Tyrril

  We'd left camp not even an hour ago. Feyre had insisted she ride on horseback but when literally no one accepted her request for the whole morning, she relented. I stood next to the door and reached out my hand to help her up. She looked at me strangely before taking it and letting me help her. hands were smoother than even most nobles that I had met. This fact alone would have been enough for me to wonder just how high status she was, but then not too long after the journey had started she'd asked if there was anywhere with private baths at the city. I had to stop my face from going pale, only the really really powerful had private baths, even city lords just rented out the public ones

  I was quite comfortable in my carriage before I tried making small talk. Now? Now it was very awkward. I'd asked Feyre about her home, hoping to find out which noble family she was from but she'd frozen up like a rogue caught in a treasury. I should have known better really. One doesn't go into the woods with minimal guards if they left home on good terms, especially with the standing I assumed she had. I smiled politely and shook my head. "It is okay, you don't need to answer that. Some things are better left unknown."

  She smiled at me then. If I was a lesser man I believe that would have charmed me on the spot and, if I was completely honest with myself, it probably still did charm me a bit. She looked so relieved at not having to answer that, well it was obvious to me but I reckon anyone that didn't have such a good perception as me would've completely missed the tensing let alone the relaxing. She had the self control of an expert, yet I didn't even think she had [Acting]. I smiled back and she started looking at the forest. "Mister Tyrril? What sort of merchant are you? If you don't mind answering." She looked back over to me with those wide, too innocent, emerald eyes.

  "I usually dabble in everything, but I specialise in arms and armour. Why do you ask?" I was grateful for her bringing up such a topic. It meant that in the future I might have a new client, and if I was right about her status a positively wealthy one. It also gave me a bit of insight into her as a person. Nobles that aren't Iftanian are, usually, aware that there are different ranks of merchant, but often overlook that there are different types as well.

  "I just thought, you have a lot of guards considering I was told you aren't a noble. Some of them are nobles themselves so you must be either very rich, or have very specialised and sought after goods." She smiled sweetly and it almost made me drop my guard, until she followed it up with. "So when you say arms and armour, would you say you specialise in mass production or personal sets?"

  She seemed genuinely interested, so I thought I'd use the opportunity to boast a little bit. "I do enchantments, mostly. They are difficult and therefore pricey but... well, those who can afford my skills have never once complained about comfort or mistakes in the armour. I think the Anapiloan King still wears the set I sold him for all his official ceremonies." I grinned trying to look humble. Not even a single real emotion showed itself on Feyre's face. There was polite surprise sure, but it wasn't genuine. It's like she already knew all this and was... I mentally shook myself, it wouldn't do to be suspicious of someone just because they could suppress surprise.

  Feyre

  I had inquired a little into Tyrril's business and I wasn't disappointed, I could definitely understand why me not knowing him would have come as a shock to everyone who knew him, or in this case hired by him. I nodded and thanks before turning to look out the window again. "We used to play a lot of war games... back in my childhood. Chess being one, but we also played many other strategy games." I thought I could use this golden opportunity Tyrril's earlier question gave to talk of home and get some things off my chest without sounding completely insane. "There was one I used to play with my sister, I can't remember what it was called but the goal was to take control of the entire world, one country at a time."

  Tyrril looked over to my quizzically. "The... whole world? This sounds like an interesting game... How would one take over the world, as you said it?" He looked quite thoroughly intrigued by the whole premise, let alone what was to come next. I smiled before looking at one of the guards. I wondered how to say the rules without using terminology he wouldn't understand.

  "We used to each be a ruler of a country, it didn't matter which as all starts gave the same amount of soldiers. We had dice. Attack dice and defence dice. If I chose to attempt to take a piece of neutral land, I might have to deal with defenders but it wasn't definite." I mimed stabbing someone. "The players would all be against each other but we could form alliances to bring others down." I turned back to Tyrril again, studying his reactions. "My sister and I would always team up on father and mother. Then, just before the final blow, we'd both double cross the other and one of our parents would wriggle into a win. I could write you a list of rules if you wished?"

  Tyrril nodded fast. He looked tremendously excited considering it was just a game. "And it used dice you say? This feels like profit just... shouting at me. Both the gamblers and the strategic would have fun playing this game, why has it not been mass produced?" I looked ponderous for a moment. I didn't quite know how to answer that. It, of course, was definitely mass produced back on Earth but it didn't seem like it existed here.

