It's been a week since they've arrived in Almore. The parties of adventurers still remained strong, following Ellis's strict orders and schedule.
Surprisingly, the town's residents grew more comfortable around the adventurers and even treated them with some fairness. Michael wasn't sure if that was because they were forced to behave or they decided that their antics weren't worth the quest. Either way, Mave was a strong factor that motivated all of them to be a better person.
After Michael's hand was healed, or until he was actually able to grip his sword again, Ellis had put him right back on duty like nothing happened. From scouting the uncharted, guarding the perimeter, or just being used as labour for the town's needs, he worked the same just like any other adventurer.
What happened between Stefan and Rowe was only talked about by a few parties, though it was inevitable that their little situation would spread among the parties. Michael would be lying if he said he didn't feel their gaze piercing through him as he worked.
The best part of the day was the meals from the townsfolk. Given that they were under protection by the Adventuring guild, some of the vendors or cooks from home would offer them a meal in return for their work.
It was great, Michael thought, having some sort of compensation but he wasn't taking anything for granted.
He just wanted someone else to enjoy the meal right next to him. Even if she was slung on his back, it was hard to believe that she was really next to him. Michael could only see her alone in his room which made him upset.
Evelyn never got the chance to actually walk around the town and could only enjoy the world through his small room.
As for Stefan, sharing a similar fate, he had never left the house since. Ellis would try to communicate with him but it feels like they're talking to a rock. Stefan moved around like a slug, that was the best example Michael could think of.
His face looked defeated, even if he had recovered from his excessive drinking. Even when Mave had stepped up and demanded him to help around, he just looked at her like she was a stranger. He didn't even mind Michael trying to talk to him either. Stefan was a mess and they didn't want to be dragged into that at all.
Ellis said to give him time to sober up as if he wasn't already awake. But for the week so far, Stefan lived like a caveman inside Hayes's house. Ellis had to somehow convince Mrs. Hayes that Stefan was genuinely an adventurer like them. They even contemplated giving him booze as if it was some magical elixir to return Stefan back to normal.
There was no attack from Falden soldiers or any type of advance. The parties had cleared the uncharted from stray mana beasts and even helped around with trade across neighboring towns. They were living the same life, just like an ordinary quest.
***
It was early in the evening, Michael had finished cleaning the stables for the horses. He wasn't really happy about the job but if it beats having to work with another adventurer, then he would gladly be alone. After walking all the way back to the house, cleaning himself off of the manure smell, he headed to the same tavern that started it all.
Michael admitted it wasn't pleasant revisiting the place but it was the only close tavern that served food.
When he entered, he still couldn't believe how calm everything had become. There was no uproar, no reckless drinking, or any sudden fights breaking out. The adventurers here were still on duty, pulling through the quest, and following Ellis's rule of respecting the town. Though, Michael still couldn't escape the eyes of adventurers wondering if he was still the recipe for trouble.
Michael hopped behind a table and ordered food. He stopped himself from wondering what happened to the waitress before.
"I thought you were still working," a tall woman with jet-black hair said. "Do I need to write this off to Ellis that you're slacking from your shift?"
Michael thought about how Mave would always appear when he wasn't doing anything productive. Maybe she had some type of sixth sense to detect people that decide to laze around in the middle of working hours.
Mave folded her arms. "Well?"
"Oh," he snapped awake. "I'm already done."
"That fast?"
Michael thought cleaning the stables was an easy task if you didn't mind the smell.
She looked at him like he was crazy.
"What about you?" Michael asked back. "Did Ellis assign you any work?"
"I don't work," she scoffed. "I enforce, and in case you didn't know, I have to watch twice as much since someone is absent."
"Well…then, I'm just here to eat."
She sighed, sitting across from him. She waved at the waiter and ordered the same food.
Michael figured this was his first time even alone with Mave, apart from her physical training but he could hardly count that.
"It's getting better," she said. "On the first day under Ellis's new rule, these adventurers didn't know any better. I'm sort of ashamed that it has gotten this far and makes you think what would have happened if we didn't step in."
Michael stuffed his face as he listened to her.
"I just had to punch a few faces, kick some legs, and press my sword. Either that or Ellis just turns their attention to the quest's payout and now they're suddenly inclined to be civilized."
"Is everyone like this at the Adventuring guild?"
"Not everyone," she forked her food. "I can bear with some of them back in the guild, but everyone else is a lost cause. The guild tells them what to do, makes them feel inferior, then they'll break loose at any given opportunity. Unfortunately, that's what happened here at Almore."
"But it's good now, right? I think everyone likes each other."
"That's what concerns me."
"Uhh, what?"
She forked her food even harder. "It's too quiet, too quiet for comfort."
"I thought that was a good thing."
"We're still under attack, even if you don't realize it. You wonder why I'm so keen on everyone's shift is because I'm keeping them awake. The moment we all drop our guard is when they strike, then the people of this town are doomed."
"Then what about Stefan, don't we need his help too?"
"What do you think?" she furrowed. "That idiot isn't doing anything at this point."
"Do…you know why he's like that?"
"Because his mother died or whatever, I don't really give a damn. He's jeopardizing the quest the more he mopes around. I would give him a beating if it wasn't for Ellis."
