Entering the Delvers Guild is different this time. Where I used to be ignored outright, now the lobby erupts into scattered cheers the moment I step through the door. Weirdly, the space is packed with Delvers milling about.

  Come to think of it, the room was pretty full when the guards escorted me here too...

  Normally it'd be half empty at best, but it looked like pretty much every Delver in the city is present.

  Another thing to ask Cari about. After she finishes eating me alive.

  I turn down a couple shouted requests to join delving parties, but otherwise nobody really bothers me other than to holler congratulations on my rank up and compliment me on the fight.

  I’m not sure how to feel about that. On the one hand, being recognized is annoying. On the other, being respected might make it worth it.

  The chatter dies down in an instant then, and I notice most of the room looking one direction and turn to follow their gaze. Darius stands at the entrance, glaring at me. There are still scars on his face, and his nose has an all new level of character.

  I give him a little wave.

  He scoffs and heads to the bar on the opposite wall, so I just shrug. He’ll get what’s coming to him when the Guildmaster hears from Agora and the other expedition members.

  I wish I was surprised that nobody knew what really happened to me, but I’m really not. It may be pessimistic of me, but I was—and still am—an outsider here. Before, I was the only Faulted person in the city. Now, I’m just one of the rare beastkin who travel the human lands. It’s a significant upgrade, but still.

  The nation of Tyrania is pretty progressive, though. They don’t really care who or what you are, so long as you’re at least a little productive. Regardless, there weren’t many beastkin in Tyrania. My people tended to stick to forests of Agria, apparently.

  That little snippet of information always makes me wonder why my family left in the first place. But before I can meander down that line of thought for the umpteenth time, I finally reach the counter.

  Must be one of Cari's days off, because she isn’t behind the counter. I’m disappointed, but only until I remember the clothes.

  Yeah… I can wait.

  “Next!” the guy at the desk calls, and I step forwards. “How can I help you?”

  “I need a few things. First, though, I need to sell some items, and I’d like a private room to handle the transaction please,” I say, trying to project a confidence I don’t really feel.

  I’d heard other Delvers make this request countless times, but I’d never once had anything worth selling. Now that I do, though… it’s equal parts nerve-wracking and exhilarating.

  “Very well. Please wait over there, I’ll have one of our analysts come and take you back,” he says, waving me towards a small open space beside the counter, free of tables and chairs.

  It doesn’t take very long for a lanky man to approach me from the hallways across from the counter.

  Human Scholar

  Level 26

  “If you’d please follow me, we can handle your sales right away,” he says with a polite smile.

  “Thanks,” I say.

  He leads me at a quick pace, but we enter the first room on our right before getting more than a dozen paces into the hallway. He holds the door open for me, and I enter to find a surprisingly average looking storage space.

  It’s decently large, with six huge sturdy tables equally spaced out and several stools scattered around them. When I hear the door click shut behind me, I turn and watch as he infuses mana into a rune next to the handle, and then another above that.

  The walls, floor, and ceiling bloom with mana, its light blue glow suffusing every surface.

  Some kind of privacy magic?

  “Now that the wards are active, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Astin. I will be your appraiser today,” he says, and guides me to one of the tables before sitting in a stool across from me.

  “Oh, I’m Emilia. Nice to meet you,” I say.

  “Well then, Emilia, what is it you would like to sell?” he asks, gesturing towards the table.

  For a moment I pause, but I know that if I can’t trust the Guild then I can’t really trust anyone. So I take everything I’d decided to sell out of the Starlight Bangle. First is the hobgoblin’s axes, followed by Hogart’s belt, Tristy’s daggers, and Jory’s rapier.

  The moment he sees the items appearing from nowhere, his eyes widen enough that I swear they might pop out. He tries to say something, but goes into a coughing fit instead. After a few seconds, he looks back up at me with a contrite look on his face.

  “My apologies, Lady Emilia, I was unaware you were a noble!” he says, bowing his head quickly.

  “Oh, I’m not! I got this from a Delve. It’s why I asked for a private room in the first place,” I say. It’s bad enough I get called ‘Mistress’, there’s no way in all the hells I’ll let people start with ‘Lady’ too.

