Twentient day of Panca’xahr, 4043 AOT

Arbhur City, Aesbyl Region, Surus

Azalea has left Ylam City. However, while she is passing by Arbhur City, some city officials along with a number of city police invited her to come with them. She decides to cooperate with them first. She does not think that she have done anything that is against the laws of the city or the country. If there is any problem or misunderstanding, then it should be fine if she can clear it with them through some peaceful means, like calmly talking and hearing both sides. However, it seems that they have not taken her to charge her of any violation, rather they are trying to keep her from leaving the city.

They first lead her to a hotel room where she could stay in while waiting. The hotel itself does look expensive. Her room has simple and spacious design though the furniture and decorations are looking quite lavish. Outside the room are a couple of guards standing on both sides of the door. Azalea observes them and realizes that they are not ordinary guards but they are policemen. They are still wearing their uniform and badges.

“Okay, let’s be patient.” Azalea tells herself.

Almost a day has passed and aside form meals that are being delivered to her, she received no other news. No officials have come to talk to her and she is still not informed why she has to stay in there.

“Am I being detained?” She ponders. “I have no idea what they are up to… I don’t wanna make trouble and deal with more complicated situations. But, I don’t wanna stay here any longer either. Ahhh~ What to do? What to do?”

She paces back and forth in the room for a while. After making up her mind, she walks to the door and opens it. The guards outside is blocking her way.

“Sorry, I don’t have any more time to waste here.” She says making it sound as politely as she could.

“Miss, you can’t leave. Wait a little more.”

Azalea smiles at them. They looked dazed for a few seconds. At that moment, Azalea passed by with her luggage and spear floating just right behind her. The guards then closes the door as if they did not see her leave and continued to guard the room.

∞×∞

Twenty first day of Panca’xahr, 4043 AOT

Arbhur City, Aesbyl Region, Surus

Late at night, Brandon Shilan arrives in front of the hotel with his most luxurious sports car as if bragging his wealth and privileged lifestyle. He passes his keys to the valet as he walks into the hotel followed by four body guards. He casually takes the elevator seemingly in a good mood. He goes straight to the room that is being guarded by two cops.

“Good evening, sir.” One guard greets him as he approaches the door.

“How is she?” Brandon asks while wearing an excited smile.

“The miss has been quiet for the past hours. Maybe she has fallen asleep.” He reports.

“I see.” He fixes the tie of his pastel blue suit before he gestures for the guards to open the door. “Continue guarding out here.”

He enters the room and quickly notices how oddly quiet it is. The interior is clean and organized. The curtains are down making the surroundings dim. No trash to clean up on the floor, or used plates and utensils on the table. The chairs, couch, and through pillows are in place and has no indication that they have been moved. It is too clean, as if no one has been using it. He then turns towards the unused bed. It is arranged orderly, pillows in place and blanket folded neatly. He opens the closet, and it is empty. He looks around the room one more time and sees no luggage.

“Where is she?” He says softly while turning his head around the room.

The proud smile has quickly turned into a frown. With impatient steps he walks toward the bathroom. It is also empty. His mood is starting to become sour. He opens the closets one after another. With clear irritation, he pulls away the blanket dropping it on the floor. He picks up the pillows throwing it on the floor. He grits his teeth as he kicks one of the chair across the room. If he could, he would have turned the bed upside down too.

“WHERE IS SHE?!!!”

He stomps out of the room.

“Sir?”

“This room is empty! Check the surveillance cameras!”

“Y-yes sir!”

They immediately run to the security department. Brandon’s ire clearly shows in his face. They waltz in without any prior notice and then ordered head of security to check the surveillance camera records. The head security recognized who he is and followed his order without any questions. The security personnel starts reviewing the security camera placed close to the room that Brandon just went into.

The video has no sound but it has recorded everything that happened in the corridor that day. Around some time in the afternoon, a girl came out of the room. It looked like she talked to the guards by the door for a moment. Something glowed for a split second then the guards looked dazed. The girl then just walked away with her luggage.

“Follow up where she’s going.” Brandon commands.

The security personnel switches from one surveillance camera to the next following Azalea. They watch her get into the elevator that took her down the ground floor. She then normally walked out of the hotel. She took a cab away. From there on, they do not know where she headed.

Brandon bits his thumbnail. “She just walked out and nobody stopped her?” He turns to the guards that were placed outside her room. “You two were supposed to make sure she doesn’t leave. What happened? Were you bribed? How much?”

“N-no… sir…” One guard answers. “W-well, that… She didn’t leave the room.”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE DIDN’T LEAVE THE ROOM?!!” He suddenly raises his voices before calming down a little. “Are you blind? Or are you taking me for an idiot?” His voice is low, almost like a whisper, but it contained all his rage.

“She did go out but she went back inside.”

“Little shit, you don’t fuck with me!”

“It true… M-maybe, it’s magic.” The other guard tries to defend themselves. “I heard she’s a mage. S-she definitely did something to us.”

“Right, what’s shown in the video is different from what I remember happened.”

He clicks his tongue. “All right, I’ll buy into your excuses this time.” He then take his phone to call someone. “Hello, James… I want you to look for someone. Yes, I already sent the files. Inform all cities around Aesbyl region.” He then turns back to the guards. “The two of you will come with me, we’ll have a word with the mayor.”

As usual, Brandon barges into the office of the city mayor without any appointment, treating the place as if he owns it. He takes the seat just in front of the mayor’s desk. He makes himself comfortable while the mayor wipes the beads of sweat on his forehead.

“How may I help you, Mister Shilan?” The mayor asks politely.

