My name's Aliza von Ravelle. A few weeks ago, I set out on a journey with The Everflame Wizard, Alwyn, and his young apprentices to cure my nasty condition.
There are many other things I'd rather be doing. Like, frolicking in a field with my hubby. Or maybe getting a luxurious massage. No, most of all, I'd just like to practice magic again.
But I can't. That was taken away from me by the tower.
And now I'm alone and drunk in a tavern, surrounded by people I don't know. That may sound scary, but it's nothing new for me.
It'd been quite a while since I last went to a bar. I've been traveling with two kids that I've taken a liking to. I really like them. They're becoming like my little siblings.
But sometimes it's really exhausting pretending to be the pretty, kind, older sister. And of course I have to deal with that bastard Alwyn who, depressingly, is my only hope at survival.
The pulsating sickness inside me claws at my heart and lungs. I regret every second that I inflicted such a horrifying ailment on myself. But I would do it again.
It was all for my own good, after all. Though I failed this time, the backfiring of my experiments will not discourage me from continuing my research. I will repair my mana pool.
In fact, if repairing my mana pool is the last thing I do, I'll be happy. I'd rather die a witch than die a simple, disgusting—
"We're closing, are you gonna pay for all those drinks ya had?"
I groggily looked up at the big man hovering above me. He was the owner of the tavern, and every time I ordered another drink I swore I'd pay.
"Of course... give me a second."
I went to grab my bag from off the floor, but when I put my hand down, I only felt air.
"...?"
"Sorry, I swear my bag was right there..."
I started to panic.
Where is it? There's no way someone stole it...? All my money...!
"You can't pay?"
"I think someone stole my bag," I said.
"So you can't pay."
"...Yes?"
"I have another way you can pay."
The remaining customers went into a frenzy, cheering and clapping.The man dragged me into the kitchen and shoved me towards the sink.
"No way. It's late, I can't do all this...!"
"Too bad. Either you wash the dishes or you don't leave."
I looked at the mountain of dishes and sighed.
"Do you have gloves?"
"No."
I scrubbed and washed and wiped and dried. After the first three plates I noticed the back door that was completely isolated. I dropped the plates all over the floor and ran.
I feel bad but I'm not doing all that. I need to find my bag... but when was it stolen? Ehhh...
"Hello? Miss?"
"Huh?" I looked around for the voice.
"Down here!"
Standing in front of me was a little girl.
Perfect, now I have to deal with a little kid too...
I put on my best smile.
"What is it, honey?" I said, kneeling down.
"Well, I just wanted to make sure you weren't missing a bag or anything."
Haaah?
"I am! How did you know that?"
"I saw a man running away holding a nice-looking bag a few minutes ago. I didn't know if he stole it so I decided to wait here and ask."
No way! What a good kid!
"Wow, thanks a lot! Do you know which way the man went?"
"I actually probably know exactly where he went! I recognized him as a member of the Ballerinos."
"...What's the Ballerinos?"
"It's some gang that works this street a lot. They steal bags and coinpurses and things like that. The man was running in the direction of their headquarters."
"Really? Can you take me there, then?"
"Yes ma'am!"
The little girl started awkwardly jogging down the road. I followed her.
"What's your name?"
"Rosalina, but you can call me Rosy, ma'am!"
"Nice to meet you Rosy. And don't call me ma'am, that's rude. My name is Aliza."
I followed the girl a while until we came across a large brick building.
"What a strange building... what was it originally for? Do you know?" I asked her.
"I believe it was going to be something called a... 'fack-tor-ie'?"
A factory? But the only factories are only in the capital... and they certainly aren't abandoned.
"How long ago was this abandoned?"
"Oh, it wasn't abandoned. It was never finished. They stopped working on it a few months ago, and then the Ballerinos moved in."
How weird...
"Alright, well, thanks for the help Rosy. You should head back home now, I'll handle the rest myself."
"...Okay miss Aliza!"
The girl ran off.
