5. Short MigrationThe previous day

  It was around early afternoon. I, dressed in the armour I usually wear when I work, am waiting for my two colleagues Oktavian and Heinz to arrive. While I wait, I check that I have taken the necessary things to face the journey ahead. First, I check my personal suitcase.

  'Let's see. The toothpaste is there, the toothbrush is there too, the multi-tooled knife is also there...'

  I close the briefcase, after which I check my other suitcase, inside which I have put some spare clothes.

  'Everything is there.'

  Finishing the check, I see my two companions arrive.

  "Hey Fr?nze, sorry for the being te but Oktavian here had forgotten about our 'little vacation'..."

  I load my bags onto the carriage we rented, suggesting they do the same.

  "You too, Fr?nze, did you happen to forget that you were fired?"

  Heinz seemed in a good mood, since he was so interested in teasing us. On the other hand, I was still furious. Instinctively I attempt to draw my sword.

  "Calm down! What are you trying to do!"

  Heinz, as he loaded his and the other man's suitcases onto the wagon, rebuked me as usual. I could tell from his face that he was worried about me.

  "I'm sorry. Unfortunately you know that when I lose my temper I don't think straight..."

  I bow my head to him in humility.

  "Exactly... What is the pn?"

  I turn towards Oktavian, whose expression confirms to me that he remembered nothing of what we had just discussed. It was some time that I didn't recognise him anymore. He was perpetually drunk and was now more of a burden than anything else.

  "We have already told you several times. We travel by carriage to the town of Valledeserta, which is the demon realm's border town closest to us. From there we can take a train to the town of Pignacadente."

  Heinz's expnation, pressing his own index finger on the dog-man's nose, did not seem to be satisfactory, at least seeing his confused face.

  "A train?"

  "It's a kind of carriage. More a caravan than a carriage actually, which instead of being animal powered, it runs on magic or, alternatively, by burning wood."

  "Does such a thing exist?"

  Heinz seemed to know a lot about the technology of the demon realm. I knew a bit about it too. After all, my vilge was closest to the border with their kingdom, and I often managed to get my hands on some of their devices, despite their reluctance to sell them to foreigners. Meanwhile I notice that Heinz looks at the dog-man with eyes at half-mast.

  "Of course it exists.What ridiculous questions do you ask..."

  "Hey, you three! Are you getting on or am I leaving you here?"

  It was the carriage driver who was rightly getting upset with us wasting his time. The three of us climbed into the carriage and set off on our adventure.

  "Do you think the Baroness knows that we've run away?"

  I was worried. Not so much for the success of the journey, but because I would be leaving my vilge at the mercy of that crazy baroness. Once at the border I calm down slightly, despite the presence of two guards is not very reassuring. One of the two guards stops us, despite the presence of a bar blocking the passage, while the other approaches the cart.

  "Could you come down?"

  He was not very familiar with the lingua franca: Caulisflos. Fortunately, given my job, I also knew it, if only at a basic level. This basic knowledge of the nguage, however, did not sufficiently reassure me.

  'I hope my nguage skills are sufficient.'

  I am the first to get off the carriage, followed by my companions. I turn to observe the driver, who was being questioned by the other guard.

  "Follow me"

  The three of us follow the guard who had ordered us down inside a small building. Inside, the guard took a seat behind a desk, while the three of us remained standing on the other side: me in the middle, Heinz on my right and Oktavian on my left.

  'Papers. That is, if you have them..."

  Only a fool would not have guessed the btant sense of superiority he held towards us. We put on a good face and handed him our documents. He took them, looked at them, shuffling them in bulk as he held them in his hands. Finished looking at the pieces of paper, the guard said, turning to us from his left:

  "So. Franziska Berger, Oktavian Hügeler and Heinrich Schulckter, right."

  I instinctively bang my fists on the desk.

  "You confused us on purpose, didn't you? According to you a ba-"

  I quickly got a dagger pointed at my face.

  "'Keep this endeavour up and I won't let you in."

