1st Dawn - A New Girl in Town

"Woah...! I can't believe it. I really am here..."

At last, after enduring a month worth of travel, I, Lillian Daffodil, have safely arrived at the land of honey and milk – in modern wording, the center of trade and boundless reserves. That is, the thriving capital of the country, Ellicht.

It's a city surrounded by gargantuan walls that separate it from a vast greenery and a kingdom of ocean, which makes it look like a treasure island of some sorts. Despite how secluded this place is, it's known for its cultivated culture, advanced technology and myriad of resources.

What's more, Ellicht is mostly inhabited by the working class, which means that almost everybody here is well-endowed. Frequented by wealthy personalities and significant figures alike, this place is indisputably a prominent site.

"Geez… Just thinking about it already makes me feel nervous…"

It's natural to feel so, I think. After all, I'm not here as a tourist. I came here with a goal in mind.

"For now, though, I should look around and search for a lodging house while I'm at it," I mused out loud before striding through the bustling street, a baggage full of personal belongings in hand.

I really look like a country girl right now, which is probably why some people are looking my way. Despite the impression that I'm perhaps being judged at this very moment, I just continue walking and pay them no mind.

Ellicht is indeed stupendous, though.

Grandiose wall exteriors similar to that of the Reinassance period, ancient and exquisite ornamentation, a sophisticated and elegant ambience overall – the city does live up to its name with how sumptuous everything around here is.

Almost every edifice is composed of the same layout - a hexagonal tower structure in its center which is used as the base for the ventilating roof-dome of the whole building. The patterns used in the architecture are mostly geometrical as well.

"How luxurious... Now that I think about, there's a reason why Ellicht is a hundred times ahead from the rest of the country."

Ellicht is an amalgamation of the names of the empire's patroness of change, Ellen, and the god of light, Licht. Not only are the barricading walls painted in white, but every building here is of the same colour, which is the closest thing to light.

On the other hand, the fact that this is the centre of innovations and home of trailblazers are in accordance to the concept of change. Therefore, befitting its name, this place has been blessed with much opulence when it comes to almost every aspect of life.

"Thanks to Mother's yapping, my fear of being unknowledgeable at a foreign territory somewhat lessened…"

Mother had bombarded me with an unhealthy amount of essential deet about Ellicht's noble origin and background. It was also her who pushed me to take an apprenticeship here before my coming-of-age.

Apparently, every citizen of this empire, whose debut in society will take place two years from now, is obliged to train under a specialist of their chosen field of work. Once they reach legal age, they'll be allowed to live separately and fend for their own needs.

"I just wanted to work in my hometown, though. Why must Mother shoo me away like this?"

After hours of going around, I have finally found an inn that I could afford to spend a few days in. It appeared to be comfortable enough and convenient for a newcomer like me who's currently low in money.

Cheap rooms and meals are all I can manage to pay for at this point, which is why I must find a workshop as soon as possible.

"Miss, may I ask you something?" the inn's receptionist lady suddenly asked, much to my surprise.

She appears to be a woman in her twenties. Her physique is quite youthful-looking, though. She also has a slightly tanned, slim figure and an ordinary apparel.

"Yes?" I replied with a quizzical expression.

"Why are you wearing rubber shoes in a skirt?"

I then blink at that in confusion. Though what she said is true, I can't find any issue with that.

"Oh, right, you're still new here. It's just a puzzling way of dressing yourself. Ladies here don't usually wear rubber shoes, especially in a skirt…"

It doesn't seem like she's mocking me when she said that since she looked more baffled than disdainful.

This is probably about the stereotypical dress code for men and women in Ellicht. Heels for girls and flat shoes for boys. Not only is the footwear, though.

The roles of men and women here are more defined than those from the countryside. That's why their clothes are intentionally customized in certain ways so as to reflect their places in society and emphasize their social classes.

Mother did tell me how people here are strict at almost everything, may it be with the way they eat or the way they walk. I scoffed that they might as well include the way they breathe. Then again, it's because almost half of the populace in Ellicht is composed of nobles.

"You looked like you somehow figured that out. I just thought I should tell you since you're gathering quite an audience, though it can just also be how you look," she continued before nudging her head behind me.

True enough, several pairs of eyes are on me.

That's when I realized that those disturbing gazes from before are probably because of this as well. Though I know that the normal reaction for this is to be embarrassed or flustered at the very least, all this unwanted attention do is annoy me a little.

I may have stood out in one way or another, but if this dress code is indeed the real deal around here, I already have a good hunch of how my life here is going to turn out.

The thing is, I'm fond of wearing flats no matter where I go.

This hobby of mine is known to make quite a good pair with my 'unique' orientation. Aside from the fact that I'm used to it, flat shoes always make me feel like I can go anywhere I desire in any way I want to.

May it be when I'm climbing trees or running around a meadow, they give me the strength to do certain things, unlike when I'm wearing heels. The extra inches make me feel stiff and chained by the world's enduring point of view on how women should move and act.

But because I use these as excuses to behave boisterously, Mother would often scold me. She's not really against me wearing flats, but what she couldn't bear was the hoydenish personality that comes with it.

"And just when I thought I'm finally free of Mother's yapping..."