"H-How did this happen...?" Lyan recalled the event that just unfolded several minutes ago as he walked through the dark streets of Arkansas.
(I caught the girl since she's falling, then I noticed that she's the swordswoman that I saved back then from the goblins, and then...) (Lyan)
"She screamed and ran with all of her might..." Lyan crouches down as he laments the reaction he just saw.
After Lyan caught the lady and prevent her from falling, she certainly noticed that he is the one who saved her back then as well, but unlike what Lyan pictured inside his mind, rather than getting thanked from her, he got a fearful scream instead.
Because of her reaction, the crowd and the staff stared at him with contempt and hostility and got chased away by the brothel's guards.
Lyan looked at his hands.
(Aren't I supposed to be a former incubus? I'm supposed to be skilled in wooing women, aren't I?) (Lyan)
"No, no. That was out of my control. I believe I didn't take any wrong moves, and I didn't use any succubus magic as well. It won't be good to use magic on making an earnest relationship, after all. Okay, it's not an error on my side, it was just that that swordswoman is slightly weird, that's all," Lyan comforts himself. After regaining some confidence in himself, Lyan stands straight and starts to walk again, but he is suddenly remembered something.
"Those guys... Saw my face, didn't I...? Should I erase their memories...?" (Lyan)
*****************************
---Alina's PoV---
I've gone and done it!!!!
"Alina, you stupid, idiotic, moron!" I pulled my hair in distress after remembering what I had just done.
That's beyond rude, isn't it? First, we left him in the middle of the forest with the monsters that are originally chasing and surrounding us after he went to help us. And after meeting him again, rather than thanking him, I freaked out and screamed as if I'm a girl about to get raped by bandits!!
He must be freaked out and creeped out, isn't he? No, he must be mad for being treated that unreasonably. What if he became mad and aims to do bad things to us because of me!?
Will the madam save us again if that happens!? Ah... All of the guests must had saw me screaming just now, didn't they!? They must be creeped out because of me!!!
This is not good. If I can't bring any customers anymore, how could I repay the madam!?!?
"Calm down, Alina-chan," (Belle)
"Calm down first, Alina. Take a deep breath," (Xena)
Belle and Xena comfort me by patting my back. Their comfort is so effective. Just by feeling the warmth of their hands, I stopped getting agitated and calmed myself down.
"There, there, Alina-chan. Good, good," (Belle)
"Now. Could you tell us what happened?" (Xena)
How sweet of them, they were using the most gentle voice they could muster to make sure I didn't feel cornered.
Okay, I'm fine now. Let's tell them the truth. Since it's the two of them, they definitely won't get mad and found a solution together!
"So the story is..." (Alina)
I tell them from the beginning of how I entered the stage until the end. I tried not to fabricate any truth by telling them, we're best friends, and since we only have each other, I must not lie to them.
And their reaction is...
"YOU WHAT!?" Xena exclaimed in surprise.
"Y-You're startling me, Xena..."
"Alina-chan! That's beyond rude, you know!? And since he helped you from falling, it means that together with us, he had helped you twice already!" Belle follows suit as she scolds me with an expression she rarely shows.
"I-I know! But I fell because of the puddle! And if I didn't use those heels, I wouldn't lose my balance in the first place! And... And... He might be a bad guy..."
"Alina! The way we leave him with that dangerous goblin group is outrageous enough, you know? And despite so, he still saves you from your fall! In the first place, he didn't shout angrily or anything when we left him with the goblins, there is enough proof for us to conclude that he's a good guy!" (Xena)
"And you even screamed on his hands and then run away as if you got caught by an orc. He must felt very hurt by that, you know..." (Belle)
"Uuuuu... I know, I'm wrong... I couldn't help it, that was so unexpected that I lost control of myself..." Tears start to gather in my eyes again.
What can I do? How could I react towards the person who I left with the goblins that are surrounding us when he suddenly appeared like that?
"I was too ashamed to apologize, so I freaked out..."
