Chapter 160: Spirit Orchestra, Part Four

{The Next Day}

"And... I could not do it," Xhez stated. Rin listened to her from across the table they were sitting at, dipping her spoon into a bowl full of oatmeal and bringing it back to her lips. "I am simply not confident enough."

For a few seconds, as Rin chewed on her food, the sounds of the other students at the academy chatting and eating were all Xhez heard. It was morning, which meant that some of Rin's classmates, along with older students who had been here for longer, according to Rin, were sitting nearby enjoying their breakfast at the cafeteria. Rin had suggested that they continue to test the limits of Xhez's new Illusion spell, hence why she was here at such a busy time.

So far, no one seemed to notice Xhez. She took that as a good sign.

"Yeah," Rin nodded. "I wouldn't take that risk either."

"B-But," Xhez quickly said, leaning forward, "I want to tell her! I just... If it goes wrong..."

"I understand," Rin replied with a sympathetic tone after swallowing another bite of her oatmeal. "I get it, trust me. But, don't get me wrong, she sounds great and all, but you haven't known her for that long. If you can enjoy your time with her in your disguise, then the risk isn't really worth the reward, right?"

"... You are right, yes," Xhez said after sighing dramatically. "But, I really wish I could just say it."

"Maybe someday," Rin offered. "You never know. I just think that it's probably not the best choice right now."

Admittedly, Xhez's annoyance at her situation wasn't all about June. She wished she could just tell everyone she was a sprite. However, recent events had shown just how perilous a suggestion that actually was.

[... Maybe I can do something to change it,] Xhez thought, as she stared down at the table in front of her. [There has to be some way I can show humanity that sprites can be trusted.]

"What about... you know, the other stuff?" Rin then asked. "How did that go?"

"Oh, you mean the sex?" Xhez asked, blinking. "No, we did not get to have it."

"D-Don't say that so loud," Rin told her quickly. Xhez just raised a brow but then, as she looked around, she found a few eyes gravitating toward her table.

[Did I say something strange?] She wondered for a second.

"Um, I apologize," Xhez replied, though she didn't understand what she was apologizing for. "But, yes, we..." she paused, clearing her throat and then speaking at a lower volume, "there's also the matter of my Spirit. I do not want to risk any... unintended consequences. She offered, but, I declined."

"Oh." Rin stopped and blinked at her. "Uh... How did she take it?"

"She seemed confused," Xhez quickly responded. "I explained that I was having issues I needed to sort out, though, and she quickly understood."

"She understood?" Rin asked.

"... Yes? She literally told me 'I understand.' Did I interpret her words incorrectly?"

"I... Maybe?" Rin said, looking worried for some reason. "A-Anyway, remember, it should be okay if... if you don't let her do anything to you, you know. Well, aside from kissing. You should be fine if you just stick to that."

"I do not know, it is difficult to even think about," Xhez admitted. "I want her to lick me again."

Xhez noticed more eyes shifting toward her again when she said that.

[Is it not normal to want to be licked? It felt great. Maybe humans do not normally enjoy that sort of thing, though. Interesting.]

".... You know," Rin spoke up once more. "The concert's in a few days. Even if you can't tell her about everything, or have her do stuff for you, you should try to enjoy the time you've got with her. She's not going to be here forever."

Those words did sting a little, but Xhez knew that this was likely true. June had said she traveled a lot, after all.

"I understand."

---

Later that day, after a few hours of recharging, Xhez went out of the academy once again, wearing her new disguise. Her anxiety wrapped itself around her heart as she waited outside of June's hotel, for the woman to come down.

This time, they were heading out. Xhez had no clue where they were headed. June only told her that it would be fun and that she'd like it.

"Alright, I'm ready," Xhez heard June say, and she turned toward her. "Just had to fix my makeup a little. Thank you for waiting."

"Of course," Xhez replied, noticing how much clearer the woman's skin looked. There was also a faint red hue on her cheeks now, that Xhez thought was appealing, if a little strange. It nearly matched the red of the dress and heels she wore.

"Well then," June said with a smile, "let's go."

They began walking down Libera's colorful streets. Naturally, Xhez tossed a slightly cautious glance in the direction of every guard she came across. None of them seemed to care about her, however.

[It is working, it seems,] the sprite noticed, letting out a sigh of relief. She didn't want to end up like the beastborn she'd seen at Cradle. Or worse.

"How has your day been so far, sweetheart?" June asked, wrapping an arm around Xhez's back.

"Good," Xhez replied. "Better now that I get to spend time with you, again."

"Ah!" June let out what almost sounded like a squeak when she heard that. "You're too precious!"

Her giggling made Xhez smile. Rin was correct. Even if she couldn't have the full experience that she wanted with June, she could still enjoy the time they shared.

"I was hoping we'd get a little more time to hang out. Unfortunately, though, I do have to rehearse a little today for the concert. So," June said, extending that vowel, "I figured you might appreciate a bit of a behind-the-scenes look. How does that sound?"

"Behind-the-what?"

"A live practice session," June explained. "I haven't gotten to teach you more about singing since our time in Dren. I figured that, maybe, I could kill a few birds with one stone here."

"Y-You are going to be killing birds?" Xhez asked, concerned.

"It's just an expression," June replied with a wide smile. "Right, I forgot. You'd said you were raised in a forest, right?"

"Y-Yes," Xhez replied.

"Sorry. I'll try to be a little more mindful of my statements, then."

