"And who are you exactly to ask me a favor?" Leif said frustrated.
Rin was trying to tidy up Leif disheveled appearance, "And we just came from the bath house too."
"It's just that we can't find any other inn right now." Elysia smiled apologetically.
"And you think sleeping with us in our room is your only other option?" Leif said dumbfounded by how Elsyai can be so brazen or utterly clueless.
"I will pay you" Elysia said retrieving her bag of coins.
"Money's not the issue here. And didn't I say don't just randomly pull out gold coins!" Leif slammed the table and at the same Rin held onto his dish and cup saving it from being lifted in the air.
"I don't mind sharing a room with you guys, is it alright with you Hetty?" Elysia turned to Hetty who was looking pale from their flight excursion.
"You don't mind! But I do!" Leif said his face intensely red. They were back at the Moonlit Kettle and was in the middle of eating dinner. There were no available rooms in the entire city of Arvandale and so Elysia asked Leif desperately if he could accommodate her and Hetty.
"You can stay at our room tonight. We can stay at our Guild's Head Quarters." Rin offered.
"Why are you deciding for the party? I'm the party leader here?"
"We only have two beds in that room anyway. I didn't know you wanted to sleep with me" Rin said nonchalantly opening his arms to Leif almost teasingly.
Elysia blushed letting out a small gasped "I'm sorry I didn't know we'd be imposing on you that way"
"Hey don't get any ideas!" Leif said frustrated seeing Elysia's mind going wild.
"Leif darling! You better not be starting brawl at my dinning hall!" Roxy loomed over him like a teacher catching a mischievous student.
Leif shrunk silently a "Yelp" escaped him.
"Roxy! We're letting other guest stay in our room. We'll stay at the guild hall tonight." Rin informed the inn keeper.
"Other guests?" Roxy looked at the two guests.
"Hello I am Elysia of Grayridge" Elysia greeted her with a smile.
"Such pretty little lady you are! And this one is?" She said taking a closer look at the pale looking girl then a dawn of recognition "Hetty?"
"Roxy!" Hetty gaining a little color on her cheeks, hugged a familiar friend.
"Hetty darling! Why on earth are you here at this time?" Roxy patted her back.
"Have you heard anything from Mr. Coon?" Was Hetty's main concern.
"It's alright I've instructed Glisinda on what to do next. And my husband visited him at the Imperial jail to at least get him some decent meal."
Hetty teary-eyed just embraced Roxy a little longer.
"Don't cry now darling! Roxy is here don't worry about a thing. Mr. Coon will be out before you know it." But that was a lie. Roxy had spoken to her husband and she knew in truth that, Mr. Coon faces serious consequences as a beastkin folk the imperial justice system is extremely prejudice without a legal advocate they can't even plead their case.
"Will he really be alright?" Hetty looked at Roxy trying to gain some assurance.
"Yes he will" Roxy smiled. Elysia notice it was the kind of smile that only said half truths.
Roxy then changed the topic, "But why are you here deary? shouldn't you be at the orphanage?"
"Well I - " Hetty hesitated to share what happened at the orphanage. Feeling a little ashamed about being put into such a situation.
"She's no longer a ward of the state so she can live wherever she wants." Leif venting his frustration onto his dinner plate tears starting to form in his eyes. "They can take our room Roxy! I still have something to square out with the guild Master anyway. Let's go Rin!"
"There he goes again" Rin said looking at Leif who was out the door.
"Aren't you going after him?" Roxy asked.
"It's okay when he's that angry he really doesn't notice anything around him. I'll just take our belongings from the room and you girls can settle in."
"Really? I'm so sorry I didn't mean to put you out." Elysia said feeling a little awkward by their offer.
" It's the least I can do after the cave - " Rin looked at Elysia. Her dazzling blue eyes was infinitely deep and he could feel an odd electric connection between them. He cleared his throat and left the table "I think I should rush after him , he might get in trouble."
