"Infiltration job, you say? Those better not be pastries and sweets. If I find you wasting manpower just to buy food from Salciorne", Laris trails off, successfully implying the consequences of such actions.
"On second thought, it might be too dangerous after all. Let's prioritize our manpower on base now that a hunting pack has been to our doorstep."
Letitia actually looks noble when serious, but it really disappears as soon as she starts talking.
Serena doesn't change expressions, obviously used to such conversations; a light smile even displayed on her lips as she moved two places forward.
"Who's next?"
"Me", Girtro raises his hand studiously. He smirks at Theo, who dumbly looks back. "Please know that it's no good not being a risk-taker at least once in your life", he tells Theo while wagging his index finger at him. "So I decided to train your courage, okay?"
He smiles sweetly. Theo inhales sharply.
This doesn't really look good for him.
"I got hungry one time at midnight, but I was too lazy to grab food from my stash."
Letitia perks up at the words 'food' and 'stash'. At least I'd know how to effectively get her attention in the future.
This glutton.
"So I induced Theo to dream about one of the things that will make him re~ally happy."
"Stop", Theo croaks.
Girtro ignores him. "And you know what distasteful thing he dreamt about? Do you know the dream he made me eat~? He made me eat so much dream energy that I got constipated~!"
"Aaah!!!" Theo clutches his head and bangs it on the small table in front of him, the plates and dishes clinking. Screaming so loud, he tries to overpower Girtro's voice, but the latter's voice is louder—much more trained in the art of gossip.
"A spring dream~" Girtro giddily says. "Apparently, to remove the corruption on a Healer-kind's body, they have to exchange saliva and other bodily fluids", Girtro suggestively teases.
"My reputation", Theo sobs disheartenedly on the table.
"Cheer up, Theo. You never had a reputation to begin with", Serena says in an attempt to comfort, but it just backfires.
"I'm actually more intrigued about who the partner is?" Letitia smiles, joining hands with Girtro.
"Apparently, he likes voluptuous ladies with small waists and thick behinds to grab."
Laris whistles at such a preference. I put my hands together and bow a little.
My deepest condolences, Theo.
Teased to the point of torment, Theo whimpers dejectedly. That's not the end of it unfortunately. As he previously passed the chance to confess a secret, he remained on his original position at the start of the game. That being so, he's penalized to remove one article of clothing since there's no place to move backwards.
The formation under Theo doesn't wait for him to psychologically recover. It shines upwards, and before you know it, Theo's shirt slowly disappears when a type of fume is sprayed on his shirt by a stray root emerging from the formation.
"For another advice, let's give our gratitude to our comrade, Theo, for the demonstration", Amani says amidst all.
"I don't want that gratitude", Theo weakly complains before shutting himself up. He sulks like kid, covering his chest with folded arms.
"The Faerie-kind also have a type of mountain flower that when it's nectar is extracted and made into fumes, can coat any non-living object and hide them. It eventually wears off, but keep in mind—the Faerie folk are hawks hiding their talons. Don't inadvertently provoke them if not needed. They may look unarmed but that might not really be the case."
"I thank the Lady for the wise advice, but we aren't going to antagonize the Faerie-kind. On the contrary, we aim to gain their confidence and alliance. Nevertheless, we will heed your advice and be careful", Laris says to Lady Amani, but it serves as a redirected reminder to everyone else as well.
After a few agreements, everyone waits for the next person to speak up.
"If I didn't get it wrong, isn't it Laris who's next?"
"No, it's Krael first."
Despite being the center of everyone's attention, Krael remains silent, unhurriedly drinking his beverage, as if the whole fiasco didn't concern him.
You laugh at Raguk during his turn, but when it's your turn, you're like this.
Fiddling with the cup with his thumb, Krael opens his mouth after a long contemplation, "I'm relieved." He picks up his cup and takes another sip.
Laris, "A truth?"
Letitia, "Eh, that's it?"
Girtro, "That's the shortest confession I've ever heard."
Serena, "No, there was someone who was confessed with one word."
Girtro, "Ah?"
Serena, "There was a person in the scouting pack who played with us before. They pointed to themselves and then loudly said: Pervert."
Girtro, "The heck ahaha!"
Letitia, "Who was it?"
Serena, "I can't say. I swore to protect that person's secret unless we play against each other again like this."
Girtro, "Ah, what a shame~"
Lady Amani, "hm~mm"
Laris, "I bet the Lady knows though."
Serena, "That she does."
Girtro gives her a side glance, "Lady Amani the secret-hoarder." He only got a fan-covered smirk out of him though.
Vera hollers, "Hey, that's not fair, we won't get it if you say it like that. Come on, speak up, speak up!"
Avoiding her gaze, Krael looks to Obrecht. "I'm relieved that Brother Obrecht is somewhat back to his old self. He had a scary aura when Videre le—disappeared. Ehem." Krael wasn't even able to finish the word 'left' when he sat straighter, as if feeling a sense of danger approaching. He changed the last word at the last minute probably due to his strong will to live.
I take a peek at the person beside me. His eyes side-glances back at me, one end of his lips lifting. I break first and pretend that I was looking at the fringe of my bangs at the side and not at him, and then refocus my attention to the game.
"This is the first time I'm hearing about this", Laris says.
"Me too", Girtro adds.
"I thought you knew but didn't want to share anything with us", Letitia asks Girtro.
"No way", Girtro slaps the air in front of his face once. "I just knew we'd meet here. I'm not some omnipotent being who can see what you're doing anytime anywhere! Aa~ah, what do you all take me for?"
Laris, "Can you tell us more? Videre's not one to share stories unfortunately, though I am his older brother."
Krael redirects a questioning gaze at me, asking for my permission. I'm not particularly hiding anything, so I don't object.
But I might as well make use of the chance.
"You never asked so I never said anything", I answer for Krael.
The twins are excitedly leaning in on their table all of a sudden.
Letitia, "Then, what did you do at their place? Is it really far from here? Can we go there? "
Laris, "The place you ended up in was called 'Inferis', right? How did you get there?"
Letitia, "How did you get out? Were you on your own all this time because you separated from them?"
Laris, "Did anyone bully you there?"
I unconsciously look at Raguk and then at Obrecht, who just shows an amicable smile.
"...." Define which type of 'bully' please.
Laris frowns a bit, "Why aren't you answering? Don't tell me, you were really bullied?!" He slams his hand on the table, the brotherly protectiveness suppressing his noble aura.
Letitia, "See? He doesn't like to talk about himself." She tells Krael as if to prove her point.
"...." Well if you just shut up for a second maybe I can speak?
"I can tell you what I know, but the person who knows Videre best—you should all just ask Obrecht. He's the one who found Videre first in Inferis", Krael tactfully delegates.
Obrecht smiles, "What do you want to know? His three sizes? I'm sorry, but that's sort of classified information."