During our travels to Langeston, I had a lot of time to think back and eventually came to realise that I shouldn't overestimate myself, now more than ever.
Even with a cheat-like weapon like the Halberd of the valiant hero, I still can't call this power my own.
Whenever I get these thoughts, a saying keeps popping up in my head, 'Easy come, easy go, here today, gone tomorrow.'
'Even my own body rejects it, so how long do I realistically have to utilise this strength?'
Breaking my dim mind's thoughts, Elisa speaks up,
"Wait, we're back at the pub again? Yukiko, do you even know where we're going?", she says in a drunken state, yet she's impressively conscious.
'Damn, I guess I zoned out for too long again.'
"By the way, where is the old man? Don't tell me we lost him on the way.", She says, impressing me: 'I didn't even notice him missing'
All of a sudden, Elisa springs up as if suddenly having found something out,
"Oh! I remember! That old guy is still playing that drinking game with the other uncles in there?"
sighing, I approach the pub, the drunken Elisa in tow.
As the heavy wooden door creaks open, the hot air from within streams through, igniting the cold air outside.
The stench of booze numbing my nose, it seemed the people within still haven't lost their thirst. And in the middle of them, Bran was faced up against someone I couldn't recognise.
Slamming down his cup, Bran shouts out, "That serves you guys right! Don't underestimate THIS old man!", causing the crowd to explode in cheers and rowdy calls.
Enlargening my halberd for everyone to see, the crowd opens up a clean path for me towards the old man.
Calmly, my steps cause Bran to shake, increasing in fierceness with every step I take. Until I finally stand in front of him, grabbing him by the collar and dragging him outside.
Seeing the crude display, Elisa couldn't hide a shocked expression, though she followed obediently. Locking eyes with Bran, a smug expression filled her face.
"See? I told you this would happen, gramps."
I was annoyed by this sentiment but I let it slide this once, they deserved a break once in a while.
After a while of walking around, the old man already back on his own two feet, I let out a sigh and announce,
"This is it, finally: Langeston hotel. Bran, you still got some money left, right?"
He tried to retaliate but he eventually caved in, nodding in reluctant agreeance.
Entering the dimly lit house, a woman approaches us, shocked to see our faces.
"Who are yeh lot? Ah don't remember seein' yer faces 'round 'ere?", she says at first, though she catches her words as soon as she sees the halberd.
"Excuse me, are yeh perhaps lookin' for a room?"
Awkwardly, I respond, "Well, that too. More importantly though, we came here on the request of a young man."
Twitching at the last part of my sentence, the woman turned visibly mad. She tried to remain professional, but eventually exploded,
"That BRAT again!? Let me guess, he asked yeh t' save his sister, eh? Well, we dinnae need yer help, so leave.", she said, motioning with her hands for us to go.
Bitterly, I answer immediately, not minding my harsh tone.
"Whether he needs help or not is none of your concern. If you are unwilling to cooperate, then at least let us stay here tonight."
And again, reluctant agreeance.
So, finding ourself in a three-person room, we find ourselves with only two beds, one of them being a double bed.
Sparkles in her eyes, Elisa speaks up, "Of course, Yukiko and I can occupy the double bed. This isn't our first time after all."
Before I could call her out on her easily-misunderstood wording, the old man had already pierced me with a judging look.
"Alright, just don't make enough sounds to wake me, I'm a light sleeper." he says, immediately falling asleep as soon as he plopped down on the bed.
Following this, Elisa falls on the bed too, grunting out in pain and dizziness. Then, looking up at me, she spreads her arms and invites me to fall down on her.
.
.
The next morning began with having to escape Elisa's tight grip around me, that she somehow found herself in while we were sleeping.
And as we began our way down, we settled down in the lobby of the hotel, figuring that the young man would come on his own as long as we wait here.
So, after maybe ten minutes, he arrived, sitting down on a nearby couch.
"So yeh did come, Ah'm glad. Ah'd be happy if we could go right away."
"What exactly does this mission entail? What situation is your sister in?", I ask, trying to gauge the difficulty of the mission and whether we would even be able to do it.
"Oh yes, o' course, excuse me. Yeh see, currently my sis is out at sea. An' with t' waves hittin' in a couple o' days, she's bound t' get caught up in it. Ah just want yeh t' help 'er get back safely."
"Have there been previous records on what happens on water during the waves?", I ask, questioning the direness of the situation.
"There aren't many, yet all that's known is that if a ship dinnae make it back before t' waves arrive, it was never found t' return again."
So, nodding my head, while still doubtful, we make our way towards the docks.
Though, before we could leave, the woman from last night stopped us.
"REGINALD, YEH THINK WE HAE T' MONEY FOR THIS?", she screams, storming down the stairs, while also waking the entirety of the hotel.
"YEH BETTER GET YER ASS BACK 'ERE RIGHT NOW. YER SISTER DID THIS T' HERSELF."
Following the beet-red mother's ramblings, Reginald steps up,
"So yeh're nae even callin' 'er yer daughter anymore?! An' when did Ah become Reginald t' yeh, when ye always called me yer son!
Just goes t' show how much ye care 'bout us! All ye think about is money, money, money, yet money cannae make ye happy in t' end, do ye understand that? This isn't about our purchasin' power, this is about our own blood an' bones!" he blurts out, realising that he had already said too much.
"Goodbye, mother. Or should Ah call ye by yer name instead?"
The atmosphere was tight and his words were filled with hot emotion, yet he still remained composed. I couldn't help but be impressed. I couldn't help but be covinced: I was gonna help his sister out, no matter what.