The Lumines Kingdom - Tourist

Yasuline couldn't help but feel a sense of worry creeping up on her. She had anticipated facing many challenges once she left the castle, but everything seemed to be going smoothly without any obstacles in her way. It was a pleasant surprise to encounter such kindness from everyone she met, who were willing to lend a helping hand and teach her new things. However, a part of her couldn't help but wonder if it was all too good to be true, and she feared that she might wake up from this dreamlike experience. Nevertheless, she couldn't deny that this journey was amazing and filled her with a sense of wonder. She whispered to herself, "I'm grateful for this incredible opportunity." The crowd noises would perfectly hide it from anyone's ears, but the White Reaper was still capable of catching her words. She worried that everything would reset before she got the chance to meet adventurers and maybe experience one of her own.

Just as she was about to reach for her arm and was about to pinch herself, her stomach beat her to the punch. Even the White Reaper and another passerby can hear the rumbling and understand what it was. "Woah, this guy must be starving." She says, flustered, and taps on the back of the stranger who was staring at her and silently walks off. "But that does remind me that we didn't get to have our lunch. Time to experience what the locals have." She begins rubbing her hands together as she tries imagining what kind of feasts await her.

She couldn't help but wonder as she zig-zagged down the roads and pathways, searching for a decent place to eat. Despite her efforts, she found herself completely lost and unable to ask the White Reaper for directions. He rarely answered her questions directly, instead gesturing with a tilt of his head to lead her on. She couldn't help but notice his hands were occupied with various items she had picked up along the way. Some were magic scrolls. Very basic ones, but it allowed her to use just one magic skill per scroll. Allowing her to be able to use magic for the first time in her life.

As they ventured away from the main street that they had initially set out from, Yasuline couldn't help but notice the increasing presence of individuals clad in elaborate armor, predominantly fashioned from leather or chainmail. Curiously, the individuals were not carrying any weapons on their person but rather held them tightly in their hands. It became apparent that this was likely due to the high number of guards patrolling the area, a direct result of the recent incident involving the notorious White Reaper. She didn't want to risk the chance of being recognized by that and ruin everything. She scoots back the way she came and took a different direction on where to look.

The road she found herself on didn't seem as intent on looking decent as the other paths in the city. There were plenty of marks on the walls of the road and walls that looked similar to the ones that were in the courtyard in the castle from when the knight's training would go wild. Clashing swords would knock each other out of the wielder's hands and crash onto the surface of anything near it. Most of those armored passersby were present, but they seemed comfortable enough to have their weapons on them, some even held them out in front of others as they discussed the minor details about them. Many of them give off impressions of one thing: they either have experience in their profession or don't and seem eager to get as much experience as possible.

As Yasuline walked down the street, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The buildings around her were unlike anything she had seen before. They weren't homes or shops, but rather rentals like inns that were made for travelers seeking a roof to sleep under in the night. The worn paint and crooked shutters gave the impression of a place long forgotten by the rest of the world. As she continued her stroll, something caught her eye. It was a strange, constructed object made of wood planks and wheels, partially blocking the side of the road. Its presence stood out among the already uniquely different vibes the place had. Yasuline couldn't help but feel curious about what was this area of the city. But something shifting around in the corner of her eye caught her attention.

With a friendly wave, a red-haired girl beckoned them over to her humble booth, which appeared to be the least impressive of all the stalls they had encountered on their trip in the capital so far. Despite the lackluster appearance of her stand, the girl exuded confidence and warmth that drew the princess in. As they approached, Yasuline couldn't help but notice the girl's unique attire. It resembled that of a shopkeeper, but with a colorful twist and adorned with badges over her right breast, each with a distinct icon and meaning. Yasuline found herself intrigued by the girl's outfit, yet she didn't recognize any of the symbols.

"So, you lovebirds shopping for venturing stuff?" She says with that standard "welcome customers" smile.

"Mmhmm, what kind of things do you have?" Yasuline answers her as she noted her bare booth and wondered what kind of goods she had on her. Completely forgetting her main objective was in the first place.

"Well, then you'll love what I got. Treasures. The kind only found inside dungeons."

Yasuline's desire to take things back to her room triggered and made her take the bait that was laid out for her.

Upon thorough inspection, the first initial object appeared to be a chalice of considerable age. Its exterior was marred by a scratch, indicating its long-standing existence. Though it potentially could have been comprised of gold, its once-beautiful body had been tarnished, either by the passage of time or by the effects of a brewed potion that it had previously held. Yasuline didn't feel any interest at all in it, even when the girl was telling her how it was a special cup that was excavated from a section of the labyrinth that rested under the entire landmass of Lumines. It likely showed on her face as the girl took the cup away and pulled out another object. A rock with an engraving. Yasuline was allowed to touch it and she could immediately sense something within it. Like some kind of power. The girl informed the princess that it was appraised to be a fragment that came from the Lands of the Draconians. The magic aura around it was from one of the unique magic that they cast on their home to enhance them greatly. But it wasn't enough to want her to take it for herself. But that didn't seem to faze the girl at all as she just grabs it and replaces it with another.

"Okay, so the Chalice of the Abyss Prison and a runestone from the Lost Continent doesn't suit to your liking huh? Maybe you want something flashier?" She says, sounding like she is boasting about the next highlight. She pulls out a key. Such a simple thing, and yet, it was better than the other things to Yasuline. The air of mystery was inviting her.

"This here be a key, to where? Well, some say it belongs to a mansion that is stuck between the living and the dead."

'Now that sounded interesting' Yasuline thinks as she takes the key and fidgets it around in her hand.

