Chapter 2: My name is
The life of a contract assassin is not an easy one, especially in the cutthroat underground world of Orario. Targets may as well be protected by an impenetrable fortress and an army with their security of adventurers, never mind that those who targets the higher levels. Dirty hands are required in order to survive in this city.
'Macy' is one such assassin. She was tasked by a very lucrative businessman to handle a negotiation for a very important item coming from Melen via a 'noblewoman'. Though Macy's job this time is not that of a typical assassin, her presence alone would deter unsavory business from the other party. "I just have to do a good job buying this item at the lowest cost as possible." However, if things go south, she was to leave no evidence behind and take the item.
The wait was not long before the seller of the item came into view, flanked between burly guards, half a dozen and not a problem for her to handle. She smirked, seeing the item behind the fat pig of a 'noble' lady that immediately started spouting nonsense about how the place might dirty her blonde hair, expensive dress, and stylish shoes.
Not minding the complaints, she walked towards the item, not minding how the guards tensed up upon getting closer. Then, the noble lady's eyes started to shine as she started spouting details about the history, details, and previous ownership of the item.
"This one is extremely special! When I got my hands on this fine specimen, it was already previously owned by almost five noble families and those filthy mercenaries! Of course, this did not detract the value at all, in fact, it only seemed to be getting better and better!"
"Hm… strong build, sturdy and durable, only a couple of scratches could be seen, and probably was used a lot by the previous owners. The mercenaries, perhaps? Combat or labor." With her sharp, scrutinizing eyes, 'Macy' judged the product of its inherent value, turning her attention to the details the lady keeps giving her, and raising her eyebrows on a particular detail.
There are weird people coming into the city of Orario every day. Some fools may try to hit her up as she stood guard of her boss, others boast of delusional grandeur of slaying powerful monsters inside and outside the Dungeon City. But a child that was born with a falna? That has to be some type of scam and modus operandi.
"Well, let's start with a quarter of the budget." 'Macy' thought to herself as she voiced her offer.
"What do you mean, he's only worth that much?! He's incredibly special! Do you think I would stoop so low as to lying when I say he was born with a falna on his back?! His previous owners already confirmed that to me! You can ask them if you want!" The seller, a self-proclaimed noblewoman from Melen, shrieked at her ears.
"Madam, you do know that a falna can only exist after a god bestows them to a person, right? What you're saying is impossible." It really is impossible. Before the gods descended and granted their blessings, humans, and other mortal races are powerless towards the strong monsters that rose from the dungeon. "Except the elves, those cheating magical bastards."
"And I'm saying it's bullshit! Nothing is impossible! He could sell for at least a couple million valis! I demand a-" the 'noblewoman' was suddenly interrupted from speaking any further by a red-haired woman. Someone who nobody was able to notice as she leaned at the wall of the warehouse, someone who is very famous throughout Orario.
"Wow! Was he really born with a falna on his back?! That would be impressive! Even a woman as pure and perfect as myself could not claim to be born as such!"
She looked at them with smiling eyes that didn't reach her green eyes. The level 4 captain of the Astraea Familia, the familia that acted as the police force of the city. 'Alise Lovell' is a red-haired, green-eyed young woman whose rise of strength captured the attention of the city, reaching level 4 at just 16 years of age.
Readying herself for combat, 'Macy' gritted her teeth underneath her mask as she pulled out a poisoned dagger from her cloak, crouched down, and activated her skill, Expira Vitre Fretem. It would boost her endurance and agility in exchange for needing to cover her entire body, showing no bodily feature to be seen. This makes her the perfect assassin that, to a degree, could even take on those with higher stats than her in a surprise attack.
Dashing towards the red-haired woman, 'Macy' tried her best to stab the redhead in the throat as a faint, then rolling midair in a show of acrobatics to rotate her weapon and gain momentum. She aimed at the side of the head to deliver a killing blow.
However, Alise merely caught her hand without so much as blinking. This action not only broke her hand and dropped her weapon, it also made her blood boil at being overpowered by a teenager whose face showed a smug smirk at her.
"Nice try!" was all she heard before she was punched and her vision went dark, hearing the screams of the fat pig and the guards behind her.
