Chapter 77: Midnight Maiden, Part Eight

"Well, here we are," Iris announced as the two of them walked past a giant fountain and a path of stone, hugged by a trail of flowers, into what Rin would have called a mansion back at Dren.

"... Wow," Rin said, taking a sharp breath. "This is..." She cleared her throat, trying to inject some confidence into her tone. "Quite a beautiful place."

"I'm glad you like it."

In front of Rin was a large sapphire chandelier hanging over a carpeted red floor. There were golden decorations placed throughout the room and the air carried the scent of vanilla. As Rin looked around, she saw a room to her left that had so many windows, it may as well have been out in the open. In that room were many different people, all wearing outfits just as expensive-looking as the one Iris had on. To Rin's right, there was a lady in a black corset serving drinks to others, and to the front, there were two curving stairs leading to a second floor, all while music played from a radio that Rin couldn't see.

[... This is insane,] Rin thought. [I feel like just breathing here costs more money than I have.]

"Excuse me," Iris said with a slightly awkward, but endearing expression. "There are some people I need to greet."

"That's okay," Rin smiled. "I'll just take a look around. And," she leaned in, winking. "Maybe after you're done you can show me any of the rooms that are a little more hidden. Places with some privacy, ya know? Has to be more fun than just talking to people, right?" 

"I-, b-but...  Right," Iris let out a deep breath as she walked away.

[Cute,] Rin smirked a little before turning her eyes toward everything else. [So, what is going on around here? Do people just sit around and relax all night? I mean, I get it, I would too, but, yeah.]

With that thought, she began moving around to see if she could find anything interesting.

Quickly, she spotted two suits of armor on mannequins, placed right next to each other. One was the standard knight-like set, with an engraving on it that said "Sir Marlon XIV", but the other was far less typical. It looked like something a person threw together randomly, with steel and leather mixed in at different points, and below it, a small piece read, "Orlain Ta'lin"

"Ta'lin," Rin echoed. "So, this guy was, or is, related to Iris?"

"Thank you for waiting," Rin heard Iris say, and she flinched.

"H-Hey," she swallowed her surprise away. "Who was this?"

"Hm? Oh, that's a fake replica of my grandfather's armor."

"Who was he?"

"Meh, just an old adventurer. Barbaric, I know," she waved a hand. "But, he retired quickly after he left his mark on the occupation."

"Uh, was he important? I mean, aside from the Rank S thing."

"Hm? Well, yes," Iris replied, she smiled a little proudly. "Orlain was, at one point, the single richest individual in Libera. He made that money by taking on missions so hard that no one else would take them. When he completed enough, he retired and helped lay the foundation for what my clan is today. As... grotesque," she said, "as his job was, he took advantage of it, so most remember him fondly."

"Wow," Rin said, looking back at the armor. "How much money did he make overall?"

"The precise number eludes me, now, Triss," Iris said, and a little blush came over her. "I believe you said that you wanted me to show you around. Well, I... I would like to do so as well." She said, raising a bottle of what looked like wine.

"Yeah," Rin grinned a bit. "Take me away."

---

{Xhez}

The sprite didn't know how much time had passed since Rin left, but at one point, she started to feel like she wanted to spread her arms a little. Aiming through a small crevice that Rin left in her bag, the sprite shot out into the air and, as usual, reverted into her regular size in mid-air, landing gracefully in the center of Rin's room.

It was empty, thankfully, and Xhez quickly cast her disguise on herself before looking for some of Rin's clothes to borrow.

Due to the clear difference in their sizes, Rin's shirts and pants were always very baggy, but Xhez managed to throw something on that seemed comfortable, before she moved out of the room and into the Academy's halls.

[Hm. No one,] Xhez thought, as she looked from one side to another. [I suppose it is late. Oh well, where do I go?]

Just as she asked that, a door opened to her right. Down the hall, she saw that fairy fly out of one of the rooms and begin floating her way down the hall, towards where Xhez was.

"Oh, Ri... No,"  Eve said as she drew closer. "Xhez, right?"

At that, the sprite smiled, nodding.

"Yes!"

"Ahh, hi there."

"Hello, fairy!" Xhez replied.

"... Uh, okay," Eve chuckled a little. "So, is Rin around?"

"No," Xhez shook her head. "She went out earlier."

"Without you?"

"Hm?" Xhez tilted her head. "Yes."

"Oh... Well," Eve tapped her chin with a finger, "I was going to walk a little bit around the city. Wanna come with me?"

