Garlicia part 1/3: The Setup [Bonus]

POV Tia:

Tia quietly walked down a wide, paved cobblestone road, the Victorian-era-looking houses built of stone and wood standing on both sides—the elaborate facades adorned with intricate ornaments and small statues added to the opulence of the scene.

The sound of horse-drawn carriages filled the air as they galloped past her, their wheels clattering against the cobblestones.

As Tia confidently strode down the street, she couldn't help but notice the numerous eyes that constantly ogled her. Her outfit was clearly out of place in this world. Yet, she paid no mind to the curious gazes, embracing her uniqueness with self-assured grace.

'What I need now is to look distinct and attract attention.'

At last, her eyes fell on a man in a black robe with a staff in his hand, the pointy head, and his long white beard screaming "mage" from miles away.

"Hey, you!" She abruptly turned to walk toward the mage, who stopped, staring at the shouting girl quickly approaching him.

The next moment, something black and fast moved in the corner of her eye, her body reacting at the last moment.

'Ohhh!'

As the carriage, drawn by red-eyed horses, sped past her, its dark form leaving nothing but a blur, the angry yell of the driver reached her ears.

"Fucking blind bitch!" the driver's enraged voice echoed, gradually fading into the distance.

'What?!'

Despite her racing emotions and the recent near-accident, Tia quickly composed herself as the old mage approached her with brisk steps. "What might a manaborn want from me, a humble magi?"

Tia put on her smile and tugged down her skirt, "Ehmm, I am not a local, and you, sir, look like a gentleman. So would you mind telling me where I can get an appraisal of a magic artifact? I don't need the highest profit or privacy. Instead, I need to sell it fast, even under the price."

"How could I refuse to assist such a pretty, young lady as you?" he pointed with his staff at a large building down the street while running his fingers through his long white beard. "Down the street on the square of Tibo The Ghostsucker, you will find the House of Mercenaries. They offer various services."

She slightly bowed and walked in that direction as her old piece of knowledge still worked, even in another world.

'Being polite and smiling opens a lot of doors.'

As she walked through the bustling street, she quickly recapped her plan, 'This place is bigger than some stinky village I have expected. I can't waste my energy brute-forcing the baron's resistance as the energy is the only thing keeping me here.'

Even though she sometimes acted impulsively, she was still someone who survived a lot, 'Instead, I need someone to take me there. To do that, I need something to entice them. Luckily, I have exactly that.'

With confidence, she approached the single largest building on the small square that reached almost three floors high, completely built of solid stone, its looming facade covered in intricate stone masonry and ornaments.

At last, she reached the building, and her hand pushed the heavy wooden door open.

POV ???:

An old receptionist sat behind his desk, his eyes scanning the endless pile of payment requests.

The doors creaked on their old rusty hinges as they were pushed wide open, and a set of light footsteps entered the room just as the receptionist raised his eyes from the paperwork. His gaze met the newcomer, and he was surprised to see a young girl entering the building.

'She looks young. What is she wearing?' The old man standing behind the reception desk gaped at the unusually long, black coat woven of fabric so smooth and beautiful it put into shame even the coat worn by the baron Lafas, their local lord. The scandalously short skirt almost exposed her knees, bringing gasps from the men in the lobby.

He wasn't the only one; all the adventurers and mercenaries watched each of her graceful moves, her steps confident and fast as she approached his desk with an expressionless cold face.

'Wait, is she?!'

Her unusual platinum hair, her vibrant lilac eyes, the flawlessly smooth skin, and the impossibly perfect fabric of her clothes all connected together, and in response to his realization, droplets of sweat formed on his forehead.

'Yes, she must be a manaborn!'

"Am I dirty or something?"

"Uhh, of course not, just your outfit is quite unusual in here."

"Skip the pleasantries. I need the appraisal service of your guild."

"O-of course, that would five silv..."

The manaborn frowned and cut him midsentence, "I will pay with the priority buying right, instead."

Normally, he would need to see what it was just to make sure it was worth it, but seeing the impatiently-looking manaborn, he could only nod. He had worked for the guild long enough to know that angering and displeasing a manaborn was equivalent to a death sentence.

With an audible thud, a metallic object landed on the desk. Mystical blue light shone all over its perfectly smooth and shiny surface.

With a sense of caution, he brought a monocle up to his eye, hoping to glean some insight into the object's purpose and origin. His wrinkled hand hovered above it, his forehead wrinkling in confusion.

'It is glowing, but why is there no mana radiation?'

"Ehmm, may I ask what it is?"

"A kind of weapon, my personal creation."

When he looked at it again, he could see some semblance of the weapon, the incredibly hard metal and peculiar shape turning it into an effective blunt weapon, 'Little bit short, and what is with the lights? It doesn't look or feel like any magic runes.'

As if sensing his confusion, the manaborn grinned and grabbed it, aiming at the floor. The next moment, a bright light flashed across the room, temporarily revealing the shocked and terrifying expressions of the mercenaries reaching for their swords.

A seared black spot, its center still glowing from the heat, was burned into the hard stone floor.

"Ohh, I get it! It is a wan..."

"No, you are wrong. This is better. This allows even a person without a droplet of mana or any knowledge to shoot energy bolts."

The receptionist paled and stepped back, his hands trembling at the significance of the tool before him. Greed threatened to overwhelm his judgment.

'With more of those, one could instantly turn a bunch of worthless peasants into a fighting force equivalent to apprentice magi!'

"How much are you willing to pay?"

"All, take all the gold I have here! No, take also the platinum and silver!"

The manaborn's smile grew wider as she reached with her hand for a handshake.

'Haha, I will hire someone to reverse engineer the enchantments, and I will be the richest man in the entire duchy!'

However, he still remained cautious, suppressing his excitement, "Of course, I can give you only a small deposit until I fully evaluate the validity of your claims."

"Of course, take your time." The manaborn smiled at him, but something in that sweet smile unsettled him all the way to the marrow of his bones.