Chronicles of Metal: Chapter 5 – Welcome to Hashigin

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Hashigin. That was that name of the city upriver from the guild. Beard and Isabella arrived at the town some time in the early afternoon. The city was built atop a large bridge that stretched over the river, set upon tall walls that evoked the image of a castle at first glance. Half way across the bridge sat a much larger manor, that Beard assumed housed the ruler of the city, but by-and-large it seemed like your typical medieval town. The two passed by a small market outside of the city, which seemed to double as a port of ships to come and go. Apparently, this place was quite the trading hub.

Which of course made it all the easier for Beard to blend in. He thought Synth was just making a general appearance for him at first, but it seems his choice was a far bit more calculated than that. A merchant could blend in just about anywhere. It was almost scary to think how far ahead Synth must've thought in that regard.

What was less scary was the city's town guard. Maybe a dozen of them were watching the city gate, but none of them seemed even remotely interested in what they where doing. They'd poke around a cart if someone arrived with one, or ask about cargo if it stood out. But largely there was one thing they seemed to focus on.

That being... The women.

Three groups of men passed through the gate without so much as a question. One among them would drop a small coin sack on the desk as they passed and went on their marry way. A farmer ahead with a wheelbarrow full of corn however, couldn't so much as take a step without one of them trying to chat her up. Likely not about her crops either.

Isabella was no different. Right away Beard figured he should've seen that coming. These guards where probably chomping the bit for just about anyone of the opposite sex to pay attention to them. And a maid approaching their checkpoint was likely the most interesting thing that'd happened to them that day.

"Reason for entering?" One of the guards asked when they got to the front of the line.

Though, he didn't ask Beard. He asked Isabella. Of course, as she had been doing since they arrived, Isabella ignored him. "Just browsing." Beard interjected, not wanting them to pry any further.

Again, the guard didn't look at him. "Any goods or cargo?"

"Nope." Beard said with an annoyed tone. They weren't carrying anything, and clearly didn't come with a cart. If he'd taken his eyes off of Isabella for half a second, he'd be able to see it for himself. "Just looking to set up shop somewhere."

The guard jotted down... Something on his paper. It was in that moment that Beard realised they used a whole different written language. He didn't know why, but he'd assumed they used the same language in this world as in YGGDRASIL. That was a hurdle they'd have to overcome sometime in the near future.

Regardless, the gatekeeper slid the page across the counter to him and held out his hand expectedly. "You should know there's an entry fee."

Beard's eyes narrowed under the shadow of his hood. "How much?"

"How much ya got?" A bribe? Seriously? He had to hand it to this town, they hadn't made a great first impression.

Digging into his picket, Beard dug through the several thousands of gold coins he had on him. One more perk of being a spirit monster, his inventory had no limit. He could carry every bit of cargo he'd seen enter the city that day without exerting himself, and nobody would be able to tell. Picking together twenty odd coins, he withdrew his hand and placed them in the desk in a small sack. "Here." He said, trying to hold back his aggravated tone. "This enough?"

The guard's eyes widened the second he saw the payment, making Beard realise he'd been far to generous. The guard composed himself and cleared his throat in short order. "It'll do." Beard scoffed, fighting every urge he had to reach across the counter and throttle this guy into next week. "Welcome to Hashigin."

With a wave of his hand, a wooden gate lifted out of the way, and two more guards waved him and Isabella through. Inside the city appeared a bit more upscale than Beard had initially expected. The soldiers that had come poking around the guild didn't look all that well equipped. And their armor, while offering full protection, was hardly in top condition. The guards at the gate appeared to be using similar such equipment, so he assumed the town was just short on money. To see otherwise was actually a welcome surprise.

"I'm surprised." Isabella spoke up, walking alongside Beard but not looking his direction. "Master..."

It took a moment for him to register that she'd spoken up at all. "About... What?"

"You paid their toll." She said with a slight shrug. "I'd have thought you'd have walked through the gate regardless. It's not like they could've stopped you."

It was hard to picture where this conversation would go. Once again Isabella remained an enigma to him. "We're just here to investigate. No point antagonizing anyone." Saying it to himself quelled the lingering frustration from paying the bribe. "Besides, we could've paid him ten times that and it wouldn't even make a dent in our reserves."