  His eyes seem to brighten at that, and he clasps his hands in front of him excitedly. “I see! Ah, would you perhaps be interested in selling your storage item?”

  “Sorry, but no. It’s far too useful,” I say with a demure smile.

  “Surely you might reconsider? The Guild will pay you quite handsomely for such an artifact. You could likely name any price you want, and we’d accept,” he says, his smile more forced than it was moments ago. Too forced.

  “No, but thank you,” I say before gesturing towards the items on the table. “Now, about these items?”

  I swear his face shifts into an angry scowl, but it’s gone so fast that if it weren’t for my stats, I’d have never caught it.

  “Yes, of course,” he says, pretending nothing happened. “These are wonderful items, especially the axes and the rapier. The dagger and belt are rather generic, but I can give you fifteen silvers for them. The rapier… hm…”

  He taps at his chin as he turns it this way and that with his other hand.

  “We can give you sixty, but the blood bond would have to be removed. The same for the axes, and we could give you forty silver for those. The bond removal costs five silvers, but we can do it for both at the same time,” he looks up to me for confirmation, and I nod. “Very well. This would bring your total earnings to one gold and ten silvers. Is that acceptable to you?”

  My legs feel like jelly beneath me, but I answer right away.

  “Yep!” I squeak out.

  It’s all I can muster, and it’s a miracle I managed even that. For just a few magical items, I’d earned enough to live off of for months, even if I included lodging. At least, that’s how long it would have lasted before.

  Honestly, I didn’t really have expenses right now. Lodging and food is free at Tails and Temptations. Baths too. The only thing I could think of that cost me any money would be arcanite, delving gear, and clothes.

  Oh. That's an idea...

  I am going to buy Cari so many clothes.

  He sets the items aside before heading to the door and activates yet another rune, and this one opens a small compartment with a notepad. He scribbles something onto it before activating the rune again.

  Moments later, the notepad vanishes in a small puff of mana, and a pouch rests where it once was. After removing it, he activates the rune one final time to close up the compartment before approaching me.

  “There you are then, one gold and ten silvers. Is there anything else you would like to sell?” he asks.

  “Nope, that was it. Thank you,” I reply.

  I see the muscles in his jaw clench, but he just returns to the door and deactivates the privacy runes to let me out. He holds the door again, but I leave without another word or a backwards glance, even though I feel his glare burning into my back.

  Pushy.

  While annoying, I'd expected anyone I saw to make an offer for my storage item. I mean, they're so rare in a small city like ours that he assumed I'm a noble just because I have one.

  It's still a bit tedious, though. And I get the feeling he's more upset about it than is strictly professional.

  Whatever. It's done now.

  Shrugging it off, I immediately make my way to Cari’s apartment. With my earnings safely tucked away, I finally take a moment to check my Starlight Bangle for what I have in total. When I’m done counting the 13 gold and 238 silvers, I decide it’s not even worth it to count the mound of coppers stowed within.

  It’s more money than I’d ever even seen, much less handled.

  Cari won’t know what hit her.

  I’m giggling like a madwoman as I speed through the halls, up stairs, and then even more halls. This place is almost literally a maze.

  Apparently every Guild building is made in a similar way. They're supposed to act as impromptu fortresses if the Tunnels have an outbreak big enough to destroy the gates.

  Thankfully, I’d long since memorized how to get to Cari’s apartment. In less than two minutes, I’m banging on the door hard enough to wake the dead. I only stop when she whips the door open with a look of uncontrolled annoyance on her face, but it disappears the instant she sees my grin.

  “Oh, hey Emi! Wait, what did you do with my clothes?” she asks, instantly derailing every distraction I came up with.

  Damn.

  I stay silent, sheepishly scratching behind an ear.

  “Emi… where the fuck are my clothes,” she growls.

  “You see… I kind of got in a fight again?” I say, keeping my ears down and tail snug against the back of my legs.

  She heaves the mightiest groan I’d ever heard and pulls me inside before closing the door. The moment she looks back up at me with a death glare, I’d already prepared my backup plan.

  A bribe.

