A gourmet meal was spread across the table ranging from bread that seemed to be coated with gold, meat from a dire cow, and fresh fruits and vegetables picked and cleaned from the garden.
"Before consumption, we do a small prayer thanking the gods for another blessed day," The grandma softly whispered. She and everyone else joined hands while Myra and I looked at them, dumbfounded. Glancing at each other, we copied what everyone was doing. I scarcely made out Cath, the man from the steps, having a sullen look on his face as if they had forced him to be here. The old lady smiled faintly and began the prayer.
"Blessed gods. I thank thee for letting us live for another day. I thank thee for leaving us free and healthy. I thank thee for sending these patrollers our way in times of need. I thank thee for gracing us with another plentiful harvest."
"I thank thee," the family rejoiced loudly.
Upon completion of the prayer, they began their dinner. The atmosphere made me feel a bit uneasy, yet I persevered and got an apple. When touched, it was cold and the red skin was free from any imperfections. Sinking my teeth into the fruit, a loud crunch erupted, the juices refreshing my tastebuds.
"So…" The old man licked his lips clean from mashed potatoes and turned his attention to us. "How long have you folks been patrollers for?"
"Uh, we have just started recently. So about three days," I carefully answered. Didn't wanna raise any suspicions. Only the guards and officials should know who we are.
"It's strange. Was the patroller division recently created? I've never heard of you folk before."
This guy is asking us a lot of questions. Is he hoping to see a slip-up? Looks like he's still suspicious. If I want to seem trustworthy, I'll have to answer confidently.
"It's as you say. Me and my partner are supposed to watch the far south while the others watch the other directions."
"Oh? Then, may we see your badges?" He asked, stroking his chin with a triumphant grin. Before I could think of a concrete answer, Cleo intervened.
"Grandpa! Why are you giving your saviors such a hard time?" She looked pissed as hell, frowning at the man.
"I was just curious. No need to get all huffy about it."
"Curious? More like interrogating! Just look at them! They look restless!"
I mean, I'm fine now that you're helping us!
When I glanced at Myra beside me, she did not seem restless at all. In fact, she was stuffing her face with fruits, not paying attention to our conversation. When Myra realized I was staring, she stopped consuming her food.
"The hell you want?" she muttered aggressively as she continued her rampage over the poor fruits. I held my hands up in defense and looked away, landing my sights on Cath briefly. He was quietly picking away at the dire cow meat.
Cleo brushed a stray hair behind an ear and said, "I'm sorry on his behalf. My grandfather has always been like this for as long as I remember. "
"It's alright." I chuckled, secretly hoping to end that conversation.
"Thank you. Now, let's eat."
****
I ate too much. I feel like my stomach is going to burst…
"How was the food Cleo made?" The grandma asked.
"It was wonderful! You should start a restaurant. I bet you'd make lots of money."
"I'm flattered, but it wouldn't work out," said Cleo as she rinsed some bowls. "I have to help with the farm, so I don't have a lot of time…"
"What a pity," I sighed. I feel like she would give Mel a run for her money in terms of the quality of the food prepared.
The grandma sauntered over my shoulder and said, "Say… why not stay over the night?"
"What?" Myra and I shouted at the grandma's proposal. Even Cath's usual frown was replaced with a troubled look.
"Grandma…" Cath started, but the grandpa's stare shut him up.
I glanced at Myra beside me. "Thanks for the offer, but we have to get back to the… urban area and report to our superior about our status."
The old man raised an eyebrow at us. "Oh? As far as I know, guards do that on a weekly schedule. Shouldn't that day be tomorrow, in fact?"
"Patrollers are given a different timetable," Myra added in. She had just finished devouring the last of the fruits. I swear Myra can eat a shit ton of food! That small body of hers can be deceiving.
"It's only for the night. You'll be on your merry way tomorrow. I feel as if just food alone isn't enough to repay you."
The grandma's eyes cast downward in dejection. Her sadness was making me feel guilty by the minute, yet it did not faze Myra at all.
"Sorry, but we're busy. Thank you for the food, though," Myra said coldly. She had risen from her seat and was about to depart the room when I grasped her arm.
"It'll only be a day."
"We're busy… partner. Don't forget what we were originally supposed to do."
"We should take this chance to rest. You know how long it's been since we slept inside an actual house? Frankly, sleeping outside with bugs and all manner of creatures trying to kill you sucks ass."
Myra stared hard at me for about twenty seconds with those defiant blue eyes of hers before finally conceding.
