Adoption, the third rank, it's amazing! Beyond anything you could hope for. You want to speak up, to accept before Han Wei can think about what he just said and take it back. The words catch in your throat. Nothing's ever this nice.
Once when you were little-littler-Brown Eyes thought it would be a good idea to rob a guard. He, the guard, not Brown Eyes, was half asleep at his post, drowsily making conversation with a woman at a nearby food stall. Better he'd been stupid enough to bring a big purse fat with coins into the Lower city. It was too good to pass up. So while all of you watched, Brown Eyes, who'd had the quietest cleverest hands of anyone you'd ever met, sneaked up behind the guard, yanked his purse and ran. Just like that Brown Eyes—all of you—were going to be rich.
The sleepy guard's partner practically bumped into Brown Eyes before your friend made it five steps. Then the yelling started and clubs came out. They smashed Brown Eyes again and again. They kicked him and spat on him and beat him while Brown Eyes cried and apologized and begged them to stop. You watched him scream, ignored as passer-byes did their best to avoid the beating. Hearing this noble's offer, the only thing you can imagine is the despair and betrayal you saw in Brown Eyes' when he finally realized none of you were going to come help. Nothing in life is this good, and you don't want to go like that.
"I..." you stop yourself in time. Is it really safe just to tell this powerful man no? You doubt he's used to hearing the word. Of course, you can't lie to him that easily. He might have you beaten or killed for the offense and no one would care. Okay Little Bee, there's got to be a way out of this. He's played pretty loosely with you until now, so maybe he'll be willing to give you just enough rope to save yourself.
You frown and try to talk all fancy, "I... I am not very smart or anything and this is a really important decision, so could I have some time to think about this and decide tomorrow or something?" You're careful not to promise anything, a return here or an agreement.
The Lord looks you over, weighing his options. Will he push harder and risk alienating you or let you go for now. After several minutes he turns toward a nearby shelf and begins to page through various texts.
"Give me your hand," Lord Han Wei's tone brooks no argument, so you extend your left hand, wondering if he's going to do anything to track or restrain you from leaving.
"Reproduction Method: Flesh, permanent, violet." There's a brief pulse of light and head heat. Then he lets go of your hand. What was (relatively) unmarred flesh on the back of your hand now sports a tattoo you recognize. Oh sure, you've only actually seen the large dots for E rank, the simple lines for D and occasionally a C ranked triangle with some fancier squiggles inside to tell everyone what class a person is.
Your pentagon will mark you for life, showing any observer what rank you are at a glance. It also shows that you have been tested and entered into the census. You guess the three vertical lines are meant to be clawmarks or something for a monster tamer, but you're not really sure at the end. You stare at it, marveling. That's you, Little Bee, A- rank Bestial Adept.
Then you come back to reality. You'll need to get some kind of glove or wrapping. You're not a noble or anything, so anyone could demand to see your mark, but you've spent 10 years living by being small and unnoticeable. There's no way you're going to broadcast this more than you need to.
"You may leave. I trust," Han Wei speaks with the tone of someone who'd never even think of trusting a street rat like you, "that you will make the proper decision. You may return when you have done so."
And you're dismissed. Bowing deeply again, you step out of the room without showing Han Wei your back, then run as far away from that building as you can get as fast as you can.
Of course this leaves you alone in the inner city. You've never been here before, much less been here without anyone watching over you and making sure your hands stay where they're supposed to say. Even if the guards wouldn't stop you at the gates, getting this close to the center would just be asking for a beating or worse... Except now, your hand is marked like a real person's, your clothes are nicer and you're disgustingly clean enough to blend in with all the rich types around here.
Part of you wants to run straight to the slave markets near lower city. The army's too risky, and 7 or 10 years of indenture at some rich idiot's house could net you a lot of safety growing up without the ties or traps that joining a family would have. Most importantly, you'll be safe. Whoever could afford to have an A ranked indentured servant would have to be powerful enough that Han Wei wouldn't risk offending them. Right?
But what if they grab you before you get there? Even when you level up, your physical stats besides stamina won't get that good. Right now, nothing's worth mentioning. Without even what gains you will get, you don't have any chance at stopping anyone Han Wei might send after you to make sure you accept his offer.
And, even if he doesn't have someone watching you to make sure you don't go for another clan or the army or the slave markets, can you really just leave this part of town so soon? You can practically hear all the coins jangling in so many purses. There's so many sights you haven't seen before. Big swathes of green parks growing right next to buildings! There's not even a piece of trash in sight and no one looks dusty. No one watches their back.
The houses are all new, with wide streets so people can ride horses, or carry rikshaws or use anything else that's just as amazing, without running into anyone. You almost have to explore, don't you? What kind of person would you be if you didn't?
[ ] You've never been in the inner city before, how could you pass up the urge.
-[ ] Just walk around for a little bit before going to the slave market to indenture yourself.
-[ ] Well, so many heavy purses around, who'd notice if you palmed a few while no one's looking?
-[ ] Actually, you want to go back to lower city and say a few goodbyes after all.
[ ] No, you've decided Straight to the markets