Haaaaah... now, how do I get in this place undetected?
I looked around the outside of the building.
A broken window. That'll do.
I rolled up my sleeves and climbed up into the window. I felt a shard of glass nick me on the side, but I was otherwise unscathed.
I left the room I crawled into, revealing a much larger space. There was only one person, and though I couldn't see it, he seemed to be rummaging through some sort of bag.
Is it mine?
I gave one last look around before jumping down and knocking him out with my well-placed feet.
But my bag was nowhere to be found.
Then who the hell is this...?
"Looking for this?"
I spun around and saw a thin man standing in the dark. He held up the small, familiar bag.
"And who are you?" I crossed my arms.
The man threw my bag over to me. While it flew through the air, he dashed forwards.
The fuck!?
I grabbed my bag out the air and blocked the attack with my arms.
"Aliza von Ravelle, you've breached the agreement again."
"Ha... so that's what this was about. They found out, did they?"
I kicked the man off me and grabbed my daggers hidden within my dress.
"The tower sends its regards."
The man continued his assault. He wasn't all that difficult to fend off, but I felt a coughing fit coming on and my own physicality was crumbling as the fight went on.
"From the tower but you're not using any magic? Am I that pitiful?"
"I think there's been a misunderstanding. I'm just an assassin delivering a... message!"
A dagger flew from inside his jacket. I barely realized what had happened in time, swiping it from the air with my own dagger.
I jumped, swinging my legs as if I were a martial master...
"You're quite skilled in hand-to-hand combat for an ex-witch!"
He grabbed me by my ankle and swung me in a circle, sending me into a brick wall.
Damn it... I can't move...
"Sorry, you're a pretty lady. It's a shame you're dying so young!"
The man brought down his dagger, but before it reached me, I slid my boot's dagger out and kicked up into his throat.
"If you survive this, tell the tower to get off my back. I'm traveling with him anyway."
I spat on the squirming assassin and ran off.
I can't go back to my room... they're probably waiting for me. Do I just go to the duke's estate? Would I even be safe there? Alwyn's gone for at least another day.
Suddenly, I felt a shock hit my back.
"Ha! Over here! I got her!"
Damn... so they did bring a wizard.
"Do I kill her?"
"Don't! She said she knows where The Everflame Wizard is. That assassin got ahead of himself. I told them hiring someone outside would be a mistake."
Shit... why'd I say that...?
After that, they knocked me unconscious. Of course, there was no way for me to tell how long I'd been out.
"No, you did a good job, I promise... oh, have a look over here, guess who's awake!"
I was tied up on a chair.
"…What do you want?" I spat.
"Woah, say it don't spray it lady! Wouldn't wanna catch whatever's coming out of you. And, you know what we want."
I didn't recognize the man sitting across from me. The two standing beside him, though, I realized were my old juniors from the tower.
"This is how you treat your loving classmate?" I scoffed.
"Don't take it personal Aliza, it's just tower business, you know that!" the one on the left, Jezebel, said.
"It's crazy, you look so different now I almost didn't recognize you! It has been quite a while..." the one on the right, Ahab, said.
"Four years and you two are still stuck to each other... you can seriously do better, Ahab."
"Are you flirting with me? As if I'd get with a talentless, broken old hag like you!" he laughed.
"Keep laughing and I'll choke you with your ugly crooked teeth."
"You really are different now, Aliza... Ahab's right. Who would've thought that poor, dutiful little—"
I spit onto her face.
"Ah! Why does it burn?" she giggled. "You're really like some serpent now! Was that one of your little experiments?"
It was an accident. One of my experimental potions from a while back had given my saliva an acidic incline. It wasn't all that useful, but it was a party trick.
"Alright, you three, calm down. I know you've got some history, but we have an interrogation to do!" the man in the middle clapped.
"...And what's your name?" I asked.
"I'm Amon," he said, leaning forwards. "I like to keep that on the low, but dead men can't talk. Or, dead women, I should say."
Oh man... I'm so dead...