Even more meetings! Part 1

Senshinzako

As the title above might suggest, I am Senshinzako Renkyushin, and similarly to Fasnilthar I will be narrating parts of the events I had lived through on our first day together. It was still early in the morning, and the inside of the headquarters was quiet at the time. The office's doors hadn't been opened for long in the day, hence civilian traffic hadn't started yet. The workers were already there, and including some of them, most of the building's inhabitants were people who slept in its facilities. At that point in time, I had been doing that as well. I had arrived in Rasdwinvhyr a little less than a week from then, and had come from the eastern human region Gujimatsuki, and the nation of Shiinsaki Nohin. I didn't get it well at the time, but my masters insisted I wasn't ready to fulfill my goals, nor were they fully acknowledging me as an apprentice by that point. I had asked for any sort of hint that could lead me to comprehending my failures, and to accomplish so, they suggested I spend some years training apart from them. As the Galecirnan languages had been among the few other human ones I had fluency with, it was decided I would be sent there. They simply explained that time away from home might have made it easier for me to reach my conclusions about the mission I sought. 

And as my rejection as of then didn't come merely from my teachers but from the order I sought to serve as a whole, despite not necessarily wishing so, I had agreed to work alongside the mages association until I could discover the nature of my answers. It was an upsetting reality, even if one made less painful by the fact the Sisterhood I aspired to reach had the habit of allying itself to this group, which in itself had been shaped through the guidance of the Greater Ones. All that remained as proof of my training under the temples as of then were my memories, my respect and devotion to this cause as I understood it, my sincere will to rectify my missteps and the blade and other weapons gifted to me at the start of this journey. 

They had yet to see battle in its truest form, however both the bow and sword I had been offered far exceeded my expectations when tested, if compared to normal weaponry. I doubted a blade that well enchanted would waver in the face of common opponents, and though the shame of failure still haunted me to an extent since I wasn't allowed to wear the mantle and armor of our order alongside it, this still felt like a positive reminder to an extent. 

"Perhaps this is to serve as a reminder that my will should remain focused, and just as unflinching. Or that maybe despite my mistakes I have yet to step outside of the guiding light of our sage Dreaming Star. That my dreams can still lead me to the path defended by my many predecessors, in hopes of being worthy of striding alongside the Greater Aspects of our world. For that, I may only hope." At times, when I looked at that blade, this same conclusion and wish would return to my mind, however many times I might have thought of something akin to it. Then, sitting within the halls of that building, I would occasionally glance at it as it stood sheathed beside my hips, to recall this vow as I proceeded with the first challenge I had found in this long journey. 

As if to ignite my frustrations further though, it seemed I had found that challenge barely before I could start walking. That trouble was the very process of finding coworkers, so it seemed to me, something that I never thought would have been hard until I tried it, realizing in the process how woefully unprepared for this process I was. As of then, the process had lasted six days, seeing as I had arrived in that region as of the last day of the first month of that year. The guild asked me to partake in an introduction to the job, and offered to have someone show me around the region. For the first requirement, it turned out I didn't need to prove a whole lot, as passing their basic examination appeared to have been rather easy. Likely due to the difference in training method between the Sisterhood and civilian magical learning facilities. Hardly a surprising outcome either, as combat preparations are something potential Path Tracers are constantly going through, and in a far more demanding environment than most other training structures. I may have been a failure as an apprentice, though not for lack of fighting skill. 

I denied the introduction to the region through a tour, however. The only things I would need to know were the locations of the temples, as well as the layout of the city lines, seeing as my equipment still would have been handled within the temples. For everything else, work would mostly be bringing me out of the city, so I doubted an in depth introduction to it would have been that productive. Since then I had been placed in the unit searching process. In those six days, I had met a total of 9 different units, from which only one I had met more than once. All of these meetings would follow a similar pattern. We would first introduce ourselves. Most of the mages I met this way had been around my age, with at most 3 or 4 years apart. From then, they would start asking questions. 

