The carriage's swaying gradually ceased, and the jolting sensation faded away. The coachman let out a sigh of relief, and after a long, distant cry of "Whoa," everything seemed to come to a standstill.
“We’re here.” Sisyphus pulled back the curtain and helped Rolle out of the carriage. The orange-haired man followed suit, making a gesture to assist, but Li Yue leapt down light-footedly from the other side, completely ignoring the man’s outstretched hand.
The orange-haired man smiled, not feeling the least bit awkward.
“By the way, miss, my name is Robert. I haven't had a chance to introduce myself until now, haha. It's all because those two kept interrupting. Looking at your attire...” Robert rubbed his chin, clicking his tongue as he examined her.
“You must have been a fine warrior before. No wonder Rolle refused to let you sit next to her.”
“Why?” Li Yue looked herself over, puzzled. Her outfit was certainly not that of a commoner: a blue-black robe that, upon closer inspection, was made of tiny blue scales woven together with fine black threads, paired with form-fitting trousers. Under the cover of the robe, one could vaguely see an empty thigh sheath.
I seem to have kept a dagger there before.
Li Yue frowned. Although she knew she had some sort of background, discovering it herself felt different from having it pointed out by others.
“If you register at the Hunter's Association or the Adventurer's Association, they’ll give you a set of cheap weapons. The Mages' Association provides blue crystals, provided you can use magic, of course.” Robert spoke casually as he quickened his pace.
“See you around! We’re heading out as soon as we finish buying supplies.”
Li Yue waved her hand. She found the man’s frivolous tone and the way his voice rose slightly at the end of every sentence a bit annoying. Nevertheless, she went to the Hunter's Association to apply for the lowest-tier hunter rank and received an iron one-handed sword.
She felt like the woman at the counter was looking at her strangely. Li Yue pinched her own cheek, wondering why the receptionist had stared at her for so long.
The Adventurer's Association, the Hunter's Association, and the Mages' Association were distributed in a triangle around the town's central square. As soon as Li Yue stepped out, she saw the Lion Conqueror Crest symbolizing the adventurers and the Owl with a Wand Crest for the mages.
Li Yue held up her Iron Twin Blades Crest from the Hunter's Association, examining it closely against the sunlight. It seemed the lowest-tier crest contained many impurities and wasn't made of pure iron. Li Yue suspected the one-handed sword in her hand was the same and would likely break easily.
The sun began to set, and the evening light of this other world turned the sky a faint purple, as if the legendary Astral Realm had opened a slight crack for mortals.
“Phew, hello!” A fair, small hand patted her shoulder. She instinctively shuddered. If she hadn't heard the pleasant female voice first, she might not have been able to stop herself from drawing her sword.
“Did I scare you? Sorry about that.” The girl pressed her hands together in an apologetic gesture.
Li Yue cautiously observed the girl’s playful, apologetic expression. When her gaze reached the girl's eyes, she realized their eyes had met—or perhaps it was because the girl had been staring into hers the whole time.
She looks familiar, Li Yue thought, stunned. It felt like she had seen her somewhere before.
“And you are?”
“Me? I’m Clo. We met at the Hunter's Association just now.” Clo laughed with a hint of surprise. “My shift is over now!”
Huh? Li Yue looked Clo over. Unlike when she was at the association, she had let down her deep blue hair, which had been in a braid. Her hair, which hadn't seemed like much before, now cascaded behind her like a waterfall, reaching all the way to her hips.
Her work uniform of a black vest and white inner shirt had been replaced by a white robe with gold-stamped patterns. It looked somewhat like the mage robes in Li Yue’s memory, yet also resembled the attire of the clergy.
The lower half of the outfit boldly revealed her fair thighs. The robe covered the back of her legs, while the front was shaped like a skirt hem, covering only a small portion of her thighs and leaving most of their elegance exposed.
What a sophisticated outfit, almost like a formal dress, Li Yue thought, swallowing hard.
“Why are you dazing off?” Clo tilted her head and pulled out a wand, tapping it on Li Yue’s head. The latter immediately felt much clearer.
“Why would a mage work at the Hunter's Association reception desk?”
“Eh~ Asking about my identity right away without even introducing yourself? How rude.”
“Uh, alright. My name is Li Yue.” Although she felt like she had introduced herself many times today, she strangely felt she was gradually accepting the name. It was as if a code name was slowly replacing her own—a weird but not entirely uncomfortable sensation.
“Age, height, favorite food, do you have someone you like...” Clo asked with a smile.
“You haven't said anything about yourself either...” Li Yue muttered softly.
“I’m 171 centimeters tall. My age is a secret. I love sweet pastries, and I’m currently single.”
“Uh, well... I’m single. The rest is a secret.”
“How mean! You tricked me into giving up so many secrets just like that.”
...
