The inn was quiet as Emmett, Larissa, and Mirabelle walked through the front doors. The soft, amber glow of lanterns hanging overhead cast long shadows on the wooden floor, making the atmosphere feel warm despite the growing tension in the air. The events of the night weighed heavily on Emmett's mind—ambushes, stealth missions, and the constant pressure of staying one step ahead of Perry Connor and his guild. But something else was eating at him too, something far less dangerous but equally distracting.
He couldn't help but glance over at Larissa as they ascended the stairs toward their rooms. There was something different about her tonight. Emmett had been noticing it for the past few hours—during their fight, when she'd moved with a confidence and grace that seemed almost uncharacteristic for her normally shy demeanor. Even now, as she walked ahead of him, there was a noticeable change in her posture, in the way she carried herself.
He couldn't put his finger on it, but it was enough to make him ask.
"Hey, Larissa," Emmett called quietly, keeping his voice low so as not to draw too much attention. "Is something… up with you tonight?"
Larissa froze mid-step, her back stiffening as if she'd just been caught doing something she shouldn't have. Slowly, she turned around, her face already beginning to turn red. "W-What do you mean?" she stammered, avoiding his gaze.
"You just seem, I don't know, different," Emmett said, trying to put his finger on the right words. He gave her a curious, but innocent grin. "Like, I don't want to sound weird, but… you look sexier than usual. Did you change something?"
Larissa's face flushed deep red, her eyes widening in surprise. She fidgeted nervously, her hands clutching the hem of her tunic. "I-I, uh…" she mumbled, clearly embarrassed. "I… asked my big sister for advice… about, you know, attracting men."
Emmett blinked, caught completely off guard by her admission. "Really?" he asked, genuinely intrigued now. "And what did she say?"
Larissa bit her lip, still avoiding his gaze as she looked down at her feet. Her voice dropped to a barely audible whisper. "She told me… to wear clothes a size smaller…"
Emmett's mouth fell open, and for a moment, he just stood there, dumbfounded. "That's it?" he asked, blinking in disbelief. "Just wear smaller clothes?"
Larissa nodded, her face still a bright shade of crimson. "Y-Yes…"
Before Emmett could respond, she quickly turned and hurried up the stairs, mumbling a quick, "Goodnight!" over her shoulder as she disappeared around the corner.
Emmett stood there for a few moments, processing what had just happened. He had to admit, the change in her appearance had definitely caught his attention, but the idea that all it took was wearing smaller clothes seemed… too simple. Still, he couldn't deny that it had worked. But the thought of Larissa being uncomfortable just to appear more attractive made him feel a bit guilty.
He let out a long sigh and turned to face Mirabelle, who had been silently observing the entire exchange with an amused smirk on her face.
"Is that really all a girl has to do to look sexy?" Emmett asked, raising an eyebrow.
Mirabelle rolled her eyes and shook her head, giving him a look that could only be described as a mixture of disbelief and exasperation. "You really are clueless, aren't you?" she muttered, clearly unimpressed by his lack of understanding. "It's not just about the clothes, Emmett."
He frowned, crossing his arms as if that would somehow make him seem less confused. "Then what is it about?"
Mirabelle didn't bother answering him. Instead, she sat down at a nearby table, pulling out her chat to talk with her guild members. Emmett followed her, sitting across from her as he watched her work.
Moments later, the chat glowed softly, and Kyle's voice echoed from the other side. "All ambushes were successful, Captain. We managed to take out a total of nine players across four different teams."
Mirabelle leaned back in her chair, a satisfied smile spreading across her face. "Good work, Kyle. That makes twelve in total, counting the ones we took out earlier."
Emmett leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "So, what now? I mean, with twelve of Perry's people out of the game, we've got an advantage, right?"
Mirabelle's smile grew wider, and her eyes sparkled with that familiar glint of mischief. "That's right. Perry's guild will be a lot more cautious now. With their numbers reduced, they'll be too scared to move too quickly. They'll be more likely to make mistakes—and that lowers their chances of finding out the truth about the Hill family's trip being fake."
Emmett nodded, his mind beginning to work through the possibilities. "So, we've got them where we want them?"
Mirabelle's expression became even more pleased as she reached into her pouch and pulled out a small glass jar, holding it up for Emmett to see.
"And that brings us to the next phase of the mission," she said, her tone teasing. "This one's on you, lover boy."
Emmett raised an eyebrow, staring at the jar with a mixture of suspicion and amusement. "What's that?"
Mirabelle leaned forward, her smile turning into a full-on grin as she uncorked the jar, releasing a pungent, almost sour smell. "Laxatives," she said, clearly enjoying his reaction.
Emmett blinked again, this time more in disbelief than confusion. "Wait, you want me to what?!"
Mirabelle's grin only widened as she held the jar out to him. "You heard me. You're going to slip this into Perry's food. And when the Iron Fangs are too busy… dealing with their 'personal issues,' we'll have our window to make our move on the Hill Manor."
Emmett stared at her, his mind racing as he tried to picture how exactly this was supposed to work. After a few seconds, he let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "You've got to be kidding me. You want me to give Perry Connor diarrhea?"
Mirabelle shrugged nonchalantly, though the glint in her eyes said she was thoroughly enjoying this. "Hey, a little creative sabotage never hurt anyone."
Emmett let out a longer, more amused laugh, finally accepting the jar. "You're really something, you know that?"
Mirabelle winked at him. "What can I say? I like to get creative."
Emmett chuckled again, feeling a strange mix of amusement and excitement as he pocketed the jar. "Alright, fine. I'll do it. But I'm gonna need a plan to get close to Perry."
Mirabelle leaned back in her chair, her fingers tapping thoughtfully on the table. "Don't worry about that. I've got it covered. You will have to charm on of the NPC at the inn, I don't care it is female or male, but they will have to put the laxatives in the food during dinner on the specified date."
Emmett nodded, already starting to think of ways to pull this off. "You want me to become a gigolo?"
"Isn't that what you want every day?" Mirabelle said with a sly smile. "As Val likes to say, I am just giving you a push, how you do it, is up to you."
Emmett grinned, feeling the adrenaline starting to pump through his veins. "Alright, let's do this."
But before he could get up, Mirabelle reached across the table and grabbed his arm, her expression turning serious for a moment. "Just be careful, Emmett. Perry's not stupid. If you get caught, this whole plan falls apart."
Emmett gave her a confident smile. "Don't worry, I won't mess it up."
Mirabelle nodded, letting go of his arm. "Good. Now get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day."
As Emmett made his way to the stairs, he couldn't help but glance at Larissa's closed door one last time. The memory of her flustered expression and her sudden dash up the stairs still played in his mind. He shook his head, smiling to himself as he headed for his room.