  I look around, and see that my companions look at me with disappointment.

  "Fr?nze, you must remain calm."

  Heinz was right. Keeping calm when provoked was always something I always failed to achieve. To make up for my mistake I bow my head and decide to apologise.

  "Sorry for my reaction."

  The guard snickers at us.

  "You are free."

  Despite that guard's brazen arrogance, the tter escorts us back to the wagon.

  "Have a safe journey."

  That guard's behaviour really got on my nerves. First he mocks us and then treats us as if nothing had happened. I was about to reply to him in kind but my two companions put their hands in front of my mouth. Luckily my look was quite 'eloquent'. The three of us get back on the wagon and sit down. I position myself in a not very elegant manner.

  "Fr?nze... If you sit down with your legs wide apart then you'll pick up this habit even when you wear skirts..."

  It was Oktavian's voice. While I was gd to hear him speak while sober, it was not the right time for a lecture.

  "I'm worn out Oktavian, don't you start lecturing me too, now.... That guard... I would punch him."

  I instinctively clenched my fists in frustration. That guard with his mere presence had made a 15-minute journey as tiring as a six-hour one.

  ---

  We had finally reached Pignacadente. The three of us were getting off the train, each carrying our own luggage.

  "This train sure is fast... I wonder how they built it..."

  "Since the st great war, the demons have been sitting on the sidelines minding their own business. Especially at first they suppressed the release of any news about their technological researches, but at the same time they also began to dispy them in the border cities, so that they could attract immigrants. That is why the demon realm became as it is now, dear Oktavian, technological and diversified. The other kingdoms were much less interested in technological pursuits. Long story short, I don't know how they did it in the strict sense, but it was because of all these years of research."

  I see Oktavian massaging his head after hearing the whole speech.

  "Heinz, you could have skipped the whole premise..."

  "Oktavian, you need to get educated after you have burnt who knows how many neurons through drinking alcohol."

  I snicker while Heinz curls his moustache, smiling.

  "Still, what do we do now, Heinz?"

  "We look for a hotel and for jobs."

  My lips twitch slightly.

  "I thought you had at least one pce in mind..."

  "Indeed I do have a pce in mind, dear Fr?nze. The adventurers' guild."

  Heinz taps his own index finger on his bald head. I can't help but sigh.

  "I would avoid it if possible. The guild charges by the pound to rent closets. Plus we would have to become adventurers."

  "Technically I am still an adventurer."

  Oktavian had told us several times that before becoming a guard he had been an adventurer.

  "Anyway, the hiring criteria to get jobs here are very strict. We will most likely end up becoming adventurers, Fr?nze."

  "That doesn't mean we have to live at the guild."

  I start scratching my head.

  'I would really like to avoid having to live at the guild...'

  While we aimlessly walk around the city unable to really enjoy the scenery, I notice a bulletin board.

  "There's a notice board! Maybe someone is interested in renting a ft..."

  "Where?"

  At Heinz's request, I point to the notice board. after which we approach it and start reading the various advertisements.

  "It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Benedetto Maria Dal Monte, aged 26, due to a domestic accident."

  That was Heinz's voice. I'm sure he was getting bored, as he was engaging in subtly puerile behaviour. I snort.

  "Read in your head Heinz!"

  Although I receive no reply he stops uttering words. The three of us look at the various ads scattered on the notice board. It is Oktavian who finds an interesting ad first. He carelessly removes it from the notice board. I gre at him

  "Oktavian! What are you doing! Put it back."

  "I will not. That way we'll avoid aiding the competition."

  "Aargh!'

  "You two! Let's not waste time! Let's read what the announcement is about."

  Heinz's harsh words surprise me, given his previous behaviour.

  'Maybe he didn't like my reprimand'

  My thoughts are soon interrupted.

  "Fr?nze! Do you hear me?"

  I bow my head.

  "Excuse me Oktavian."

  "Now you know she's listening."

  I notice out of the corner of my eyes that Heinz is ughing under his moustache. I huff instinctively.

