Exill awoke the next morning to the whiff of alcohol permeating the air. Envy was pressed up against him, her perfect features turned into a frown and a dried trail of tears running down her cheek.
He had never seen Envy cry before; the tough woman was made from something else entirely and he doubted even the World could bend her spirit.
That was why he cradled her head and brushed her forehead, smoothing her frown, hesitating if he should wake her from the nightmare. However his touch appeared to have the intended effect, and she dug deeper into his side, her features relaxed.
“When did you come back?” he asked, feeling her stir sometime later.
“Mn.” She managed to croak, feeling the onset of a painful migraine.
Exill got out of bed and stood over the Vampire who was covering her head with his pillow.
“I swear on the Eld Tree’s branches, if you guys turn into raging alcoholics because you have access to tonics-” his voice trailed off while stepping downstairs to fetch a vial of detox. He eventually returned with a concerned look on his face.
“Did you not come home with Tsarra yesterday?” he asked, supporting her head as she greedily drank the tonic.
The Vampire closed her eyes, waiting for the fog in her mind to clear. She remembered feeling sad and returning alone at the dead of night. She also remembered using Exill’s chamber pot as Iris had taught her. And that was it, the reel of film that was her memory abruptly cut off there.
“She must have slept over at Iris’s” Envy reasoned after a while.
“I know Ark is safer than a small town like Virigo, but you really shouldn’t be wandering around drunk at night, especially in the Outer City.”
Exill’s nagging only drove Envy further away as she covered her head with his pillow, enjoying his comforting scent. The young man eventually wandered away to prepare the clinic for opening in the afternoon. Now that Tsarra wasn’t here either, there was a lot of work to do alone.
“Get ready, I want to leave for the Labyrinth as soon as Tsarra comes home!” he shouted from downstairs.
***
Two weeks passed by, and during that time, Exill continued to train in the Labyrinth in the mornings, focusing Monk (lvl 24) in the active job slot. Thanks to the rigorous delves, Hunter and Spearmen both crossed the level 40 barrier, unlocking VIT and STR bonuses respectively. Wizard, Slave Trader, and Murderer also passed the level 20 barrier unlocking another slew of passive trait bonuses as well.
More importantly, level 20 Slave Trader had rewarded him with the skill [Break], the cure to [Subjugate]. However, it opened up a slew of ethical considerations. Theoretically… he could train the job outside the Labyrinth assuming he had a willing subject for repeated enslavement and release.
Tsarra was the only one that sprung to mind. She knew his secret after all, and he knew she would not object… but he was worried about repeatedly triggering a traumatic memory. Regardless, it was a line he wasn’t willing to cross.
Father Jonas had also dropped by a week ago. A mysterious Aberration called the ‘Last Bridge’ had been sighted around Virigo, leading to his delayed return. He had otherwise assured Exill that a missive had been sent to the Oracle long ago, accurately reporting his contributions to the defeat of ‘Infested Edifice’ and that a reward would be issued shortly.
Exill didn’t have the heart to inform the kindly old man that he had already received the reward, directly from the Inquisitor no less. He instead thanked the Priest for his help and asked for a vial of Blessed Water in return.
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When the morning of the festival finally dawned upon the little Clinic, Exill was up early infusing mana into the last of his casks of Detox Potion. For the past week, there had been a steady ramp up of parties and events… and no shortage of hangovers. As he had predicted, the Detox Potion was flying off the shelves, and he expected to make a very healthy profit today as well.
“Tsarra, Envy, we need to leave soon!” he exclaimed, while paying the warehouse loader three large copper coins to take the casks of Detox away. He was still short tempered when the girls eventually came down the stairs. His anger wasn’t directed at them, but at the cost of distribution that had increased again as demand for deliveries outpaced supply.
‘Happy thoughts! We just have to pull through today and costs will return to normal.’ Exill placated himself, putting on a pleasant front for the women.
Tsarra had switched over to her favourite teal sundress and tied her hair back with a matching green ribbon. Envy had borrowed a charcoal blouse from Iris that clung to her shoulders with a deep cut neck that displayed her ample cleavage. Apart from that, she had stuck to her usual laced breeches that was a little tight around the thighs.
Exill admired the women and checked that his own breeches were fine. He had reached another growth spurt and they needed rehemming but were otherwise of good fit. Once Tsarra had finished picking off the lint from his jacket, he dramatically opened the front door, performing a mock bow to his companions.
“Let us go see the King and Queen my ladies.”
Envy shot a “Tch” at him while passing, but he was heartened by the excitement in Tsarra’s eyes. Much like the Vampire, he wasn’t interested in royalty or their large processions, vastly preferring the extra income such festivities brought instead. No, today’s outing was mostly for the benefit of Tsarra. It was an opportunity for the three of them as a group to enjoy something that wasn’t work related.
They followed the throng of people flowing to the East Gate. All attempts at controlling traffic had been abandoned since last week and guards stood aside as an unending stream of people entered and left the Inner City.
Exill held tight to Tsarra’s shoulders as they were jostled past the plaza outside the Labyrinth Tower. They could wait here for the Royal Procession to pass by when they circuited the city, but Healer Perg had invited him to the colonnades of the Guild House, promising refreshments, and reserved seating for them.
The Central Market soon came into view… except most of the stalls had been cleared away to reveal the large flagstone square of the Parade Grounds. Their destination was the long building of freestone that lined one side of it.
The Guild Hall was a two-storey building with interior colonnades leading to arched rooms where the various guilds of Ark could hold council. The talkative healer had arranged a spot on the upper floor, right outside the Healer’s Guild.
They climbed the stairwell of the Guild Hall and was afforded the most spectacular view of the Parade Ground. He could see thousands of onlookers ringing the square, held back by a thin line of soldiers standing smartly in their dress uniforms, ready to greet the procession that would soon pour out of the Royal Palace.
Off to the side, a middle-aged rotund man dressed in a beige suit excitedly waved at Exill.
“There’s Perg, let’s go there and say hello.” Exill prepared himself for another earful of news about high society from the talkative healer.
“You came! Ah, and you brought your mistresses with you! I must say dear chap, you should bring them around with you more often, this jade eyed beauty positively brightens the room with her presence! I mean, just look at her precious smile!” Perg performed a deep bow to Tsarra.
“Where are my manners, please settle in, settle in. Refreshments are inside, and feel free to help yourself, courtesy of the Healer’s Guild. The procession shouldn’t begin for another quarter hour, so we have plenty of time to catch up my old friend.”
‘It appears I arrived early.’ Exill lamented while stifling a sigh.
“You must regret not joining our Guild when you had the opportunity, not that the offer has ever been rescinded. By the Eld Tree, we would accept you with open arms at any time! No, the reason I brought it up was that you would have been able to join the procession as a member of the Healer Corps, a mere two rows behind the Royal Family, would you believe that? Very prestigious I dare say, of course I had to turn it down because my knees don’t work as well as they used to!” Perg prattled on while listing the benefits provided by the Guild.
Exill eventually excused himself for refreshments and went inside the arched rooms, searching for a stiff drink, anything to make Perg’s monologues bearable.
Instead, he bumped into a familiar figure who had been too busy looking behind to notice him while hurrying towards the door. He held her shoulder to prevent her from being knocked back.
There was a short period of silence as they recognised each other.