"Of course, how silly of me." It was rare to see her so talkative. More so she looked... Happy wasn't the right word, but she seemed to be taking more in an interest in the goings on around them. It was nice to see that she could at least do that. "Where shall we go next?"

By now they'd stopped at a large intersection. From here, they could see either side of the massive bridge, and the river stretching beyond. Down one street looked to be a small food market, various aromas filling the air. This was as good a stop as any, and though he hadn't felt hunger in well over a week, the smells where enticing enough to warrant a closer look.

"Why not sample the local cuisine?" Beard suggested.

"If you wish." His companion gave a small nod, brushing her bangs out of her face. "Lead the way. Master..."

It was nearing the end of the lunch rush at the Maiko eatery. Aki and Hazel where finishing up in the kitchen, and Aoi was going around collecting bills and clearing dishes from tables. It'd been a fairly good sales day so far, and Aki was already talking of the work they'd need to do before dinner time. A lot of it sounded like gibberish to Aoi, so she left it to her twin sister and Hazel. With customers clearing out though, she began wishing she had someone to talk to. Not many of their regulars had shown up that day, and she was beginning to crave a good conversation.

She gently lowered an armload of dishes into the wash sink as talks of a new menu echoed from the kitchen. When she turned around, someone new had entered the premises. Right away they stood out to her. At first glance he seemed to be a warrior of some kind, but with a clothing style she'd never seen before. He seemed to be dressed for much colder weather, but at the same time seemed to be well off enough to adorn himself with a good number of trinkets. Was he a merchant, and the axes on his back where just for show? If that wasn't enough, his companion was a maid in full garb. Servants to nobles typically wore uniforms while at work, sure, but most of them were allowed to change when going out. Seeing her out and about like this was definitely abnormal.

Wiping her hands, Aoi straightened out her tunic and strolled into the dining room. "Hey there." She offered the pair a small wave. The man didn't lower his hood, but his maid locked eyes with her the moment she stepped out. Something about her icy blue eyes was a little unsettling, but so long as they where hear to eat she figured she could put up with it. "You two want a table?"

"If you have the space." The man said, offering a small nod.

Aoi smiled at his little jab. The place was fairly empty, so it's not like she'd turn them away. Not without incurring Aki's wrath, that is. "Looking for a snack, or having a late lunch?" She asked, placing a menu down for the pair of them on the table she'd led them to.

"A little of both, really." The man chuckled, looking the menu over. "H-hmm... This all sounds pretty good. I can't really decide."

Aoi leaned in closer, but found he was scanning over the little descriptor Aki insisted on including on the menu about how they came to be in business. Was he playing a game or something? "The fish is good." She offered. "It goes great on rice."

"Sounds great." He said abruptly. "One fish and rice." They both glanced to his companion, but she couldn't seem less interested in eating if she tried. She hadn't even looked at the menu, her eyes where fixed on the passers-by just outside. "Better make that two fish steak and rice." He corrected.

Nodding slightly, Aoi spun on her heel and headed for the kitchen. "Hey, Aki. Two fish and rice!"

She caught a glimpse of Hazel dashing for the pantry, but returned to her dishes soon enough. She barely had the chance to get her hands wet before she felt a gentle tug on her sleave, looking back to find her sister had snuck up on her. "Forget the dishes. Go chat up those two new customers."

"Really?" Aoi blurted. She'd have done anything to skip out on dish duty, but this had to be the first time Aki would've let her get away with it. "Why?"

"Because I've never seen them before. And they look rich." Aki said with a slight twinkle in her eye. "If they're here visiting some noble, they could put in a good word for us." Aoi opened her mouth, about to begin explaining how farfetched that was, but Aki wouldn't have it. "It's worth a shot, so get out there. See if you can get them to buy some of that wine we bought last month. Hazel can bring their food when it's done."

Without any ceremony, Aki practically shoved her back into the dining room. By now it was just her and those new arrives, and she'd just finished clearing the last of the dishes. She figured it'd be terribly obvious what she was up to, but knew that Aki wasn't likely to let her into the back without at least trying to talk to them. Her sister may be a caring woman, but was ruthless when it came to making money.

Strolling forward, she seemed to interrupt a conversation by the time she made it ot the table. "So..." She muttered, hating how awkward she felt. "Are you two new in town?"