Strangely, not one had asked anything about my field of practice, preferred style of fighting or training concerning exploration or scouting. Instead, they would ask questions that appeared to be completely random. About my place of origin, what I thought about this city, the climate, hobbies, if I drank, if I enjoyed any particular genre of literature, visual arts or even music, and a question as ambiguous even as how is life. Or if there was any sport that I enjoyed, or maybe even what kinds of fields I had studied during school years. A few also asked about food, but once I tried describing my diet to them they for some reason denied the need for it. Some mentioned the fact the sword I carried with me appeared to be special, yet nothing else that related to our office. 

I also couldn't identify a pattern behind the questions, either. Or rather, there had been some similarities, and topics that had appeared more than one time, though as of then, I was still struggling to figure out the exact goal behind them. A test of some kind? Or perhaps some kind of code used in the mages association of this region, I wondered. Still, I did use my time alone to consider those questions, for when they next came to use. "If sports are brought up again, I can mention running and climbing. Be it in stone, forest or city, I am quite confident in my skill for both categories, even if not to the level of a Wind Stride practitioner. As for the questions regarding music, next time I should bring up listening to it during meditation. Though I never really thought to ask anyone in the temple what genres typically were being played, have I?" 

Still, what else could I do if not consider the next steps and attempts? Trailing through the Wild World on your own would be difficult for most spellweavers, especially so those at the early levels. This process likely couldn't be avoided either, so all that was left for me to do was continue to try to understand its rules and get better at it. Only six days had passed, and if that was enough to want to give up, this journey likely wouldn't have lasted regardless. It was frustrating to face difficulties with what sounded like a simple task of course, but that others found this simple suggested there had been things to learn about it still. I would have preferred it if the rules had been explained clearly, though still, if knowing them was a prerequisite then that still could be considered my fault, for not researching this process in its entirety. 

While waiting for potential meetings, I would sit by one of the tables nearest to the building's windows. From that spot, I could easily observe the movement in almost the entirety of the place, so it made it easier to notice potential coworkers, both those heading into the building still and moving within it. I also enjoyed viewing the exterior from the colored glass stains. Since I had been using the dormitories in that headquarters, I had been spending most of my days either sitting there or training, in some of the facilities that could be used for that within that area. Some of the clerks and other workers there would check up on me occasionally, which had proven somewhat useful. As they would direct similar questions to me than the mages I would have meetings with, I considered those meetings a form of practice. They even provided me with some books while I waited, which made the process a bit less tedious. Having things to read might provide answers to some future questions as well, thus it granted me another manner to prepare. 

That day, my morning hadn't started too long from then. Perhaps some fifty minutes from that point, during which I had a small work out and passed by a shower. Ideally, I would have done more around that point, yet seeing as I was warned to occasionally expect potential meetings during the morning, that limited the periods in which I could train. Especially since a bath after the initial set wasn't a deniable option in this situation, a fact that had caused me to bathe multiple times through some of those days. The hall's movements happened at their usual pattern by that point, and at some point I recognized within it a pair I had seen around this structure at two previous points, both of which were women. 

I had no clue what they were doing there exactly, though it was clear they were colleagues of mine, not civilians. Most likely, they had been picked by their unit to deliver a report for a job or accept a new one, I imagined, even if the dates of their appearances didn't match up exactly well with that supposition. Both seemed around my age, and seeing as it still took a while for aging to start slowing down among human mages, I imagined that guess at least would have been somewhat accurate. Their conversation with the receptionist lasted somewhat longer than the normal for this kind of discussion from what I gathered, but I wasn't particularly focused on it, until I saw one of them had glanced in my direction. After seemingly confirming something with the clerk once more, that pair started heading towards my position. 

"Another try then." Having noticed there was no one else they could be headed towards, I focused on trying to spot as much information as I could about each while they walked in my direction, while activating my cognitive enhancements alongside a form of spell casting that helped with their potency. Not in the same way a Clarity Infusion would, as Iscathnerin is incapable of infusing a living being directly at early levels, but instead through a technique that resembled the recovery forms of my area. Instead of accelerating my mind further, it acted as a means of halting the side effects of this form, as well as a means of managing how the effects of my cognition improvements were concentrated and distributed*. This form had been named spiritual focus, as a result. 

