Lungworth

The "Dracena" squad turned out to be quite a colorful bunch, as if all the local eccentrics and other quirky personalities had been just waiting for an opportunity to try their hand at the mercenary trade. Besides their leader, who looked too naive and idealistic for this kind of work, there were other familiar faces among the members – that same pair of athletes from the guild, one of whom exuded extreme self-confidence, while the other continued to live in his own world. However, Shanaz hadn't had the chance to meet the rest of her future comrades, although they were no less memorable than the trio she already knew. Veritta, for example, looked like a lost child, and her naivety overshadowed even the squad leader, comically dragging a sword behind her that was almost as long as she was. The stout warrior, who called himself "Night Blade" and had previously been suspiciously looking around, looked like a seasoned veteran, but he didn't seem to be very bright. Perhaps he had suffered a head injury on one of his missions, as a result of which he was kicked out of his old squad? Erich, on the other hand, seemed to notice no one but his superior, gazing at her with hungry eyes and showering her with flattering phrases, although the glint in his eyes betrayed his true intentions. He would fit right in with the Heckkelian crew – he might even pick up a few new tricks from his "colleagues in the trade." There was also a disheveled professor who, for some unknown reason, had decided to learn magic and risk his life at an advanced age. It was an unusual decision, but also one that commanded a certain amount of respect – not everyone would dare to make such a drastic change in their life when there was so little of it left. Perhaps he had decided to live the rest of his life to the fullest? Even the brothers from Aster, who otherwise looked like ordinary mercenaries, managed to stand out by the fact that one of them looked like a walking corpse. However, no other oddities were noticed in them, and in general they were not much different from their fellow countryman, who with his appearance, behavior and even manner of speech embodied all the stereotypes about mercenaries – he even looked somewhat out of place against the background of such an unusual group, as a result of which he stood out with his relative normality. It was difficult to say what adventures in such a company would lead to, but they clearly wouldn't be boring.

During a closer acquaintance and conversations with her squadmates, Shanaz's hopes were justified, and she managed to find a roommate to share a room with, albeit only for a week. It turned out to be Kayoshi, that absent-minded professor, who loved to give long speeches on the strangest and most unusual topics. He was a quirky old man, but Shanaz didn't notice any attempts to flirt with her or hint at anything inappropriate, so she didn't see any particular problems with him – on the contrary, some of his stories seemed quite interesting and instructive to her. Of course, their cohabitation was not without its problems, and sometimes Shanaz had to help the old man with certain things, but he made no strange requests or demands. In a way, it was even a new experience for her – Shanaz had no elderly relatives, and therefore she had never had to take care of them.