  “Catch!” I say, flipping her an entire gold coin.

  And she does, deftly snatching it from the air before it can ping off her forehead. When she sees what it is, she gapes.

  “I know right? I’ve got more where that came from. I work at a brothel now! It pays—”

  “You what?!” she shrieks, grabbing my arm like I just confessed to treason.

  Wait, why’s she angr—oh…

  Play.

  “Oh, yeah. It was so nice. I made twelve gold in just one night! I’m apparently very popular,” I say with a contented sigh.

  She flushes a bright crimson.

  “Emilia!” she hisses. “Please tell me you didn’t…”

  “Didn’t what?” I ask, tilting my head innocently and letting my ears flop a bit.

  That’s when she notices my tail swishing madly behind me.

  “Oh, you little shit…” she says, disbelief written all over her face. “Explain! Properly, this time! Gods, why did I become friends with a Foxkin…”

  I bark out a laugh, but quickly cut it short when when she starts reaching up to pinch my ears.

  “Okay, okay! You got me,” I say, holding my hands up in surrender.

  Then I tell her the real story, and by the end she’s rubbing her temples furiously enough that I worry she’ll bruise.

  “There is one more thing,” I say. She looks at me then, one brow raised in a very ‘are you serious’ way. “I’d wanted to show you this earlier, but I’ve not had a single moment of calm yet since I came back. So…”

  I mentally switch my tag to show the System Waker Title, and indicate for her to look up at where it would be if she inspects me.

  The instant she does, a strangled squeak comes from her mouth, but she just stares above my head like she’s been petrified.

  “Cari? Cari, you in there?” I ask, waving my hand in front of her face.

  She doesn’t so much as twitch. I shake her, try to force her to look me in the eyes, but it’s like she’s locked in place. That's when I start to worry.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  The only thing I can think of that changed is my tag, so I quickly swap it back and she immediately starts gasping, taking in gulps of air as if she were drowning.

  “Holy… shit…” she says, and a few tears leak from her eyes.

  “Oh, Gods, Cari, I’m so sorry. I had no idea that would happen, I’m sorr—”

  Her hand covers my mouth, “Shut up for a second, Emi. Just… give me a second.”

  She shudders and seems to bite back a sob, but never removes her hand. So I take it and pull her into a tight hug. She shakes for a little, but seems to keep from breaking down outright. Eventually, she pushes me away.

  “Okay. Alright. New rule,” she says, and her eyes bore into my own. “Never, ever do that again.”

  I nod emphatically, but don’t speak.

  “Good. Next thing, what in the actual fuck, Emi?” she asks.

  It takes a while after that to explain everything I know, and in the end we are both left with more questions than answers.

  “Look, let’s go shopping. We aren’t going to figure anything else out sitting around in here, and I owe you food and clothes. You’re off today, right?”

  “Yeah, I am,” she says with a sigh. “Gods, Emi. It was like the update, when Morena and Fylem spoke…”

  That causes me to widen my eyes a bit. “Wait, seriously? That’s what it felt like to see my tag?”

  She nods, and visibly holds back another shudder before speaking again.

  “Anyways, lets not talk about this anymore. If anyone finds out, you’d land in a heap of shit. Come on, shopping sounds great,” she says, then pauses to look me up and down again. "Huh. A really good idea, actually. We missed your birthday, so... if you want, we can eat out like we used to? A little belated celebration?"

  I grin. I'd nearly forgotten about it again myself, but the idea of getting a bit of our normalcy back sounds so fantastic that I can't hold back the grin.

  Of course she'd remember. She's never forgotten, even when I avoided her for nearly a year. Despite my efforts, she'd sent me a letter with a handmade ribbon for my hair that year.

  The memory sends pang of guilt through me. I'd kept the gift and letter with my copy of Omen of a Bluebell, and losing it meant that I'd lost the keepsakes as well.

  Still, I decide in this moment that I'll do what I can to enjoy the future from here on, rather than let the past pull me down. We head out arm in arm, and more excited than I've been since gaining access to the System.

  We wind through streets busy with repairs and construction, making our way towards the main square. Thanks to the traffic the nearby Tunnels attract, it's the best place to shop for practically anything.