"*Sigh!* Well, there's no use for crying over a spilled milk. At least, we should tell the truth to everyone and-" (Xena)
Suddenly, the door towards our room got opened from outside before Xena finished her words.
"Alina? I heard you got assaulted by a guy inside the pub. He's quite daring to do that inside here. Since he could even assault you and make you like this, he must be strong, right? Describe to me how he looks and I'll take care of it. The merchants and the mercenaries present will also look for him," A purplish red-haired woman suddenly entered the room.
"Madam..."
She's 12 years older than me, but her skin is still so smooth, and her face is very beautiful. Not to mention her body that my body could never compare.
"Alina-chan, are you okay!?"
"Did that bastard do something to you!?"
"What did he do, Alina-chan! Tell us!"
The other girls appeared from beneath the opened door. It makes me happy how much they care about me, but at the same time, it makes me harder to tell them the truth about what happened.
"The problem had sure became big rather quickly, huh..." Uttered Xena with a wry smile.
"Hm? What's wrong, the two of you?" Madam tilts her head when she looks at Xena and Belle that are having a wry smile on their face.
"Alina," (Xena)
"Yes! Yes! I'll explain!"
I force myself to explain the story from the beginning to the madam and the others.
"Ahahahaha! You sure are cute, aren't you, my little Alina!" Madam strokes my head as she laughs because of my action.
"""Alina-chan...""" (Other brothel girls)
"Madam, I love you," I hugged her.
Xena and Belle you traitors. It turns out that madam is my true ally. I'll never forget this in the future.
"Madam! You must not pamper her! She must know that she did a wrong thing!" (Xena)
"Yes, madam! It's for her sake as well!" (Belle)
Hmph! Unlike the both of you, madam is kind!
"Of course, of course. If you think that I'm siding with you, you're totally wrong, Alina," The madam stares at me with a terrifying smile.
"Eh? Madam?"
"Did you know how much of an uproar you've made because of that outburst of yours? If he had actually assaulted you, I would have pampered and comforted you and killed that guy myself, but this is a different story. If we didn't do anything, all of your fans in this whole city will search for him and kill him, you know? And not to mention that he saved you two times in a row without getting thanked, and you even made a violation of the mercenary rules at the first time he saved you. You must find that man and apologize to him as quick as possible!" (Madam)
Ugh... Madam's words are even longer than Xena's...
"Yes, madam..."
"Gramps! You're there?!" Madam called out to the thin air.
"I'm here, do you need something, madam?" (Abraham)
Gramps appeared from the shadow of the door.
"Cool down the guests, especially the big shots. We must not let them do an extreme thing and ended up killing the poor guy. And ask Raine and Ravia to search for the man. We owe him an apology," (Madam)
"*Sigh!* That's why I said not to be hasty, madam. I've converse with the man personally, and I believe he's more than just a decent young man. And Lady Alina, I know you've got your portion of scoldings, but after you scream and went here, the man got kicked out from the place after getting jeered and became the subject of contempt of the house. Please apologize to that man properly," said Gramps. Since Gramps is someone that rarely scolds anyone other than his grandchildren, his words struck deeper than the others.
"Okay... I'll apologize properly..." (Alina)
"It's rare for you to be so interested in someone, gramps," (Madam)
"Of course, he's quite a peculiar man, after all. He didn't look at the girls with any sign of underestimation and didn't look at them as if they are lower than him as a human. And even though he smelled like a person from the underworld, his eyes give a hint of kindness. I should say that he's a great man," (Gramps)
Whoa... It's rare for gramps to praise a person that much...
"That's rare words coming from you, gramps. You made me more interested with that guy," (Madam)
____________________________________________________________________________
Name: Lyan
Occupation: Mercenary
Money: 23,100 Elnes
Weapon: Hobgoblin's Sword
Equipment: Black leather cloak
Grimoire's Companions: 8 High Spirits, Shadow Hobgoblin