Part 4: A Stand In The Society

What made me flatteringly doubtful whether it was a hallucination or a fantasy that I had to experience beforehand?

The day before I arrived home, I crawled into my room, loosed all tiredness that this body hauled up for two days straight, and dropped the memory there. My shaking hand didn’t reach the bed in time – I was convinced – and blanked to the uncomfortable floor.

However, when I alarmed by birds was about to sing at the outside, I struck awkward under a sack-like warm blanket on the bed. The curtains already repelled isolatedly, a flare smoothly invited in, and then for no reason, it slapped me up.

Rapidly, I spun off the bed and dodged the holy-brightness toward the back of the chair, shielded with the blanket when saw the window half-opened. "What...?" I thought I was going to melt away for a second.

I looked at the metal can where black intoned pens spreading, bending the direct light from reflection on the surface of shredded tin toward the closet's mirror, and then to my brown rag. It was a bit sharp and tinkle under my feet, heating fracture of my skin. It didn't melt my flesh as I had been haunted.

"Dreaming..." I muttered to invoke some noise while rotated the knob on the runic clock before it got awaken. The stones of tiny, small, and big stayed resonating but the three pieces that I set countdowns had swapped normally from the blue lights to sun-yellow.

Flipped the worn blanket away to the bed, I grabbed an unsecured cube container under the haggard desk. This desk had to go into the replacement list as well.

Moved toward the sill, I pushed the window glass more widen – some parts had been attached with boards to fill missing gaps – like a screaming double-door, the birds shouted off to the air to the threat for several seconds before settling down, glaring at me in unintended satisfaction.

"What, is, going, on, here?"

At the moment I publicized the container, a flock of birds swarmed over membership limit, running their guild above the roof with space sparsely seen. Annoying and louder with the window spread out, it became clearer and horrible.

The bird on the chimney accumulated interest to poking on the crack of dark stain, maintaining on the thin area without swallowed down into the hole. Different birds crossed over my head, exposing and blocking the sunlight, turning and returning in a circle as if looking an available spot to sit. Next to the clay roof-part, a bird proceeded to sway its head ― like a bull ― on the unbalanced board that I had fixed to prevent rain from slipping in.

Since when scenery had transformed the whole roof into a thug-bird hive? Did they decide to finally invade humanity rather than aimlessly searching for bugs, using my home as a meeting location? Uno. Of course, uno. That was terrifying.

The birds' mouth lively fired at seeds once I tossed some, mocked together at a tight target. I added multiple points to divide the birds equally.

Since they were an animal category, none of them born with runes like a hybrid. I had nothing to worry about if they wished for my murder. Birds planned a locked room crime?

“Eat a lot and grow wow big.” I tried to mimic Erika but struggled to fight the cause if I imagined how a fried bird tasted like. It had been several times on my mind lately.

They weren’t my birds. I had no close affection for them.

Sometimes of the month, then of the week, and now every day, they landed on the window’s sill and roof, continued chirping even I dispelled them with a bucket of ice-balls water. They never attended to the warning, rushing against the window that later their army enlarging. The more stressful I had to track the debt journal, the harder it disturbed my strained-peace as if for their little playground.

After a while, I grabbed them a box of seeds from our farm, they quieted and only prayed to the miracle.

Once their bellies filled, they stood and began the usual ritual, closing their eyes while opened their wings toward me. Even to this day, I didn't understand their reasoning behind the unusual and provoking act. Never this strange ever explained somewhere in my long term memory.

"You are welcome." I nodded, playing the role of something had been learned.

For a minute they staring at me at the same time, attempting to communicate of some sort. My mind stuck if they were still hungry. They didn't move, followed my head movement like an accurate bullet. Very deathly precise. Like they had begun the first strike.

<They not going to attack someone who been giving them food? Or did they know I had a lot of money and demand a better sweet?>

My anxiety had gone where they created a wind that blew the curtain toward the inside, jumped, then flew at the direction of the morning-sun arisen, leaving one by one like a royal knight march.

<I should buy greater bird food before they invaded and born their next generation in my room.>

Entered into the unblushing bathroom which inside my room, I earned a big shower for the struggle over these days. It was the best reward I ever had somehow. I finished the rest with handmade soap and oily shampoo. The last time I ever used it as I would buy the expensive ones today.

My chest was seeking a hollow calm and dipped my butt into the overflowed bathtub, expanding for its hotness. The water level was gradually gliding up toward my neck like wearing a slug skin when it reached my chin. Until it passed to my hair, I continued cutting my breath for a withstand of my air capacity.

Colrald. Scorald. Wasteland.

Some words spoke out from inside of somewhere. Again. My mind, my soul, or whatever it was feeding my heart with speeding fuel to absorb and grasp this an immersive how deep renura lu. However, it happened so many at once, before I realized I lost care for it. It was going to disappear anyway if I paid too much attention.

"Aaah..." <How long I had been surrounding with Dad's debt?>

Living with freedom made me worry about how pleasurable the water had become. It didn't fully compromise since I couldn't throw away the Kingdom's Betrayer title. More like half freedom I could accept.

Yeah. I and my mother received the burdensome-title since we're Selvona family. Siqura The Betrayer.