  Unsurprisingly, our first stop is at a nice looking tailor shop called the ‘Silken Strap’. It's a colorful shop, with several mannequins in as many outfits presented behind large display windows.

  The afternoon breeze flows through the open doors, ruffling various fabrics and garments the mannequins wear, making them seem almost alive.

  There must be an enchantment of some kind, because the moment we step through the threshold, the tinkling of a bell can be heard throughout the space. In seconds, a tall man appears, dressed in a flowing high-collared button up of deep violet silk and embroidered trousers that sparkle faintly in the light.

  He wears a measuring tape around his neck like jewelry, and his sleeves are rolled just enough to show off a pair of immaculate bracelets laden with colorful gemstones.

  “Oh, my! If it isn’t the Mistress herself!” he exclaims.

  “Wait, what? How do you know that?” I ask, sharing a confused look with Cari.

  “How would I not? The girls wouldn’t stop gushing about you. At last I know why, now! Marvelous! Just marvelous!” he says excitedly before turning to Cari.

  “And you! Goodness me, that simply won’t do. No friend of the Mistress will walk around town in rags! Come, both of you! We have much to do!” he says before briskly turning away and waving for us to follow him.

  Behind us, the doors to the shop shut on their own, and the sign in the window flips from ‘open’ to ‘closed’. I share another look with Cari, then shrug and step forward.

  By the time we escape the shop, the third bell’s just started chiming. Lunch had come, gone, and left us in the dust.

  Looking back at the experience, I can’t help but smile. At first, I was turned into a dress up doll for both Cari and Quincy—our exclusive tailor now, apparently—to hem and haw over. Then it was Cari’s turn.

  She’d stopped laughing after that.

  We ordered nearly a dozen outfits each, and the cost came out to forty silvers and some change. More money spent in one sitting than I'd ever even held at any one point in time.

  It stung. Still, I shove my frugality to the side when I see the happy look on Cari’s face.

  We'd both gotten everything from work clothes to dresses, and it all looked stunningly beautiful. Quincy’s reticence to set us free was only alleviated when we promised to return so he could ‘finish our wardrobes’.

  It was a lot of work, honestly. But still very fun. He even promised to make accommodations for my tail in all of my new clothes.

  Plus, we’re both draped in all new getups now.

  I’m in a soft, high-waisted pair of charcoal-gray trousers that don’t tug or pinch anywhere when I move, with a relaxed cream blouse tucked into the waist and fastened at the sides with subtle laces. The back is cut to show just a hint of my shoulder blades, with a couple crisscrossed strings of fabric decorating the opening.

  For the first time in my life, I actually feel confident in my appearance. It takes everything in me not to outright strut. I already attract enough attention as it is.

  I utterly fail to control my tail, though.

  Cari, on the other hand, looks unfairly good. Her deep burgundy tunic fits perfectly, hugging her waist and chest without being tight. The sleeves taper off near the elbow, leaving her freckled forearms on display, and the fabric flows just enough to not bunch up. Her pants are sleek black, lined with barely-there red embroidery that makes her hips pop more dangerously than usual.

  She catches me staring and gives me a knowing smirk.

  “Well, what do you think?” she asks, twirling in place.

  “You look incredible,” I say, a little breathless.

  She beams at me, but it somehow becomes more sinister without losing its brightness.

  “Your turn!” she says.

  “My turn what?” I ask.

  She just gives me a ‘turn around’ motion with a hand, and I flush. But fair’s fair, and I’m more than okay with giving Cari a polite little show, if that’s what she wants. I do a little spin in place, and she claps.

  Her smile is back to its less evil luster when she says, “It’s unfair how pretty you look in that!”

  I pretend not to notice my blush, instead making a mental note to thank Quincy again later.

  Now bright eyed and bushy tailed, we make our way around the square, following the smell of food more than any sort of plan. Eventually we stop at a nice enough looking eatery. It’s a simple place, almost like a tavern but less rowdy.

