The voices took some time to unmuffle. The earliest bit of conversation was someone saying something about her “condition”. Vella grumbled in her sleep. Her parents could be annoyingly repetitive and persistent. She did not need to be reminded and accused again on how she robbed them of their daughter.

However, the conversation seemed to have taken a very different turn. The voices, now more distinct to Vella, were unfamiliar. Strangely they were both male.

“...told you how we operate. We are not as mercenary as the other teams. It's team-mates first, mission second, and-”

“Money last, yes I know,” interrupted a second voice.

Mission? Money? Who were these people? Were they bandits?

Vella reactively tensed, a Yunare summoned underneath the blankets that covered her. It was only then when she noticed she was not tied up or placed in some sort of confinement. In fact, the bed she was resting on was quite comfortable and clean.

“What in Talzc? What's that poking up there?” wondered the second voice.

“Keil. That is a highly inappropriate prank,” the first voice sighed tiredly.

Vella suppressed the urge to a cringe at her own mistake. Had the Yunare been a normal Earthling bunny, she would have been able to hide it under the sheets. However, she summoned the Yunare for the very reason why it wasn't suitable for concealment. Its long horn. Regrettably, she had summoned the Yunare in an unfortunate position between her thighs.

Seeing as this was probably not a hostage situation, she opened her eyes and faced the conversing pair as she propped herself up.

“You're awake,” stated the one with black hair.

Vella recognised him as the first voice she heard.

“Take it easy, your wound hadn't fully healed yet,” he cautioned, gesturing for her to lay back down.

Vella pushed his hands away even as she complied, “Who are you? What do you want from me?”

“Hey!” barked the younger one with deep blue hair, Keil, “Little brat, we just saved your life. Show some respect or-”

A hand wave from the black haired one cut him off, “Enough. Stop scaring the poor girl. You've already proved your immaturity with your little prank so cease your childish intimidation before you embarrass yourself further.”

“I'm sorry about my friend,” he turned back to Vella with an apologetic smile, “I'm Emblonx of the Technical Operatives. A Guild Hunter. Keil here is with me. We found you in quite the pickle and in a very curious circumstance.”

Vella understood a question asked even in the form of a statement, but Emblonx continued, “You were in bad shape, bleeding out. But even more surprising was the dead Monster next to you.”

Memories flashed and she made a second attempt to sit upright. Hands traced the scar on her face then reached for her back, but again Emblonx steadied her back down, “Easy, easy. Those wounds may not be fully healed, even with healing potions.”

Keil grumbled something about expenses in the background, but Vella could already tell what sort of complaint the young man had. Likely aggravated at the fact she had been a drain on their coin. Ignoring him, she focused back on Emblonx, “You saved me?”

“Yes,” the Hunter nodded, “Although we weren't sure if you'd make it by the time we carried you here, so we had to make due with suboptimal application of potions. None of us are expert healers so I'm afraid you'll be walking around with those scars.”

He then arched an eyebrow at her lack of reaction, “You don't seem like you mind them that much.”

“I...” Vella struggled to word her feelings but settled on, “I'm just glad I'm alive.”

Emblonx nodded gravely, “It's indeed a harsh world that we live in and it's a shame one so young as yourself had to experience it in such a raw manner. Tell me, how old are you, little miss?”

“Seven,” she replied even though she should be closer to twelve. She had done the calculations. This world must have a much slower orbit and spinning speed, equating to around thirty hours in a day, five hundred days a year. Or at least, that was what she guessed.

This world had the concept of age and years but not exactly the same as Earth’s. Every five hundred days, people would celebrate the strength of their life-force, marking themselves an age wiser. They measured their wisdom and progress in five hundred day segments. It was a close enough equivalent to Vella.

“And my name is Vella. How did you find me all the way out there?”

“Ah, we are Hunters from Talzc moving to Zlantic, where we currently reside.”

So, she made it to the capital. Part of her was relieved as it took away the problem of getting here. The other part was not at all comfortable about what she had to endure to arrive.

“We were tracking down a rumour for the Guild as a simple quest to ease us into the new area. Rumour has it that a Monster was spotted in Kezal Forest,” explained Emblonx.

“It's a stupid rumour. Monsters just don't go that far into human lands,” Keil said in a huffy tone.

Vella had to gape at the dismissal. How could he say that even after pulling her from the brink of death?

“Yes, but this such experience should serve well to caution you against over complacency. Young Vella here would have died otherwise,” Emblonx chided his work-mate, “It's a miracle she even survived. Speaking of which, what happened to you? And the Monster? Did you see who or what it was that dispatched of it?”

“I,” Vella stopped herself. Should she tell them she did it? Would they even believe her or, and this was more likely, would they label her a liar? She could see the scenario play out.

She would tell them the truth. They would not believe. They would ask for the 'actual' truth. She would tell them again. They would either write her off as traumatised, or as a difficult child- the typical attitude of adults and those who think themselves absolutely superior.

Why should she bother?

“I understand it may be terrifying, but you're here, you're safe,” Emblonx encouraged, “We're Guild Hunters. We're here to help.”

Vella suppressed the urge to scoff but couldn't help herself with what she said next.

“Funny, I thought Guild Hunters were all about the money,” Vella said with a pointed glance at Keil.

Keil looked just about ready to murder her with his bare fists. She was saved another bout of his temper as Emblonx hurriedly pushed Keil out of the room.

“That kid really needs to school his frustrations,” Emblonx muttered. With a sigh, he sat back down on a stool next to the bed. “I know you had just awoken from certain death. And that this situation must have caused you an undue amount of stress, but please avoid antagonising Keil. Whatever your impression of him, he still helped save your life.”

