So, I'm a witch, so what?

"I'll get you! I need more HP! Just a little bit should be enough! Muahaha!" Vera chased me down for a couple of minutes, almost making me forget the tragedies we had been through. At least we could have some fun now.

"Please! I'll share some I'll share some, but don't use drain touch! It hurts!" I would help her, of course, so long as she didn't use that skill, which genuinely hurt.

"Alright then, just accept the HP transfer; I'm down to 500 HP again; I haven't eaten anything, so my hunger status is still draining me." If she started by saying that, I would've shared HP already, but I can't deny I needed some fun.

[Do you wish to share HP with "Veronica?" {Yes/No}]

"Yes." The same strange suction feeling hit me. It wasn't as bad as all the previous times, but it was still weird. The option to share HP would sure be convenient in my world.

"Look, over there," Vera points forward at a small town of farmers just doing their business. The city looked much more primitive than the witch forest, but it wasn't all bad. At least it looked clean from a distance. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Since there was nowhere else to go, we went into town with the agreement to present ourselves as "traveling adventurers." I didn't want to believe Vera, but in her own words, she said she was old enough to actually register as an adventurer, so she would be the one to present herself as the leading figure.

The main issue with her story was her skinny body, but she said that wouldn't be a problem as long as we managed to get money. I wish I had never gotten my money stolen, but there's no time to regret past actions. What's done, it's done, and I will move forward.

"You think they'll believe you're my guardian?" Vera scoffs at me while we keep walking toward the town.

"Young adventurers caring for their smaller siblings while working is more common than you think." That made sense if we compare this world to my old one. I cared for my sister before when I wasn't even ten.

I thought the guard posted at the main entrance would be a problem, but he didn't say anything and just let us through with a simple "Good morning." Wasn't he worried we would be criminals or something? I guess we didn't look suspicious, but still, it felt weird.

"Good morning." Vera was the one to answer the guard's greeting while pulling me away since I found the guy's clothes and armor interesting.

The guard wore black armor covered in strange patterns and a long double-edged sword at his waist. I could see the pads beneath the metal armor and a glimpse of chain mail on top of the padding. Yet perhaps looking at him was what made him suspicious of us.

"I don't think I've seen you before," The guard said as he turned around to face us, with me still staring at his armor set. Vera pinched my arm ever so slightly, making me flinch.

"We aren't from here; we are traveling through," Vera said, tensing her grip on me. Was it that serious? I didn't find my actions particularly bad.

"Uh? Well, that's a new one; nobody has gone through here since the monster forest route opened. Glad some adventurers still use this town." The guard didn't sound angry or suspicious but more like an average person trying some small talk, probably because his job was tedious.

"Do you like your job?"

I had to ask since he seemed friendly enough, yet Vera pinched me again when I did so. I wanted to tell her to stop, but it was okay. She was probably being cautious. The problem with being too cautious is the same problem with being too comfortable. She needed to understand the balance between both.

"Ahaha! Well, you're bold, but yes, I do. It used to be fun when many bandits and monsters attacked the city, but now that all traffic has diverged, I barely see any action." Just as I had suspected, the guard was bored, not suspicious. Well, that was good news. I could exploit that weakness further.

"Oh, really? How many monsters have you killed?" The guard cleared his throat and proudly stood firm while puffing out his chest. He had probably been waiting for this moment his whole life.

"Something close to two hundred! I used to be the best back in my day! I probably still am one of the best! So be sure you're in safe hands if trouble shows up!" (っ˘ڡ˘ς) The guard had clearly practiced that speech for a while since he posed and everything.

{Whisper "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Vera asked. "I'm about to get us some money. Calm down; I've got this."} Vera looked at me disgusted, but since she was probably starving, she didn't say anything back and just accepted my strategy.

"I would love to stay and hear your stories, but we must make money. We ran out on our way here. Do you know where we can make some?" The guard almost immediately acted the way I had expected, just like my grandpa when I told him I didn't have time for him to vent out his stories unless something...

"There's the adventurer's guild, but since there's not many monsters around, you will probably have less work there. On the other hand, I could offer you a job as a maid if you don't mind staying a little longer to talk." ╭( ๐_๐)╮Vera once again stared at me disgustedly, but I simply smirked at her, forcing her to choose between starving or going along with it.

{Whisper} "I never thought you were this scummy," Vera whispered into my ear while I continued manipulating. Scummy? You had to know how to persuade people to survive in my world; this was standard stuff for me.

"I could stay, but big sis has been starving herself to feed me, so she needs something to fill her stomach. Could you pay us some in advance? I swear we will work hard." The guard did not hesitate to pull out what I assumed was the equivalent of a wallet just to hand some silver coins to Vera, who took them, trying to avoid eye contact with the man.

Was she embarrassed? I guess we had just met the guy, and I had just extorted some money out of a complete stranger, but oh well, it would do as far as it concerned me. Vera did look at me like (ー_ーゞ.

"There you go, that should be good enough to buy something at the table. Why don't you go there while I talk with you, little sister? Go on, it's okay. I would have done the same for my little sis." Vera didn't object and just left after saying, "Thank you." I was okay with not eating yet.

"What was your name again? I don't think we introduced ourselves." The guard soon presented himself with his former name, and I followed suit. His name was "Bartholomew." I will call him "Bart" since his full name is too long.