Chapter 76

"Ughhpfh," Rakk opened one eye, fighting to keep it open. "Oh, Nicole… hello."

"Hi." She sat next to Irian. "Drinking your issues away, eh?"

"So what, gonna lecture me too?"

"No. I did that too, though it was in my past life. I am definitely not the person to tell others to stop drinking." Good old teenage times… Sneaking out of the orphanage past midnight, getting some punks to buy us cheap beer… Nicole's face softened into a light smile.

"Great. Then maybe get me a couple more drinks?" He used all he had in himself to produce a smile, but it quickly faded. "With Sart and Lipa gone, what else am I supposed to do? Ugh, fuck it. I was supposed to be the mature one, keeping an eye on the youth and… Now only I am left."

Survivor's guilt?

"Why not join someone else? Actually, I have a job and I am looking for someone strong. With generous pay, of course. You have to buy your drinks, after all."

"Eh?! Join someone? No!" Rakk frowned, almost shouting. "How… how am I supposed to just join some other group? Just to see them die as well?!" He was panting hard from his emotions. "I… I am tired of this. I didn't want to be a mercenary in the first place. I felt I had to join Lipa and Sart just because we were friends."

"Oh. But didn't you like it, at least?"

"With an end like that!?" Rakk shot her a glance as if he was about to jump at her with his fists. "Does it matter whether it was fun along the way if I end up like this?!"

He needs more time. I am sure when Mom and Dad died, I was talking the same way.

"A-alright. Sorry." Nicole decided to back off for now. Instead, she turned to Irian. "What about you? Want a job? Though we need someone strong, and no offense, but I will have to check if you fit."

The guy looked at Rakk and then, just for a brief second, somewhere into the mass of people in the guild's hall. "I… I am not sure, either."

"It's okay, I get it."

Shit. And here I had my hopes up.

"Yeah, our little guy has some other things on his mind." Rakk chuckled.

In response, Irian's face turned red. "S-stop it! You promised you wouldn't tease me about it ever again if I got you booze."

"Hm~? What's the deal? Now I am curious."

"I-it's nothing…" Irian shyly turned away, his face still burning.

"He fell for a girl but is afraid of approaching her," Rakk said in a bored tone. "I already said that he has to either go and talk to her or forget about her. Adventurers… don't live long enough to have time for such luxuries as playing a long game," he added bitterly.

Ouch. Fuck, alright. Though with a face like this, I am pretty sure he could get most, if not all, of the girls present here.

"And who is the girl? Is she an adventurer as well?"

Irian nodded, still avoiding looking up. "Vaeltira of the Shomari tribe. She is sitting in the corner."

Nicole quickly scanned the room. In one of the corners, she saw a tall, muscular woman sitting at the table, all alone, eating something. She couldn't see much detail except for long, black hair with white stripes and curved, light-brown horns coming from her forehead.

Damn~ So he likes them big and strong?

"Alright, got it. What is holding you back, then? Or are you just too shy and nervous about messing it up?"

Irian swallowed hard. "Y-yes. I tried talking to her, but she barely responds. I feel like I already lost this battle. But I can't get her face out of my head!"

"Stop whining about this already!" Rakk sighed. "I told you, she is like this with everyone."

Nicole smiled softly. "Okay, just a question. Is she strong?"

Both men turned to look at her in surprise. Irian nodded eagerly. "Very. Every time she comes back from a hunt, she is all covered in enemy blood. I never saw her in action, but she can't be weak."

"Great." Nicole's smile widened. "Then I have an idea. I will ask her to join me for the job I mentioned. You will come as well." Nicole pointed at Irian. "Then, all you have to do is gradually get closer to her. Fighting side by side will bring you closer, too!"

Rakk shrugged. "That's only if she agrees to the job. Good luck with that." He didn't seem to believe she could achieve that.

"Hm? Watch this." Nicole pushed herself up from the table. "If she gets on my side, you are coming too. Just this once." She winked at him before leaving.

"Whatever, I guess." Rakk muttered, grabbing one of the cups with a tiny hope of finding some liquid in it.

With a confident step, Nicole approached the table in the corner. Now, she could look at the girl up close—Vaeltira turned out to be younger than Nicole initially thought, around twenty-two, if Nicole had to guess. She was wearing a common shirt and pants, with her shoulders, knees, and midriff clad in sturdy leather armor. Her black, thin tail was motionless behind her, with a white, furry brush at the tip. Though unbuttoned at the top, her shirt was straining, trying its best to hold the girl's large chest.