As I dried my clothes and dressed, I lurched into the tatty cupboard. A good luck charm knife of mine quietly told something on that tiny space box. What would I do with it? My mother was treated and my life was getting lucky, or better? How did I consider it was lucky now, in any different?

I examined a figure inside the mirror next to it, her face was still looked tired and sleepy even after last night of unshattered and soundless sleep. The debt fear had dismissed from her heart, yet another fragile string tied to it. The hidden one. And also the worst of all.

That was weird. The past resembled to have no value. Struggle that I had to move on seemed located in a distance when the debt was over. Why was that? Didn't I challenge to remove this disaster with a huge amount of part-times? I should be happy about the gift from God or fate.

{Once the peace came for all, people tend to forget the existence of terror buried in a hardship fall.}

Was that the reason I felt restless? Or was it the imagination bore to this girl inside the mirror? What do you think...Siqura Selvona?

A sudden and quick image formed in robe. She held a magical staff. Another annoying renura lu. I knew magic. I knew I learned it somewhere. But the source anxious couldn't be traced. No matter how <darn> I tried.

"That's why never talk to yourself. Haah..."

I wondered how long would it took to rid the hardened dark spots under my eyes. Then perhaps after they went, unsafe and worry passed away along with like a secret background tattoo.

For now, I left the knife to its simple wooden case as a reminder of my past. So I wouldn't be one of those ungrateful existences after escaped from a terrible nightmare.

“Mom…?” I covered my refreshing mouth, preparing in an apron to wash and arrange things in the house accordingly as we planned yesterday.

I searched around the living room after I found my mother had raised before me, her room's mess flipped perfectly. Not detecting her presence anywhere, I went behind the house where we tended some vegetables to reduce the cost of living.

My mother stood firmly in front of the Adono’s grave. With a trail of dirt on spared rubber gloves and boots, she had been harvesting a lot of vegetables in the baskets and then planting new seeds afterward.

I stood beside her, focusing on the same direction.

“Thank you for taking care of my Siqura.” She poured water from the flowerpot on the top of Adono’s grave, it sipped to inside while spilled some to her brown clothes.

Yesterday when she asked how he died, I gave a dishonorable lie he fell into the river when chasing a butterfly after taking him to a walk toward Aligent’s Goldsmith, saying I wanted to greet the old man manager before came to the hospital.

Rather passing a truth and executing this blissful peace, I didn’t run my mouth about the expedition to the ancient ruin. And I was sorry to not able to tell a brave tale of a blune, didn't give up, protecting in blood and death from a steep danger. There was no way I lived in the ancient ruin if not for him.

Completing daily tasks of our little farm, the living room gradually shone its neatness, most of the things had been rid off, making the layout of the house a bit lonely and cold. Floors and walls had multiple cracked parts that I lectured with wood scraps I could find in the forest as they were the cheapest ― free. Even the desk and chairs disappeared.

Later on, we took another shower before exchanged our daily clothes.

My mother tied the trash bag at the front house and soaked her forehead, she picked a runic key from a nailed wall. “Where should we go first?”

We closed the door and walked out through numerous garbages. The trash bag created with a {nulime}, a slimy vigor ball monster, and black ink from {terunon}, a hybrid squid. They had a gloss and moist texture but the most suitable since it was cheap, had splendor resource, and could absorb most of the weight due to its floaty mass.

"We start with furniture. It took at least 24 hours to transport most of them. But if we a little early, it could arrive today. "

Because of our poor life, this house was settled far outside of the city when kicked out of our old land. After King declared my father as a traitor, his privileges such as money, land, title...all snatched away from our shame.

My mother said it was better to purchase new land or a mansion somewhere in the city. However, in doing so would be a hassle after we slipped through a low expense. All those of living costs. Having change drastically could make us wasted too much money before we learned that everything had flown off hand.

The store widely scooped out that should be three shop-spaces, showcased through front windows of their latest rarest selections. The lowest price I could anticipate would be equated to one year of our food supply.

Therefore, ordering the best furniture was one of the profound challenges that encouraged mental exhaustion.

Usually, we had a hard time buying something even the cheapest. Yet now we had even more tedious to grab something expensive and still didn’t panic. Actually, we already were, dead. In the most possible how low-class reacted after earned a huge sum of money in total veiz.

“Siqura! Look-look at this cushion. Cloud! It appraised as a real cloud.” My mother sat on the mellow chair, her faded skirt fluffed to the side when shifting her legs comfortably.

“Please stop, Mom.” I calmed her down who didn’t act like a mature adult.

“But someone is more uncontrollable than me here.”

I hid my face for I, myself, hopped on the ablaze and cloudly bed, descended off in guilt.

The staff jerked at us, blooming out an untrusted issue. Soon, I confirmed our attires were still the poor, we didn’t appear to have the intended money to buy their store.

When they agreed in majority votes to fend us out of the building, we noticed what we liked and burst the golds in front of him like a magic gold rainbow. His below-mouth slacked open like rain. We didn’t take back the purse this time as few pieces change wouldn't have any different. The amount inside would be enough for the delivery gift as well.

The cashier set it on a balance scale that – my educator said – had three Grade G runes: a precise rune for balancing the two plates, a substance rune for checking the target object contains, and a mass rune for calculating the weight.

