A bartender's words are like a magnet attracting iron.
Anastasia didn't really care, but her eyes peeked out from behind the spout of the glass. In fact, her carrot juice had run out, but the glass that hid her beautiful face, was reluctant to go down.
The bartender said, "I heard that in the ruins of Switzerland, many books of the ancestors were preserved in bunkers. Isn't that great? You could go there and get lucky and find a book."
Anastasia snorted with amusement, placing the empty glass on the table. Felix's answer was predictable to her. The boy who saved rabbits and deer, how dare he go far from home.
"Ahm, maybe next time, Uncle."
"Son, this is your best chance. These three ladies want to search for ancient ruins in Switzerland. You can be their guide and they can take care of you."
Anastasia grinned sarcastically. "Guarding a cowardly young man? Isn't there another hunter who is more masculine and capable of guiding us?"
Roselin let out a long breath. "Sweetie, this is Frankia's hunter's lair, this is the best palace for us in Frankia. But, not only you've rejected half of them, and discouraged the rest from becoming our guides. Now you want to antagonize Felix?"
"Bah, I'm just expressing my opinion. We're not babysitters, you know?"
"You can find another guide." Felix carried the bucket of four rabbits away from there.
"Ara ara, sweetie, how about this white rabbit?" Roslein thrust the cute bunny in her arms.
"Take it. A gi doesn't eat much, he likes green leaves."
The bartender tried to dissuade him from leaving, "Felix, don't be like that. This is a golden opportunity, you know." Everything Itiar do was in vain while Felix walked away.
Suddenly Linsy pushed Anastasia's shoulder, prompting their eyes to meet. "What's your problem?!"
"How about, what's your problem, geek girl?" Anastasia asked back.
"My problem? My problem is you. Look, I know you're heartbroken, but that doesn't give you a reason for being bitchy about everything."
"Shut your pie hole, geek girl."
"Look, we're not here for sightseeing, or to keep you entertained. We're here to look for the ancient ruins that the chief said. And you're messing things up!"
Anastasia angrily raised her voice. No one was allowed to yell at Anastasia Von Elrik. "What's your problem? Look geek girl, I know why we're here, but use your logic. What can a weak boy like him do? He can't even watch the bunny rabbit die. He's weak."
"There, there, let's not fight." Had Roselin not intervened, Anastasia could have made Linsy cry.
Linsy had gone too far in scolding Anastasia. After all, weren't they on the same team? The geek girl should have supported Anastasia, not berating her.
Yes, even though they were friends, Linsy, as a descendant of merchants, a commoner, should not rebuke the descendants of nobles. It was fortunate that Anastasia was not a good noble, or Linsy would have paid the price.
What surprised Anastasia was what the bartender said next.
"I'm sorry miss but you've misjudged Felix. He's the best hunter I've ever met. Basil raised him as a knight and that's his weakness. Hunters are not holy knights."
Anastasia lifted her face to the side. "You mean Basil Longsword? One of the five holy knights?"
"Yes. I saw him practicing a long time ago, and I thought he was great. It's just that for some reason he doesn't want to kill recklessly. It's funny, for a hunter, i see, but once again. He following Basil code of honor."
"And I think she's the safest man for us. He not barbaric like other hunters, he respect living creature and not single one tried to hit on us. At least not now." Linsy crossed her arms and her eyes flatly pierced Anastasia. "I don't know why this queen of ours insulted him so much that he ran away."
Anastasia hate that word, it make him sick and want to hit something. "Queen, huh? Said that again, I dare you."
"Enough, don't continue." Roselin deliberately sat between Anastasia and Linsy, becoming a barrier between them. "Sir Itiar, so, how about it. Do you have any recommendations for other hunters to guide us?"
Itiar placed both palms on the table and his face seemed to be about to align with the shoulders. "Others? Many, but your friend scares them away."
"How about the best, better than that coward? I'm ready to pay for it." A bag of coins containing five gold coins was meaningless to her, but Anastasia felt it was enough to support the poor hunter for a few months.
"Look geek girl, I'm good, right? I paid dearly for my mistake."
"You arrogant aristocrat." Linsy was free to say anything, but Anastasia didn't care.
For Anastasia, everything can be solved using money.
"Sweetie, sometimes money can't buy things. Like a heart. You broke that young man's heart."
Anastasia ate her pie while muttering. "What does he know?"
The bartender's Itiar laughter had Anastasia peeking out of the tail. The old man sighed before speaking.
"Don't worry. I'll try to get him to help you." Itiar pushed the money bag away. "I'm not doing this for the money, but for Felix."
The three girls were blank in knowledge of this. Especially Anastasia, she had to wonder, what did the old man mean?
No one knew what plan Itiar was executing by summoning a young man of about seventeen years old. He whispered and the young man nodded while looking at the three girls.
Before leaving he said, "Alright father, I understand."
The bartender gave a relieved and hopeful smile to the young man who ran through the crowd. "You girls should rent a room for one to two days. There happens to be an empty room upstairs."
Staying in a small and smelly place like a garbage dump? Anastasia snorted in annoyance, but, what choice did she have? She wondered how Linsy and Roslein were able to act so casual.
The warmth on the stool Anastasia had left behind had not yet dissipated when a commotion was created from the direction of the Tavern's main door.
A hunter ran into the Tavern and fell down. "Itiar! Some giant lizard riders are waiting outside!"
Everyone knew who those lizard riders was, even the three girls. However, none of them knew the purpose of the lizard riders arriving in Orzon village.
Linsy lowered her glasses. "I think I know what they want."