The guard's gaze lingered on Cecilia's delicate little face, his ears turning slightly red.
"Um... Name, occupation, and purpose of visit?"
"Hakime."
Cecilia looked down her nose at him, coldly spitting out those two words.
That inexplicable aura made the guard involuntarily take half a step back.
"O... Occupation?"
"Adventurer."
This time, the response was low and raspy, muffled as it came from the chest area of the cloak, sounding like a weather-beaten veteran.
The guard frowned.
This voice... why was it coming from the chest?
And this girl's figure looked awkward no matter how he looked at it. Especially those hands, which were stuffed into her pockets, looking bulging and lumpy.
"Take your hands out," the guard said, raising his spear and pointing it warily at "Hakime's" pockets. "According to the Border Security Decree, I have the right to conduct a routine inspection."
Cecilia's expression froze for a moment.
If Caesar's hands were revealed, they were definitely Shadow Claws capable of crushing the guard's head; even with gloves, that terrifying silhouette couldn't be hidden.
What to do?
Cecilia was calculating how to say something harsh (like "Who are you to look at this young lady's hands?"), but she felt Caesar move beneath her.
That large hand hidden under the cloak did not reach out.
Instead, the tall figure stepped forward, pressing the guard directly into a corner.
The guard was startled. "W-what are you trying to do?!"
A second later, a glinting golden object slid from the wide sleeve, landing steadily in the guard's palm.
It was an "Empire Gold Violet," engraved with the griffin emblem of Lordaeron, shimmering with an enticing luster in the sunlight.
Commonly known as a Gold crystal coins.
It was enough to cover two years of the guard's salary.
"Hands are injured, not fit for display."
Caesar's deep voice rang out again, carrying an undeniable pressure. "Make it easy for us, Captain? These days, no one wants to look for trouble."
The guard stared at the gold coin in his palm, his eyes wide.
Weighing the coin and glancing at the "girl's" extraordinarily delicate face and cold red eyes beneath the hood, his previous vigilance, suspicion, and professional ethics vanished instantly. These days, money talks. Especially when it comes from such a generous "boss."
"Ahem... I see."
The guard immediately switched to a flattering smile, even eagerly helping to straighten the hem of "Hakime's" cloak.
"Understood, understood! Adventurers, right? Who doesn't have a few scars?"
"Please, come in! Hurry on in! Don't let me delay your business!"
The guard bowed and scraped as he cleared the way, shouting to the queue behind: "Move aside! Make way for Young Miss Hakime!"
Young Miss Hakime strode through the city gate with an arrogant swagger that suggested she answered to no one.
As soon as they entered the city, the hustle and bustle washed over them.
Shops lined both sides of the street, cries of street vendors rose and fell, and the aromas of various foods mingled together, creating the unique atmosphere of human city life.
Cecilia clung to Caesar's shoulder, her ruby-like eyes reflecting the silhouette of the city walls. For the first time, she showed a pure sense of curiosity and wonder that transcended food: "Earth Dragon... those stone blocks are stacked so high. Is this what a human nest looks like? My inheritance memories only said they were noisy and fragile..."
Just then, a scent wafted by, and the Dragon's curiosity was instantly diverted by instinct: "...Eh? That smells so good! What is it?!"
Cecilia's head whipped around ninety degrees, her eyes shining as she stared at a nearby stall selling grilled meat skewers.
"Grilled meat," Caesar explained helplessly.
"I want to eat that!"
Cecilia's head was fixed on the meat stall to the left, and her body was itching to rush over. But she had clearly forgotten that Caesar, below her, was the one in charge of walking.
A child on the roadside was running happily with a pinwheel. Looking up, he saw a scene he would never forget.
That weird big sister in the large cloak—her head... actually twisted one hundred and eighty degrees to look at the meat stall behind her! Yet her body was still walking straight ahead!
"Wah—! Mama! A ghost!" The pinwheel fell from the child's hand as he began to wail.
Passersby cast astonished looks their way.
"Stop looking! Turn your head back!" Caesar hissed, pinching Cecilia's thigh (which was actually his shoulder) hard under the cloak.
"Ow! Why did you pinch me!"
Cecilia turned her head back aggrievedly. "I just want to eat..."
"Business first," Caesar lowered his voice. "Once we've bought the Materials, you can eat as much as you want."
"Caesar! That glowing spherical object (glass bead)! That hissing liquid (ale)! And that meat dancing on the fire (local specialty grilled meat)... which one should we acquire first?"
Cecilia fell into a dilemma of choice.
She squirmed on Caesar's shoulder, making his center of gravity unstable, nearly causing him to crash into a nearby fruit stall.
"If you keep acting up, I'll throw you off, you hear?"
"Fine then. According to our previous implied contract of 'Joint Action,' I reserve the right to unilaterally terminate cooperation and take any necessary measures—including but not limited to screeching loudly." Cecilia stopped squirming. "I'll just shout, 'Everyone come look, there are two Dragons here!'"
"Since when was there such a contract!"
Caesar was speechless.
He controlled his body to stop, turned clumsily, and walked toward the meat stall.
The stall owner was a gray-bearded dwarf with his beard braided and fitted with copper rings; his booming cries carried a heavy mountain accent. He was slicing meat with a long blade when he looked up to see such a behemoth blocking his stall, causing him to drop his knife in fright.
"W-what would you like?" the dwarf stammered.
"I'll take everything."
A low, raspy voice came from the chest of the gray robe.
The dwarf was stunned, looking at the silver-haired head that was still drooling, then back at the chest where the voice originated.
Was... was this a Ventriloquist?
Young Miss Hakime's strange hand reached out again, this time slapping an unpolished ruby onto the counter.
"Is this enough?"
The dwarf's eyes nearly popped out. This single gem was more than enough to buy his whole stand!
"Enough, enough, enough! Sir... no, Young Miss, please wait a moment!"
Taking the gem, the dwarf began working as if he'd been pumped with adrenaline. To prevent him from getting too excited and having a cardiovascular event, Caesar kindly helped by taking the ruby back.
The same had applied to the guard earlier.
The dwarf packed up all the grilled meat, even wanting to give the grill itself to this big spender.
"Careful, it's hot, Young Miss!"
Caesar had just reached out his claw to take it.
Faster than words can say, Cecilia above him, acting like a starving ghost, suddenly elongated her neck—as natural for a Dragon as a human reaching out a hand.
That neck, which had looked like a normal human one, instantly stretched over half a meter, reaching over Caesar's shoulder to Bite the meat skewer in the owner's hand.
"Chomp!"
Skewer and meat, she swallowed it all in one Bite.
She even made a clear "gulp" sound as she swallowed.
The dwarf owner's hand froze in mid-air.
He watched helplessly as the pretty little girl's neck snapped back like a spring, after which she licked her lips, wanting more.
"So gud!" Cecilia commented indistinctly.
Owner: "..."
Surrounding diners: "..."
The air suddenly went silent.
Everyone stared wide-eyed at this freak whose neck could stretch and retract at will. What kind of racial talent was this? A failed transformation spell, or a rare demi-human bloodline?
"Cough."
Caesar felt his scales burning. He quickly reached up to pull the hood down, covering Cecilia's still-chewing mouth, and threw out a line:
"What are you looking at? Never seen an Acrobat before? Keep looking and you'll have to pay, ya hear?"
With that, regardless of whether the owner believed him, he took off running, carrying his heavy and embarrassing pendant.
Behind him, the owner's voice could be heard faintly, questioning his reality:
"Are Acrobat Troupes... this hardcore nowadays?"