A runic object was called an artifact which one I gathered in an ancient ruin. Most of the time, it was broken and difficult to be found. Because advancement in the rune knowledge had passed to the world's view, a runic object was addressed to the object that handmade by a human while artifact was something that foraged from ancient ruins, didn’t modified by modern ideology.

Thus, as he didn’t believe the runic scale by a man, he went back and fetched a unique, never seen artifact by historic people that had been fixed.

Rune knowledge was a long mastered subject. Most of my refined understanding had a dependency on only the school's syllabus. And my educator pursued me, medieval people thought runes were the same with each other. When a rune knowledge surfaced, it happened because some runemaster found that a rune from ancient ruins led to various runes. The symbol drew on a tome was a combination of writing that beautifully stacked layer by layer.

This where people started to combine their runes, adapting to a job. For example, a farmer might need to pick worms every morning to prevent them from eating his hardworking fruits and vegetables. Since there was a clean rune that washed specks of dust, they could smith another one by copying and changing the rune in line said about {dust} to a runic word of {worm}. This was how the ancient rune changed into a modern rune. Though, it got broken and had to run a few unimpressive trials before it could be useful if any.

“Hoooooh!” x2 We departed out from the store, raising our hands as if we won something amazing against the clueless manager. There, <ah,> was a sense of winning.

People just looked at us from every direction as if two clowns entered into town for a stageplay, we put down our arms in a hurry, laughing in our world. We didn’t want some thief attracted to us after all.

If the manager called an expert to measure the credibility of our golds, we might seriously welcome a serial killer that hunting our bank to our home. Although, the idea of hero gave us the money could make the thieves scared a bit.

“Hmm...” I uttered a sound from thinking. “The bank will protect our account, right, Mom? They're not going take advantage of us?”

"If we keep the monthly fee close.”

"Uh? Debt?" I grabbed her arms. "Mom! W-Why borrow veiz when we had all?"

"N-N-N-No, Siqura." Her body swayed back and forward. "It's not debt anymore."

"Ah, right."

"It's a standard business procedure." My mother had a cheerful face, spinning her arms nonstop. Her dark breath toward under her eyes seemed harder to peel off. Even it was no different in our view, climbing from low-class to middle-class we had no choice but to do something about it soon or later. Would some popular brand cream work out?

For the first time, I felt good buying something. All the moment when the money ran away from our savings account, we always stressed if we could chase the debt at the end of the month, settled again in their <crap bullshit> ― I meant a scam continue fee. Now I could have everything, I didn’t sure what I desire. My heart always attracted me to spend something that I didn’t sure we even needed.

“We shall have some clothes first,” I said, stopping her near the lavish boutique. This place closed to where I met Elf Evana and Hero Fenorica. "I don't want any sellers to give another suspicious look before let us buy something. Who knows, what happens next if not jail?"

My mother examined her long skirt and her slack blouse. “A lady without accessory is like a caterpillar without shoes.”

“Who said that weird and no-brain line?”

“Your father.”

The front shop had a showcase of one big dress that I glanced at yesterday. It had a dark silver texture with emerald-green outlines around the edgy section, formed in armor that made from crystal-like or water-like as it was a hooded ghost. There might be hidden runes sewed to make it seemed fresh and stood out in a mass of dresses presentation. Yet, blended in mysterious presence. Like otherworld hero.

The front short skirt had been carefully cut and stitched in the middle to reveal a pant, long and thick, appeared like it could stop a sword. It seemed comfortable enough and designed for both duties: fashion and combat. Of course with adventurers wandering around. I think it matched for a distance combat class like a wizard, ninja, hunter, and few others. Although, a disguise crystal orb at its chest might suggest an interesting amalgam, for example, a mage berserker assassin class.

“Did Dad really said that?” I walked toward the shop.

My mother followed me inside. "Don't you remember when your father didn't back for a week? He brought clothes for a present but you didn't like it."

That how it occurred? <Ah.> I remembered fracture of it but...what happened next? Um...

The bell rang and I saw the beggar old man who usually sat at that particular post light. I almost forget how he looked like if not for the smoky hair and racked beard. He was like after been stolen by a wand fairy and then came back with all kind wonders and mystics. Very indeed otherworldly.

“You think so?” The old man rubbed his combed hair while surrounded by all-female workers wearing limited woven medium-size dresses. Every dress had a unique color to make the store more lively I presumed.

“So how hard to eat a day?” The worker with an azure-blue dress set her head on her hand while stood behind the counter. “Don’t interest in stealing anything?”

“The bible said you shall not steal. Of course, I had not swapped...ah. No. I never...probably.” His eyes went astray after gave a big obvious lie.

“May I trust that?” The one with a coral-pink dress placed one cup of sweet smelled drink. “You could have picklock my house, right?”

Every one of them was laughing as the old man trying to deny his past. It was normal in this world... That sounded like it wasn't my world...

In the past, people didn’t even want to see his footprints, scorning everything he did to ask for a coin. Yet now, many pretty women flocked together in kind warming conversation, none of them had a hint of imaginable dispute.

“Of course not...” the old man held his chin, “maybe I did. A little. But just a little. My stomach questioned my unshakable patience. How I could run when the overflowed juicy cheesy Filteak in hundred of spice with a good amount of kick spilled its enormous aroma...ah...”

