RuggyRuggy

  Morning came. We sat at the breakfast table, but things weren’t the brightest. Itarr tried to be cheerful. She fondly interacted with Olga and Merka. Percival cut into his thick sausage and tried to make small talk—but he was interrupted by a furious knock as Momo emerged into the kitchen.

  “Servi!! Hey! Are you there?! Momo!!!!!”

  I opened the door and found a sweaty, ragged elf resting on a stool. Cire wore her work uniform. Her red hair was messy, and her dirty stockings were torn.

  Spoiler

  [colpse]She heaved hard. Her expression changed when she saw me.

  “Servi…” Cire fell forward with a hand reached out, stumbling over nothing. I rushed to catch her, feeling her exhaustion. She probably hadn’t slept a wink or had even a minute of restful slumber since the incident.

  “Now she’s unconscious…” I whispered, entering the apartment with her in my arms. Albert closed the door behind me while I escorted my friend to the bedroom. Momo and Albert tagged along, The butler performed a quick examination. Nimyra gave Itarr a bowl of cool water and a soft cloth. The goddess wiped Cire’s sweaty forehead.

  Gradually, the exhaustion faded from her face as Albert delivered his findings.

  "She’s tired. Her body needs rest. I wager she hasn’t been eating or drinking.”

  “That’s because she was worried about us,” I said. “She’s a worrier. She always has been. Hmm? What’s this?” I saw a paper sticking out of her pocket. I read it. “If you’re reading this… Cire’s probably passed out,” I began. Momo noticed it was Dineria’s handwriting. “She’s fine. Don’t worry about her. The girl needs some rest, food, and lots of water. I stuck this in her pocket when I got home. (She fell asleep in her guild uniform.) I knew this would happen. I tried to get her to eat breakfast, but… Well, you know how Cire can be. Anyway, you’re probably heading to the guild this morning, so I’ll see you there. If you don’t show up, I’ll swing by the Crimson Grotto after I leave.”

  “Well, they are roommates. Dineria knows her the best.”

  “So…” Percival poked his head through the doorway. “Should I fetch the apothecary?”

  “A stamina elixir would help,” said Nimyra. “Be a doll and get one from Meghann. Tell her it’s for me.”

  “Yes, ma’am. I’ll be right back.” Percival left. I turned my attention to the exhausted elf. Albert excused himself and returned to the kitchen with Nimyra, leaving us alone with an elf who harbored a bleeding heart.

  She was the type of receptionist who developed deep retionships with her adventurers. I’d only known her for a few days at the time, but she was heartbroken when reports of my death made it her way.

  Cire was cheerful. Always full of smiles and willing to answer our questions. We had shared cookies, too. I was close to her as I was Nimyra or Dineria because we always saw her at the guild.

  Her advice was always welcomed. Her knowing about my missing memories probably helped forge an extra strong connection.

  I believed people like her were called empaths because they were sensitive to the emotions of others. It was a blessing and a curse because they’d give you their st dup while starving themselves to ensure you remained ignorant of hunger's oppressiveness for even a second longer. That was a dangerous mindset. Too much kindness…in an unkind world could backfire.

  “Aaah… Nnnrg… Cire slowly shuffled in her sleep. Her eyes twitched, revealing those purple orbs.

  “Hiya, sleepy,” said Momo. Itarr seemed unsure of what to do.

  “Mo…mo? This…isn’t a dream?”

  “It’s not, Cire. You’re awake. We’re back. We’re fine.”

  “We’re sorry for worrying you.”

  *****

  *****

  Cire sniffled. Only she knew how rampantly her mind thrashed when the mountains vanished. She scrunched her nose. Those purple eyes glistened with fat tears, and she gathered enough strength to hug us.

  “I’m so gd… I’m so gd you’re safe… You’re not hurt, are you?” Her voice was still shallow. I barely heard her.

  “We’re not. We’re fine,” said Momo. “Oh, we’re not alone. We wanna introduce you to someone. Look up. That’s the girl who wiped your sweat for you. Her name’s Itarr. She saved our lives.”

  “Itarr…” Cire looked at the goddess, who clutched a wet rag in her hands before realizing her unsightly appearance. The torn stockings… The disheveled skirt… The unevenly buttoned blouse…

  “Umm… Your face is redder than your hair. I…don’t think that’s supposed to happen.”

  Percival called my name as he knocked, and I thanked him for the stamina elixir. “Drink that,” I told the elf. “It’ll help.”

