***
Rouya and Ginger exchanged glances, watching as Aislinn and Noir walked away. Their attention then shifted to the bag of money held between them.
"So we've been tasked with getting weapons," Rouya sighed. "The only issue is I have no idea how to judge their quality—tell if they're worth keeping or not."
"Don't worry about that part," Ginger replied, grinning confidently and eagerly. "I've got it covered. I possess the special skill of Master Blacksmithing, and it comes with the additional ability to appraise items."
"Special skill? One of the three gifts from the Tree of Life?" Rouya asked, clearly impressed. "You're really fortunate to have something like that. With that ability, you'll be able to recognize valuable materials right away."
"Hehe. What about yours?"
"I have Master Papercrafting. It's a crafting skill where everything I make uses only paper, and each item can be used just once. Unfortunately, it doesn't come with appraisal as an extra ability."
"Papercrafting? That's incredible! You only need paper to make things—no need to search for other materials that could cost a fortune. Look at me, for example: I have the skills, but I'm short on materials to practice with, so basically I can only use what I know for appraising."
"That's easy for you to say. I don't even know how to make paper craft like paper plane or something." Rouya admitted, feeling unsure about her own ability. At first, she'd been happy with her skill even though her creations were one-time use only. But now, she realized she had no idea how to actually make things out of paper.
"That really is a problem."
"By the way, do you have any idea where we can get the things we need?" Rouya changed the subject as she suddenly thought that she had no idea where are they going.
"Sure thing! Just come with me." Ginger smiled brightly, then began walking eagerly through the crowd, heading down a specific path.
Rouya followed closely behind, and they eventually reached the edge of town – an area that looked worn down and neglected. There were only a few small huts scattered around, and the largest building appeared to be a workshop. Ginger hurried toward its open doorway, just about to step inside when a man suddenly stepped right in front of her. He was dressed in fine, expensive clothing.
Even though Ginger moved quickly to react, she still lost her balance and ended up bumping gently into him.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't see you come up like that!" she said in a lowered tone, offering a proper apology for her mistake.
"Sorry? Do you really think saying that makes everything okay?" the man replied, his voice full of contempt and indifference – he carried himself with such arrogance.
"I don't think I damaged your clothes, anyway," Ginger mumbled to herself. "The material yours is made from is top-quality, while everything I'm wearing is basic stuff. There's no way I could leave even a mark on it."
"It's not just about damaging my things," he said. "The real issue is that you bumped into me. That's offense enough on it's own."
"Ah?" Ginger stared blankly at the man before her, completely confused by what he meant. Even Rouya felt his words were unreasonable, so she stepped forward to stand in front of Ginger.
"My companion accidentally bumped into you, and she didn't even damage anything you own. She has already apologized for it. So, what exactly is the real issue here?" she asked directly.
The man was momentarily stunned the moment his eyes landed on Rouya's face. Rouya was a striking beauty who usually kept a low profile; if she stayed in the background, she wouldn't draw notice. But the moment she stepped forward, she naturally became the center of attention. She was the kind of person who became more captivating the longer you looked at her — so beautiful that it was almost impossible to look away.
The woman standing beside the man felt a wave of unease the instant this beautiful stranger stepped in to confront him. Her fear proved justified, as the man remained frozen, unable to utter a single word, completely captivated by Rouya's appearance.
"Your companion just bumped into Sir Craig! He is the Vice‑Commander of the Order of the Knights — the largest guild in Twilight City!" the woman spoke up sharply. "You should have shown respect the moment you saw him. His guild is responsible for maintaining safety and enforcing the laws in every town near Twilight City, including Meadow Town. His status is equivalent to that of an official. Bumping into him is practically the same as assaulting a person of authority!"
Hearing her explanation, Ginger and Rouya exchanged a glance. They were both familiar with the Order of the Knights; in fact, they knew that their own Guild Master's boyfriend was a member of that very organization. However, what this woman had just said sounded utterly ridiculous to them.
"Listen here, Miss. In legal matters, there is a clear difference between accidental and intentional acts. While both can sometimes result in punishment, the fact is, this isn't a criminal case at all. At most, it's a minor civil matter — and my companion has already apologized. We didn't know who he was, and we certainly didn't plan to obstruct or harm him from the start. You cannot condemn us for committing an offense that isn't even an offense to begin with."
"Your objection is overruled. The only thing that matters is that from our point of view, you committed an offense, and you must accept the consequences for it." The man stood his ground, his thoughts finally falling back into place — though his eyes still kept drifting back to Rouya's face again and again. "Tell you what — why not join our guild, and we'll consider this matter settled?"
Rouya and Ginger both felt their patience wearing thin. How could he switch his attitude so suddenly?
"Come join our guild, and we'll give you free protection, top-tier equipment, and everything else you need. You'll even get to wear much finer, higher-quality clothes than what you have on now," Craig said, trying to tempt them. But as he spoke, a wicked plan began to form in his mind — one that he would carry out the moment they became members.
The woman standing beside him knew exactly how things worked behind the scenes in the Order of the Knights. She had seen it happen to others, and now she realized she was the first victim — and certainly not the last. It was a scheme carefully designed to trap people the moment they agreed, leaving them with no way out and no freedom of choice ever again.
***