“Could indestructible remain the same when it destroyed? If all is well, everything is forgiven.”

“It’s not like your house has anything. Guessing, still with that old chandelier?”

“I have a family antic, you know? How much do you think it cost on a {lunacake} market?”

Lunacake? A hot and spice market? No. It didn't matter.

Since it was going to take for a longer <endurance>, we did a self-service, testing clothes to the exchange room with the customers still laying their attentions at them.

It wasn’t like he wore something expensive or his face seemed to lighten the mood a bit. Something… Something was overpowering, making his presence bigger than the store itself.

His hand’s skin wriggled in silk, cast out a fragrance from his sleeve. The hand's movement of commanding a control from the center of attraction produced a rich sound as if a wind gently patting a cat. Finally, his greige-brown eyes wrapped in a hearty scenery, moving toward me like a loving elder grandfather. His eyes were growing big. And big...

"Hm?" I looked beside me.

He blinked once and then smiled.

My arms budged up when realized he really looked straight at me, at a face that hiding behind the dress I picked up just now.

“Little girl!” He waved his hand even our distance like one arm’s length. “You come here alone?”

I stepped backward. “W-With my mother.” As soon I said that she walked out from a dressing box, mistaking I called her for someone she knew.

They confirmed each other for a while, I thought maybe something sparked. That what Erika said when a man and a woman inside a room.

“Ah... Um... Y-You must be her mother. Greetings a lot to the charming lady.”

However, my mother showed one kind of face attitude and quickly back to me without a single reaction.

The old man had stoned there while they pulled him back to the counter. My mother widened her arms, afterward.

“Moommmm." I said before her. "Why a sword in a rock out of any tree?”

“Eeh… Mom can’t? It was lovely and kinda heart-tearing princess.” She slid on a white and golden gown, it was similar to a princess's wardrobe treasury. The only princess of this kingdom. It was a frightening thing to witness almost similar appearance. The surprise infected around me as well.

"M-M..."

"Ha-hu-hum." My mother spread a flipped fan. "No word could describe my exquisite. I shall give thy a high-grade gift for a spectacular reaction. A private island."

I crushed my astonishing hesitation when her nose seemed non-stop turning long. “A simple would be enough. Besides, our social class wouldn’t be proper. We might not be allowed to enter a budget store anymore. Change it, Mom. Right to this instant.”

“Eh, Siqura. W-Wait... It's only a try. How about your turn ―”

"― never, Mom. It was too much deed." I said then moved to the back there to search for clothes that this boutique could offer. I aimed behind while glimpsing the dejected figure hoofing into the dressing box. People stopped caring when saw how a girl addressed her mother. I had been in my poor clothing.

After about ten to fifteen attires from nightwear to casual I found, I fetched the last outfit I aimed for a school trip. I thought something suitable at all-time and comfortable would be enough. I heard the trip would take us to a factory, a forest, and then a beach at a faraway island.

It wasn't like I had a chance today only, should have a few more days for preparation. How did the school trip look like? Even during middle school, I had never been one. No even in kindergarten. More importantly, I never traveled out of Veizralia Kingdom.

<...>

Never hah...

<...>

Wait? Did I have enough for all? Did I forget to bring anything? What if I forget my something during trip? Did I have to embarrass myself again?

As I torn my clothes off in damper mood for a size and condition check, put my current clothing on the hooker when all of sudden something sneaky tapped into my uncovered body. The fur had blown to my face in a surprise frozen manner.

"Hm?" I rotated my hip toward the mirror. I blinked, thinking for a while. "W-W-What is this?!" I rummaged my body, looking for a button or zipper but, didn't found any.

"Siqura?"

"M-Mom!" I exited instantly from the dressing box. "A dress ate me."

"Huh?" My mother puzzled for a moment. "Oh! That's nice prose..."

"This is real, Mom." I randomly searched part to peel but didn't find how even it moved into my build. "Where? Where the buttons?"

People in the shop startled at me after I created a loud noise. It booked me for a while to see the armor dress on showcase had gone. I searched for a mirror nearby.

"No way?" My eyes fell down and up. "Hh?" I glanced again. "Hmmaaaaaaah!"

The staff rushed, asking me to stop moving or I would kill their shelves.

"Why this happening? Uno. Uno. Nope." I pulled very hard as if to shred away, the dress didn't tear out in any way. In fact, it felt strangely good to my skin, my hands gradually lost strength for a surprising touch of what high-class people had been wearing. I didn't mind if this kind of clothing ate me.

No. This was not a time to admiring. This dress might put us in an unreasonable debt again.

<Hurry! Get out from that clothes Siqura Selvona.>

I turned, my body hit something breakable. Leaped forward, I dived straight to the mirror. My hand was spinning off, it ended at top space where needle cases watered to my head. Ouch.

I lost focus, my leg staggered over hooker on the floor and slid back a stupid joke, I tripped after continuously jumping on one foot. "Wa-Wa-haaaah!"

A man caught me behind in his voice of deep and rusty. "Another self proclaim warrior?" He looked down from behind at high that could step onto my head in one leg. "Are you kidding me, it's a feminine challenger this time? What's wrong with these kids nowadays?"