"Now that's the first time I've seen him walking so fast." Roxy said looking at Rin's retreating figure.
****
That night, thanks to Rin and Leif, Elysia and Hetty had a roof over their heads. Elysia had paid for their meals in exchange for the room. Roxy even gave them a basin of water and soap to wash themselves. It was thanks to everyone's generosity that she is full, clean and warm. That's right, Hetty reminded herself. I'm living off the kindness of others again.
She bit her lip, staring at ceiling. The Matron was strict had she caught Hetty she would surely be starved, cold and beaten today regardless of whether Elysia and others were there. I've lived off the Matron's generosity too much... she was generous wasn't she?
At least that's what Hetty would tell herself, every coin Hetty earned, she handed over without complaint. She had worked at Padfoot Inn at the tender age of 10 it was the only way she could earn her keep and when she came of age the Matron had told her she can stay at the attic so as long as she would clean and cook at the orphanage and hand her pay. She was always told that she needed to earn her keep. But no matter how much I gave, it was never enough.
Now there was no matron to return too, surely she cannot return now. A knot formed in her stomach. Was leaving the right choice?
But then she remembered it—Elysia's outstretched hand, the darkness just behind her.. For the first time, freedom felt close—just inches away. I didn't even think. I just... reached out.
"Miss?" Hetty called out to the next bed where Elysia was soundly asleep.
"Hmm?" Elysia responded her eyes sleepy from their adventure.
"I - I just wanted to thank you Miss - for getting me out of the orphanage."
"I'm glad I was there, I only wished I stepped in earlier to protect you. Is that matron lady always hitting you Hetty?" a yawn escaped her.
"I - I'm sorry you had to see that Miss - "
Elysia sighed "You know you can call me Elysia - you can drop the Miss part. Why don't you leave? "
"The truth is Miss - I mean Elysia, I have no where to go."
"How about Padfoot Inn? Can't you stay there? Don't tell me the owner - Mr. Coon fellow is too stingy to give a roof over their employee's head!"
"No not at all! Mr. Coon is a very generous to all the staff. "
"You speak so highly of him" Elysia cooed.
"He taught me how to read and count. He stood up for all the staff without hesitation."
Elysia's gaze softened as Hetty describe her best memories of Mr. Coon.
"He is generous and well liked by everyone at Padfoot Inn."
Elysia adjusted her head on her pillow watching Hetty with quiet curiosity now.
"When I got sick he bought me medicine and even a piece of candy to help with the bitterness. He was more than just the inn keeper to me —he was a father figure."
Elysia tries to stifle a yawn seeing how Hetty eyes we're now closing slowly.
"Because he's a beastkin he gets treated so harshly but still he was always so kind." Hetty's voice wavered. She yawned, mimicking Elysia unknowingly, and curled a little deeper into the blanket.
"He always helps me in tough situations — I want to help him too. Like how you helped me! I want to be strong and someday... someday I'll be the one to help all of you!" Her voice faded into the hush of sleep. She dozed off as single tear fell on her flushed cheeks.
When Hetty opened her eyes again Elysia was no longer in the bed next to her. Shocked she stood up panicked. "Miss?"
She looked out the window and saw that it was already mid day. She assumed the worst
Has she left here alone to pay for the Inn's cost? She did not have a single coin on her! or wait - Did Elysia get kidnapped in the middle of the night? When she got down to the dinning hall she was greeted by a busy bustling lunch crowd.
"Hetty sweet pea! You sure slept through the morning!" Roxy greeted her balancing trays of food serving guests.
"Have - have you seen Miss Elysia - I mean Elysia?" She asked worried.
"She left this morning darling! In a rush too."
No! Did she leave her without saying anything
"Here you go sugar, go on about your day, I've gots lots to do this evening!" Roxy handing her a plate of breakfast.
"Which table do I serve this?"
"Which table? Whichever table you want to sit in darling!"