(*As an example of what that means, usually the power of cognitive enhancements is evenly divided between all areas the spirit core of the mage considers valuable during emergencies. Be it: the thought acceleration that happens as a result of the improvement to our processing capacity; the concentration boost we experience; the heightened reflexes and reaction speed that our real bodies and essential one experience; or the intensification of some of our physical senses, like hearing, as well as the enhancement of our Higher Senses, whichever our practices enable the growth off. As an exemple, a wind caster like Chiaisei is far more sensitive to the behavior of wind and sounds than a normal person, since her essential self naturally keeps track of phenomena that could be used in her usage of magic. Spiritual Focus allows the mage to push one of these three categories harder than the others when they activate their natural cognitive enhancements, and it works with clarity infusions as well, though unlike these spiritual focus does require some concentration usage.) 

"First, blue hair. She has multiple throwing knives on her, a bag filled with throwing spheres, a staff that likely is meant to assist in conjuring some form of energy, and a conduit in one of her wrists, which appears to be used in some kind of manipulation form, based on its structure. 10 knives in total, 6 of which are hidden, and the bag likely could carry 8 to 15 shots, depending on the size of which. The normal bag with her could contain similar ammunition deposits. And with no signs of a tool to use to launch them, that either suggests she is a infuser specialized on weapon throwing, who can also likely conjure items that help with this, or that she uses either form of reflection or a method of manipulation as her means of launching them. Her arms and shoulders aren't very fit, though, so the likelihood of her being a mage focused on Might Infusing should be lower. And based on the other pieces of evidence on her, I would guess she specializes in Thalgignir, though Favighea still remains a possibility as well. Supposing this guess is correct, the staff is likely used as a method of focusing frost or electric control, most likely the latter. There is no telling what is her secondary field, if any, from the things within her person, but it is also possible she uses both greater areas marked as possibilities. And if she really does specialize in Thalgignir, that means one of the round accessories on her could be a disguised extension focus¹, probably the one behind her hair. Clever." 

As I looked over the first girl, I focused only on what could be used as a hint to her specialty. Another point that I noticed, she seemed to have realized I had been taking notes on their equipment almost as soon as I started, seeing as from the occasional glance I took at her face, it looked like she had been observing the movement of my eyes, despite how far from each other we still were. All the while she smiled, though that interaction told me far more about her potential practice than even her gear. "Her eyes are trained to observe even the smallest detail and movements of an opponent. Probably someone used to fighting at long ranges. That, and she might have trained herself into observing the weaknesses of others very well, from the looks of things. Thalgignir is sounding all the more likely as her main practice now." 

"Now, green hair. Favighea, obviously. A flute, a wand that's likely used to shape air… That's a wind caster. It's likely her focus, if she is bringing the tools meant for it constantly, but this doesn't eliminate the chance she also uses any other form of elemental casting. Her frame is small, even when compared to blue hair, so I doubt she makes offensive usage of infusing, but that likely makes wind infusing all the easier to take advantage of for her. And it does seem like most of the muscle she has is probably within her legs, though it's hard to tell. She is likely an actual Wind Strider, if I had to guess focused on the evasive styles. No clear hints for a secondary field, although some of the accessories she carries with her seem to be magical. Based on their shape, they likely are used to help with concentrating, though for what form that may be only she could likely tell. They have high quality too. She not only must have had a lot of money to get each, but most likely was being offered the aid of someone knowledgeable on the subject, seeing as she herself seems to be around my age. The bag with her has some considerable size, so it's likely there are some things she is hiding in it, which may or may not be connected to her practice. And she is wearing clothing styled for shrine duties, isn't she? From the looks of the drawings in it, likely based on the Elemental Shrines. She is probably from Xarzin Lawqizarch then. Likely is in a good position with the sisterhood as well*." 

(*For the motivation behind this assumption, from general experience humans seeking combative magical training coming from that nation tend to have better intentions and goals than in most other human lands in our times, or at least that is what mother said a lot. A reasonable assumption, seeing as their current country and culture were shaped by the influence of one of the First Disciples¹.) 

As I took note of the indications for the potential abilities of those two, I also gained other information about them, of course. Like the place where blue hair kept her documents, in a pocket on the front of her shirt, or where green hair kept her purse. That, and things about their appearance, like the hair colors I had been calling them by up to that point. "They're both pretty. Easy to picture either in a photoshoot in the temples. Green hair's exact shade of hair is quite rare too, and it seems the same might apply to blue hair, based on how frequently that tone has been appearing among the people roaming around this point. That probably garners them some public attention. Doubt it could come to use in a serious battle, but if someone showed signs of distraction due to that, this could make it easier for me to activate my finishing arts, even if just during training or casual fights." 