---
"Nice try, kid!" Alise looked at the beaten child, who could nothing more than a 12-year-old. "But next time, leave the fighting to the professional, pure, and perfect lady like me!" She said lightheartedly after she tied up the last of the unconscious criminals. Although her demeanor is quite silly as her familia members say, Alise is far from stupid. The gaze this child gave the criminals she captured was like he was staring at trash. The monsters in the dungeon gets better look than that.
"Thank you for saving me." He said, not any louder than a whisper, as he bandages his arm from a nasty but not fatal wound from a knife-wielding 'noblewoman'. "But I waited a long time to get revenge from this pig."
And a pig she was, Alise could not deny that. After hearing how they talk about a child as if he was an object, but was also subjected to slavery for goodness knows how long, she could not help but see these people undeserving of forgiveness. But justice has been delivered, and the laws of Orario would judge this scum of their punishment.
Before Alise could continue conversing with the kid, the door of the warehouse was suddenly kicked open and tore it off its hinges. By muscle memory, she immediately placed herself between the door and the kid, taking a stance to take on the intruders before they could take action.
This guarded behavior was not needed after, because though Alise was attacked, it was of her familia members, especially her Vice-Captain, shouting at her for her 'carelessly and irresponsibly running off, losing them in the maze-like streets of the city'. Before they could continue at grilling her, she straightened herself and barked out orders to focus on the criminals she caught.
"Lion! Heal this kid of his would and check his health for any more complications." She looked at the green-haired elf with resolution and receiving an immediate nod, not wasting any time and went to heal the boy.
"Kaguya, Neze, help me secure the criminals further and check of details in their person of their operation as well as clues of where they came from."
"Alright" "Sure" was their answer, not without a sigh from the latter and a fierce glare from the former, promising her that their business was not over yet.
"I hope the goddess and Lyra would take it easy on me." Alise thought, fighting tears from bursting out of her eyes. "Sigh, what a long day, and it's only noon."
---
Life for him have always been difficult. Born from an unknown family from the Far East and was immediately sold to a noble family for his highly desired status as a 'special' kind of human. One that was already blessed by an unknown deity before he was even born. The falna on his back may well as be his birthmark.
As he grew up, the misfortunes have just been worsening from the last case to the next. He had lost hope a long time ago at trying to escape the life that he was stuck with, not knowing what to do should he ever gained his freedom. Not even the thought of peace came to him, not knowing what it even is.
"Perhaps, it is the same as this warm and soothing sensation that I am currently feeling." He thought with an imperceptible smile. He looked at the elf in front of him, arms outstretch as she cast her healing magic unto his arms. Then, he noticed that the pain from the nasty wound as well as other complications are now beginning to disappear. "She looks like a fairy."
"There, that's the best I can do. Your arm looks to be good now. Try to move them and tell me if there are any more pain or other problems."
Doing as he was told, he opened and closed his hand, then moved his arm for some stretches before concluding that it was fixed beyond that of the knife wound.
"It's okay now. Thank you." His reply seems to be satisfactory, as his healer nodded to him and went off to help her familia. Sitting at one of the boxes in the dirty warehouse with nothing but his filthy clothes, he began to wonder what his future is going to be.
His 'owner' is now captured, and he has been freed by an amazing adventurer. Perhaps he can become one? Though he's weak from malnourishment and mishandling, his blessing gave him strength higher than that of a normal and a newly blessed person. Looking at his calloused hands, he now gets to decide what he wants to be, not minding and blindly following the whims of other people who cares nothing about him but the extraordinary circumstance of his birth. Besides, if he becomes strong enough as an adventurer, perhaps he could also help other children like him, waiting to be saved just as he was not a moment ago.
His thoughts were interrupted as he noticed his savior approaching him along with a woman with long black hair.
"So, what's your plan now, kid?"
Before he can answer, the lady with dark hair asked him a question.
"What's your name?" She looked at him as if she could gaze directly at his soul, a piercing glare from her purple eyes.
He masked his nervousness with indifference before he calmly answered her query. Another set of purple eyes staring at the other.
"My name is-"