The next day before going to the Adventurer Guild.

"The inns here are so comfortable... I'm glad I listened to the guild master..." she said lost in her thought

"Well, I have to pull myself together. Alice will be here any minute, we have a breakfast planned. Will there be showers somewhere ? Let's check it out."

When Yuna arrived at the baths she could make out two different entrances, one for women and one for men. The front was entirely made of a kind of solid vegetable that slightly reduced the humid and hot air of the baths. At the entrance of the baths, a kind of fabric prevented passers-by from seeing through it.

Slowly, Yuna approached the curtain that led to the women's pool, then lifted it. What she saw behind it impressed her even more, the baths were actually composed of two different rooms, each richly decorated, the first room was used to change clothes. Around this room, there were several closet where she could store her clothes. The first and second room were simply separated by a wooden bridge, this bridge lead on to another room with an open sky, which in the center of this one, had an enormous basin surrounded by stone of different size. Further on, on a small stone path, a single lantern stood straight in front of the visitors. On its side the place was where Yuna would wash herself.

"Wow, it's really impressive ! I am genuely surprised. Did the guild master send me to this inn on purpose ? Why they are staring at me... That make me really uncomfortable... Please stop..." she said as she undressed.

The humid and warm atmosphere fogged up the showers entirely. Yet, even through this thick smoke all eyes were on her.

"Cute!!!"  

"I want to be like her mom..."

"Do you think her hair is natural?"

"I want to touch her tail... It looks really fluffy..." 

Intimidated by all the attention she was getting, Yuna tried to be as discreet as possible. Except that this reaction only drew more attention to her. 

"Why do so many people look at me wherever I go... Let's forget about it, I have to be quick, Alice is waiting for me." 

But then...

"Yuna ~~!!"

Recognizing this voice in a thousand, Yuna said, "Alice?! What the hell are you doing here !"

"Hehehehe ~!  I would never let this opportunity pass me by."

"It still doesn't explain to me what you're doing here ! We were supposed to meet in a restaurant to eat our breakfast and then go to the guild together, not in a bath ! Plus how did you even find me ?!"

"I don't know how to explain it to you... I can just feel you like something is connecting us together."

"Feel me ?"

"Yes, I feel everything you feel, sadness, joy or even anxiety. I've felt everything since you made me drink your blood the other day. I didn't tell you this, but actually when I came to, the first thing I felt when I woke up was a huge sadness from you. I don't know what happened to you, but I can't help but feel what you went through in that connection and how much courage it took for you to overcome it all. That's why I'd like to help you to continue what you're trying to do. It's true, we've only known each other for three days, but if one day in the future you want to talk to me about what happened to you, I'll listen to you without hesitation, as long as you accept me with you of course. Trust me."

"Thank you Alice, for the moment I'm not ready to talk to you about it but one day I'll tell you everything."

With a smile on her lips Alice said, "Take as much time as you need, I'll wait for you don't worry. But first let's hurry up and finish bathing so we can eat breakfast before your test! The guild master is probably waiting for you !"

Can you see it from up there Himiko ? My childhood may have been hard at first but I feel that now everything will be different. I have a feeling of that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

15 minutes later

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Yuna are you ready for your skill test ? "

"Yes, I'm ready."

"In that case, let's go call the guild master."

"For that we must first ask Iris to take us there, right ?"

"Don't worry, the guild employees won't stop me, do I have to remind you who I am?"

"No, you're right. Let's go."

As expected, no one tried to stop them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In front of the guild master's door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Knock knock

"You can come in."

In sync Yuna and Alice say, "Hello, Guild Master."

"Good morning, you two. Did you both sleep well ?"

"Yes, thank you for paying for this luxurious inn Sir."

"No need to thank me. I wasn't about to let our future heroine sleep in a depraved place, was I ?"

"I still want to thank you properly."

"Hahaha, I insist it's nothing. No time to procrastinate, let's get down to business, as you wished, I've brought you an examiner who will take care of you. His name is Hans and he's a Dragonewt like me, the only difference being that he's an adventurer specializing in assassination.

"Okay, I'll take that specialty into account. Can we start the fight now ?"

"Sure, follow me."

"I'm sure you'll pass this test without difficulty, but I still wish you luck Yuna."

"Thank you Alice, after this let's go on an adventure together !"

"Wait, does that mean you'll let me join you on your adventure ?!"

Yuna said with a smile, "Why would I say no ?"  

Without giving Alice time to answer Yuna headed to the arena with the guild master behind her.

When Yuna arrived, a man was already waiting for her in the middle of the arena.

She approached him and asked, "I guess you are Hans, am I wrong ?"

"That's right, today I will be your opponent and I will beat you without any difficulty. An archer cannot defeat an assassin."

A little further up the bleachers, the guild master looked at Hans and said to himself, "What a fool... His arrogance will get him killed."

"What confidence ! As an examiner you should know that underestimating your opponent can be fatal... Class doesn't mean everything you know ?"

"We'll see if what you say is true, young lady."

After finishing his sentence, Hans immediately threw himself at Yuna and activated a skill that completely suppressed her presence. While preparing to pierce Yuna with his dagger forward

after finishing his sentence Hans launched forward his dagger in ready position, before his presence suddenly. vanished

"Pretty good." Yuna noted the skill usage.

"What ?"

"Removing his presence isn't everything. If you really wanted to, you can't let anything show. The sound, the smell, the touch, the sight, or the bloodlust, all have to got supressed. Otherwise..."

Yuna shot her arrow. Then a cry of pain sounded on her right. Without difficulty her projectile hit Hans' right leg which threw him off balance and made him fall. 

When Hans touched the ground, Yuna was already waiting for him at his point of fall, shortsword in hand she caught Hans by the collar then stopped him in his fall. In a simple gesture she slowly brought her blade to his throat ready to end his life.

"You will perish."

In a fraction of a second, Hans' face become blanc and he collapsed unconscious. What he felt at that moment was a deep fear, like a prey facing its natural predator. 

The look in this woman's eyes was that of someone who had experienced the true fear of death.

Without a moment's hesitation, the guild master declared Yuna's victory and her success in the entrance test.

Alice approached Yuna and said, "You came on a little too strong, don't you think?

Totally different from the one she was a second earlier, Yuna answered with a bright hopeful look like a child, "You think so ? I didn't really give 100%..."

Sighing Alice said, "You're really terrifying Yuna... In less than a second you can go from a merciless killer and a remorseless psychopath to a simple, sweet and happy child... How do you do it ?"

Slowly moving her head closer to Alice's, Yuna asked, "You think I'm adorable ?"

"Uuuuu.... aah my heart..." looking away from Yuna, Alice only thought of this sentence, "Too much cuteneeesss !!! She is like my little sister ! I want to protect her... but she is like as tall as me how can she be my little sister ?!"

Clearing his throat, the guild master said, "Well done, Miss Moritoma. You passed this test in such an amazing way ! Are you satisfied now?"

"Yes."

"Then, we welcome you to the Adventurers' Guild! We are happy to work with you from now on. Your adventurer's card is waiting for you at the counter."

"Thank you."

Aeriaa

It's a little hard for me at the moment to give you all an regular update with my studies so I think I will stay like the past week and try to update this novel during the week-end only, sorry for the delay. See you next time !