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Touché, Ythri thought as Alexis gave his one-sentence summary of life in the military. A flush came to her cheeks; she was embarrassed by the cluelessness of her question. The feeling subsided a bit, however, as the man expanded on his reply.
"The Imperial Navy? No, I don't think I've ever considered it," she said with a smile. She was a singer, a bard, not a warrior, but the simple fact that the question had been asked intrigued her. "I'm not much of a military strategist...as I imagine that you've gathered by now," she added self-deprecatingly. "What does the Navy use its swimmers for? Boarding ships, or invading islands, or some other things that I haven't thought of?"
It took little to arouse Ythri's interest, and it was obvious that she was giving Alexis her rapt attention as she awaited his response. Whether she would act on it was another question altogether, but her curiosity in the subject was real.
The girl took another sip from her glass. It was better than whatever she might have bought would have been, that was for sure. Ythri was almost out of money, and would have to manage her affairs carefully in order to avoid exhausting her funds altogether. Thank the gods for the kindness of strangers, she thought, her gratitude mingled with a sort of naive certainty that fate would unquestionably provide for at least her most basic needs.
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