  Karrlund

  I was on horseback when the three guards at the vanguard paused. I spurred my steed onward to catch up, looking at them quizzically until I saw what they were looking at. A felled tree in the middle of the road. I felt that there was probably a bunch of people hiding in the shadows of the trees and more behind the fallen log. This was definitely an ambush. Such a hassle. I sighed and got off the horse, he wasn't a warhorse and wouldn't assist me in the fight much anyway, my own Speed being almost as high.

  A man walked out from the other side of the felled tree. He was scruffy and had all the swagger of a rat amongst mice. I subtly moved my hand to the axe sheath's clip, silently undoing it as I walked over. I gently moved my own men out of the way as they had kind of clumped together in front of Pavolia, everyone knew how bandits got near women, especially pretty ones. My thoughts instantly strayed to Feyre and Tyrril, hoping that they had the sense to stay in the carriage.

  "Hail stranger! Why do you block our path?" I tried not to come off as too aggressive as I didn't want them to attack before everyone was ready. The man, thankfully, still looked confident. After a quick look around, no one in his group felt stronger than the first specialisation or the first evolution. Perhaps I could intimidate these idiots into leaving us alone for now before coming back to be rid of them once the carriage is safe.

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  The man sauntered over, staying just out of the reach of my axe, not that it would do him any good if I decided to just cut him in twain. "I fink yous lot got a lotta guards fer wun measly fancy pan's. 'Ow abou' yous give us a lil taste of dem riches hmm?" He spoke... not unlike how I'd expected him to which instantly made me feel bad, some of the fellow guards spoke like that and I didn't want to lump them in with these Sub-Sentient idiots.

  "I'm afraid we're transporting the man, not the goods, my good fellow. If you'd kindly allow me to move the felled tree in the road we'll be a non-issue." The leader of the small party of people that had come out of hiding to meet us seemed to contemplate it, and for just a split second I allowed myself to hope. Then that hope shattered into thousands of hundreds of little pieces.

  "Oi boss! Dere's a real beauty near de back!" I sighed and turned, and lo and behold, Pavolia was at the back of the group. Luckily the whole guard seemed ready so I just raised my axe. "Capture if possible but don't worry if you kill them! We only need one alive to be able to get back everything they stole!" I slammed my axe down while leaping forwards at the leader looking guy. One of his lackeys had the honour to jump in the way, unfortunately I just cleaved through him and it didn't even throw me more than a millimetre out. The leader dropped with his lackey, both of them falling in two directions.

  As the Leaders left hit the ground with a wet thud the group of bandits roared in outrage and charged. I was almost impressed with their loyalty. Then I saw one of the bandits was going for the leader's purse on his corpse and sighed before beheading him quickly. I felt no pleasure in killing Hythangir and other sapient races, but for bandits like this... I'd make an exception. They were cruel, vile, sinful and dishonourable people and that's all there was. I swung horizontally at another and bit into the shield he'd hastily raised, taking him off his feet.

  Feyre

  Outside sounded like a war movie. I heard screams, shouts, metal on metal, metal on wood and the soft twangs of bows as arrows were loosed. At one point Pavolia must have been closer to the carriage because I heard a faint roaring of flame and shrieks of excruciating pain. I looked to Tyrril who was looking out the window when he suddenly got up with surprising speed, considering his stature, to catch an arrow that had flown right through the window. "Wow... I guess you can also use all the armour you create then?" He chuckles at that and the arrow glows before condensing into an orb and disappearing into his ring.

  I heard a shout from outside the carriage and saw a ragtag group of who I assumed were the bandits that had snuck through the forest to flank the soldiers. I ducked down as soon as I saw them but one of them obviously saw me as they made a B-line straight to the carriage. Tyrril was forced out first, me second. We stood there, just outside the carriage, basically surrounded by the bandits. I don't think a single one was paying attention to Tyrril, and for the first time since getting here I cursed my good looks.

  "Well ain't yous a pretty lil thing? Who's this yer wiv den? Yer pops? Maybe yer husband?" He chuckles at that and so do the others. Disgusting. I squinted and the one who'd spoken wandered towards me at a leisurely pace. "Tell ya what... If yous comes wiv us... We'll call off this 'ole attack yeah?" His breath reeked and I struggled not to gag. Tyrril stepped back and slightly towards me before I felt slightly warm leather press against my hand. I stared the one, who I assumed was the leader, down. He stared back, although he didn't give me the dignity of looking at my eyes.

  As he drew nearer some of his minions wolf whistled. I must have been unable to hide the disgust on my face because he smirked. "Ah come now... I ain't bad once ya know me... You'll 'ave a good time yeah?" He ran a dirty hand through his equally dirty blonde hair before wiping it on his slightly ripped chauces before wrapping it around me and pulling towards him.

