Serena had just left the Guild.
She could see that now some movement was present in the streets, but not as much as usual.
— Ok, I should head to the...uhm...the place with the carriages.
A familiar voice came from behind the girl — You are looking for transport to elsewhere, then, correct?
Serena closed her eyes and scretched her head — Yeah, It's really easy to find someone normally, but I don't know what's going on today...
— It was a distraction caused by the Crusaders that left before dawn yesterday. Evildoers were quick to act, infiltrating the city and causing havoc.
Serena turned towards the voice, seeing but a the top of a hat and a black and yellow dress being courteously held.
— Uhg...You're that weird one from before...
— You f...Ahem...I am sorry for my previous actions, please, let me reward you, both for my rudeness and for your work.
— Sorry, but no thanks, I'm kinda in a hurry, so, bye!
— No, wait...
Ignoring to the red-haired woman, Serena had already left to the north gate.
Near the north gate, a square full of carriages, all lead by different animals, stayed put.
— Yo! I need a carriage to Lúmen, the fastest one you have.
Serena was at the reception of the square, where the owners of each carriage stayed in a cabin to wait for customers, there, an old man served as the receptionist.
— It's not "Yo", Serena, it's "good morning, sir", or something like that, ok?
— Yes, sorry, I'm in a hurry.
— Oh? In a hurry, huh?
— Yeah, so please, the fastest one you have!
— Well, that'd be the running lizards, it'd be the guy just there...huh?
Both of them look towards the carriage, and there, a middle-aged man was giving his lizards some scrubbing, and next to him, someone seemed to be speaking.
— What...what the hell is that weird girl doing here? And how did she get here as fast as me?
They both saw the girl take her purse to her hand, and after looking into her shining hand, the carriage's owner screamed "It's a deal!"
— That guy...he got hired like that? How much did she even show him?
— What? But I'm the one here! I was talking to you before her!
— Well, it's kinda of a weird situation, since he's the only one with running lizards here, so you should try to haggle with that guy so he takes your offer over hers, it's now out of my hands.
— How much do you think I need?
— I'd charge you 1600 lagus for an emergency trip, and by his reaction, she must've offered him...hummm...around 5000 lagus.
— WHAT? How's it that expensive? I get payed 300 lagus every week! What? Huh? Am I in the real world? Huh?
— Shut up, lady, a normal trip would be around 500 lagus, but if you didn't see, what's been happening since yesterday raised the price, and you said it yourself, you're in a hurry, so I need charge extra as it's an inconvenience for my drivers.
— Hey, firstly: I'm still young, so, not a "lady"
— Can see that...
— Secondly: You'd be charging me double?
— I mean, it'd be a little more than triple the normal price.
From their sides, another voice entered the conversation — As the old man says and as you can see, you will not be able to pay for this carriage anymore, correct?
— Heh, did you hire him just to annoy me?
— Not at all, but first, excuse me, here is the payment, mister manager.
— Was is 5000 lagus?
— Oh? You could see that far?
— Nah, but thanks for your patronage, miss.
— Yes, you are very welcome. And you, pink-haired guard, MY carriage will be going to Strair, leaving as soon as my retainers bring my baggage, and as I can see, they are arriving in about one minute.
— Why are you doing this, you brat?
— Brat? Surely, you jest! I am...
Before she said anything, the carriage parked next to them — We are ready, miss Clara, are those with the bags coming with you?
Serena looked at the woman, and as far as she could see, she was a noble, but nobles come in many types, and there are types that have connections that ruin lives.
As she realised that, her face became pale and a wave of nausea washed over her.
The noble grinned as she realised Serena was shocked.
— No, they are but my retainers, they shall leave in another carriage. — She leaned into Serena's ear — You really know of nothing about the world, little guard. You should just accept my generous reward.
— Yeah, ok, miss Nara.
— It's Clara...
— Ok...
— So let us get into the carriage, my retainers shall accomodate my baggage and leave us be.
— Fine...
The driver turned to them, and with a huge smile, he said — Ok, so to Strair we go! It'll take around 9 hours and we should stop only once, at around lunch time!
After Clara entered the carriage, Serena was climbing it's stairs and lost her balance for an instant.
— Did the carriage just fall a bit my way?
— You mean it tumbled your way, right?
— Yeah, sure. What was that?
— Do you not know of suspension?
— It's my first time riding a carriage that's for people only.
— What other kind is there?
— For crops and stuff.
— Produce are taken by carriage to markets, then?
— Yeah, but what's this pention thing?
— ...It is a suspension...and you really are but a city guard, huh...but anyways, a suspention is a mechanism used in wheeled vehicles to make their contents' voyage smooth, to achieve that smoothness, emeralds infused with wind are placed on both axles, making it so the carriage itself isn't touching them directly, dampening any impact caused by the road.
Serena, who seemed to be paying close attention to Clara's words, turned her head.
— What?
— Uhm...as I said, the axles, they...
The driver interrupted — Young lady, you can't use difficult and technical words with commoners, most of the newer generation, especially those who were raised near the start of the war, didn't have proper education, so...
He looked forward, gripping his chin in thought, and after a few seconds, turned towards them.
— Hey, pink girl, it's kinda like this: You know the road is bumpy sometimes, right? They make it so the wheels ignore the bumps with some wind magic from gems, making the carriage more stable, ok?
— Oh, so they use magic stones to reinforce the wheels!
— Not the wheels, but the ax...the beam that conects the wheels.
— Hummm, I got it...magic stones really are strange and misterious, huh...
— Not really, we have learned how to stabilize, store and potentialize each major magic trait in the hexagram into the magic stones...however, it is an expensive technology since it uses rare stones such as emeralds and rubies, and that is why I am investing in technology to make a more affordable resource to...
Before she could finish her monologue, a noise stopped her.
"Zzz..."
— Huh?
— She's been snoring ever since you said the word "stabilize." I told you not to use difficult or technical wording.
Clara, as if waking herself from a transe, looked attently at the pink-haired girl who's now drooling. — Why was I talking so much?
— Actually, this girl is really famous in Salman for that, people kinda just open up to her. Her name is Serena Merlah, and I gotta say, she is a weird one, so you got yourself a real troublesome guest.
Now in deep thought, she mumbled — Merlah, huh?