  "I was saying: three-room apartment for rent, 80 m^2, with small garden, at 22 Spade Street. 2 gold coins of rent per month."

  I am a little puzzled.

  "I would prefer a slightly lower rent."

  "If we find suitable jobs we can pay it comfortably. Plus I've brought quite a bit of savings with me."

  Heinz turns towards Oktavian, putting a hand on his shoulder.

  "'Good job Oktavian! And here I thought you currently were a good-for-nothing."

  Oktavian does not look very happy.

  "Hmph... Let's go."

  "Where do you want to go! We don't know who to contact!'

  I instinctively put my hand in front of my mouth. I was afraid that the stroke of luck I had had had vanished. Oktavian rereads the flyer, looking for more information.

  'For more information contact Volframio...'

  Oktavian stops talking, but still seems to be continuing to read the flyer.

  "Do you know what is this... Phone?"

  I become angry.

  "WHAT HAS THAT GOT TO DO WITH OUR SITUATION!"

  "My question is a legitimate one."

  "IT'S NOT THE MOM-"

  I have a realization. Instinctively I grab the arms of the man in front of me.

  "Oktavian, you are a genius!"

  My companion's expression becomes very confused. Heinz's also has a simir expression. Mine, on the other hand, is bursting with joy.

  "I have a phone!"

  The expression of the two does not change, Then Heinz starts scratching his chin.

  "It's a demonic contraption, isn't it?"

  "Yes. With a phone you can contact other phones. Each phone has a number associated with it."

  Heinz is scratching his chin, then he starts staring at me.

  "How do you get one? I live about 35 km from the border and I have only heard these phones being mentioned. I've never seen one."

  "Well, I live 5 km from the border.... Let's say my vilge has a rather prolific exchange with the neighbouring border town. Incidentally, it seems that the lord of my vilge is pnning to discuss formal agreements with the aforementioned town."

  Heinz does not seem at all surprised by what I said.

  "Then make that call."

  I nod. Then I pick up the phone and dial the number, while the other two look at me in curiosity. The answer comes after a few seconds.

  "Hello."

  "Hi... Are you Volframio?"

  "At your disposal."

  "Well... I wanted to talk to you about the announcement of the house rental."

  I hear a thud coming from the phone. The conversation resumes after a few seconds.

  "Excuse me. It's just that I've wanted to find occupants for a long time now.... I had completely given up all my hope.... Hehehe... So, when do you want to see the house."

  "Kindly... As soon as possible."

  "You guys are in a hurry huh? Let's do tonight then, around 8pm; as soon as I get off work."

  "Alright. See you tonight then."

  "Alright, goodbye."

  "Goodbye."

  I end the call. Heinz looks at me, raising an eyebrow.

  "So tonight at 8pm we're going to see this house?"

  I can't contain my satisfaction.

  "Right."

  I leap on the spot like a little girl.

  "Great! Yay! Yay!"

  Heinz bursts out ughing, while Oktavian looks at me satisfied.

  The present day

  Agamennone was working at the adventurer's guild, watching the cash register while Timotea was sitting and reading a book called: "Wild edibles". Agamennone yawned.

  "*Yawn*... So boring..."

  "I know, When there's nothing to do here it's kinda boring here. Isn't there anything interesting on the tv"

  Agamennone rubbed a finger against the counter, then on his finger the amount of dust that remained stuck.

  "There's nothing interesting on it. Still... They don't often clean here, do they?"

  "Yeah."

  There was a pause of about ten seconds in the conversation.

  "Listen... Did you happen to know a certain Benedetto Maria dal Monte?"

  The girl raised an eyebrow.

  "No, why?"

  "Because he's apparently dead. My eye fell on a funerary poster."

  "If there's the notice I doubt he's only 'apparently' dead. I tend not to read such announcements, they make me depressed."

  "Huh..."

  Agamennone began pacing back and forth behind the counter.

  "The notice stated that he died from a domestic accident... How did he die according to you?"

