31. Accidental Scrutiny

31. Accidental Scrutiny A black smokestack rose from the small town ahead. The long grass leading up to its undefended walls of stone were folded over as if a herd of wild beasts had trampled through. But upon closer inspection she noticed they were singed, and that their tips burnt with a bright orange ember. A sweeping flame had slashed through the damp grass leading up to the smoking town. Charred marks were left along the cracked road, leading deeper through the open metal gates. They were greeted by an unattended checkpoint of sorts, built like a medieval gateway where guards were supposed stand by. The terrible commotion within and the scent of burning metal must have drawn them away. A large number of people gathered by a fountain not too far away from the entrance. “Unacceptable!” A burly voice shouted amid them all as flames bellow into the sky. “It’s only a trip to Little Tais!? Why should I have to pay the trip fee when I can easily protect the carriages myself!?” A skill? Fire magic or something? Frost wondered to herself, watching the flames lick the sky as those gathered recoiled in fear. A man with crimson hair and red, steel-plated armor seemed to be the source of these flames, as well of this small town’s troubles. He was easily the most armed of them all, even compared to those bearing weapons as their attires mostly consisted of a metal chest piece and leather tunics. Others wore unique sets of clothing and bared weapons like swords, maces, and spears. It was like a gathering of different-classed RPG characters to put it bluntly. Save that this town was far from beautiful. The structures could just barely pass as homes or facilities. They were weathered by both nature and signs of previous conflicts. The flames of this person only further tarnished them. “We all have to pay for the trip! The forests to Little Tais are filled with those damned Anids! Who else is going to carry our cargo and feed us along the way then!?” A woman retorted, brandishing her war-axe. “Drop your magic and get your ego out of your ass!” “She’s right! Stop fighting already! Just pay up for the trip! We’re – We’re already desperate enough to leave!” An old man hoarsely coughed. “A lot of our families were up there in Divas Pass! Please don’t delay this any longer!” Nav, any idea what’s going on? “Unknown. They seem to be fighting.” I can see that. Frost refused to sigh at this. “Divas Pass was the next and final place with a Relay Site after Little Tais. It is the bordering city between Grandis and Brandar. It appears that something has happened there.” They all seem eager to leave for that place as well. Is it worth getting ourselves wrapped in this mess? I think I’d rather we move on foot to Little Tais. “I believe so as well.” Frost briefly checked their statuses. The average level here was 25, with some reaching the high 30s. The man donned in the red-plated armor was a healthy level 75. The strength he boasted was not a stroke to his ego after all. However, before she could turn around to leave – the bickering suddenly reached an interesting point. “Will you run?” Frost carefully weighed her options. She could hightail it now and continue with their journey to Little Tais. Or she could use this opportunity to further consolidate her knowledge of this world. The latter seemed redundant since she had Nav on her side... no, in her mind, but Nav’s information of these places were patchy at best. They missed vital pieces of context, which was something she could only gain by interacting with the world. Additionally, there was the story regarding the late princess of Puritas that she wished to unravel. If there was anyone who knew about it, it would be the residents of Grandis. That way she can gain clues to the whereabouts of perhaps other Corrupted. Of course, their main objective was to first gain Nex by completing a quest. Afterwards, they would be able to return to the Nexus via a Relay Site, most likely the one in Little Tais. Where there was a Repository, there was an Adventurer’s Guild; and Little Tais had all these facilities. Frost eventually made the decision to stand her ground. She needed to absorb as much of the world as she could through these people. And what better way to do it than to barter her healing magic for information? Although... this atmosphere certainly made it difficult to speak. She needed to change her mannerisms to match this tone. And so, she draped herself with a façade and spoke with a deep, dignified voice. “If all you can do is stare speechlessly at me like I am unwelcome, then I will take my healing services elsewhere. I thought this was the place I could find a carriage to take us to Little Tais. I appear to be mistaken.” A choir of voices rung out almost immediately. ‘Healer’ was the word that surprised them the most. As one of the Villagers of Virt said; healers were a rarity and highly regarded. Their shocked faces proved this to be correct. They were not going to let her leave that easily. She knew this. This also confirmed that her healing magic would work nicely here as a bartering tool. It’s a lot more chaotic than I thought. But I feel like I made the right choice. “H-Heal!? – wait, Y-Yes! You’re in the right place! S-Sorry!” A woman blurted out and ran ahead of the crowd. They seemed to be one of the superiors of this place; donned in a bright blue robe and carrying a staff with a blue gem in a hand. A few others quickly joined her before suddenly racing towards Frost with swift strides. “I am Via, one of the patrons of Grandis’ highways. What’s left of them, I should say. But! You’re a healer, you said! If that’s true, then please – I beg of you – COME WITH US!” The amber-haired woman bowed so deeply that she nearly scraped her scalp against the ground. Her exaggerated act left both Frost and Jury equally as stunned, but their faces refused to show this. ... Nav. I think I might have made a mistake. < Your internal monologue falls on deaf ears >