  “Oh… Umm…” She took little sips until her tongue was quenched, then downed the rest. “This…isn’t the best first impression… I’m sorry you had to see me like this, Itarr. But thank you… Thank you so much for helping Servi and Momo.”

  “She’s also without memories, so we hope to discover them together. When you find someone like yourself, you become friends fast.”

  “That’s so awful… I’m sorry. Umm… Momo?” Cire’s voice was already back, if not a little unsteady. The elixir worked well. “Are...you Momo?”

  “The ears have changed. My tail’s a little fluffier, but it’s still me! I dunno what happened…” Momo and I sat beside Cire as we told her the rehearsed story. “I was like this when I woke up. The change probably happened while I was knocked out.”

  Suddenly, someone’s stomach growled, and Momo said it wasn’t her. So that left one person. “Come on. I know you’re hungry.”

  We escorted Cire to the kitchen, where everyone else was already. She wasn’t armed at Merka, but she felt for Olga. Cire didn’t know what kind of monster could abandon a little girl and leave them all alone.

  “I don’t know,” I said, pushing in her chair. Nimyra passed out a breakfast pte for the elf and told her to eat. I sat to her left, and Momo took the right. “But she’s with us. I’m gd she’s close to Merka. Golems have a reputation, but he’s different. He’s kind-hearted.”

  “I’m sure he is,” she said, smiling. “A dishonest spirit wouldn’t have answered your call. And…your name is Finn?” Fisher nodded. She called him a cute kid. It made him uncomfortable, but Cire was still recovering. She didn’t catch his subtle motions.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you two. I wished it was under better circumstances… Forgive me for the…”

  I’m gd you’re okay. Servi’s told us a lot about you. Momo says you’re the best receptionist in the guild.

  Her cheeks became redder than a tomato.

  “I don’t think I’ve met you, either. A Bicornkin spirit is unusual around these parts.”

  “The name’s Albert, Ms. Cire. The pleasure’s all mine. I don’t usually manifest around others, but I’ll change that.”

  She was about to ask Percival something when someone knocked on the door. Ni-Ni answered it. “A package?” I inquired when she rolled in a small wagon.

  “I took your sizes this morning, remember?”

  “It hasn’t been an hour!”

  “It’s a rush order. Of course, it would be fast.” She passed out the boxes to Momo, Albert, and Fisher. "Go get changed," she said. Three nods ter, they departed to different rooms.

  Albert returned first. He looked right at home in that butler outfit. The man wore it well as he adjusted his gloves. “I served as one for my prior summoner. These clothes suit me more than anything else.”

  Unfortunately, Fisher didn’t share the same settlement. His attire reminded me of what a noble kid would wear when learning from an instructor. It flowed together well, though.

  Momo... "Eh? So, whaddya think?" She emerged into the kitchen wearing a white dress with pink accents, creating a harmonious color combination. The dress featured a corset-style top ced up at the front that added elegance to her attire. She had a brown leather belt wrapped around her waist, which turned the bottom half of the dress into a skirt, and the outfit Nimyra prepared came with two small pouches to accent her beloved messenger bag. The bck thigh-high stockings contrasted against the dress and emphasized her legs.

  Everything fit her newly shaped body. Those brown boots, while simple, really made the entire outfit go together. It was stylish, practical, and suitable for combat. Especially once she had her chainmail repaired.

  “Amazing!”

  “Wow… You’re so pretty, Ms. Momo!” said the adorable Olga.

  “Hehe! Thanks so much, Ni-Ni! Oh, I saw the pants you got me. It’s getting colder, so skirt weather might not be here much longer.”

  Momo sat as we finally had breakfast. However, something didn’t sit right with Cire. It was about my punishment. She offered her thoughts to Percival. “It’s not right to discipline the victims. It’s not fair,” she said, frowning.

  His response surprised me. “I agree,” said the bodyguard. He looked more like a freeloader noble than a trained warrior. “It might help if you showcase some goodwill.”

  “You’re helping me?”

  “Why wouldn’t I? You talk as if you’re guilty. Or if I approve of what Lord Flynn is doing. He doesn’t do anything for nothing, so you could say his words are ironcd. The same applies to the duchess. The problem is the king. He knows nothing but reports. Naturally, they’d be biased. He might have a third party investigate your actions and dispatch messengers to check your alibi. This will be a comprehensive investigation, so perhaps you need to sway his opinion with your actions.”

