Chapter 8: Chapter 7 – Cleanup I

「Barky, was it? I very much hope you weren't an accomplice,」 Melan says with smiling eyes. She is standing at the bar inside the tavern she had left earlier.

Barky gazes at her with ecstatic eyes, gleaming with happiness to be able to feast upon her again, but his brows furrow at her comment.

「Sorry, miss, I don't follow,」 he responds.

Melan observes him in silence for a few moments before saying, 「Oh, I'm talking nonsense. May I please order a sweet but strong drink for myself and one sweetened Hebra juice for this young lady over here?」

Percibell is standing with her two feet close together while slowly scanning every corner of the tavern, aware of the stares of other patrons.

「Umm, Miss Melan... T-they are staring.」

She pulls lightly on Melan's cloak, her ears drooping.

Melan starts walking away from the counter and ushers her along, 「Pay no attention, dear, they'll stop soon enough.」

She looks around with a glint in her eyes making sure she was heard. The onlookers start averting their faces and pretending to go back to what they were doing before.

Percibell's eyes shine in amazement and her ears spring back up as she follows Melan to an empty table with two seats in the corner. Once seated, Melan is quick to start talking, 「I wonder what that was about, outside? Would you perhaps be fine with telling me?」

「Ah, those guys? Well.. uhmm.. they were B-ranked adventurers who wanted me to join their party, but you know how that kinda thing goes...」 Percibell tells her while gazing down at the table.

「Ara, what would have happened if you joined their party?」 Melan asks, raising one eyebrow, with her head resting in her hands and elbows on the table.

「Miss Melan, you don't know about it?」 Percibell says and then bites her lip with a frown, 「It's an obvious scam with adventurer parties. If I joined their party they would most likely... force themselves on me when we go out on a quest」

Melan makes an audible gasp while covering her mouth with her hand, 「Heavens... That is certainly horrible.」

Barky appears with two jugs in hand. Melan points at the table, a little bit closer to herself, showing him where to put both drinks.

「One strong Flammer and a sweetened Hebra juice for two beautiful young ladies」 Barky says with a wink. Melan cringes and shooes him away with her eyes.

「Percibell, have you ever tried the Hebra juice before?」 Melan asks inquisitively with big eyes, pulling herself in closer over the table to catch her attention.

「N-no... I actually just arrived here so I haven't had time to try it out,」 Percibell responds while looking a little embarrassed.

She keeps averting her eyes from Melan's strong gaze while leaning away in her chair.

「Oh my, that is unfortunate, it is utterly delectable. I just found out about it today, actually. In fact, it was one of those ruffians who showed me the drink,」 Melan points in the other corner.

Looking in the direction Melan points, Percibell spots a group of 3 beastmen sitting close together around a small table while whispering among themselves. Percibell tilts her head and stares at them with a confused look on her face, wondering why the elegant and graceful Miss Melan would ever want to associate with thugs like them.

「Now now, let us drink, shall we? Here is your drink,」 Melan says while drawing Percibell's attention back and handing her one of the jugs. She stares at the elf with focused eyes, smiling, as they both take a sip from their respective jug.

「So, dear Percibell, I seem to remember that elves usually do not like to mingle with other races, might I ask why a frail-looking girl would be all the way down here, all by herself?」

Percibell's eyes grow wide, and she immediately tries to hide her face by taking several gulps of her drink. A subtle red blush paints itself on her face and the ends of her ear tips, while her eyes appear unfocused. Closing them, as if in deep contemplation, she finally blurts out, 「I was... Um... Well, I had to leave my village!」

「Leave...? You ran away...?」 Melan asks with a curious look.

Clenching her fists, she looks at Melan anxiously, 「I didn't plan to, but... Ahh, I can't say, even to Miss Melan...!」

Melan looks at her with a worrying face.

「Do not worry, I shall not force you to tell me,」 she says before taking another sip of her drink.

