Late afternoon, December 30th, 2995.
5:30 PM.
In the city of Pegasus—the most extravagant and luxurious of all the coastal port cities.
This realm gathered numerous bays and unique architectural styles, weaving a dense network of cultural intersection across multiple regions. If one were to select the most liveable city in the southern reach of the continent, Pegasus stood as the undisputed top choice.
Naturally, whether that held true for someone currently on the run remained an open question.
To the blonde girl seated in a café along a bustling street, the answer came out to roughly fifty percent.
Janeus sighed, giving her coffee cup a soft swirl before dropping in a sugar cube and stirring it evenly.
She drank the coffee down to the last drop, her eyes squinting slightly—perhaps the single sugar cube hadn't quite satisfied her sweet tooth.
Calling for the server, Janeus fished a few coins from her trousers and stood up to leave. Seeing her friendly smile, the flustered server bowed respectfully, warmly inviting her to return whenever she could. Janeus offered another gentle smile and walked away.
She slipped a hand into the pocket of her loose black trousers, gauging the weight of her remaining coin.
She currently possessed a bank note worth 10 gold coins from one of the central banks, 30 silver coins, and 13 copper pennies.
Considering that the average national weekly wage sat at around 20 silver coins, this stash would likely suffice for three weeks of lodging and decent meals.
So Janeus reasoned—though she couldn't help thinking: if the opportunity arose, why not earn a little extra on the side?
No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than she summoned a flock of black crows with a simple snap of her fingers. Within moments, dozens of pitch-black crows came sweeping down toward the girl.
Taking a seat on a park bench, she slipped off her blue outer coat, exposing her simple black t-shirt underneath.
Looking at the birds assembled before her, she permitted one crow to land directly on her shoulder. As it nuzzled into her hair, it spit out a tiny, gleaming object—what appeared to be a genuine gold coin.
She extended her hand, and from her fingertip emerged a single strand of brilliant golden hair. Curving her finger gently, she wound the golden thread around the bird's beak.
Janeus then stood up, brushed off the dust clinging to her clothes, and set off.
Expressionless, she departed the park. Yet even as twilight deepened, her shimmering gold hair remained entirely too eye-catching amidst the throng of people.
She sighed, making her way toward the densely populated thoroughfares where advertisers and handbill distributors had already begun their evening pitch, eager to leverage the upcoming New Year to draw in as many customers as possible for a lucrative year-end summary.
Janeus paid them little mind, though with her delicate, striking beauty, she effortlessly drew eager gazes and enthusiastic solicitations from the crowd.
Observing this, Janeus knew all too well that whichever venue a woman like her chose to step into, a long line of men would undoubtedly buy tickets just for a chance to flirt with her.
Besides, she held zero interest in such cheap entertainment.
Janeus flashed a soft, gentle smile and turned them down. Faced with such an innocent, mild countenance, who could possibly have the heart to press her further?
As she strolled through the packed street, she suddenly came to a abrupt halt, casting a quiet glance toward a streetlight and then behind her.
"Two... scouts."