"What?" Rin asked, baffled.

"Just ask Seth," Trodon shrugged. "There's a reason the boy hasn't participated in a real fight yet. He's working on his skills because he knows that just because he can crack a few monster skulls doesn't mean shit over there."

"But, what about my skills?"

"What about your skills?"

"I've been training hand-to-hand," Rin explained. "Seth hasn't. I mean, at the Academy he hasn't. So, I should have an advantage, right?"

"Maybe. Who have you been training with?"

"Oh, uh, Maria. The Rank S adventurer, do you know her?"

Rin's question was answered by the change in his expression. From casual disinterest, suddenly, he looked outright shocked.

"... Maria? Are you serious?"

"Yeah!" Rin nodded, feeling a little proud. "So, I've got a pretty good shot, right?"

"I... Eh, it still depends," he replied, though his answer was far more hesitant now. "If she's been teaching you specifically how to win fights against other humans, then, maybe. Still," he relented, "with a teacher like that, I think you'd be justified in giving it a shot."

"So, I can sign up!?" Rin asked, smiling widely.

"Sure. Let me do the talking, though. They won't take you seriously on your own."

As they reached that conclusion, Trodon stood up and walked out of the room, as Rin and Xhez followed behind him. They emerged back in the same room from before, only now, Seth wasn't here anymore. Together, they walked up to the grey-haired woman behind the counter and Trodon gestured at her.

"We have a newblood," he said. "Get her registered, and check if there are any other newbloods to set up a fight with."

"Sure," the lady replied curtly before looking through a notebook in front of her. As she did, she asked: "do you have the registration fee ready?"

"Um... Maybe? How much is it?"

"Two gold coins," she replied.

[... Oof.]

"W-Why?" Rin asked, chuckling awkwardly.

"Well," she explained, "as a fighter, you no longer have to pay to come in. So long as you continue fighting, of course. Are you prepared to pay it?"

[Hm... Well, if this is a way to make some more money, then, it's an investment.]

"Yeah, yeah," she replied. "Here."

"Perfect," the lady replied, as Rin passed her the coins. "Now, then, my name is Olina. It is a pleasure to meet you, fighter," she bowed. "Will you be fighting under an alias?"

"Uh..." Rin stopped to think about it for a moment. She hadn't considered that at all.

"I'd suggest you do," Trodon told her. "Maybe, go ahead and get yourself a makeover and come back looking mildly different. Just so that, in case you get humiliated, those in the audience will not recognize you."

[Hm... So, I should come up with another disguise?] Rin asked herself.

"Sure, then."

"Alright," the lady said. "What will your name be? Typically, something dramatic-sounding tends to do the trick."

"..." At that, Rin paused.

[Something dramatic? Like that other dude I saw before? Okay, how about...]

"Maybe, something with Lyn in it?" She mumbled to herself.

"For a surname, I've got a few suggestions here written down," the lady told her. "Lyn Stormheart. Lyn Silvertongue. Lyn Rosecaller, Lyn Spirithands."

"Wait," Rin stopped her. "Rosecaller. Lyn Rosecaller, that sounds pretty good. Does that mean anything?"

"Yes, actually. A 'rosecaller' was once a Liberan champion of sorts who would fight on behalf of women who have had, ehm, how do I put it politely? Have had their dignity tainted? In such situations, the person who did it and the offended party would call for champions to duel for them."

"Hm. Okay, that sounds kinda cool," Rin smiled. "Lyn Rosecaller, then."

"Perfect. I will let the security guard know you are one of the fighters, then."

Just like that, next Saturday, just a couple of days before Rin's next mission, she had an appointment at the Arena. As she and Xhez walked out of the building, seeing that a line had formed outside already, she smiled to herself.

[Hand-to-hand fighting, for money! This feels like it was practically made for me!]

Walking with a smug expression on her face, she and the sprite left the area, as Xhez looked up at her somewhat confused.

"What was the point of all of that?" She asked.

"Well, well, well," Rin put her hands on her hips, "I think I just got an opportunity to make a little more money... hopefully."

"Oh. Do you intend on fighting?"

"Yeah! Sounds good, right? I really feel like I'm finding stuff that works for me."

"I suppose," Xhez replied, as her confused expression gave way to a happier look. "Congratulations!"

---

{Maria}

The Rank S adventurer's day had been fairly ordinary so far. There wasn't much to do on the weekends anyway. Usually, she'd shape up her week's lessons, try to think of something to show to the students in class, and maybe write a letter or two to get back to her family, sometimes. But normally, training a certain someone tended to make up for that, and fill up the space in her day. However, that student of hers hadn't shown up.

[Hm... Rin hasn't come in today, yet,] she acknowledged, as she sat in the Meditation Center with her legs crossed, looking out into the open landscape beyond Libera. [Maybe I should get going,] she thought. [Perhaps something's got her busy.]

However, for now, she kept her eyes on the distant view. And, of course, as she dreaded, her mind began to wander to a couple of unpleasant places. She saw her late husband and felt a sadness fill her heart as she remembered her time with him. The day they'd married, the years they'd shared.

Then, her mind's eye gazed upon someone else, and Maria let out a deep sigh. The same woman she scorned so much, the one who refused to leave her side no matter how badly she messed up. Even though, that was what she thought she deserved.

In fact, Cara hadn't shown her any of the resentment Maria felt she was owed due to her mistakes. If anything, she did the opposite. Something that only made the wound in Maria's heart wider.

Specifically, there was one night that was a recurring moment in Maria's current daydreams. One night where Maria had a few drinks too many, and Cara had been there to console her. One night where Maria had, unfortunately, all but spit on her late husband's grave.

Even though this was the case, however, every time she remembered that night, her body would warm up. Her heart would start racing a little, and her hands would clench into fists just to keep them from moving elsewhere.

[Get that out of your mind,] she thought. [It happened, it's done, just... Ignore it.]

As the other teacher continued to take up space in her mind, however, she nodded to herself and stood up.

[I should just go.]

As she went to exit through the door, however, she nearly ran into someone.

The amber-eyed girl in she'd been waiting for stood there, smiling widely from out in the hall.

"Hey, teach'," Rin greeted her. "Sorry I was so late today."

"It's okay," Maria quickly said. "I hope nothing bad happened."

"No, no, actually, I wanted to tell you something."

"Ah. Okay, come in, then."

Letting her through, the two of them walked back to the spot where Maria had been sitting. Facing each other, Rin hadn't stopped smiling the entire time. It made the teacher curious.

"Alright, alright, alright," she sounded excited, "so, I went into the city a bit ago and I found this one place called the Arena. Do you know about it?"

"Hm? Of course," Maria replied. "I... I used to go there. Quite a bit, before I became Rank S."

"Really? Well, yeah, I went there and I asked if I could sign up. They said I could and, now, I've got a fight lined up this Saturday!"

Maria was surprised to hear that.

Not in a good way, though.

"Rin," Maria said, frowning. "I... You might want to bring those expectations down a notch. You are not ready at all for that sort of thing."