  The girl, changing the page of the book, sighed.

  "I don't even want to think about it."

  "Maybe he fell after taking a shower.... Or he fell down the stairs... Or maybe the moka pot exploded in his face..."

  Timotea's eyebrow began to show twitching.

  "... Maybe he broke a cup and a shard of gss entered his bloodstream..."

  The cat woman was gritting her teeth.

  "...Or maybe he simply died of electrocution..."

  "ENOUGH OF THIS DISCUSSION!"

  The girl instinctively closed the book, then she smmed it down on the counter. Agamennone, btantly defensive, rolled his eyes.

  "Of course one can't talk to you about anything at all.... Where I come from, you bet on people's deaths.... More or less..."

  "There are thousands of topics and you choose to talk about the dead..."

  Meanwhile, a guard was entering the guild's entrance hall. Timotea immediately interrupted the current discussion.

  "Welcome to the adventurer's guild, how may I be of service to you?"

  Despite having respected the etiquette, Timotea was unable to hide the irritation she had.

  "I would be looking for Agamennone, is he here by any chance?"

  "That depends."

  Agamennone replied without even turning towards the guard.

  "Yes, he is here. It's him."

  Timotea, still feeling upset, pointed at her colleague, who showed obvious signs of frustration.

  "Agamennone, I have come to remind you of the commission you have accepted."

  "Yes, yes, I'll come..."

  The man signalled the guard to leave.

  "I am here to accompany you."

  The boy huffed; his torso had a kind of voluntary spasm. Then he walked out of the area behind the counter and joined the guard, forgetting to say goodbye to his colleague. The guard turned towards the adventurer. The two stood looking at each other for a few seconds. Timotea did not understand what was happening; in the meantime Agamennone crossed his arms and started tapping the floor with one foot.

  "I was waiting you..."

  "I was waiting you..."

  The two replied in unison. Agamennone looked at the guard with half-lidded eyes, pcing his hands on his hips. The guard was stunned for a moment, blinking rapidly, before starting to walk towards the exit, with Agamennone in tow. The cat-woman looked at the duo with a slight despair on her face.

  'What have i witnessed...'

  She sighed.

  'Still... Why is Agamennone being escorted by a guard on an errand about tending a vegetable garden? Is he the owner, by any chance?'

  As the young woman scratched her chin, deep in thought, The two were leaving the building.

  'Do... you happen to know Benedetto Maria dal Monte?"

  "Fucking yes. I was his neighbour... I was also quite a friend of his."

  "Huh... So... Do you know how he died?"

  "What the fuck do you care?

  "Oh... I was just talking... Besides, it's not like you become 'cooler' if you swear..."

  Agamennone made the air quotes as he uttered the word "cooler".

  "You need to expin two things to me now: First, why I had to have you called and reminded of the commission which you have, may I remind you, 'spontaneously' accepted, and second, why I found you wandering in the warehouse..."

  The atmosphere was tense. Both Agamennone and Ferdinando were furious.

  "The first answer is simple. It is because someone conveniently forgot to disclose the meeting schedule to me. The second answer has to do with the fact that always that someone, a big bratwurst-head, forgot to inform me of the location as well!"

  The minotaur shook his fists in the air.

  "Because it is obvious that our secret meetings take pce in the throne room."

  the man raised his eyebrow

  "There are at least three reasons why I don't like you... I'm not interested in secret meetings with you..."

  The bovine man was astonished and blinked rapidly, then raged again.

  "Don't try to divert the conversation with your petty remarks... Why were you in the warehouse?"

  "Because contrary to what your Florentinity thinks, I had guessed that I was supposed to meet you here, however this stupid castle is huge and I couldn't find this room. I wandered around and got lost because there is no damn sign!"

  The man crossed his arms. Ferdinando pointed at the man.

  "And to think I wanted to give you the reward due you for accepting the commission..."

  "That two cents? Look I've inquired about the payment. Two one-off silver coins is a pittance!"

  The bull snorted.

