"Nothing much." Said she. "You have to get permit 102 in order to enact a patent without Centrian, Westphalian, or Eastian citizenship— as detailed in code §96.024 of the International Charter of Centria."

"That doesn't sound too difficult." Ruby said.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Mel muttered.

"I wouldn't fret," Ruby dismissed with a smile, "It's merely a formality, no?"

"Indeed." The elf woman said with a tired nod of her head. "A simple administrative formality."

Ayane's face still remained as composed as ever, yet her polite smile became a thin line.

She said there was another desk which could help— one by a window and a couple of corridors down the left.

"Where'd you get that bow?" Bertha blurted out before you all left. "I wanna get one too."

"It's issued alongside the uniforms for female government clerks." Said the elf. "All women are given one for as long as they work here."

"Oh." Bertha suddenly looked at the elf with pity and sympathy. "I know how tough it is to share a something between all of you."

"Hmm?" The elf woman's expression, though almost constantly irritable and tired, became furrowed with confusion.

"Yeah, I have, like, more than a dozen brothers and sisters. And we all needed to share a single bathroom. It's, like, totally the worst. It got especially bad in family reunions." Bertha continued with a shudder. "I feel what it's like to only have a single bow between you all."

"Thank you?" Said the elf, blinking a few times. "If there is nothing else, I will humbly request that all you allow the others behind you to have a turn in speaking. May you find your fortune, most honorable Lord Savant John Doe."

You could almost sense how pleased Gerty was at the apparent respect shown to you, though you personally felt like this elf had a slightly sarcastic and annoyed bent in her tone.

"Thanks. Try to get some rest." You told her. Her eyes widened for a split second, and she blinked a few times.

"Very well." She said, the turned around to return the papers she took out. "Is it that obvious?" She uttered under her breath with an almost worried tone.

You chose not reply to the thought that slipped out of her mouth, not wanting to waste any more time.

"Um, Bertha, you know," Mel spoke as you were all walking down a corridor, "I think when she said that they all had the bow, she was meant that they have one each."

"What do you mean?" Bertha tilted her head, confusion clear on the face of your warrioress.

"I believe," Ruby intervened, "Mel is trying to explain they have one accessory given per employee. They do not share the same bow between all clerks."

"Huh?" Bertha blinked a few times.

"Just, uh, don't worry about it." Mel said.

Soon enough you all found the desk you were looking for. Though there were a few hiccups on the way.

"She gave us the wrong place." Herta huffed.

"That is not entirely unexpected." Ayane said calmly.

"She seemed pretty tired." Mel said.