"Ah. Manager." One of them moved here. "It seems someone successfully wearing that cursed dress."

"Someone did? Oh..." While gripping hammer on his shoulder, his eyes stared to the front where the armor dress supposed to display, then shifted to me without moving his feet while his mouth munching something. "Hmm... Sounds like you did it, young lad. Good job."

"No. Get me out from this."

"Your request is an unserviced, young lad. Some runes had interfered with the ownership thing and as you can see, it chose you. Isn't like heroic? Save the world!"

"H-How to interpret that?"

"It's a blessed runic dress."

"How that is any heroic when I heard it cursed thing?"

There were artifacts in the ancient ruins that once someone wearing it, there was no way to unequip it except had to dispel with priest or runesmith. It called a cursed artifact. Since he addressed to runic object, someone made this?

"Why you created a ridiculous thing?"

"Wo wo wo, lad. Relax. Don't say my smithed creation, an idiot."

"I don't say that!" I kept pushing forward hopefully, he didn't force me to pay. I might still hire a priest or runesmith, but due to how my life before, I would never let even a coin out for a scam. I was done with it.

"It supposes to be a gift for a hero, you know? I don't want it stolen to the wrong person. So you see, I included with the best material I could find, only to discover, the rune was cursed and it emerged along those in Level 10 ancient ruin, Grade Star. That's amazing if I wanted to praise myself."

"What? L-Level 10? Ahaha..." My stomach had a headache, the unreasonable disaster made me want to throw out. "A very grade star rune?"

A level was determined by the number of runes in a specific function. The higher level of ancient ruin treasured with many artifacts at the equal trade position of complex traps and monsters. Adventures had two choices when dealing with it: bought one type high-grade rune or prepared with various low-grade runes hoping they could block with every type of traps and monsters inside.

Most runes found inside were absurd and lunatic crazy.

The danger of a higher-level came from the fear of unknowing runes and monsters' abilities. Because there was no rule for two runes that emitted fire had the same runic mechanism, thus had an opposite weakness and solution. This world, a fire could be as cold as Iceriot Tower.

Since there was no sign for ancient ruin to stop spawning out of nowhere, mother nature loved to produce more and more vicious monsters that soon world needed a hero. A lot and a lot of heroes. Just went with world made of heroes already.

"Is there someone who can dispel grade star rune?"

This grade star was the highest, unique, and strongest rune ever made. It didn't create by modern and never able to understand how it worked. Basically, what I wearing was a walking priceless relic.

"You had the answer, young lad."

"Of course..." I sighed, bowing my head.

"But it's cute." My mother nodded. "You have grown fine, Siqura."

"I agreed." The manager shifted his hammer, rubbed his mustache. "It's looking very sexy on you. Not more than my wife, though."

<Sexy?> I quickly pressed my body. Good. No part was exposed. I definitely couldn't alive anything more than that. It was too embarrassing.

"Good for you!"

How was that even good for me?

"<Do I have to pay for this...?>" I said, hoping he didn't hear it. <Please don't.>

"The half-fault are mine."

<He heard it.>

He was laughing, smashing the hammer on his bare palm while pointing at the mess in the store. "So, let's pretend it's no one to blame here as the dress's full price and the damage cost. Savvy?"

"<But, it was you who start> ―"

"― including the tax and crafting cost."

<He wants to dodge and run away?> It should be the other way. No. <Don't say it's actually more ridiculous than curse since this dress never reached the hero he meant about.>

Did the hero saw a danger of this cursed runic dress and refused this blacksmith's present? And unable to throw away, he put the bait in front store, hiding behind cover to see who the next victim?

I knew it. I knew it was a <damn> scam.

I wanted to revoke my freedom but seeing there was a chance of another priceless high-grade rune planted in this dress or hidden cost, I decided not to say anything. There was no method I could pay all if counted with our bank remain.

Since I had to wear 24 hours a day, I didn't sure if other clothes had any effect. Therefore, we only bought clothes for my mother.

Maybe there was a hero out there who had the skill to dispel this dress. At least, within my magic knowledge, I knew the existence of a spell called Besni Vinio, a Sixth Tier Spell. Were there heroes out there who could use it? Evana knew magic but her job class seemed a wizard path.

And so we visited other shops to finish the to-do list.

Every time the sellers perceived me in this armored dress, their attitude quickly twisted to the assistance of a noble. Of course, they showed us high-quality vegetables when we wished for a regular one.

With money more than I could spend, we rent few means of transport to help move bigger boxes to our home, at the same time hagging was my and my mother's domain. {Be ruthless, always, when shopping.}

After visited several more shops for tools and equipment, safety alarm, a new crystal orb ― last one before empty shelf ― and mostly something necessity like soap, pen, curtain, spoons...we ate at a restaurant.

First time for me. Usually, I received the order as a part-timer.

As much to my hating, some element of my heart glad I could wear this hero relic armor dress. It was so amazing that the hot sun became a breeze. I realized this after saw my mother sweating like I was torturing her with loads. So I handled all our bags, pulled the hood up to hide my face when people stared at us.

Finding a table at the outside, we sat across each other.

Before I could say something about the water rune on the tiny vase at the center of the table, a woman with an oven apron put down a slice book and a small plate of butter cookies. It had been left cold for a while.

