Kayle and the cloaked girl looked at each other with suspicion, the girl looked smug and relaxed, she right now seemed like the only one in the whole tavern left standing if you don't count the terrified personnel. They had come to this dangerous place looking for some mercenaries... doubtful reputation mercenaries.
"What? Did the cat eat your tongues?" Said the cat girl mocking them "Maybe I should do it? Want me to eat your tongues?"
The butler boy reached for a sword in this belt, he was about to grab it when Raven looked at him with malice, he couldn't reach the handle, her stare was taunting him, he could feel it, his instincts weren't so dull, if he grabbed the handle he was dead, and she wanted that outcome.
"Stop it!" Said the mysterious girl "Kayle don't interfere!" She could feel something was off, but didn't quite grasp the situation yet, her innocence dulled her senses, and Raven just smiled and raised her hands "We came here in search of sellswords" She stated out flat.
"But lady... this one seems..." Said the man but was silenced by the girl once again.
"We heard this was a good spot... but..." The girl looked around the tavern, the ambient was pretty sad.
"Yeah you have to thank a guy named Ito for that" Raven said using every chance she had to throw more at the guy who ran away "So, who do you want to kill?" If she wanted to hire people here she just wanted to kill someone, she didn't want to extend this talk.
"Wait! No! That's not it!" The girl panicked and dropped her hood, revealing her face, her flustered face.
She had long silvery hair, her ears revealed her elven heritage. Her factions were delicate and her skin looked as if she hadn't had any difficulty in her entire life, Raven already knew she was a rich girl, her hands were the ones that told that story, those weren't the hands of someone who had to take a tool in their entire life.
"It's for the dungeon!" She said out loud.
Raven couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the flustered elf girl. Her soft, noble features stood in stark contrast to the wreckage and grime around her, making her look even more out of place. The moment the words "It's for the dungeon!" escaped the girl's lips, Raven could already feel the vultures circling, even if they were unconscious at the moment. If this girl kept talking like that, she'd have every thug and scammer on this side of the city lining up to bleed her dry.
"You sure know how to pick your words princess" Raven said with a grin, her eyes flicking from the girl to Kayle, who was still stiff as a board, his hand hovering near his sword. "You walk into a pit like this, yelling about the dungeon? Either you're stupid, or you're too naive to know any better"
The elf girl's cheeks flushed even deeper, her silver hair catching the dim light of the tavern. She opened her mouth to protest, but Raven waved a hand dismissively.
"Relax, princess. I ain't here to scam you. Not yet, anyway" Raven said with a chuckle, leaning back in her chair. "But you're painting a damn big target on your back screaming about dungeon raids in a place like this. Most folks in here would gut you for a couple of coins, you could say its not were good people delve"
The girl bitted her own lips, she felt stupid after being mocked by a vulgar cat like the one in front of her. Kayle couldn't hold it anymore and armed with all his valor replied.
"Don't you dare to mock Lady Eruru!" He said getting angry, his face red.
"Ooooh you grow some balls" Raven said toasting for him with the last of her beer, discarding the empty mug on the table "But it's true, you guys are just out of place, here we don't have ladys or little masters, or any of that crap, do you understand... Eruru~" Raven almost singed her name.
Eruru's expression tightened, her lips forming a thin line as she stared down at Raven. The smug cat girl continued to grin, clearly enjoying herself, leaning back and observing the rising tension with delight.
Kayle, his face still red with fury, clenched his fists but didn't make a move. He had already realized that any attempt to draw his sword would be disastrous. The dangerous glint in Raven's eyes told him everything he needed to know.
"It's okay Kayle" Eruru relaxed "I have to take this risk, since none in the other side of the city will help us, you seem very capable"
"Don't get your hopes on" Raven said "I'm just level 1"
"That's enough, we need a fourth team member or they won't let me go!" Countered Eruru.
"Them?" Said Raven, this raised too many flags 'Nah, I knew this day couldn't be this good' She started eating her chicken as if her life depended on it, she felt like she would lose it if she didn't hurry up.
Eruru looked like an innocent lamb and said something very quiet. Kayle's chest inflated as he declared very proudly.
"Eruru is one of the most recognized apprentices of the mage tower!" He claimed proudly.
"Get out" Raven said turning around.
Eruru blinked, taken aback by Raven's abrupt dismissal. "W-What?" she stammered, her voice faltering. Kayle looked equally surprised, his puffed-up chest deflating almost immediately.
Raven didn't bother turning back around, tearing into her chicken like it was the last meal she'd ever have. "I said, get out" she repeated, her voice muffled by the food. "If you're from the mage tower, I want nothing to do with you"
The mage tower was one of the big players in the city. They were one of the first to arrive when the dungeon was discovered, hence, they have a privileged seat in the city, and their influence is huge, they act as peacekeepers in this city, hence, they are a bunch of cruel bastards who make other suffer for their gain, and like to experiment all sort of weird magics on the population. They had a bunch of guys with level high enough to be considered monsters in their own right, hell, even as if mages weren't considered monsters already, many parties would kill to have a mage on their ranks, they were scarce, to say the least.
"I will pay! I will pay you well if you come with us!" Eruru said, feeling as if her last hope vanished.
"I don't want your gold!" Raven said almost choking on the chicken "You think I'm stupid enough to take your mage tower gold? You might as well slap a collar around my neck and call me your new pet" She crossed her arms annoyed "Hell! Go back to the upper city and search for mercenaries there!"
"None will accept!" She busted.
Kayle placed a hand on her shoulder and he explained.
"Her master gave the order for none to take her offer... the tower don't want her to go to the dungeon to complete a trial..." He said "This is part of her test, but it is too hard, we managed to contact a warrior to help us, but none else accepted"
The influence of a powerful mage is enough to intimidate those without power or backup from other big factions, and those in other factions wouldn't help a simple apprentice. It was a clever trap.
Raven raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite herself. The pieces were starting to fit together, and it wasn't looking good for the little mage "So, let me get this straight" Raven said, wiping her hands on her coat. "Your precious master wants you to fail, huh? Sending you on some death mission without any help?"
Eruru nodded, her expression tense "It's a trial to prove myself... but it's a setup. They want me to fall short, to stay under their thumb"
Raven snorted "Figures. Mages love playing their little games. So why the hell are you so bent on going through with this, anyway? Why not just walk away?"
Eruru's eyes flashed with determination "Because I'm not going to let them control my life. If I back down now, they'll hold it over me forever. I need to pass this trial if I ever want to be something more than a simple apprentice"
Kayle nodded in agreement, his earlier bravado replaced with concern "We've come this far, but... we need to fill the last spot in the party..."
Raven placed a hand on her face, she was annoyed but the curiosity was hitting hard on her.
"What do you have to do for yer stupid test?" She asked annoyed.
"To reach the second floor of the dungeon..." Replied both Kayle and Eruru together.
And thus curiosity killed the cat.