“So… What do you know about the city?” asked Sissy as we rode past a patch of colorful flowers. It sat opposite a small pond that snaked through the nearby forest. Arcton’s towering walls were about twenty minutes away, and a few wagons were in front and behind us. It had been a while, but we finally encountered other travelers.    

“They close the gates at night,” I replied, drinking a cup of water. It was fresh and tasty—like pureness given form.  

“Are we gonna make it on time?” Momo had her cheeks stuffed with a potato snack Albert had made. He sliced them into chips, softened them in boiling water, and baked them in a pizza oven he had crudely constructed with Itarr’s help. A generous sprinkling of salt and rosemary finished it off.    

Crunch!  

“Definitely. Hey, mind passing me a few?”   

“Here ya go! They’re good, aren’t they? Can’t you hear that crunch when you bite into them?”  

Crunch!  

“You could really make money if you wanna sell your food,” said Gerld, eating a leftover slice of pizza. Suusa had taken over controlling the carriage.   

“I have thought about it,” replied Albert. He had manifested and sat beside me. “Perhaps one day in the future, but I’m afraid the time won’t be here anytime soon.”  

“That’s a shame. But anyway, we’re still in the clear. The gates don’t close for another hour, but do you know anything else? This is your first time to Arcton, right?”  

“It is,” I answered. “Claire, a friend at the guild, told us it doesn’t have the best reputation. And it’s filled with pickpockets, and it’s split into different districts. It’s part of the Canary Duchy, so I guess it’s under Duchess Ashford’s control.”  

“And that’s about it for me, too. When I traveled to Canary, I ignored Arcton because of the rumors. I ensured I had enough supplies to bypass it completely."  

“It isn’t called the City of Unpleasantness for nothing. Have you heard of the fighting circuit?” Momo and I shared a look and shook our heads.  

“It’s like the city’s sport,” added Gerld. “Basically, it’s people going at it in unarmed combat while a crowd gathers and watches. You can bet on who you think will win and make money.”  

So… Gladiator matches?  

“I wonder why Claire didn’t say anything.”  

“Maybe she wanted us to experience it ourselves? What good is an adventure if someone spoils everything for you? It makes sense to not keep secrets about a monster that you might find inside a cave or forest, but something like this… It’s like a happy secret, I guess?”  

“I dunno if I would call it that, but I’m intrigued. How much is it to watch?”  

“Depends on the type of fight. They have an amateur circuit and a professional one. But there are always medics and healers on standby. And you’re almost always guaranteed to make at least a handful of dupla. Of course, you’d get more if you win.”  

“How interesting… Well, it’s probably too late to check it out. We need to make the deliveries and find an inn.”  

“Yep. The plan is to head to the guild, get our destination, make the delivery, and then return the horse and wagon to those stables.” Sissy pointed, and I saw a house, a few barns, and a couple of fields in the distance. “We could find an inn that has a stable attached, but that’s extra. The rental service has a contract with the one outside, so repair and maintenance are included in the price.”  

“How about I save us a trip?”  

“What do you mean, Servi?”  

“I have more than enough space in my ring to hold your cargo.” Sissy didn’t follow, but she gasped when the wagon’s supplies vanished. Itarr’s voice quickly echoed and said she would take extra care of it.   

“And see? It’s all there,” I said, retrieving the items. They vanished once more.   

“And you don’t mind? It’s not a problem? I knew you said your ring was enchanted with [Dimensional Storage], but I didn’t think it worked like this.”  

“Not at all.”  

“Suusa, change of plans! To the stables! Our equestrian friend needs some rest. I bet the poor thing is still frightened.”  

Suusa just grunted and lightly whipped the reigns, and we slowly veered towards our new destination.    

---

We entered without issue after showing our dog tags. The guards understood we were here on a quest and waved us through.  

The place had a greasy vibe to it. Roaming groups of shoeless children ran up and down the streets. I saw a few bump into a man, pickpocketing his bag of dupla from his pouch. The brats ran by us, but I stored the rucksack and subtly returned it to the man once we passed him.    

