A/N: Hey guys! Welcome back to another chapter! I'm still setting the basis for the story so it doesn't just run along the ground. Just a little heads up, it'll probably be a bit before our MC meets the rest of the main characters. The current timeline is a little before Natsuki Subaru's arrival. So, prepare for craziness!

PS: Alicia's stats: 45 VIG, 30 END, 35 STR, 41 DEX, 20 BT, 30 ARC

Alicia's Attire: Old Hunter Cap, Hunter Garb (w/o cape), Knight gloves, and Decorative old Hunter Trousers.

"By the gods! This place is so confusing!" I yelled out, finding myself at another dead end. I sighed as I placed a palm to the side of my head. "Even in Yharnam, I at least had a specific path to take."

I turned around, looking for anything that seemed familiar. I saw a little scratch on the edge of one of the buildings. Turning the corner, something caught my eye. A little sign at the edge, sporting strange hieroglyphs that seemed to be this world's alphabet. Though I wouldn't necessarily pay attention to such a thing, it was the image at the bottom right. A little cup, filled to the brim with brown liquid.

"They always say the best information is in bars and restaurants…" I said to myself, moving to walk in. I stopped myself, bringing a hand to my chin.

"Wait, isn't it a bit too close to the main road? Yet there isn't a soul near the place." My instincts kicked in, the grip of my fists becoming stronger as I prepared for the worst. I placed a single hand on one of the double doors, pushing it open with an audible creak. Somehow, the place was bustling with activity. I could see a variety of the strange animal-like people from earlier. I even spotted a couple humans in the mix, though they were in their own little circle at the edge of the place.

A couple heads turned my way, some giving out a low whistle. I wouldn't know why, because they would have barely been able to see the curves of my body through the cloth I wore. Maybe they were impressed by the attire? I casually walked towards the bar, on my way there, however, the more feline-like guests wore worrying looks as their eyes watched my every movement. Their ears twitching every now and then, as if to pick up whatever sound they could.

"Good morning. How can one such as myself help you today, the man behind the counter asked, a practiced smile gracing his lips. He was a burly man. Tanned well as if he'd been working on a farm, along with three claw mark scars across his cheek. The man was also quite tall as well. I pulled down my cover, revealing a small smile of my own.

"Good morning, good sir. What type of drink do you sell here?" I asked simply, making my words flow like silk. It was a bit of an innate skill I had long before taking up my duties as a hunter. He looked at me with strange eyes, as if doubting my intentions.

"Well, miss, I don't mean to sound rude, but the drinks are labeled above." He said pointing up. I looked up, noticing the same writing that was outside on the sign. I chuckled lightly, looking back at the bartender. I could see a hint of a blush appearing on his cheeks.

"While it may seem quite obvious, I'm not exactly from around here. It seems we have the same language, but our way of writing is vastly different." I stated casually, a little wave of my hand across my attire emphasized my point. He merely shook his head, naming off different flavors of drink they currently served.

"Well, to start you off, I could offer you a glass of Rom." I tilted my head, the unfamiliar word causing a bit of confusion.

"Rom? Is it an alcoholic drink?"

"Yes, one of the top five drinks here in terms of quality."

"So it's pretty much Rum, but under a slightly different name…" I said under my breath, pulling out a chair and taking a seat next to another muscular man. He eyed me lustfully, to which I simply ignored.

"I'll have a glass of that, then. My thanks, good sir."

"Coming right up!"

I didn't have to wait long, as he scooped up a couple cubes of ice and placed them in a decently sized shot glass. He poured the dark brown liquid, the heavy smell of it drifting through my nostrils. It was a nostalgic smell, very different from the usual stench of rotting meat and copper.

"That'll be 3 copper coins, miss."

I reached into my bag, pulling out a few coins that I found throughout my journey. It was strange. I never really thought I would have to use them for something other than leaving a marking. The bartender stared at the coins twisting them around his fingers.

"I'm sorry miss, but these hold no value whatsoever. The design doesn't match the currency system used here. I'm afraid you'll have to find something else to pay with."

