Sasha walked resolute through the dirty roads.

Her eyes were like those of a fierce beast, and her desires those of a simpleton, wishing for nothing more than food, drink and a roof.

It was a dangerous combination, since such a person would ignore everyone and everything in its path.

Nobility ? Gold? Luxury? Lustful flesh, ready to be enjoyed ?

Its favor could not be brought, and it could not be reasoned with.

- Make way! Lord Becket is passing through! Make way! - Said a strong-looking half-elf. Contrary to the delicate appearance typical to those of this race, this warrior carried a big mace on his belt and showcased strong muscles.

Behind him, a carriage with the Imperial Seal could be seen, probably holding someone of importance inside.

- Get out of the road, all of you! All the way, I don’t want to see even a single one of you rats near His Lordship!

Had the warrior kept his mouth shut and his arms close to himself, and Sasha, used to traveling on the sides of the road, wouldn’t have even been seen.

Instead, in a hurried desire to show value, his hand violently smacked her shoulder.

It is a weird sign, what happens when an ant tries to push a walking elephant.

The first thing is that the said ant’s hand and forearm make a weird sound while smacking backwards.

It’s not like they necessarily have been crushed or anything. It’s like when someone stumble their pinky on the furniture. Usually said person will at most stop for a bit and curse in pain.

However, if the angle is wrong, then the pinky might break.

Now, let’s look at what was happening when our long-eared ant smacked Sasha on the shoulder.

She was walking at normal speed, with her back straight and eyes focused on the horizon.

The ant was in front of her, and made a full motion from his left to his right side, intending to shove her far away from the streets.

Everything happened so fast. The man’s wrist was pressed strongly against Sasha’s shoulder while she simply stepped forward.

All of his bodyweight being hold by these small bones and tendons. Then, the angle changed so slightly - not enough for him to slip by, but also not enough for him to lean on Sasha.

Well, if only he wasn’t around a head taller than her. If only he didn’t choose to put so much strength into that.

It was like trying to drill a hole in a wall with a punch, and then the wall moving ahead a tiny little bit.

His elbow couldn’t adapt in time, so his shoulder loudly popped. Indeed, with the circling motion he did in order to hit her with full force, that wasn’t a surprise.

A crackling noise ensued, and the elf’s muffled scream came right after.

Sasha didn’t mind it.

As for the elf, there were too many freaks in this world. Being a “native” and not a “player”, he knew about it very well.

- Damnit, out of the way!

With a painful expression on his face, the ant ignored the elephant and kept shouting to the other ants around him.

As for Sasha, she didn’t feel a thing at all. The passing wind and the elf’s broken shoulder - from her point of view, both had around the same amount of impact.

***

- Bed and food, please. - Sasha put a few coins in the table as the Inn’s owner came to take her orders.

- Right up. - The innkeeper answered, while taking the cash and storing it on his pouch.

A few moments later, a young lad with silken hair approached, a tray of food in his hands and a look of curiosity in his eyes.

- Here’re your orders miss.

- Thank you.

Unfazed by the young boy’s stare right next to her, Sasha slowly ate her meal.

- Say, miss…

Sasha couldn’t bother to look up.

- Are you an adventurer? Or maybe a ‘player’?

The boy’s eyes gleamed with hope.

- Yes.

Sasha ignored him, while finishing her meal and drinking the low-alcohol beer in front of her.

- Then, can you tell me how to become one?!

- You already are.

- E… eh?

The boy’s head tilted to the side a bit, but his hesitation ended once he realized the meaning of her words.

- Oh, you mean a ‘player’s soul’? The people at the Temple say the same, but I don’t remember my past lives, so…

- That may be for the best.

- Re… really…

The boy’s gleaming eyes lost their brilliance, a little bit every time Sasha gave him one of her answers.

- Then, can you tell me how to become an adventurer?! - In a final bolt of courage, the boy said.

- Just kill things until you die. - Sasha got up from her chair, heading for her room right after.

The boy, by his time, couldn’t do a thing about that. Downtrodden, he marched back into the kitchen.

- Robinson, what did I tell you?! Don’t go around bothering people like her! It’s not our place to do so! - The innkeeper lectured his son, but it was clear that he didn’t really meant it.

In the end, he himself also wanted nothing more than to gain a player’s favor.