  “He’s not wrong. You’ve seen the orphanage, right?” Cire asked, her face stuffed full of food. Her appetite could rival a certain Foxkin’s greedy stomach.

  “No. We were teleported in. We didn’t enter the city normally, but I know progress is slow.”

  “No. It’s worse. Work has ceased. The missing mountains have frightened some workers, so the company is looking to the guild for contractors to fill in the gaps. But Arcton’s repair is taking top priority. There’s a lot of money to be made there, so many are heading that way.”

  I thought the incident would’ve deterred some people, but dup’s sweet whisper was hard to ignore.

  “Cire’s right. I received a letter from the project lead. Progress has been deyed for at least six months. Hiring isn’t looking good, either. They don’t have enough to run it without it being detrimental to the children. My client is working to find repcements. He’s calling in favors to see the orphanage a success, but it’s not looking good. Don’t get me wrong. It will be completed-- just not any time soon.”

  “Hmm… That only leaves one option.”

  “Momo? Ah—Our assistance?” I asked.

  “Yeppers. I know you wanna help.”

  “Not alone,” interjected Itarr. “I want to help too.” Fisher echoed that. He probably wanted to leave proof of a good deed upon the world. Olga needed to rest so Merka would stay with her.

  Albert offered to remain behind under the guise of helping Nimyra and Olga, but he wanted to delve into our new forbidden skill. Honestly? He was probably the one most likely to make progress.

  “It sounds to me like you need permission, then. I’ll ask the duchess.” Percival thanked Nimyra for her kindness. "I'll meet you at the guild," he said before leaving.

  After we finished breakfast, Nimyra gave Cire a fresh pair of stockings and offered to repair the ones she had torn. Her blushing face matched her crimson hair, but Ni-Ni enjoyed teasing her as we departed.

  “Was that your first time meeting her?” I asked, leaving the Crimson Grotto. We walked up the slightly angled road separating the slums from the casual district. Cire shook her head and said she sometimes saw Nimyra at Dineria’s shop, but they never had an extended conversation.

  “I didn’t make the best first impression,” she admitted, hanging her head low. “I’ve heard about her, but the Queen of Night is something else. She’s…amazing.”

  “I don’t think you could’ve made a better one,” I replied. “Nimyra’s kind. She’s gentle. Knowing you rushed to check on your adventurers made her happy.”

  “Yep. Ni-Ni’s kinda like you.”

  “Like me?”

  Momo continued. “She took Servy in when she had nowhere else to go. She’s an amazing cook… She even got me this cute outfit. Ni-Ni's a worrywart—just like you.”

  “I’m not a worrywart!” pouted the elf.

  “Sorry, Cire. But you are. That’s not a bad thing. It feels…nice knowing you mean so much to some people,” I admitted. She knew I didn’t have any prior memories, so…

  Did I have loved ones mourning me?

  That cheered her up, and we talked about Itarr since Cire focused on her. Her curiosity about her was natural.

  Fisher was lost in thought. He remained silent for a while, but the friendly elf began to ask him questions. He was my spirit, but he looked ordinary. Albert had the horns, but Fisher looked like a regur noble boy.

  We reached the main street near the market, and I saw a familiar family looking at vegetables. The pretty mother looked at her children, but one suddenly pointed my way.

  “Oh, my?”

  “Mommy, it’s Servy and Momo!!”

  “Servy! Momo!!!”

  Fisher stopped in his tracks as his daughters ran over.

  Spoiler

  [colpse]They swarmed our legs, hugging Momo and me when we kneeled. Their mother approached with a gentle smile.

  “Your ears are big!”

  “Your tail is super fluffy!!”

  People had been staring at Momo for a while, but two little girls just raised more attention. Momo didn’t mind it. She took it in stride and didn’t see it as anything to be shameful about.

  Momo was Momo. That was all.

  Spoiler

  [colpse]“I’m gd to see you’ve returned,” she said. “We’ve been so worried about you!” We caught up, and Itarr introduced herself after Marissa apologized for our harrowing ordeal. “You two look like sisters. A new spirit?” Marissa fshed a smile that had probably taken Fisher’s breath away. “My name’s Marissa Jin. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “…” Fisher understandably panicked. His teeth chattered as his hands trembled. Speaking would probably shatter his ego, so he returned to my ring.

  “Did I say something wrong?”

  “No. He’s shy. Please, don’t hold it against him.”

  “Well, he is a child. It’s understandable. What’s his name?”

  “Finn.”