  "Back to us, which is something difficult for you since you are a professional time waster, I wanted to make you a proposition before starting the lesson: I have heard from reliable sources that you are interested in taking courses to learn how to control magic. You should be aware that these courses are only avaible to those who have completed their compulsory education, or to students of schools that focus on mastering magic. Given your situation, it seems obvious to me that you have to complete the entire course of study before you can take such a css..."

  The man's eyes widened.

  "I have no intention of doing another ten-something years of school!"

  "Take it easy. You don't have to study for another decade and more. Instead, you could study for exams that certify your skills. They are analogous to the exams we do in schools. If you pass them, you will be recognised as having skills simir to those of the school graduates. Then you will be able to have an appropriate qualification in this realm as well."

  Agamennone was btantly displeased.

  "Can't all this bureaucratic finicality be ignored?"

  Ferdinando merely shook his head. With a defiant look, the man pointed his finger at the bipedal bull.

  "Btant abuses of power are not contempted. Haven't I already told you that your power is not absolute, and that I have the right of veto, especially if the ruler i serve is not to be trusted?"

  The ruler's index finger drooped as the bull sneered.

  "I know you think I am being unreasonable. I might be a bit worried about the situation and I might be in a bit of a hurry to get results, however I do not think I am being unreasonable..."

  "No one thinks they are being unreasonable..."

  Agamennone interrupted the regent's speech.

  "It may be the case, but I have evidence to prove it. But leaving aside your insults, I am showing you all my generosity by still allowing you to register for the css, which, by the way, starts in about two weeks. But you will have to take these... certificate exams at the end of the course. Then you will also have to take another exam at the end of the training css, but you can take that ter... Huh... the entire course sts about three months. You have plenty of time to study the various subjects: maths, physics, science, history, geography and nguages..."

  The man whitened his face.

  "ALL THIS STUFF? YOU ARE CRAZY!"

  Agamennone was waving an arm in the air threateningly.

  "It's not like we're going to ask you useless things... You can very well study on those summarised books that can be found at any newsstand. It is actually just a formality..."

  Ferdinando was calm, although the usual sneer showed his delight in announcing bad news to his superior.

  "You have no idea what a formality is!"

  The man was still agitated, his hands still clenched into fists, but at that moment he realised something.

  "You said you would allow me to enrol in these lectures?"

  "Yeah... In addition to being regent of the kingdom, I am also rector of the academy."

  'What is this, a joke?'

  "What is this, a joke?"

  The minotaur did not understand what his interlocutor was saying.

  "What do you mean with 'a joke'?"

  "Never mind..."

  "Alright. Now pick up the material so we can start the lesson where we left off."

  The ruler opened his mouth, but said nothing. The bull gred at him.

  "'You forgot, didn't you?"

  The man did not answer.

  "I'll go get you pen and paper again. As long as you don't lose your various notes afterwards. And you owe me a pen. We don't steal office supplies here..."

  Agamennone continued not to answer, merely observing the regent's movements.

  'Damn me!'

  Agamennone was walking back to his workpce. His slouching walk manifested all his mental fatigue. The man looked around.

  'Where have I ended up? I don't seem to have ever been in these areas...'

  As he surveyed his surroundings, the young man noticed one building in particur and stared at it.

  'That facility has something familiar about it.... I have nothing better to do now, I might as well satisfy my own curiosity.'

  The man walked towards the building. The front door was wide open and the boy did not think twice about entering.

  'I knew it...'

  The boy found himself inside a church. Agamennone immediately noticed a marble statue near a small altar. He approached it, and began to read in his mind what was written at the foot of it.

  '11th Demon King: Jean-Philippe De Puniet "The Saviour".'

  The man put his finger to his chin, pondering for a few seconds. Then suddenly his face became angry and he began to sh out at the statue.

  'YOU DAMNED WRETCH, I'LL KILL YOU! YOU'RE ALSO FRENCH... BUT NOW YOU SHALL SEE WHAT I AM DOING TO DO TO YOU, YOU SHALL SEE HOW I AM CAPABLE OF PERFORMING MIRACLES BY MAKING TEARS AND BLOOD COME OUT OF YOUR MARBLE BODY!"

