The walk back to the office took longer and was tiring for Aefia. Since they were in Robertstown, the only transportation that they could use was the bus, but it would have been possible if they had taken the main road.
Buses in Robertstown had routes to where they could go. Any type of transport that doesn't follow the route can't charge the passengers, so thinking about loss, they had to choose the main route.
"Wolf, I suspect you of being a member of the 'Torture Cell'. Are you really from Earth?" Ms.Elephant asked.
Unknown to Aefia, she was given a dose of truth serum in her water, which she drank to an empty glass due to her thirst. And unknown to Mr. Elephant, Aefia had a skill that caused her to block any sort of potion with a negative effect.
[Elemental Ability: Cursed Fate]
She unlocked this skill after the fight with the beast, which was a plus point. They made sure she wasn't wearing the cloak to restrict the special properties of the cloak from acting as a defense for her.
"I am from Earth. How else would I have registered for this competition?" Aefia replied.
"Did you go to Earth from a different planet? Maybe you have heard of this competition from an outside source. Maybe you have forgotten?"
"I haven't forgotten anything. In fact, if I had, then my parents wouldn't have known me." It's common sense.
"Did you happen to transmigrate or reincarnate?"
"No." Is that even possible?
"Do you know anything or are you affiliated with the 'Torture Cell'?"
"No."
"Alright, I have heard enough. You are found not guilty. I am sorry for the trouble caused." Mr. Elephant stood up and gave a bow. Is that a way to apologize in this world?
"It's alright, I completely understand." Aefia stood up too returning the bow because what else was she supposed to do?
"I am surprised you responded to the bow, you seem to be a fast learner. May I ask another question?"
"Yes, sir."
"How did you learn how to use your skills? A rookie defeating a Phase One beast is nearly impossible."
"I am asking myself the same question, I will be honest. My closest guess is that after the elemental selection, Polar Bear told me about my eyes being red and I did see a futuristic vision back then. At that moment, I focused on pushing the power all the way back into my mind, and when I opened my eyes, the vision was gone, and so were my red eyes.
"I believe it triggered a sense in me that led me to be able to use various skills at once. Though it is still hard for me to explain how exactly I do it. It just happens in a flash."
"Hmm.." Mr. Elephant paced the length of the room. "It seems that you really have a huge potential for achieving the revelation."
So the revelation is real? I thought it was just a way for Ms.Avry to persuade me into helping her save this world.
"Is there anything else you would like to add?" Mr. Elephant asked.
"Yes. I have this skill, 'Infographics' it's called. It randomly spawned information into my mind as words for whatever details I needed to successfully defeat the beast. It seems to talk back too."
"That's fairly interesting. For as much as I know up until now about elemental magic, I haven't come across any skills like that. I suggest that you go to the Library of Smod in your free time and learn about the Wolf element in depth." Mr. Elephant said while tapping the table with his index finger.
"Actually, make it an assignment. That way, you can research it as a side job and not worry about finding the time in a busy day to do so."
"Alright, noted," Aefia answered politely.
"Anyway, you are free to go now. Ms. Panther outside will take you to your meeting room."
"Thank you for your time Mr.Elephant." Aefia bowed again.
"Keep up that courtesy. You could make a good Nikoan citizen with it." Mr. Elephant laughed.
Aefia picked up her cloak but didn't wear it. She checked the inside pocket of the cloak for the envelope and the money. Phew! Good thing they are still there!
She walked out of the room and walked straight to the payment counter from which she had picked up her pay earlier. But Ms.Panther wasn't there.
"Wolf, I didn't expect you to be here."
"AAH!!....Oh...Ms.Panther..." Aefia turned around while knocking her skull with her knuckles.
"I didn't know you would be scared. I am sorry if I spooked you."
"Nah..it's alright. It's my fault for not being aware of my surroundings."
"Anyway, I need to pay you your bonus for contributing to the fight. You will get paid an extra four salars." Ms.Panther handed Aefia another envelope. At this rate, I will be rich in this world too. But I hate this worlds denomination. It's very confusing.
Aefia opened the envelope to ensure she got paid the amount she was told before putting it in the pocket which she put her previous envelope.
"Your clothes are a bit wet. Did you jump into the lake?"
"Yes, water was one of its weaknesses, so I had to do it." My clothes aren't wet. They are fully dry with glitter all over them. Aefia thought while frustratingly trying to wipe the glitter off her clothes.
"That lake is one of its kind in Nikoan. They say anyone who takes a swim in it will be lucky for the rest of their life."
I have a fear of being scammed. They say a lot of things like this on the internet back home, and I was dumb enough to believe some of it was true. And not to mention the AI videos.
Aefia thought about what she would have been doing on Earth by now. I suspect the time has barely passed.. wait! If one month on Earth is ten years on Nikoan, did it take me weeks or months to get here?
Aefia's lack of calculator and mental math skills were putting her great risks in this world.
"Alright, I will leave from here. And remind me tomorrow to hand you thirty demon-grade bullets and twenty spirit-grade bullets for the training."
"Alright. But what is the difference between them?"
"I can't explain it to you until the appropriate time arrives."
"Alright." Aefia walked towards the door stopping for a short while to wipe the dried blood from her face. I completely forgot about this.
Aefia knocked at the door.
"Come in." Ms.Avry replied. Aefia opened the door. Everyone was sitting on the floor in a circle like the first time, including Ms.Avry.
"Aefia! We are playing..." Nada started speaking.
"Nada, give her a break, she just came back from a tiring fight," Anasiy replied.