"Sure!" Xhez agreed quickly and the fairy flew up a little, stopping when she saw that Xhez wasn't following.

"Hm? Is something wrong?"

"I thought you said you were going to walk," Xhez said, confused.

At that, Eve laughed.

"N-No, Xhez, that was just an expression."

"An expression?"

"Just, uh, something you say that's not that serious?" She shrugged.

"Ohhh, I see!"

[People sometimes say things they do not mean,] Xhez noted in her thoughts. [I am learning!]

On that note, the two of them soon exited the Academy and walked through the gates at the front, coming out onto the city's streets. As Eve flew next to her, tried to think about the various different paths that she and Rin hadn't yet explored.

The parts of Libera that she hadn't yet committed to memory.

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"So, Xhez, how old are you?" Eve asked.

"I am twenty-three years old," the sprite replied.

"Okay, wanna go drink a little?" The fairy offered happily.

"Drink what?"

"Uh, liquor, beer, whatever you're into, I guess," Eve shrugged.

[I know not what these words mean...] Xhez thought. [Oh, wait, liquor was what I drank at Rin's workplace! But, that was disgusting.]

"No," Xhez firmly shook her head.

"Oh, uh, shit, sorry."

"Why do people drink those things?" Xhez asked. "They do not even taste good."

"It's not really about the taste," Eve chuckled, "sometimes there's just stuff you really don't want to focus on. In my case, yeah, I've got a few of those today, unfortunately."

Sensing some sadness, Xhez leaned in a little.

"Is something wrong?"

"Uh, nothing too bad, just..." She raised a brow at Xhez, before turning away. "I... I think I have a crush on someone," she mumbled. "And, it sucks."

"Have a crush?" Xhez echoed, confused.

"Yeah," Eve gave a deep sigh. "There's this, uh, girl I think I'm starting to like and... I dunno, it just feels bad cause, well, she's human and I'm..." Eve aimed a sweeping gesture at herself. "Yeah."

"So, you are starting to like someone, and you are sad?" Xhez asked.

"Basically."

"Why?"

"... I just expl- Xhez, look at me," Eve laughed loudly. "The girl I'm talking about could crush me with just one boob, it definitely wouldn't work."

"I thought 'having a crush' was a good thing?"

"No, I mean, she could literally crush me, like her tits could suffocate me, straight-up!" Eve explained. "A-Anyway, I'm just, yeah, I'd like to get my mind off of it a little. So, if you don't wanna drink anything, that's fine, but maybe we can stop by a place and I'll get a little for myself?"

"Okay," Xhez nodded, thinking that she at least understood that last part. A question then popped up in Xhez's thoughts. "So, you are an adventurer as well?"

"Yeah."

"How do you fight monsters, then?" Xhez asked. "You are so small!"

"Uh, it isn't easy," Eve replied, shrugging. "On my first mission, actually, this one thing swung a club that hit me in my waist and sent me flying into the air," she chuckled. "But, I've been getting by with my Essence."

"Oh, you are a mage?"

[I believe that is the word Rin used for them,] Xhez thought. [Those who use their Spirit like I do.]

"Yeah."

"Could you show me something?" Xhez asked.

"Maybe when I'm a bit drunker, I dunno."

Soon, they came upon a small, open building where a man was selling bottles of liquid over a counter. Eve went up to him and got one before the two walked away. All the while, Xhez would ask about some things she was curious about.

Eventually, however, they circled back to the Academy, where they walked back to the floor where Rin's room was, and Eve paused.

"Well, Xhez, it was nice getting to talk to you a bit," Eve smiled. "I'll see you around."

"Goodbye!"

As the fairy flew away, Xhez made an excited little noise.

[I am learning more every day!]

As Xhez walked back into her room, she found that it was still empty.

"... Well," she said to herself, "back to the bag I go."

After Xhez got naked, taking off Rin's clothes and putting them back where they were, she let her disguise slip away, and gave her arms one last stretch, before she went to jump back into her bag.

Just before she could, however, the door opened.

Xhez froze, standing in the middle of the room in her regular sprite form.

And, Elisa walked inside, wearing a white dress as she quickly spotted Xhez, and froze in much the same way she had.

Xhez raised her hands.

"I..." Xhez's throat felt tight.

"..." Elisa didn't say anything, as she closed the door.

"Um, Elisa, hello," Xhez waved at her.

When she heard her voice, a look of stunned recognition passed over her face.

"Xhez?"

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