"It's such a beautiful day!" Leif said, stretching his arms as the morning light streamed through the windows of the Moonlit Kettle hall. The dining hall was a cozy, sunlit space with wooden beams overhead and the comforting aroma of fresh-baked bread filled the air. Simple yet charming.
"You seem happy." Rin sat across him at the long oak tables adorned with woven placemats.
"Why wouldn't I be. I finally get to sleep on a comfortable soft bed and I didn't have to wake-up before the sun!" Leif shivered when he recalled early wake-up calls at old man Jo's place.
"Is that a new cloak?" Rin noticed.
"Ye-yes!" Leif said blushing, remembering his embarrassing encounter with Elysia.
"Did you get that as a bonus from your quest? That was nice gesture."
"Listen!" Leif said sounding serious, "If I ever take another quest recommended by that old geezer again, please tie me up."
"Guild Master Bridge won't be handing out or approving quests for the time being he's on probation" Rin explained his tone casual and cool as usual.
"Serves him right! That guy's so useless. Atleast I know when I look at the quest board today it won't be badly filtered."
"We're going out again? Shouldn't you rest for a couple of days before jumping on another quest?"
"I'm fully rested now that old man Jo's place might be hard work but at least the food was decent." Leif said rubbing his belly remember Elysia's cooking.
"I think you should rest more" Rin argued even though he saw Leif's mana flow was much more steady. He can't help but be worried.
"You looking down on me? Just cause you took down a A-Rank dungeon monster?" Leif said defensively.
"You heard that?"
"Yeah! And don't hold it over my head and don't even think you're a big shot now. I'm still going to be our party leader and I'm the one that's gonna call the shots!"
"I wasn't going to." ignoring Rin's outburst.
Before Leif could continue his one-sided argument, a waiter comes swooping in. "Hello, dearies! Well if it isn't the old married couple, Leif and Rin."
"We're not an old married couple!" Leif said.
"You both sure argue like one. I haven't seen you since last winter reckon you boys completed a high paying quest—" she said playfully flicking her russet tail. The waiter was more fox than human. She walked with her two hind legs while her front paws was balancing the tray of the complimentary breakfast.
"Roxy! How have you been?" Rin said looking at the delicious eggs and toast Roxy placed in front of them.
"Swamped darling - just swamped! There so many guests today. Do you see this breakfast hall even a goosedaymoose couldn't sit here?" Roxy gestured to the packed room. It was brimmed with travelers and adventurers. "We're usually busy during recruitment season but it's like merchants came rushing in overnight. You two are lucky to have a room."
Rin casually glanced around, noticing that the place had a lot of fancy-looking merchants for an establishment like the Moonlit Kettle. While the place was clean and quaint, it usually had guests that are E or D rankers and small town merchants.
"How come you've got such fancy guests staying with you today?" Leif asked the question that was on Rin's mind.
"All rooms in the uppity-top place have been booked. It's a right hullabaloo— Arvandale is already packed during the recruitment season but now everyone's buzzing about an auction for Manalara trees and S-rank mana stones."
She came closer and whispered "It's selling for its weight in gold!"
"Achk - Ahck - What?! It's weight in Gold?" Leif choked on his eggs shocked at the news. Rin patted his back with a powerful thump.
"You bet! Now I got to deal with all these unruly guest requesting all kinds of fancy nonesense - that our establishment just does not have. Please tell me you boys are extending your stay at least you two are mellow compared to these new faces." she said still in conspiratorial whisper avoiding being overheard by other guest.
"I think maybe for a couple more days since Leif just got back from a quest - that good with you Leif?" Rin asked as he started fishing for some coins.
But Leif did not respond to Rin, instead, he was staring blankly ahead mumbling "manalara trees? the wagon? weight in gold? manalara tree?"
"Are you okay sweetie?" Roxy asked looking at Leif who looked as still as a talking statue.
"I did get extra reward from the joint quest so I can pay for our stay here." Rin making a mental computation on the total cost of their extension.
"manalara tree? weight in gold? old man? I got ripped off!" Leif continued to mumble, his tone declarative in the last sentence.
"Is he okay? Should you do something about this?" Roxy asked Rin, hands on her hips as she assessed Leif with a critical eye.
Rin on the other hand, looked unconcerned and just continued counting silver coins for their room extension. "It's okay ignore him. I'll go pay for the additional nights we're staying." As Rin stood up from the table, you could hear a cracking sound coming from Leif.