I sighed, taking back the money and placing it back in my bag. Before I could rummage for something else, the lecher that was sitting next to me opened his mouth. A gruff, sandpaper-like voice came out.

"I don't mind paying for the pretty little lady here." He said, giving me a perverted look as he eyed me up and down. I frowned, narrowing my eyes.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I'll have to decline. Thank you kindly for the gesture." I said, rummaging through my bag for something I could use as payment. I've dealt with this type many times before, so it was a pretty simple process of getting them away. However, this one seemed to be pretty persistent.

"No no no! That simply won't do! Hey barkeep, take the coins."

"I'll have to decline as well sir. The young lady here has clearly shown she would not be accepting your "courtesy"." The bartender said, eliciting a small smile from myself. Usually, one would easily accept money, no matter who it's from. This man carries himself with pride, that much is obvious.

"Thank you. If I may be so bold to ask, what is your name?" I asked.

"Russell. Just Russell."

"It's certainly a pleasure to meet you, Russell. You can call me Alicia."

"Likewise." He said, his eyes tearing away from the pervert for a few seconds.

Suddenly, I could feel a hand firmly patting my buttocks. It sent a shiver of disgust through my body, but I made sure not to show it. The air grew cold around me, making the hand that was placed on me stop its groping. The bar grew deathly quiet, even the barkeep had cold sweat go down his face.

"If you don't want to lose that hand, remove it now." I said with finality, not moving an inch. The man next to me laugh awkwardly, and I could see out of the corner of my eye his struggled smile. He was still trying to play brave, as if to show he was capable.

"H-ha! Think you can get away, huh? Here I am offering to buy your drink, and yet you still intend to be rude!?" His voice grew louder the longer he talked, gaining the whole room's attention. I simply looked at Russell, and gave him an innocent smile.

"Excuse us for a bit, please. It seems he has no intention of stopping." I said, getting up from the chair. He looked worried for a second, as if contemplating whether to let me leave alone with this guy, but he just nodded.

"Oh ho! Looks like it's going to be a fun day for me!" The pervert bellowed, laughing while following behind me. The curiosity of the people inside couldn't be contained as they too followed us out. I stopped a few paces outside the bar, turning towards the man as he also halted in place.

"What? You wanna do it out here? I'm all for fun, but I didn't think yo-" I cut him off mid sentence with a kick to the side of the head. It sent him flying a few meters into a wall on the opposite side. I landed with some grace, watching where he landed in case he decided to get up again. The audience we gathered were quite shocked, to say the least. Some were whispering to each other about who I was. Of course, nobody really knew.

"U-Ugh..! Y-you bitch! Who the hell do you think you are, doing that to me!?" He questioned, shoving some debris out of the way as he climbed back to his feet. I couldn't help but where a mocking smile.

"Well, I do think of myself as someone who has more manners than a pervert such as yourself." I stated, standing my ground as I waited for his next move. Even though I knew I could win, I was still on guard. If being a hunter taught me anything, it's that if you underestimate your prey, it could mean the end of your life. He grumbled some more, clenching his fists tightly. Almost immediately, he rushed forward, bringing his arm up to throw a punch at me. It was quite sad really, like a child who had never experienced a fight before.

"Take this you bitch!" He screamed, bringing his arm down full swing. I quickstepped to the left, which allowed me to enter his blindspot. I brought up my fist, a soft glow coming from it. He must have reacted on instinct, as he sloppily rolled out of the way.

"Tsk!" I clicked my tongue in annoyance, going back into my relaxed posture. He was breathing heavily, sweat pouring from his brow as he studied me. He looked quite frightened, but whether it was bravery or stupidity, I didn't really know. He got up again, trying the same tactic again, to which I simply dodged once again, delivering a well placed kick to the back of his knee.

"Argh!" He yelled in surprise, not expecting his leg to give out. I swiftly delivered a punch to the same spot I kicked, knocking him down into the ground. Blood started to form and clot around both sides of his head. He was obviously dazed, but nonetheless managed to stand back up.

