Honestly, this street seems to be part of the 'wealthier' part of the poor parts of Aurum Academy city. The streets are only somewhat dirty, and the establishments here seem at least a bit legal.
"This street sure is long..." Fran complained as we kept walking down the street the old man told us to look for "A cat girl logo... I can't believe the things I do..."
"I'm sure we'll find it in no time" at least no one's approached us, making this walk rather relaxing.
"Hmm...?" Fran stopped walking and looked to he sides and pointed at a house "Alen... doesn't that sign look like the one we're looking for?"
It seemed like a normal house that was remodeled to be used as a workplace. There's a big and explicit drawing of a cat girl with a skimpy outfit doing a pose with her hand and a big text next to her.
"[Cat Scratches] that's our place"
We both got to the front door and we knocked.
...
No response.
I knock again.
...
"It doesn't matter if it's daytime! There should still be people here!" Fran puffed her cheeks and turned around, blushing at the obvious looks people are giving us "What a poor work ethic..." she gave a cold stare at everyone that walked by us, daring them to make fun of her.
"The way that old man talked about this place, tere should be someone here" I knocked again.
I put my ear next to te door "Fran!" That sound... there's someone inside.
I try knocking again.
And finally, the door opens. A... woman? She looks our age. She's definetely really short, shorter than me and Fran. She has tiny horns and a ring on her animal ear, I can see a tail swaying behind her.
A cow demi-human.
"And what the hell do you two want? We don't give rooms to underage people!"
Her raspy voice doesn't match her appearance!
Fran jumped between that cow demi-human and me "We don't want that!" She clearly was flustered and red.
"As if I'd believe that two hormonal teenagers came here, to this specific place, without wanting to-"
"Miss... we are actually searching for a woman that works here..." I had to intervene before she or Fran said or did something that would worsen this interaction "We've been told that we'd find it here"
This cow girl's eyes widened and her demeanor became more hostile "And who could you two be searching for?"
"I didn't get to catch a lot of features, but she's a bunny demi-human. I think she had brown or black hair..."
"This establishment doesn't work with someone of your description" she became really defensive, to the point that I could see her lips pursing and do some hand signals behind her "You'll have to search somewhere else"
"Then can you help us? This girl got her money robbed last night by the [Crossed]" I show her a small pouch and jingles it to show that it had money "Since the group was defeated, we wanted to return what was stolen"
The moment I said something about returning money, her whole attitude changed.
"Oh, you should've started by saying that" she was now smirking and had her eyes closed as she started rubbing her own hands together "Now that I remember, I think we do have someone that fits the description of the one you're looking for"
I could hear Fran clicking her tongue and closed her arms.
"Why don't you two wait me for a second?" She quickly slammed the door and we could hear her running inside this house.
"These kinds of owners are the worst..."
"It could've been worse"
"She called us hormonal teenagers! I swear that I won't come here again"
"You were planning on coming back?"
Just a second after I asked that, Fran blushed and became flustered.
"N-no, I-I wasn't!" She began glancing to the sides, embarrassed about the people that walked by.
I laughed a bit at the sight of her becoming like this "Sorry... I didn't mean that..."
"Y-youu!" She started poking my chest and began pouting.
"You two lovebirds! Here is the woman you're looking for!"
At her comment we both became red and looked at her "W-we're not-" she interrupted us by holding g out her hand.
"To tell you the truth, I don't care" she said In a brash tone "I only care about the money she needs to get back" she pointed at the woman she brought with her.
The woman does have bunny ears, and she does look like the one I saw last night.
"Last night, [Crossed] where stopped. And this is what we managed to get back from them" I hand that bunny woman the pouch.
"Oh my gosh! Thank you" she hugged me tight, and I could smell the scent of her perfume "I really needed the coins to pay for my rent... you saved me from overwork" she began nuzzling her cheeks on mine.
"N-no need to thank me..." I could feel my face get red with embarrassment.
"I wasn't going to overwork you!" The cow demi-human yanked her out of me "I swear, you could be with a boss worse than me"
"How can I repay you both?" The bunny girl, as innocent as someone with this kind of job can be, is currently oblivious to Fran's death-stare.
"By leaving us alone..." It was clear to the cow girl and me that she was trying to contain her rage "And staying as far away as you can"
"Aye, aye, cap'n"
I don't know if she doesn't notice, or doesn't care about Fran's killing intent.
"Heh... as an apology for what my employee here has done... take this" she gave me a ticket "It'll give you two a nice room to spend the night"
"I-I..." Fran's attitude changed from the cold one to the flustered one and she became as speechless as I am right now.
"Bye" te bunny girl waved at us before the cow girl owner slammed the door on us with an evil grin on her face.
...
...
"L-let's just go..."
"Hum! This is why I hate peasants like them"
Fran crossed her arms and began walking back to the academy, I had to follow behind her for a long second, as she sped up whenever I got too close to her.
"Is there anyone else you need to visit!?"
She's angry.
"Yeah... kinda. But they're at Aurum Academy"
"Finally! A place with decent people"
...
...
"No"
Helen Goldenlaw, the genius and magical prodigy, just rejected my petition to go and explore dungeons.
"Please!"
"No"
"Please!"
"..."
"..."
"If teacher Enyoll approves it, then you two can go" she finally gave up.
"Thank you a lot miss director!"
"Student Alen, student Franchesca Von Themys, I'm hoping that you two understand that exploring dungeons isn't an easy task"
"I've already cleared lots of go-"
"Unlike you, student Alen, student Franchesca Von Themys has never been to a real dungeon. Not only that, but it's the second week of classes, even the best students of previous years had to wait at least three months" she warned us with her usual only-one-eye-closed look, resting her face on the back of her left hand.
"Given what we went through last night, I think we both can deal with beginner dungeons"
"I trust Alen's guidance when we start exploring" Fran added while looking at Hellen with a determined look on her face.
The director just let out a long sigh and looked at us, inspecting and assessing if she's making the right choice.
"Speaking of last night. Student Alen, the report handed to me by the leader of the [Golden Troupe] said that you were the one that contributed the most on last night's little mission your group did" she held out a stack of papers signed by the leader of that troupe "Given your track record, I'm willing to give you a dungeon exploring pass, but she'll have to earn it"
"I'll obtain the pass like any other student. But please, give Alen the pass" Fran intervened, her voice, while still as cold, had a respectful tone on it.
"I'll make it so that teacher Enyoll prepares a test for you. Be ready for it student Franchesca Von Themys" without even looking at us, the director dismissed Fran with a hand gesture "Student Alen, I'd like to discuss something important with you"
Fran looked somewhat hurt that the director treated her as if she were nothing. With trembling lips that wanted to say something, she just turned around and began walking out "I'll wait you outside..."
"Go back to your dorm, this talk will take a long time" Hellen ordered her as she lifted her face from the back of her hand.
"I'll wai-"
"Disobeying the director has direct consequences student Franchesca Von Themys" Goldenlaw threatened the princess with a calm but eerie smile.
"... bye Alen"
"See you tomorrow Fran"
Fran did exactly as she was told to do and left, closing the door and leaving me alone with Hellen Goldenlaw.
"What's the important thing you need to tell me?" Seeing Fran get treated like that made me upset, but I don't understood why.
"It's about your special class with teacher Kafka. I'll oversea your next lesson"
"But my next close-combat applied magic class is in like... two days. You could've told me then"
"Your class will start right now"
"B-but... didn't I have a free day today?"
"I changed plans"
"Oh..."
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