Sweat poured down the side of Alejandra's forehead. She was anxious and nervous. In a few minutes she would be entering her Aunt's room to receive her first training instructions. This would be the start of a grueling task—one that she is unsure if is even prepared for.

  Her fingers fiddled around nervously behind her. She had her sword, the magic ice bde gifted to her by the Emperor, strapped to her hip and her clothes ready for wear and tear.

  Speaking of, ever since she left Hielo, her sword had behaved completely, as if the being inside of it had returned back to its dormancy. It's rather unsettling how it suddenly stopped announcing its presence but Alejandra would much prefer that if she had to be honest.

  She hated the feeling of losing control.

  It was like the time she had saved Maddison…

  Her mind trailed off. She hasn't seen the red haired witch in many weeks. She doesn't know whether she should be worried or happy. Does that mean that she was no longer part of the Underworld’s pn?

  Does that mean she’ll never see that conniving little witch again?

  What is she thinking?

  This is good riddance.

  Better for her goals to succeed the title.

  Alejandra pursed her lips. She tried to hide her disappointment.

  “My Lady.” A voice called behind her. It was Teri. “You're shaking.” She pointed out, the young noble girl’s hands were rattling the sword after all.

  “Ah.” Alejandra let go of her blue bde and took a deep breath. She snapped her mind away from the redhead and decided to lock in on the first part of her training. Well…If she had an idea what it was going to be.

  “Whatever it is—I’m sure you can handle it!” Soyeon cheered next to them. “Miss Teresa and I will be here to support you, My Lady!” She squealed and excitedly hopped next to her mistress.

  “When will you learn to lower your volume?” Teri nudged the rookie who squeaked in response. “Always mind your manners.”

  In a sudden motion the two knights who were surrounding the door suddenly straightened their position as the door to the office opened revealing an extremely beautiful woman that Alejandra had never seen before. The dy had long pink hair, triangur ears that perked up the top of her head and slit-like eyes that reminded her of a cat.

  “You must be Alejandra?” The dy smiled, the fluffy tail behind her wagging. “Though Amelia told you to call for me whenever you needed, you never did.”

  Alejandra gawked for a moment, blushing at the sight before her. “Ah–uhm—I thought I could just get myself used to it.” She stammered.

  The dy giggled and moved out of the way inside, opening a path directly to the Duchess’s table. “Hana—Hana Akirama—Her Grace’s Secretary and Chief of staff.”

  “A–Alejandra Taylor Ramirez.” The girl curtsied.

  “Do you always have to be so formal?” Amelia called from behind the table. “Enter now, the three of you.” She gestured and the three young dies followed suit.

  “You've met my dear Hana.” The Duchess shrugged. “Now it should be time for me to assign you your first order of business…however—”

  “However, what?”

  “He’s not here yet.” Amelia leaned back and looked back at the closed door behind them.

  “Who?” Alejandra turned just in time for the door to open to reveal a bck haired man, who carried a slightly annoyed expression on him. He was dressed well but not in a way that makes him out to be of someone high rank.

  “Good Morning, Dear Sister.” Millo shot out a fake grin as his eye twitched in irritation.

  “Uncle!?”

  “It seems your mother had sent out a final dispy of her affection.” Amelia sighed and palmed her forehead as she let out an exasperated breath. “By Emperor’s order, I also can't remove him from your person.”

  “W–wait–what does that mean???” Alejandra turned back to the Duchess.

  “During your training—Millo here will be making sure of your safety and providing reports to your mother.

  “Ferris is going to come home soon as well.” He scratched the back of his head. “I hope you're prepared for that, Sis.”

  “Have I ever not been?” Amelia raised her eyebrow and Millo just turned away.

  “Wait—I still don't understand—what will be my training with you, Your Grace?” Alejandra asked in a tizzy. She was still bombarded by the sudden turn of events.

  “Me? I’m afraid your training with me will be in a different phase entirely.” The Duchess expined. “For the first half of your tutege under me—you will simply survive as a part of the Hunter’s guild—with no title nor riches to your name except your initial allowance.”

  “Huh?”

  “Indeed.” The Duchess stood up and walked to Alejandra. “You, My most beloved niece, will experience the life of the common hunter. You need to understand the value of everything around you.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Only then, will you be able to control that blood of yours. After all, Ponoz himself was but a mere peasant before he attained godhood.” Amelia smiled. “I assume you’re determined to follow his footsteps?”

  “I don't know about becoming a god but—” Alejandra felt a different type of excitement rush through her body. “I can't wait to grow stronger!”

  “Good.” The Duchess smiled and sat back down. “Starting tomorrow you must leave this castle and you will be unable to return for the next half of the year. You may take one of your maids with you but the other will remain here to manage your belongings.”

