Several minutes passed as Veil and Alynia walked back down the street, once again under the heavy stares of the passersby.

  “Hey, you two—stop right there,” a voice barked from behind them.

  Alynia halted instantly, spinning around to see a guard striding toward them, his expression stern and his arm stretched out toward Veil. The latter hesitated under the man’s glare, while Alynia immediately stepped in front of him.

  “What do you want? Is this how you approach people now?” she asked, her voice tense as she kept Veil hidden behind her.

  “Watch your tone, half-breed. I’m here for him. People are complaining about a beggar wandering the streets, and they don’t like it,” the guard explained, his hand still extended.

  “A beggar? So that’s how they see him? Figures. From people who think they’re above everything, I shouldn’t even be surprised. And yet, you never see them outside the walls risking their necks,” Alynia shot back, her fists clenched, eyes burning with anger.

  “I told you to shut it. Papers. Now,” the guard ordered sharply, his voice harsher than before.

  Alynia pulled out her identification card and handed it over without a word. The man snatched it, turning it over in his hands with a suspicious look before thrusting it back at her.

  “Him too. His card,” he demanded, pointing straight at Veil.

  “He doesn’t have one yet. We were on our way to buy him proper clothes before heading to the guild to get it done,” Alynia growled, her tail lashing nervously behind her.

  The tension thickened as the guard refused to let them go despite her explanation. Then, a metallic sound drew their attention.

  A woman clad in unusual armor approached with calm, unhurried steps. Her long hair rippled in the wind, and her refined features carried a natural authority. Veil instantly understood she was someone important: the guard stiffened, stepping aside in a hurry and straightening into a rigid stance.

  “What’s going on here? Care to explain why you’re hassling adventurers, Wernick?” she asked, stopping right in front of him.

  “B–because this man was disturbing people, Captain. I… I got complaints, so I intervened,” Wernick stammered, his voice betraying his fear.

  “Oh? And it never crossed your mind that maybe they just came from a healer after returning from a mission? What’s the point of your training if, the moment you’re outside, you act like brainless fools?” she sighed, exasperated.

  “But Captain…” he tried weakly.

  “No ‘but.’ Back to the garrison. Now. I’ll deal with you later,” she cut him off sharply.

  The guard backed away slowly before slinking off, shoulders slumped. The armored woman then turned her attention to Alynia.

  “Every time I run into you, you end up scaring the rookies. You really need to stop traumatizing the kittens,” she teased with a sly smile.

  “We were just heading to a shop to get him clothes. Then he jumped on us, saying we were bothering those street pigs,” Alynia muttered, still defensive.

  The woman in armor didn’t answer right away. Instead, her gaze drifted to Veil, as though only just noticing him. She stepped closer, eyes sharp as she circled him slowly, inspecting him from every angle.

  Veil stiffened under her scrutiny, uncomfortable, but he stayed silent to avoid making things worse.

  “Hmmm… a little young, but well-built. So, is this your new conquest? That would be a first, though. I always thought you were the solitary type,” the woman teased Alynia with a mischievous smile.

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  “Stop talking nonsense. I found him alone in the Greslock Forest, and he doesn’t remember a thing. No papers, no place to go, so I brought him here,” Alynia replied, her tone softer.

  Veil twisted his fingers together nervously, feeling like some kind of sideshow attraction as they spoke about him so casually. Then Luciela slipped an arm around his neck with surprising ease.

  “Oh, so this young man is free? Then I’ll take him with me. If you’re good, maybe I’ll even let you frisk me too. Anyone who’s survived Alynia’s temperament must be pretty tough in the head,” she said with an amused grin. “But where are my manners? My name’s Luciela. Call me Lucie—it’s simpler.”

  Veil didn’t really understand what was happening. The captain’s playful tone disarmed him, but it was Alynia’s stony expression that unsettled him the most. For all her teasing, Luciela wasn’t truly joking.

  “If you keep throwing yourself at every man you meet like this, don’t be surprised you’re still alone, Lucie. Anyway, can we get going? We’ve got plenty left to do, and he needs proper clothes,” Alynia cut in, ending the conversation flatly.

  “You’re mean. Ever since I became Captain, no man dares approach me anymore. I feel like a monster in their eyes now. I’m still a woman before I’m a captain, and I wish people would treat me as such…” Luciela answered with a smile tinged with bitterness, before adding with a lighter sigh: “But you’re right. I’ll try my luck another time. Go on then.”

  Even as she let them go, her eyes never left Veil.

  Veil and Alynia resumed their walk in silence. Troubled by what had just happened, Veil didn’t dare speak, while Alynia walked stiffly, her ears slightly lowered. The quiet between them grew heavier, as if speaking now were forbidden.

  At last, they arrived at a modest little shop. Its dark blue fa?ade bore a quirky sign: Adventurer’s Tailor – Glenwor’s Atelier. Slay a dragon, but do it in style.

