Voyage Of The Villainess

"Your pass, please?" the guard just looked at her with a stoic expression while waiting for Malaya's silver card.

"Here is the card," Malaya said as she handed out her card to the guard. 

The guard checked it, then stared at it for a few minutes. Malaya noticed how the brows of the guard furrowed when he saw her card. 

"You may now enter." The guard said, then handed the card back to Malaya. Malaya glanced back at Kayden.

"I will be waiting for you on the other side," Malaya said. Kayden simply gave a short nod to her, then Malaya entered the small gate.

When she entered, it led to another tunnel where there were now torches on every side. "Let us check your things. Can you give your bag to us for a moment?" A female but firm voice resounded. Malaya looked ahead and saw another guard in black armor. But due to her physique and how the armor was perfectly fit to her hourglass body, this one was definitely a female guard.

"Ah yes, here is it." Malaya said as she handed the bag. The lady guard just took a look at it with a stick in her hands. At the tip of the stick, there was emitting a small light, enough to see the items that were inside Malaya's bag. Malaya felt the sudden strange once again since it reminded her of her past life, when how these people got their items checked when entering some malls or establishments.

'Hmm, this is interesting. Is this just a coincidence or what?' Then the lady guard pointed the stick to her, and it glowed more brightly this time. Malaya couldn't help but close her eyes.

"We are now done, you're all clear." Malaya opened her eyes when the lady guard spoke once again. "You may now enter the city. Welcome to the city of Moon." 

"Thank you," Malaya said, then walked towards the end of the tunnel. When she thought nothing more could fascinate her from what she had seen outside the city walls, the inside was much more breathtaking.

There were plenty of tall and colorful skyscrapers everywhere. Creatures of every kind were busy talking and walking by minding their own business. Then high above the skies, there were these net-like skies, where different images were flashed one after another. It was like those commercial ads popping every time.

'Wow! Is this some type of high technology or the people here were too advanced by creating this kind of City? It was entirely different from the villages above the ground. Feels like I travel from ancient time to future.' Malaya was completely astonished at what she was seeing right now. Though opposite to flying cars there were only carriages running everywhere the only difference was, aside from the horses, there were other monsters that were pulling these carriages left and right as well. It completely looked like a very populated futuristic city to her. 'This is incredible! And far more different what I saw before.''

Her strange feeling grew into something else. A feeling of suspicion to everything she saw. 

"Hey! Malaya! Over here!" Malaya glanced in the direction of Lila.

She was waiting for her while eating something in some stall. 

"Lila." Malaya greeted as she walked towards her.

"Your companion is still not here?" Lila said as she opened her mouth to eat strange green-colored squids that were still moving. Black ink surged out as long as Lila ate these storage liquids. Then on the stall, they were standing, the vendor was just sitting casually on the side, there were visible tentacles coming out from his long blue robes. Then her gaze shifted to the thing that Lila was eating. Malaya tried her best not to vomit at the scene. 

"Yes, he is still in the checkpoint," Malaya answered casually as she shifted her gaze back at the city streets of the Moon City.

"I see, then let's wait for him for a while," Lila said as she continued to munch on the squid not caring what others may think. Then all of the sudden as if realizing something, she extended another squid in front of Malaya which startled her a bit. "Do you want some squish? My treat. They are delicious. It was rude if I'm the only person who eats here."

Malaya smiled wryly as she stepped away in front of the squid that Lila called Squish. "No thanks, I'm still full," Malaya said as she raised both her hands. "Besides, you have done enough to help us and I don't want to trouble you this much," she added. Though, Malaya was a foodie. But she still had some delicacy in choosing good foods to eat.

"Oh, I see. That's too bad then." Lila popped the squish in her mouth. "Too bad, this is one of my favorites here in the city. If you are hungry, just let me know so that I can treat you." 

"I'll remember that," Malaya said, not agreeing nor rejecting her offer.

"By the way, do you live around here in the city?" Malaya asked to change the subjects about the food. Since she was not comfortable with it.

"Ah, yes, I live in the seventh district," Lila answered after she picked up another squish in the stall. Malaya just tried her best to put her gaze on the view of the City. 

"Seventh district?" 

"Ah, I almost forgot, you're still new here. Okay, let me explain to you. The Moon city is divided into nine districts. The first district belongs to the highest priest state and other high-ranking officials of the city. You can say that it is the district for the elites. The second belongs to the nobles. The third for the knights. The fourth is for the dwarves."

"Dwarves? There are dwarves here?" Malaya said in astonishment.

"Yes, they came along with the high priest when they arrived here. There were around thirty of them and they helped build this wonderful city. They are such incredible creatures. Then the rest of the district is a home for commoners such as I."

After all the things that Lila said, there were only two things that completely caught her interest. Well, first was the district for the high priest. Then the second ones are the dwarves. In her stay in Hacien aside from humans and best folks, Malaya just rarely saw dwarves. It was more like she had only seen one dwarf in her life and this is Seraphina. Dwarves were much more reclusive than elves in this world.

But to have thirty dwarves living in one city and come with one person. 'Now, I'm really curious to see this Highest Priest that they're talking about. And perhaps he has the ornament that the priestess wanted me to get as well.'

"Malaya do you have any place to stay here?" Lila asked.

"Hmm, to be honest, not really. Like what I said to you earlier, this is the first time we arrived here."

"What?!" Lila screamed in surprise which made her startled and earned a few stares from the bystanders. But she seemed not bothered by it and continued to speak what was on her mind. "That is strange, for new scouts, your superior should have given you a place to stay. That is not fair for the both of you!"

'Well, in the first place, I am not really some scout or whatever she is talking about.' 

"Ah. Is that so?" Malaya said.

"Hmm..." Lila pondered for a bit. "If that is the case, if you want, you can stay at my house for a while. You and that one guy named Kayden if I'm not mistaken." 

"Really? That's so sweet of you. Will that be ok?" Malaya sounded troubled. "You have done so much for us now. Besides, you don't completely know who we are, we only get to know each other earlier."

"Nah It's alright. And besides, I know both of you are good creatures so there is no doubt for me to second guess. Also, I'm the only one living in such a big house."

"I see." Malaya just smiled with helplessness seeing the eager look at Lila's three eyes. "Then it will be an honor for us to take your offer." Then her gaze shifted to Kayden who was already walking in their direction.

"Ah, and it seems my companion is already here," Malaya added, Lila also turned to where she was looking.

"Alrighty then! Let me guide you both to my house. I bet you're all tired from your travels." Lila said with a smile highlighting all her sharp fangs that have some black ink from the ink of the squish she ate. When Kayden is finally in front of her, she offered the squid to him "You want some?"

Kayden just looked at Malaya who was secretly laughing at the back of Lila.

"No." Kayden rejected her coldly. 

"What did you guys eat? It looks like your tummy was too small to consume more food. Well, anyway let's go now.." She led the way and both Malaya and Kayden just followed them behind.