----
"We're finally bounty hunters!" Cerat said, excited.
"Yeah, C rank hunters."
"That's not too bad, is it?"
"We dropped more than half of our heads because of you."
"Ah, whatever. Stop whining."
Cerat took out three balls of paper from his bag. He rolled them out. There were three bounties.
"Hm... that one looks good."
Julian pointed at the second paper.
There was a picture of a bald, muscular man. He had a tattoo of a dragon that started on his head. He wore what appeared to be a brown leather jacket, with its collar up.
But it's a shot from the back.
Julian sighed. "These useless photographers..."
It was the best picture out of the three bounties, though. It had the best reward, as well.
"They expect us not to kill innocents like this?"
"I know, I know. We have to get lucky, I guess."
NAME: Nhelan
LAST SEEN: ---- ROAD
"That road is extremely close to us! He shouldn't be far, then."
"We'll venture when night falls." Julian slammed his fist into his palm.
The pair had been self-designated in a tavern.
"Have you heard? A ceremony is being held to find the new monarch for the kingdom."
"Wait. What about the current king?"
"You seriously haven't heard? The king is dead."
Julian turned to Cerat, hearing the chatter. "The king is dead? Can you believe it?"
"I don't care about human affairs."
Cerat responded in a kind of automatic mode. He was more focused on eating the steak given to him.
"First time trying it?"
"Yeah."
He tore it up.
"Usually... you're supposed to eat it with a fork."
Cerat had a sarcastic reply. "Really? I didn't know that."
"You're acting like you did know that."
"I did."
"What's a pair of kids doing in a tavern?"
Cerat and Julian turned around.
It was a girl with orange curly hair and brown eyes. Her skin tone was medium-tan. She wielded a sly smirk. Her ears were sharp.
She wore a white-collared shirt with a brown corset and the sheath of a grand sword on her back. She wore a skirt.
"Lusha?"
She wrapped her arms around the two boys, to a point of strangling.
"I haven't seen you guys since that exam!" she smiled, not noticing the two squealing, trying to get out of her grasp.
Julian tried to speak. "That... was only... a week ago."
"Fr-free us!" Cerat stammered. Lusha finally let go.
Lusha was an elven girl the twins had met during the exams. They became acquainted, as Lusha had been a great help.
"You still haven't ditched the outfit yet..." Cerat looked at Lusha, with a sense of disappointment.
"I still don't know what's wrong with it. You kids don't know anything." she scowled.
"What're you doing here anyway, Lusha?" Julian asked.
"I live around here."
"Ah.. Do you think you can accompany us?"
"Why would I accompany YOU guys? You C-rankers.. An A-ranker like me should be with my people."
"The power has gotten to her head," Cerat whispered to Julian.
"What'd you say?"
"Nothing."
. . .
. .
.