"Oh, Sigula," said my co-worker who lived at the neighbor kingdom and spoke with a limited vocabulary accent, "Oh! Nice, see you."

"Siqura..." I corrected her.

"To be a customer today, uh-mumu?"

"Ura..." I snatched the menu and skimmed to the memorized page. It was still there. The manager didn't allow staff to choose much of high-priced items. That was why today I would execute them. "Mozart Yizurn, Tozert Bhices, Leezery Filteak, Beazin Cookies, Super Moow Noodles Soup, and for a drink, Ghokoon Stream..." I saw the waitress rubbed the pen to her head, "what's wrong?"

"So big apetite, Sigula?"

"It's Siqura."

"Hm, Sigula. Why ur face a bit restless, always?"

I reflected the question deeper and recalled the limit of my strength. With last night's sleep, I didn't feel tired or pain anymore in my uneasy ankles and shoulders. "I guess..., it became...my habit..."

"Ah, of course." She turned to my mother. "Well, well. What du you to eat?"

"I... I think... Just Naccoon Rice and two glasses of cold water."

"That's only, Mom?" I said, searching for suitable foods in the menu.

"Yeah, that only, Sigula Mom?" The waitress said, tilting her head.

"Is it the doctor?" I shoved high for her reason. "It's not like every day we can eat outside. Look just how many they serve."

"Um...I already eat at home before you wake up. Go ahead, Siqura."

"Then all done much." The woman finished writing on order-note. "Accuse me, please wait for the best eat. Testing the cookies. My recipe. Moooah."

<Her recipe?> Grabbed one because of the way she brimmed, I threw into my mouth.

Hate that butter taste.

I gazed at my side once she gone, peeked toward the crowded street. "Is there anything we don't have yet?" I listed some things for my room. Oh. Better seeds for those distracter birds.

"Are not we have everything? We could buy needing items tomorrow or later. It's not easy to arrange all in a single day."

My mother was right. With two of us, we lacked the strength to clean up before our house fully functioned like everyone else.

The table was quite small in the area, the waitress would send my plate one by one after I had done it. I slurped the soup as my mother gulped two glasses of water and asked another two. She seemed thirsty today than me. Did my dress prevent hydration?

But later, the waitress brought one filled jug instead. "No more order. Have fun." She spoke like she mad from the choices of words but I knew she meant to help my mother from tired ordering the same thing over again.

"How about a school trip?" My mother rested her head on the table after ate her plates. "Now our saving improves a bit, do you still have trouble to go?"

I forget to tell her I changed my mind. "I think...I will join..."

"You really want to leave, your mom alone? She's crying."

"No...it's..."

"I know. You can't lie to a mother's sixth sense."

"Mother's sense...what? It's Erika. She who forced me in." I put down the fork, folded my arms. "I still worry...anyway I didn't go because I wanted to."

"Don't worry, okay? Mom already is healed and it's better to have a young life. We grow only once..."

"I need to find a toilet." I held my stomach. "I should not trust that butter cookie. She's never good at kitchen hands."

As I moved toward the inside of the restaurant, my body dropped off after crashed a small girl. It entered outside of my field sight next to the glass framed door.

"I apologize." I caught the sunflower hat. Since even her dress had a related design, she might admire sunflowers a lot.

"Nope. It's not hurt." She stood with my aid, flipped the hat back on. "Thanks. And please be careful next time when open any door. If a sick woman or a blind man here, they might demand immediate treatment. See?" The girl proudly showed her elbow's wound.

For a short moment, I felt a teacher scolded me about unfinished school homework. It was weird when it was coming from a girl younger than me. It remade me a useless character on the spot.

There was a woman with a coned hat and a characterless cloak came from the cashier, walking to the door. "Floris...how many times I had to remind you never ever take a smooch from a stranger?"

"What with all of these about? Just because you changed it from a sweet, it didn't get any better."

"Then, free money?"

"Your mother?" I asked the Floris girl. "I apologize for rushing earlier and hitting your daughter."

"I'm older than you." The girl said stubbornly, clenching her hands. Her cheeks expanded like a cute nulime.

"Now, Floris." The woman tented her arms. "You should apologize too." Somewhere at the inside of the cloak, I traced a spigen. Somehow it emitted red mana. Blue, black, and then red? Did that kind mana even exist? Blue from a tree and black from some kind evilness or darkness. How about red?

"Stop placing your hand on my head." Floris became more furious, she pushed the woman's arm away, no respect. "Even my height is short, my heart is as big as a mountain."

"Just like your chest."

"Haah! What did you say?"

However, the woman pulled Floris's hand, leaving me in confusion. "Where Waltren is gone?" She descended to the street. "Did he say to buy something at the boutique?"

"Don't ignore me, Vishell. How many times you must lie about my age?"

"I'm sorry, there you go, Let's forget this and hurry up before we late to the train again."

Train? Ah. Did heroes build a new steam train? But wasn't that still in development?

"You always did that! Never repent from your past mistake. I'm mad. Literally, I despise myself. Why I born with amazing height?"

After came out from the washroom, I had long thought, hoping Evana had information about someone who could dispel the cursed rune from my dress. Even I liked it a lot, I still needed to shower. My underwear also required to change.

