Life then carries on, slowly getting better. Amina had spent a bit of coin on another set of clothes, which I think is fair, since the robe was often worn for long periods of time and had stains and blotches irremovable by our simple rinsing. We also procured a wooden barrel, so I no longer had to fill our canteen in the meadow dungeon each day. Lastly, we got a way to light fire. I used to get a special rock, which I would run my knife over to create sparks, but innovations seem to have been made and they have an all-in-one option, which seems like an ancient lighter.

It is shaped like a cylinder, on which you attach a special easily flammable sponge on one end, the you put in a tiny bit of the rock that was all we used earlier, and strike into the cylinder with a lever, which light the sponge on fire. It is really neat and much easier to light a fire with, than the sparking stone alone.

I start completing requests for the guild regularly, almost every day. I also start leaving Amina behind, once I start to get the guild staff to read for me. I should really consider learning to read the language, but I have never been good at school. I don’t think I would have ever learnt, if it was not mandatory in my original world.

We slowly gain more and more things to adorn our pathetic little hut with. Proper tanned leather to cover proper straw, making for much more comfortable beds. Candles for lighting, cloths for washing, a few spare sets of clothing. A sword, shield and carving knife much improve my efficiency in dungeon diving. And lately we are basically spending it all on consumables such as spices, salt and replacement sponges and rock.

Amina and I also start to bond. Though she tells nothing of herself, I have started telling tales of my life, both the one before the seal, and before the angel kidnapping, though constructed to make sense without knowledge of my previous world. She seems to think of them as fairy tales from a long time ago, but that is fine by me.

One night she even crawls into my bed, stating a difficulty falling asleep. Unfortunately, she only seemed keen on sleeping. It is bothersome, since I rarely sleep, but merely keep her company, then go out and train, but it I end up finding it surprisingly relaxing having a warm body that close to me. And sometimes I even fall asleep myself, though I try not to, as the nightmares can get pretty gruesome.

I fear falling asleep ever since the first time I did so, and Atna appeared without eyes, blood coming out of empty sockets blame me for letting her die. Or I will be spending time with someone like Kamas or Bosir, and they will just disappear, leaving me alone. I don’t like those dreams. I prefer not to think about it.

After a year or so, as I complete a request at the guild, I am stopped by the receptionist. “Are you going to apply for rank up? You have been qualified for a while, but you never did so?” the youngish woman says to me.

“What’s a rank up?”

“Nobody told you? Guess it is rare for hunters to be working completely alone like you… Anyway, you just sign up once you fulfill the requirements, and you can be upgraded to a higher rank if you are approved by the guild.”

“But what’s the point? I can take any request I want anyway, right?”

“Right, but you don’t get paid very much. Each rank comes with a multiplier on the base price of contracts.” How does that even work? How do they calculate the cost of each request relative to the reward? Well, I won’t say no to more money. What I make now barely keeps us going. Well, if they are currently only paying a fraction of what they could, I guess that explains the slashed request fees.

“Sure, sign me up.”

“Great. Though, usually rapports about you from others are gathered. I wonder what they are going to do with you. Oh, and you will have to pay a fee of 10 asti. We will let you know once something changes.” It is a pretty harsh fee, as it is pretty equivalent to one day’s worth of wages, but I hand it over. I have a bit of spare cash for emergencies.

Once I return to the hut, it is pretty late and I do my routine of talking to Hannah. She has not done anything over the course of this last year. No change, whatsoever. But I know she is still alive in there. I wonder what I should do.

In a moment of desperation for meeting my old comrade, I pick up my carving knife, and stab it slightly into the tree. Maybe she can still feel pain, maybe this will make her come out, I think. Guess I will have to wait another year to see if this bears any result.

That night, as I chat with Amina by the fire, she asks me “What’s wrong sir? You seem a bit sad today.”

I am feeling guilty of stabbing Hannah, even if she is just a tree currently. Thinking of excuses for when she returns. If she returns. I deflect.

“Why do we always talk about me. Let’s talk about you.” Her gentle face, which is looking much healthier these days, scrunches up a little, showing her disdain for the subject change.

“I have always been a bit curious. What makes someone side with what they consider an evil spirit against humanity? What makes someone abandon their life and follow a stranger?”

She has abandoned her position at a temple to end up becoming essentially my house-keeper. She cooks, cleans, washes and mends clothes, etc.

“I… I… I think I owe it to you, right sir?” I soften a little after seeing her grimace like that.

“No matter, you just do what you want to do.” She seems to think a little.

“You know what they sometimes call acolytes, sir? Honorary 3rd class citizens” She begins her story.