Leif was shedding his shocked statue state and burst out into his hysterical state, "OLD GEEZERS! HOW DARE YOU RIP ME OFF! I WANT MY MONEY!" he said screaming running out of the breakfast hall.
"Now where is that little troublemaker going? I know he didn't just leave my husband's delicious eggs and toast behind!" Roxy raised her eyebrows.
Before Rin could shrug, Lyra appeared out of nowhere, kicking up a trail of dust with her speed. "Got you now, kid!"
"Where did you come from?" Rin wondered with a stoic face.
Her eyes were gleaming with craze "There's someone I need you to see!"
"Wait I need to pay for our room extension," Rin said casually, ignoring the Vice Guild Master's urgent tone.
"There's no time! You might miss him! I think he's got great potential!"
"You say that to everyone you see." Rin sighed as Lyra tied him up and carried him over her head.
"Can I pay when I get back?" was Rin's last word to Roxy as Lyra dragged him yet again to find recruits.
Just a split second later Guild Master Bridge appeared bulldozing his way among the crowd of onlookers. "Lyra! My dear where are you?!"
Roxy asked with comforting tone "Sugar, you and the Mrs. have another spat?"
"Roxy have you seen my wife?" Bridge asked snot dripping from his nose, not caring about his reputation as Guild Master when his marriage was on the line.
"Honey, she left with Rin - you just missed them." Roxy answered him while she busily started clearing the tables.
"Roxy what do I do? All she does is go around with Rin looking for this person she wants to recruit. She won't talk to me!" The large bear of a man started sobbing.
"Pumpkin I don't know. I'll tell you what you're not going to do though. You won't stay here and keep my table away from paying customers." Roxy said pushing him out the door.
"My dear sweet Lyra doesn't love me anymore! What do I do?" Bridge wailed.
"Honey please you are disturbing my customers."
"Lyra! Lyra! Lyra!" Bridge started rolling on the floor like a toddler.
"Who is your wife looking for anyway?"
"I can't tell you, she made me promise not to."
"Why don't you go and help her look for that person then instead of trailing after her like a lost pup."
Bridge looked at Roxy, with pleading eyes "You think she'll stop hating me if I do?"
"Whatever gets you out my breakfast hall"
"I'll do it!" he declared, clenching his fists, eyes blazing with determination. "I'll find that recruit she's looking for! Lyra, wait for me! I'll prove I'm more reliable than that Rin kid!"
And just like that, Bridge, the Boundless Guild Master, had firmly stamped his reputation as a lovesick fool for his wife.
"Recruitment season gets crazier and crazier. I don't get paid enough for this." And Roxy continued her morning shift unaware that just a block away from Moonlit Kettle was the very person who brought all of this nonsense to her doors.
*****
"Is this what they call snow?" Hal's eyes widened as shaved ice made by Agua and Gale fell into a big bowl.
Sal held his hand out to catch some and flinched. "It's cold! Wow it's like summer-snow."
Dressed in their newly bought clothes from Mr. Ofster's store, the two boys sat in awe at the spectacle before them. Snow landing softly in their cups in the middle of summer. They were seated behind big planter away from the prying eyes outside.
"Thank you Agua! Thank you Gale!" Elysia said to the sprites. The day was quite warm and when the twins showed up sweaty from training, Elysia recalled a faint memory of a sweet dessert she wanted to try.
"No Paku, you're not supposed to put salt on it. Ember putting small fireballs on it will make it melt. Fig it's alright you don't need to give us fruits. We are eating here so it might be rude to the owner if we brought our own food." Elysia tried to control the rowdy sprite siblings who were speaking at the same time wanting to use their abilities to contribute to the task at hand.
In Hal and Sal's eyes she was talking to floating orbs dancing around her.
"It's amazing how you can tell them apart!" Hal said holding his hand to let one land on his palm.
Sal mimicked his brother's action "Is this Paku?" he asked looking at the little orb that landed on his hand. The little orb seemingly answered by making small puff of fire.
"It looks like that's Ember" Hal said competitively, as if the small fire wasn't a free clue.
"Well I do see them differently. They are tiny little dears with cute wings" Elysia tried to explain "Here can you see?"
"I don't see anything" Hetty said out of nowhere. Elysia got spooked and jumped like a kitten.
"Hetty you scared me! I didn't hear you walk over." Elysia said holding her heart.