  I took my opportunity.

  I saw the faintest glint of metal as my arm swung around and then jabbed straight up towards his face.

  Whether it was luck on my part or bad luck on his, it didn't matter. He leant slightly forwards so what was meant to stab at his nose or lips ended up going straight through the bottom of his jaw and went all the way to the hilt. I reactively yanked it back out and watched his look of utter surprise as the ruby torrent exited his body and stained his shirt, my hand, my forearm, and my dress. I stared at him too, shocked, scared and...

  I never got to think about what I was.

  [System]

  [You have slain a [Bandit Leader] [Hythangir] Level 27 as an Otherworlder]

  [EXP gained = 800]

  [You have killed a Sapient with a Surprise Attack]

  [EXP gained = 50]

  [You have killed a Sapient while Classless]

  [EXP gained = 200]

  [You have killed a Sapient as an Otherworlder]

  [EXP gained = 50]

  [No Class detected, all EXP going to Race]

  [Race Level Up!]

  [Race Level Up!]

  ...

  [Race Level Up!]

  [You are now Level 31 40/155]

  [Race Evolution available!]

  [You have earned a Title!]

  [Title: "Otherworld Killer"]

  [The Title "Otherworld Killer" is available to be Equipped]

  [The Title "Otherworld Killer": You have an urge to kill everything not from your home world, +10 to every stat for every level]

  I dropped the blade, what I now saw to be a seax, which fell to the ground with a soft thud. The notifications were too much, but I didn't have time to comprehend them so willed them away. Just in time too as the minions, seeing their boss dead and propped up by the wheel of the carriage, were all about the charge in. I'd gotten a level up notification but had pushed it away in order to focus on the situation at hand. I quickly fell to my knees, retched at the sight of the mans blood all over me, reached for the seax, gripped it tightly, and stood up. "Stay back or... or I'll gut you so bad not even a Greater Wolf would eat you!" They paused, which was lucky for me, and not so lucky for them.

  Pavolia's fireball enveloped the group and they barely had time to scream before they were no longer moving. Pavolia was sweating slightly and breathing a bit hard. I was quite worried for the guards but my adrenaline wore off and my vision went blurry. I felt the seax be taken from me but I let it happen. The blurriness became fuzziness.

  I was up again, no longer completely covered in blood and no longer holding the seax. I was laying in the carriage which wasn't moving and I heard speaking outside. I looked at my stats as I listened to the conversation outside.

  [System Status - Error: Incomplete]

  [Name: Feyre Agrifiti]

  [Race: ] (Evolution Available!)

  [Title: Venator]

  [Level: ]

  [HP: ]

  [MP: ]

  [TMCY: ]

  [Class: ]

  [Sub-Class: N/A]

  [Stats]

  [STR: (+2)]

  [SPD: (+2]

  [MCL: ]

  [MCY: ]

  [INT: ]

  [CHA: ]

  [VIT: (+2)]

  Pavolia

  "So you're telling me, Feyre managed to get an almost perfect stab on the bandit, who I instantly recognised from his face as the 'Speed Demon' without him even attempting to dodge?" I trusted Tyrril but I also knew he exaggerated stories on occasion so was attempting to get a clear word out of him. He was usually a sane person but he seemed both excited and terrified.

  "I'm telling you, there wasn't a hint of bloodlust from her! I had all my senses on full alert and there wasn't a single hint of bloodlust from her until she yelled at the big group! It was so fast as well! I obviously don't have the highest speed but I struggled to see her arm move once she'd swung it round." I think he would've clapped if it was at all appropriate. We'd not won without casualties, fourteen of the guards were injured and Karrlund was resting due to a nick of a dagger he'd been caught with while cutting through swathes of the bandits. He was also, obviously, exhausted. He was incredibly strong but that axe was extremely heavy, stupidly so.

  "Karrlund, c'mere for a sec and tell me what you think of Tyrril's story. Apparently the way she instinctively held the sword was like she had practice." I sighed. This didn't help Feyre's case of not being a threat to Tyrril in the other guard's minds. Tyrril went on his whole rant again and Karrlund got progressively more and more intrigued. Tyrril seemed to think it was awesome, Feyre seemed to have fainted at the revelation of having killed a man, Karrlund looked intrigued and I just felt bad. The first time is never easy... but at least it was a Sub-Sapient piece of trash instead of an honourable warrior.