"To sit in?"
"Yes go sit on the table and eat!" Roxy said hands on her hips.
Hetty stared at the plate piled with warm, buttered bread, golden eggs still steaming, and crisp slices of rich, smoky Hogsmire bacon—the kind of meal she'd only ever dreamed of—but her hands trembled as she whispered, "I'm sorry, I can't eat this."
"What do you mean? Is my husband's cooking not good enough for the folks of Padfoot Inn?" Roxy said feeling offended.
"That's no, that's not it! It's just that I don't have money for this."
"Now don't you worry about a thing darling!" Roxy pushing her to a vacant table. "That Elysia said was right you are as skinny as a kitten."
"Elysia said?"
"It's quite funny too, I had a good laugh when she said that because you both look too skinny in my opinion, now eat up. "
Hetty looked at the meal in front of her then at Roxy. "This is too much thank you Roxy you're too kind- "
" Too kind? Me? I'm fox darling! No such thing as kindness and free meals. This here's was already paid for by your friend now eat comfortably. Don't think you're putting me out."
"My friend?"
"Yes - your friend, that sweet Eastian girl Elysia." Roxy placed some a mug of warm milk next to her table. Then headed to another section of dining hall to serve another patron.
"My - my friend."
*****
"My friend? He says that they're friends! That good-for-nothing scoundrel! He's dragging our name through the mud!" Nathaniel Pryce slammed his fist on the table.
Mr. Ofster, deep in thought, merely stared at the desk where Baron Amari's land documents lay spread out like a cursed puzzle. He forced a smile. "Can you walk me through this again perhaps we can find a solution - "
"Why are you making me repeat what I told you already. Master Merchant Ofster, like I said before it's... worse than we feared."
He took a slow sip of Eastian tea, trying to calm his nerves. "The zone?"
"Yellow," Nathaniel said, utterly defeated.
"That's manageable. We'll file for a monster subjugation and—"
"It was zoned two seasons ago. The assessment's outdated."
"Then we'll petition for a rezone and submit the monster subjugation reque—"
"And the baron took money from three villages," Nathaniel interrupted, rubbing his temples.
"Then we'll reimburse the villages, request the recategorization, file the subjugation order and—"
"The three village chiefs have filed an Imperial suit against Baron Amari. The trainee merchant who sold the land to his good friend the baron has been chasing him around to settle but the Baron claims he already sold the land , so it's not his problem anymore. Which means we'll need to charter a legal advocate or a noble barrister to represent us in the House of Lords." Nathaniel adjusted his spectacles with the air of someone who hadn't slept in a week.
Mr. Ofster, usually the picture of composure, flipped the table cursing, "That good-for-nothing scoundrel! He's dragging our name through the mud!!"
Nathaniel sighed, grateful his Master was finally catching up to the scale of the disaster. "Master, I should've double-checked the lands the trainee merchants acquired. If I'd just done my due diligence—"
"No, it's not your fault. I was too eager to close the deal. I should have done an ocular inspection with the client myself," Mr. Ofster muttered, defeated.
"What do we do now?" Nathaniel asked, stooping to gather the scattered documents and stacking them with the efficiency of a long-suffering assistant.
"We refund the client." Mr. Ofster said grimly.
"But Master, we can't! If she finds out about our mishandling of this matter that would put the Mana Stone Auction at risk. She might not trust us with the auction. We've sunk everything into preparations!" Nathaniel said, eyes darting, doing mental math like a man calculating his own funeral.
"So be it." Mr. Ofster exhaled deeply. "This company was built on honesty and integrity. I will not let Baron Amari stain our name. But we can't lose the auction either."
"How can we do that?" Nathaniel asked doubting.
"I will beg if I must—on hands and knees— to let us keep the Mana Stone Auction but we are not selling her that land."
