" So, how's your Journey?" asked the big woman with a sturdy body. With very fluent sign language and with her confidence that always shows on her face. You could see by one glance that this woman is the leader of this trading company by seeing many people gathering here as Irisha comes to her. The company filled with many people transporting the goods from carriages to several massive storages or the one that will depart to the other places for the delivery. While talking with others, the woman kinda has a fierce facial expression but whenever she talks with her, only a smile that spots on her face. " Come here, give your old woman a big hug!" she said while opening her hand and hugging them tightly.

" I miss you, Aunt Rosan." Arisha said when suddenly being held with one hand by Rosan.

" Of course you do! I am your funny aunt, you will miss me." she said while then looking at Irisha, " I was going to pick both of you by myself first but, something comes up and I have to be in charge here," she said.

and Irisha shakes her head, [ Please don't worry, we are more than happy to be able to come here.] she said.

and Rosan smiles, " Yes, yes. You always like that." she said. " Well, let's get inside. I've already prepared both of you a room to stay in for a while. You have just come from a long journey so after you take a rest, lets have a chat and catch up." Then, while putting Arisha down, she smiles at them and said. " I am really glad you come here."

and Irisha smiles too. [ I am the one that is grateful to get this opportunity.]

She then giggles. " You've always been a polite child, but well... welcome to the South!" while patting both of their head with her very big hands.

After the long journey, even both of them planned to explore places in a second they arrived- in the reality, they sleep like a log throughout the day after their body touched a comfy bed. Irisha discovers that she loves traveling after this long journey but, traveling in this kind of world is quite challenging and one of the struggling parts was an uncomfortable bed to sleep in throughout the night. She kinda envied Haya who looked prepared so much as he had his own traveling bed, but of course, she never said it aloud.

So, they arrived in The Great Empire of Malum in two months and three days. Yet, the location of the company is not exactly in the capital city. It is in the eastern region of the capital and quite far with carriages, but flying dragons in this area are common and on the last day of her journey, Arisha and Irisha spent all day just looking at the flying dragons that they easily saw along the road. They will just look up to the sky and looked at the dragons in awe. That was fascinating and amazing, though everyone in the group sometimes laughed at them she did not really care. Because, even she never once enjoyed movies back in her previous time, but of course, she had experienced seeing what dragons looked like via CGV, yet.... whichever way, her previous world invented a thing to experience seeing a dragon- The real one is on another level!

In past two months in her Journey, there were only things that she never expected to even see nor did she even think about that. The southern region is surely different from the region she once lived. It is all just plain that spans as far as her eyes could see. It is just a perfect land for dragons to fly freely because there is nothing there. Its geography so makes sense for being the dragon's lair. But, maybe around one or almost two weeks before they arrived the landscape suddenly changed, and the view of the towering rock mountains was before her eyes. It was much bigger than the pillars, and even the height of the mountain could not be seen as it was covered by clouds.

" We are getting close to the empire," Haya said. Then he pointed his hand out toward that majestic mountain. Somehow, the word 'majestic' came out easily in her mind as she felt something so 'majestic' about that black rocky mountain while looked at it in awe. " Up, there is where the Imperial Family live. You can not see it now but a very extravagant and stately palace is attached to the rocky mountain. "

and what Haya said was true, as they got closer to the main region, she could see from far away a beautiful platinum castle attached in the high rocky mountain. Then on its very hills, there was beautiful scenery of the capital city.

[ Are we not going to that?]

" Later you can do it, but we are in a tight schedule here to delivery these goods," he said. " The company is outside the capital city and in the eastern region. We need massive storages you see, and it will not a good choice to place it in the capital." and then after one and half hours they then arrived at the very big company near another city of Malum Empire called Montar City. It was a kind of an industrial city where there were so many factories and people. There were also lots of carriages with goods passed by and most of the people there wear the same uniform as they are the factory workers. It was a very crowded and busiest city she have ever seen.

Rosan's company name's is "Daniel's Trading Company", it was coming from the name of her previous son who passed away a long time ago. This once was her husband's company but when their son was still one year old, he passed away in the accident. So after that, she runs all the company by herself. She has had a pretty tough life, and Irisha is always inspired by how Rosan still stands until right now. For living in this such world with so many tragedies in her life, and to be a woman in the patriarchal and full of hierarchy world, She, who is now ordering people around in the company's hall- truly is an inspirational woman.

" Oh, you are awake?" and her fierce expression changed when she looks at them who was just came down to the first floor. " How's your sleep? Is the room suits you?" asked her with sign language. Where her action attracts many eyes in this hall who are still strangers to her.

[ It was nice, thank you. I also appreciate the breakfast.]

