"My little brother is the city guard you met in the noble district. Maa, what can I say? I suppose he was smitten by you. HAHAHA!"
The bearded City Guard Captain laughed out loud.
"I'm sorry, but I don't plan on marrying anyone."
Aleshia spoke seriously. She never had any plans to pursue romance. Her life was already hard as it is. It would only be harder if she added romance into it. She is aware that most girls her age already had their first love but it does not matter to her.
"Look at you, being all stiff. Can't you take a joke, miss?"
The City Guard Captain frowned at her. He wanted to lighten the mood a little bit but it didn't seem to have worked. He could only sigh in defeat.
"Ah! I didn't notice."
Aleshia was embarrassed. She thought that he was being serious. With all of the things that have been happening recently, she was still stiff.
"My joke is probably just bad. My name is Jerald Polo. A City Guard Captain in this city."
The City Guard Captain introduced himself with a handshake. Aleshia took it and felt the scars carved onto his hand.
"Wow, you must also be a veteran, huh? It seems that I was not needed here."
Jerald was bewildered when he held Aleshia's hand. It was totally unlike what he would expect from a beautiful woman like her. He has expected that she would be the soft type.
"Uh, yes..."
Aleshia nodded her head in agreement. She had a forced smile on her face. She let her guard down. Now someone knows that she's not only just a young woman but she's also a strong woman who could fight.
"What's your name?"
Jerald asked the absent-minded Aleshia.
"M-my name is Aleshia."
Aleshia answered in a fluster. She was too caught up in the fact that he realized that she was strong.
"Nice to meet you, Aleshia. My little brother sends you his regards. I have to go now. Also, I wouldn't mind having a sister-in-law as beautiful as you. HAHAHA"
Jerald joked with a hearty laugh. He was the type of person who would never get tired of his own jokes.
"Ahaha, Thanks for the help."
Aleshia flashed the sweetest smile that she could make as Jerald turned around and left. When she saw him disappear far into the merchant district was she only able to release a sigh of relief.
"That was close..."
Aleshia murmured to herself. Having someone know that she was actually strong would only bring endless suspicion to her.
"I should get going."
Aleshia walked into the merchant district with no obstruction. She joined the flow of the crowd seamlessly and she walked around while looking for something.
After passing through several shops, a shop with a job posted appeared. Aleshia stopped to read it.
LOOKING FOR A SALESLADY
It was a clothes store. The prices of which are targeted at the middle class. It was a spacious store. Several men and women were browsing through the clothes while salesmen and salesladies guide them through.
Aleshia was still wearing her green dress from earlier. She entered the store and was greeted by a beautiful saleslady.
"Good afternoon, miss. What are you looking for?"
There was a courteous smile on her face.
"I'm looking for a job."
Aleshia responded with a smile of her own.
"Ah! Come with me."
The saleslady was surprised and she brought Aleshia into the back. It was a huge room. There were tall open cabinets full of folded clothes. They entered a small room in it.
"Boss, someone is applying for a job."
The saleslady said to the man writing on an inventory paper before quickly departing.
"Hmm?"
The man looked to be in his mid-twenties. He looked up at Aleshia and stared at her with sarcastic eyes. Aleshia grew nervous seeing his eyes that seem to see through her.
"You are from the slums, aren't you?"
There was a knowing look on the man's face. Aleshia was taken aback by his words. He completely saw through her.
"How did you know?"
Instead of responding, Aleshia asked in surprise.
"Your clothes gave it away. Anyways, I'm not hiring you. Don't waste my time."
The man explained and brushed her off. He continued what he was doing as Aleshia left discouraged.
Aleshia left the store with a frown. This was harder than she thought it would be. The man denied her just from the fact that she was from the slums.
Aleshia walked around the merchant district and applied for various jobs. She applied for a saleslady in various shops, a receptionist, helper, accountant, etc. which all immediately denied her after knowing that she was from the slums.
By the time it was night, Aleshia was walking along the streets with a frown on her face. Things did not go as she had planned. She was denied again and again.
It was all because she was from the slums. If she only had an ID card. It was something that proves your citizenship to the kingdom. Anyone without it could not take any formal jobs in any city.
And people from the slums are the people who mainly don't have an ID card.
Aleshia entered the slum district. There was already a different city guard stationed on it. He let her pass without any disruption.
Aleshia approached her home and entered it. She stopped in her tracks when she saw that the place was entirely silent. There was no light and Ella who usually greeted her was not there. A bad premonition appeared in her heart.
She lit up a candle beside the door and walked deeper inside. There, she saw, words that are written on the wall with blood.
COME TO THAT ADDRESS. YOU MUST BE ALONE. OTHERWISE, YOU CAN SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR LITTLE ELLA
Aleshia's heart fell when she saw the blood writings. She pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and looked at it. She gritted her teeth in anger and she crumbled it. There was bloodlust surrounding her. She looked like a wolf that was about to rampage.