"So, what is it exactly that you wanted to talk to me about?" Eveleen asked, sitting at the desk with a smile.
"...I'm sure you already have an idea of what it is," I replied, sitting on the bed, my arms resting on both my legs with my hands clasped together, accompanying the serious expression on my face.
"Hmm, let me guess…How about the fact that Sephtis is begging you to teach him, and also the whole ordeal with the missing goddess Jocasta? Am I right?" She smiled confidently, crossing her arms.
"Mmm, yes. How do you always seem to know what I'm thinking?" I wondered, raising my eyebrow with teasing suspicion.
"Well, maybe it's just that I'm that awesome and know you so well!" Eveleen's smile remained as she placed her chin in her palms.
"Yeah, yeah. Besides that, I wanted your opinion on the Sephtis's part in this," I sighed, not wanting to give in to his request since I've already said no so many times, but still reluctantly deciding it was best to hear Eveleen's side on this.
Eveleen pondered it for a bit, perhaps thinking through the different choices I could make and what could happen after each one. Nodding to herself, she seemed to have decided on a good course of action following what she thinks is best and will benefit both of us.
"It would be most beneficial to get him to join you in your journey, especially if there is a risk in getting caught by Llyr, and agreeing to teach him on that condition is a sure-fire way to get him to accompany you," She announced, making me pause on the 'Llyr' part.
"Wait, what exactly do you mean by 'getting caught by Llyr?' Is there something you aren't telling me?" I questioned, my expression getting dark and mood worsening just at the mention of his name.
"No, I know just about as much as you do regarding him right now. I'm talking about the possibility of him searching for you to bring you back, and the advantages of having another person accompany you before finding Praxis and after finding Praxis," Eveleen frowned.
"Haaa, then I suppose you are right," I gave a relaxed sigh, closing my eyes to think for a moment, "Alright then, I'll go tell him what you just said…or something along the lines of that."
I got up and went to the door, but was stopped by Eveleen clearing her throat, looking at me like I forgot something. Reminding me of another favor I was going to ask her.
"Oh, right…Thank you for reminding me, hehe," I chuckled, turning towards her, "I have a favor to ask you."
"Heh, sure. I'm happy to be able to assist a friend. What is it you need?" Eveleen nodded with a proud smile, much unlike her usual playful self.
"It's about Jocasta and her missing clergy, could you perhaps look into it for me?" I asked, wanting to get to the bottom of the village and forest, to know what the novel didn't tell the readers.
"...I suppose I could do that for you. Do you want me to tell you what I found out via letters, or through a magic communication device?"
"I'll be moving around a lot, so magic communication devices are better…You can power them with dead mana, right?"
"Hahaha, yes. So long as you can manipulate mana, you can use a communication device just fine," Eveleen reassured me, knowing that I probably haven't had to use one very much in my life.
"Great! Okay, now I can go tell Sephtis what we've decided?" I asked, waning reassurance that I haven't forgotten about anything else.
"Pfft- yes, now you can go tell him," She laughed, getting up and following me out the door and downstairs.
***
"We'll see you later! And thank you so much for the tea!" Zemira waved as she left with Daelan and Eveleen through the front door, closing it behind them. When Eveleen and I came back downstairs, the three of them were happily chatting away.
Though when Zemira saw Eveleen, she immediately excused the two of them and Eveleen from the house. Not wanting to impose any longer, she left Sephtis and me to our own devices.
"Well, did you guys have a nice ch-?" I started to ask, but was once again cut off with the same thing I've been asked for the past few days.
"Kallisto, please! Please take me under your wing as your student!" Sephtis begged, grabbing my hand and putting it in his.
"..."
'This guy is really making me regret my decision of giving in! Maybe just out of spite, I could keep saying no…ug,h what am I talking about? I need to get moving as soon as possible, so if I really want Sephtis' aide in this, I'll need to talk about it now.'
"Sephtis, I want you to listen very closely to what I am about to say," I said calmly, looking him right in the eyes.
"Okay, I'm listening," He exclaimed, letting go of me and kneeling in front of me with a look of determination.
"I will teach you on one condition," I announced, his ears pircking up immediately and tail wagging like a helicopter, "If I teach you, you have to accompany me on my journey, is that alright with you?"
"Yes, yes, and yes!" Sephtis agreed excitedly, jumping up and embracing me in a tight hug, "I'll do anything you ask of me so long as you won't toss me aside!"
With those last lines, my face heated up immediately as I unfortunately thought of that trope. While it wasn't exactly my thing, Sephtis was so cute that my thoughts couldn't hold themself back, but regardless, I knew better.
"Good! Then it's settled," I replied, shoving him off of me and straightening my clothes, "We will leave tomorrow morning, oh, and Eveleen won't be joining us."
"Alright, but why not?" Sephtis asked, tilting his head cutely, "Did you guys fight or something?"
"Heh, it's nothing like that. A deal of ours has just come to an end, so that marks the end of our journey together," I explained, signaling to him not to ask anything more on the matter.
"... That's sad, but alright," He left it at that, not saying anything more about it, "I'll go get my stuff ready- Wait, where exactly is our end destination?"
