. “Can you offer any tips for fighting? Oh yeah, my name’s Momo.” 

“For the rats and roaches, I can, but I never fought the giant bats. You see, the rats are big with sharp claws, but they’re brittle and easy to break. Most of the rats you’ll fight in here will have two, maybe three sets of unbroken claws. The roaches, however, like to rear up and stab at you with their long legs. Their underbelly is smooth and weak, so aim there. You can pierce their shells with a spear, but it's not worth the hassle. Do you two know any skills?” Arty asked after explaining.  

“No. All I have is this stick,” Servi held it out and showed Arty.  

“Nope, but I have my grandpa’s sword,” Momo did the same with her sword.  

“I see. Well, every monster in here except for Black Croc has a D-Level of 10.” 

“What’s the Black Croc? And what’s this about a D-Level? Momo, do you know?” Servi asked. She had a slight edge in her voice, possibly from not being told about something important. Momo shook her head.  

“You two don’t know? Either the recruiter or receptionist should have told you. They didn’t, and now I have to do their job,” he sighed. “D-Level is something that Warden came up with a few years ago to tell others how dangerous a monster is. For example, the giant rat has a D-Level of 10, which means that a party consisting of Rank 10 members should have little to no trouble when facing said monster. It goes from 10 to 0, with 0 being the lowest and therefore most dangerous. Any questions?” 

Momo raised her hand. “Mr. Arty, if that D-Level refers to a party, then what about those who go solo?” 

That was a good question. For someone like Servi, the D-Level ranks were useless since she wasn't normal, but from now on, she had to take D-Level into account when choosing a quest.  Especially since she was adventuring with Momo.

“Well….there isn’t. When people think of Warden, they think of a party of heroes, plural, not a hero, singular. Though if I had to guess, I’d say that a single Rank 9 should be able to take out a monster that has a D-Level of 10. Though the world isn’t fair, and it could be that someone needs to be Rank 8 or even 7 to take on a D-Level 10. It could also be the opposite. Does that clear things up?” Arty said.

“Then what about that Black Croc? What's his D-Level?” Servi was the one to ask this time. 

“Yes, it has one of 6. It may sound dangerous, but it stays far away in the deepest level of the sewers. There is no need to worry about it. I’m sorry, but I have to get back to work. Come by later, and I’ll try to answer any more questions. After all, we Rank 10s need to look out for each other,” with a confidant smile, Arty left the two girls alone and sauntered over to his post.

“So you didn’t know about the D-Level? If you ask me, that whole enemy classification system seems too complicated,” Servi said to Momo, who wandered over to the stalls. Servi followed her, looking at the various crude weaponry and items that were for sale.  

A few swords and sticks with nails sticking out were the cheapest. A tiny metal glove, much too small for even a child’s hand, was the best thing there. Servi didn't know what she could use it for.  Maybe she could use it as a projectile and throw it?

All the other items weren't in the best shape, like a sword with half a blade and an axe with a chipped and dull edge.

“It is pretty complicated, but today’s the first time I’ve heard of it as well. Grandpa didn't say anything about it,” Momo replied.  

“I see. Well, are you ready? I’m pretty sure we need to go through that door over there,” Servi pointed to the door next to Arty.  

“I am! I'm gonna do my best!” Momo giggled as she and Servi walked over to the door.  Their footsteps echoed about the tiny base, providing a somewhat comforting background noise amongst the chattering.

They stopped just shy of the door. “Now, before we go in, we need to think of a game plan. I can distract the enemies, but you’re the one with an actual weapon. Killing them falls to you.” 

“Y-you can count on me!” Momo struggled to say.

You can count on me, as well. I promise to keep an eye out for her. Itarr said.