"Good morning," Sara said, coming through my door without knocking.
"Seriously, can't you knock first? Good morning," I said, looking at her from my desk under my bed.
"Oh wow, your room has changed so much in only two days," Sara said, looking around my room, surprised.
"I was already finished yesterday. It is a small room, after all." I gazed at the notes before me.
"…. Yeah, small?" Sara tilted her head at me as she spoke.
"Hmm? Didn't Lina tell you? I have lived in a warehouse my entire life, so this is small." I spoke, lifting my head.
"A warehouse to yourself?" Sara spoke slowly.
"Yes."
"It totally makes sense now," Sara said, nodding in understanding.
"What does?" I turned around and looked at her for the first time, confused.
"Why is your common sense so jumbled?"
"Wha… how… Why are you here anyways, Sara?" I spoke, finally finding my voice once more.
"Oh, oh, right. I am going into the city, and you were coming with me," Sara said, holding up both her thumbs.
"Why should I come?"
"I am certain you have something you want to buy," Sara said, pointing at the notes on my desk.
She probably wanted to hang out a few days ago, I thought. I thought, looking at her.
"That's not a bad excuse you're using," I said, inclining my head towards her with a small smile.
"Hehe, it appears that someone discovered me." So, are you coming?" Sara replied, shrugging with a grin on her face.
'I am still skeptical about restarting my life with them, but I am not against it. I guess it's quite an opportunity to get closer to her and see if this really is a good chance for it.' I pondered, silently glancing at Sara.
"Yeah, but I'll bring my list with me." We're also using your money to buy them." I walked back to the table and collected all my notes.
"My money. Hey, why should I buy it?" Sara whined, a bit deflated.
"Because you are the one inviting me."
"This isn't a date! Sara said, "I don't have to pay," but a knock on the still-open door interrupted her.
Knock knock
"Oh, Selone, what's up?" I asked, noticing her standing at the open door.
"Princess Sara, Princess Ren, your parents did leave money out for missed expenses before they left. "I am certain it was in one of the crates we gave you on the first day, Princess Ren." Selone looks at me with a deadpan expression as she explains the situation. After hearing Selone's explanation, Sara figured out what I was doing.
"You just tried scoring a freebie while you have more money than me," Sara said, baffled.
"Tsk, selone. Why did you have to run it?"
"It isn't nice to take advantage of your sister like that, Princess Ren."
"Yeah, listen to your maid. It isn't thoughtful of you to do that," Sara said, pointing at Selone very playfully.
"Tch fine, I won't do that again."
"Alright then, let's go into the city."
"Yeah, yeah, let me just get long sleeves to hide the insignia," I said, walking to my closet not long afterward. I walked out with a red and white hood over a red t-shirt and dark grey cargo-like pants, as well as some boots.
"Red?" Sara and Selone looked at me with confused expressions.
"Huh? What is something wrong with it?" Confused, I looked down at my clothes.
"I am just surprised you are wearing red. I always thought you were a darker-colored kind of person." Sara explains, shrugging.
"Hmm, normally yes, but with the red pupils and sword, I thought I should make it fit," I said, pointing at the word on the table.
"Yeah, no dumb reason," Selone said very casually, to Sara's and my surprise.
"Oops." Realizing how she had said it, she put her hand in front of her mouth.
"Haha, that was a good remark," Sara said, laughing at Selones' blushing face.
"Sorry, Princess Ren, for my..."
"Can't you talk like that more often? It's… relaxing." I scratched the back of my neck as I spoke. Walking next to Sara, I looked up at her confused face.
"You really grew the last two days by at least 5 cm," Sara said, quite surprised.
"I did? It's still annoying as hell to be this short." I said, grumbling.
"Haha, a short-person problem," Sara said sarcastically.
"Anyways, when are we going into the city?" I asked after I had changed back into my regular black, baggy clothes.
"Right now, the rides should be ready at the front gate," Sara said, being a bit vague.
"Rides? Like horses?"
"Yeah, I like horses. "When I go out for a stroll, I bring my horse with me."
"And if I can't ride a horse?"
"You can't ride a horse?"
"No, I can. But what would you have done if I couldn't?"
"I don't know."
"Sigh, whatever, let's go," I said, walking out of the room and taking my sword off the table.
"Hmm, why are you carrying your sword like that?"
"Because I thought if I bring it with me and it floats the entire time, people will be weirded out," I explain, strapping it to the back of my waist.
"True, but hide it in your soul." She said this, shaking her head.
"Oh, I can't do that. According to her, she told me about that and tried to help, but it isn't possible," I said, shrugging.
"Selone, is this?"
"Sadly, yes, Princess Sara. Princess Ren is unable to put her sword in her soul."
"Hmm. Is it because of her heritage?"
"Perhaps, her sword skills are among the best." She can already manipulate fire as if it were another limb." Selone explains enthusiastically.
"But the downside is that I need to hold it in my hand to make it possible to use the element."
"I see. That's really weird."
"I agree," Selone said, nodding.
"Well, let's leave that problem for when the adults get back," I said before my words dawned on me.
"Didn't you say-"
"Don't even ask that," I said, interrupting her.
"Okay, horses, let's go get the horses," Sara said after an awkward silence.
"Yeah, let's go," I said, following behind Sara towards the front gate.
"Bang, we are here!" Sara yelled, slamming the castle's main door open and looking down at all of the knights and servants walking around in front.
"Ah, Princess Sara, you're finally here. We have brought an extra horse as requested." Standing beside a black and white horse, one of the knights made a statement.
"Oh, great! That's a barn boy," Sara said happily, pointing at the knight while looking at me.
"Barn, boy?" I said, glancing at the over 2-meter-tall demon, armored up and ready to go to battle.
"But I am a knight now." The guy looked dejectedly at the floor, despite wearing a helmet.
"Hahaha, don't look like that. "I was just joking," Sara said, running up to him, laughing and hitting his shoulders, or, well, his arms, playfully.
"So, barn boy, what's your name?" I said, walking past him to the black horse.
"My name is Samuel. Who might you be, miss?" The knight spoke, giving me an enlightening bow.
"Sam, seriously, what a boring name. "For me, I am so enthusiastic about my adopted older sister Ren."
"I see… Wait, sister, so you're a princess!?" Barn boy said, surprised, before kneeling.
I grumbled in frustration as I observed him fall to his knees on the floor. "Ugh, here we go again."
"I am sorry for not resonating with you, Princess Ren!"
"What is this horse's name?" I asked, touching the animal's nose.
"Her name is Anna. She is a bit wild sometimes, but very relaxed with Sara." The guy explained.
"Yeah, but she seems to be okay with Ren," Sara said, observing how Anna and I were looking at each other.
"Yes, it seems Anna likes it."
"Ouch, fuck, why did you bite me?" I yelled in pain, looking at Anna angrily while my hand was still in her mouth.
Sam yelled, "Shit, Anna, let go!" as he approached, but Anna was thrown into the air, slammed, and dunked into the ground before he could react.
Doof.
"Fucken stupid thinking that if you bite me, you will get off," I said, removing my hand from her mouth.
"Ah fuck, Ren, don't kill her," Aara pleaded, but I observed her roll up her sleeves.
"Oh, don't worry, I am just going to teach her a lesson," I said, looking down at the friend's horse.
"Aaah, no, Sam, save Anna!!" Sara yelled in a panic when she saw me lift my bloody hand to pinch Anna.
"Princess Ren, please stop!" Sam yelled, grabbing my legs.
"Fuck off," I said, bringing my hand down and making Sam go with it.