I mean, the city had a weathered charm. The cobblestone roads were just a bit… lacking in cleanliness. A slight grime seemed to coat every surface, but the wear and tear was evident in the dust that clung to the buildings. The occasional waft of some unidentifiable odor teased my senses, a reminder of the less-than-ideal cleanliness of the town.   

“Ahh… This place never changes… Just follow me, and I’ll take us to the guild.”  

“So, I have a question. Is it rare to get a delivery quest without a specific destination?”  

“Sometimes. You can think of it as a second layer of security, Servy. A message is often sent ahead to the closest guild, and they’ll direct us to the exact location.”  

“It’s the same with us,” added Sissy. “Clients pay for this option when they want to be extra secure. Maybe it's a way for them to feel at ease knowing there are two ‘layers’ an adventurer must pass through to reach the target.”   

“I must admit… I am not used to the stares,” Albert said. Sissy asked what he meant, and Albert said he didn’t often manifest around other people. At least—not in public like this in front of so many.    

“I’ve never seen a Bicornkin spirit before,” admitted Gerld. “I doubt most have. It might be the horns—Oww!” Sissy smacked him and told him not to be insensitive.   

Albert laughed. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it.”  

“You can return to the ring if you want.” Albert declined and said he’d rather be out.   

Well, the city was shady. The best option was to keep cracking blood crystals to stay manifested. He could react quicker.   

The guild was smaller than the one in Canary, but it looked mostly the same if you could ignore the grittiness. A place like this was supposed to be where you find party members for quests, but it felt like you’d end up with a knife in the gut if you approached the wrong group. Or maybe it was just me. I was probably allowing my cynical thoughts to influence my feelings because of the stories I had heard about this city.

We stepped inside and joined the queue, the buzz of excitement about an upcoming fight echoing through the air. The city boasted several arenas dedicated to the amateur circuit, consistently drawing fighters and spectators alike. 

“Okay, and you’re delivering a package to the client’s grandmother in the medicinal district?” asked the elderly man when it was our turn. “May I see the box?” I showed it to him. He grabbed a pile of documents under his desk, skillfully rifled through them, and retrieved a letter. He showed it to me, and it had the name of our destination.   

“Greenleaf Remedies, huh? Thank you.”  

I thanked the man and stepped back as Sissy spoke to him. The receptionist needed to look at Sissy’s deliverables, so I retrieved them from my ring. It turned out we were delivering to the same shop.    

“What are the odds of that?” I asked as we left.   

“It was pretty likely, but I wonder why they didn’t send the ingredients with you?” Sissy yawned and stretched. Our footsteps were that loud on this noisy night. The streets were pretty packed since everyone was heading to see a fight. Arcton was about 80% the size of Canary. The buildings were a little taller, too, so there was probably an auditorium or building made for fighting that I could see from my location.    

“Maybe the client forgot? It’s rare, but it happens sometimes. Ah, we can’t get the money until the delivery slip inside is filled out. That’s what we take to the guild to get paid,” said Momo. “It sounds annoying, but that’s why the pay is higher—to make up for the additional precautions and running around.”  

The city had the districts arranged like hands on a clock. If you thought of Arcton as a circular city, it made sense, and all paths led to the housing district, which was in the middle.    

Between each district sat buildings used for the fighting district. Those were for the amateur circuit, and tickets went cheap. We encountered many people trying to sell passes to the upcoming fights, but we didn’t have time.   

The streets and shops were filled to the brim. It was like trying to walk around the biggest festival of the year. Momo held my hand since she almost got swept away by the ocean-like crowd, so Sissy tried to stick to the backstreets.   

“Is it always like this?”  

“On fight weeks, it is. Arcton is serious about it. I’m honestly surprised this is new to you,” said Sissy.    

“It’s like I said. I wanted to steer clear of Arcton, so everything I heard went in one fluffy ear and out the other. That’s pretty naïve of me, huh? Guess I should be better about it in the future.”  

“Maybe, but this is as minor a mistake as someone can make. There isn’t a reason to come here unless you want to fight. Or you have a mission that directs you here.”  

“Or if you wanna make money in the professional circuit,” added Gerld. Suusa remained quiet. He didn't say much if he didn’t have to. “The arenas in the noble district put the amateur circuit to shame. They really do. They have these massive lights that are powered by magic. And the buildings are twice or three times as big. But you gotta be a noble to watch. They sometimes do ticket giveaways.”  