“You’re the one who said them...” Li Yue felt helpless. Aside from height, which she could estimate since she and Clo were similar, she didn't have answers for the other questions anyway.
“So, why were you looking for me?”
“This is the association’s weekly pay. I forgot to give it to you just now.” Clo handed Li Yue a pouch. “Actually, joining the association used to require a fitness test and all that, but I saw that you seem capable enough. It’s definitely not because I was in a rush to get off work.”
“Alright, thanks. That solves my food and lodging problems.” Although the girl’s work ethic was questionable, Li Yue felt much better knowing she was the one benefiting from it.
“Well then, see you! Come find me if you have any problems in the future.”
The two waved goodbye.
“A curse... this feeling is so familiar. A destiny-type curse with high-level interference. It doesn't match the style of those few... Could it be someone whose fate is intertwined with mine?” Clo waved her wand, and her body vanished into a deserted corner as if erased by an eraser.
In the dead of night, Li Yue decided to stay at a small inn in the town for the night. The all-wood room and building gave her the feeling of being back in a traditional guesthouse. The lit kerosene lamp provided a touch of warmth. This scene seemed to exist in her memories, though it was somewhat blurred.
She hadn't figured out how to survive in the future yet, but her heart was already homesick. In this world, wanting to go home probably truly was as difficult as reaching the heavens.
Aside from the bright moon outside the window, which was much more beautiful and clear than in her memory, she couldn't find anything that mirrored her past.
She had met many people today. Their attitudes varied, but they were all relatively friendly. She wondered if they had any ulterior motives.
Forget it, I'll sleep first. Tomorrow I have to find a way to earn money to support myself.
BOOM!
The sounds of fire and explosions erupted one after another. Li Yue was startled awake from her deep sleep. Although she hadn't rested for long, her mind was highly alert, whether due to adrenaline or this new body.
She pinched a corner of the curtain and pulled it back slightly. The sight before her eyes left her in shock.
Wolf-like creatures with dark fur and blood-stained muzzles were running wild in the streets, pursued by several burly men with iron swords and shields. The moon was nowhere to be seen in the pitch-black sky.
A tragic yet beautiful flare of fire tore through the darkness. Only then did Li Yue see a giant creature blocking the moon.
A dragon? That was the first word that came to Li Yue’s mind. The creature’s appearance resembled a Western two-winged wyvern, capable of breathing fire, with dark red scales covering its entire body.
Several pale blue rays illuminated the buildings around the dragon. The resident mages of the town’s Mages' Association had also begun their attack, and various flying magical tools turned the night into day.
Dammit, this really is a magic world, Li Yue couldn't help but exclaim. She then locked the window. She knew it wouldn't do much, but it gave her a small sense of security.
She wanted to wait in the room until the commotion outside died down, but then she realized that in this small wooden house, a single blast of dragon breath would likely turn her to ash. Her heart, which had been hanging by a thread, was now completely suspended in anxiety. She didn't know whether to pack some food and run or just sit and wait for death.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Someone was pounding loudly on Li Yue’s door. When she opened it, she found it was Clo, whom she had just met yesterday.
“I’m in charge of evacuating the residents. The situation is very grim.” Clo’s expression was serious. “Those mages from the association probably won't last until reinforcements from headquarters arrive.”
“Then what should we do?”
“The monsters came from the south. The southern shelters have already been destroyed by dragon breath. The number of monsters in the north has significantly decreased—or rather, they’ve scattered and fled because of the dragon.”
“Run toward the north. Here is a map; I’ve marked the location of the deserted castle for you. That place is covered in defensive and concealment magic. It’s the only place you can go now.” As Clo spoke, she cast spells on both Li Yue and the one-handed sword by the bed.
“These are Obscurity and Fortitude spells. Go, quickly! We’ll meet at the castle.”
Li Yue felt it was all very sudden, but she couldn't afford to think too much now. Better to run for her life than to perish in a sea of fire.
Clo stood upon the earth, silently chanting a wind blade spell toward the dragon whose back was turned to her, but it failed repeatedly.
The association’s mages scattered and fled like startled birds. Li Yue climbed a small hill and looked down at the town, which had already turned into a sea of fire. She couldn't help but feel a bit melancholy; she had finally found a place to stay, and it was already gone.
“There shouldn't be anyone left now,” Clo muttered softly. She glanced at the distant hillside, the deep blue in her eyes growing more intense. The magic wand in her hand transformed into a staff as tall as she was. Dragon horns sprouted from the top of her head, their tips pointing forward, and the phantom of black wings appeared behind her.
Heavy chains emerged from various points in space, ruthlessly suppressing the giant dragon.
“I just need to stall for a bit. If I actually kill it, I'll probably draw the association's attention. What a pain.” A phantom of another staff appeared in Clo’s right hand before quickly dissipating. In the end, she simply held her original staff with both hands and tapped it against the ground.
Rate on N.U.
