Vermilion Flame Beast

Our trip lasted for four days before I saw a paved road on the ground again.

There were a few wolf attacks during our travel, but luckily we have a few mercenaries at our side. Three also helped them by using her magic. After that, the mercenaries became more respectful towards her and friendly towards me. We both had hoods on to only partially reveal our faces, just in case someone was already sent to find us going the other town.

On the distance, a city stood on a hilltop, surrounded by castle walls. Each pillar had a person on it, and held a greatbow on the shoulder. I saw one of them eyeing our carriage, and stopped paying attention seeing that we were close enough to be seen as travelling merchants.

If only we weren't at risk of being found, I wouldn't be so paranoid hiding and go check out how the surroundings look like instead.

A few minutes later, the carriage slowed to a stop for a moment, and continued moving. The sound of crowds entered my ears and it seems we've entered the city.

I tried to peek from the gaping hole in the carriage to see the outside, and can only barely see the various stalls that stood on the sides. Even if the books said that each of the minor cities were smaller than the four major cities, this place was still as developed as the one we were previously in, as if not having much difference. If there would be a difference, that would be the number of people that lived here.

We were still going around the roads while I briefly saw a familiar face.

Dad?

At the same time, his eyes flashed a cold glint towards me, and sent shivers to my back. It was for a few seconds and then he slowly turned around and resumed whatever he was doing.

Was that really him? Why won't he return home?

***

It took quite a while before our trip ended, and I told Three to find us a place where we can stay. Seeing her in confusion, I said that we would sleep on the streets if she wants to, and only then did she remember that we can't go back home.

I lightly sighed and asked her if she knows where we could find a map of the city instead.

After purchasing a map and a few snacks, we still had alot of coins and I led her instead. We went from place to place and asked questions about various things, like a place to stay and eat, places that sold books, if there was a Vates church around here... with the body of a four year old, it was easy to get information from kind people, but it was quite tiring to walk around large places and I would often return to the central plaza where there were a lot of people, just to be familiar with the place.

We bought a few necessary things for travel like blankets, bug repels, matches, and a few other things that made us carry quite a bit of luggage.

We were even asked by some suspicious looking people, and I was the one that confronted them instead. Anyway when Three started to get pissed off with the same occurrence lots of times, she just pointed at those troublesome people with glowing golden circles starting to converge at her fingertips and they ran away immediately. In some times, she stomped her foot and wild wind encircled and blasted out unwanted people.

Looks like being a Vates still has a reputation even if you look like a kid.

Night was nearing and Three was also getting tired, her body isn't that much older than I was anyway. I remember carrying children from infancy until five years old, and seven year olds were heavier and didn't really require being carried... except for a few odd ones of course.

Having found a shabby inn that didn't cost a lot, we slept like logs that night as we hadn't had a good sleep at the carriage with the frequent bumps on the road including the big brother that kept on snoring whenever he dozed off. Only when I woke up did I remember that Three and I both slept at the same bed. Of course I didn't harbor malice for the kid at the time, but I wouldn't say that she won't grow up to be a fine lass someday...

Yesterday was supposed to be our first day at this city, but today is the day we actually go and observe the place. I let Three go on her own way and told her to meet up at the Vates church here. I can't say we won't be discovered, but that would be a place where they won't think to search for if I think about it. She can also handle herself just by showing people that she's a Vates anyway.

"...and I don't think there will be some kind of long distance communication type of technology in this world yet."

Having finished mulling over my thoughts in the inn, I also went out and tried to search for some kind of Adventurer's Guild in this world. They always do exist in these kinds of stories so hopefully there will be something.

***

"Adventurers' What? What's that?"

***

"A place where you can sell monster materials... You do mean a slaughter house or a butcher right?"

***

"Oh, I know about it. Hey guys, a kid wants to see the adventurers' guild!"

***

I asked a lot of people, most of them only shook their heads in rejection and it seems there's no place like the Adventurer's Guild in this world? Sure enough, I bet those authors just made those kinds of places up to make a convenient money making machine for the protagonists of an adventure story.

It seems we wouldn't be able to take quests and gain monetary or tradeable rewards where we can use for expenses for travelling.

Why am I thinking of travelling anyway? We should just go into hiding, right? Since they want to cut me up...

I should probably discuss this with my current partner in crime that's right at the corner, buying stuff she wants... I hope she would spend less though.

***

As we met already before we could even go at the Vates church, we headed straight for the inn and had dinner, and also discussed about some things.

I started with a pretend cough.

"My lady. How long should we go hiding in this place?"

"Dunno."

She only munched on her food after a brief reply.

"If they found me, I'll be cut open and die, that's not okay right?"

"Yeaaaaaah..."

I gave a sighed and dropped the question I didn't want to bring up.

"Should we go on an adventure instead?"

"YES YES! YESES!!"

If memes were available on this world, I'll be showing a faceslap.

"Fine, fine, just stop slamming the table...!"

Seriously, why is a kid... if I said I wasn't a kid then I'd be lying to myself too, it's not as if I also didn't want to go out and explore deep inside, yet the problem is we don't have enough money, and I don't have something to protect myself with too.