With a few more sips, the red flush across Percibell's face and ears grows in intensity and her head is swaying around. She tries to hold still and looks at Melan with narrowed eyes.

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「After I ran away, I wanted to become an adventurer!」 she says with an uneven tone and a childlike grin appearing on her face. Her eyes beam with pride and she clutches her adventurer's badge hanging on a string around her neck. 「I want to increase my rank quickly and earn a lot of money. Look, I've already reached C-rank!」 she says with a tinge of pride while holding the badge up, showcasing the engraved C letter on the silver plate.

「Oh my, that is certainly an amazing feat, especially given that you have been on your own,」 Melan compliments her with smiling eyes, causing Percibell to blush, smile, flutter her ears and imbibe more of her drink.

「｟Hiccup｠ mmm... it wash not much, even I can be a capable elf, hehehe,」 she says with a chuckle.

「Ara, nothing is proving otherwise. My, you must be amazing, dear, and, excuse my crude language, you are extraordinarily cute to boot!」 Melan exclaims, her smile widening. She squints her eyes slightly while gazing at Percibell.

「Mmmhhnyaa... no way, Miss Melan you're wrong about that. You're way cuter. You're the most beautiful human I've ever met. You must be someone special,」 Percibell responds while looking up at her with eyes full of admiration and envy. Her left ear droops and twitches.

「Ara, I'm flattered,」 Melan says, 「But you must not underestimate yourself. With some slight touch-up, you will quickly exceed even myself with that face of yours. You are after all an elf.」

Percibell casts her eyes down, trying to hide the blush on her face.

「R-really...?」 she asks quietly.

「Of course, and since you are so adorable, you must have... Oh, shall I say it, some experience with men?」 Melan asks, her face drawing closer.

Percibell immediately lifts her jug to cover her face without saying anything, failing to hide both her ears which are sticking out from both sides, flushed hot red and fluttering.

「Ara, there's no need to be embarrassed, dear, you may tell... Are we not both women? A friendship like this one requires trust, does it not?」 Melan says while drawing increasingly closer.

Percibell lets the jug stay in place and instead moves her head to the side enough so that she can peek at Melan with one eye and then answers by shaking her head.

「In human years, I am only considered around 17 or 18 years old. I think.」

「Oh my, that's close to my age,」 Rosaria quips.

The elf has another hiccup, then puts the jug down on the table and lets a dreamy expression take over her face by closing her eyes with a goofy smile and lifted eyebrows, saying, 「I am waiting for a nice elf prince or someone like the legendary Hero to come and take me」

Melan giggles with delight, then tilts her head back with a satisfied face before saying, 「How very wonderful. Just from this conversation, I can ascertain that you will find someone incredible.」

Percibell's smile widens and she, too, giggles.

「Hehehe... thank you, what about Miss Melan?」

—

「Oi, did ya all hear? Patrak and his group were found almost dead just around the corner」 a brawny voice suddenly gets within Melan's earshot, causing her to turn her head momentarily. She spots a few people of various races standing and looking at each other with serious faces.

「Shit, ya know who did it?」 one of them says.

「Miss Melan?」 brought back by Percibell's voice, Melan faces Percibell, who is looking at her expectantly with clenched fists and big eyes.

「I'm sorry Percibell, but it is getting quite late. Do you happen to have any place to stay?」 Melan asks in a hushed voice.

「Eh? Ehmm... no... I usually sleep outdoors.」 Percibell replies with a confused expression. She gasps softly and looks at herself, suddenly aware of all the dirt and grime on her body. Gazing back at Melan, she's met with a gentle smile and another knowing look. Not sure how to respond, she immediately looks down on the table with a beet-red face.

「Ah.. ah... it's common for elves to blend in with nature, so... so...」

Melan shows a wry smile before asking her with a sweet tone, 「Would you care for sleeping in a very comfortable bed tonight?」

Percibell looks up and replies eagerly with a happy smile, 「Yes!」

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