Lilithra woke up slowly, as soreness spread throughout her body. She reached around her bed with her hand while muffling complaining sounds, until she found her phone and wearily looked at the hour. It was a bit past eight in the morning. She sighed with a bit of regret, and tossed the device to the side.

Her ever-growing squad of plushies moved around slightly while she shuffled under the bedsheets, as she tried to get into a position where her aching muscles could feel a bit more comfortable. The girl looked at the ceiling while recalling the events of the previous day.

She had seen some incredible fights, even if they had been pre-arranged, and had even won against Rosco. Just a few weeks ago, she wouldn’t even have dared to dream about fighting him, much less winning against him.

Lilithra smiled with joy, as a wave of euphoria washed over her. “I won!” She whispered to herself, turning from side to side in excitement. Though she wondered why she hadn’t leveled up, since the fight had been so hard. But well, it’s not like she could do anything about it.

She grabbed a plushie and hugged it, then another, and soon she found herself clinging to a bundle of stuffed animals.

She lifted the newest one, peering at it from below. It was the one she had acquired at Claude’s the other day. Her thoughts inevitably shifted to her friends, who accompanied her at every step of the way. Selly, who had been her first and only best friend, and who arrived at her side when she felt alone and displaced.

And of course, Ascalon, the gallant knight that helped her grow tremendously. She brought the plushie closer, and slightly kissed its forehead. Her cheeks reddened as her mind began to drift into more affectionate thoughts.

Lilithra tried to picture Ascalon’s face in the stuffed cat’s visage and shyly puckered her lips.

But before doing anything else, she set the plushie aside and covered her face with both hands, feeling the warmth of her red cheeks. “What am I, twelve?” She questioned her own actions with a hushed voice, rolling from side to side under the blanket.

As she calmed down, she reminisced about the banquet. She frowned slightly at the memory of Marygold fawning over Ascalon, and felt a bit jealous. Immediately after, she felt ashamed. She knew what jealousy could do to a person and hated the feeling. If only she could simply switch off some of her emotions.

Amidst her internal struggle, her doting Uncle’s words echoed in her mind, and a realization began to dawn on her. She needed to make a decision about the Casanova Guild, too. Her eyes started glimmering at the surging emotions.

Lilithra took a big breath and exhaled slowly, trying to calm herself and focus on getting up. It was too early to think about that—she needed time. For now, what she needed was a shower and the feel of clean clothes against her skin. With that in mind, she headed for the bathroom before beginning her morning routine.

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Contrary to Lilithra, Ascalon had woken up much earlier, around five o’clock. He lingered in bed for a couple of minutes, basking in its comfort, before finally getting up. He stood by the window, watching the sun slowly rise on the horizon, as he quietly pondered about the hectic prior day.

It had been quite the ordeal, and the reveal of Lucio’s actions had somewhat soured the authenticity of matches. Still, credit where credit was due—Lilithra had won, even against all odds. He felt overjoyed at the memory, though of course, he didn’t realize how big of a part he had played in that victory.

Ascalon also thought it was a shame that Selorien didn’t have a chance to show off, but he also knew that the elf had probably forgotten all about it by now. He admired his carefree nature, especially as someone who couldn’t help but contemplate on all kinds of matters—sometimes even a bit too deeply.

He sighed, chuckling to himself. Then, he went about his mundane routine, including a trip to the bath, before descending to the main hall of The Chalice. At the usual counter awaited Raphael, who was already up, stirring a cup of coffee with slow, methodical movements.

The gentleman pushed the cup toward Ascalon, a dignified smile spreading through her calm visage. “Good morning, Ascalon.” His steady voice greeted the blonde, who nodded slightly and took a seat before answering.

“Good morning, Sir Raphael. Early as ever, I see.” Responded Ascalon as he held the cup in his hand.

He savored the smell for a moment, before sipping on the sweetest of nectars. It was truly a marvelous beverage. Raphael watched over him with a warm and proud gaze, feeling satisfaction in fulfilling his customer’s needs.

But he wasn’t a man who would beat around the bush, so he quickly started a conversation. “Could I ask you for a favor, Ascalon?” He asked, his tone of voice full of seriousness.

Ascalon finished his coffee, and answered as he gently put the cup down. “Of course, if it’s anything within my power, I shall strive to grant it.” He assured, as he felt indebted to the older man and would be honored to help him in any way he could.