  It seemed a little emptier than it ought to be, given how close it is to the tunnels, but with all the Delvers…

  “Oh, right. What’s with all the Delvers at the Guild? Shouldn’t a bunch of them be in the tunnels?” I ask as we find a seat.

  “Yeah, but the tunnels have been locked down for a few months. Apparently the new Dungeons are releasing hordes of monsters, and only the strongest parties are allowed to go down to investigate for now. Combine that with the gangs causing so many problems, and Guild Master Folly wants to have people available if things really get out of hand,” she says with a sigh.

  For a moment our conversation is interrupted by a cute waitress who comes by to take our order. Cari gives me a knowing grin once she steps away.

  “I can’t believe I didn’t notice such obvious looks before,” she says.

  I flush a bit, but still manage to muster up a glare. “What?! She’s pretty!”

  To my horror, the waitress turns back and graces me with a smile.

  Cari breaks out into uncontrolled giggles while I hide my face in my hands.

  “Anyways,” she says, wiping tears from her eyes. “Back to the point. It’s honestly been a huge pain in the ass to deal with all the Delvers being around all the time,” she complains.

  And for a while, we just talk. About her work, about my new home, and about all the inane things that our conversation roams into. It’s only now, sitting here with a warm plate and someone I trust, that I realize I haven’t had a single moment to just be since I got back.

  The moment I returned, my life turned into a gauntlet: shot, arrested, dragged to the Guild, fight Darius with a skill I barely understand at the helm, muggers, the gang, the massacre, literally eating someone—

  I hadn’t even stopped to think. I’d been surviving, reacting, and pushing forward on instinct alone.

  Now, though? I get to breathe. I get to laugh. To listen. To exist without feeling like a sword is pressed to the back of my skull

  And it’s just so… nice.

  The food definitely helps. It’s some kind of potato mash with meat, corn, cheeses, and a generous helping of seasonings sprinkled on top. As hungry as we are, it’s gone in minutes. Then we’re sipping our drinks, laughing at something stupid before I even realize I’m smiling again.

  “So what’s your plan now? Just work at the brothel as their guard dog?” she asks, then instantly adds, “Not that that’s a bad idea! It clearly pays well, and you seem to like the place given how fondly you talk about it.”

  I chuckle at that. I hadn’t gotten the time to give it much thought. My whole life was wrapped around the goal of getting the System.

  Now I had it.

  At the same time, now that I have time to just sit, think, and talk, the answer comes to me easily enough.

  “Nah, probably not. Maybe for a while, but I’m going to keep delving. I want to evolve, you know? So... I’ll eventually move on. Now that I can actually fix it, I can’t just let myself be weak,” I say, my voice somber.

  She gives me a sympathetic look and reaches out to hold my hand across the table. Cari is the only person I’d ever told of my past. She knew about… well, everything.

  She’d tried to console me, once. When she’d learned about my recurring nightmares.

  She tried to explain what my mother really meant when she spoke of burying my baby brother.

  But I've known what my mother meant for a long, long time.

  It just doesn’t matter, because what she said latched onto me in a way that's too deep to let go. I had failed because I was weak, not because I misunderstood.

  Cari understood that I couldn’t let that go, even if she's never agreed with the idea.

  I decide to lighten the mood by ordering desserts, and we each get a slice of cake covered in a rich strawberry syrup. It works like a charm, and we’re back to chatting about everything and nothing until I hear several sets of heavy footsteps approaching our table.

  I ignore them, not wanting today to end. If I can just have the rest of the day to myself, I’d be happy. Whatever comes tomorrow can come tomorrow.

  Sadly, I’m not that lucky. A shadow looms over the table from behind me, and I sigh at the concerned look on Cari’s face.

  I turn to see who it is and have to look up. Then up some more, until I’m finally meeting the gaze of none other than Scruffy himself, accompanied by the rest of my old escort buddies.

  This time he’s scowling at me again, like when we first met outside the Tunnel entrance. I don’t know why, but I’m sad to see the smile he wore after my fight with Darius missing from his face.

  “Emilia, you’re to come with me for questioning at the guard station. I would greatly appreciate it if you come peacefully.”

  Of course, the universe didn’t see fit to allow me a full day.