  The young man huffed, then sat down on one of the benches, putting his legs still on the bench and resting his back on the corner between the armrest and the backrest.

  'I feel tired, maybe I'd better rest here for a moment...'

  While the young man was resting, a man with dog ears and tail entered the church. He wandered inside the structure, until, noticing Agamennone and noticing his uniform, he decided to approach him.

  "Are you by any chance an adventurer?"

  Agamennone, immersed in his own thoughts, did not hear him.

  'Ferdinando's bresao! Ferdinando's ribs! Ferdinando's fillet! Only four euros per kg...'

  The dog-man cleared his throat.

  "I said, are you an adventurer?"

  Agamennone, brought back to reality, turned around in confusion. The dog-man was surprised by the confusion.

  'Ah... Yeah... I must speak in lingua franca...'

  "Are you... er... an adventurer?"

  The ruler was growing impatient. He raised an eyebrow while his eyes were at half-mast. He instinctively folded his hand like a purse. The other interlocutor had no idea what to do.

  'Does this person not speak the lingua franca?'

  Suddenly an idea fshed across his mind. The dog-man, with his brown and somewhat grizzled hair and tail, closed his hand except for his thumb, which was outstretched, and waved it back and forth in front of his mouth.

  Agamennone scratched his head.

  'This guy wants to drink in a church?'

  The boy gred at the other man, then emuted the gesture from before, then pointed downwards.

  Oktavian nodded, then reached into a pocket of his suspender trousers with one hand while waving his index finger with the other.

  'He has no money... DOES HE WANT TO STEAL THE CHURCH'S WINE? That is, if they have it...'

  Agamennone turned and stared at the face of Jean-Philippe's statue. An evil smile appeared on his face, but it disappeared shortly afterwards. The man returned his gaze to his interlocutor, but never looked him in the eye. He spread his arms wide. The dog-man nodded, then walked towards the exit, before hurrying back to Agamennone.

  Oktavian pointed to himself, then to the ruler and finally to the exit. The young man mused.

  'Does he want to go out with me?'

  Agamennone sat composedly on the bench, then began to slide further and further away from his interlocutor, who shrugged before walking away.

  'Weirdo...'

  'Did I have to meet an illiterate? Rather... I have a feeling I've forgotten something...'

  Oktavian, leaving the church, put his hand on his forehead.

  'I think that bizarre fellow was indeed an adventurer, at least the uniform is that of one of them...'

  Agamennone sat in a chair behind the counter while sipping a can of strawberry tea.

  "That errand was exhausting, wasn't it?"

  Timotea was doing warm-up exercises by resting one leg on the counter.

  "It was a tedium."

  "Can I at least know what errand it was?"

  Agamennone was surprised.

  "Why? Don't you look at the errands on the noticeboard?"

  The cat woman changed her leg resting on the counter. The exercises the girl performed with this leg were lighter.

  "I look at them when I have to pick them. But now I'm recovering and can't do anything, so I don't look at them."

  The man scratched his chin.

  "But what injury you have. I haven't seen you limping, wearing casts or anything. You haven't faked the injury, have you?"

  Timotea rolled her eyes.

  "I have a sprain. They gave me a three-week prognosis just in case. I can be operational again next week."

  "Ah..."

  Agamennone took another sip of strawberry tea.

  "So, what errand did you run?"

  The girl smiled under her moustache.

  Agamennone snorted. He put his hand in his pocket, from which he took out the pen lent to him earlier by Ferdinando.

  "Let's say... I was at the mercy of those at the castle."

  Timotea put his other leg back down, while the ruler drank more tea.

  "That must have been hard..."

  "Yeah..."

  As Agamennone conversed and fiddled with his pen a trio of people entered the building. In this trio the man noticed a familiar face.

  'It's the wine guy!'

  "It's the wine guy!"

