“We’ve arrived,” the owner of the horse-drawn charabanc announced as we enter our destination.

“I’m...finally here!” I said with shining eyes and a big smile, excited as I look at the big arch that is made of concrete, the entrance to the so called Town of Beginning, [Genesisia].

The two horses then stopped on its tracks and the passengers started to get off the vehicle.

“To think that we will arrive here 2 in the afternoon, I guess we can still roam around a bit,” one passenger said.

“Yeah,” his male companion replied with a smile and both of them left the carriage, making me the only one still inside.

“Uhmm...Mister, can I ask a question?” I said to the owner before getting off.

“What is it?” he asked after slightly turning his head towards me.

“Do you know what direction to take in order to reach the [Genesisia Hall]?”

“Are you perhaps aiming to become a soldier?”

“Yeah,” I replied with a smile.

“Now that I noticed it, you do have a sheeted short sword on your waist. Well, just take the straight path until you see the big building with [Genesisia Hall] written on top of it.”

“Thank you very much,” I said and jumped off the carriage.

“Kid, just a small advice from this old man, I’ve met different aspiring soldiers but this is my first time seeing someone who wants to become one with an outfit of simple sleeveless shirt, trouser and boots. I would definitely buy some decent armor first before applying if I were you,” he said with a smile.

I then slightly scratched my head and with a forced smile, I replied, “Well, I just came from a small village so I don’t really have an option about that. My money can’t surely afford one, you see.”

“I see,” he said with a serious face. “Good luck, kid. I hope you at least passed the test.”

“Thank you very much,” I said with a bow and afterwards, started heading towards the Hall.

My name is Raiki. My dream is to become a high class [Katzen Soldier]. The custom of becoming one is you should be an adult, at least 18 years old. That is why after reaching that age, I immediately set out on a journey to become a soldier. It’s been 5 days since I left my village and finally, I’m now in the first step of my dreams.

“But anyway, a town sure is amazing. I wonder if Honoka felt the same way too when she arrived in a town like this one,” I said with a smile while looking around the houses made out of bricks and woods. There were also some shops around with different [Katzens] walking about the road.

“There’s a [Weapon Shop]...[Item Shop]...and even an [Armor Shop]. I really wish I have the money right now,” I sadly whispered to myself. I then lightly tapped both of my cheeks at the same time and made a serious face. “But this is no time to get depressed. I need to focus on becoming a soldier first.”

Suddenly, I saw a robed individual being followed by guys wearing rugged clothes, each with knives of their own. They then went to an alley, disappearing from my sight.

“Hey, lady, want to hang out with us?’” one guy asked with an evil smile while holding his unsheathed knife.

There are four of them in total, surrounding the robed girl in every direction so she couldn’t escape.

“No thanks,” the girl flat out rejected in a serious tone while the hood of her light brown robe covers her eyes.

“Then, give us your money. That way, you can leave this alley unharmed,” another guy said and laughed derisively.

“Are you perhaps doing this to everyone you set your eyes to?” she asked in a calm voice.

Shen then slightly tuck up her hood to reveal her eyes.

“I can’t let you do this atrocity anymore,” she followed with a sudden piercing gaze, enough to make the two she looked at make a couple of steps backwards.

“Sh...shut up!” one of the said two guys yelled with a sudden scared face. “It looks like you need to fear us first!”

The other three then readied their knife to attack when suddenly, I called out to them.

“Hey, you four, aren’t you embarrassed to gang up a single girl just to take her money?” I asked with furrowed eyebrows as I slowly walk towards them.

“Huh? Who are you anyway?” one guy asked with a sudden irritated look towards me.

“I’m just a passerby,” I replied seriously.

Then, the four of them laughed out loud.

“What are you, a hero wannabe? You should have outgrown that when you reached 10,” one guy reacted and continued laughing.

“The elder said to me that big towns and empires are dangerous but I didn’t think that it will be this bad. To think that you have the courage to do that in broad daylight,” I continued while still walking, now just a couple of steps away from them.

“I’ve had enough of your childhood dreams. Let’s teach this kid a lesson!” one guy mockingly shouted and started running towards me. Then, another followed him. The other two remained blocking the other path in order for the girl to not escape.

I immediately draw out my short sword and ran towards the approaching two.

“Feeling brave?” the first guy said with a ridiculing smile and prepared to slash me but before he managed to land a hit, I pounded its blade using my short sword, strong enough for him to let go of his weapon. With his weapon down the ground, I immediately jumped up and delivered a kick on his face. He then flew away and hit the wall.

“I didn’t think he will lose consciousness from a single kick,” I mutter with a slight surprised face after landing on the ground.

“Wh-why you!” the next guy screamed with now a slight scared face as he prepares to slash me but before he knew it, he’s not holding his knife anymore, just what happened to the guy earlier.

I then sheathed my sword and asked them “Want to continue?” with a serious face.

“R-remember this!” the other two shouted and carried the guy who lost consciousness. The other guy then picked up the two knives on the ground and all of them ran away.

“Are you okay?” I asked with a smile to the robed girl.

She then tucked up her hood a little to show me her eyes and with a smile, she said, “Thank you for saving me.”

What a beautiful girl...

She has a blonde hair with green eyes and her skin is white. Probably around twenty years of age.

“Y-you’re welcome,” I replied with a slight blushed face and slightly averted my gaze to the side.

“Are you perhaps new to this town?”

