(~823 words — part 3)
By the time the carriage returned to Virelow, the sun had dipped low behind the mountains, painting the sky in ribbons of amber and rose. Nyari sat quietly beside the driver, her striped tail curled around her legs, golden eyes fixed ahead.
Inside the cabin, Karis and Lenna whispered in hushed tones.
"Did you see how she moved?"
"Faster than any soldier I've met."
"And that power… It felt divine."
"We need to report this, don't we?"
Nyari heard none of it. Or rather—she heard it, but chose not to react.
Instead, she focused on the hum in her fingertips—the faint afterglow of the sigils she'd used. They faded fast, like breath on glass. But each time she called them, they responded faster.
Not just instinct. Not just training.
Emotion.
She thought of that bandit. The arrow. The moment when her heart screamed before her voice did.
"I get stronger… the more I care."
🏰 Return to the Guild
As the beasts trotted through Virelow's gates, Nyari's ears picked up the shift in tone.
People were talking.
Not loud. Not excited. But aware.
She caught whispers:
"—That's her. The girl with the tail."
"—Beat six bandits. Alone."
"—No, I saw her vanish. Like wind, I swear."
By the time they reached the guild, the receptionist—Mira—was already waiting.
"Welcome back, Nyari," she said, eyes bright. "Lady Karis already sent word ahead. The guildmaster wants to speak with you."
Nyari blinked.
"…I'm in trouble?"
"No! Gods, no. The opposite." Mira held out a new badge. This one was silver-edged, its leather cord braided with black thread.
"Your rank just advanced. Novice to Ironleaf Tier."
Nyari took the badge and turned it over thoughtfully.
"Already? That fast?"
Mira leaned in, grinning. "Let's just say… when a noble personally vouches for you and sends a signed scroll from a shrine guardian, it gets attention."
🏛️ The Guildmaster
Upstairs, the guildmaster's office was lined with books, maps, and battle trophies. A large halberd rested against the back wall, and a mounted wyvern fang hung from the ceiling like a grim chandelier.
The guildmaster herself stood by the window—tall, muscled, with deep bronze skin and streaks of gray in her braided hair.
She didn't speak when Nyari entered.
She just studied her.
"…You're quieter than I expected," she finally said.
Nyari tilted her head. "Should I be louder?"
The guildmaster chuckled. "Most young adventurers shout their stories by the time they reach my desk. You're already a rumor."
Nyari shifted. "I didn't do it for attention."
"I know. That's what makes it matter."
The woman turned fully, her eyes sharp.
"I'm Guildmaster Daska. I run this hall. You're strong, Nyari. Stronger than you let on. But this world doesn't care about strength—it cares about purpose."
She stepped forward.
"So tell me—why do you fight?"
Nyari hesitated.
Then softly:
"Because I was given a second chance.
I don't want to waste it.
I want to protect people.
And… find where I belong."
Daska studied her a moment longer.
Then she nodded.
"Good answer. We'll keep your name quiet. For now. But understand—others are watching. If you keep making waves, you'll catch bigger eyes."
📰 Elsewhere…
Far beyond Virelow, in a palace of carved crystal and velvet, a scroll was delivered to a set of pale, delicate hands.
A young woman in royal robes opened it—reading the sealed message from the Virell family.
As her eyes scanned the contents, her smile deepened.
"A tiger-marked girl with divine speed…"
"How very interesting."
She folded the scroll.
"Send a rider to Virelow," she said. "No banners. No guards. I want to know everything about this Nyari before sunset tomorrow."
The attendant bowed low.
"Yes, Princess Seralyth."
🏘️ A Quiet Moment
Back in Virelow, Nyari wandered the quieter streets. Her pay sat in her pouch. Her rank had risen. But she still felt strangely… untouched.
She didn't want fame. She didn't crave approval.
But deep down, a warmth flickered in her chest.
"Someone believed in me. Trusted me.
That means more than they know."
She sat on the edge of a stone fountain, watching the stars rise one by one above the rooftops.
A child passed by and waved at her.
Nyari blinked—then smiled.
"…Hi."
The kid giggled and ran off.
Her tail flicked. For the first time in this world, she laughed.
🧭 Setting the Stage
That night, as she lay beneath the stars on the roof of the guild's east wing, Nyari felt the wind shift.
Not cold.
Just… changing.
Like a storm preparing to speak.
The Princess was coming.
But Nyari didn't know that yet.
All she knew was this:
Tomorrow, she'd take on a new mission.
Meet new faces.
And maybe—just maybe—start to understand why fate had chosen her.
To be continued in Chapter Five: "The Royal Invitation"
(Princess Seralyth sends a disguised envoy to test Nyari's strength and character firsthand. But not everything about this "test" is what it seems…)