Brandon stretches his arm. “Give me the file. I’m looking for someone.”

One of his bodyguards hands him a flash drive.

“I want you to trace the whereabouts of this girl.” He then hands the flash drive. “Immediately report to me once you’ve located her.”

“May I know the reason why you’re looking for her?” The mayor adjusts his sitting position to put more space between the desk and his fat stomach. “Is she someone important? Or did she offend you in a way?”

“A little bit of both.”

The mayor looks confused.

“Right! How about I add a reward?!”

“R-reward?..”

“Yes!” He snaps his finger. “Whoever can bring her to me alive, or give information on her location, will receive a cash reward.” He takes his phone out and calls his secretary again. “Hey James, I need you to arrange something for me. You know, something like a bounty.”

∞×∞

Azalea has noticed something unusual the day after she left the hotel. As she is purchasing a train ticket out of the city, the teller stared at her for a while before giving her the train schedule and destination. Since it is quite late, she is only able to get a seat in a train scheduled to leave the next day. She decides to stay inside the station and wait for her train. The next day, as more people starts crowding the station, she starts to get some weird looks from a number of passengers that pass by her.

Just as when her train arrives, two guards along with a station personnel approaches her. It is clear from their action that they are preventing her from boarding the train. She immediately thought that it has something to do with her getting detained just a day ago.

“Good day, sirs.” Azalea greets them with a lovely smile as they are coming closer to her. “How may I help you?”

“Miss, if you would please come with us.” The personnel asks as politely as he could.

“Why?”

“We just have this protocol here.”

“Oh! I see.”

She smiles while cooperating peacefully. The people in the station who noticed the small commotion watch her follow the personnel and the guards out of the station.

Or so that is how it seems.

Azalea used illusion magic to make it seem like she agreed to cooperate with them. In fact she has already caught on that something is off with the crowd’s reaction and the way the personnel and guards approached her. It is already troublesome that the city’s authority tried to confine her for no reason.

“Sorry, I don’t have any more patience to play with you like this.” Azalea says softly as she finds her way out of the crowd before her spell breaks.

She then checks her phone to see what big news would be up that can give her an idea about her situation. It does not take that long for her to see the root of her problems. The Shilan person has put a reward on her. At this point she figured that taking public transport is compromised. For safety reasons, she decides to take the long way and go through the back alleys where there is less chances for her to bump into the authorities. Since she cannot use public transport while in Aesbyl region, then she will have to travel on foot. She should avoid going into the cities, and must rather pass by the Zone-0 until she gets to the border of Surus country. From here on she have to travel from slum to slum, outside the protection barrier of each cities.

∞×∞

Twenty fourth day of Panca’xahr, 4043 AOT

Wave 2, Arbhur City, Aesbyl Region, Surus

It has been a few days since a bounty for Azalea was put online. Now, most people who has access to the internet all over Aesbyl region knows her face. Brandon Shilan has announced to reward anyone who can capture her and bring her to him alive. It is making everything very troublesome for her. She have a limited amount of pocket money on her. She cannot step foot in the city because the authorities will definitely be there to take her. Because of that, she cannot access the banks to withdraw added funds.

Traveling all day while being wary of her surroundings has made her quite tired. Not that she is not used to going on nonstop travel, it just that what she needs to avoid are not the monsters that she is used to navigate around.

The exhaustion is slowly catching up to her. She decides to take a rest in a small bar late at night. The place is a little crowded, most of the customers seems to be a part of a mercenary group. The news about her bounty should not have reached this place that fast. She takes a seat in one empty table at the corner. She orders a plate of meat skewers and a glass of water. She just want to eat and replenish her thirst after a hot and exhausting day.

While trying to leisurely enjoy her meal, Azalea cannot help it but hear and sense the conversations and unusual movements of the people around her.

“Hey, that girl at the corner,” one man says softly. “It’s her, right?”

“Yeah… the bounty… I can’t believe we just received the order this morning.”

“She’s just a brat.”

Another man takes a quick look at a piece of folded paper from his pocket. “Just a fifteen year old girl… really?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Who cares man?” He smirks. “That’s one million rimas.”

“One million rimas?” Azalea keeps the random conversation in mind. “Rimas… huh… That’s this country’s currency. Forty rimas is like one sol.”

“Easy money.”

The atmosphere inside the bar is shifting into something unpleasant. The customers continue to gossip and whisper amongst themselves believing that she cannot hear them.

“I can’t be that cheap… Damn that bastard can’t even price me right.”

“Let’s make a move before another group does.” Someone whispers on one side.

“C-careful—”

“Oooh! Come on!” Azalea’s voice rings and breaks the through the hurricane of gossips. “Quit yapping on and on. Can’t I even finish my meal in peace?”

“Don’t talk like a big shot!” A young man raises his voice while pulling a gun. “The bounty is mine!”

The sound of a single gunfire echoes across the bar while the startled customers duck looking for cover. Azalea’s blood splatters on the table and the floor.

“That’s what you get for being cocky.”

“What are you doing?! We need her alive!”

“I didn’t hit her vitals, you idiot! So shut the fuck up.”

“We still have to be careful, you dumbass!”

“What the fuck!” Azalea slowly stands up. Blood is dripping from her right shoulder staining her light armor. “Argh-!!That fucking hurts!”

“See.” The young man mocks. “She’s still alive and cursing.”

“Seriously?? Firing a gun at me in public? Crazy son of bitches!” Small magic circles glows, appears and disappears around her wound.

The moment she is able to stand properly, the armed men has already surrounded her. They are a mix of ubliss and reveil. It will not be easy to escape this one.