"They say the mansion sits in the middle of the forest near the capital, but anytime people try to find it, they just can't. But one lucky person managed to see it through the fog and when he followed its silhouette, he found this key." The girl's storytelling skill and tone were on par with Yasuline's. Thankfully for her, it seemed to have worked. Yasuline felt the key against her fingers once more before she tucks it into one of her pockets. She gives the White Reaper a look, almost sending her thoughts right through each other eyes. 'Let's go find this mansion and see what kind of treasure they have in there, yes?'

"Thank you for the patronage. Care to see more of my wares?"

Yasuline nearly asked to see more but her growling body reminded her of what she really needed at the moment. "Maybe later, right now, I was looking for a place to eat."

The girl's salesman inviting aura disperses and she leans against the wall behind her. Now, she seems like someone best left alone. "A place to eat? You sure went the wrong way then, the dining district is the other way that-away," She points effortlessly in the eastern direction, "Keep going down here, the only other place is the Adventure Guild."

"Adventure Guild!?" Yasuline suddenly says, slamming her hands down on the booth, making it shake as the force rippled through its unstable body. The girl crouched down and held her hands out, ready to hold it together.

"Y-yes? You must be new to this place, the Adventure Guild is just down the road, you shouldn't miss it at all since it's pretty shabby but way more sturdy than the rest of these buildings."

"Then that's where we're going!" Yasuline says excitedly as she grabs the arm of the White Reaper and begins to run with him. Leaving behind the girl who stood there and watched the strange girl and shrouded babysitter leave her sight. She then looked at the coins she got and did a little hop of excitement. "Heh, whatever. I finally got rid of those fossils" She hurriedly began picking everything up and began to drag the pack away.

With her electrified excitement, it took no time for the two to arrive at what appeared to be the guild building. "I-is that it? The Adventure Guild?" Yasuline says as she finds what seemed to resemble what the girl had said.

Yasuline observed a solitary building that stood independently, not connected to any other structures. It was quite distinct from the other edifices she had come across, as it was entirely made of sturdy wood. Knowing her plants and wood, the wood comes from a exotic tree that came from the Bull-Oak tree from the Gaia Isles. The flooring was elevated, with a few steps leading to the main entryway, which, surprisingly, had a door. The windows were smudged, making it difficult to see what was inside. Although there were some holes in the walls, they seemed to have been patched up already, albeit not very skillfully. This location appeared to be quite worn out and battered.

As Yasuline stepped inside the main lobby, she couldn't help but notice the striking contradiction to the exterior. The walls were also made of bull-oak wood but were far more polished and had a glimmering texture to them. Although the decorations in the area were not particularly eye-catching, Yasuline found herself gazing at them with curiosity. The walls had various weaponry in display, most looked artificial, but the more dented one were clearly real and likely were displayed to tribute the wielder. As she looked around, she realized that her staring had attracted the attention of the other people in the lobby, who were scattered about in various groups or sitting alone.

Yasuline ignored all those eyes on her when she felt her stomach rumble the loudest it had done as she carried herself over to one of the empty tables. The White Reaper continues to tail her and sits himself down at the same table. It didn't take long for one of the receptionists to head to their table, now taking the role of a waiter.

Yasuline recalls how her father explained to her that the Adventure Guildhall was multi-purpose to aid the every need of an adventurer. A mess hall with a variety of options to feed them before and after taking requests. A few rooms to allow them to rest up, a small ware shop that supplies them with the basic common commodities, and a repair shop. Of course, none of them can ever beat out going to a actual store that dedicated to one of these necessities, but the convenience of having them in one place helped many with little coin.

"Hello there, new friends! Excited to try out our delicious food before embarking on your quests?" The receptionist greets them warmly, tucking her notepad away with a smile.

Yasuline realizes they have no idea what's on the menu. "Well, I always say it's hard to be a hero on an empty stomach. What do you recommend?"

"We make a mean beef stew that's packed with all the nutrients adventurers need. It's our most popular dish by far!" the receptionist replies cheerfully.

"Sounds great! My friend and I will have that," Yasuline agrees.

"Coming right up! And for drinks, we have water, beer, mead and ale. Mead is like honey wine, in case you've never tried it before," the receptionist explains, noticing Yasuline's curious expression when she named the selection.

"That sounds yummy. I do like my honey in tea."

"Then I bring them right away for you two, hun. Be right back."

The chairs were just a tad too tall for her and her legs partly dangled in the air, allowing her to swing them playfully as she awaited for her drink and food. She looked around her and watched the many people doing their own thing. They were all adventurers, Yasuline assumes since they lounged around in the guild house. She skimmed each one, wondering which one she could approach and talk to. Maybe get them to talk about their experiences.

One band of adventurers entered the guild house and were chatting with one another as they headed straight to the counter, passing by the receptionist that was coming to Yasuline with two thick glasses with an orange coloring. Yasuline stared at it, her rosy lips, parted open, and she could taste the sweetness the aroma held. As the White Reaper pulls up a silver coin and tucks it into the receptionist's empty hands, Yasuline would take her first drink.

As she took a sip of the sweet drink, she was surprised by the dryness that accompanied the promised sweetness. The liquid flooded her cheeks and drowned her tongue, but the most prominent taste was the strong flavor of honey that had been stirred into the mixture. However, it was lacking the usual sweetness that typically accompanied such a flavor. This peculiar sensation fascinated her, and she found herself taking another sip from her glass. Each sip seemed to have a lightening effect on her mind.

As the princess succumbed to the effects of the drink, the group of adventurers remained at the front desk, and the White Reaper appeared to be hanging on their every word. He certainly had a way of listening intently to everyone and everything, and it seemed like they were discussing something quite intriguing.