" Good, good! Yet, we are going to be busy today because we have to prepare for your living here," she said. Where then lead them out of the company where there is a carriage prepared for them.

" Oh! Arisha and Irisha! Good morning!" and Haya suddenly approaches them with a cute little baby in his hand. " Say, Hi to the sisters!" and he smiles so widely while showing his baby to them.

" So cute! Is he your baby, uncle?" Asked Arisha while playing with the baby's hand and do some funny expressions to him.

" Yes! He is a boy named Odin. He's cute right?" he said while showing his cute expression while bragging about his baby.

" Ya, ya. The new parents always be a cringe one," said Rosan with a sarcastic expression. " You will embarrass your son if you are not doing anything with your silly expression," Rosan said while poking Odin's chubby cheeks and giggling. " Right, Odin?"

" Why are you so mean, master?" he said." It's still early in the morning, you know?"

and that makes Irisha laugh while looking at the baby that looks like Haya. Suddenly, the baby looks at her too and stares at her for a while before reaching his hand to her. Haya with pleasure gives his baby to be held by Irisha, and the baby rests his head in the second he is in her embrace. [ So this is why Haya wanted to come home early.]

" Humph, he also signed for vacation in the second after he arrived," said Rosan.

and Haya puts his shoulder up, " I miss my wife and my baby and there is nothing that could hold me." he said. " Then, where are you guys going?"

" We are going to the capital now," Rosan said. " I want to fulfill my promise to Irisha before she works with me. That is also why I clear up my schedule for today to do that. "

and of course, she made Irisha confused while she then gives the baby Odin comes back to his Papa.

Haya is also quite confused but smiles at them, " Okay then, just please be careful as both of these sisters will just excitedly approach things- Basically many things, as I've experienced that." he said while then opening his mouth again and saying, " Have a nice trip, and I will introduce you to my wife after you come home."

and Rosan, sneered. " The cringe couple." and just go inside the carriage with them.

In the carriage, Rosan talks about the schedule she has prepared for them. Just like Rosan said, it is something related to their agreement. " I really need you to help me in the company, but, I am the woman with her word so I will fulfill my promise first," she said.

[ The promise that you said, is it about our agreement?]

and she nodded. " Of course, what else?" she said. " In our agreement, you will accept to be my employee as long as I provide you my protection and a place to stay, and of course, I agree with that simple thing and was preparing for it too," she said. " So, I thought that it was better for you to just stay near the company as I can just prepare some nice house there, but, Arisha has always been your most priority and the suitable place for Arisha is near the capital city," she said.

[ Eh, why? I thought that room we are staying in right now is the one.]

and Rosan frowned, " How do you think about me, actually? Let you guys live in that narrow place? Of course not!" she's grumpy. " I was also thinking to expand my house so that both of you could stay with me, but as I said before it was not a good choice to live there if your priority is Arisha." she said.

[ and... why is that?]

" You already experienced it by yourself that it took one and half hour to come to the company, and it is also mean it took one and half hour to come to the academy. There are two academies near this region and two of them are in the capital. I asked Haya to pick you up immediately after I got your letter because, in one month, the academy will start its new semester. So, basically, you and I will have lots of things to do!" she said with a very energetic expression. " I will explain today schedule, where basically I will show you the house that I prepared, buy your necessities, also applies Arisha to the academy- ah, you can see and interview the teachers there first if you want to know more about the academy but they provide good curriculum so, I thought you will like it."

and because her explanation is quite a detail, one and half hours was passed in a second without she realized and they are now in front of a magnificent front gate of the capital city of the Malum Empire. The walls that surrounded the capital are so thick and look so strong, with a very thick stone accent. She doesn't know what stones are they but it looks like a strong concrete stone. The pavement, the houses, or the streetlamp also use stone as their materials. The thick black concrete somehow becomes the empire's characteristic. They are so many people there but not as much as in the Montar city, or maybe they are many people here like in Montar city but the city js far more specious and its layout is arranged nicely so there are so many spaces rather than the one in the Montar's.

Rosan said that there are three main gates, and the first gate where the first district at is the largest region. Three times bigger than the other two districts.

" You can come to the other districts as long as you have your identity card with you, and I will give you that tomorrow. I've already prepared one for you, so no worry," she said. While the carriage passed the stone bridge that passed a very dark yet beautiful river, where some people look to enjoy their times the river's side.

she, who still does not believe that she is now seeing civilization in the fantasy worlds, takes a long time to see the scenery before looking at Rosan, [ For a famous tyrant as their leader, the city looks well managed.] she said.

" Well, they create very good policies though. So, that is why," she said. " But, the imperial family is not a merciful typed and will punish the one that broke their rule in a very inhuman way." she said while taking a time to think before opening her mouth again, " I don't quite recall it but...maybe three weeks ago, a very well-known noble family came to their downfall."