"I apologize miss Elysia, I was too curios." Hetty said blushing thinking she had overstepped her bounds. "I have bought what you requested." Hetty was carrying four slices of cake and a tray of ingredients. The bakery had all sorts of fruits, jams, sugar and milk that Hetty was able to purchase.
"We're making some iced dessert!" Elysia announced.
She took four wooden cups and filled them with the summer-snow as Sal called it. Layer by layer, she arranged the fruits golden slices of Sunflare Mango and glistening cubes of Starmelon. She poured a stream of sweet, creamy milk, letting it seep into the icy layers.
"Allow me miss Elysia" Hetty tried to take over for their guest.
"It's alright Hetty. Come and sit down" Elysia said gesturing to the vacant seat across from the twins.
Hetty did as she was told feeling slightly uncomfortable, as guest of Padfoot Inn didn't usually treat her so kindly.
"Now for the sweet part!" Elysia said excitedly.
The twins watched in amazement as Elysia poured a delicate swirl of ruby red corathonberry jam. She took a pinch of fine sugar, letting it fall like dusted snow over the vibrant fruit, the soft glow of summer sun catching its sparkle.
"Wooow!" All three chorused in their gasped at the sight of the summer-snow confection before them.
"Alright, everyone, let's dig in!" Elysia said cheerfully, demonstrating how to eat the intricate creation. She plunged her spoon into the soft, icy layers, the crisp swish of ice against the wooden bowl and spoon filled their silence. "You have to mix the honey and sugar around, then take a spoonful of ice with the fruit and—"
She lifted the chilled bite to her lips, letting the flavors melt on her tongue. A rush of sweetness and cold tingled against her senses, the rich sunflare mango blending with delicate sweet notes of starmelon and the tartness of the corathonberry jam.
She held her cheeks enjoying the sweet treat that was familiar, yet unfamiliar. A taste she had known before, yet one she had never experienced. A flicker of a memory danced at the edges of her mind— Elysia blinked, shaking off the strange sensation, and forced a smile. "It's... really good," she said encouraging them to try.
Hal was the first to try, scooping a careful spoonful into his mouth. His eyes widened as the chilled sweetness melted on his tongue. "Whoa... it's not too sweet. The tartness and milk balances out the sugar so well!" he said, grinning as he took another bite.
Sal, on the other hand, wasted no time. He shoveled spoonfuls into his mouth, practically inhaling the dessert.
"Sal! Slow down, or you'll get a brainfreeze!" Elysia scolded, laughing and the boy suddenly winced, clutching his head. "Ah—ow, ow! What is this sorcery?!" he groaned, eyes squeezed shut.
"What's wrong? Is he alright?" Hal asked a little concerned.
"It's alright it's just that he ate it to fast. It'll go away" Elysia shook her head in amusement but then she noticed that Hetty hadn't touched her portion.
The girl held the spoon hesitantly, glancing between the dessert and Elysia with an uncertain expression.
"Hetty it's delicious trust me."
"This has so much sugar, miss Elysia," Hetty admitted, lowering her gaze. "I dare not try such an expensive dessert."
Elysia blinked, suddenly remembering indeed sugar was precious. A distant memory tried to resurface of her purchasing a single cube as a present to somebody. It wasn't something most people could afford to use so freely.
She softened her tone and nudged the cup closer. "That's exactly why you should try it," she insisted gently. "If you let this melt it'll be wasted. Besides, everything taste sweeter when it's shared."
Hetty hesitated for a moment before finally taking a small spoonful. The second the flavors touched her tongue, her eyes went wide. "Oh... it's—it's like nothing I've ever tasted before," she whispered, almost in awe.
Elysia grinned. "Told you."
She then turned to Sal and asked "by the way why did you guys not want to meet up at the Guild?"
Hal and Sal exchanged a knowing look. If Elysia visited the Guild, there was a chance she'd run into that Leif guy — and as far as they were concerned, that was not happening. Grandfather Jo had made it clear: they were to keep her away from scum like him.
"It's just that... it's a bit far from where you're staying," Sal reasoned.
"Plus this way we get to see this part of the city!" Hal added.
"I wanted to visit the guild though to see if Flora has an update on my quest. I still have no leads on the Master, I've asked around shops and inns. People just stare at me oddly when I ask if they knew anyone who owned a hut in the Whispering Forest."
"Elysia you know it's not normal for someone to just randomly live in the Whispering Forest, you should stop mentioning whispering forest." Sal pointed out.