Nathaniel's face turned ashen. "If we refund her, we'll be short on funds we'll barely have month worth's of wages for our employees. We're already in the reds with credit with tea and silk trade still on hold! And if she pulls out of the mana stone auction we'll be in debtor's jail before the west winds blows the Galleon's sail!"
Mr. Ofster buried his face in his hands. "Worst is if she comes to find out about the land and charge us with fraud. We cannot let her keep the land."
"Fra-fraud? Will be thrown into imperial jail!"
Then a soft knock interrupted them.
"Mr. Pryce?" came the meek voice of an attendant.
"What!?" Nathaniel called out as if there was a ghost on the other side of door.
"A Miss Elysia is here to see Mr. Ofster."
Mr. Ofster slowly turned to look at Nathaniel—who had gone completely pale. He wobbled, foamed at the mouth, and collapsed in slow motion. "Oh gods! Nathaniel! Don't go into the light!"
Elysia was ushered into Mr. Ofster's office. She glided in with air of nobility.
Mr. Ofster's hands felt iced cold as he poured tea, beads of sweat forming at his temples despite the room's cool air. He offered biscuits with a stiff smile, trying to ignore the trembling Nathaniel in the corner of his office pale as a ghost.
Mr. Ofster gulped, steeling himself. It was time to face the music. "Miss Elysia, I—" he began, intending to apologize, but she did not hear him.
"I'm sorry for coming unannounced," Elysia said with a warm smile, her voice soft and sincere.
Mr. Ofster blinked, caught off guard."No, no—not at all," he replied quickly, regaining his composure. "I did tell you to come to me if you needed anything. I'm glad you visited. I'd been meaning to reach out myself, but I heard you were away. There is something I needed to urgently report about the land you purchased recently"
"Ah yes! I had visited the place it was what I had asked for exactly."
"I see you have visited the land - " This was it, she was going to call out fraud and have him dragged by imperial knights. "wait?! What you visited the land!?"
"Yes it was quite peaceful. I haven't visited the villages though I do plan on going the day after tomorrow."
"How- how did you get past the imperial knights? It's a yellow zone after all."
"Yellow zone?" Elysia tilted her head looking at Mr. Ofster.
Mr. Ofster was down on his knees and hands. He blurted it out there's no backing out now, "Miss Elysia I beg your forgiveness! It was my fault we will refund you the cost of the land just please give us the title. We should have done our due diligence - "
"No please!" kneeled next to his mentor. "My master committed no fault! It was my fault! Our company only handles green-zoned areas, we follow according to the imperial law not to sell land below a green yellow zone. Our merchant company is not affiliated with any Guild so we do not dare take on any dealings with lands that have dungeon monster sightings" Nathaniel explained.
Elysia took out the land title she had, "You're right it says here it is green-zoned. But why are you saying it's a yellow zone?"
"That is the main issue, the copy you have there is an outdated land title. The merchant trainee who handled this transaction never bothered to look at the date of the zoning. I was in charge in reviewing this but I completely missed it. If you want to charge anyone with fraud please charge me!"
A fuzzy memory starts to resurface from Elysia. Had her old self been in this situation before? She held her temple experiencing a head ache from the fuzzy memory. But Mr. Ofster misinterpreted this as a sign of frustration.
"If anything the Sandwalker Merchant Guild is under my leadership and as the Master Merchant of the company I bare all responsibilities my subordinate makes. I beg of you please allow us to rectify this. We will reimburse you for the land title." Ofster defended.
"My Master isn't the one to blame here! It's not our fault that lousy baron doesn't know how to handle his land! It's the nobility who's the fraud" Nathaniel spout the words with so much indignation.
"Nathaniel!" Mr. Ofster barked a silent a reprimand to his mentee for crossing the line and speaking ill of nobility.
"Excuse me" Elysia interrupted at the two feeling awkward. "but can you explain to me what's happening because I'm not planning on selling you back my land."
"What but it's a yellow zone!" Nathaniel reiterated.
