"I wonder if that thing has sothing to do with the Adventuring System..."
"I don’t really know, but from the knowledge I have now, it might be connected."
Lovelace used to have very bad migraines every ti she tried to recall anything related to the System. But, over ti, she managed to shield herself from it.
I think that it’s more of an ’avoid thinking directly about it’ kind of shield than a proper shield against the effects of the soul-biting that took her mories.
"You said that it was feeding... but maybe that mana is not being accumulated by the thing itself."
"Yeah, I thought about it myself. If it was, the amount of mana it would have accumulated over the centuries would make it impossible to hide."
"True and powerful on a godly level."
"Also... I haven’t discarded the idea of having been the one who designed the spell that created it. The signature mana of that thing is the goddess’, but I can sense sothing of myself in it."
"Well, you were the one with the ability to feed on mana to begin with. But it could be just that woman trying to replicate your ability."
"Yes..."
Her voice is a bit somber this mont, so I look at her face. We are talking as we walk on the main road from Amapytu to Evergrove.
On a side note, I find it funny that Amapytu is the only city that stays within the wasteland zone and also the only one that has a beastkin na.
The na Amapytu ans ’spirit of rain,’ which I always thought was very ironic given the city’s location.
Or maybe the founders of the city were trying to attract said rain using the na. Who knows?
Anyway, I’m digressing again. Right. Lovelace. She looks distressed.
"Is sothing the matter?"
"No... I just can’t help but have this weird feeling about the idea of being the one who created the spell to conjure or summon that being."
"Are you feeling guilty about it?"
"Guilty?"
She frowns and puts her hand to her chin, thinking hard as she walks. I fear that she might trip at any ti. I often do when I’m in deep thought like that.
"That might be it. A feeling of guilt towards the people who helped you to free and who received with such open arms."
"I understand... but you were practically another person back then. Being brainwashed by that woman, you didn’t have much agency yourself in those days, did you?"
"You’re right, I didn’t have. She was the one who guided everything I thought or did. I had no life besides the one she gave ."
"Then, the one guilty is her, not you. She used you to create that thing. And if she didn’t have you, she would have found other people to do her bidding."
"..."
"And you have a new life now. A life you won’t feel ashad or guilty about. A life where you can start anew and in which you aren’t as naïve as you were in the past."
"Thank you, Aurea. You always know what to say in these monts."
We were in the last lines of our banter when we crossed the city gates. Mother stayed behind because she would be too conspicuous.
I’m using illusion to change my hair’s color. I also made so changes to the dress I bought and used during the rescue in Amapytu, including dyeing it a different color.
Lovelace is using the sa dress Yaci used, with similar changes to make it not look so similar at first glance. The won of the tribe were of great help with that.
The guards didn’t seem to give us a glance, as they were talking between themselves. The atmosphere of this city is so different than the one in Amapytu.
To begin with, everyone is a lot more relaxed. Second, there are way fewer adventurers and patrolling guards. Third, it’s bigger.
It looks like a proper European dieval city. Or, at least, what my imagination always depicted one would be like.
The only thing that reminds that we’re in a fantasy world is the eventual beastkin or elf, who are always wearing a collar.
But besides that, everything is too normal.
We enter a clothing shop to buy a pair of dresses for my mother and a spare one for and for Lovelace. The cheapest ones.
Mother managed to get so coins by helping soone in a little village we passed through, but it was just barely enough for the change of clothing.
We have a bit left over, three bronzes. Which will be enough for a al in the tavern for the both of us.
Why a al in the tavern? Because that’s the whole goal of entering the city to begin with. To listen.
Adventurers are a loud bunch, very fond of bragging. Guards and knights aren’t so different.
So, if you put them together in a place with alcohol running... you’ll be able to catch all the best gossip in town.
Or, at least, the kind of gossip we’re interested in. About the search for and Lillian.
We enter the biggest tavern that is in the central plaza of the city. The exact sa plaza where the building of the Adventurer’s Guild is located.
A girl of high school age, with brown hair and a freckled face, cos to our table as soon as we take our seats.
"What will you two have today?"
"What is the nu?"
"Today the main al is fowl stew with onions and beetroot, with a side dish of bread and nuts. We also have grilled lamb and pork."
"I will have the main al, then."
" too. And a mug of ad."
"Two fowl stews and a mug of ad. I’ll bring them soon."
It’s high afternoon, and the tavern is full of adventurers who completed their missions and also so guards who have just finished their daily duties.
Now that I think about it, it’s the first ti in this life that I’ll eat a proper al in a restaurant.
The food in the first years of my life wasn’t bad and was nutritious enough, but it was the ’whatever to feed those slaves’ kind of al.
In the tribe we mostly eat monster at and dried fruits and nuts. There is no bread in the wasteland.
And during the rescue I ate those skewers, and I still have no idea what kind of at it was. Though I can say that it was better than monster at.
And now... I’ll eat fowl stew... and bread. Proper bread. I’m so happy right now.
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