I change into my new cute pink dress, step into my leather boots, and throw on my red hooded cloak, twirling a few times in front of Eris. The fabric swirls around me as I spin, and I glance over at Eris, my heart beating a little faster.

“So, how do I look?” I ask, feeling a flutter of nerves as I wait for her reaction.

Eris grins widely. “Cute!” she exclaims. “I’m so glad we bought that dress. It looks amazing on you!”

“R-really?” I stammer, my face heating up from her compliment.

“Yeah! You might even steal the hearts of all the boys in town when they see you! Hehe,” she teases.

“Y-you think so? Am I that beautiful?”

“Of course! You are the most beautiful in the world!”

That makes me blush even redder.

Oh, Eris. How can she say things like that so easily? She really knows how to make my heart dance!

I take a deep breath, trying to calm the fluttering in my chest.

Despite the nerves, I feel energized, my excitement bubbling over. Today’s the day! The Adventurer’s Guild—here I come!

And even though my stomach grumbles, craving some bacon, I decide to ignore it. After all, I’m too excited for the morning market. According to Eris, there will be so many delicious treats, and I can’t miss out on those!

A few moments later, we head downstairs to the inn’s dining area. The lively buzz of morning is already starting.

“Oh, morning, Felicia! Morning, Eris!” Lilly beams as we walk in. She and the other servers are already busy cleaning and prepping for brunch. Although food service hasn’t started yet, a few early risers sit at the tables, patiently waiting.

“Morning, Lilly! Good morning, Chef Gordon!” I greet them enthusiastically.

As the inn’s owner and head chef, Gordon is already bustling about, prepping for the busy day ahead. He turns to me with a warm smile.

“Hehe, how was your sleep last night? Good?” Gordon asks.

“Yes!” I beam. “Thank you so much for the late-night milk and snack! It was amazing!”

“Glad you liked it,” he replies, his grin growing wider with satisfaction.

“Alright, I’m taking Felicia to the Adventurer’s Guild for her ID now,” Eris informs him as she adjusts her cloak. “If all goes well, she should get it in a few days.”

“Don’t worry, take your time!” Gordon waves us off with his smile.

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And then, he turns to me with a gleam in his eyes. “Felicia, I can’t wait to have you in my kitchen! I’m still blown away by how fast and flawless your knife skills were yesterday! Haha, it was amazing! An absolute performance!”

I blush a little at the praise.

“Thank you Chef Gordon, I can’t wait either!”

It feels good to hear those words. Once I start working here, I’ll finally be financially independent. No more being a burden to Eris.

Thinking back, I’m such a lucky girl, to be able to land a job this fast.

We’re then about to leave.

But Gordon calls us back.

“Actually, Eris, there’s something I forgot to mention.” He says then glances at me. “Felicia, would you mind stepping outside for a moment?”

“O-oh, sure,” I nod, then step out of the building.

Gordon eye’s seems to be serious. I wonder if everything’s alright.

————————————-

As I wait in front of the Gilded Horns, I glance up at the sky, wondering what’s going on inside.

Suddenly, Eris’s voice shatters the quiet.

“THOSE BASTARDS! THEY F***ING DARE!!!”

Eris’s shout blasts through the air, and I flinch, my heart skipping a beat. Before I can process her outburst, a deafening BAM echoes from inside, shaking the ground beneath me. The sound reverberates through my chest, and panic explodes within me.

I rush back inside, my pulse pounding in my ears. The moment I step into the room, my breath catches in my throat, my eyes widen in shock.

Eris is standing in front of a shattered table, her fist clenched, the wood splintered beneath her hand.

My knees feel weak, and fear knots in my stomach as I force myself to take a step forward.

“E-Eris?” I whisper, my voice trembling.

This is the first time I’ve seen Eris like this—angry, terrifyingly so. Her bloodshot eyes glow with fury, veins popping against her skin as she grits her teeth. Her fangs are bared, her breathing heavy and full of rage. It’s like she’s wanting to rip someone apart.

Everyone else in the room—except for Gordon—is frozen, their faces pale with fear.

Her eyes snap to mine, and instantly, they change. The fury in her gaze softens, melting into something more controlled, though the rage still simmers just beneath the surface. She lets out a slow breath, as if forcing herself to calm down.

“Felicia?” Eris murmurs, her voice strained but gentler.

“W-what happened?” I ask.

Eris takes a deep breath, then speaks. “Felicia, why didn’t you tell me earlier about those bastards who harassed you?”

Her words hit me like a damn slegehammer, and I can feel my heart tighten painfully. The memories of yesterday evening rush back—the two drunk men, their twisted faces leering at me, the way they tried to grab me, to have their way with me. I had shoved it deep down, convincing myself that it was nothing, but the truth is, I’m still terrified. Their ugly faces, the stench of alcohol on their breath… the fear that gripped me… it’s all still so vivid in my mind.

“I-I didn’t think it was that important,” I stammer. “P-please don’t worry about it. I-I’ll be more careful next time…”

But as I say the words, my body betrays me. I’m trembling, my fear too much to hide. I don’t want to burden Eris with this—she has enough to deal with. But despite my efforts, I can’t stop shaking.

Gordon lets out a long sigh, but it’s Eris who steps forward.

Without a word, she reaches for my hand. The moment her fingers close around mine, the trembling eases. I look up, and the anger in her eyes has transformed into something else—something soft, warm, and achingly kind. Her eyes, still bloodshot, are filled with unshed tears. The tenderness in them makes my heart ache.

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” I choke out, my voice cracking as I struggle to hold back the flood of emotions.

Eris pulls me into her arms, holding me tight.

And in that moment, I break.

I burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably into her shoulder. All the fear, the pain I’ve been holding back, crashes over me in waves. The tears won’t stop, pouring out of me like a dam breaking, and I cry harder than I have in a long time. My tears and snot all wetting Eris’ clothes, but she doesn’t mind.

She just holds me, gently patting my back.

“It’s okay, let it all out… It’s okay…”