"I ain't paying for that," I blurted out, gesturing to the remnants of the mirror.
The captain looked down at the crystals, light from above shining over her head, creating a halo effect that was both angelic and slightly ridiculous. "Damn," she muttered, her voice barely audible.
She then turned to look at me, her golden eyes piercing. "Don't worry, the taxpayers will pay for it," she said, her tone dry. "Now, onto the questions."
I sat down again on my seat, spear still in my lap like a security blanket. Faster than I could blink, the captain had already taken her seat across from me. I had to admire her speed – I couldn't wait for when I would become a Monstrum.
"First question," she began, leaning forward slightly. "Why don't you smell human?"
I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant despite the weight of her gaze. "Beats me. I did a full consumption, maybe that's why?"
The captain's eyes narrowed. "No, even full consumption Devourers don't smell completely like a beast."
"Then your guess is as good as mine," I replied, spreading my hands in a 'what can you do' gesture.
She nodded, seemingly filing that information away for later. "Okay, we'll move on from that. You said before that the truckers attacked you first, right?"
"Yup," I confirmed, popping the 'p' for emphasis.
"Aside from the fact you defeated two Beastwalkers, which is impressive for a Neophyte," she added, a hint of respect in her voice, "why didn't you kill them? Or at least leave them out in the mountain range?"
My eyes widened at that, shock and a little bit of horror coursing through me. "Woah, lady," I said, holding up a hand. "I ain't killing humans. Maybe pummeling them to the ground, but I won't kill them. Grandpa said human life is sacred."
The captain's expression didn't change, but something in her eyes hardened. "And just because of that, you didn't kill them?"
I rested my chin on my open palm and leaned forward, meeting her gaze head-on. "And just because of that, you would?"
"Yes," she replied without hesitation.
I leaned back, a chill running down my spine despite the room's warmth. "Then we have different opinions, don't we?"
"I guess we do," she agreed, her tone neutral.
We sat in silence for a moment, the weight of our differing philosophies hanging between us. I wondered what kind of world this was, where sparing lives was considered strange. Then again, I'd grown up isolated with Grandfather. Maybe this was normal for Devourers in the outside world.
The captain broke the silence, her voice cutting through my thoughts. "Where is the Spear Ruler, Geralt Ronin?"
I shrugged again, trying to ignore the pang of homesickness her question triggered. "Grandpa? Don't know. He probably left our training grounds once I left, so again, your guess is as good as mine."
She started grumbling under her breath, words too low for even my enhanced hearing to catch. I decided to press my luck.
"Can I ask why you seem so interested in my grandpa?"
The captain hesitated for a moment before answering. "It's nothing much, just that having another Primordial Devourer in the city would be helpful for the days to come."
My jaw dropped. "Wait, another! You mean to say that there is a Primordial in this place?"
She nodded, a hint of pride in her voice. "Yeah, the Primordial of Acheron. All of the five large cities have a Primordial. Your grandpa is one of the few wandering ones that we know of."
I sat back, stunned. There were at least five other people as strong as Gramps, people who had reached the pinnacle of what a Devourer could do. The thought was both exciting and terrifying.
"Can I meet him?" I asked, unable to keep the excitement out of my voice. Maybe I could see how Grandpa compared to this guy.
A small smile tugged at the captain's lips. "Maybe. He spends his time roaming the streets of Acheron. I've seen him a few times before." Her expression turned serious again. "Still, we're getting sidetracked. Ronin, why did you come to Acheron specifically?"
"Grandpa said this was one of the few good remaining cities," I answered honestly.
She nodded, seeming satisfied with my response. "Okay, that sounds plausible. I've got most of my questions out of the way. Just one last thing: do you want to join Acheron's military?"
The question caught me off guard. "Do I have to kill humans?"
"Most likely not," she replied, her tone careful.
I considered it for a moment. Joining the military hadn't been part of my plan, but then again, I didn't really have a plan beyond 'get to Acheron'. Plus, it might be a good way to learn more about this place.
"Then sure, why not," I said finally. "Though can I say something more? What were those blue flowers for? Moonlace, you called them."
The captain's expression closed off immediately. "That's confidential," she said, her tone brooking no argument. Then, a hint of challenge entered her voice. "I guess you'll have to climb the ranks to learn that, won't you?"
I grinned, never one to back down from a challenge. "Guess I will."
The captain stood, signaling the end of our conversation. "Very well, Felice Ronin. Welcome to Acheron's military. Report to the training grounds at 0600 tomorrow. Someone will be there to guide you through the initiation process."
As she turned to leave, a thought struck me. "Wait!" I called out. "I never got your name."
She paused at the door, glancing back over her shoulder. "Captain Alessandra," she said. "But you'll call me Ma'am or Captain. Understood?"
I nodded, giving her a mock salute. "Crystal clear, Ma'am."
With that, she left, the door closing behind her with a soft click. I was alone again, but this time, the room felt different. Less like a prison, more like... a beginning.
I looked down at my spear, running my fingers along its familiar contours. "Well, my sweet," I murmured, "looks like we're in for quite the adventure."
As I sat there, waiting for whatever came next, I couldn't help but think about everything that had happened. In the span of a few days, I'd left the only home I'd ever known, fought for my life against both beasts and Devourers, and now I was joining a city's military. I guess my story would end up sounding pretty cool once I finished it.
I thought about the Primordial of Acheron, wondering what they were like. Were they as strong as Grandfather? Stronger? The thought sent a thrill through me. I'd grown up thinking Grandfather was the pinnacle of what a Devourer could be, but now... now I was realizing just how big the world really was.
And then there was the mystery of the moonlace. What was so special about those blue flowers? Why were they confidential? The scientist in me, the part that Grandfather had nurtured with endless questions and experiments, was itching to find out.
As for Captain Alessandra, well, she was an enigma. Tough, no-nonsense, with a moral code that seemed at odds with what Grandfather had taught me. But there was something about her that commanded respect. I had a feeling I'd be learning a lot from her, whether I wanted to or not.
I stood up, stretching my wings. They unfurled behind me, I had grown used to have them out, just like my spear without them I felt naked. Still there was no need to draw more attention to myself than necessary.
As I retracted my wings, my stomach let out a loud growl, reminding me that I hadn't eaten in... well, I wasn't sure how long. My hunger was rising, so had to quell it quickly.
"Right," I muttered to myself. "First order of business: food. Then sleep. Then... military initiation, I guess?"
It wasn't exactly how I'd imagined my first day in Acheron going, but then again, nothing about this journey had been predictable so far. Why start now?
With a final glance around the room, I headed for the door. As I reached for the handle, I paused, looking back at the shattered remains of the mirror. A grin spread across my face as I remembered the captain's dramatic entrance.
"Taxpayers," I chuckled, shaking my head. "Sorry about that, folks."
And with that, I stepped out into the hallway.