"Huh? Chava?" A chick with deep red hair brought her gaze over to you in an instant. "What are you doing here? And who's... She?"
Your gazes met, and the girl did seem a bit confused, but not aggressive. "My name's (Y/n)."
"Ah, Kaja." She gestured to herself. "Fire mage, if the attire didn't make that obvious." Kaja was right, it kind of did. Both with being red and her wearing an exposing dress when it had literally been snowing yesterday.
"I wanted to bring her to see you! So you could give her a tour!" Chava puffed.
"A tour?" Kaja furrowed her brows. "You know I don't really do those anymore."
"But you have to!" He whined immediately. "Mia's busy and Lowell is dodging me! Don't even get me started with everybody else!"
Kaja considered it more closely. "Fine," she sighed defeatedly, "but you owe me for this. Big time."
"Big time! Name it!"
She was quiet again. "Later." She shook her head.
"Later! Kay! I'm going to head out then!"
"Huh?" Suddenly you felt a bit panicked. "You're leaving?" He was going to leave? The only person who seemed to know what was really going on with you?
"I'll be back." He grinned at you. "I'm always back."
"Upsettingly." Kaja whispered.
"Heard that!" Chava stated, swirling around and beginning to leave, waving goodbye backwards.
Kaja cleared her throat after he was gone. "So," she began softly, looking over at you with furrowed brows, "you escaped, huh?"
"Escaped what?" You asked her in return.
She was quiet. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it." Kaja shrugged. "Chava doesn't even really talk about it. And he's an open book."
Your shoulders tensed. "Do you know him well?"
"Nah." Kaja shook her head. "But who does? He's all over the place. Literally." Kaja grinned. "I guess it takes the eccentric type to get in with the elites though."
"Elites?"
"Y'know, the royalty and Magi and all that jazz." She waved a hand dismissively. "What? Haven't even heard about the fight for the crown going on?"
"No." You shook your head. "What's a Magi?"
"Sheesh." Her eyes widened a bit. "You've got a lot to learn. You must've been doing grunt work."
Grunt work. That 'Boss Man' fella had called you grunt. "Guess so." You mumbled.
"So you don't have magic then?"
"Guess so."
"... So what do you... You know, plan on doing then?" She frowned deeply. "Most places don't hire people that don't have magic. Not in this country anyways."
"Huh? Don't I have a job?"
"Not anymore you don't." She snickered. "Nobody just runs away from the actual government and continues to work there."
"I what?!" Your eyes widened dramatically as panic shot through you.
She stared at you like you were stupid. "... Do you have amnesia or something, girlie? I know Chava's acquaintances are weird and all but... It's like you really don't know anything."
"I guess..." You tried to force a smile, "I... Really don't."
"Damn." Kaja sighed deeply. "Tell you what then, I'm a good person, I'll help you out until you get your footing."
"You will?" Your eyes lit up.
She almost hated how trusting you looked. Like a puppy following a stranger home. "... Yeah. I will."