  “What a coincidence. That’s the name my husband and I would’ve given our son if we had one.”

  I guess the name choice was obvious in hindsight.

  Mari and Meri swarmed Itarr. She didn’t know how to react to children, but Itarr did her best. It was sweet seeing her try.

  “I know you’re excited, girls, but we have shopping.”

  “But--”

  “Be a good girl and listen to her, okay? Don’t worry. We’ll see each other around. Tell you what? Why don’t we see the cows again when things calm down?” Momo brokered a peace deal in record time.

  “Is Itarr coming too?” Mari looked at the goddess. She was partly stunned, but Momo jumped in to rescue her.

  “Yep! Itarr’s our friend. Friends always do super cool things together.”

  “Eh? Then be our friend too, Itarr!”

  “Yeah. I wanna be friends!”

  “Umm… I’d…like that very much…”

  “Isn’t that cute? That’s a wonderful idea,” Marissa said. She left with her children since they had errands to run.

  We continued to the guild. Fisher and I texted. He said he had frozen up. Fisher knew meeting his family was possible, yet he didn’t know what to do. He asked if he was a coward, and I said he was. I also said his reaction wasn’t unpredictable, given the circumstances. In the end, he asked a simple favor.

  Please… Help me turn into someone deserving of their love. If I can’t die…then let me at least do this.

  *****

  *****

  “Oh no… This isn’t good…” Cire whimpered. She pointed at the crowd of people gathering outside the guild. We hurried and moved through the bodies until we reached the inside.

  The lobby wasn’t packed, but it wasn't empty, either. Everyone inside was staying far away from a scene happening near the desks. A certain elf was verbally dressing down a dwarf, who shivered immensely.

  “That’s another thing! You’re the guildmaster! You oversee this office! You’re responsible for taking care of your employees! So what the hell is this?!” Dineria smmed a densely packed schedule on the counter, knocking over a bunch of neatly stacked papers before she vaulted over the desk in one fwless motion.

  “Ms. Dineria— Dreadwood Shadow, I—”

  “Did I say you could talk?! No! Listen! Look! You’ve been running your employees RAGGED! For what?! So, you can have more days off?! Look! This guy was scheduled for 16 days! Cire was working 20. TWENTY DAYS WITHOUT A BREAK WHEN YOU KNOW HOW CARING AND COMPASSIONATE SHE CAN BE?! Do you want to work twenty days without a break?! Huh?! And what’s this about ‘you need to find coverage’ bullshit?! You’re the guildmaster! You’re the manager! Why don’t you manage?! It’s no wonder your turnover rate is so damn high! You better fix that if you don’t want to lose your bonus!”

  “Umm… What do we do?” Itarr asked.

  “You can’t say she doesn’t have passion.” Fisher texted the chat and said Dineria did the same to him and Arnold in Waveret. So, this wasn’t out of character.

  “I told her not to make a scene…” Cire whined. “She always does this. I can’t get fired from this job…”

  “I think you’re safe on that front…” I answered. Cire was a hard worker. Honestly? She was probably the most valuable employee here. She hadn’t been anything below excellent while I’ve known her.

  My relentless mentor only relented when she ‘forced’ the guildmaster to take more responsibility. He promised more days off—although he was threatened in the process—and slowly retreated to the backroom. He didn’t dare to turn around. He didn’t even look at the other receptionists, who had been totally silent during the verbal massacre.

  “Ah! Back already?” Dineria vaulted over as if nothing had happened. All eyes were still on her, but her narrow gaze heavily advised everyone to return to their tasks. She led us to a table near the corner.

  “I can’t say I didn’t like it, but…”

  “Come on, Cire-Bear,” groaned Dineria. “He had it coming. You know how hard your boss overworks his employees. He acts like a damn svedriver. Anyways… I expected you, but you…” Dineria frowned and tapped Cire’s forehead. “Seriously? Hello? It’s called Rest. They’re looking for a stubborn elf who doesn’t know how to rex.”

  “Ah…” Cire didn’t have a reply. She lightly bit her lip. Nervousness radiated from her.

  “We’re here about the orphanage,” I said, expining the situation.

  “We can’t leave without permission, and there’s not much else we can do around Canary,” added Momo, who ignored the hushed whispers about her ears and tail. I could already tell that would be a regur occurrence for days yet to come. Itarr was still quiet, but the silence wasn’t worrying.

  “Are you with the guild?” Cire asked Itarr.