Spigen. Magic... That mage adventurer ― Vishell wasn't it ― had spigen. Then she was from the otherworlds? Was she a hero? But...

That was right. Evana Colt had a kind similar situation. I should tell her about my magic knowledge to improve or use it as my advantage. She might know about what was going on with my body...or my head. And I could ask her about the black mana, as well as red mana. There was something I experiencing but had no clue.

"Mom. Can we have a detort somewhere before going home?

"It's fine..." she seemed unsure as something made her worry at home, "but where?"

"Not long and far," I pulled the chair and sat on it, "it's the hospital."

"Hmm...?" My mother still lapped her head on the table surface. "Tonight, how we should celebrate our freedom? Should we bake a cake and eat crapad(a crab-like monster) fried again?"

"I'm too fulled." I patted my stomach. "Something light and easy to swallow much preferred."

My mother nodded, she lifted her arm and pressed her hand on her shoulder. "Leave everything to your strongest mom." That manner I called it an I-Can-Do-Everything pose. It had been a while I saw one. Yesterday, wasn't it?

Finished my plates as my mother waiting, we went to the hospital, bring the name of Evana to the nurse's thought. Apparently, Evana's sister had been discharged from the hospital or what it seemed. With patrollers were looking for her, Evana had to take her out unannounced.

I stopped when she requested for my purpose and my identity, exposing in careful movement.

Had no clue about her location, we decided to return home. It had been a short yet long journey of choosing appliances for our house which I didn't want to do again. And we needed to mix a lot of things when arrived home before we could rest with our cheap celebration.

"Is she your friend?" asked my mother, I and her on horse carriage right the way back to home.

"No. But I plan to ask her something."

"Who this special person ― let Mom emphasize ― who this a lucky person that able to captivate my only daughter's heart?"

"Nunnuu. An interesting romance charming sparkling bonding emotional story. So good."

I didn't say anything. It was someone else with a strange remark of unnecessary rewording. Her voice was familiar.

"Evana Colt..." I looked at a woman sitting next to me. Her head covered in a hood. "Ah, I ―"

"― <sshhh!>" She sealed my mouth, hiding.

Some passengers glanced at us.

"Your boyfriend seems...um...very...acceptable man-ish." My mother on my right side poked her head forward. "Well, if you pick interest like that."

"No. She is a girl and not a man for partnering love made."

My mother smiled in knowing about the situation. "I'm the best mother of this child, Rizera Selvona."

"Hello..." Evana tried to greet but had been put in an awkward spot. "Evana Colt." She shyly looked down.

"Go ahead, no heed for me." My mother leaned back to her seat.

Evana had a black mask on her mouth and black glass in front of her eyes. Along with a secured hood and a darkened light armor, she appeared grooming suspicious for an opposite image. Any faithful patroller would catch easily.

"Are you..." I wondered if I could trust her, "Sick?"

"Ah, what I could do?" She lowered the glasses a bit, straightened her legs in jagged style. "It's so hard to be popular." She fixed her hood back to the center, her head rotated to left and right to make sure no one saw her. "I don't know you're an explorer. Last time, you seemed like a greedy girl."

An adventurer was a job for someone who did a quest under Adventurer Guild and an explorer was a person who specialized in quests of ancient ruin expedition. It was indeed a famous job.

When I examined my armor dress without a mirror, it resembled to adventurer instead of...why explorer again?

"I know you enter ancient ruin alone ― hmhmhmm!"

I buried her head from my overprotective mother who in the middle chewing dried squid. She watched at the part of the city where our king collected all infected persons under a giant yellow and white umbrella tent. It secured with fully-armored knights.

Evana stopped moving for a moment, I released her quickly.

She coughed once, drew the highest layer of thick air that her mouth could possibly reach. Much in desperation. "Looks like someone has a secret here. Nununu. What I should do? Should I? Should now?"

I didn't say anything, staring at the patroller walking on the street. He was about to cross this horse carriage.

"Don't look at me like that," said Evana, laughing lukewarmly while dodging from my sight. "Aaah... What you can conclude about this guy? Been looking all day."

Beside Evana, there was a man with a blue attire and a black jacket. He lifted a cap with a symbol of a boomerang rune, bowing at me. Nevertheless, the rune had been painted white inside the sphere, creating a shape of some sort circle or ball? I never saw that shape of a rune.

On his finger, as he put back the cap, a golden ring that I saw before spooked me up. Exactly like the nurse, the doctor, and my mother. That four times.

Between his legs, there was a wooden giant baton that usually used as Mace-type. Strange appeal. His body size didn't match as a strong job. But for a hammer, mace, or heavy weapon usually wielded by the blacksmith, warrior, and barbarian.

Now I thought again, the man on that boutique shop had those three qualities. He did say someone challenge him, a warrior; a huge unusual body, barbarian; and created runic armor, blacksmith. There was no iron or metal thing in my dress or any of the ones in the store, so what he used the hammer for?

"Some kind of inside-building role?" I said, attempting to rewrite the thought. There was nothing in my mind other than a priest, actor, and factory laborer. "Perhaps adventurer."

"A Miss-Summoned." Evana pointed her thumb behind. "Met him near the Feliner Kingdom this morning, he had been living in my inn for a while."