Or I might just be having an inferiority complex of being ordinary, not being able to do anything on my own.

I can do math, sure. It isn't that great for me, yet it can help Gemmatria users, but it doesn't help myself.

"Oi... Where's my food?"

***

Three is sound asleep, and I made some notes on a paper I found on a hallway. Written in my previous world's language, I set a few goals in the meantime, since we're going to be travelling anyway.

Acquire a sort of power;

Acquire a source of income;

Acquire a way to get the thing ouside of me;

What's that thing anyway, I forgot to ask!

We wouldn't be able to go far if I don't have the first two things.

Of course I didn't only asked for the adventurers' guild earlier, but also found a few interesting things. There's the Civil Corps which act as the common police, where all of them aren't Vates, but they have a different method of combat. It's said that a few higher level corps can equal an entry-level Vates practitioner.

In theory they would just be able to block source power using their hands by using a different power called Chi, but let's see about how it works when I visit the place.

Next, there's the Merchants Union where common trade is conducted. Instead of the fictional adventurers' guild, the Union has a lot of branches all over the world, and it's said that the owner of all the branches is a human that's able to fight one of the three gods in the legends. Because of this, not a lot of people dare to make trouble in the Union even when a branch is located at a remote town or place.

They also display a board where commissions can be taken and be paid after doing tasks. The resemblance to the fabled adventurers' guild is quite striking; I wouldn't be surprised if there would be commissions that asked for monster loot there, but if not then monsters don't probably exist in this world. Or is there a different term for them here?

There are a few more places to visit, and we still have a lot of money. I only learned earlier that Three took his dad's pouch when he was taking a bath and the value inside was enough for us to last for more than a year. It was quite a lot for a mere pocket money, but she did well thinking about what if we had some kind of situation where we need to have a lot of money. Of course it's a lot but if we have to go and search for a doctor that can remove the thing inside me where payment is an issue...

***

The next day, I asked Three to accompany me towards the Civil Corps first, as that was the first place that I had in mind. I wonder if we would be able to see Chi in action.

The whole place was elevated, various sorts of different colored wooden buildings stood, the roofs seem to be made of some sort of shiny marble, the entrance has seven steps where each footstep is a foot high, all the buildings are painted in white which contrasted rather differently compared to the Hamion Church. The guards all had a cap made of white with a red feather, their uniform has embroiderings that were designed as a three-headed bird, and their spears have a rainbow feather before the tip of the blade.

I realized at that moment.

"The three-headed bird? The Beast God, Felix?"

"This kid knows his facts, hey!"

"How old are you? Where are your parents?"

The two guards at the very front of the gates asked all sorts of questions, before I told them that I would like to see inside. However they brushed us off and didn't talk much anymore as if becoming stone gargoyles once again. The other guy that asked my age was still looking at me, and he seemed like he wanted to say something, but he just kept silent.

"Is knowing the name and the existence of the Beast God that surprising?"

The same guard sighed and replied while still not moving, then Three replied instead.

"All the people know is Hamion because he's human. All people are also baptized with a mark on the right side of their belly, which makes them connected to the source power even when they're ordinary human. When people believe in Hamion, the mark will glow strong, and with a more fervent faith, the mark glows stronger. For Vates, we can hide this mark, but it shows as the lines that you see whenever we cast magic."

"Did you memorize the lessons back then?"

"Dad will be mad if I don't know about these things so yep."

"For the Beast God, anyone that will worship him is given a pair of rainbow feathers, one to be eaten, and one that hung on our spears. That much I can tell you."

The other guard looked at the other one that gave us a small explanation about the Beast God and snorted. It seems that this information isn't shared lightly.

"We can't do much about you helping us sir... Is there an age limit for anyone that wants to join?"

"There isn't, but the Beast God is a bit stingy about his worshippers. He doesn't want to bestow power to most of the humans, but if you're not a part of any god's mark, he might give you a mark and obtain a similar power that's being used by the Vates. Same with the fact with why he doesn't want a lot to be known about him regarding humans. There isn't an oath, but if you're known to be disclosing these things---"

"---Then you'll be punished by a rainbow of flames for an hour."

"Sir!"

Out of nowhere, a voice could be heard above us, and looking at the direction from where it came from...

"It's a Vermilion Flame Beast...!"

Three exclaimed, and her flustered expression tells me there's gonna be trouble.

Above us, a feathered humanoid form covered in red feathers floated, flames subtly dispersed and converged above his head showing its form. His eyes were thin like the side of a blade, feet covered in feathers, unable to be seen. Its whole body seemed to be of a humans' but the red feather that hovered above his hair glowed and fused with his forehead, turning into a red third eye.

"You human dare share the mercy of the Beast God without permission?"

The guard kneeled and displayed his feathered spear in front of him, as if asking for mercy. I suddenly felt pressure all over my body, feeling heavy, and froze on the spot. I felt a slight burning sensation from the pressure. Strangely though, the mark from baptism I had glowed brightly, and it sucked the power that was invading my body. Different from a Vates' source power, is this Chi?

"Huh?"

The birdman turned and stared at me and displayed an odd look, as if I did something to gain his notice.