  “Umm... I’m...not sure. I can’t remember.”

  “Well, I can help with that—Bah!”

  Chop!

  “Oww... Why’d you hit me?”

  “Because you’re working?! Hello? Haven’t you heard anything I said?”

  “This isn’t working!”

  “It’s the very definition of working!”

  “Just let me enroll Itarr. Can I do that much?”

  Dineria rolled her eyes. Cire pleaded with her roommate until she relented. The two elves went with Itarr to get registered while Momo and I walked to the quest board. I thought Itarr would’ve had a problem, but her divine status wasn’t an issue. We shared a soul, but Itarr and I were two different people... Right?

  I didn’t know how that worked, but it seemed everything checked out. I heard Cire’s surprise when she saw Itarr’s phone, however. My goddess said she was blessed by the same unknown goddess as me.

  As for the quests? I just wanted to help. Menial bor was okay in my book. I knew how to hammer a nail. Transporting logs wouldn’t be an issue. You could do a lot when you didn’t have to worry about getting tired. I’d push a wheelbarrow or dig ditches for a thousand hours if it meant the orphanage would be completed a day sooner. Momo shared my feelings. “We’ll get it done,” she said, squeezing my hand. “We can do it.”

  Itarr soon returned with her dog tags csped in the neckce around her pretty neck. Our goddess wasn’t an official member of Butterfly Rumble—we needed unanimous votes. However, she was one in our hearts.

  “Now, you’re Novice Rank 0,” said Cire as we waited for my probation officer. “You can’t accept the same quests as Servi or Momo until you reach the appropriate rank. However, you can ‘go’ on them. Just know you won’t get any points or dup.”

  "Would it be like a non-guild member tagging along?"

  Cire nodded.

  "Can we accept missions at her rank?"

  “Yes, you can. Although Itarr won’t advance as fast as you did. However, there is a solution. You can request a special quest to jump ahead in ranks. They aren’t often given out. You must petition the local guildmaster, attend interviews, pass a medical exam, complete a few evaluations, spar against members of your targeted rank, and more."

  “It’s not easy,” said Dineria. “I’ve done it before, so I’ll help you.”

  Itarr thanked her, and we returned our gaze to the quest board. The best quest asked for general help. The notice mentioned construction work, so things like mixing concrete, digging posts, and cutting wood.

  Digging is reted to the earth. I wonder how much more I could help if I could manipute the damn thing.

  “Uhh... What the hell are you doing?” Dineria snatched the paper in Cire’s hand and disappointingly tapped it.

  “Umm... I...”

  “No! Don’t ‘umm...’ me. Are you really going to work?! You got the day off, Cire-Bear!” Dineria whined. “The whole world’s waiting for you to take a damn break! Working now would make me look like the biggest jackass.”

  Cire’s most toxic trait was her workaholic nature. She had failed to become an adventurer, but Warden was her loophole—a way to help the world. But it didn’t have to be limited to that. Dineria scowled when the receptionist tried to yank the paper back.

  “No. Didn’t you hear what I said? Work is work. This is hard work. It’s bor intensive. You’re going to be sore. You aren’t even fully recovered! You fell asleep in your work clothes, woman! That’s how tired you’ve been. A stamina elixir isn’t the end-all-be-all! Repcement for a good day’s rest.”

  “But...” Cire pouted at her roommate. “What...if I don’t work? What if I tag along? It’s a beautiful day.”

  “...” Dineria narrowed her eyes.

  “I haven’t been on a quest in years, and maybe it’s too soon to return, but...” Cire’s bleeding heart was out in full force. She turned to Itarr. “I’d like to know more about you,” she said. “Finn, too. The more I know, the more I can help you. I’ve...” She whispered, turning away while blushing like a maiden. “I’ve also been gaining weight... If I’m alone... I’ll eat. My clothes barely fit.”

  “That’s a lie.”

  Bonk!

  “Oww... No—No it’s not!”

  “Yes, it is. I saw you get dressed two weeks ago! You still fit your clothes as easily as st year, and not to mention your underwear. You--”

  “Geez!!! Enough!!! Please don’t listen to this senile woman!” Cire covered Dineria’s mouth.

  Itarr ughed, and Cire was flustered. Dineria poked her rosy cheeks and promised her that this was a vacation. She was not to do any work at all. Cire accepted those terms, but Dineria accepted the quest her roommate had pnned on taking.

  So...

  We just had to wait for Percival.

  RuggyRuggy