“Let me guess. The most common way to win is to make a name for yourself in the amateur circuit?” I asked.  

“That’s right. Do that, and you’ll have scouts at your fights. Impress them, and you could be invited to meet with someone who wants to sponsor you. That’s not the same as becoming a noble, but it does grant you access to enter the district and use their shops and stuff.” Gerld answered.    

Soon, we reached a district where the air seemed to hold hope amidst the city's grittiness and reliance on spilling blood through unarmed combat.    

The scent of medicinal herbs and antiseptics replaced the usual odors, and the buildings, while not extravagant, were well-maintained. Here, healers and physicians worked tirelessly to tend to the ailments of the townsfolk, offering a glimpse of compassion amidst Arcton's less-than-charming facade.   

“Woah… It’s like the whole vibe just changed,” Momo said, staring at a woman dressed in a doctor’s coat. She held a bundle of papers while walking into a store with a syringe on its sign.    

“You could say this is Arcton’s most important district. The fighting circuit needs potions, ointment, and salves for their fighters. Medicine making is a pretty luxurious gig. It definitely grants you job security.”  

“I don’t know the first thing about any of that,” Momo said. “I can make bandages, but that’s about it.”  

Our destination was a shop called Greenleaf Remedies. It was a little out of the way—inside an alley on the district's edge.  

Knock! Knock! Knock!  

 No one answered. I waited a few seconds before knocking again, but no one was home.   

“What do we do now?” I asked.  

“Uhh… I’m not sure,” answered Sissy. “We can ask around and see if anyone knows where the owner’s at. I don’t know—”  

“What business do you have with this shop?! Don’t you know it’s late?!”  

Suddenly, I heard a growl. I turned around and saw a wary, brown-skinned elf. She wore a lightly armored tunic with a bow slung around her shoulders. A quiver of arrows rested on her hip, and a crimson dagger had a home in a sheath attached to her shoulder. It rested just above her left breast, and a hand gripped the blade’s handle.  

A small white dog barred its fangs beside her. It barked twice, but then it suddenly looked confused…  

…because I knew this dog.   

And I knew this elf.   

The white fur ball whined and raced to my legs when I crouched. It excitedly jumped in my arms and incessantly bombarded my face with licks and kisses.  

“You know,” I said, turning to the elf, who had gone weak in the legs. Her quivering hands went to her face and wiped her teary, pretty eyes. “I didn’t expect to see you or Cue here, Saline.”   

---

“It was after the raid on the monotonia dens,” Saline said after she ushered us inside. It was like a mix of a store and a home.  

The front half was meant to function as the shop. It had shelves and display cases of medicine and potions, and the back half was more of a house-- with a living room and a kitchen. The stairs in the corner led to the bedrooms and bathroom.    

She took us to the living room and excused herself, emerging a few seconds later wearing a soft, velvet tunic with a long skirt. She returned with two lit oil lanterns. Cue was curled in my lap, his little tail wagging like there was no tomorrow. Momo sat beside me, and she gave a look that suggested she was partly jealous. Sissy and the others sat on the other couch.   

“Cassidy told me she was returning to Arcton. She owned this store before life brought her to Canary, and…” Saline became silent and looked into my eyes. “And she was homesick. She said the City of Unpleasantness suited her more than the slums.”  

Yeah, that sounds like that cranky, old bat. But that’s a lie—. I know it isn’t the whole truth.    

“I worked as her assistant for a few weeks, and she told me to use my pay to buy equipment. Cue and I joined the guild, and we help here whenever we aren’t on a quest. I think…she wants me to gain confidence.”  

“So… How do you know her, Servy?”  

Shit, I need to lie again.  

“She found me injured and took me to Cassidy’s when she had a store in Canary. It’s not an exciting story. I’ve only met her a few times, but she left an impression on me because Cue and I aren’t used to kindness.” I didn’t know why she was partly lying, but I’d have to apologize later.    

“And I stayed with Cassidy when I had that argument with Lucy. But that’s in the past. I should’ve brought it up, but there was the whole kidnapping thing.”  