"…You know what? Fine, we'll stay here."
…What? Just like that? I expected more resistance from her! She did not look convinced at all.
"Wonderful!" The granny clapped her hands together. "We have a guest bedroom already cleaned and ready for use. Cleo, why don't you show them the room?"
"Yes, grandma," said Cleo. She had just finished washing the dishes and motioned for us to follow her.
We three climbed on top of the spiraling stairs, holding onto the railing. On the second floor was a hallway with three doors. The paint on the walls was flaking off, and I smelled a slight tinge of sourness coming from it. A brown carpet was situated on the wooden floorboards, branching off into different paths. Next to the stairs were more hallways leading to different parts of the house. Cleo opened one of the doors, revealing a room with two beds near each other and a desk.
"Here's the room that you'll be using for your time here. If you need anything, let me or my brother know. Our rooms are actually on this floor, too."
"Thank you," I said with a nod. I gave Cleo a farewell gesture as she descended the stairs. After checking that she was out of earshot, I turned around and asked Myra a question.
"You think I got a chance with her?"
Myra scowled as she lay sprawled out on a bed near the window. "…Are you stupid, or are you an idiot?"
I replied to the elf inspecting the room. "Those basically mean the same thing, and I'm serious. I feel like we would have good chemistry…"
There were two twin-size beds, an empty closet, a bedside table with a lamp on top of it, a full-length mirror, and a desk.
"I hope you understand our stay here is not permanent. We'll be moving a lot, so communication with her is basically impossible."
"Yea, true. After all this is done, I could get to know her. Unless she isn't already taken-"
My voice faltered when I glanced over at the desk. A drawer was slightly open. Pulling it free, there was a small piece of paper inside it, and a tear was visible. On the back of the slip was a single word:
DAN? Is it someone's name or is it part of a word? I mean, it's a ripped piece of paper inside a drawer…
"Why are you staring so hard at the piece of paper like a blockhead?" Myra called out while fiddling with her bow.
"It just says DAN in capital letters on the back. Just found it weird, is all."
I stuffed the paper back into the drawer and closed it. I jumped onto the free bed and dug my face into the soft pillow. All of my worries slowly drifted away as I was lost in the fluffiness of feathers and jasmine sheets.
"Isaac."
"Mmm?" I answered in a muffled voice.
"Back then, when you captured the bandit leader, I'm surprised that you killed him without hesitation. You and your sister don't look like the type to kill."
I pried my face away from the fluff and turned my head to face Myra. "Were you expecting us to be weak-willed and try to abstain from killing when we're constantly threatened?"
Myra was silent. She continued playing with her bow while staring up at the ceiling. For whatever reason, I decided that there was no harm in sharing a little secret.
"…You know, my sister and I lost our parents when we were kids. The worst thing about that was that it happened right in front of our eyes. For how they died… I don't want to get into the details, so let's just say that my comment from earlier about those who are malicious don't deserve to live in my book is related to that."
"…"
"Uh… did you fall asleep with your eyes open?"
Myra was still quiet.
"I'm spilling out some of my deepest secrets here! Would be great if I could get a; 'I'm sorry you went through that. Come, have a hug!'"
Myra eventually glanced in my direction. Instead of a glare I expected from my hugging comment, her eyes were that of a vigilant watch guard. Myra's ears twitched every two seconds.
"I heard someone spying on us from behind the door. They're gone now."
"Really? I didn't hear anyone."
"That's because they masked their presence with mana. It didn't work on me because my ears are extremely sensitive to sound."
Oh? I never knew that. Those ears weren't for show after all.
"By the way, I was listening to your sad story. I am sorry that you had to go through that," Myra said with sincerity. The alertness in her eyes was gone and replaced with sorrow. She really meant what she said.
"While it is sad, I'm not giving you a hug," she said dryly.
Damn it! That was my only chance of getting a hug from an attractive elf. I know my luck with the ladies is bad and all, but a new world should mean a whole new person! The only thing I received from this new world is power, and that's barely enough as is!
I tried to suppress the disappointment in my voice and said, "Back to the conversation from before. It was probably Cath. He's the only person in this whole family that I felt mana from."
I thought back to that moment when his hand contacted my shoulder, and I felt a rush within that single spot he touched.
"…Are you sure about that?" she quizzed.
"Huh? What do you mean by that?"
We heard a loud knocking sound coming from the door, causing us both to look in that direction. A frail voice spoke out belonging to the grandma.
"It's me! I'm here to give you guys a small gift."