All of us froze from this haggard infuriated site of the innkeeper. Even Neil's voice squeaked like a mice as he said good morning to the innkeeper.
“And what are you wearing, young man?”
She pointed at my clothes.
“Is it his doing again?”
I could only tremble at this sight that greatly reminds of my mother. It clearly looks like mother when waking up from her sleep, after a hard work, to find that I invited Neil, Allan, and Roland, for a gaming session.
The way she held her sword reminded me of her long black belt back home. Yet, terrified I may have been I promised that one day that I will not let mom hurt my only friends again.
“Imma check camp.”
Allan quickly covered his crotch and skipped to the back door.
“What's that, ale?”
Said Roland leaving.
“Ah, the woman of the hour. You seemed parched.”
He quickly dodged his way to the sack and began digging out something.
“*Cough* What, the hell do you think you're..! *Ahhee!*”
She then looked at me with anguish, massaging her throat and pointed at the wooden mugs on the bucket as she held her barking cough for water.
“Here, here, here.”
Said Neil as he took the mug that I filled with water. He then added something, not showing us as he poured something.
“It's laced, isn't it?”
I cocked an eye at him as he returned me the mug.
“Trust me!”
He hissed in a whisper and I did. Without a second thought May drank the mug in a jiffy. She gulped heavily as she kissed the wooden mug, sounds of the liquid going down her throat and the rising action of the mug...
“Ah... Haah... What did you put in that drink?”
Her face didn't know if it will contort into anger or praise at the smiling Neil. Well, the effects were noticeable. Her hair bed looked like it fixed self, the red watery eyes dispersed into a white one, and her voice retuned to it's natural and smooth tone.
He clearly laced some kind of magic stuff in there.
“Well, I appreciate this drink, but I think you better stop this... What are you... What is that?”
Her stomach grumbled as her nose led her to the chicken skin frying to a brown burn.
“Ah, it's just poultry skin. Here.”
He ordered me to take a bowl and told me to get Allan as he talked to the innkeeper.
Running outside the backdoor I caught him just outside the the door posing with a knife, as if he's ready to assassinate someone inside... Breaking that pose we entered to see Neil and the innkeeper having a concentrated chat about the food we're making. Explaining the ingredients, processes, and the cooking methods.
Whatever Neil did made May to one: don't kill them, and two: agreed to share the profit in exchange for more recipe... Especially on that drink he gave.
"Who wouldn't have an instant hangover cure?"
I reasoned to myself.
Our efforts were doubled and service quicken with May on waiting and us three behind the scene. We do have a long line and a lot paying costumers, but because of this our supplies were eaten in an short amount of time. Thus, our service of somewhat modern food ended by around before noon could strike.
Me, and May have to announce that we've run out of ingredients, much to the dismay of just arrived, workers; soldiers, craftsmen, and the such. Closing the door, collecting the plates, and the mugs. Allan, and Roland took a break while we tallied out the profit from Neil's expenditure.
They started counting, the majority on the table right now were copper coins the size of average coin back home, and sprayed across that puddle of copper were bits and pieces of silver. We only got one whole silver coin out of the table when the tally was finished.
“24 coppex and 2 pieces!”
Said May as the copper were stacked up neatly and the silver were put in a small pouch immediately. I later gave her the silver they gave me last night and the half silver coin the soldier gave.
“Well then, I suppose... That's a lot? ”
I said. Having no idea the worth of each coin, but seeing how May was covering her mouth and thanking whatever god... or goddess, sent us here. I was guessing we had a successful day.
“Elfien, I can finally get you some nice leather shoes for you.”
She exclaimed at me. Which I, instinctively avoid her pinching my cheeks.
“And maybe something well suited clothes, no? Why are wearing adventurer's clothes anyway?”
“I like it.”
I quickly said when she ordered me to change them.
“We'll get you something good then. Something better than... that.”
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Her expression greatly soured when he faced Neil.
“Hehe. You'll be giving him more than that once you finally stock up.”
Drinking from a mug,
“But, I guess you already knew that.”
He then told May that she can have everything, he won't take any cuts from the profit.
“I just want my friends to teach Elfien how to use magic and have us talk from time to time.”
He clasped both his hands.
“I appreciate you're kindness of giving us such blessings, but Elfien will learn no magic he is a son of Ellena and my son. I must ask, what are you scheming? Why do all this?”
“Information. I want to know what happened to previous adventures like us. The priestess is a bit vague on talking about how summoned ‘heroes’ like us are so abundant. Yet, no mentions about how the demon lord is not defeat by us... Overpowered... And pure of heart ‘heroes’”
“There's more of us?”
I jumped in.
“So, we're not some sort of chosen group to save the world?”
“Aye.”
Sighed May.
“I don't blame Serafina for not telling you.”
She then looked at me then back to Neil. She then took out her sword and pointed at Neil.
“Hey!”
I quickly tried to hold the innkeeper's hand. But Neil told me to let her be.
“Go clean the horse of the renter, have Allan and Roland help you with that."
