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[quote] "Wh-whoa-huh!? You're telling me you guys could afford enchanted equipment? Wow... That's amazing, you all gotta come from wealthy families, huh?"

"Actually, we found these clothes in a dungeon. We're not rich at all. Not in the slightest. In fact, we're pretty penniless right now, right guys?"[/quote] 

Laynea's astonishment left Aria wondering whether their ruse had gone too far, but she maintained her composure and continued to play along with Sayu. "That's right," she added, nodding in agreement. "We're not rich at all. Just a stroke of luck finding these clothes, I guess." She hoped their explanations were convincing enough to keep their ruse intact. 

As Laynea mentioned the proximity of Krosana and that it was just a short walk away, Aria felt a glimmer of hope. Being close to a city seemed like a promising turn of events. Before she could express her gratitude, however, a sudden, violent sound startled her. Charlotte had apparently taken matters into her own hands, quite literally, and ended the wounded ratling's life. Aria's gaze shifted to the abrupt act, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of discomfort. What a stark contrast this world seemed so far to her usual world of books, astronomy, and academic challenges. 

[quote] Umm... Did... Did you not intend to harvest its mana gem? It... It already looked dead to me."[/quote] 

Laynea's comment about harvesting the mana gem further added to Aria's unease. It seemed like this world had its own rules and customs, ones that were vastly different from what she was accustomed to. She exchanged a brief, troubled glance with her companions, silently questioning whether they should have considered this aspect before taking action. Would their inexperience in this world would lead to more unintended consequences? 

She sincerely hoped not. 

As Laynea continued to engage with Cecilia and the others, Aria felt a mix of emotions. On one hand, she was relieved that they had encountered someone seemingly friendly who could potentially guide them to the city. On the other hand, the reality of their predicament was sinking in. They were in a foreign world, surrounded by unfamiliar customs, and had just taken a life. The weight of it all left her feeling overwhelmed, and she quietly hoped that their journey to the city would offer some clarity and answers to the multitude of questions that now swirled in her mind.

[quote]"Mana gems…" She placed her hand on her chin. "Hey, guys, how about we give the gems on those ratmen we just killed to her? In exchange for her taking us to the city? If we hadn't destroyed them with our attacks anyway.." [/quote] 

Aria considered Sayu's proposal. It made sense, given that they had unintentionally destroyed the mana gems of the ratmen during the battle. Plus, it might be a fair trade to offer the adventurer in exchange for her guidance to the city. She nodded in agreement and chimed in, "That might be a good idea." 

Better than staying out here where they could do more damage anyway.[/indent]