Vella chose to remain silent. Respect was earned by a person's character, not their profession or deed. A person's circumstance was not a reason for disrespect, so she had no plans on apologising any time soon.

Whatever he made of the silence, Emblonx decided to continue where they had left off, “So. Why where you out in Kezal Forest all on your lonesome?”

“I was on my way to Zlantic's Institution of Magic. On a farmer's wagon. But the farmer threw me off for practising my art. So, I had to make my own way here,” Vella recounted. She held up a hand when Emblonx made to interrupt her, likely to comment or question her abandonment by the farmer.

She continued, “I didn't know if I would be able to arrive within a day, so I went foraging for food. Kezal was meant to be safe so I was confident my magic would be able to handle small game and other such critters. I had found a Clem to eat, but I guess its sound also attracted the Monster. It attacked me, so I killed it with my magic.”

“I'm not too familiar with magic, but magic capable of killing a threat level two Monster would require at least three to four years of training,” Emblonx tilted his head to the side, “Are you some sort of prodigy?”

Vella's mouth opened, ready to retort. Then closed. Did Emblonx really entertain even a hint of her claims? He must be just humouring her.

Regardless, she tested the waters further, “I have a Bloodline Quirk.”

She punctuated this by summoning a Dawli into her hands, then revealing the Yunare from under her blanket.

Emblonx's expression transformed into one of mild surprise, “I've never seen magic quite like that. I thought control over the elements were more a mage's fanfare. Are you sure this isn't another ability completely?”

“I'm sure,” Vella asserted, “I can feel my mana drain every time I summon them. You actually believe me? That I killed the Monster?”

“I'd say you could if you could make something like a Gorntex appear,” Emblonx nodded, “Their antlers would be able to give a Monster like that a run for its money. The wounds I had inspected on it would fit as well.”

“But aren't I just a seven-year-old girl? You're going to believe that a seven-year-old girl with no martial arts training, no chi, no weapon could take on a Monster?” Vella pressed.

“Miss Vella. Whilst many of the common populace would simply dismiss your claims, we Guild Hunters know that talent could be found in anyone, and in any age,” Emblonx said, gazing at the door.

Vella hummed, perhaps she was too quick to judge him. There was a part of her that cautioned and tempered her expectations. Scenarios of Emblonx jesting about his trust, playing her for a fool.

She shook herself. That way only led to unhealthy paranoia. But was it paranoia when it was her life for so long?

“So. Can you make a Gorntex or something similar?”

Blinking back to the present, Vella could only stumble an unintelligent, “Huh?”

“Your magic. Can you make a Gorntex?” he repeated.

“No,” she gestured at the remarkably still Yunare and Dawli on her lap, “These and a Clem are all I've got.”

“You killed a level two Monster with only these?”

“Yeah. A Yunare's horn up the Monster's ass was quite effective. I damaged it further with a stick up the same place.”

Emblonx's expression changed to one of amusement, although tinged with a calculative contemplation, “A seven year old girl slew a Monster with naught but a Yunare and a stick. Now that I think about it, the damage on the Monster would match. A curious and unorthodox way to dispatch such a fierce opponent...”

This was more like it. An adult's doubt and Vella had become intimate enemies. She was ready to prove herself yet again when she had to stop to process the next words that came from Emblonx.

“When you've gotten some proper training, I'll be sure to extend a formal invitation for you to join the Guild. The Ascendants know we'll need more promising talents like yourself in the frontiers.”

Was Emblonx... scouting her?

“W-Well, I still nearly died,” Vella stumbled, “I-If it wasn't for the Clem...”

“Clem?”

“Yeah, a Clem. I found... healing properties from the slime of male Clems,” Vella said producing the Clem in her hands. This was what she was more familiar with. The need for proof, but it felt different.

“Before I passed out, I was able to command it to crawl over my back. It probably healed my wounds enough to stop me losing too much blood.”

“Indeed. We found the amount of spilt blood oddly abundant from such shallow wounds on your back. The wounds on your face were largely superficial,” Emblonx corroborated with a nod, “However, I had no knowledge of Clems having any sort of healing properties.”

He looked over the creature in Vella's hands.

“Though I've never seen a green Clem before. Maybe your magic had done something to it? Wouldn't that be convenient?”

Vella shook her head, “My magic creates copies of creatures I scan with my mana. This is an exact copy of the Clem I found before the Monster attacked.”

“Hm... Then dare I say you might have found a rare subspecies,” Emblonx pondered with a hand to his chin, “You could get a good discovery fee from the Guild if you can find another live example of such a creature, or with enough evidence. Of course, you'll learn the Guild's procedures should you ever decide to join us. But alas we're going off topic.

“In any case, I think I've gotten the story straight and will be making a report to the Guild. I'll be sure to let them know of your involvement and impressive exploits Miss Vella...?”

Taken aback by how well the conversation had gotten without it devolving into an exercise in frustration, Vella fumbled with her original family name, “S-Sharp.”

Emblonx merely nodded. If he was confused with the name, he didn't show it.

“I'll have the nurse come check up on you and let you know when you can be discharged,” Emblonx said as he made his way to the door, “Good luck on your studies Miss Sharp.”

With an acknowledging nod from Vella, Emblonx exited the room with a polite incline of his head.

As much as she hated conversing with adults, there was a little something there with Emblonx that felt off. It was almost as if she liked talking to him at times.

She would have to ask the nurse if she had sustained injuries to the head. With the way her face feeling like they could melt butter, she should also ask for fever remedies.