“Kidnapping?!” exclaimed Saline and Sissy. Suusa’s eyes went wide, and I explained my false involvement with the underground slave market and how I was rescued. Since I was catching her up to speed, Saline was given an abridged version of what I’d been up to with Momo and Srassa.  

“Wow… And you can just laugh off being kidnapped?” asked Sissy.   

“I can now because I have Albert.” He stood behind me and remained in the perfect posture—just like a butler waiting on his lady. “He helped me in Waveret when someone snatched me again.”  

“Twice? In less than two months?! That has to be a new record—oww!!!”   

“I told you to stop being insensitive, you jerk!” Sissy slapped Gerld and shushed him, but I didn’t mind.   

“Where’s Cass? I figured she’d be here.”  

“She’s working at one of the arenas. The circuit has a contract with Greenleaf Remedies. Oh, I’ve never asked why you’re here. How did you find us?”  

“A delivery quest,” I replied, rubbing Cue’s chin. The fluffy doggy rolled to its back and softly drifted to sleep. Eyes belonging to a certain singi almost drilled holes in my head. I retrieved the box and handed it to Saline, and she opened it to find letters.   

“I’ll sign the slip for you.”  

“And we’re here for the same reason,” said Gerld. “Servi has our deliverables stored in her ring. It’s medicinal ingredients and supplies.” Those boxes appeared beside me, and I handed that slip to Saline. She filled out both.  

“Yay! But the mission isn’t complete until we return to the guild.”  

“Please say you’re not leaving!” Saline suddenly blurted. “I mean, it’s getting late. And I’m sure you’re aware of Arcton’s reputation. It isn’t a place for newcomers to walk around at night.”  

“Saline’s right. You haven’t seen each other in a while, right? I think you should stay and catch up with her. You don’t need us here to get between your reunion.”  

“Isn’t it dangerous for you?”  

“Nope. We’ve been here before, so we know how to get around without causing trouble,” replied Gerld. He stood, and Suusa and Sissy followed. “But don’t worry. We’ll be here in the morning if that’s okay, and we can travel to the guild together to cash in the quest.”  

“You don’t have to rush,” said Saline. “We have more than enough bedrooms. Cassidy wouldn’t mind.”  

“That’s kind of you. It really is, but I promise we’ll be fine.” Sissy was insistent. “We know someone who runs an inn in the housing district, so we’ll stay there tonight.”  

Saline, Momo, and I followed Sissy and her friends to the door. The witch hugged us goodbye and said she was happy I ran into a friend I hadn’t seen. Her voice partly quivered, but I didn’t think she intended to showcase that much emotion because her tone quickly solidified.   

“Crap. I didn’t even ask if it was okay with you. Captain?” I turned to Momo when Saline closed the door.   

“It’s okay. I’m excited to meet this Cassidy. What kind of gal is she?” she asked. Saline excused herself to the kitchen to make tea, so we moved and sat at the table. Cue never left my lap.   

“She’s…unique,” answered the elf. The kettle soon screamed, so she looked through the cupboards for the tea leaves. “She can be brash. And she doesn’t mince her words.”  

“You’re calling her a bitch, then?” asked a voice that didn’t come from us. We turned to the speaker, and there she was… With the same aged face, wrinkles, and liver spots… Wearing a white coat with dried blood stains on the sleeves… Puffing on a small cigarette as smoke exhaled from her nostrils.    

“What?! No—I didn’t—”  

“Calm down. You know what I mean.” Cassidy grunted when she saw me. “What in the goddamn are you doing here?”   

“It’d be nice to hear a ‘Servi! It’s been so long. How have you been?’ instead of that.” I told her about our quest.   

“I hope you don’t mind me signing for them. I didn’t know when you would return. Oh, but I didn’t look at the letters.”  

“It’d be fine if you did. Don’t worry about it. Make me a cup while you're at it.” Momo looked nervous. I doubt the Cassidy in her mind was anything like the real thing. She walked to a cabinet, grabbed a nearly empty of booze, and sat at the table.    

She asked what we had been up to, and I told most of it while leaving the obvious.    

“You always get into trouble, don’t you?”   

“Guess I’m just a troublemaker at heart. But I have Momo and Albert to keep me in line. And Srassa, too.”  