I then looked at her with a smile and answered, “Yeah. The truth is I’m here to apply as a soldier. That is why I’m currently heading towards the [Genesisia Hall].”

“Then, let me at least guide you there as a thanks.”

“Really? Then, please do so. My name is Raiki, by the way,” I introduced.

“You can call me Ciana. So let’s go?” she asked, smiling.

“Yeah,” I cheerfully answered.

We then started walking towards the Hall.

“But anyway, you sure arrived in time, Raiki,” Ciana suddenly said as we advance the road.

“Why?” I curiously asked.

“Well, I think tomorrow will be the start of the entrance test. So if you missed that, you need to wait another month to take that.”

“Really?” I reacted, surprised.

“Yes. Can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“Where’s your partner [beast weapon]? You need one so you could take the test.”

I then stopped walking out of shock and replied, “I...still haven’t met one. I thought that you only need to start finding one once you passed the entrance test!”

The types of soldiers are classified into two, a [wielder] and a [weapon]. The wielder is generally the one who wields a [weapon], not to be confused with an ordinary weapon. You see, there are three types of weapon a [wielder] can wield. The first one is an ordinary weapon like my short sword here. The second one is the [monster weapon], a weapon that can use a certain [ability]. Only skilled blacksmiths can make it. The third one is the [beast weapon], which is a living [beast] like me who can use [magic] and also has an [ability]. In this world, anyone can become a [weapon] even me. A [Katzen] and a [Hund] in [weapon form] is called a [beast weapon]. I decided to become a [wielder soldier] instead of a [weapon soldier] so I really need to find someone who would agree to partner up with me.

“I...see,” Ciana reacted with a slight surprised face. “Then, before registering in the Hall, why don’t you go first to the [Partner Lounge] of this town instead?”

“[Partner Lounge]?” I repeated, new to the term.

“It’s the place where you can meet a [wielder] or [weapon]. It’s basically where you can find someone who would like to join you,” Ciana answered with a smile. “So want me to guide you there instead?”

“Yes, please,” I replied with a smile.

We then started walking towards a different direction while conversing.

“But be careful on picking a [weapon], Raiki. As a [wielder], you can only register up to four [weapons] in your party. After all, it is really inefficient to change partner [weapons] from time to time considering that you need to train and be familiar with those four to become stronger so it is ideal to stick to only four [weapons] until the end,” Ciana lectured seriously.

“I just wonder if I can really gather four members along my journey,” I muttered, somewhat a little unsure of myself.

“Of course you can,” Ciana answered with a gentle smile. “After all, you’re kind, Raiki.”

I then averted my gaze from her after hearing those words and with red cheeks, I replied, “Thanks.”

“So here we are,” Ciana announced after we stopped in front of a two storey building resembling a saloon.

“Thanks for guiding me here, Ciana,” I thanked her with a bow.

“I’m the one who should say that. Once again, thank you for saving me in that alley,” Ciana followed with a smile.

“It’s no big deal. I just did what’s right,” I said cheerfully.

“Then, good luck in finding a [weapon]. I hope we meet again,” Ciana said and waved farewell.

“I hope so too,” I whispered to myself with a smile as I watch her walk away. “Now let’s enter this so called [Partner Lounge].”

“Hey, brother!” someone suddenly called. It is the guy who is sitting in front of the lounge’s entrance. He stood up and went before me.

“Uhmm... Can I help you?” I asked to the stranger.

In appearance, he is a middle aged skinny guy with a beard that was somewhat trimmed lazily. He is wearing a somewhat old breast plate with no particular design. There’s also a sword behind his back.

“From the looks of it, you’re a [wielder], right?” he asked with a smile.

“How did you know?” I asked, surprised.

“Well, I’m old to the business so I know who is a [wielder] or not based on their build. You have a decent one for a kid, after all. Are you perhaps looking for a [weapon]?”

“Yes. That is why I went here to look for someone willing to join me. You see, I urgently need one because the entrance exam for the aspiring soldiers of [Katzenschatz] will be tomorrow.”

“I see, so you’re gonna join ‘that’,” he whispered. He then smiled and said to me, “But no need to fear anymore because I am willing to become your [beast weapon], [wielder].”

“R-really?” I asked, surprised.

“But of course, that won’t be free. You need to pay me 500 EC to establish our contract,” he followed, still smiling.

“500 EC?” I reacted, not expecting the expensive amount of money I needed. “Do you really need to pay 500 EC to anyone just so you can recruit?”

“Y-yeah. And some even pays 5,000 EC just to recruit someone. I’m a level 10 [weapon] you see so 500 EC is cheap if you ask me,” he said with a somewhat forced smile.

500 EC is the total money I have in my pocket. If I gave it to him, I won’t even have any money left on me.

“Sorry but...I can’t recruit you if that’s the case. I guess I can only recruit someone up to 300 EC,” I said with a sad smile.

“I...I see. I can’t help it then. I’m fine with just 300 EC,” he replied with a sigh.

“R-really?’ I asked with shining eyes.

“Y-yeah. With that, our contract is established. My name is Jester. What’s yours, my [wielder]?” he asked with a smile.

“Raiki. I’m still inexperienced so I’m gonna do my best to become a good [wielder],” I said with an excited smile.

“Looking forward to it then, Raiki,” Jester said and drew out his hand.

I then shook it, signalling the start of our partnership.

On that place, I just smiled cheerfully...without knowing that Jester won't show up in tomorrow’s entrance test.