"We'll check with Flora to see if there are any updates on your quest, but missing person requests aren't usually a priority," Hal admitted honestly.
"But the Whispering Forest is my only lead." She said feeling defeated. "I was thinking of just hitting the road and looking for him myself."
"What?!" The twins chorused.
Sal held her hand, "No you shouldn't go wandering Serendale all alone. I get that your strong and all but it's pretty dangerous out there. You never know if you get swallowed up by a dungeon."
Hal held onto the other hand, "Not to mention you don't have any other identification except for your Grayridge card. It's alright in Arvandale since it's in the central plains but there are some parts of Serendale that are hard to cross due to territory disputes of Feudal lords. They might think you're a spy and lock you up!"
"How about shady people you meet on the street, you've got such a trusting soul Elysia you even welcomed us to your hut not knowing who we are or what we could've done to you." Sal said intensely.
"You never know we could be thieves or worst human traffickers! Those guys just jump on you and put you in a sack." Hal held her hand firmer.
"What? Don't be silly you guys are exaggerating!" Elysia said leaning back on her chair freeing from their grasps.
"Even if we know you could fight off anything because you're strong. Do you even know how to drive a carriage or ride a horse?" Sal pointed out.
"You can't even travel through transportation scrolls because you'd get sick for days so that's out of the picture" Hal added.
Elysia looking worried looked at them and asked, "But what should I do? I need to find this person, is it hopeless after all?"
Hal and Sal looked at each other. Feeling a little guilty that they've cornered Elysia and they both couldn't find the right words to comfort her.
"Is traveling between borders really dangerous Hetty?" Elysia asked Hetty who was trained to act disinterested with guests' conversations. But here Elysia was reeling her into the conversation and asking for her opinion.
Hetty parted her lips, hesitated for a moment, but still managed to say, "It's true, miss Elysia. traveling between places can be dangerous—everyone is limited and sometimes prohibited in other parts of Serendale." Hetty studied her carefully, convinced more than ever that Elysia must be a sheltered runaway aristocrat's daughter, unaware of the harsh realities of the world.
"Except for adventurers," she added thoughtfully. "Are you not planning to become one? With such amazing gifts, you are quite an amazing mage."
"That's it! If you become an adventurer you can go where you want in the name of dungeon conquests." Hal stood in excitement at the prospect.
"You can be an adventurer! You can join us in Boundless Guild and the three of us can form a party. Plus being a guild gets you better intel!" Sal planed out.
*****
After finishing their desserts, Hal and Sal prepared to return to the Guild, still trying to convince Elysia to join their training and become an adventurer. She considered the idea—traveling with the twins meant she wouldn't be alone, and there was so much of this world she didn't know. Her memories were unreliable.
"Miss Elysia, will you be taking this then?" Hetty's voice pulled her back to the present.
Elysia found herself staring at a plush carpet beneath her fingertips. Hetty had taken Elysia to the textile market. She blinked before nodding. "Yes, I think this will do nicely. I'll pay for it now."
"Is there any other store you want to visit? We have sweets, ink and paper" Hetty asked holding the carpet for Elysia.
With a graceful wave of her hand, Elysia stored it in her storage ring, the fabric vanishing in an instant. The merchant manning the stall stared in wide-eyed surprise, clearly not expecting such rare artifact being carried around by a little girl.
"I think that's it for now we should head back to the Inn now." Elysia looked at the sun setting. "I'm sorry I kept you out all day again."
But before Hetty could respond that she actually looked forward to their outings, the two stopped dead on their tracks when a big figure loomed before them.
"Hey therelittle ladies! You two look strong! Are you adventurers? Do you both belong to an adventurer Guild perhaps?" asked the colossal of a man with an overly exaggerated smile and excited eyes.
"No we're not" Elysia surprised at the man in front of her. He was a large man carrying around a sack of some sort.
"It's not safe for young girls to be out this late. Might I have a moment with you two. I am Guild Master Bridge and I - "
Bridge couldn't finish what he was saying because Hetty held Elysia's arm and lead her away from him. "Let's go Lady Elysia it is not good to talk to strangers." Hetty had experience this before, men approaching impressionable girls with a sack was no doubt human traffickers.
Bridge was desperate. He had been running all over Arvandale, searching for strong recruits. He had been searching since early morning and just when he was about to give up. He spotted them—the little ash blonde one who moved with unnatural silence and the dark-haired one who casually used magic to store a carpet. His instincts screamed that these two were exactly what he needed for his guild - more importantly to get back his wife and fix his marriage.
