It was a bright spring day.
Leaning against the window, Lianna watched the clouds drift off behind the buildings.
The water-blue skies were as clear as... Come to think of it, should the sky be called water-blue or the water sky-blue?
If the water surface is merely a mirror to the sky and doesn't have a color by itself, so the latter would seem more appropriate.
Such thoughts seemed to pop up on Lianna's at the most random times. An idle mind is the Devil's workshop, or so people say.
Maybe such a quote would carry a negative meaning, but she ― a Black Magic Caster ― couldn't care less.
Lianna understood well that a mind always busy is too tired to be used to its full potential. So she tried to maintain a healthy balance between study and work.
Or so she planned.
She no longer took classes in magic, nor had a job, since she had just moved into that city.
Eastwall was what could be called a fortress city. Maybe its name came from the thick stone walls that surrounded it, or from the fact that it served as a wall between the Human World and the unexplored lands of Beyond to the east.
Surely whoever named those places severely lacked creativity.
At any rate, she soon ― or not so soon ― realized it was almost midday, so she had to move.
As fast as she could, she swapped her sleep clothes for the dark purple dress she had bought just the other day.
It was thin at the waist with a wide bell-shaped skirt which had a frilly hem that reached bellow her knees. The long sleeves were puffed at the shoulders and covered the full extent of her arms.
Even if she still didn't have an income (yet), she had brought a confortable sum of coins from her home village, and keeping appearances was important for getting a job.
Specially if one was a magic caster.
She tidied up her shoulder-length blond hair. While it was pretty short at the moment, she now planned to let it grow down to her waist.
Finally, on top of her head, she put a hat.
A pointy hat.
"I look so stupid."
Now that she looked at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but feel that way.
Seriously, a Black Magic Caster with a dark dress and pointy hat?
Was she trying to look like a professional or a witch?
No. She had to look the part.
It wasn't the time to feel insecure. She was a beautiful and cute young magician. That was the truth.
Besides, magic users are all weirdos anyway.
Taking a deep breath, now with the right mindset, she looked again at the mirror.
The reflected image was that of a fifteen year-old Black Magic User with a future ahead of her.
Yes. That was the truth.
Wait. If the water surface is colorless, are mirrors the same?
...
With her head held high, hair blown by the gentle wind and staff in hand, Lianna walked along the street.
She was in an unknown neighborhood of a city she had arrived just one day prior. The crime rates were alarmingly high and the street she walked wasn't exactly empty.
Yet, she did not let herself be intimidated.
Indeed.
For her destination was right ahead. Quite literally.
She was headed to the Adventurers Guild, which was on the same street as the inn where she rented a room. In fact, both buildings were facing one another.
All she needed to do was cross the street.
No matter how dangerous a city or how unlucky one may be, the odds of being robbed on a street full of people while staying less than one minute outdoors is so close to zero that even the most relentless scholar would round it down to the closest whole number (also zero).
And so she stood in front of the two-story building's already open double doors.
'Double doors'. For some reason, the name reminded her of a wizard she read about in a book once.
Just one more step and she would be inside.
When someone rudely bumped against her.
"Ouch! Watch where--"
When Lianna considered between shouting or smacking with her staff whoever was the crude-mannered rascal who bumped into her, she noticed it.
Cat ears.
"Sorry, miss!"
A boy with short black hair from which sprouted a pair of equally black cat ears turned his head with a smiling apologetic face.
He did not as much as stop, but continued running.
With a long tail wiggling behind him.
"No way..."
Since she grew up in a human village, she only knew of beast people from stories. Although she had heard there would be some in the city, when she actually saw one, it was hard to believe.
Cats are, no doubt, the best. And to think the first beast person she would get to see had feline features only spoke to the luck this day was about to bring her.
A shame he ran off so quick.
Since she would be indefinitely living in that city, chances are she would see another beast person in no time. Hopefully.
But still...
"So rude, though."
Sighing, she resumed her way and entered the building.
Walking past the tables lined at both sides, filled with all kinds of weird-looking people equipped with even weirder sets, she kind of felt less out of place with her pointed hat.
Some stole glances at her, but none seemed suspicious of her presence. They were likely used to seeing all kinds of people walk in.
Even though the guild faced another inn, this place was pretty full of people who ate and drank.
