With a glint of admiration in his eyes, Centshuu smirked.
"Where did you hear that?" He asked and Bell paused from her dress fixing.
She looked at Centshuu then flicked her eyes to Ripply behind him.
With a condescending tone, she said "Don't forget who brought you here the first time while you were still a nobody recruit. We were friends or should I say friendly a long time before he gave you your current spot, leader"
Centshuu looked at Ripply behind him and smirked, however, his eyes hinted at how surprised he was to hear the reveal.
"You don't say," Centshuu said to Ripply whose response was a blank stare. He then turned back to the beautiful lady who had fixed her dress enough to leave it alone and stand straight.
"Well, we're friendly too, aren't we? Since we are, you should know that that was a bad joke on my part—" he said but she cut him off.
"Just like with all my other guests, I know exactly what brings your group of miscreants back to The Velvet Serpent, but, what I would like to know is what brings you to me, Centshuu? During your last couple of visits, we never talked for anything more than a second, which is how long greetings last, so what could I have that interests the mighty Centshuu so much?" Centshuu returned her curious and skeptical gaze with a mischievous smirk, albeit with a touch of charm. "You know me, Bell. Always looking for a good time… and some business." Bell raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued.
"Business, huh? That's the first. You're not trying to recruit any of my girls, are you?" She asked. Centshuu laughed heartily. "No, nothing like that. With the work we do, a woman is only going to be a liability to the team. Even if I were to find a capable one, which I'm sure you have tons of, I wouldn't want to bring one of your beautiful staff into such a dirty profession as ours. What I'm here for, minus the drinks, shelter, and eye candy, is a favor." He said
"??" Bell crossed her arms, waiting to hear what that favor was going to be.
"I'm planning to take my team to Scriiz, and I need a secure, and most importantly, cheap way to get there."
Bell's expression turned thoughtful as she considered his request.
"Scriis, huh? That takes me back. I wonder how long it's been since I was last in that darn forsaken place"
Centshuu shrugged "I don't know, but from what I heard while still just a humble recruit of the great Ripply, way longer than me and the boys," he said then smiled cockily.
Bell smacked her tongue "Well, can't be helped. The three of us chose paths that didn't align with their values or beliefs so staying there wasn't really an option, was it? Still, I don't think I've ever lost any sleep since leaving, so who cares what a bunch of rigid-minded people think?" She said and Centshuu chuckled.
"My sentiments exactly but forgetting about the past for a moment, what about my request? Think you can arrange something for me and the boys, plus one extra?"
Bell raised a brow "One extra? Don't tell me you've gotten a recruit, Centshuu. Did you give him the good ol' pitch that Ripply gave you or are you going to string him along with grandiose promises like the ones you tell my girls while behind closed doors"
Centshuu's eyes widened for a split second and then he grinned "You can't blame me for selling a beautiful lady or two or five a just as beautiful dream, especially when it makes the night all the more passionate." He said and Bell just stared at him in silence and disgust.
"I'd like to say I'm surprised you know something as intimate as that but honestly, I'm not surprised at all. This is your place after all so it's no shocker you know what goes down in private. With that said, those ears of yours are exactly what I need right now"
Bell rolled her eyes "You never answered my question about your recruit" she said, annoyed.
"Don't worry, the pug isn't a recruit, just someone the boys and I picked up while on one of our escapades and now we're going to help him get home" Centshuu said and Bell's eyebrows furrowed.
"Oh, when did Centshuu turn into a Good Samaritan?" Bell looked at Ripply behind Centshuu and asked.
"That's not it… well, not entirely" Ripply said in his usual monotone voice.
Bell flicked her eyes back to Centshuu and with an intrigued look, she said "What does that mean, Centshuu? What does Ripply mean by not entirely? Is there something else going on with this pug of yours that I don't know about? You know that if you need my help then I can't be in the dark, right?"
"I know that and I would love to tell you what it is, but we can't talk here. Not out in the open like this" Centshuu said after flicking his eyes around and glancing at everyone around them.
Bell's demeanor became serious.
"Is that so? Alright then. Follow me to my private room so that you can tell me what's going on, why you want to return to that town, and also why this new pug is so important" Bell said, and then, without waiting for a reply, she started walking towards where her private room was.