“Albert, huh?” She eyed the Bicornkin. “Haven’t seen one of your kind in a while.”  

“We are, admittedly, rare and difficult to find,” said the butler. Albert remained standing behind me. Maybe he felt more at ease like that.    

“He's a spirit I found in a weapon I’d stolen when I was rescued from the underground slave market. He’s been with me ever since.” 

“And I’m Momo, the captain of Butterfly Rumble. Ah, that’s our group name.” Saline brought cups of tea to the table. Cassidy poured the booze into hers, then swirled it while extinguishing her cigarette in the nearby ashtray.    

“Butterfly Rumble, huh?”  

“Yep. Srassa’s our missing link, but she’s busy.”  

“Hmm…” The aged apothecary took a swig and groaned.   

“You are back early. Did something happen?” asked Saline.   

“I sold out and didn’t care enough to stay until the end.” Cassidy finished her drink and groaned. “The fights weren’t exciting.”   

Momo’s stomach rumbled—or so I thought. But the noise came from the old bat. Saline asked if we had eaten dinner.   

“No.”  

“I suppose the least I can do is feed you. Saline, get started on that stew.”  

“Okay. Cue, you want to help me?”  

The little dog barked twice and jumped from my lap. It followed Saline to the counter and obediently watched as its owner diced vegetables and already-cooked meat and threw them in a pot.   

“And here. A little something extra for your troubles.” Cassidy reached into a pocket and retrieved some dupla.   

“200?! But the pay—”  

“I don’t give a damn what the pay was, singi. Don’t disrespect someone by refusing to take the bonus.”  

“Ye—Yes, ma’am!” Momo partly flinched, but she thanked Cassidy for her generosity.   

“Save it for someone who needs it.” She retrieved and lit a cigarette from a pocket and took another swing of her drink. Momo probably felt a little uncomfortable. A fluffy tail touched my thigh, and she reached for my hand.   

Itarr wasn’t too happy with Cassidy’s behavior. The old bat was starting to slightly annoy me.  

And I knew why.   

But I didn’t bring it up—not in front of Momo. That conversation would have to wait until I was alone with the old crone. Momo changed the topic and tried to disrupt the growing tension.  

“Umm... I hope you don’t mind me asking, but...since you’re an apothecary... Which…medicines should I know how to make? I know I won’t always have my healing magic, so I must prepare for the inevitable because it’s bound to eventually happen. Umm… Never mind. Now isn’t the best time. You’re probably tired. I’m sorry.”   

Cassidy’s expression partly softened. Her gaze shifted slightly towards me. A subtle spark of enthusiasm illuminated her wrinkled, aged eyes.  

"If you can, always make your healing potions. Most stores dilute their product with water and lie about its quality, so save your dupla. 

Cassidy excused herself and returned with a basket of ingredients and tools. “You take your healing herbs. I’ll use calendula and lavender, but you can mix in akablooms to turn the potion into a pain reliever,” said the apothecary. She crushed the herbs in a mortar and pestle, then added a few drops of purified water. Her technique was remarkable—it really was. She probably had decades of experience, and Momo watched as the watery paste gradually thickened and turned a beautiful crimson.  

She said it matched my eyes.    

“Grab that funnel and vial and hold it for me.”  

Momo did just that. The potion Cassidy had brewed was about as thick as honey. It took a few lengthy seconds to drip into the vial, and Momo corked it.   

“A thicker potion is more effective, but it’s harder to swallow. It could be impossible if you’re trying to heal someone at death’s door. And little children are liable to choke. It's best to carry additional empty vials." 

"So I can mix it myself and get the needed consistency?" 

"That's right." 

Momo tried to hand it back, but Cassidy scoffed and told us to keep it. “Stash it in that bag. It’s enchanted with [Dimensional Storage], isn’t it?”  

“It is, but how did you know?”  

“A lucky guess. You travel light. I don’t see any supplies. I know what Servi’s ring can do, but you’re the captain. You need your own equipment if you two get separated. That’s a good idea. Don’t keep all your eggs in one basket.” Cassidy took another puff, ashed her cigarette, placed it between her lips, and started on a stamina drink.  

