3rd Person POV
The sun was shining upon the people of Bihame, and today seemed to be the most liveliest compared to all the other days within the week, it was Sunday after all. Fisherman had came back from their sailing trip and are laughing joyfully with drinks in hand by the docks of the city, children running through the streets chasing after each other in a little game of tag. The city was filled with a friendly atmosphere and a welcoming aura for travelers who wanted to rest before continuing on their tiring journey.
But going back... there was a figure who ran swiftly between the crowds, it ran and ran... but... where was it going? The figure was wearing a seemingly black hood that the edges of the cloth reached the legs of the user. Surprisingly the person under the hood who acted rather mysterious and suspicious was... Rozu?! Why was she dressing so weirdly at this time of a day, let us further investigate the situation more from her point of view, shall we?
Rozu POV
Today was such a beautiful day but I had to do something urgent that my grandma had told me too do... regarding about yesterday's talk.
[ -FLASHBACK- ]
"But Grandma! Why?! and How?!" I asked sounding desperate, waiting for my grandma to answer, she smirked and looked me in the eye.
"It's better too travel with someone rather than travel alone y'know, it's funner that way" She roughly rubbed my head with her wrinkly hand's of hers, messing up my hair.
"And besides, your a newbie at this, I bet you'd die before you even get out of Bihame's borders. Oh and one more thing-" Hearing that made me feel unconfident, her truthful comments would form mental daggers that pierced through me, URK-. But seeing her pause her sentence to go and get something in the middle of our important conversation made me think that she's gonna get an awesome relic or perhaps an ancient sword for me too bring along on my journey.
"Tadah!" My granny brought out a..... mask? There was a smiley face painted onto it and half of the mask was practically black while the other remained white.
"Grandma.... did you get this mask from a sketchy guy when you were younger-" She once again, smacked me in the head for my too "honest" comment.
"No, I was the one who made this myself. That's right, the infamous swords master, Higana, made this wonderful mask with her two, golden, bare hands!" She confidently laughed out loud and I sighed.
"This so called mask you made looks similar too a 10 year old craftsmanship, gran-" She yanked my cheeks and scolded me for being impolite for the next 5 minutes, from then onwards, I don't think I really wanna upset grandma or make her angry at the very least... Wouldn't wanna waste my precious time.
"Be sure to wear this, this mask right here, brings along glory and pride along with it and-" While she was explaining about the masks long history I was already at the door, ready to leave with a black cloak covering me along with granny's mask in my head.
"Alright, alright Granny, I'm gonna go search for someone from the tavern nearby just like you said." I quickly escaped before she gave me another lecture.
"Why that little-, heh but goodl uck on searching for someone to bring you along." She took a sip from the chamomile tea that was placed on the coffee table and looked out of the window and into the blue sky with the clouds passing and birds flying.
"Barely any adventurer wants a newbie in their team, even me." She grinned mischievously and snickered before placing down the teacup and went back to enjoying her day.
[- Back To Timeline-]
And as promised, I was now standing in front of one of the most famous taverns in the city, known for it's rich, mikyu wine and helibi toast, along with the large sum of popular travelers and adventurers that stays there too rest before continuing on their journey to find for what they desire. Yes, it is the "Gelhara" Tavern! The name was taken from the tavern's owner surname, junji Gelhara, he was a man who held no achievements and had built this tavern with his own hard work and life savings, this tavern was the only thing he had as he is not married nor does he have any children. With no achievements nor family, he was quite humble towards his customers and was really fun too talk too due too his outgoing personality.
With the mask that my grandma gave me in hand, I was given two options, one, wear it, two, not wear it. It was pretty easy, I'm totally gonna wear it, really gives off that majestic look too my build, right? Anyways I wore it, I opened the door, and there I was, at the tavern's entrance, with light leaking through the gaps of my shadow and the door frame into the dim-litted room.
The tavern was still pretty dark on the inside even though it's day already, and this was actually my first time visiting a tavern since I never really had the time and was always busy with house chores and responsible for taking care of my Granny and myself, meaning I also had to get a job by moving boxes and walking my neighbor's dogs so that I can pay bills and, and-..... Man, I am a newbie at this!
No one took interest on who was standing at the door as none had even flinched nor rotate their heads to face me. Indeed, i was know entering a place unknown to me, but with such a lively atmosphere with all the people talking and laughing and the clinking of beers, the bar lights and the swinging lamps on top of the top tables seemed so friendly that I felt welcomed, similar to how I feel welcomed in my own home.
I slowly took steps towards the brightest place in the tavern, the bar stools. It was hard trying to get on one of the chairs since they were really tall, I mean, they were suited for a built figure like all the others travelers here, each of the people here wore unique attires, from scars, facial hairs, and outfits. they really stood out a lot, and I must say, one of them might be really famous, but even if they were famous I wouldn't recognize them as I was never involved in chats or talks that involves any honorable names, which is a shame.
After the small struggle I finally got on the stools with my 155 cm height figure, I felt like a fool and had hoped that no one has seen that-
"Your new here aren't ya" I was startled by the sudden voice of an old man behind me, the voice sounded really pirate-ey and rough, I turned too look at the speaker but there was no one to be found standing behind the counter-
"Ey, ey! Over here!!!" I then crawled onto the counter too encounter a really short... grandpa with both of his hands on his hips. He looked really cute and funny looking as he was wearing a bartender's outfit and had grey hair and a grey moustache that seemed humongous on his small yet plump face, I tried not too laugh.
"You think I look funny huh? HUH?! DO YA MISTER?! WHY YOU-" Oh no! Apparently covering my face along with my shoulders shaking gave away my intentions on trying not too laugh! I have now angered one of the bartenders and the most renounced taverns, not only that! But, I, too! had angered the shortest, cutest, gramps in all of Toriand! I'm doomed!!!
"Wait, wait gramps I can explain!" My voice sounded shaky due too holding my laughter, but how could he guess that I had this face of resistance behind this mask? He must have a skilled an eye indeed.
"No explanation is needed, I'm just wondering, aren't you a bit too young to enter adult territory, I mean this is a TAVERN after all, a place where strong men stay-" I didn't bother too listen to HIS explanation and speech, I just waited for him too finish, along with him explaining he too crawled until he was standing on the bar's surface in front of me, still giving me a lecture about my young figure being in a tavern, he really sounds like grandma though.
Apparently Rozu has received a mask from her Granny! Does it contain any magical powers? Asides from that, She had also entered a tavern in search for a travelling partner just like what her grandmother had suggested, but instead finding one right off the bat... She has too sit down and listen to a cute old man's lecture?! What will happen to this poor girl along with her wishes too become an adventurer...
[To be continued...]