Raphael glanced at the stairs, making sure Lilithra wasn’t around—even if it was unlikely at such an early hour—and voiced his inquiry. “Could you watch over her? Over Lilithra? I know she will struggle to make a choice, and she’s been… led around, so to say, in the past.” He paused, his stare reflecting deep sorrow.

“I know Selly won’t let her do anything rash, but his Grandfather seems to bear deep hatred toward her—because of her parents’ actions. I fear he will try to limit their interactions from time to time.” Raphael’s voice turned more sad toward the end.

Ascalon frowned as he wondered about the mysterious circumstances that surrounded Lilithra’s parents, as it was a topic that he had heard about constantly, but only in bits and pieces.

He steeled himself, and asked. “Just what happened with her parents?” His firm voice made Raphael show a conflicted expression. Ascalon wanted to ask more, delve deeper, but kept it as concise as he could in order to be as respectful as possible.

The gentleman sighed, bringing a hand to his head and rubbing his temples slowly. “I… No, I can’t be the one to tell you. Let’s just say they did something terrible, and she unfairly bears that stigma.” He said with a tone of regret, his face contorting into a pained expression.

But he shook his head briefly, regaining her usual calm demeanor. “I’m sure she’ll tell you on her own, when she’s ready.” The older man smiled gently, and Ascalon nodded in acknowledgment. Raphael was right, he wasn’t the one he wanted to hear it from. Ascalon’s curiosity had gotten the best of him, and he felt ashamed.

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Looking down at the empty cup of coffee for a moment, he then raised his head, meeting Raphael’s gaze. “As for your request, I was going to watch over her regardless. I owe her much, after all.” His tone was resolute, and his half-smile made the gentleman chuckle.

“Ha, I should’ve known. Sorry to bring up a serious talk so early, but you better get used to it. As I grow older I start to rant more often!” Raphael laughed, grabbing the empty cup to wash it.

As he watched the steward work, Ascalon recalled something he had meant to ask. “Is there anything I can help out with? Regarding the establishment, I mean.” Ascalon questioned, referring to The Chalice.

Raphael tilted his head for a moment, humming while cleaning the cup with a soft rag. “Hmm. Maybe you could keep rejuvenating the backyard! I used to open early and serve breakfast and light drinks, like lemonade and such—it was like an outdoor café.” He explained, setting the now clean, shining cup down.

“I can’t quite recall when, but I had to travel for a while and closed down The Chalice. When I returned, well… you saw the state of the backyard. I thought it would be too much trouble to restore by myself, and decided to stick to just opening the main building at night.” He concluded, placing a hand under his chin as he pondered for a moment.

Ascalon nodded as he listened, thinking it made sense that the building would deteriorate with the passing of time and no one caring for it. Still, it seemed like Raphael had quite a long trip, taking into account the state of the backyard.

There were various other things he was curious about, like why the steward hadn’t simply appointed someone to take care of the place while he was gone, but decided to keep those prying thoughts to himself.

It was then that Raphael’s voice brought him back to reality. “If you want to keep working on the backyard, I can buy some materials to renovate it. We could open it again, and you could get the customers’ orders! It would help you to mingle with more people around here.” Raphael suggested, his face showing a caring smile.

Ascalon felt grateful for the older man’s support, who was still trying to help him adjust to life in New Lumingard. So far, Ascalon hadn’t had a chance to help much around the tavern, so this was a great opportunity for him.

Ascalon bowed respectfully, before raising his head to meet the steward’s gaze. “It would be my pleasure!” He replied with glee, smiling warmly at the man. They both chuckled, feeling a sense of comedy in their mannerisms, but ultimately realizing they were quite in tune with each other.

Afterward, Ascalon headed to the backyard, busying himself with cleaning up debris, sweeping leaves, and inspecting the outdoor furniture. Even if he was no expert, he could pinpoint rotten wood, splintering ends, or corroded nails. They needed to get rid of all of that if they wanted a safe, welcoming environment for the customers.

The hours passed as he kept himself busy, and he took a moment to sit on one of the finest chairs, taking in the surroundings. Performing these mundane acts of labor filled him with a different kind of satisfaction than that of vanquishing foes or the like. It was a refreshing feeling of accomplishment.

It was around that time that Ascalon felt a familiar presence. Looking toward the entrance to The Chalice’s backdoor, he saw a distinctive pink hoodie popping out. There stood a peculiar-looking Lilithra, peeking at him shyly, her body hidden behind the frame. Noticing she had been found out, she smiled nervously and skipped in Ascalon’s direction.

