The unforgiving cold and crunch of the snow under Haruka's feet brought fond memories of her mountaintop temple home. She had heard further south about how horrible Gris was, but honestly, it was much like the mountain except the air was almost stifling in its generous thickness. Her lungs were full with air, and her face was full with smiles. She would find the temple spoken of by Professor Tick... Teeks... Tikka... something like that. Anyways, she'd find the temple with her strong body and fists the way other adventurers could not.

Once she'd had that locked down, she could trade information for information. The best brokers in the business would kneel in front of her and ask her to please tell them about the amazing northern temple and she would tell them that she needed to know about the swordsman. He was a westerner, he was skilled, and he had disemboweled her master with a western blade of blackest obsidian. That last one, she had assumed, was most likely to get her guy.

But first, she needed to stock up on supplies. Learning the secrets of an ancient temple would do her no good if she starved to death or something. Finally having come to a settlement, the place closest to her destination she had heard, she called out to the guards manning the gates.

"Hello! I am of need to have supplies for travel! May I please come in?"

She still wasn't excellent at the language they used in the west, but for the most part, westerners seemed to understand her just fine.