"Eleos City, so don't bring clothes that will make you look like a beggar," I commented, looking at the clothes he had on now. I thought I ought to make sure he made sure to bring better-looking attire.
Sephtis was currently wearing baggy pants and an oversized shirt whose sleeves went past his hands; the white and gray complemented his skin tone and hair/fur color well.
"O-Oh, alright," He agreed, his ears twitching, "Is it alright if I bring a few pairs like this to lounge in or as pajamas?"
Unlike the light armor and hunter's attire he was wearing when we first met, Sephtis seemed to find baggy clothing like this much more comfortable. I'd feel bad if I forbade him from wearing it, considering I am just dragging him with me without him knowing my end goal.
"Why not? While I may be an adventurer, even I can appreciate some comfort!" I replied, smiling and walking upstairs to pack. As I walked away, Sephtis' ears pirked up as his tail wagged, and an excited smile formed on his face.
Knowing what awaited us on our journey, and the fact that we'd constantly be moving in order to ensure that I reached Praxis before his death date.
'Him dying is the last thing I want. For the sake of the future of this world, his sister, and Praxis himself.' I thought, clutching my room's door handle before I opened it and went in.
***
In a dimly lit room sat a man, his arms and legs chained together to restrict his movement. In front of the chained man was another, older-looking man, who was pacing the room, biting his fingernails with an unattractive look on his already ugly face.
"Ugh, I never should have bought you off of that stupid Viscount!" The pacing man shouted, kicking a stool across the room and causing the former to flinch.
The chained man sat silently, looking at his feet as he trembled. During his time with the other, he learned it was better to just stay silent, knowing that if he responded in any way, the other would only just get angrier and more frustrated.
"IS IT REALLY THAT HARD FOR YOU TO SERVE SOMEONE, HUH?!" The pacing man yelled again, grabbing the other's hair and yanking hard on it. Looking at the former's blank face, devoid of emotion, the latter scoffed, annoyed, and threw his head to the side.
"Fucking whore bitch, can't do anything right…" He muttered, before turning back to the former and shouting at him again, "I ought to just sell you again, it'd be better than just losing money on you just because you refuse to do one job that you were practically born to do!"
The two have gone through this many times before, sometimes even resulting in the latter "showing" the former how to do his "job." If it meant getting out of this place quicker, the former would have happily done it, but his pride as a noble told him otherwise.
'If I really did this "job" of mine and was able to buy my freedom back, I don't think I'd ever be able to face my sister again, let alone be accepted back by her…' The chained man thought, his hands curling into fists on the sofa, he sat, sitting back up to look at his feet again.
"Secretary, come in here!" The other man shouted, yelling for someone who was outside the room, either guarding it or just on standby for his next orders.
"Yes, Sir Natrona? What can I assist you with?" The secretary bowed, clipboard in hand, like he'd done this several times.
"Bring me the papers to set this one up for sale. He's truly of no use to me. Just seeing his face makes me angry. I want him sold as soon as possible," The one who was yelling, known as Kal Natrona, ordered, walking out of the room.
"Understood! Once the papers are completed, should I have him cleaned up and put on display?" The secretary followed close behind him, closing the door to the former's room, the guards locking it behind the two.
"Yes, and put him next to that annoying fairy. If we can get attention drawn to him, then surely we can finally sell that annoyingly pretentious bitch too," Kal Natrona scoffed and laughed, thinking of all the money he would gain from the two being sold.
***
"Ready to go?" I asked, watching as Sephtis locked the house's door and came down the porch stairs, bouncing over with his bags and tail wagging.
"Yup! I've got everything I'm sure I'll need!" Sephtis smiled, his tail wagging even more, "Oh! If you are wondering, the side bag has my weapons and identification stuff, and money in it!"
"Good, but, uh, what's in the small pouches you're carrying?" I wondered, raising my eyebrow and pointing at the pink and white bags he was carrying, which were cutely tied with pink ribbon, matching his adorable personality.
"Hm? Oh, they are cookies I made for Madame Eveleen and the Vukasin's, as a thank you for helping us out!" He beamed, bringing them forward in triumph.
"I see…has anyone ever told you that you wear your heart on your sleeve?" I replied, raising my eyebrow with a slight smile.
"Huh, what does that mean?" Sephtis asked, tilting his head and wearing an innocent smile, making my heart pound with the sudden expression of cuteness.
"Mmm, never mind. I'm sure the three of them will enjoy what you've made for them," I said, clearing my throat and turning around to start walking towards the siblings' home to say goodbye, also hiding my slight blush in the process.
"I really hope they do, I poured my heart and soul into these whipped shortbread cookies!" Sephtis cheered, walking behind me, still looking cute with the gesture of determination he made with his arms.[1]
"So that's what you were making yesterday, I was wondering why you were cooped up in the kitchen yesterday after you finished packing."
=====
[1]: Whipped shortbread cookies actually hold a special place in my heart, they are something my grandmother always makes whenever I go visit her in the country my moms from. Eventually, I got the recipe from her and make them whenever I can, mostly when I'm in a good mood and want to treat my friends and family!