I doubted there were many out there that wouldn't call either of them, if not both, attractive. Didn't Fasnilthar say she thought she looked normal though, you may ask? I disagreed with her, and I am sure most of you would too. Which isn't that surprising, seeing how often this woman will joyfully declare herself a fool. Not that I was much better at that point, but either way. Keep it in mind before taking anything she writes or speaks in the past seriously, Fasnilthar might be about as far from being a serious person as one can be. 

Having finished my observation, my thoughts returned to their normal speed, as those two grew ever closer. They then greeted me, before each gave their names. Fasnilthar then asked for them to sit with me briefly, and both chose the opposite side of the table to mine. Through this whole initial exchange, Fasnilthar had been smiling, and soon I would come to think that smile was almost a constant for her face. Chiaisei also tended to smile while speaking, but her smile felt different. More detached from the situation or the rest of her attitude, you could say. 

—So, we heard you're also a recent arrival huh? Pretty crazy, to do a move like this at your age. — Fasnilthar asked, and judging by the situation, I assumed this meant the questions would start again. This time, I decided it might be best to try to take them more seriously, considering how they typically led to the end of my previous attempts. 

—I am. Arrived here on the 42nd of last month. 

—About a week, then. So, how is your impression of Galecirnan so far? Zainlastris isn't exactly the perfect picture of the rest of this place, but it's a nice introduction, I imagine. — As she asked, I tried recalling how many of the previous conversations had asked similar things, and how I usually answered them. She sounded more lively than the others from the start, especially compared to the last sets I had spoken too. 

—Probably. It's been nice enough so far. 

—Really? How so? 

—The train system is almost the same as back home. Easy to find my way around, if needed. 

—Yeah, but that's to be expected. The Azure Lines were created to connect the world, so it makes sense for it to be made so that anyone could find their way around it, regardless of what the city around it is structured like. A crazy feat to pull off globally, but that's just Lady Telphilicallys doing her thing. — I found her way of complimenting one of the Greater Ones sort of odd, seeing as how casually she mentioned it. 

—Of course. The Star of Wisdom hardly could fail at a task like this. 

—Indeed. Any task may seem simple if judged by how easily one like Lady Telphilicallys can accomplish it, after all. — Chiaisei said, something that seemed interesting for this particular attempt. Based on previous experiences, I had been assuming Fasnilthar would have been taking care of the conversation on her own. 

—Agreed, but let's leave that aside for now. There isn't a lot to discover on the Lines themselves, right? Tell us more about your impressions of the city itself. — As I heard her, I wondered what exactly she meant by that. 

"What counts as an impression, in this context? And what's there of note to even mention?" I thought, while looking out of the window near us briefly. Then, I recalled I had been spending a lot of time in front of it for the previous days, as well as the structures directly in front of it. It seemed that the area was densely populated by points of public interest, seeing as it was somewhat close to the center of the city. 

—The view from here is nice. Lots of different plants around the street and the nearby plaza. Loads of people walk through here constantly. People from varied places, I assume. — I told them what I had recalled from my previous days, after a second or two glancing out of the window. 

—Yup. This city is a stopping point in a lot of different people's journeys, you know? That's why I imagine the plants are so varied between each other too. They plant saps from all around in the public spaces inside the city itself. 

—It could be said it embodies a lot of the teachings the Greater Ones have offered us. Like a historic witness to the growing friendship and trust between different social kinds, as well as distant members of the same species. — As Chiaisei spoke, I took note of the fact her way of talking seemed really different from those of other potential coworkers. Her tone and expression didn't stray from her normal by a whole lot. Quite unlike most people I had met in this sense, as well as the people I would observe grown path tracers speaking to in the temples, while I was still growing. 

—Really. Makes sense. — She sounded very knowledgeable as well, as she spoke about matters concerning the Great Sisters. I was curious as to what else she might say if this topic continued. 