They arrived at a small, one-floor building soon after that. June knocked on the door and a dark-skinned man with a thick line of hair over his upper lip wearing a suit opened up, looking back and forth between them.

"This is her?" The man asked as he looked Xhez up and down. "I don't remember her being this... ehm, small."

"Just because she isn't blessed with a chest like mine or whoever else's doesn't mean you need to judge her," June replied, with a roll of her eyes.

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"Right, sorry. Nice meeting you," he quickly turned his confused expression into a charming one equipped with a decent smile. "Name's Ross."

"My name is Xhez," the sprite replied with a bow, as Rin had taught her to do. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well."

"Alright. Come on in, then," he said, turning toward June. "We just finished getting set up." 

"Good, we can get right to it," June replied before she took Xhez by her left wrist and all but dragged her inside.

The building had a weird, dusty sort of smell to it that Xhez wasn't sure she liked. It reminded her too much of that ruin she had explored with Rin. The halls were simultaneously cramped and empty, but there was a room up ahead where a bright light was shining through an open door. That was where they were headed to.

As soon as they walked in, Xhez's jaw dropped.

She saw several rows of seats all lined up in front of an elevated floor, where a microphone and a few instruments had been placed. The same ones Xhez had seen at the brothel where she'd first met June.

"This isn't where we're going to be performing at, but it's a solid little place to get some practice in. The owner was kind enough to let us too, so, yeah," June told Xhez. "Well, go ahead and sit down. You'll be the judge tonight. Be as harsh as you wanna be. If we don't do well, really let us have it."

"Sure," Xhez replied with an excited smile. "I look forward to hearing you again."

"Hehe, well, I look forward to impressing you, hopefully~"

June then walked with Ross up to where her other bandmates were getting ready, as Xhez sat down.

The experience that followed was one that would remain stuck in Xhez's mind for a long time to come.

---

"I-Is this normal?" Xhez asked, staring down at the black-brown drink in her glass cup.

"Hell yeah," June told her, with an arm thrown over her back. "We always get something to drink after a nice practice session. It's just a little ritual we've got. Helps keep spirits high."

"Spirits?" Xhez asked, with a curious glint in her eye.

"Yeah. Morale."

That wasn't a word Xhez had heard before, but, hearing that this 'alcohol' would help served as enough motivation to force herself to drink it. The last time she'd had something like this, however, back at Dren, it tasted awful.

And, this time, as she put the cup up to her lips, it tasted just as terribly.

[If it helps, then it helps, but... Wow, that is horrendous. It is burning my throat.]

Still, even the worst-tasting drink in the world couldn't take Xhez's mind away from the beauty she just witnessed. And, yes, that was the only word she could think of to describe the spectacle of June and her band's performance earlier. Beauty.

"Sorry, by the way," June said to her. "I didn't get to teach you much. We weren't quite as ready as we thought we'd been."

"It is okay," Xhez quickly replied. "I am thankful that I got to witness that. If the 'concert' is going to be anything like that, then, I am looking forward to it even more intensely now."

June smiled when she heard that. She then leaned in and nearly pressed her lips to Xhez's ear.

"Well... If you want, I could give you some private lessons back at my hotel. Or, do you want to drink more before we head back?"

"N-No," Xhez replied, shaking her head. "I would love to go back. I... I do not wish to finish this drink."

"That's fine," June replied with a chuckle. "Come on, then. Ross," she called out to her bandmate across the bar, "I'm heading back. Take care, and don't get yourself into trouble!"

"Same goes for you, right?" Ross asked, loudly talking over the music that played from that "radio" at the corner of the room.

"I'm always on my best behavior," June replied to him with a grin. "Have a nice night, guys."

On that note, June quickly led Xhez back to the hotel. The sun had just started to set and the night would soon arrive, but there was already a comfortable chill in the air, which Xhez liked.

They went back into the hotel, where Xhez was looking forward to the singing lessons June had in mind.

Only, as soon as they got back in that room, June took Xhez by her hands and gently pushed her onto the bed, laying her down.

"H-Huh?" The word came out involuntarily, as Xhez was startled.

June mounted her, her red dress hanging loosely as she looked down at the sprite with a smirk.

"... How about, before we do those singing lessons, we have a little bit of fun, though? What do you think?"

Xhez blinked.

"Do you mean you want to have sex?"

At that, June burst out laughing.

"Y-Yes," June replied, nodding eagerly. "I mean I'd like to have sex, yes. I'm glad you understood that."

"I..." Xhez began to reply, but, then, a different look appeared on June's face.

One that was slightly sadder.

"See..." June began, as she took her right index finger and began tracing a path down Xhez's torso, over her shirt. "We're not gonna get too many more chances at this before I have to go, I'm afraid."

"What? Why is that?" Xhez asked.

June sighed, getting off of Xhez to let her sit up.

"The life of a traveling band's lead singer, sweetheart," June replied quietly. "Soon as that concert's out of the way, we're gonna be right back on the road. Your intention is to stay in Libera, right? Once I leave, we can keep talking through our letters. Maybe coordinate a little date or two, but, yeah. I'll probably be too busy to do much with you for the foreseeable future. I'd... I'd like to enjoy this moment we have with each other if that's alright with you. Physically, I mean. We won't be getting many more chances at it, after all."

Having said that, June leaned in and pressed a warm kiss to Xhez's cheek. Then, she separated and asked:

"So, what'll it be? Don't worry, I can handle rejection. If you don't like me anymore or something, I get it, I just-"

She didn't get to finish that sentence, though, as Xhez leaned in and kissed her before she could.

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