She was wearing her usual clothing, including the hood pulled over her head, which was to be expected since the weather was mildly chilly.

As she approached, she raised her hand and quickly waved. “Morning, Ascalon!” She greeted with energy, her smile widening in joy. He noticed she had omitted the ‘master’ title, and wondered if she had already forgotten about it, or was going to be selective about using it.

There he was again, pondering about things too deeply. He shook his head and sighed, before meeting Lilithra’s gaze. “Good morning, Lilithra. How are you feeling today?” Ascalon inquired while peering at her posture, noticing she was shifting uncomfortably.

Lilithra slumped her shoulders and let out a disgruntled cry. “Ugh~ kinda tired, and sore. But happy!” She expressed her delight by pumping her fists in the air. She winced mid-motion, and then retracted her arms as she slouched slightly. “Ouch, I think I pulled something…” She rubbed her back slowly as she made an irritated expression, seemingly fed up with her body’s aching.

Ascalon chuckled at the sight. He recalled times when he felt like her—his body covered in bruises, and the pain that lasted for days on end. “It hurts now, but you have undoubtedly grown stronger because of it.” He stated with a confident smile, and she perked up with excitement.

“Yeah! I really got stronger. I still can’t believe I won against Rosco… but, honestly? He felt… different.” Her happy visage turned upside down as she frowned, doubt clouding her mind.

Ascalon couldn’t help but agree. The Rosco he had faced didn’t show as many openings, and wasn’t as distracted as he appeared in Lilithra’s match. Still, there was an undeniable truth amidst any of these assumptions. “Even so, you won.” He spoke with encouragement, his smile softening.

She looked at him with a gentle gaze, regaining her cheerful expression. “And that’s all that matters!” She replied, giggling to herself. Then, she looked around, inspecting the surroundings with curiosity.

Ascalon noticed her stare, and explained her uncle’s plan. She seemed on board with the suggestion. “That’s a cool idea! I’ll help, too!” Her upbeat attitude made him chuckle once again, and she joined in, blushing slightly. Ah, these were the best moments, she thought.

But just as she began to relish on the feeling, Ascalon perked up and looked at the distance with a concerned look. Following his gaze, Lilithra caught sight of Ron and another lady coming toward them.

Lilithra had seen her a few times at Headquarters, but didn’t know much about her. Ascalon realized then that it was probably time to honor his promise to Ron, and met him halfway through the backyard.

Ron smiled softly, his mustache lifting slightly, and bowed at the knight. “Good morning, Mr. Ascalon; I hope I’m not intruding.” He spoke with respect as per usual, though one could feel it was his ‘business’ persona.

“Greetings, Sir Ron, and Lady… Marianne?” Ascalon answered respectfully, though his words drifted toward the end. He struggled to remember her name, since he had only interacted briefly with her. Marianne nodded, seemingly unperturbed.

Lilithra waved at them shyly, peeking from behind Ascalon, and Ron smiled at her before focusing once again on the blonde. “I’m sorry for dropping by unannounced, but we’d like to close the matter regarding your profile as soon as possible. If I recall, the calculations should’ve finished yesterday, yes…?” Ron inquired, and Ascalon remembered the screen that he had swept away when watching Lilithra’s match.

Ascalon nodded in confirmation, while Lilithra tilted her head in curiosity. He had told her something about that, but kept it rather vague at the time. “Yes, it seems that whatever my ‘profile’ was doing is now finished, though I completely forgot about it until now.” Ascalon answered, feeling a bit ashamed of forgetting such an important matter.

Ron smiled with relief while rubbing his hands together. “Perfect! I even brought Ms. Mary here to save you a trip to Headquarters!” At his words, Mary muttered a ‘more like dragged me here’ under her breath, though Ascalon decided to act as if he didn’t notice.

Clearing his throat, Ron made way for Mary to get closer. “Should we proceed?” He asked, and Ascalon nodded in agreement. A moment later, a screen he had seen before appeared before him.

Marianne Coldstock is requesting access to your profile information.

Accept / Decline

Just like that one time, Ascalon pressed accept. Mary looked over the screen and showed a relieved expression, before opening her eyes wide in shock. “What the fuck?” She exclaimed, completely flabbergasted and startling everyone. It seemed she had seen something quite outrageous.