  Oktavian also immediately noticed Agamennone, but did not bat an eyelid. The red-haired woman with him approached Timotea, who was confused by the expression used by her colleague. She was speaking in the lingua franca.

  "Excuse us... We are three people who would like to join the guild.... Actually, one of us is already an adventurer, and..."

  Fr?nze began to scratch her chin.

  "Like... Can he be transferred here?"

  The catwoman took some forms from the counter to fill out.

  "Here you go: two joining forms and one transfer form."

  Agamennone, not understanding anything, stood back and observed.

  The trio finished filling out their respective forms. The bald man looked at the catwoman.

  "When could we become active?"

  "Starting tomorrow."

  Heinz nodded. The trio left in a coordinated manner, but not before they each took a drink from the vending machine, with Fr?nze also paying for the dog-man. Agamennone was about to open his mouth, but stopped suddenly.

  'I'd better not say that I didn't understand a word they said, otherwise I'll start getting bombarded with questions and risk being discovered and sent to the front line and become a walking punching bag.'

  Timotea turned to the man and noticed him overthinking.

  "What are you thinking? And why you called out a 'Wine guy'?"

  Agamennone was taken aback.

  "Um... One of those guys wanted to drink the church's wine. I was just thinking about him..."

  Timotea was confused.

  "Church's wine? There is no church's wine. That 'church' is more of a comfort building than a religious one. People go there more to let off steam, not to get drunk. Usually no services are even held, and when they are held, the staff are entirely made of volunteers."

  "Uh..."

  Timotea began to look at the man with some suspicion.

  "This is common knowledge. It's strange that you don't know about it.... Even though Vionte told me you're a misfit."

  Agamennone rolled his eyes.

  "Yes... I am a misfit... I don't know such things, having had no interest in them..."

  Agamennone had a hysterical ugh on his face.

  ---

  "Ah, so I would be a misfit, huh?"

  In his roommate's room Agamennone pointed his finger at Vionte, who was wearing her hair in a ponytail. The tter grinned hysterically.

  "Excuse me Agamennone, That's the first thing that came to mind that could expin your shortcomings..."

  The man paused for a moment to reflect.

  "The idea is not a bad one, but I would have preferred knowing about it before hearing it from others."

  "It's something I told Timotea on the spur of the moment this afternoon when we met."

  The succubus looked away.

  "And why would you have met Timotea? She works behind a counter, so that means you went looking for her!"

  Vionte's gaze grew slightly aggressive.

  "She's my friend, she's recovering from an injury, she's doing a job she doesn't like and she was also doing it on her own, alone. Those seem like enough motivations to me."

  The man froze for a moment.

  "... It seems like it..."

  The young man put his hands in his pockets, while the woman crossed her arms.

  "Still, at one point she started talking to someone in a nguage I didn't understand..."

  "I think you are referring to lingua franca."

  "Lingua franca?"

  Agamennone was slightly surprised.

  "It is the nguage that is used to aid communication between the various extant countries."

  "Could you teach me this nguage?"

  Vionte sneered. She gently but sensuously grasped the man's chin and made the boy look into her eyes. The man was surprised and turned red.

  "I DIDN'T MEAN THAT!"

  the girl released the man before he could remove her hand by force, smiling sweetly as the man suddenly calmed down.

  "I know, dummy. I can't help you though, because I've never been good with tongues.... At least not with the ones you speak..."

  The succubus smiled slightly, as Agamennone rolled his eyes.

  "Timotea however is quite fluent and I think he can help you. When you have time ask him for help."

  The boy nodded.

  "Anyway... I'd rather you didn't extend your hands."

  The girl blushed slightly and looked away.

  "It was just a joke..."

  She also began to whisper.

  "... I promise not to do it again..."

  The man sighed, slightly frustrated.

  "You just remember to do that, because it seems to me that you have a somewhat selective memory..."

  Vionte tried to recompose herself, but could not.

  "Excuse me... I'm just comfortable with you, I think I already told you..."