This one needed energizing roots and honey.  

“It reduces your fatigue and boots your stamina, but it doesn’t replace what you’ve lost. You’ll feel worse than before when it runs out. You’ll get addicted if you overdo it, so don’t. You try it.”  

Momo followed her precise instructions and brewed a vibrant, verdant, grassy-colored potion. It almost matched Srassa’s eyes, and Momo poured that into another vial.   

“I don’t have any crystallized skill energy for a skill energy potion, but let’s make an antidote salve.”  

Servi, why is Cassidy acting like this? She was mean... No, she was rude earlier, but I don’t understand her sudden shift.  

She probably feels guilty. We didn’t part on the best terms, so maybe she’s trying to make up for it?  

It didn’t take long for the food to be ready. I helped Saline with the prep and brought the bowls to the table. Momo put the leftover materials and tools Cassidy had given us in her bag before we chowed down. 

 The stew was delicious. Its flavor was deep and rich, with the meat tender and juicy. The onions were crunchy, but Cassidy said she liked them like that.   

Momo did, too. She said she often ate raw onions when she was little because they looked like fluffy clouds to her child-like mind. “Well, when you’re a hungry little singi, anything can look like something else,” Momo said, embarrassed.   

“It’s good you aren’t picky. That’s the worst thing someone can be.”   

“Are you already done? You—”  

“Someone as old as me doesn’t need that much,” barked Cassidy. She ashed her third cigarette of the meal and told me that the shop had running water—every building in the district had this commodity since you needed to clean your tools, but it wasn’t heated. That kind of tech was exclusive to the noble district. We could have a bath, but it wouldn’t be pleasant.    

And speaking of that, I learned that every major city in Lando had a noble district. That was probably self-evident, but I hadn’t considered that fact.   

“Oooohhh… That really was good…” Momo slumped in her chair and pushed her bowl away.   

“It was phenomenal,” complimented Albert, who joined the clean plate club. He had nothing but praise because the dish was simple, yet the flavors were anything but. “As such is the culinary wisdom of an elf. Thank you, Mrs. Saline, for the food.”   

Cassidy grunted. “That behavior’s more suited for Unicornkin, ain’t it?”  

Saline giggled and said stew was her favorite thing to cook. “I’m glad you enjoyed it so much. I’ll start on the dishes.”  

“There’s no need,” I said, absorbing the bowls around the table. Itarr cleaned it with her advanced mastery of our ring, and the dinnerware was returned in two seconds.    

“Somehow, I’m not surprised.” Saline’s smile was warm. Cue jumped in her lap, and we talked about the elf. Cassidy just grunted and focused on her smoke.   

“I still have this dagger I found. It saved me. When I’m feeling weak… I look at it…and remember the opportunity it granted me.”  

“Oh, you mean that red one?” asked Momo.    

“Yes. I found it when Cue and I had almost died. It gave me the strength to defeat my attackers. My injuries were great, but that’s when Servi took me to Cassidy’s.”  

“So… How is it being an adventurer? Can you summon your Skill Tablet?”  

Saline nodded and manifested it. “I’m still a novice. It sounds funny. I’m old, but I still feel…so… It’s uncomfortable to explain. I have SP from the system’s passive potential mechanic, but I’m…”  

“I know that look anywhere. You’re lost, aren’t you?”  

“Lost?”  

“Yep!” Momo’s ears twitched. “The overload of choice often results in someone being unable to pick something. And if that someone doesn’t have a clear goal of how they want to fight, then the inaction will be greater. It’s something all newbies eventually go through.”  

“Listen to her advice,” I said. “She knows what she’s talking about.”  

“Yep. I already have two students under my belt, and I have room for a third. But Albert’s way older than he looks. He can probably help you, too. You don’t mind, do you?”  

“Not at all. Allow me to repay you for that excellent dinner.”   

“That’s a good idea. Talk to those two. And you.” Cassidy pointed at me. “Come with me. I have some shit I need to move.”  

“Okay.” I left Momo and Saline in the kitchen. Cassidy grabbed a lantern and escorted me upstairs, where we walked down the hall and into her bedroom. She had a balcony facing the backyard, and it was time to drop the act.