  They pushed the door open, and Veil felt as though he’d stepped into another world. Despite the plain exterior, the interior was bright, orderly, and warm. Clothes, reinforced boots, capes, and gloves were carefully displayed on mannequins or neatly arranged along the walls. At the back, a stocky figure sat at a counter, busy sorting through papers.

  “Hello, Glenwor. I need you to outfit this young man, please,” Alynia called out.

  The man, who hadn’t noticed them come in, jolted in surprise and dropped his stack of papers. He scrambled to gather them into a messy pile on his desk, then looked up with a broad smile.

  “Well, if it isn’t little Alynia! Been a while since I last saw you. And it’s the first time you’ve ever come with company,” Glenwor said, eyeing Veil with curiosity.

  “Things have been quiet with missions lately, so I hadn’t needed to stop by. But this time I also need a new dress, reinforced tights, and a corset. The dungeon we just cleared wrecked mine a bit,” she explained, pointing to her slightly damaged clothes.

  “Of course, help yourself as always. You’ve never been anything but fair with payments,” Glenwor replied before turning to Veil. “And what’s this young man’s name?”

  Alynia gave Veil a small nod, signaling him to follow, before disappearing into the women’s section of the shop.

  “Hmm, quiet, huh? Lost your tongue, or just shy, boy? Don’t worry, I don’t eat my clients,” Glenwor joked with a booming laugh that echoed through the shop.

  “Sorry, I… my name’s Veil,” he finally whispered.

  “Good. Plant yourself right there and don’t move, got it? I’ll take your measurements and fetch you some clothes,” Glenwor instructed, repositioning him.

  He pulled out a patched piece of string, lifted Veil’s arms, and wrapped it around him in different places, tugging here and there, punctuating each motion with thoughtful little “hmms.” The process dragged on for several minutes, every part of Veil’s body measured without exception.

  When it was done, Glenwor put away his tools and vanished without another word, leaving Veil standing stiff as a post. He didn’t even dare sit down, afraid of messing something up.

  A few moments later, the stocky man returned—this time accompanied by Alynia, now dressed in her new outfit.

  For a heartbeat, Veil forgot all his anxieties.

  She wore a light dress without fur, its hem falling mid-thigh. Her legs were sheathed in gray tights patterned with strange, almost magical designs. High boots reached just below her knees, while her refined corset, slimmer than the old one, shaped her figure from chest to waist.

  “Done staring, Little Wolf? Strip already instead of standing there like an idiot,” she teased mockingly.

  Veil’s face flushed crimson, more embarrassed than he’d been during the healing session. But he obeyed, awkwardly. He set his dagger on the floor, slipped off his jacket, then his trousers.

  Glenwor returned with the new clothes, handing them over piece by piece.

  Veil first pulled on a simple shirt, pleasantly soft to the touch. Then came a pair of slightly stretchy trousers that fit his frame well. A belt with three small pouches followed, then a pair of sturdy shoes that rose over his ankles. Finally, Glenwor strapped a light cuirass around his torso, its leather plates fastened by three buckles.

  He finished by giving Veil a pair of reinforced leather gloves, fitted with several straps for tightening. Veil slid them on, unrolling the cuffs until they reached above his elbows.

  “There we go. A real adventurer now. Nobody’ll look at you like some ragged stray anymore,” Glenwor said, tightening the last buckle with a satisfied grin.

  They walked up to the counter, where Glenwor pulled out a wooden board covered in colorful beads, sliding them quickly before setting it down.

  “That’ll be six gold pieces. But let’s call it five. A little discount for the young man’s first steps—makes me happy to do it,” he said with a broad smile.

  “Are you sure? I can pay the full amount, money isn’t an issue, you know that. Besides, I’ll just deduct it from his wages. He’s costing me plenty as it is,” Alynia replied with a laugh.

  She pulled out her purse and handed over five gold coins, which Glenwor accepted without comment.

  “Alright, let’s go. I still need to file my report at the guild. After that, we’ll grab a meal. It’s been far too long since I’ve had a proper one,” she added, giving Glenwor a casual wave.

  They left the shop, Veil feeling strangely soothed by the merchant’s warm presence. And more than that—because now, at last… he finally looked like someone normal.

  They walked in silence for a few minutes, making their way back up the street toward the fountain before turning right. The street was still lively, but this time the eyes on him no longer judged. To the passersby, he looked like anyone else. No longer a beggar. No longer an intruder.

  Soon they arrived before a massive building, its dark doors carved with ancient metal patterns.

  “Listen carefully now. Most adventurers here mind their own business, but some aren’t the kind of people you want to deal with. Never speak too freely in public. If you have something important to say, ask for a private audience, understand?” Alynia’s tone was more solemn now.

  She met his gaze for a brief moment.

  “You saw how it was in the street… Here, people will judge you faster than you can even speak. You could save whole villages, and they’d still only see what they want. So stay close to me,” she said, turning back to the doors.

  Veil swallowed hard, his chest tight, then nodded silently and followed after her.

  He was about to step into this unknown world—a world he still understood almost nothing about. And yet, deep inside, one question lingered.

  Was he really capable of handling all this?