—Yes, but this isn't something restricted to this, or any particular street here, is it? Have you been anywhere else you found of interest? 

—No. Barely left this building since arriving here. — This time, my answer seemed to bring them to silence for a moment or two. Fasnilthar tilted her head sideways a little before asking. 

—Really… Don't they offer a show around the place normally? 

—They did. I rejected it. 

—Isn't that a bit of a waste, though? Getting a chance to know this place for free and all. Even if you wouldn't like it, it could come to use at least to know where to purchase food or manage gear. 

—I know where the temples are. They're easy to find too, and I've been allowed to ask for fixing there. Choosing food can be handled by others in a unit, and if there is a need for aid, I can simply follow. The job won't keep us in this city much, so knowing where to train should be enough. — After hearing her point, I considered it for a second before saying as much. 

"Her questions can't easily be answered briefly. Troubling, but these are her rules. Hopefully she isn't minding my lack of brevity." I thought to myself after answering, having realized a few of her questions opened room for simple answers. Depending on how long she continued with this, the conversation likely would be longer than the normal simply due to the things she asked. 

—Okay… But that also begs the question, Senshin. Where have you been eating up to this point? The cafeteria here doesn't serve full meals. — I realized then that Fasnilthar was already abbreviating my name. There were few times from then that I ever heard her use it in full. 

—They sell rations nearby, though. Good enough for the occasion. 

—Oh wow, you can bring yourself to eat that crap while within a city? I could barely handle it while out on work. 

—Indeed. Even Finarkzir has already grown tired of the normal variety for those. — I had no idea who was this Finarkzir that was mentioned by Chiaisei, but I decided not to ask as of then regardless. 

—It works. That's enough. 

—I guess… Also, the thing with the gear. We heard you're connected to the Path Tracers, but if they're fixing your stuff that must mean it's a close link, right? Were you trained there? — Fasnilthar asked, seemingly also taking a sideways glance at my sword's sheath while asking. 

—Yes. Both of my parents carry the emblem. 

—Really… Guess you must have chosen magic even earlier than most, then. Is your goal also the sisterhood? 

—Yes. Being here is a means of preparing myself, as my teachers suggested. — I said, recalling the conversations that led to this choice. As frustrating as failure could be, remaining unaware of its nature would only heighten the chances of one repeating. 

—It's good to have a goal. What led to that suggestion, though? — As she asked as much, I was unsure of how to reply. I didn't know it well myself, other than knowing I wasn't ready and needed a particular kind of preparation. Still, as I thought of how to answer, the other girl with us took charge of the conversation. 

—Actually, no need to answer as much, if you wish. I've got the needed context already. Let me handle delivering the point. — Chiaisei declared, while looking at the older woman. Fasnilthar then nodded for her to continue. 

—A while from now you must have started questioning the reason behind our questions, isn't that right? Not just ours, but those of other groups who attempted talking to you previously. — She said. If Fasnilthar spoke sounded gleeful when asking questions at random, then Chiaisei's voice sounded void of most emotion, despite still smiling while delivering them. Hearing her, I confirmed her assumptions, curious as to how she had reached those conclusions so accurately. 

—Not a clue as to what we're doing, then? How troublesome. It's called small talk. Heard the term? 

—I know the meaning of the words separately, but no… Is it a local habit? 

—Not at all. Just about anything that can talk or communicate through other methods does so occasionally. Even sentient trees or elementals do it at times, or so I heard. It simply consists of exchanging words, for no particularly serious motivation. In this case, it is mostly an act of introductions, though. 

—If you say so… But why do it in this context? 

—To scout for potential interpersonal issues, of course. This type of issue isn't likely to show up in short conversations, but if any become noticeable right from the start, that's a sign any further attempts at building the group would be constantly tested by the given issue. Compatibility problems are best solved the sooner you can.Your presence brings about some of these potential issues, and therefore the ones who tried talking to you and left shortly afterwards decided to avoid the risk. The concept isn't that difficult, really. — As she explained, the smile she had been keeping slowly lost its shape. The more she talked, the more I felt bothered by how easily it seemed like she could understand my thoughts. 