"I do not know what a yellow zone means - " Elysia pointed out
After much explaining from Nathaniel and Mr. Ofster, Elysia finally nodded in understanding.
"Ah, I see—so zones are ranked based on dungeon monster activity. Green is the safest, then Yellow-Green, Yellow, Orange, Red-Orange, Red... and Black is the most dangerous. Then certain zones are off-limits and can only be entered by adventurers?"
"Yes, yes" Ofster and Nathaniel nodded.
"Okay, so even though the title says this zone is Green, it's way out of date—first, you need to get it rezoned" Elysia started listing the solutions they explained to her.
"Yes that's right"
"Second, you have to pay for a monster subjugation quest."
"Yes! Correct!" Ofster and Nathaniel clapping as if Elysia was perfectly reviewing their lessons.
"Third, Baron Amari took the villagers' money for that quest and never actually did it, so now they want refunds"
"Exactly! He pocketed the gold and vanished!"
"And fourth- there's an Imperial suit, and we'll need a barrister to argue our case in the House of Lords."
"Precisely" both raising victory flags, thrilled that Elysia understood what they we're saying.
"I see" Elysia was thinking.
"Then if you could just give us the title we'll settle your refund" Mr. Ofster on the fence of starting the refund process.
"Refund why would I want a refund?" Elysia asked
"But - " Nathaniel and Ofster looked at each other unsure how to further explain it.
"but the zone?" Nathaniel pointed out.
"Yes and?" Elysia blinked still confused.
"and the monster subjugation, villagers, and barrister." Ofster enumerated, sounding concern.
"Right sounds to me that some funds can sort everything out." Elysia slid a bag of coin. Mr. Ofster Mr Ofster opened the pouch, blinking at depths. It was another enchanted bottomless coin purse.
"You're entrusting me with more? After everything? How could you? Aren't you furious about this entire fiasco?" he asked, genuinely baffled.
Elysia shrugged, "Why would I be mad at you? You didn't deceive me. From your explanation it was Baron Amari who pulled the rug under you."
Mr. Ofster looked like he might cry."Then... why have you come?" he asked, voice cracking slightly
"Ah yes! I need a favor," Elysia said, sliding a parchment across the desk. "here is a list of people I need you to source."
Mr. Ofster picked up the parchment, scanned the list, and raised an eyebrow. " This is... an unusual collection of talents - "
"I prefer if it's people you vouched for and can trust." Elysia smiled feeling excited at the prospect of meeting the people on her list.
"I can have this arrange of course."
"I need a few other things." Elysia mischievously at Mr. Ofster. Extremely excited of what's to come.
After she narrated her list of request Mr. Nathaniel listing down eagerly beads of sweats trickling down his face.
She stood to say good bye and said "And I forgot to say one more thing. I won't be coming to the auction so I leave it in your hands."
****
"Leave it to me Hetty!" Glisinda patted Hetty on the head. "Just stay in the kitchen today the second floor is off-limits to you okay?"
"Glisinda I'm sorry I missed my morning shift" Hetty said coming in the afternoon.
"It's alright Hetty! I'm just glad you returned safe. After I heard you ran away from the orphanage I was so worried I'd find you in a ditch somewhere. "
Hetty was at Padfoot Inn even though she had miss half a day's work Glisinda was so relieved to see her safe and sound.
"Have you heard news of Mr. Coon?" Hetty asked.
Glisinda shook her head and sighed "I haven't had a chance to go to the imperial jail yet."
"Then I'll go!" Hetty stood ready to leave.
"It'll be night time by the time you reach there. They won't let you in." Glisinda held on her hand. It was more to steady herself than to restrain Hetty. He steadied herself on how to tell Hetty the truth. Because she knows all too well that once a beastkin enters imperial jail it was always almost impossible for them to return home. She tried to fight back tears brought by the soul crashing truth of the loss she was not ready to face
But then a commotion can be heard from the Dinning hall that jerked her to reality. "Stay right here Hetty don't leave!"
