“I… I choose the first path…”
She said, but her voice faltered.
“But I… I’m also scared…”
Rena’s voice was so low it was almost inaudible, thick with a heavy nasality and an uncontrollable tremble that caused her tears to keep falling.
“I’m really scared… I don’t know what to do… I don’t want to go back… and I’m afraid to go home… but following you… I’m afraid of that, too…”
“Being afraid is normal. Facing the unknown, and the possibility of having the whole world as your enemy — it would be strange if you weren’t afraid.”
Aurelia patted Rena’s shoulder, trying to comfort the cornered Little Priestess.
“Since you’ve chosen this path, you have to keep moving forward no matter how scared you are. The only difference is whether you keep your eyes shut and cry while being dragged along, or if you keep your eyes open, legs shaking, and shuffle forward one step at a time.”
Aurelia paused, her gaze sweeping over Rena’s tattered Saint robes, stained with dust and tears, and her still-trembling hands.
“Alright, alright, stop crying. There’s a good girl.”
Aurelia watched as Rena continued to sniffle and gently patted her head.
While this kind of comforting gesture was better suited for an older sister type, why couldn’t she, Aurelia, play that role?
‘Well… at least on the surface I can. As for being 5 feet 3… I can just use some height-increasing pads. It’s no big deal. Besides, as long as I remain firm in my inner convictions, it’s impossible for me to turn into a real girl!’
“I—I’ll work hard… no more crying…”
Rena tried her best to stop the tears, nodding vigorously as she used her dirty sleeve to haphazardly wipe her face, only to smudge it even more.
“Oh, by the way, Rena, how old are you?”
Aurelia suddenly remembered to ask.
“Me? I just turned 16 this year…”
“Uh…”
Aurelia’s hand froze on top of Rena’s head before she quietly withdrew it and rested it on her own knee.
She maintained her calm and reliable “older sister” expression, but her heart couldn’t help but skip a beat.
‘This Little Priestess is actually younger than me? What the… so I’ve put together an underage Order?? I’m the oldest one!? This… this isn’t right, is it?’
She instinctively compared herself to Rena.
Compared to the 5-foot-3 Aurelia, Rena was nearly 5 feet 7 inches tall.
This made the earlier scene of her patting the Little Priestess’s head look…
‘…Forget it, physical age is just a fleeting cloud. Mental age and responsibility are what matter! I’ve lived two lives, I’m experienced, and I don’t panic under pressure. Of course I’m the backbone of the team! Yeah, that’s right! Height doesn’t matter, and age isn’t an issue!’
“Ahem, well then, Rena, you and Helen rest here. I’m going out for a bit to find a job so we can settle down for the long term.”
“Finding a job?”
Helen and Rena both blinked in unison, clearly not expecting her to suddenly suggest this.
“Sister Lia, you…”
“Stop right there. You two just stay here quietly and wait for me to get back.”
Helen was stunned for a moment, then nodded.
While he might not trust Aurelia one hundred percent yet, she was at least an older sister he could trust with his back.
As for Rena, seeing Helen nod, she also began nodding her head vigorously like a drum in agreement.
“Aurelia… be careful on the way!”
Looking at the two people she had saved, Aurelia breathed a sigh of relief.
She quickly left the room and walked along the main road of the docks toward the outer Region of Twilight City.
***
Outside, the air was thick with the damp scent unique to the Dock District.
Aurelia leaned against a wall, listening carefully to the sounds around her.
In the distance, the heavy sound of waves crashing against the pier drifted from the harbor.
Nearby, the wind whistled through the narrow alleys, mixed with the incoherent mumbles of a drunkard in some corner and the scurrying of rats.
Following the main dock road, Aurelia walked quickly through the crowd.
Her black hair, stained with dried blood, stood out to some, but no one stepped forward to stop or question her.
In this city, everyone had their own little secrets: murderers in exile, mages fleeing their crimes, mercenaries waiting for an opportunity, or Holy Knights on secret missions.
What truly made a few sharp-eyed individuals linger for a moment was perhaps her breathtakingly beautiful profile, which even grime couldn’t hide, and her crimson eyes that revealed a startling brilliance in a fleeting glance.
But that was the extent of it — a second look at most.
In the outskirts and the Dock District of Twilight City, beauty was sometimes an asset, but more often, it was the source of disaster.
A beautiful young girl appearing here alone, injured and so young, was unusual in itself.
Smart people knew to keep their distance.
‘Is there a tavern with a lot of people? I could get a job there, maybe as a kitchen hand? If all else fails… find a restaurant and be a chef?’
After wandering aimlessly through the streets for half a day, Aurelia stopped in front of a bustling tavern.
The tavern was located at the crossroads where the Dock District met the Commercial Street on the outskirts of Twilight City.
It was a good location.
Although it wasn’t peak hours, there was already a fair amount of foot traffic.
Most were sailors, dockworkers, traveling merchants, and peddlers.
The mix of noise, the smell of alcohol, the grease from cheap food, and the heavy scent of tobacco made Aurelia frown slightly.
A rough wooden board hung by the door, with words written in charcoal: “Urgent hiring for servers and front desk. Meals included, daily pay, lodging provided. Inquire within for details.”
‘Hmm… for someone in my current situation, these terms are practically generous. Room and board, daily pay — does it get any better than this?’