Michael chewed on his bread. "Really?"
"Don't talk with your mouth full."
"Sorry."
After they had finished their meal, Michael reached for his pouch of coins to pay but Mave demanded for him to stop. She said that their meal was free since she had gotten to know the tavern owner.
Michael imagined what kind of terrifying deal she had made with the owner to make all of her food free of charge.
They started to walk back towards the house, Mave saying that she's done bossing the adventurers around for the day. The adventurers would have the image of Mave standing behind them burned into their mind the moment they decide to act out of line.
Michael thought it was awkward walking behind her. He never thought girls could be even this tall, specifically her size of muscle. She even had bigger arms than him and he was a boy.
A party of adventurers suddenly ran over and conversed with her. The way they spoke was as if she was in some type of commanding position. They respected her. Mave even looked more intimidating than Stefan when she waved them away.
Michael watched them hurry off. "Do they know if you're a noble?"
She glared back at him. "Are you asking if they're treating me like that because I'm a noble?"
Michael gulped. Just when he had thought he was starting to get comfortable around Mave, he had burned that bridge once again.
"No, they don't know." she said. "The only people that know of my noble family are Stefan and Ellis, and now you. But for them, they learned to listen to me because they're already familiar with what happens if they don't."
"You kick them?"
"Precisely."
Michael thought that was harsh but given they were adventurers, none of them would learn if it wasn't physical discipline.
Mave knocked on the door.
The door opened to Ellis answering. "You're early."
"All that's left is the night shift. Let me in."
Michael followed behind her, setting his leather armor beside the door. Somehow breathing in the air of the house lifted his spirits every time he was finished from his shift. Just so happens that there was some grown man blatantly avoiding his work and laying on the living room couch.
Mave stomped over and punched Stefan in the gut. He audibly groaned and curled over, rolling on the floor as he clutched his stomach.
Ellis winced. "Was that really necessary?"
"You told me that if you couldn't get him outside, then I would do it myself."
"By beating him up?"
"I don't see any better methods."
Ellis winced again, watching her kick Stefan's body as he kept trying to shield himself.
"Come on, you're pathetic!" she yelled. "How could you call yourself a man when there's a boy working harder and all he does is scoop horse-shit!"
Ellis frowned towards Michael.
Michael smiled with a straight face.
Stefan coughed and raised his hand, pleading for her to stop.
Mave scoffed and kicked him again just for good measure. None of them were impressed by Stefan neglecting his duties as an adventurer. They knew deep down that he had value to the quest, even more than them combined. Stefan was the strongest in the party yet he chooses to sulk about his past other than helping them.
Stefan slowly sat up and leaned back onto the couch. His face was bleeding, a slight abrasion above the eyebrow, and swelling building around his cheekbone. Mave didn't even try to hold back but he still didn't utter a single word.
Mrs. Hayes stormed downstairs. "What's the matter now?"
Ellis raised his hand. "Adventuring business."
She looked at Stefan's bleeding face and headed back upstairs without another word.
Mave turned her attention away. "Any word from the guild?"
"Actually, speaking on that," Ellis cleared his throat. "We've gotten zero messages at all. I think I've sent more letters to the guild than I actually did to my family. It's like they're trying to get rid of us and dump the parties in the middle of some third-rate town."
"So there was no actual attack from Falden? Did we just misinterpret the quest?"
"Even so, I've mapped out this entire region. The perimeter of the town, the terrain of the uncharted, and the purveyors of their goods. I'm not sure if we're trying to help them build or defend them from war. It's been two weeks ever since, the first one was the initial parties, then the second when we arrived. And nothing's happened ever since."
Michael sat on the other sofa. "We can't just go back to Aldoria?"
"We would be abandoning the quest," Mave answered. "If we do that, then every adventurer here would be putting their license at risk. And if it comes to the worst, Falden soldiers will attack with no protection over Almore."
"Then…are we just going to live here until they attack?"
"I don't know," Ellis leaned on the doorway. "I've seen no activity in the uncharted nor anywhere near the town. It's like we were sent here as a test, as if we're waiting for the other hand to pull the lever. Every passing day when nothing happens, I'm thinking what kind of force Falden is holding back to completely demolish us."
"What was the quest again?"
"You wanna answer that, Stefan?"
Stefan wiped his mouth.
"Our best option is to wait, right?" Mave asked. "If we're going to hear a word from the guild or prepare an attack from Falden, we're at least ready."
Ellis sighed. "I suppose, yes."
She headed upstairs.
"Where are you going?"
"Night shift isn't up until another hour, I'm going to take a nap."
Michael watched Ellis walking away with a tired look on his face. He must have been stressed taking on the mantle of the quest and have the unease of what's happening next. It's true that Michael wondered how many more days they would repeat their shifts, over and over for no attack like Ellis said for the quest.
It was like the adventures were trying to question Ellis's leadership as they waited in suspense for a chance to fight.
Then the only people in the living room were Michael and Stefan. If Michael could actually consider Stefan a person at this point because he was still staring off into nothingness.
Stefan sat with his knee raised and his face was no longer drooling. Drops of his blood were already soaked into his carpet but he didn't seem to care. With his auburn bangs just sitting over his cold eyes, he had finally broken through his senses.