It was already late in the afternoon by the time the guardsmen arrived in the orphanage. Priscilla stood by the entrance with her arms crossed.
She had plenty of time to kill so she made sure to apprehend the thugs and provide whatever first aid she could with the materials she had on hand. Though the extra cloth used to tie one of the bandit's mouth was so she would not hear any more of his grating and colorful remarks.
"Miss Priscilla?" One of the guardsmen wearing a kettle helmet, thick red gambeson and holding a halberd spoke with the spell fencer. "Did you subdue three armed men by yourself?"
She nodded firmly once.
"I was armed." She pointed at the sheathed rapier on her hip. "Plus they were just thugs."
"Yes but still… to even provide succor to someone that attacked you is…"
Dry footsteps came from behind the guard and another man clad in armor came forward. He had slick black hair combed back revealing his scarred face. He also carried a halberd but instead of a shortsword or dagger—a large falchion was dangling from the sheath on his belt.
"Go and toss those three to the prison." He said to the guardsmen that was talking to the spell fencer. "I'll take the questioning from here."
"Yes, Captain!"
The soldier straightened his back and saluted before taking his leave. Priscilla didn't change her posture and simply shifted her eyes towards the man looming that approached her.
"Priscilla Avellion, right?"
He asked in a serious yet polite tone.
"That would be me, yes."
"You just enlisted as an adventurer today, correct?"
She started to feel a bitter taste forming in her mouth. If he knew who she was by name, it could only mean he did his research before coming over.
"Yes. Why?"
"I see." As opposed to asking further, he did the unexpected and bowed to her. "You have my thanks."
That reaction was nowhere close to what she expected which made her flinch and uncross her arms.
"Wait… what…?"
"As the captain of the guardsmen it is my duty to keep the subjects of this city safe. However, try as I might, we are extremely short handed and the king refuses to provide any more soldiers to us." He raised his head. There was a glint of genuine sadness in his eyes as he forced a smile. "But, at the very least you were here to protect those two and for that, you have my sincere thanks."
She shook her head.
"I just did what anyone would."
"Not everyone is a capable noble royal knight. Miss Avellion."
Her eyes widened in surprise.
"How do you–"
"Marcus talked a lot about you when he came to this city."
"My father did?"
He nodded with a faint smile on his face.
"He was the reason why we were able to make a city as big as this."
Her eyes trailed downwards as she slowly clenched her hands.
"I see…"
"If you came to this place and went as far as to become an adventurer—something must have happened in Arcadia."
She nodded firmly.
"I am on a mission for my Queen."
"I understand. I'll tell the other guards to not get in your way."
"Thank you, sir capt–"
"Rhys." He extended gauntlet clad hand for a friendly handshake. "Pleasure to meet you, Priscilla."
She firmly grabbed his hand.
"I won't forget the favor you have done for me."
"Just make sure to not attract too much attention to yourself."
That very sentence didn't last very long in Priscilla's mind as she made her way back to the central square.
She stood in front of the inn as her eyes glazed over once the realization hit.
'I don't have any coins on me.' She hung her head low as she rubbed the space between her eyebrows. With a tired sigh she started to look around where she could sleep on the street without being bothered. 'A royal knight sleeping on the streets… this has to be the lowest of the lows I ever been in…'
As her eyes were busy looking around, she felt a gentle tug on her coat and as she looked down to her right, a very familiar dark brown cloak fluttered with the cold evening wind. From beneath the dirty hood, striking azure eyes stared at Priscilla's.
"Umm… Miss? Are you Miss knight?"
"Miss knight? Wait… you're–"
"Rionara." She smiled weakly as she rummaged through her string belt. "Here."
She gave the spell fencer her stolen coin pouch back.
"My pouch…" She gently lifted off her small hands before kneeling in front of her. "Thank you for returning it to me."
"I'm… I'm sorry."
Priscilla awkwardly raised her hand before patting her head. The girl wasn't expecting it but once she raised her face she got lightly flicked on her forehead.
"That is for stealing my pouch."
"Ow…"
Despite dishing out punishment for the theft, Priscilla looked her in the eyes and with a serious expression, asked.
"Where are you going to live now?"
While rubbing her tingling forehead, Rionara answered.
"I don't know… Sister is going to return to Arcadia after she recovers."
"So you'll be alone?"
"I think so…"
Priscilla took a slow and deep breath. She couldn't exactly leave a young girl such as her to live on the streets. But taking care of a child while fulfilling her duties as a royal knight would be close to impossible.
"Hmm… leaving a child to fend off by themselves in this city is a bit…" She mumbled to herself as she shook her head and suddenly raised her hand and clenched it into a tight fist. "I'm a royal knight first and foremost. Lord Leonard would be disappointed in me if I didn't help her."
Rionara tilted her head as she looked at Priscilla speak to herself.
"Miss?"
"Ahem." Priscilla fixed her clothing before straightening her back and eventually kneeling down to meet the girl's eyes at the same height. "I'm not much of a caretaker myself but until you find someone to live with—I'll let you stay with me."
Those few words were enough to bring not only the light back to Rionara's eyes but also her youthful happiness as she threw herself into a tight hug around Priscilla's neck, almost knocking the fencer on her butt.
"Oof!"
"Miss Knight, you're the best!"
"Now, now…" She gently tapped Rionara's back a few times before standing up as she let go. "Let's go to the inn first, we need to get a room and…"
Her voice dimmed as she further inspected the girl. Despite how the orphanage looked, Rionara herself was surprisingly clean—though the same couldn't be said for her clothes and her limbs seemed a bit too frail for a girl her age.
"...maybe some food too."
At that moment the girl's eyes widened in surprise.
"Wait… are you… are you letting me eat as well?"
"Huh? W-why do you ask? Did Sister not feed you?"
"Ah, no, she did. But not every adult is like her, right?"
Priscilla scratched the side of her head, unsure how to respond to her. Just what sort of life did a girl her age have to go through in order to question something as simple as having a meal?
"I don't know about other adults but… I was taught that children should eat and sleep well to grow." She extended her left hand. "Come, let's go inside."
Without hesitation, Rionara grabbed her hand and smiled warmly.
"Mhm!"
As they walked together—Priscilla's gentle expression began to fade as thoughts started to burden her mind.
'I know I said all these things but… how am I going to protect a child while being an adventurer…?'
Her worries soon turned into reality as they stepped inside the inn.
Evaluating stares hit her like invisible stones. Patrons and staff alike looked at Priscilla as if she was some sort of walking aberration. She could hear the unfriendly whispers coming from all sides. Yet, for the sake of the small life she was responsible for, she made her way to the wooden counter without hesitation.
"I'd like to rent a room."
The bald middle aged man behind the counter gave her a stiff smile—one not usually given to customers.
"I must ask… is that child yours?"
Priscilla froze. It was as if her mind struggled to even register the question. After a few seconds she blinked it away and asked.
"Pardon?"