"Dammit! I swear by the dragon I'll mutilate you! You piece of shit!" He cursed, growing more and more infuriated as the fight went on. I saw Russell finally come out of the bar, a soft whistle coming from his direction. My focus was immediately back on the enraged pervert, a glint of steel appearing from behind his back.

"I'll make you regret ever going against me!" He made another reckless charge swinging the steel downward, but immediately stopped just a few feet from me. It was plainly clear the man was scared. He was shivering uncontrollably. My gaze grew dark as I went to replace the mask on my face, slowly looking into his eyes. He quickly took a step back, however, his grip on the weapon was still strong.

"You sure you want to escalate this further? I'll more than happily oblige to that, however, I believe you would regret it more than I." I focused on the marking in my left palm, a shadowy wisp swirling out and slowly taking form. The crowd gasped loudly, distancing themselves from me. Even Russell went wide-eyed, unable to comprehend what was going on. The darkness soon formed into the Piercing Rifle, the long barrel pointed in the man's direction. I could tell he was questioning his actions. Perhaps even pondering whether to apologize on the ground like the dog he was? However, it didn't look like he would listen to his instincts as he once again tried to attack. Not out of rage this time, but out of pure desperation and fear.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH-"

BANG

A dry explosion resounded through the area, along with the sound of pained screaming. Blood pooled around the man's leg as he held it, trying desperately to relieve the pain. Slowly, I walked toward him, placing the barrel of the gun to the side of his head. Through tears and snot he pleaded for his life, screaming out for someone to save him. No one heeded his call, and certainly not me. After all, what better mercy to grant than death?

"Wait!" Someone screamed from inside the crowd. It quickly made room for the voice, a man in a white, thin overcoat apparently being the owner. He had a long sword eqipped to his side, looking at the scene before him with a bit of relief. "Good I'm not too late."

"Who are you? A friend of his?" I asked harshly, preparing for another bout, but the man in white quickly waved his hands.

"No no no! I'm merely a knight passing by! I saw the commotion and thought I should take action before anyone is killed. Could I ask you to spare that man's life?"

"Now why would I do that? He's obviously scum not fit to lick the boots of a yharnamite."

"Yharnamite? Is that what you call your people?"

"Not my people, but yes. That's what they were called."

"Were? What do you mea-"

"Are you just going to stand there and ask needless questions, or are you going to come do something about this trash?"

He looked away for a second, probably cursing under his breath. The knight casually strode towards our direction, the trash beneath my barrel whimpering quietly, not daring to move lest I blow his head off. The knight stopped a few meters away, introducing himself with a bow.

"My name is Tilsim Ocro. Ocro for short if you feel like being friendly. I'm a Proud knight of Lugunica. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, though I would have wished for a more suitable situation." He looked up, expecting me to do the same. I didn't dare remove the barrel, but I still gave a curt bow in return.

"Alicia. No family name. I am merely a hunter of The Workshop."

"Well, now that introductions are out of the way, why don't you let me take that man there." He said, passing a glance. Though it clearly wasn't shown on his facial features, I could easily see the disdain and disgust in Orco's eyes. I faintly smiled, removing the Piercing Rifle, though not letting it leave the pervert's direction. Orco picked him up by the arm, a pair of wooden cuffs clasping the man's hands together.

"Hopefully we meet again soon, Alicia. I'm sure we could be great allies, depending on what path you take."

"Likewise, though I prefer to do my work alone. May the gods smile upon you on your journey."

The crowd's gazes were fixated on the knight and the man, completely unaware of my presence. I found it the perfect chance to slip away and, hopefully, find a way to the edge of the city. I continued to exit the area, however, I stopped in my tracks when I noticed something was wrong.

"Damn, I forgot to pay for my drink…" I said aloud to myself, casually starting my pace again as the sun began to reach a little past it's midday cycle. "I'm sure Russell won't mind if I pay it back later."