  “I’ll go with you, My Lady.” Teresa immediately volunteered. “You are far too inexperienced right now, Soyeon.” The maid apologetically gnced at the rookie who whimpered but nodded understandingly. “We need you to stay here, keep watch and learn from the maids here. We’ll be back before you know it.” Teri comforts her and she finally looks satisfied.

  “Excellent. You may take this pouch of gold and silver.” The Duchess snaps her finger and Hana hands Alejandra a satchel of money. “That should st you two weeks if you ration it well. You may also take any of your existing weapons or borrow one from the armory.”

  “I’ll be tagging along but I won't help unless necessary.” Millo added on. “This is your training, Alejandra. I trust in your ability to grow.”

  “Thank you, Uncle Millo.” The young heir smiled as she stuffed the money into her pockets. “Thank you too, especially, Your Grace.”

  “Do not express your gratitude to me yet.” Amelia waved her hands dismissively.” “Tell that to me when you've mastered the blessing of spirit within you.”

  “Understood.” Alejandra fired a fshy smile and met eyes with Amelia one st time. “I’ll see you soon, Auntie.”

  “You too, Alejandra.” Amelia leaned forward and her voice was gentler than ever. “I have full faith in you.”

  A few days ter in the outer edges of the city of Nieve. The group of three sat together in an inn. There was a short brown haired girl, dressed in pin clothes, with a bow ying beside her in the bed. Her eyebrow was angrily twitching as her arms were crossed, her feet tapping monotonously on the wooden floor.

  Between the three of them was a table. On top of that table was a pouch. Inside of that pouch…well…

  Inside of it was nothing

  “MY LADY!?” Teresa screamed. “WHERE'S OUR MONEY!?”

  “I may have uhh—” Alejandra chuckled, hiding behind a pillow. “Lost it?”

  “LOST IT!?”

  “I'M SORRY!” Alejandra bawled. “I–I WAS BUYING GROCERIES WHEN—” She sniffled. “When these guys came and asked if I wanted to py one game for a magic scroll—so I said yes thinking we could use it and when I pyed all I got was—”

  “She got this…” Millo lifted up a used towel with the writing “dumbass” put all over it.

  “That—” Teresa’s head was about to explode. “My Lady—Are you stupid???”

  “UWAAAAAAH” Alejandra fell back on her bed in grief.

  The three of them had been trying to sign up as a Hunting Party but there is a requirement of five members. So far, all the people they've asked have turned them down. Afterall, they had two spoiled looking girls, and a guy carrying Gardening shears as his weapon.

  So for the past three days, they've been stuck in the city doing barely anything.

  And now, thanks to Alejandra getting scammed—they’ve lost funds that were supposed to st them for two weeks.

  “I’m sure we can find two people desperate enough to work with us.” Millo sighed and stood up pacing around the inn. “Shall we go check and ask around again today?”

  “What else can we do, Sir Millo?” Teresa’s voice was extremely dismayed. “My Lady had just wasted all our remaining money.”

  “I–I’ll find them!” Alejandra jerked back up with determination. “I’ll find them and beat my money back out of them.”

  “You will do nothing of the sort.” Teresa shook her head. “You do not carry a name with you anymore, My Lady. You can get arrested quite easily now. Would you like to spend a few of your years in the Northern Jail?”

  “Ughhh…”

  “Someone so talented at politics and business getting scammed so easily–” Millo looked so dumbfounded. “I am at a complete loss of what to say.”

  “Please shut up, Uncle.” Alejandra covered her face in embarrassment.

  “Lift your legs, My young naive niece.” Millo sighed. “Let us depart at once in the hope that we can find a party willing to accept us.”

  “You’ve heard Sir Millo, My Lady,” Teresa sighed and picked herself up from the bed and strapped her bow behind her, “Let's pay the inn what we have left and go look for a desperate party.”

  The three rookie adventurers made their way down the inn and paid what would amount to the few scraps of silver they had left in their pockets. Teresa, the maid, decided to lead the way this time with her Lady, and Sir Millo following behind her.

  The city of Nieve, compared to Hielo, was a lot more modernised. It felt like a darker version of the Capital, literally. The stones used to build the houses and stores consisted of bcker rock and the wood that was used as lumber was the plentiful Promethean trees which are famously greyish in color.

  The shops were however, decorated top to bottom with various colors, as many different races alongside humans set up their storefronts or simply wanted to add color to their homes.

  There was a clear smooth stone path to one of the rgest buildings in the main city area, that is the Hunter's Guild. It was a tall and wide structure, consisting of what seemed to be three stories worth of height. It had a-lined roofs, and a rge symbol pstered on a sign above the door.