He smiled at me.
“But...”
“He won't have to hear it.”
He held the tip of her sword and lowered it a bit.
“*Sigh* It's one of our services to tend the horse.”
She said to me with a smile.
“Get the bucket, there's a brush hanging on the shed, do you know where the well is, my dear?”
I nodded.
“Very well then, I ho–”
Before he could finish his sentence the sword went back up.
“If your mates gets any idea!”
The tip was just a centimeter away from his throat.
“I'll hang your heads on plaza until story fair comes!”
“I-I have no u-ulterior motives whatsoever.”
I didn't want to move, as that blade could accidentally get pushed if I interject.
“You have me as hostage any way. ”
He smiled a bit yet his hands shakes.
“Hmph...”
She lowers her sword and a sigh of relief wheezed out his mouth.
The innkeeper then told me to go.
“Heh. He didn't die.”
Said Allan as he raised his palm in front of Roland.
“Really?”
I raised my left eyebrow at them. They were just standing their the whole time.
“He'll die next time.”
Sighed Roland as a gold coin! A gold coin! Flew out of his pocket and into Allan's hand as they walked out the back door carrying the bucket.
“Hey!”
I widen my stride and caught up with them.
“How???”
I whispered as we walked through the dirt street bucket in hand.
“Come on let me see!”
They merely gave a laugh, tapped my shoulder and ruffled my hair.
No matter how persistent I was they told me to clamp it down as we reached the well. Tying the bucket and threw it down the well.
“We'll get you you're own gold one day. Just keep it low. Ok?”
Said Allan in a low tone of irritant. His eyes were going about to the people around us.
“Hmm...”
I gave him a smirk and crossed my arm.
“Don't tell me you stol--”
“Alright were done here!”
Allan covered my mouth and carried me through the street. Roland came along with the filled bucket still at hand.
“We have to make this quick while Neil distracts the cow.”
Dust formed behind us as they somehow run like a thundering galloping gazelle running from a pack of lion. People jumped out of our way, and screamed adventurers at us. We're about a second to the church but, three men with spears pointed at us stood guard at the foot of the small hill.
“I see trouble!”
Yelped Allan.
“Halt!”
They commanded us, and that came from the old man from last night.
“Don't mind them just jump.”
Said Roland.
“Woahhh!!!”
I screamed in amazement. Both Allan and Roland leapt up 20 or so feet in to the air. This would surely land us just outside the church. We passed the guard, and saw some old women running to the oaken door of the church to be open.
“Loose!”
A crack of lightning like sound filled the air.
“How the fu--! Oof!”
A sight of web like projectile hit us and forced us down to earth hard.
“Gaaaassgghhhp! Aha! Aghh!”
The pain was everywhere. I can't breath! I lift my head up and pleaded for air but nothing came. My body can't move either.
But that didn't matter to me, I desperately tried to intake air.
I looked at Allan and saw that my pain and I saw his panic. He tried to break open the net but couldn't seem to even scratch it.
After a few gasping, I can breath a little at this point but I still couldn't move. Allan told Roland about my situation.
“Hang on!”
We were tangled on the ground and caught like a boar while the some guards surrounded us.
“How the hell did they fire nets out of... bows!? Or were those guns they used?”
Writhed Allan as he carefully struggled to move away from me. Giving me space, but still struggled to break the net.
“Hey! We have injured kid.”
Said Roland to the approaching guards.
“Hell if I care. Think you can jump and look us down like insects, eh?”
As I finally got a view at that familiar voice I was kicked on the back and hot jet liquid was spat on my face.
“What the fvxk!”
Allan quickly used his body to block a second kick.
“Ey! The hell you hitting a kid for!?”
I could hear Roland Roar.
“Shut yer hollar. Adventurer!”
“Tie their hands and check their pockets. If you see any sugar, spice, or even a dust of gold, we put them in the gallows.”
Roland was the first to be tied and Allan soon tied up after a few kicking persuasion.
“Gaaasssgghh I...I can't breath...”
Gnashing in pain tears fell involuntarily out my eyes. When they took me out of the net.
“Oh, blimey. ”
I looked up to see that a blonde haired and bearded man froze as our eyes met.
Edmund?
I spoke inside my mind as I picked out the blonde face that looked at me with a terrified expression.
The guards who were surrounding us and treated us like some sort of caught animal now was helping us get out of the net they shot.
Writhing in pain as my body dangled like a wet noodle while pain courses through me especially on my back. Edmund helped me get out of the net and sat me up while telling the guards around me to get a potion.
“That's the captain's son!”
An old, white mustache and recognizable gnarly tone,
“Someone get the high priestess here, now!”
It was Edmund who ran the fastest among the two men that followed that order.
“Out of the way! Out of the way!”
Another voice called out. It was Roland, using the net that caught us and using some swords he took from the guards. He and Allan crafted a stretcher. I would swear at this absurdity but I was already being lifted away by a speed comparable to an ambulance. Roland even whacked Edmund as we put ran him up the hill.