Drip-Fed

Being Noticed 7 – Noble Attention

“Hellroots, this is the beeeeeeest,” Reysha purred.“Yeaaaah,” Korith sighed in lazy agreement.

The kobold laid on top of the tiger woman, who was comfortable on the couch. Despite the winter outside their Mobile Estate, the inside of their home was cozy. The fire burned bright beneath the chimney, heating up a kettle. Both of the women were totally satisfied. A multi-orgasmic waking, followed by a cleansing bath and a large meal, had them almost groggy enough to fall back asleep.

Aclysia watched over the lazy duo with a content smile. This early in the morning, lounging about was permissible. She herself was seated, sipping on her third cup of tea. The hot water would be used to clean her cooking utensils. Once she was done with that, they could get back on the road.

Apexus was not one to relax by sitting. He was using the ample open space to perform long, slow stretches. Maltos had taught them to the humanoid chimera as an exercise in flexibility and patience. Though the slime did not require training to remain flexible, it was nonetheless useful. A consciously built body could have a few imperfections.

The morning continued in tranquil silence. Movement returned only when Aclysia took the hot water and moved to the garden to do the cleaning. Everyone else accompanied her, despite her protests. The exchange had become as routine as the rest of their mornings. Aclysia would assure cleaning was her privilege, everyone else would tell her that the one who cooks need not clean, and in the end they agreed to do it together.

Interestingly, the garden did not copy the temperature of the outside. An invisible wall stretched up from the fence that demarked the end of their pocket dimension property. Beyond it, snow fell, covering the vast green plain that surrounded their Mobile Estate. The implied cold did not reach the air above the tilled soil. It was all of a moderate temperature.

The cooking utensils were hung up by the fire, which in turn was left to die out on its own. The quartet put on their winter clothes, then braced for the remaining journey back.

It only took them two more hours to arrive back in Cold Embrace. “Gotta say,” Reysha remarked as they passed under the golden letters of the main gate. “The dark elves got a dreary naming sense.”

“Affirmative,” Aclysia agreed.

Snow crunched under their feet as they advanced. They were regarded with some glances as they advanced down the street. It was a lot busier than when they had left, entirely thanks to their efforts. The death of the drake had calmed the weather to a gentle, steady snowfall. The streets were swept clean, freed of the ice, allowing people to go about their business.

The people considered this an oddity. They weren’t aware yet that someone had killed the drake. Word of a powerful party having touched down on their world had spread, but not been verified by most. Apexus’ size and green wings caught their attention. Had the other three not been wrapped up in layers of furs against the cold, they would have received many signs of gratitude.

The party entered the guild. It was fuller than before. Adventurers had gathered once they realized that the weather was calming, anticipating the confirmation that the drake had been killed and that they could look forward to an additional season of work.

“Yup, we did it,” Reysha declared immediately.

The reactions were mixed between bafflement and joy. The only person truly unhappy about this piece of news was the barkeeper. Busy adventurers meant less savings spent on drinking themselves into a stupor out of boredom.

Aclysia pulled a horn of the beast out of her second adventurer’s bag, used for party items, and placed it in front of the guild clerk. “Proof of the kill, if it is necessary.”

“The weather speaks to your success,” the woman, the same one that had received them four days prior, responded. “What have you done with the corpse?”

“Ate it,” Apexus responded bluntly. His nature was logged in the files, there was no need to lie about it.

The declaration caused laughter. It swiftly faded when people became uncertain whether it was a joke or not. They could only watch as business continued as usual. The reward money, a truly illustrious sum of 400 Platin, was pushed over the counter. Korith drooled, watching the rolls of coins disappear into Aclysia’s pocket.

After the money had exchanged hands, the guild clerk nervously pulled a letter out from under the desk. “On completion of the mission, I have been instructed by the castellan to give you this.”

Aclysia was the one to pick up and inspect the letter. Just the quality of the parchment made clear that it was important and the wax seal only furthered the impression. Uncertain of what else to do, the metal fairy carefully broke the seal and then inspected the contents.

In fine hand, a simple message was written out – an open invitation to the castle and the audience chamber of its lord, the chancellor of the viceroy of the Leaf. Though this Leaf was small, any viceroy stationed this close to the capital of the Sleeping Empire had power. An invitation like this to strangers was unusual, as far as the Inevitable party was concerned.

It was only slowly dawning on them just how big of a deal their strength was.

“It is my sincere belief,” Aclysia stated. “That we ought to push back our search for a carpenter.”

“Why?” Reysha asked. “It’s just some noble guy.”

“Reysha!” Aclysia hissed quietly. “We are in public.”

“And I am a Rogue, come on, being disrespectful to the nobility is part of my Class obligation,” the redhead joked back.

“A purely utilitarian argument,” Apexus weighed in, “but if there is anyone who knows the kind of carpenter we need, it would be the nobility.”

“That would be so expensive!” Korith whined.

Aclysia let out a long sigh. She folded up the letter and put it away as she spoke. “It would be rude to leave the Castellan waiting,” she said. “Unless you have a good reason, I declare we ought to see him.”

“Don’t we get a vote in this, bubble butt?” Reysha teased.

“You two do not. Darling decides,” Aclysia looked to her beloved.

“We will do as you say,” the humanoid chimera stated.