—Well, but… Why- 

—Weren't they asking questions about the job? There is a limit to how much ability can be passed through talk, to begin with. Plenty can be said about a person's disposition, though not enough to conclude how they would act in practice. If the goal was testing magical, fighting or various other skills, the conversations wouldn't happen in a cafeteria in the first place. Besides, our work is extremely safe in the early levels, for the most part. This isn't a good point to obsess over finding skilled teammates above anything else. We're still at least a decade away from being sent to actually dangerous areas of this world. — Chiaisei said after completing my sentence. From a logical perspective, it was easy to understand her point, but in an emotional one it was still difficult to accept it. 

—Still have some doubts in regard to that, right? Okay then, how to put this… Do you know the routine for this kind of work in the guild? You probably read that much, I assume. — Hearing her, I recalled what I knew about the schedule for our work days in this field. I briefly described how our weeks would be organized. From the time devoted for training, to being delivered a task, to traveling towards the place it would occur on, and then heading back. We also talked briefly about how long we had resting between tasks. Upon us reaching the conclusion of that issue, Chiaisei then brought up a question. 

—Still, in a week of work, how many of those days are spent while directly under potential danger? Or at least, how much time will we actually be spending in the wild world. — Having said as much, she gave me a second to think, before continuing. 

—Assuming the week starts with the first job, only two, so long as an entire day is used for the first trip. And combat involving mages rarely lasts more than ten minutes, under the scale of work we could have. Of course, when roaming the wild world it becomes necessary to spend far more time while under alert, but that is something that should be expected of anyone working in this field. For forms of magic specifically used in this scenario, having one member of a unit accomplish it would also fulfill the need entirely as well. It makes that time seem rather small compared to everything else, right? Perhaps the greatest in significance, but still, why would you judge someone just through them, not the remaining 5 days? Even the most skilled can be dropped on early levels if they cause too many problems. How would they even be able to tell your practical skill before seeing it directly as well? — I didn't agree with her, but from a logical perspective it was easy for me to see she had a point. At the very least I was grateful for her for explaining this in a manner that is easy to digest. The fact her guesses for the previous interviews had been accurate also made her appear more credible. Still, this did beg the question. 

—Then- 

—Why exactly have you been rejected a few times on a roll? Senshinzako, look at me. — While saying so, I felt as if her glare and expression had grown more intense than they had before, despite the fact her voice was as calm as usual, as I sensed her worldly reach quickly expanding around us. Without feeling necessarily threatened, the sight of her eyes then still felt slightly intimidating. Not because I expected someone so rational to use magic violently in the middle of a city, but due to the coldness in it. A cold hearted warrior may still mourn for their victims though they never hesitate before landing their blows. And as potent as her main form of magic was, it was fair to assume no normal person could handle those blows when they were inevitably provoked. She might have never done it before, just as I, however this made her seem far more well prepared to kill than I felt I was at that point, a realization I didn't expect to arrive at in a conversation like that. After looking at me like that for a moment, her face returned to the state it had been just before, as she continued to look at me. 

—See? You may not understand it consciously, but on a level even you can recognize it. Communication isn't done merely through words. Our tone of voice, expression, posture, body language, everything can be used to express meaning to an extent. Among almost all forms of life, but especially so within social life. In this case, I sought to communicate a stance relating to combat since I imagined you would have an easier time interpreting it than anything else. Do you know the message written on your face this whole talk? It probably has a lot to do with your repeated rejections, you realize? — After saying so, she spent another second looking at me, before supporting her head in one of her hands and continuing. During it, I couldn't help but think about this interaction. 

"Then that glare was just an example… An impressively forged one. And her words, just what is she seeing in me now? How is she even doing this? This can't be soul reading, but she also seems to understand how the other talks went in some ways." As I tried racking my mind over what she was doing, she continued observing silently. 

—Just now you seemed a bit confused, wondering as to how I arrived at all of these conclusions, most likely. And for the past few minutes or so, here is what I gathered from how you react to questions, how you act like when answering them or how you react to our attempts at proceeding with a topic. First and most important, it's the fact that at almost no point you showed signs of interest in anything we brought up. Other than your reactions to topics adjacent to work, you almost appeared to remain indifferent. That likely would have been enough to warn most others that frequent interaction with you could be tiring. Combined with the visible confusion you occasionally display at basic social practices, some of the people you've met likely left this table thinking you're socially disabled. Otherwise I doubt the association would have been going out of their way to enlighten us in the fact your head is working normally. 