Neither of these positions required excessive physical strength or strict background checks, especially in a place with such a diverse and transient population.
If she could successfully stay, it would not only solve her immediate food and housing problems but also allow her to gather information through the tavern’s gossip.
As for the young lad and the Little Priestess, they could stay inside with her; she could just sleep on the floor.
However, risks still existed.
The tavern was a place where many eyes watched.
Her injured state and her rare hair and eye color could easily attract unnecessary attention.
Furthermore, the front desk required dealing with all sorts of customers, making it easy to be exposed.
But for now, there seemed to be no better choice.
‘Whatever, I need to get through the day first!’
She took a deep breath, suppressing the throbbing pain from her wounds and her physical exhaustion, and pushed open the greasy oak door.
The sudden increase in noise and the mixture of smells inside made her scowl slightly, but she quickly adapted.
The interior of the tavern was more spacious than it appeared from the outside and was surprisingly orderly.
Although the air was still thick with the smell of ale, sausages, tobacco, and sweat, the tables and chairs were relatively tidy.
The floor was old but clearly cleaned regularly.
Faded nautical maps hung on the walls, alongside strange fish specimens encased in glass frames and some yellowed bounty posters.
The flickering fire in the fireplace dispelled the night’s chill and provided the main source of light, casting dancing shadows across the hall.
Unlike the chaotic dock taverns Aurelia had imagined, filled with drunks and rowdy sailors, the customers here mostly looked like sailors, workers, and merchants, but their clothes were generally decent and clean.
There were very few shirtless or rowdy individuals.
They gathered in groups of two or three, talking business in low voices, playing cards, or drinking in silence.
While the atmosphere was noisy, it held a sense of restrained order.
Even the waitresses carrying large wooden mugs and trays wore faded white linen dresses and had their hair neatly combed.
Aurelia circled around the less crowded areas and walked quickly to the bar, making her voice clear over the relatively quiet area.
“Hello, I saw the hiring notice outside. I’d like to apply for the front desk, or I could work as a server.”
Standing behind the bar was not the expected muscular man with a scarred face and a greasy apron, but a man who looked to be in his early forties, wearing a dark linen shirt.
His hair was neatly combed, and he had a well-groomed short beard.
He was slowly and methodically wiping a glass with a clean, soft cloth, his movements showing a level of detail that seemed out of place in this noisy environment.
Hearing Aurelia’s voice, he stopped and looked up.
His gaze drifted over her dirt-stained burlap clothes and the bandages on her neck before finally settling on her face.
“Applying?”
The man’s voice was steady, with a clear local accent and no emotional fluctuation.
“Front desk or server?”
“Either is fine. I can do both,” Aurelia said, keeping her voice as steady as possible while ignoring the dull pain from the wound on the side of her neck.
The man didn’t respond immediately.
He simply put down the glass, rested his elbows on the bar, and laced his fingers.
His gaze remained on Aurelia’s face, seemingly evaluating her.
“Hmm… you’ve got much more guts than an average girl.”
He nodded slightly, but then his tone shifted.
“However, little girl, looking at you, you’re not very old and your frame is thin. You don’t look like you’ve done heavy labor. The front desk needs to be alert to everything, have quick hands and a good memory, and be able to handle all kinds of people, even harassment or trouble.”
“Being a server is even harder. Carrying drinks and food, running up and down the stairs, and sometimes cleaning up after those drunks. You…”
He paused, his voice filled with obvious doubt.
“Are you sure you can handle it?”
Aurelia had expected this kind of doubt and answered quickly, “I used to be Professional Logistics. I was fully responsible for all the logistical support of a Bronze Grade Order.”
“Which Order?”
He immediately followed up.
Many Orders were active around Twilight City.
While Bronze Grade wasn’t particularly high, a Professional Logistics specialist who could independently handle all the support for an Order wasn’t someone an exiled girl could just pretend to be.
This required not only strong material management and bookkeeping skills but also basic medical skills, a foundation in magic, and knowledge of various items, minerals, and ruins. It was a highly professional position.
“…I’m sorry. For certain reasons, I cannot disclose the Order I was previously with.”
‘I can’t let this boss know I’m from the Brave’s Order. Wouldn’t I be caught and taken back on the spot?’
The boss hesitated for a moment, looking Aurelia over once again.
“A Bronze Grade Professional Logistics specialist… who can’t even say the name of her Order?”
His tone was slow and deliberate as his fingers began to tap lightly on the smooth bar.
“Is there something wrong with the Order itself, or… was your departure less than honorable?”
“It was just an unresolvable misunderstanding. From now on, they go their way and I go mine. We have nothing more to do with each other.”
“…A misunderstanding?”
In this world, there were too many stories of people parting ways or even becoming enemies because of misunderstandings.
Disputes over treasure, rewards for missions, differences in decisions, or more subtle conflicts of interest and betrayals.
A girl claiming to be a Professional Logistics specialist, wandering alone with injuries and keeping her past a secret due to an unresolvable misunderstanding.
The story was cliché.
But because it was cliché, it felt exceptionally real in a place like Twilight City.
Too many people came here with similar stories, burying their regrettable pasts in the mud and shadows of the Dock District.
“Fine.”
The boss sighed and tossed a small coin pouch from behind the counter.
“Take this and buy yourself some decent clothes. Wait for me at the door after we close.”