Woah~ Now I get Irian even more. Those must be so soft and squeezable… Though doesn't the sway make it hard to fight?

Nicole's question was answered quickly as she saw a chest armor piece lying beside the girl.

Okay, fair enough.

Beside the cow girl, against the guild's wall, stood a big rectangular shield and a longsword in a sheath. Just by a glance, Nicole could tell those could cost a small fortune. With a friendly smile, Nicole slid into a chair across from Vaeltira.

"Hi. I am Nicole. Could I take a moment of your time?"

Dark-green eyes rose up and focused on the human girl. "What da ya want?" she rumbled, her voice tired, just like her facial expression.

"I couldn't ignore your strong presence, you see." Nicole licked her lips, buying herself time to improvise the best way to lead the conversation. "You look capable. And, what's important, you look like you could use some money, am I right?"

"And what does it matter to ya?"

Nicole smiled wider. "Glad that you asked. You see, my companions and I are going on a hunt after a great beast. And I realized we could really use the help of someone as powerful as you." She reached into her money sack. "What do you say about-" Nicole placed a stack of coins on the tabletop, in the middle between the two of them. "Ten Claws when we get that thing dead."

"Pff, I can earn that much myself. And I am not after the money anyway."

"Oh? Then what is it that your heart craves?"

Vaeltira looked at Nicole for a second or two, as if thinking about whether the girl in front of her was worth the effort of explaining. "Get me a beer and I may think about it."

"Just a second!" Nicole got up.

Wait, since when did the guild turn into a bar? She looked around and realized that Rakk and a couple of other tables were the only ones with drinks or food. It didn't. They must have taken them from somewhere else.

"Rakk!" Nicole skipped over to the table with the two Zuntharis. Just as she did, Rakk placed two cups in front of him. "I may need that one." She quickly grabbed the closest cup and vanished just as she had appeared, leaving a disoriented Rakk in a stupor.

"Here." Nicole slid the cup across the table to Vaeltira and sat back down. "I am listening."

"Ugh, fine." The cow girl took a big sip before speaking. "An eclipse ago, I ran away from home, from my village, after I'd had enough of my father's constant nagging. As one of the village elders, he wanted me to join a harem of the other elder's son. Ya get it?!" She slammed her fist against the table. "This would get him support in holding his position in the village. Ya know what I think?!" She hit the table again.

Okay, she got drunk fast.

"If he can't be an elder by himself, he doesn't deserve it! …So I left. Sold all I had for the equipment and became a mercenary, and now… I'm here…"

"O-Okay, I get it, but… What do you want as a reward for the job?" Nicole tried getting back to the topic.

"What do I even want…?" The loud cow girl's energy was gone, leaving her smaller than she had been just a moment ago. With a grunt, she covered her face with her hands, rubbing it. "Before I left, I just wanted a normal life. Find a lover, get a house, a job… Ya know how it goes. And now all I do is just push forward through the battles. Not that I dislike it, but what's the goal?" Vaeltira took a breath. "I think of going back, ya know? Maybe with a bit of time, I'll find a purpose in that life that father planned for me."

"Wait, what?! That's the conclusion? You know, maybe a mighty enemy will clear your mind. For now, let's settle on the ten Claws I promised. And you know, what stops you from finding a mate and getting a home without going back?"

"Pff. Look around, as if anyone is interested in a pile of muscles like me."

Well, I know one.

"It's not that bad. You just need an opportunity to shine. Come on, join me for the job. Even if you go home after all, it's better to be slightly richer than to not be, hm?"

Vaeltira raised her cup high, getting the last drops before slamming it down. Nicole was surprised it didn't break. "Alright, fair enough. When are we leaving?"

Nicole grinned wide. "That's a good question. Considering a couple of things, give me one more day." She quickly got up before the cow girl could change her mind.

She got back to Rakk and Irian. She pointed at the younger one. "Gather your stuff! You are coming with us!"

"W-wha? She agreed?" Irian's eyes went wide, and his bunny ears twitched.

"Yep. And, what's important to you, my friend—Vaeltira is feeling lonely and doesn't have anyone! You have every chance."

The guy was stunned at the announcement. He blinked a couple of times before grinning wide. "Nicole, I promise, if everything goes great, I will be forever in your debt!"

"Hehe." The girl only chuckled.

"Ugh, fuck." Rakk groaned. By the time Nicole came back, the empty cups from before were gone, and the bunny man seemed slightly better than earlier. "Fine. If he has to risk his life, I might as well join too. Just in case."

"Great!" Nicole smiled. "That's seven people in total! With that, our chances are not that miserable!"