It was a strange thing to see human survival instincts on display. The people in the square who had seen and heard him were already hurrying on their way, apparently desperate to go on with their day and forget the strange spectacle.
They thought that if they ignored it, they wouldn't have to worry about it. While it was true to an extent that they wouldn't worry if they didn't think about it at all, it made them vulnerable. This was the purpose of the Academy, he supposed. To protect the people who would otherwise ignore the threat.
He paused. Where was it?
Something had happened to his name. Hadn't he been Anguis a moment ago? And all of this analysis... It wasn't like Anguis, not really. No, he was something else, someone else. But who exactly was it?
He had been formed recently, but not too long after Anguis. He could feel that much. His ability somehow already had a connection, but he wasn't sure what it was. Likely it had something to do with the spider monster that seemed to be following them.
But... Had it been following them?
Regus hadn't sensed it. He would have to think on that later. Next time he emerged, he would name himself.
But now, it was Regus's turn to work. The longer he was dormant, the quicker he would lose Ardena's power.
Regus walked back through the alley the way they had come, stepping over the unconscious bodies. There was no longer any sign of the spider creature. A pity. He would have liked to measure its strength.
Small monsters generally weren't as powerful as their larger counterparts, but that evaluation fell apart when it came to humanoid creatures. Any creature with a humanoid shape was likely to be incredibly powerful, much more than its size indicated.
So he had a stalker. He had already assumed there would be some, though he hadn't been prepared for the very first one to be a monster.
Regardless, though, he had to find a place to stay. if he was going to have a base of operations in the city, he should find one before nightfall, when he would have to travel back to the Academy to meet with General Ardena. So he navigated through a few more alleys that ran along the backsides of the large buildings, turning at every opportunity, until he came to a slightly larger street. The rows of houses here were interlaced with a few meager inns.
The layout of the city was similar to a web, almost as though it was encouraging Arachnotharia to nest here. There was the central square, where he had just been, and then many coming out from it, though none were quite as large as the main street, paved with precisely-cut stones laid down when the Steel Widow first arrived, to give her manor the appearance of being important in a town despite the surrounding area being empty at the time. Now, though, it was one of many roads radiating outwards like spokes, cutting the city into semi-triangular slices.
This was where Regus found himself. It was no surprise that as he walked down the small street with a confident air and in an Academy uniform with no badges, many curious or hostile stares followed him. These people weren't sure if he was the first of many to come, who may eventually push many to sell their houses to inns or small businesses because of the increased traffic.
This story was not uncommon in the four cities around the Academy. Students' paths became the most traveled paths there were, which caused many businesses to pressure homeowners in the area to sell them their houses or the plot of land where their houses were built to capitalize on the shifted flow of foot traffic. It was an especially good tactic because Academy students rarely had any sort of vehicles, and would often travel about on foot, not to mention that many Academy students bragged or simply spoke about their lodgings, which could easily cause more Academy students to pass that way looking for a place to stay.
Fortunately for those living here, Regus didn't intend to let anyone follow him. But they didn't know that. How could he take advantage of this?
He asked Anguis, and got a plan pushed into his mind.
First step, show off his power casually. Second, complain about the conditions, but not loudly. Third, say he was going to meet up with some friends and tell them about it.
Regus frowned. Why would he do all of that if he could just casually mention that he might tell his friends, and then they would come to visit?
Of course, Regus didn't have any friends, so if tested, he couldn't hold up to the threat. But perhaps it was worth a shot. Regus considered it.
He would find a place to stay first. All he had to do-
He cut off as somebody called out after him. He turned around slowly, eyeing the person. There was no one else she could be talking to. People in the city were tightly knit with their neighbors, because of the conflicts among factions, but the very same dynamic helped to intensify the feelings as well. It was a strange balance, or rather, a downwards spiral. So if she was calling out, it would be to him.
The woman was short and thin, looking slightly malnourished, but that could be a lie, or an effect of her ability. Despite her appearance, her eyes had a fire in them, though it was muted and dim.
Regus waited for her to approach, and once she did, she leaned down, resting her hands on her knees, clearly exhausted.
"Hey," she said once she had recovered enough. "Are you from the Academy?"
Regus nodded simply. He still wasn't sure exactly what personality he wanted to use here in the city. Anguis had a few suggestions, but none of them seemed quite what he wanted. The biggest problem was that he wasn't sure exactly what he wanted. With each step he took, the plan became more defined, but to truly calculate everything, that would take someone a bit smarter. He already had a suspicion about that, but it could wait.
With Anguis's release of power, they wouldn't need to sleep. Some of it had been absorbed into them as they breathed in the smoke cloud, so they had more energy than they usually would. That was convenient, because he hadn't even considered that their body needed rest when he had agreed to General Ardena's request, but it might not have mattered anyway. After all, their body was used to getting barely any sleep. That being said, they might not need a place to sleep tonight, so he didn't exactly need to endure this woman. He assumed she was looking to sell her house, because why else would she be asking after an Academy student?
"What's your name?" the girl asked, eager. Maybe she also wanted something else, perhaps a connection. Some townsfolk worked their way into jobs at the Academy by ingratiating themselves with the students and slowly working their way in, eventually obtaining permission to set up their business inside the Academy's walls. Regus wasn't sure exactly what he was supposed to do, so he remained silent for a moment, then he made his decision. It wouldn't do to be involved, enthusiastic, or friendly here. After all, at the moment, he didn't want to be known as approachable around town.
"Hashim," he responded simply. He didn't ask for her name. That would have been polite, and that wasn't his goal. She gave it to him anyway.
"I'm Rose," she said, smiling brightly. She certainly wasn't easily deterred. "Why are you here?"
"Looking for a place to stay," Regus responded. If he could shorten his statements, hopefully she would start to realize that he didn't want her help.
But then again, maybe he did. After all, he needed some place to stay in the city, and as long as it had a decent amount of space, then he didn't really care where it was.
The girl immediately brightened and, completely disregarding the concept of acceptable social behavior, she grabbed Regus's arm and pulled him along as she rushed forward. If not for the fact that he sensed no danger from her whatsoever, Regus would have intercepted her hand and then distanced her, or maybe killed her outright. But she wasn't one of his underlings, nor did he wish to cause a scene here. So instead, he set his pace to match hers, then ceded control to Anguis, so that he could analyze the woman's motivation.
It seemed she was desperate, though any idiot could tell that. Anguis ignored the offended rumble from Regus's thoughts. Of course he had seen that, it was obvious.
If you're going to say something, make it useful. Regus growled.
Anguis didn't nod, instead just sending an affirmative notion to Regus, then focusing on the woman again. Her quick steps and nervous glances made it clear that she was not well liked by the townspeople. And, upon closer inspection, it seemed that the clothes she was wearing had stitching set slightly farther apart, and rougher materials than most professionals would make them with. They were likely made by her own hand, which even now was trembling in his.
She led him to a small house nestled between two others, then she turned and grinned at him.
Regus seized control before Anguis could let a grin spread across their face. His last thought was, 'Yes this will work.'