How did they manage the competition?
Come to think of it, she would need to enter a party too. Even if she didn't plan to make adventuring her main source of income forever, it would be best not to work alone.
Rather, the main reason she was joining was to make the best use she could of the acquaintances she could forge among the adventures, specially the magic casters.
So, as she headed to the counter at the end of the hall, she scanned the tables for a group that could to catch her eye.
But she soon spotted a problem. Or rather, the problem was what she wasn't spotting.
No animal-eared people!
There were only humans on the tables. Humans with furless round ears. Humans with no tail.
Maybe she was looking forward too much to seeing another beast person soon, but why were there only humans? Was there some kind of policy regarding the races that could join?
Feeling her hopes slightly crushed and stomped upon, Lianna walked to the counter.
There were three people standing behind it.
Naturally, she chose the one in the middle.
"Welcome, young miss. I do not recognize your face. You must be new, am I right?"
The receptionist was a fairly young man with a rather charming smiling.
"Yes. I'm here to become an adventurer."
"I see. In this case, you just need to fill the papers and pay the two silver pieces fee."
He winked.
Was he flirting or was that just his way of keeping the mood while talking business?
Either way, Lianna had more important things on her mind.
Not that she was one to talk when it came focusing on important matters only.
"Two silver coins? Then, here... we... go...?"
Where was her coin pouch?
It was there literally two minutes ago. She checked while leaving the inn.
Did she lose it on the way? Or was she robbed?
But she only crossed the street!
"If you do not have enough, we can discount it on the pay of your first quest. It's not uncommon for adventures to start with little money."
"Do I look that broken to you? I-I mean, I do have it, just... I think I forgot it, I'm going back to get it. I'm sorry."
"Please, don't worry about it."
"T-Then, excuse me!"
So embarrassing!
She could feel dozens of eyes upon her.
People were whispering among themselves.
How could this happen to her on the first day?
At least there wasn't much inside her pouch, as she wasn't dumb enough to walk around with all her money. She just needed to go back to her room in the inn and get some more.
Everything would be alright.
...
Lianna entered the guild's building once more. She couldn't help but stare at the ground while walking.
Still, she had to keep her head high.
Soon she would be an adventurer and all this would be in the past.
Just a new piece of embarrassing memories to her collection.
"And it's done. You are now an adventurer, young man. Congratulations!"
"Oh, thanks!"
Eh?
Noticing something out of place, Lianna's eyes rose once again.
What they met was a long black tail, short black hair and two black ears.
It was the same cat boy as before.
And he was turning into an adventurer on the same day as Lianna?
She was really hoping to see another beast person up close soon, but she couldn't lower her guard.
There was something was fishy going on.
"No... way..."
Ears twitched.
"Hm?"
The cat boy looked back, and so their eyes met.
It was like time itself had stopped.
That was definitely...
Wasn't that boy's coin pouch awfully familiar?
"You are... that one who bumped into me earlier...?"
"Hm...? Oh, yes! W-What a coincidence... Am I right?"
"Could that be..."
As Lianna pointed her finger, the culprit averted his golden slitted eyes.
She readied her staff.
And took a deep breath
"You who have wrongfully taken hold of that which is not rightfully yours, surrender now or--"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Watch the magic!"
A bulky brute jumped in and held Lianna's staff down.
"EEK!"
The cat boy took a step back.
"P-P-Please, no magic inside the guild!"
Even the receptionist didn't seem to grasp the situation.
"Let me go! He stole that pouch from me! Look! It even has the kitty sticker I bought yester...day..."
Maybe that was a detail better off unsaid.
"Eeeh? This is a mistake! Mother gave it to me and it has been on my pouch for weeks!"
"Liar! Wait..."
There was yet another detail only now she noticed.
One so crucial Lianna had no idea how she didn't notice it sooner.
"Wait..."
"Hm?"
Yes. Something was wrong with that cat boy from the start.
"Wait......"
"What is it?!"
She was so stupid falling for something like that.
"You don't finish your sentences with a meow?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"W-What?! Why would I? That's racist!"
"You can't fool me, impostor! But no matter... I can cast magic without a staff, so--"
As soon as Lianna released the grip of her catalyst and stretched her hands, even more people jumped in.
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