The clatter of boots and shouting erupted from the dining hall. Glisinda's brows pinched as she left Hetty in the kitchen and rushed in. Hetty peeked through the kitchen door, heart pounding and saw it was the merchant who'd stolen Elysia's room.
Inside, a flamboyantly dressed man in a garish violet coat and too many rings was waving a scroll in the air like a royal decree.
"I am Gildfredo Reedly, esteemed merchant of Reedly Imports! Our family served the imperial family two generations ago! And you shall show respect where respect is due!" he bellowed.
"What's going on" smacking the table against the guard's chest. "What sort of service is this! How dare you serve the heir to the esteemed merchant group Reedly Imports luke warm drinks! Ice get me some ice!"
"Ice! Imbeciles! Ice! Give me some ice!"
The two adventurers lounging near the table—both a mountain of muscle—groaned in unison.
"This snotty merchant is gonna get us thrown out again," the swordsman muttered. His messy chestnut hair flopped over his eyes as he stabbed at a cold potato with a fork. "Can't believe we took this escort quest. Should've listened to my gut, Mudge."
"I told you, Soren," Mudge said, arms crossed over his barrel chest, "we should've been more selective. He talks like he owns the Empire but he's giving us two measly potatoes for dinner?"
"Yeah, but beggars can't be choosers," Soren grumbled. "We're lucky he didn't require guild-certified adventurers. Half-pay or not, it's work."
"Then just give him half the effort," Mudge said with a shrug. "That way it's even."
"Now that's a point I can get behind."
"What's going on Reynolds?" Glisinda whispered to Reynolds. Reynolds the right hand man of Mr. Coon immediately stepped up and ran the Inn. He took it upon himself to serve this high strung merchant personally.
"Glisinda no!" Reynolds stopped her from coming out "If Mr. Coon knew I let any of the maids near that guy he'd skin me alive if."
"Well what are we supposed to do? We can't just stand here and let him disrupt the other guests." Glisinda peeked her head at the dining hall their guest slowly start to move away from the loud drunkard. Some shaking their head while some just giving him a disgusted look.
It was a mistake for Glisinda to peek her head because the moment she did, Gildfredo spotted her "Oh! What a beauty you are!"
Glisinda curtsied and lowered her head. Reynolds turned and smiled "I've asked this maid to fetch your ice sir. Go on"
Reynolds gave Glisinda an opening to retreat and she took it. "I'll go fetch it now sir" She retreated to the kitchen knowing well there was no ice in their kitchen. Afterall they were not an imperial hotelier and had no resources to purchase the ice.
But she could feel the horrid lustful gaze of Gildfredo as if it was undressing her. "Come on now beautiful maiden where are you going?"
Before Gildfredo could reach Glisinda, Mr. Coon stepped in, blocking his path. The drunken merchant staggered back, startled by the towering frame of the beastkin wolf innkeeper.
"Dear guest," Mr. Coon said with polite menace, "how are you enjoying your dinner tonight?"
"You filthy mutt!" Gildfredo hissed. "Back from the dog pound, are you? Haven't learned your place? Get out of my way!"
"Oh? Something not to your satisfaction, dear customer?" Mr. Coon asked, voice calm, eyes gleaming.
"I said move!" Gildfredo snapped, turning to his hired muscle. "You two pathetic G-rankers—drag this overgrown furball aside!"
The two adventurers, Mudge and Soren, exchanged a look. Flinching at the humiliation of being called G-Rankers. The innkeeper although tall had a faux gentle demeanor to him. But Gildfredo was their paycheck, and they needed to show some spine.
"Hey, you looking for trouble, bud?" Mudge stepped forward, puffing his chest his voice full of moxy.
Soren followed, cracking his knuckles. "As they say, the customer's always right. Let our client enjoy some entertainment from that little chick."
