Half a week went by and I've made a full recovery! Which confused the Royal physician to no end, who believed I would require a week or so to heal. Young bones can't wait around old man! Heh~
"Come on Ava! Getupgetupgetupgetupgetoutofbed, did you forget we're going to explore the city today?" Asty's excitement flooding the room.
"Alright! Alright! I'm getting up! Down bunny!" I lightly chop her head
"I'm a hare." Excellent deadpan delivery! But sure thing bunny.
"I'm excited to visit the city and all, but why are we getting up so damn early, lemme have a nap" Displeasure teaming throughout my joints as I stretch out in defiance of the morning sun.
"Thats enough you lazy cat! We're gonna explore as much of the city as we can today so we have to rise early! Now shuddupandgetready."
*tch*
*glare*
"Alright I'm moving! I'm moving!" Brazen bunny, I shall seek revenge for this, mark my works!
***
Collecting ourselves for the day ahead, we bump into headmaid Ishala who wishes us well. She gave a coy grin to mom who's blushing redder than a tomato. Hmmmmmm... Suspicious. Bidding the royal maid farewell, we continued out of the castle, getting a light briefing from one of the knights under Jasper about the best locations to visit.
A short journey later down the hill that separates the castle and city and we find ourselves at the entrance of an archway comprising of sculptured stone and... marble? I'm no stone person, its shiny-ish and white. Whatever it is, its fancy and clearly expensive! The whole city screams money to be honest, well maintained with fine materials, I wonder how much it costs to live here... That said theres so many people living here, they can't all be rich.
"Lets find the main market square first girls, we can get some breakfast, ask around for the best routes to take and places to see! And maybe... snag some deals, hehehehe." Mom's chuckling to herself maniacally.
"Leettt's GOOOOOO!" Asty skips ahead in excitement, get back here you damn flighty bunny, stick with the tour group at all times.
It really wasn't a hard task to find the market center, all the crowds naturally flowed here to hawk their wears and goods.
"Wooaaahhh, look at that! WOW! We should go there! What about there! Look at that! Ava come on!" Asty dragging my arm, possessing strength of inbunny levels.
"Astrid we'll get to them in due time, lets find a nice place to eat first alright?" Nice save Koko, I was about to have my arm torn off.
"OIOIOI WHADDDDDYA MEAN FIVE SILVER?!" An earth suddering roar explodes from a nearby stall.
"Look little miss, these are the market prices. Per keg. For your people's alcohol. Blame the market, not me missy!" A Lizardkin wearing a brown apron declares, exasperated.
"Yoouuuuuuu- Are you trying to take advantage of me 'cause am a girl?! You fiend! I bet you's eyeing me up right now! You's gonna ask me to do all kinds of things to earn the rest of the money aren't you?! A poor country girl like me being used like this, despicable!"
Before us, funnelling words out of her mouth at an alarming rate stands a slightly shorter than average, beautiful but extremely explosive girl. Her most defining feature is without a doubt her short thick horn, pointing upwards in a smooth curve. Surrounding her horn is bright blue hair fashioned into twintails. Her fierce sparkling eyes locking to the merchant, one a deep red, the other a whiteish pink. Her figure wasn't anything to write home about however she radiates a wild beauty, as if she'd whisper honeied words and then kick you in the groin and steal your money.
"L- look miss, please, you're making a scene! I... I'll take them for 7 silver each okay? Just please leave me alone!" The lizard cries out.
"Hooo? How hard was tha' mister? You coulda gone higher after all and you tried to swindle a poor girl like me! I 'ope you repent!.. Hehe~ thanks for tha business old man!" she cooed out, this is the terrifying world of haggling.
"R-repent? Aren't you an oni? I don't think you should be saying stuff like that, what if an acolyte of Deila heard you?" The merchant retorts.
"Pssht, whatever, see ya later old man!" Practically stealing the money out of his hands, she ditches her barrels on him and swanders off...
Towards us.
"Oioioi! Whatcha lookin' at?! Just 'cause you're all pretty don't mean you can oogle at me like tha'!" Scary! Leave us alone!
"Pardon us miss, we were just exploring the city and overheard your... trade with that man over there, illuminated to say the least." Mom's learning from the headmaids speech a little too much.
"Ooohhhhh, ya saw tha'? Yeah mighty fine business from me if I do say so myself! HAH! Say you said you're new right? How about I show you around?.. For a small fee..." A sly grin shoots in our direction.
"Come on girls lets go, this one's loose in the head." Mom ushers us away
"Wwwwwait! That was just a joke! Just a joke! Don't walk away from me! Oi!" The oni cries out.
"Lissen' to me! Ahh- finally... you stopped... realised my worth have you?! Good! This one goes by the name Sou Kawa of the Black Blood clan! Introduce yourselves! I shall show you all tha' best spots!" Sou announces are plans for us, well at least we don't have to pay now...
...
Handing over our names, Sou leads us around the markets and the best stores to acquire fine clothing and accessories... or more so, the ones she can bully into giving her a better price. Her short tour ends at her favourite tavern, much to my joy, I'm starving! Ordering our food, we find a table near the window, towards the back. Sou leans back in her chair, ale in hand, giggling away. The foods nice enough and the atmosphere's relaxing, no wonder she enjoys it here. Sou asks us about ourselves and why we're in Hayla, trying to avoid too much annoying details, we left out the fact we're living in the castle currently. Returning the question to Sou, she half heartedly tells a story of leaving her clan to make a name for herself, it was easy to tell she was hiding something but thats not for us to pry.
"I suppose we should check in at the adventurers guild before we go tonight, register that we're here." Koko makes a good point, the guild does like you to do that.
"YOU'S ARE 'VENTURERS?!" The tavern freezes at Sou's outbreak. Our entire table shakes under her fists. What in the heck, oni! Ah- my drink...
"Ahem, sorry... Please!" Once again slamming our table, there goes the drink Asty gave me after mine flew... "Let me join you on your next mission!"
"Haah?!" We all exclaim.
"I'm registered... it's just, no one wants to partna up wi' me, please! I'm strong, can take a hit, lots of hits really! Oni blood is no weaklin'!" Sou flustered with her explanation, cries out.
"Alright alright, stop banging the table! We can discuss you joining us miss scammer, but you'll have to earn any part of the reward!" Mom's doing her best to keep this oni under control.
"I can hel- wait really? You's take me? Really? No joke? You's can't take it back yakno'?" Sou beaming with confusion and excitement at our agreement to her.
"You're a good girl sou, don't worry about it!" Koko throws a soft smile in her direction.
"Ahh- Thank yous! I won't let ya down!" She bows in a laughably awkward way, that was kind of cute, really.
"Well tha' days still young! Let's show you round some mores!" Sou confidently declares, leading us out into the city.
***
After many, many... so many hours of walking... My feet! Waahhhhhhhh... Our exploration left no stone unturned, the city was conquered! How can one place have so much. I did learn however that not everywhere in the city is prestine looking as this area, there are some parts more resembling slums, by no means were they bad, just less maintained and poorer. Seems like everyone is cared for to some extent here, even if there is obvious favouritism. Finally we end our tour back in front of the adventurers guild. All the receptionist were very busy counting subjegation rewards and the likes, so we decided to check in tomorrow and find a quest while we're at it, to which Sou was exuding excitement. Honestly Sou got cuter the longer we spent together, she's boysterous and bossy. Loud and cheeky but she hides a layer of sweetness underneath. I'm pretty sure she's just lonely.
With everything settled for the day, we decided to go back to the castle, bidding Sou farewell until tomorrow.