—Though I must say, as misguided as your focus has been so far, at least you are trying to learn something. Even if you've been taking this in a pretty strange direction inside of your mind, most likely. Which is also to say, in this particular conversation, and likely in the last two of yours too, it has also been made clear you're sticking through it out of obligation, right? Like if this was part of a mission. A respectable commitment, if viewed in context, but the others who saw you act like this might have been thrown off all the more due to this attitude. Which is also to say, at some point your answers had been even briefer, haven't they? That would explain why the clerks here warned us of your tendency to answer most things with a yes or a no. — While saying so, her eyes continued to observe me with the sharpness of a blade. 

—We went out of the way to avoid questions that could lead to that type of answer, but still, it is fair to say that the first few units who tried speaking with you must have left with an even stronger impression. And it's entirely possible that perception reached the others through comments or rumors, making it all the more likely you would be immediately rejected with every passing interview. — After finishing her explanation, she sank back into her seat once again, before taking a sip out of a water container with her. She had been talking for a while. Her expression softened somewhat after that point. She still looked mostly neutral, but not as aggressively distant as she had been through most of that talk. 

—So? Was I clear enough? If that wasn't enough, we might have trouble finding someone capable of getting through to you with words, and I would appreciate it if you didn't force me to use my magic to do so. — As she said so, the shape of a conjured bird briefly flashed in one of her fingers. Other than a confession she made using Yealmyrn, this appeared to be an offer to deliver me the message through a Soul Link, if needed. 

—Yes… You were quite clear. Thank you for your honesty. And there is no need to use your magic. — Through the whole explanation, I was unsure of what to think. The things she explained had been mostly new information, but most of it appeared to be self evident, both during the conversations I had previously and that one. She clearly had been seeing through my thoughts and feelings during that speech, and I felt comfortable saying she was smarter than me based on some of her previous comments. Maybe she wasn't the greatest reference for this topic that I could find in this city, but certainly the best I could find just in front of me. 

—Don't mind it. Helping you out wasn't my choice exactly in the first place. Perhaps normally I would have simply left the table before leaving a couple of insults for this frustration. — I doubted part of those words. Even if she didn't choose it personally, it was still true she had been incredibly helpful. At the very least it demonstrated commitment to the task asked of her, and I was thankful for how effectively she had shed light on some of the problems I couldn't understand. 

"She is kind. Her words might be bitter, but the truth in them was needed. Maybe others tried telling me the same in the past, in different ways. Her blunt honesty just now made this much clearer, though. Probably a good person to seek advice with." As I thought so, she continued looking at me alongside Fasnilthar, as a brief moment of silence took over the table. 

—But since you are thankful, allow me to complain for a moment, will you? You realize the face I had been putting up was a partial attempt to imitate you, right? Ignoring a certain detail that's basically the gist of the glare you direct at others constantly. As for those details, did you know you're as reactive as a child? Keep note of that if you can, because it could be dangerous for you, and it certainly would make it harder to have you standing around during the discussion of a task, you hear? That, and lastly- — Before she kept going, Fasnilthar grabbed her on one of the shoulders while interrupting her. I was somewhat curious though I didn't protest against the interruption. Knowing the sort of impression I passed onto someone as perceptive as Chiaisei appeared to be prudent. 

—Chiaisei, I think you've said enough. 

—Maybe I have, but he clearly still has a lot he needs to hear. 

—Yes, but we can leave that for later. 

—Later? — I asked, curious to see if this might imply something positive in this case. 

—Yeah. I don't think either of us would be that bothered if you're just being silent most of the time, and getting you to talk isn't impossible or anything, right? — Fasnilthar turned to Chiaisei while saying so, to which the other girl nodded. 

—We got through to you well enough this time, and I'm sure this can work in the future too. Just keep two things in mind for now. One, even if this might not be your idea of something relevant, communication is important to the functioning of almost anything. If you want to work in a team, you gotta make an effort to take part in that occasionally, okay? Second… — Fasnilthar took a break from her explanation to see if she had my attention at this point. I imagined this meant something noteworthy would be stated then, as a result. 