Mr. Coon tilted his head. "Entertainment? Which little chick are you talking about?"
Soren poked a finger at him. "Don't play dumb. That one behind you."
Mr. Coon's smile widened. "Ah, I see. You're mistaken, though. Behind me is a mother goose and a Tasmanianbear's wife. Personally, I wouldn't lay a finger on either if I were you."
"That's it!" Gildfredo lunged to shove Mr. Coon—but the innkeeper stepped aside with graceful ease. The merchant's momentum carried him forward... straight into the fist of a deadly beauty - Vice Guild Master Lyra.
Lyra with a menacing look pushed him of easily, as if he was bug being flicked. He stumbled backwards the two muscle man catching him.
Mr. Coon tried to stifle a chuckle.
"Why you little bitch!" Gildfredo drew a dazzling sword it's hilt made with gold and adorned with diamonds.
"Dear Customer please don't draw your sword otherwise I will rightfully eject you from the property."
"You think you can take me? Don't you know this two behind me are adventurers! The likes of you are no match for them and don't you recognize this sword? It's an imperial sword only passed down by my ancestors this has slayed a red dragon! You think you can take me?" He lunged at Lyra.
Lyra easily caught the sword between her fingers "You know," she said, voice smooth and dangerous, "after I got married, I try not to get my hands dirty dealing with filth like you."
"Impossible! How can you stop an imperial sword!" But he wouldn't know the answer because Gildfredo was thrown back, this time a gigantic musuclar figure held him to his feet.
"Ah right! Dear guest I have not introduced you, this is Vice Guild Master Lyra also known as - " Mr. Coon started.
"The Rosefang" the two hired muscles chorused looking like they were about to wet their pants.
"And the gentleman behind you is her husband a the Guild Master of boundless guild the - "
" Tasmanianbear Armor!" the hired muscles paled and ran for the door leaving their master behind.
"Did you just draw your sword on my wife?" Bridge's voice rumbled like thunder, and his sheer presence was so overwhelming that the drunken Gildfredo went pale, wobbled—then fainted flat on the floor.
"Bridge! What are you doing here?" Lyra marched over, arms crossed. "Put him down before we get hit with another civilian medical bill!"
Bridge turned changed demeanor from a Tasmanianbear to big fluffy panda "My wife! I heard you we're coming this way so I followed you secretly. You're not meeting another man here are you?"
"Get off me! We're in a public space pull yourself together!"
Mr. Coon leaned in, inspecting the unconscious obnoxious merchant "Oh dear," he said with mild surprise. "He peed himself."
"We apologize for the commotion everyone." He said to the remaining guest still at the dining hall. "Please enjoy a round of ale on the house"
It was at that moment Mr. Coon turned to face the Padfoot Inn staff—astonished, misty-eyed, and overwhelmed with emotion at the sight of him.
Two people in particular stood out amidst the blur of tearful faces. Hetty, peeking shyly through the kitchen doorway, glanced between Mr. Coon and Lyra, her eyes wide with admiration as if watching heroes straight out of a storybook.
And then there was Glisinda—her gaze locked onto his, eyes shimmering with something deep and wordless. Her heart swelling with the quiet relief of seeing him return safe and whole.
"Hello, I'm back!" Mr. Coon said, stepping toward Glisinda. For a fleeting moment, it was as if the world fell away— just the two of them, gravity pulling their hands together in slow motion, there fingers just centimeters apart from a forbidden warmth between neither of them dared to image cross.
"MR. COON! YOU'RE BACK!" Reynolds barreled into Mr. Coon before Glisinda could touch him. He was sobbing with such intensity that he tackled Mr. Coon into a tight, sniffling embrace. "I thought you were dead!"
Mr. Coon laughed, giving the teary man a firm pat on the back. "Reynolds!" and in a whisper he told him, "Excellent work! Thank you for protecting our pack. Thank you for being here!"