[ Is there something that happened?]

and she smirks vilely, " Well that greedy old man sure got what he deserved." she said. " Basically, the family busted with a great corruption just awhile ago, and all of the family being executed in one day without a court. They said that even the youngest one, being sliced to death."

[ death-] and she shuts her mouth in sudden.

" Are you okay?" asked Rosan in worry.

and Arisha who taps her sister back said, " Ah... my sister is not good with that kind of story so,"

" Ah, I see. Do you want me to find something-"

[ I am okay. Just- let's skip that part.]

and Rosan stares at her for a while to make sure she is okay, then sighs because she also now Irisha's characteristics who will not let someone bothered by her. " In conclusion, as long as you are following the regulation you will be alright and I already did that for you so you will be okay," she said. " Just, don't break any rule and avoid the imperial family as much as you can. It's not like they will come down from their castle and walks casually in the commoners' area... but, just in case, you know."

and she nodded.

" Ah, this is your house," she said as soon as the carriage stopped. " Let's go check it," she said.

and both the girls, stand in amazement when they finally look at the city at a full angle. The black and greyish accent sure is thick but, it does not give it a gloomy side but more elegance. Also in here, different from Montar city, there is no high building with many floors. The highest building here seems to have only five or fours floor at most. Yet, in this area, 'normal' southern houses line up to face the river and they are standing in the very edge one near the intersection. The area is fewer people than before and the street here seems not the main road as the coachman then went away after they are all dropped off the carriage.

" Yours is on the fourth floor," she said while pointing her finger out to a tall house with white bricks and a very dark roof. There is a very simple front garden and one door that Rosan opens without hesitation. Then inside, there is a stair and quite a spacious hallway. " Wait here." and after she said that, she goes on to knock on the only door on the first floor and a woman come out in a second. They look to know each other and after having a short conversation, the woman looks at her and comes to her.

She smiles gently while offering her hands. Irisha, of course, takes hers and smiles as well, but she is then confused so much as the woman seems to talk to her but without using sign language. Rosan stops the woman and she looks surprised after Rosan said something. A little pity shows in her expression, but then, Rosan helps her to have a conversation with her.

" She said, she is sorry and her name is Miranda. She is my friend," she said.

" Yes, I am Miranda and you are Irisha and Arisha, right? I already prepared your house. Do you want to see?"

and she nodded while smiling, and follow the lady all the way to the fourth floor, and passed three-floor with only one door. So basically it is like an apartment back in her previous life but in the most vintage way.

" Here you go," she said. Again with no sign language so Irisha could not understand anything. But, she shows her a simple beautiful house that is quite spacious from what she expected. It has a very strange stove that she has never seen, but later Rosan will explain that it is a stove with mana stone power. She has to change the stone once a month or at least that is what Rosan usually does. She also said that it could be found easily in the mana stone shop near their house.

It is a simple kitchen with a little dining area, there is also a nice living room with a single sofa. There are two bedrooms and one bathroom. There are also two balconies which one of which faces the river and the other is like a private balcony because behind this house is also a row of other houses. So there is a big wall in front of the back balcony, that she could use as her garden or laundry.

" I was thinking to buy you a little house outside capital where the landscape will be much spacious than in the city, but, I will be anxious because the security out there is not that good. So, I bought this whole floor instead and hope you like it."

[ You bought it?] asked her in surprise. [ I just asked you to provide a simple place for me to stay.]

" Ah come on, don't be so annoying. You are the one who said to me to put price by its worth, " she said. " And, I still think it's not enough."

and Irisha just sighs, while then smiling. [ ... thank you.]

and she smiles too. " Yes, yes. Now, look at that. That is the academy I recommended" she said. while grabbing her to the back balcony and pointing out quite a big building that has very strange looking. Yes, it is just like a normal school but there are several strange-looking towers with a circular-looking surface.

[ What is that?]

" That is dragon's landing place."

[ What?!]

" They teach us to ride dragon?!" asked Arisha suddenly while hugging Rosan.

" Well not in your grade, but yes. In the senior grade, You will be able to learn how to ride a dragon if you are capable enough," she said.

"WOW! I want to do that, sister!" and she smiles so brightly.

[ Well, don't you say that there is another academy? what are their differences?]

and she sighed. " The... other one is a private academy, most students there is either aristocrat or noble."

[ Ah, I see.] now she understands. [ then, there is basically no choice is not it?]

" Well, you can choose."

[ Are we going to that school now?]

" Yes, if you already finish here," she said. " After that, we are going to buy your necessities and your house will be prepared by tomorrow."

***