—Later in this case isn't anything final. You remember the explanation you just heard, right? About the motivation for this kind of talk. 

—Yes. To learn about each other. — I made sure to answer quickly, so as to not risk showing doubt on the matter soon after having heard the explanation. 

—We haven't learned a lot yet, other than the fact that dealing with your most apparent problem isn't really that hard. 

—I've answered a lot of your questions though, haven't I? 

—You did, but everything you said was just very descriptive. Too much about what you've seen and too little about what you think. So, I was thinking. We're headed to meet more people just after leaving here. We won't confirm anything as of now, but you can come with us. On the way, we'll continue talking and this time, focus a bit more on Senshin, right? Even if you don't take part in much that was happening around you, say things you think or thought, or even just questions you have about any of these things. This way, we can learn enough about you to answer that question more accurately. 

—You should try to use that time to form a stronger opinion on the two of us as well while on the way as well. As much as it may seem to you like we might be your only option, now that you understand the issues, finding coworkers should be easier. The first who have tried talking to you to the end or not, this doesn't necessarily mean we will be the best option for you in the long run either. — I heard Chiaisei, but at the same time thought her suggestion didn't have any merit this time, despite all of the others being very effective. 

"If their explanations are as good as they sound, these two might be some of the best people I could expect to find. Fasnilthar is persistent, knows how to talk for all three of us combined and few things appear to shake her. She is also currently my veteran in this field, and by the indications she has shown so far, she seems to be competent in it. Chiaisei on the other hand, appeared to have been watchful of everything around us from the start of this conversation, despite not making the signs of that clear. I probably missed this fact, but she likely was aware that I had been taking notes on their equipment on their way to this table. She sounds intelligent, and showed a lot of commitment to a task she didn't even choose, when explaining these matters to me. And though we have the same age, it feels as if she is far wiser between the two of us. Meeting them appears to have been good fortune." For a moment, I considered what I had observed in our brief conversation while my enhanced cognition was fully active. 

—I'll keep that in mind, though I am content as of now. I am thankful to the two of you so far, and I'll try to answer your curiosities this time as well. — It made that answer feel simple, yet still I chose to respect that advice somewhat. 

—As for this next meeting… — I thought to ask, after we had seemingly got past this initial matter. 

—Oh, it's in a nearby bar of some kind. It is dwarvish, I'm pretty sure. The walk should take some time, so there will be plenty of it to chat. Since you're connected to them, it might be good to point out that we're meeting a sister as well. 

—Really. This meeting is starting to feel all the more fortunate, then. 

"The company and advice of a sister might make it easier for me to realize the greater issues of my apprenticeship at the temples. This chance might be too good to make any mistakes now." While thinking about it, I continued listening to her. 

—Okay then. Anything to get ready? If so, get to it quickly now! I'm curious to see where these meetings will bring us too. — Fasnilthar announced cheerfully, her smile appearing to be brighter than it had been through most of our conversation. Hearing her, I headed to the storage where some of my belongings were being kept, and took with me that which could be of use on the streets that hadn't been with me already. On their advice, I didn't take all of my baggage out at that point, though a part of me had been hopeful it wouldn't stay in that building for much longer. 

All the while, the girls told the clerk they had spoken to prior to confirming with this sister us heading in her direction. By the time I had arrived at the lobby to the association headquarters again, these two were already waiting near the entrance of the place. A rush of excitement shortly took me over at the sight. Since arriving, it had felt like my journey had been staggered, for reasons I couldn't understand. Combined with my rejection from the sisterhood, this made me all the more worried for the inadequacies I had that I couldn't even comprehend. As if, once again, I felt my feet tumble right at the landing to the first steps. Yet, as of that moment, I felt as if I was starting to walk towards my path and future again. And on that topic, I strangely felt confident this team of sorts would lead me to fulfilling it. That the shackles binding me through my weaknesses would finally come to view. "Oh wise Great Sisters. May your words give this foolish boy the strength and guidance to shatter through these chains. And may my path to aiding in your dreams and hopes become clearer as I step through this path." Words I had incited at some points since my failure, that I then repeated as we walked past those doors together. With this, marks the true beginning to my journey, and with it the end of this section.