Without thinking, he lunged forward and grabbed Hetty's arm, his grip firm with urgency. "Wait! Don't go!" he blurted out wide-eyed.
Hetty froze her body tensed. To any bystander, it must have looked like a kidnapper seizing his next victims.
Elysia quickly Hetty closer to her "Mister unhand her!"
"No I just need to talk let's go over there." Bridge pointed to a tavern close by attempting to offer them a nice meal and convince them to go back to the Guild with him.
But Elysia did not see that Inn, she thought Bridge was pointing at a dark alley and then the twins words ringed in her ears. "shady people, human traders - or worst human traffickers, those guys jump on you and put you in a sack!"
"Gale!" Elysia said with much force.
In an instant, a powerful gust erupted, hurling Bridge —Guild Master, an A-Rank adventurer who towered most people in Arvandale—clear off his feet. The force sent him crashing backward, his massive frame toppling straight into a textile merchant's stall, rolls of fabric exploding into the air and burying him.
He heard the black-haired one say "Ember no let's get out of here!"
A stunned silence followed. Then, from beneath a heap of silk and linen, Bridge groaned, "Wait come back!"
By the time he resurface the two girls vanished into thin air.
"Honey! Are you alright? What in Serendale are you doing?" It was Lyra who had just arrived at the scene after seeing flying bolts of fabric in the air.
Bridge momentarily forgot his task at hand and just embraced his precious dear wife. "Honey you're talking to me again!"
"Why are you in such a mess?" she asked worried.
"That guy tried to drag those two girls into that Inn" a bystander came forward.
"I saw him holding the blonde one" another testified.
"Honey!" a vein bulge in Lyra's temple. She closed her eyes in a desperate attempt to contain her rage. "Explain yourself!" she said drawing her sword at his throat.
"That - that girl I tried to talk to her to recruit her. She said she didn't have a guild but I could sense she had immense power. But then the other one must've misunderstood and sent me flying! Honey please believe me don't get angry anymore" tears we're starting to form on Bridge's eyes as he desperately tried to embrace his wife again. Lyra profusely kept him at a distance.
Then suddenly Bridge felt a cold splash of water on his shoulder. Bridge turned around to see Rin.
"You traitor! you've been hogging my wife all day! How dare you doused your guild master with water!" He said ready to pick a fight.
But Rin just casually said and pointed at his cloak "You were on fire."
Lyra gasped. "Your cloak! That was a rare Infernal Cloak from Jin—it was reinforced with fire-resistant salamander silk and enchanted rubies! It can withstand dragon flames, but—" She trailed off, staring at the scorched mark edges where a very powerful fire magic was used. Her eyes sparkled with the discovery. She finally found a clue - the powerful fire mage.
"You found him my brilliant oaf! You found him! or I guess she's a her. You found her" She said hugging the large frame of Bridge. Then planting a number of kisses on his cheek it was a miracle. Lyra thought that she could finally get her hands on a powerful mage for their guild. "Where is she? Where is she? Did you ask if she has a guild?"
"That well," Bridge trailed off "I didn't get her name"
"You didn't?" Lyra said dumbfounded. "Do you remember what she looked like?"
"She was this small or maybe this small?" Bridge gestured attempting to remember the two girls' height.
"Useless." Lyra looked at him with seething exasperation. "Rin let's go we might still catch her -" Lyra turned around to find Rin had escaped this involuntary Guild work. "great now he's missing!"
"Honey wait don't get angry!" Bridge clung to her in desperation.
"Let go of me" Lyra said coldly.
"Old Geezer! You ripped me off!" Leif's voice can be heard from far away, running at full speed and slammed his entire body onto Bridge.
Now Leif was clinging onto Bridge, furiously swinging his fists at him like an angry squirrel. Meanwhile, Bridge—the towering, supposedly dignified Guild Master—was latched onto Lyra's leg, wailing like a man on the brink of despair.
Lyra, her patience long gone, was violently shaking her leg, trying to dislodge both of them like unwanted barnacles.
And then, a little farther away in one of the food stalls. Rin was watching the entire fiasco unfold. He was munching leisurely on a cornbee cob completely unbothered. He glanced down at it, then back at the chaos, then back at his corn cob.
"Hmm... this is sweet."