"How are you feeling? Are you hurt?" Ms.Avry asked.
Aefia thought for a while about her life back on Earth compared to this world.I was left to rot there. Just seen for my parents' wealth. I guess, this competition was a way for me to escape my fate.
"I am fine. I don't need to rest. What are we playing?" Aefia dropped the cloak on the table and walked over to the circle with a smile imprinted on her face, a real one.
"We are playing guess the item," Helio replied.
"Let's pause for a while. I have a question Aefia, how did you learn how to use your skills?" Ms.Avry asked.
She explained about the elemental selection and the 'Infographics' skill the way she told it to Mr.Elephant.
"So I was the reason? I must be a very good best friend then!" Nada bragged.
" I have another guess," Diego spoke. "You did say you were a gamer, what if the games were the reason you learned how to use the skills?"
"In what way?" Aefia asked.
"As many games as I have played, most of them only teach you how to move around and attack. The rest is yours to find out. What if your brain mistook your real-life world to be a game and trigger that sense?"
Aefia thought it through again and again. Can that be what the 'Gamer'sInstinct' skill really is about?
"Diego is right, what if it were an option?" Anasiy asked.
"I have an assignment to do an in-depth analysis on my element, so maybe I will eventually know why I managed to use my skills despite just receiving it," Aefia answered.
"You already got an assignment? You just got unlucky." Nada replied.
"I won't really say unlucky. This assignment will help me further understand my element for future battles. And coming to this world actually made me lucky. At least I have people who listen to me now."
"I thought rich kids were always happy?" Anasiy asked.
"They are if their parents and people around them don't just ignore them every day, you know. I have seen it with my own eyes." Nada answered.
"They are just seen for their family's status. Middle-class families are the most happiest." Helio spoke.
Everyone glanced at Aefia who was minding her own business dusting off the glitter.
"Ms. Avry, can't we still go out to get more clothes? Aefia is covered in glitter and I can tell she is irritated by it. She keeps smacking her sleeves!" Nada asked beside Aefia.
"Yes! I would really appreciate a new pair of clothes! This glitter is itchy!" Aefia smacked her sleeves harder.
"Well, okay, I will speak with Mr.Elephant first." Ms.Avry replied while walking out the door.
"I would have been happier if I could have packed a few things before coming here," Aefia spoke after a momentary silence.
"All of us do," Helio replied.
"Mr.Elephant said we can now safely go outside." Ms.Avry came back after a short while.
"Aefia get up! At this rate, you might rip off your skin!" Nada dragged Aefia up.
Aefia got up from the floor, leaving a huge residue of glitter at the place she was sitting.
***
Aefia wore her cloak securely around her shoulder not wanting to get noticed for the amount of shine her clothes were giving off. The sun was high up and the heat was suffocating for her, along with the long walk back to Robertstown market. If I had a smartwatch with me, I am pretty sure the reading would have been at least ten thousand steps.
They finally arrived at the privately owned tailor, which was the size of a regular shop from Earth, with a half-open glass door and curtains as red as the silk on her cloak's inner-fabric. There was a wooden signboard reading 'Sophie's Tailor's' at the front.
They went inside and were greeted by an old lady who seemed to be in her sixties. "Hello there! Aren't these kids marvelous?" The old woman went on squeezing everyone's cheeks.
"This one needs some taking care of!" The old lady said when she reached Aefia.
"Yes, I completely agree with you," Aefia said with a bow. Everyone stared at her.
"Oh...and it's got courtesy! Let me introduce myself, I am Sophie, the owner of this shop," she replied.
"Now, let's see what's wrong. Oh no no no! She needs to be cleaned first! Others wait in line!" Ms. Sophie yanked Aefia into another room with her when the others tried to speak. "Barcela!"
"Yes, mother?" A young woman with curly white hair came out of a room.
"Dust her off this glitter coat." Ms.Sophie pointed at Aefia.
Barcela entered the room she came from and brought a duster. Don't tell me I will get bitten up here too.
Aefia closed her eyes and Barcela lightly smacked the duster on Aefia's clothes, causing more than half the glitter to fall in an instant.
"Wow! I am impressed!" Aefia spoke after Barcela was done dusting her.
"It's a duster which can get rid of the strong attractive forces between the cloth and the glitter. This glitter is used on royal gowns to make sure the day goes well for the royal family." Barcela replied.
"So are these glitter...?" Aefia didn't find the courage to finish the sentence but Barcela guessed it.
"Yes. It gets sent to the royal tailor."
Are the royalties that low? Just take a dip into the lake yourself, your Majesty!
"What kind of clothes would you like, lad?" Ms.Sophie asked.
"Full-sleeved and long trousers. And can I get a pair of shoes?" Aefia asked.
"Yes, sure! You know, for your manners, you best suit a half top hat." Ms.Sophie said before walking away.
"Wait! Ms.Sophie!" Aefia was a bit too late.
"Don't worry, Mom will get you the clothes you wanted," Barcela said.
"Then that's a relief!"
"So what's your name? I am Barcela and in my twenties."
"Aefia and fifteen." Aefia bowed again.
"Where did you learn your manners? You seem like a citizen of Nikoan for it."
"I learned it from Mr.Elephant."
"Here, try this out, it should be your size." Ms.Sophie handed Aefia the clothes. "There is a trial room there." She said while pointing to the room up front.
"Sure! Thanks!" Aefia replied and bowed again.
Suddenly, Ms.Sophie's expression changed. "Someone who bows too much is considered suspicious, do you know that?" Ms.Sophie looked angrily at Aefia.
Am I back at the cycle?