Chapter Text
"That's interesting..."
Claire flinches a bit as the magi across the table thinks allowed. "I-I hope it's okay."
"Huh? Oh no it's great, I'm just surprised we got someone with an A-rank license applying, I hadn't heard about any TPK's or disbandings recently. And usually parties at that level are pretty tight knit, it's weird for just one member to leave."
"Y-yeah, sorry."
The magi shrugs, not bothering to take her eyes off Claire's adventurer's license. "Their loss, we'll happily take on an A-ranker, assuming you're still fit for the field. You're not injured or cursed or anything, are you?"
Claire's stomach knots. She wants to keep her mouth shut, or better yet to quickly and quietly exit the room, but she forces herself to speak as soon as she can. "I actu- t-technically I do have a curse." Getting the words out is no relief, more than ever she wants to be anywhere else.
"Oh? Is it serious?" If Claire's trembling response troubles the magi she doesn't show it, it's hard to tell if she registers her interviewees nervousness whatsoever.
"I don't think it'll affect me in the field."
"What did it do?" The magi looks up at Claire for the first time since laying eyes on her license. She speaks an incomprehensible word and small pentacles of blue light form in front of each of her eyes. "There seems to be magic affecting your whole body."
"I-um, there was..."
"Do you need it removed?"
"No!" Shocked by the force and reflexiveness of her denial Claire flings her hands over her mouth. "S-sorry."
The magi quirks an eyebrow, the pentacles before her eyes begin to spin.
"I-it's... It's a sex shift curse." Claire looks away from the woman examining her. "If you look at my license I'm actually listed as a man. My actual name is-"
"Oh, that's no issue." The magi's eyes swing back to Claire's guild license. "I've studied sex shift effects, their effects on physical capability is negligible. If being a woman doesn't trouble you there's no reason to waste silver getting it removed."
Several responses crash into eachother in Claire's mind, in the end she just slowly blinks a few times while staring at the magi.
After a few moments looking over the license the magi looks to Claire and extends a hand, wholly unbothered by her prospective partymate's blank expression. "Well then, if there are no other injuries or curses affecting you I'll be happy to welcome you aboard."
"Y-yeah." Half convinced she's dreaming Claire tentatively joins the handshake. "Happy to join you, if you'll have me."