The man sat up, sharing a glance with his maid. "Is it really that obvious?"

Aoi gave a small shrug, still unable to get a full look at his face. His eyes remained shadowed beneath his hood. "What brings you here?"

The hooded man glanced at his companion, but she didn't so much as acknowledge it. She kept glancing around the store; either at the décor, or the food window at Aki and Hazel, or Aoi herself. It was a little unsettling to say the least. "Just looking for some new business opportunities." The man finally answered. So, he was a merchant. Aki would be thrilled to hear that. "Though, it seems like the town guard are in the same boat."

There was a hint of agitation in his voice, but Aoi knew all too well what he was talking about. "Let me guess... They made you pay to get through the city gate?" The man looked up at her, but still Aoi couldn't see his eyes. "Sorry about that. I hope they didn't get too much from ya."

The man waved her off, but sounded more sympathetic when he next spoke. "That’s a common thing around here, is it?"

"Y-yeah, kinda." Aoi gave a small nod. "They won't bother trying it if you're from Hashigin. Anyone who lives in town knows there isn't actually a toll to get into the city." She leaned back on a chair from another table, settling in as the conversation took a turn. "A bunch of merchants tried reporting it to the Viscount but... That was a while ago and..."

"Clearly it hasn't changed much." The man gave a small chuckle. "I see."

Aoi shrunk away slightly, not really sure what to say next. "Sorry. But I promise they're not all bad."

"How's that saying go?" The man smirked. "It only takes one?" Aoi hadn't heard that one before. And she knew for a fact there was way more than one bad guard in Hashigin. These two must've come from somewhere real far away. "How long have you lived here?"

For this, Aoi had to think. It wasn't a hard question by any means, but the abrupt shift in topic threw her a little. "Most of my life." She answered with a shrug. "Our parents went off to war with the Norn tribes up north and... Never came back. We had enough money to hold onto the place until we where old enough, then we turned it into an eatery."

"That's quite the tale." The man muttered. It was a bittersweet tale, but one both she and her sister come to terms with long ago. No point dwelling on it. "Looks like lunch is ready."

Aoi glanced over her shoulder just as Hazel marched past, a plait of steaming rice and fish in each hand. She really was a good little workaholic. "One for you." She chirped, placing one meal down Infront of the hooded man. "And one fo-Ah!" She rolled her ankle while circling the table. She stumbled, and the plate in her hand wobbled precariously. Aoi lunged forwards to catch her, but was far too far away to have made any difference.

However, in the span of a blink, the maid had moved to catch both Hazel, and the plate. Not so much as a single grain of rice fell out of place as she held it between two fingers and her thumb, while she held Hazel aloft by the scruff of her shirt in her other hand. And to top it all off, she hadn't even left her seat.

"Aoi..." Hazel whimpered, holding her ankle. "It hurts."

Snapping out of her stupor, Aoi dropped to her knees to take a look. A dull grey bruise was already forming, but it was hardly broken. A welcome relief, seeing how expensive physicians could be. "It's ok, we'll get Aki take care of it." She lifted the girl from the maid's grasp, helping her to balance on her arm. "Sorry about that." She said, trying to avoid looking at the pair.

"Don't worry about it." The man waved. "Accidents happen."

It sounded as if the man was trying to hold back a laugh. That sat sour with her, but it wasn't like she was in a position to tell him off. There was one thing she was curious about through. More-so than getting a good, full look at his face. "I don't think I caught your name."

Instantly the mood changed. The hooded man's mouth dropped slightly, almost like he didn't know what to say. "Uh..."

"Master Rob." The maid interjected, already eating the meal Hazel had almost spilt.

"R-right." He nodded. "My name is Rob."

Aoi's attention fell to her next. "And you are?"

"You can call me Bella. It's a pleasure." She popped a cube of fish into her mouth, looking up at her with a somewhat condescending smile made all the worse by her cold blue eyes. "Hmm, this is delicious."

The way she spoke was... Off. Like she was a doating mother speaking to a misbehaving child. Something about it set off a warning flag in Aoi's mind, but the sound of Hazel whimpering next to her made it hard to press the issue. Before she left though, one more thing came to mind. "Hey, you two want any wine?"

"Maybe later." Said Rob, suppressing a chuckle.

Well, at least Aki couldn't say she hadn't tried.

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