Everyone could sense the high tension in the air as they were moving supplies which were going to be used as barricades in the guilds attempt to bolster the cities defences against any possible attacks. All citizens living near the gates of the city were moved further into safe houses. The city was built on a cliff so the only access to it was from the west-northwest side so any ground attack could come only from that direction and was thus easy to defend, but that wasn’t a reason for them to not make use of that advantageous position and reinforce their walls. All the lower and mid-level adventurers were tasked with carrying supplies or helping with managing the populace, or to those who were more responsible - to manage everyone else, order the supplies or help with strategy meetings. Of course, as it wasn’t mandatory not everyone partook.

Despite all the hard work some of the adventurers who were trying to help, they were all being embarrassingly outshined by a little girl who’s a newbie adventurer and had just gotten there. You could see it on all their faces how discontent they felt with the current scenario, but everyone knew they had no right to complain when more than half the supplies had been carried all by herself without her even complaining or taking breaks. Everyone was wondering if she was overleved or had higher starting stats than the others.

Those two possibilities made everyone avoid her as being this powerful and still being considered beginner means that she had some flaw that prevented her from improving so it’s best to avoid her. If she’s pretending to be low level, then that was a dirty way to avoid work even if she did most of theirs while if she had just higher stats by default also made everyone uneasy around her as she probably wouldn’t know how to use them properly.

There was also the possibility that she had some hidden strength increasing item or if her armor wasn’t actually the newbie armor but was only made to look similar to it. But even then they could see, she still was giving effort due to her bending when carrying the boxes with both hands in front of her, laying part of its weight on her chest and shoulders.

Just as the sun was starting to set down and the bright sky was turning into a deep red, she finally decided to sit down on one of the many boxes still left and take a small break. Truelip wiped her forehead with the back of her palm and sighed. Everyone was starting to think she’s inhuman if she doesn’t even tire out at all at the end of this, but it seems they all also sighed internally once they saw her in this state and continued to do their part of the job.

Just as that was happening in the other corner of the open square, where they were carrying the boxes from, a feisty adventurer was scolding some of the workers for being too slow. Despite her yelling Truelip couldn’t pick up on everything that noisy person said. It seems she was still trying to not cause too big of a scene. She went to almost everyone who was working and was nagging all of them as she passed by. Finally, her gaze met the blond and everyone could visibly see her face slightly twist into frustration due to the resting girl. After finishing with talking to everyone else on her way she finally started walking towards Truelip. The girl in question was with a long bright red hair, almost as burning as the sky and she had a long blueish green spear on her back along with a couple of layers of leather armor and some metal guards on her joints. She looked taller than the tired girl, about 1,72 meters tall (5’ 8”).

After finally arriving to the small girl in front of her, she put her hands on her waist and looked into her with a serious face.

“And what exactly are you doing?” she asked with a stern but caring voice.

“What does it look like?” Truelip replies with an empty voice and gaze.

The moment she said that everyone, including both viewer and orator, was speechless.

“Excuse me, but don’t feel any shame considering how much effort everyone is putting and you’re just sitting there in the way of everyone? If you’re gonna be a nuisance then at least don’t bother the rest of us who are busy.”

“I don’t see you doing anything other than complaining. Have you actually even done anything to help other than pester those that do try?”

You could see the veins on her forehead visibly twitch as she tries to remain calm.

“I’ll have you know that I was the first one to go help out! At around 7 o’clock this morning I was there helping everyone else there and even moved 10 boxes like the one you’re oh so casually sitting on all by myself.” She finishes her sentence exhausted and irritated from having to explain herself.

The box in question is a one cubic meter in size (35’ 4”) full of heavy armor parts and weapons.

“Yes, yes, I’m truly grateful for all the hard work you did for us hero-sama.” The blond replies just as emptily as before.

“T-thank you…” the, in turn, says as she did not expect that compliment “So then what are you gonna say about yourself?” she continues pressing on the matter

“What need do I have to be explaining myself to you?” Truelip replies.

At this point she could see that everyone standing behind the noisy girl, who were listening in on their dispute with worry, had a look of discomfort on their faces probably because they all knew that she was the one who had contributed the most out of all of them, but in turn it seems they didn’t dare interrupt their conversation. It seems this weird girl was pretty well known amongst them.

The stern girt sighs as she puts a hand on her forehead, obviously to calm down herself

“Like I said if you’re not gonna help then can you at least not get in the way?”

“And like I said why should I be listening to you. Not only do you come here nagging everyone, but then you even kick those trying to help without actually doing anything yourself in the process.”

Her adversary showed a face of disgust

“I don’t have time to deal with you. Like I said if you’re not gonna help, then please leave. I need to go help arrange the list of the supplies.” And with that, she doesn’t even wait for Truelip’s response and turns around to leave.

“Okay, try not to push yourself.”

Again the feisty girl felt uncomfortable due to the sudden pleasantries she heard. She turned her head slightly as she slowed her steps.

“A-ah, thanks… you too…” she blurted out without even thinking as she continued to leave and then started thinking to herself she shouldn’t have said that considering that girl wasn’t even doing anything to push herself in the first place.

That’s when she lifted her head and noticed that everyone had slowed down work to listen on what’s going on and it seems they also just realized they were dallying, as they were starting to pick up the pace again. It also seemed that they looked worried, but are back to normal now.

I guess I should be more careful, after all in my position everything I say is taking pretty seriously and small disputes like these can be taken seriously by others if I’m not careful…

Just as she was thinking that to herself she heard the annoying blond she was just arguing with to push herself up and her feet land on the ground with a slight thud. Before she can even think about being happy that she’s leaving she hears he boxes in that area moving loudly

Ah, can’t she leave without causing any more trouble or bumping into things, ugh…

As she turns to see what the girl did this time she sees the girl carrying that giant box all by herself, as she is laying part of it on her chest and head and just continues to walk down towards the street as peaks from the side to see where she’s going. Not to mention no one else is reacting.

Does that mean that this is normal for them…?

Some start peaking towards the feisty head who’s just standing there, not doing anything as she stares at Truelip taking the big box without even asking for help. The redhead suddenly felt uncomfortable as she realized that and blushed slightly as she turned back to where she was heading and left them without saying anything else.

Everyone else resumed work as normal till the end of the day.