Chapter Twelve

Maple spins around, her short black hair bouncing with each spin. She giggles, her bright obsidian eyes shining with excitement, as she takes in the wonders of the city of magic. Towering buildings and grand architecture surrounds her, but she barely notices, too caught up in the thrill of exploration.

She wanders through the bustling streets of the Vyer district, her feet leading her to a quaint little bakery. The aroma of freshly baked bread and pastries wafts out, making her stomach growl with hunger. Maple pushes open the door, and a bell above it rings out, announcing her entrance.

Inside, she samples a few treats, her eyes widening at the usual burst of flavors on her tongue. The baker, a kind old man with a bushy white beard, chuckles at her enthusiasm having found the little armored girl's presence enjoyable the past few days. "You enjoyed that, did you? Try this, I made it specially for my daughter. Have some." He handed her a warm cookie, and Maple beamed, her smile lighting up the shop.

Next, she stumbles upon a small park, where she watches a group of performers juggle fire and spin tales of magic. Maple claps along, her laughter infectious, drawing the attention of the performers. One of them, a young woman with a mischievous grin, pulls her into the act, and together they dance with ribbons and hoops, creating a whirlwind of color and joy. She ends up dropping some silver coins at the end of the show.

As the sun begins to set, casting a warm orange glow over the city, Maple continues her adventure.

Just as she is admiring a particularly stunning dress in a show glass, a small, dirty figure darts out from the shadows. The little girl, no older than ten, had a mop of messy brown hair and a look of determination in her eyes. She snatches a nearby apple from a vendor's cart and takes off running, weaving through the crowd with a clumsy pace due to her young age.

Maple's eyes follows the girl, filled with curiosity and concern. She quickly notices that no one is chasing after the young thief, looking around she can see people having a face of pity. The owner of the vendor whose apple was stolen simply looks towards where the girl had run, shakes her head and walks back inside. Confused, Maple takes off after her, her short legs carrying her quickly through the winding streets. The chase leads her deeper into the city, the buildings growing shabbier and the streets narrower.

As the sun dips below the horizon, casting the city in a warm, golden light, Maple finally catches up to the little girl. She finds herself in a cramped, dimly lit alleyway, the air thick with the smell of trash and decay. The little girl stands before her, squeezing the green apple tightly in her small fist, her eyes flashing with a mix of fear and defiance.

Maple's smile falters for a moment, but her natural kindness and empathy soon take over. She kneels down, her eyes meeting the little girl's, and says, "Hey there, are you okay?"

The little girl's gaze flicks up to Maple's face, her eyes narrowing slightly as she takes in the armored girl's concerned expression. For a moment, she says nothing, her chest heaving. Then, in a voice that's barely above a whisper, she says, "I'm fine."

Maple's eyes soften, and she reaches out a hand, palm up. "Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. What's your name?"

The little girl's grip on the apple tightens, but she doesn't back away. "R-Rosa," she stammers.

Maple's smile returns, warm and gentle. "I'm Maple. Nice to meet you, Rosa. Why were you taking that apple? Are you hungry?"

Rosa's eyes drop, her gaze fixed on the ground. "I was just... really hungry, okay? I didn't mean to steal."

Maple's expression turns thoughtful. "I know what it's like to be hungry. But it's not okay to take things without asking. Maybe I can help you find some food instead?"

Rosa's eyes flick up, a glimmer of hope flashing within them. "Really?"

Maple nods, her smile growing wider. "Really. But first, let's get out of this alleyway. It doesn't feel very safe here."

Rosa nods, her small body relaxing slightly as Maple offers her a hand up. Together, they move around the different streets, Maple leading the way to a nearby soup kitchen she had noticed earlier. As they walk, Maple asks Rosa questions about herself, listening intently to the little girl.

At the soup kitchen, Maple uses her own money to buy Rosa a hot meal, and they sit down together to eat. Rosa's eyes light up at the taste of the food, and Maple laughs, happy to see the little girl's face brighten.

As they finish their meal, Maple looks at Rosa with a serious expression. "Hey, Rosa? Can I ask you something?"

Rosa looks up, her eyes curious. "What is it?"

Maple's voice is gentle. "Do you have a family? A place to go home to?"

Rosa's gaze drops, her eyes welling up with tears. "I... I only have my sister. We live on the streets."

Maple's heart goes out to Rosa, and she reaches out to hug her tightly. "Oh, Rosa. I'm so sorry. But you're not alone now, okay? I'll help you find a safe place to stay."

As they finish their meal, Maple asks Rosa about her sister. "What's your sister's name? Is she around here somewhere?"

Rosa sniffs, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "Her name is Leone. She's... she's really smart. She takes care of me." She leads Maple towards a fairly large building. "Sometimes she comes here, I don't know what she does though. The men at the door won't let me in, they're scary."

"Okay then, wait here while I go check inside." Maple declares, a reassuring smile on her face.

"Hn." Rosa simply nods, but her brown eyes couldn't shine any brighter as she watched Maple walk towards the building.

Maple walks into the building, her armor gleaming in the dim light. She approaches the men at the door, who eye her warily. "Can I help you, little girl?" one of them growls.

Maple stands tall, her voice clear. "I'm looking for Leone. She's Rosa's sister. I need to speak with her."

The men exchange a skeptical look, then one of them asks. "Who the hell is Rosa? Is she a student at the institute." The other turns. "I don't think so? I think she's talking about the brown haired girl that shows up every morning."

Maple's eyes brighten at the familiar description. "Yes, brown hair just like Rosa's."

"Hmm, she's in there... but, who're you? You're not a student of the institute." One of the men fire at her.

"Well no but -." Maple laughs nervously.

"Then you can't get in." Both men declare immediately hitting the butt of their spears with a thud.

"Wha... but I'm an adventurer." Maple is shocked by the abrupt refusal.

"That's doesn't mean anything. This is the female dormitory for students of the magic institute, of which you're not a member. Scram!!" The men refuse to budge an inch.

"Wha?" Now fidgeting, Maple is slumped on what to do. 'And I was so confident in front of Rosa.'

"Oh? And what's going on here?" A smooth Velvety voice inquires from behind Maple.

The men standing guard at the entrance of the dormitory suddenly straighten their posture in panic. "Good evening, Magistrix... miss." One of them greets.

Turning around, Maple finds a tall lady behind her, her figure clad in a fitted green robe with intricate silver embroidery, a golden sash cinched at her waist. A delicate golden circlet adorns her brow, and her fingers are long and graceful.

"And who might you be?" The mysterious lady addresses Maple, ignoring the greetings of the men standing guard.

"I'm Maple, who're you?" Maple asks with a pout, envious that the men standing guard who refused her entry were now shaking like leaves in the wind.

"Wha - show respect, you low -" one of guard immediately snaps at Maple.

"That'll be all." With a single wave of her finger, the guard found himself unable to speak. The second guard immediately swallows his words before they could be voiced.

The mysterious lady turns to Maple. "I am the Magistrix of the magic institute within the city." She introduces herself with an elegance unmatched by most nobles.

Unfortunately, she was introducing her self to a certain someone. "A Magi-wha? Is that... important? Uhm... your majesty?" Maple's eyes dart every which way, trying to find a route out of the conversation, something the mysterious lady catches on.

The lady simply chuckles at Maple's antics. "Magistrix. It means I'm the current head of the Furan magic institute. You however, can call me Namarie."