  The symbol was a sword stabbed through a snake's mouth as leaves served as extra color around the main shape. Alejandra couldn't quite grasp the intent of the symbol but she thought it had looked extremely cool.

  Once you enter the guild, you are welcomed by the foul stench of demonic beast guts, rusted iron, blood and meat, and thick sweat. At the far end of the lobby was a series of counters and booths where Hunter's can pose their concerns to.

  Towards the left of the room was a gigantic board where different papers and requests were pinned as people from various parts of Nieve send a commission to be fulfilled here. There are also guild-based commissions that involve hunting down a primary target such as a high level Demonic Beast.

  “As you can see, My Lady, there seems to be a very fortuitous guild request on the board.” Teresa crossed her arms. “A Css B Demonic Beast was spotted on the loose westward of the Nieve.”

  “Unfortunately, we can't accept the request until we form a party.” Millo sighed. “Alejandra, can you find us a pce to sit while young Teresa and I figure out how to go about this.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Alejandra weeped, still feeling immense guilt from the mess up she had made.

  Within the lobby room of the first floor was a rge set of various tables where parties can sit and rex and bring their outside food in while they wait for the guild to process their requests and/or their submissions to said requests.

  This is where most of the hunters turn in their capture game and loot from the Demonic Beasts and after a few minutes they will be given their pay in accordance to the difficulty of the commission and the level of the beast defeated.

  Demonic Beasts are cssified into 5 csses in accordance with the guild’s system.

  It ranges from Css E, the weakest; Css D, Rookie Hunter level; Css C, Experienced hunter level; Css B, Master hunter level or multiple veteran hunters required; Css A, multiple hunters of various skills required; to finally, Css S, in need of Ducal/Royal involvement, major crisis.

  There has been only 1 recorded Css A Demonic Beast, and the only one who would ever fit Css S would be the full form of Favaros, the Demon King’s familiar.

  Although—Alejandra could feel the tension in the room. Many parties look down and gloomy and from the conversations she's been hearing it's obvious.

  Lower Css demonic beasts, the ones that are usually used to feed the popuce have been dwindling in recent times. In comparison, the usually rare Css B’s have been found every two weeks as opposed to the usual 2 months in between.

  According to the rumors the only ones capable of taking down Css B’s without a worry would be a certain Elf’s group. Someone named—

  “Nabel’s missing please—” A familiar female voice cried out at one of the counters. It was an orange haired elf, someone Alejandra recognized from a while ago. It was the waitress at the restaurant she ate from. “—I know his party—they should be back by now!?”

  “Boudicca, calm yer yapper.” The simirly familiar dwarf held her back. “But in all seriousness, Madam, ain't the boy s’posed to be back by now?”

  The woman behind the counter sighed. “The Css B Sunfang they had reported has indeed been accounted for—however.” The guild dy shook her head. “It appears the whole party had left the cart before it made its way back here.”

  “That's—” The Elf Girl seemed worried.

  “Perhaps, it'll be better to look for them ourselves.” An older male Elf suggested from next to Bou. “Can we register ourselves as a party?”

  “I mean…you could—but—” The Guild Lady eyed them meticulously. “The three of you don't strike me as the adventurous type—either way you wouldn't be able to with just the three of you—a party of 5 is mandatory.”

  “We don't have time to get other people!” Boudicca, the orange haired elf, insisted. “He's been missing for a few days now! There's no telling what happened to him!”

  “Other experienced parties are also on the search commission, young miss.” The woman behind the counter sighed. “After a few days we should be able to—”

  “We don't have a few days!” Boudicca’s head was steaming from rage. “Just let us get this party cssification so we can legally search the forests—please…”

  “I am afraid not.” The woman was very firm on her stance. “There is a rule and we must adhere to it—otherwise inexperienced people like you would be rampant and end with bloods spilled on the forests.”

  “Tch—” Boudicca grit her teeth.

  “Calm yerself, Lass!” The dwarf, whose name has eluded Alejandra's mind, tried to calm her down again. “Let's give’er another shot tomorrow.”

  “You don't have to!!!” Yelled Alejandra from the other side of the room. Suddenly all eyes turned to her as she realized she had made herself the center of attention. “Uhh…” A rise of embarrassment made her flush as all these people suddenly began to assess her from their seats.

  “My Lady, what are you doing?” Teresa gred at her from the side and her Uncle smiled at her, intrigued at what she was about to do.

  “You're—the noble dy from Hielo?” Boudicca’s face was confused. “What are you doing here?”

  “That doesn't matter!” Alejandra grinned eye to eye as she walked over to the elf. “You need more people to form a party—so do we!”

  “What are you suggesting?”

  “It should be obvious, right.” Alejandra raised her hand for a handshake and a curious sparkle shone within her dark eyes. “Hey, Miss Elf. What say you and I look for your friend together?”