  "I think so, but you have no reason to be comfortable with me. I don't believe in things like instinctive sympathy. Maybe once in a while you should remember that we hardly know each other."

  The girl became slightly upset. She composed herself and looked Agamennone in the face, vainly seeking eye contact.

  "Perhaps you are right."

  "I know OUCH!"

  Vionte flicked the man's nose.

  On a velvet-covered wooden throne, a short-haired woman was savagely devouring a rge tuna and mayonnaise sandwich, soiling, among crumbs and food fragments, the precious dress she was wearing. From a side entrance entered a waitress, whose legs were trembling slightly. The seated woman began to speak with her mouth full.

  "Hey wench! *munch* *munch* Do you happen to know what happened to Fr?nze's fine ass? *munch* *munch* I told her she would become my secretary, rather than the head of the guards. That would have been a more suitable role for her. *munch* Plus she would have had the honour of tasting my nectar."

  The maid restrained herself from making noises of disgust.

  "I don't know, madam."

  "Then *munch* go look around for her, you or any of the other sluts of *munch* *munch* your colleagues. I want my future secretary! *munch*. And don't forget *munch* your usual duties! It's not that just because *munch* I send you out all day looking for someone then *munch* you don't have time to clean the building. You sckers!"

  "As you wish, madam."

  The maid vanished after making a reverent bow, suppressing her emotions. The woman gnced at the half of the sandwich left to him, then pulled it onto the red carpet under the throne and stepped on it.

  "It is your fault I am no longer hungry, my little whore Fr?nze!"

  She stood up very ungracefully from her throne and then walked out of the throne room. She walked through the straight corridor to the doorway, outside of which she found no one.

  "What the fuck!"

  The woman pulled a handgun out of her panties and started shooting wildly in random directions. She fired five shots and attracted the attention of a guard, who ran towards her.

  "What is going on madam?"

  The woman put the gun in the mouth of the guard, who was paralysed with fear.

  "WHEN I CALL SOMEONE, I WANT PEOPLE TO COME RUNNING TO ME!"

  The guard nodded, moving slightly.

  "Good! Now you shitface go look for someone who can bring that Fr?nze bombshell back to me for a few bucks. I haven't seen her around today and I want to make her understand that I am a person who demands respect. The price doesn't matter. Now go, asshole!"

  The woman took the gun out of the guard's mouth, then she left the pace fiddling with the gun. The guard, meanwhile, suddenly rexed, deciding to lean against the wall of the building with one hand, while covering his eyes with the other.

  'How I hate her... Now I have to do as she says though. She's crazy and I'm afraid she may kill me soon. Plus shooting wildly and calling someone is not the same thing!'

  The guard, having partially recovered his composure, walked towards the exit of the pace garden and, from there, headed towards the adventurers' guild, which was about 200 metres away from the pace. The man entered the building and walked towards the counter.

  "Good evening, what do you need?"

  "Hello, I would like to... propose a commission on behalf of Her Highness Baroness Gef?ngnis."

  "Alright, fill out the form I'm about to give you, then I'll take it to the administration to get it validated."

  The guard let out a sigh as the clerk handed him the form.

  'I hope it's OK what I'm doing.'

  The guard filled out the form and handed it back to the clerk. On it was written: "Volunteers wanted for tracking down and recovering Mrs Fr?nze, who recently disappeared. For further information, please go to the pace of Baroness Gef?ngnis. No time wasters." The guard therefore greeted the clerk.

  "Goodbye."

  "Goodbye to you, too."

  The guard left the guild, intending to return to the pace, while the clerk, form in hand, headed for the guild's administrative office.

  Back at the pace, the man casually met one of his colleagues in the garden.

  "Listen my colleague, has the baroness returned by any chance? I saw her leave a little while ago and I need to tell her some news."

  The other guard rolled his eyes.

  "You idiot! The baroness left less than ten minutes ago, why would she have returned already? Go back to your duty and tell her the news when she returns."

  The guard sighed before returning to his post.