"Greetings, lady. Lraden is how I named, and I...had difficulty to recall my last name. Sorry, if I displayed something not pleasuring looking."

I blinked for a moment. He was quite cultured for a no memory person. Did he from a high-class family? I gave a nod to repay his politeness.

Miss-Summoned was a person who failed to come here through the hero summoning ritual. Most of the time, some organ was missing or at worst had no heart and thus killed them instantly. But, memory loss was something unthinkable. In what way, a missing organ could cause a memory issue? For someone to become a doctor, I had to study this later.

"If he near the Feliner Kingdom, wouldn't they who summoned him?"

"If they already had heroes, why they wasted more of them?" Evana sighed. "Anyway that's fine for now but I stole a glance for a rumor in the hospital, a prestige adventurer was hot-looking for me."

That ― this {prestige} armor dress certainly would offer me trouble one day.

I stared at her shadowed face trying to expose my secret but with my mother besides, I held that thought straight away. "Can we talk alone?" I said with a desire for quick.

Her loosely back bulged up upon hearing a tempest request, she gulped a red potion as an agreement with no reason whatsoever. "Okay... Let's meet tomorrow at the Vernus Cafe around middle noon."

 * * *

Upon arrived at home with hands overflowed with bags of groceries, utensils, and such, a group of people had spawned in front of our house. Trash bags we had collected had been cleared out and replaced by all things we hired for transporters to send. About ten men in black were stood surrounded by these.

The only house constructed at the vast grass terrain. I realized how insecure the place we chose for the two-story house a couple years ago and surprisingly it became exactly how house supposed to appear.

In front of them, I saw Erika on a long cloud sofa we ordered. She sat with the other two persons, her parents. They sampled drinks of orange and {windelon} with our coffee table for the living room. The windelon drink had an essence of pink with a hint of blurry blue.

Only Erika seemed depressed, groomed in a well-behaved lady in tied space between her knees. She was a kind eccentric girl. Even we ditched class sometimes, it was still hard to call her a problem child or wild behavior. She was a good girl.

When she saw us, she stood in a positive smile. "Wow. Nice outfit, Siqura. Well made."

"Erg... Thank you?" I avoided Uncle Darzon and Aunt Lizera while fidgeted at a lightness swirling at the tip of my limb when Erika graduated me. I didn't want to believe that now I was a respectful human being.

"Sister." My mother escaped a gasp, then slowly cracked to a distant smile. I had trouble to understand fully that action. "Good to see you in wealthy health."

"Me too, my adorable little sister." Lizera ascended from the seat, wrapped herself into my mother. She had a long and expensive fabric that hanged in her neck and rolled around her two arms. Both of them had similar twin faces with exception to the sleepy eyes of my mother.

However, Uncle Darzon remained unmoveable in the seat, hawking at us with an unreadable face. It was a facial paste that formed between honest goodwill and a hideous promise.

"You became a mature and beautiful maiden, Siqura." His eyes fondled my appearance down to toes while knocking a chalk-burning cigarette to the ashtray that we not ordered on the desk ― a new bought desk for my room. It placed next to the coffee table. "Of course you too, Rizera." He blew the smoke away without lifted his glance from mine.

What was wrong with this man? Did he come to ridicule us? We never met him ever since my mother pleaded for help and got kicked out, all of sudden he appeared in front of us, performed like he were boss to decorate as he like?

"Nice to meet you too." My mother didn't refuse the unrespectful manner, bowed with a welcoming gesture. "Sorry if I made you wait too long."

Did she anticipate this? Or did Mom invite him?

"I heard," he said, hicked an unsounded act, and quickly snapped the cigarette into the ashtray, "about how the debt resolved, so I bring some hands to aid you with the heavy kinds of stuff."

"I don't wan ―"

"― Hm! Thank you from your side." My mother stepped forward after cut in the middle of my expression.

<Mom...>

"How about you accompany us for a celebration too?"

"B-But ―"

― She blocked with her arm, I had to quietly stand behind. Erika and Lizera didn't say anything to support me, the mood established us in a somewhat unmotivated and uncared environment. All the hired men hauled the furniture and items without sweats once the door unlocked.

If not for my mother, I never let them step into the house, never let them touch our things, never let anything...except Erika and Aunt Lizera. I doubted they had anything to do with my uncle's lifestyle.

The task of organizing had become fairly fast and easy of directing them where it should stock, we did all when the brilliant sunset away from the sky.

My mother got up in the middle talking to Lizera about what happened in the factory workplace, she rushed to the upstairs before I realized.

"Is she okay?" Aunt Lizera said, turned behind at her seat, in the same manner as my mother. She both a twin with Lizera as the eldest sister had a more mature vibe.

Erika had been hypnotized in her nostalgic aftereffect novel. She broke mindless and began to pay attention to upstairs as well as Uncle Darzon.

"I will take a look." I stepped on the stairs and advanced to her room. Then slowly wandered to the bathroom, I eavesdropped water pouring out of the sink. Yet, nothing was changed in sound.

The door was spread, and I met her on the floor with blood streaming from her mouth. A lot. Her entire dress painted in black, accurate to the tiniest detail as her side face sunk in shallow water.