"You sure were hungry," Dungeon Master 07 remarked, watching as Dungeon Master 09 engulfed the breakfast we had ordered over.
His words made Dungeon Master 09 pause mid-bite. I poured him water from the table carafe, which was soon empty. Lifting it to signal the owner behind the counter, I nodded as he noticed and sent his daughter over to replace the carafe's water.
"Don’t mind us, Dungeon Master 09. Eat at your heart," I said softly.
As the girl took her leave, I asked Dungeon Master 07, "What about your earlier plan to head to the local temple?"
At the mention of the local temple, Dungeon Master 09 looked confused but then pieced it together as he noticed Dungeon Master 07’s attire.
"I still plan to head there," Dungeon Master 07 responded. "I just decided to move that program for later. I believed that was the wise thing to do, considering what happened."
"If it’s us that you’re worrying about, no need to. We’ll be absolutely fine."
"Hm. Somehow I doubt that," Dungeon Master 07 retorted, his tone passively antagonistic.
A few seconds of tense silence passed until Dungeon Master 09 tried to diffuse the situation. "So, guys... what’s your name in this incarnation? Mine’s Damian. You guys?"
He looked at me first.
"Arianna…" I responded, before teasingly adding, "Arianna the Magician."
Dungeon Master 09 frowned at the name, just like Dungeon Master 07 did when I first introduced myself. But unlike Dungeon Master 07, Dungeon Master 09 seemed to understand why he was frowning, which is why he immediately asked, "Arianna the Magician, like Arian the magician from the nursery rhyme?"
I smiled and admitted, "You’ve guessed it."
Arianna was a name I’d created, inspired by a character in a nursery rhyme named Wandering Magicians, which featured the adventures of the magicians Eldor, Mirabel, Thalos, Lyra, Darius, Sylas, and last but not least, Arian, across Fiendfell.
Staring at Dungeon Master 09, I asked curiously, "Do you like it?"
Dungeon Master 09 seemed a little confused. "Your name or the nursery rhyme or..."
"The nursery rhyme."
No less confused, Dungeon Master 09 replied, "I guess I don’t hate it..."
"I see…"
Dungeon Master 09 then turned toward Dungeon Master 07. "In this incarnation, I go by Vittorio…Seventh Divine Emissary of the Seraphim of Love."
Dungeon Master 09 nodded at his introduction, but it was clear he wasn’t very familiar with the title. I couldn’t really blame him; I was only familiar with it because I’d read about it several years ago in the Chateau’s library.
From the corner of my eye, something caught my attention. Descending the staircase, I saw two hooded figures, sticking out like a sore thumb just as they did the night before. They were heading to the counter, clearly dressed to be on the move again. Whatever they did on the counter didn’t take them long, and as soon as they finished, they spun to make their way toward the entrance.
As they passed by, I heard the smaller hooded figure say, "It was really a nice place."
Hearing the voice, Dungeon Master 09, who was seated across from me, as if struck by lightning, turned his head to see the owner of the voice, which he seemed to recognize.
"Miss Aquaflora?" he asked, his voice filled with surprise.
Hearing the voice, the duo turned around, the smaller figure exclaiming, "Herman?" as they recognized him.
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Dungeon Master 07 and I exchanged puzzled glances before I asked Dungeon Master 09, "Who are they?"
Dungeon Master 09’s face lit up with unfiltered gratitude. "They were the kind people who saved me… and offered me a ride. Sir Alphonse and Miss Aquaflora."
Feeling indebted, Dungeon Master 07 and I stood up. Dungeon Master 07 took the lead, speaking with sincere gratitude. "My name is Vittorio, this is my granddaughter Arianna. H...Herman's life was saved because of you. We owe you a debt of immense gratitude." Dungeon Master 07 took a low bow, just as I did.
The tall figure, Sir Alphonse, stood as a barricade for the smaller hooded figure. He was tall, and under the hood. Though the only thing I could tell they had in common was their similar height, the man strangely reminded me of Justaff. It didn’t make sense, but that was how it felt, especially with how his gaze shifted between us three and occasionally froze on Dungeon Master 07 and his uniform and brooch.
As the smaller figure peeked out from behind him, our gazes locked. At that moment, I experienced a strange feeling when looking at her, the same one I felt looking at her the night before. She quickly hid behind Sir Alphonse, who noticed my curiosity which prompted the man to activate a skill that brought about an instinctual response from me.
Before it could fully realize, I threw a glance at him, on causing him to instinctively reach for his sword. Though he didn’t draw it, the sudden movement caught the attention of the entire lobby.
"Do we have a problem, Sir?" Dungeon Master 07 asked, his voice taking a tone I’d never heard before.
"No," the man replied, realizing he had overdone it. "I apologize for that just now," he said, removing his hand from the pommel of his sword. "Have we met somewhere?" He asked with an apprehensive stare.
"I don’t think so," I replied. "I have a very good memory. I never forget a face."
"I see," Sir Alphonse muttered. "We’re in a hurry, so we must leave." Turning to the small hooded figure he mentioned her to get on the move.
"Now then, it’s a farewell."
Just as they spun around, making their way toward the entrance, Dungeon Master 09 called out, "Please, wait!"
He hurried over, his steps heavy. When he reached them, he stopped, his gaze sweeping over each of their faces. Finally, he spoke, his voice hoarse. "I... I can't just let you leave like this," he began. "There aren't enough words to express my gratitude. You saved my life. Without you, I wouldn't be here. I owe you a debt I can never truly repay."
Hearing this, I stepped forward. At first, Sir Alphonse was apprehensive as I reached for something, but as I pulled out a clinking purse instead of whatever he imagined, he relaxed. "Please accept this, for saving him on both our behalf," I said, glancing at Dungeon Master 07, who nodded, backing my offering.
While my respect for the man had plummeted tremendously after he tried to use his skill on me, he was still the reason Dungeon Master 09 was here among us. This was the least I could do, giving him a purse countaining a small fortune.
"I can’t accept this," Sir Alphonse mumbled, his voice thick with discomfort.
"You must," I countered, my gaze unwavering. "Think of it as ensuring that Herman doesn’t feel indebted to you forever."
A low murmur from behind the hood seemed to sway Sir Alphonse. With a sigh of resignation, he reached out and accepted the purse. "We’ll accept this," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "We’re even now."
He glanced nervously at me, at Dungeon Master 07, then lingered for a moment on Dungeon Master 09. Finally, his eyes landed on Miss Aquaflora.
He gave her a silent, urgent gesture with his head, and without a word, she began to follow him toward the exit. But as she did, her head swiveled back. Her gaze met Dungeon Master 07’s for a fleeting moment before darting away, then landed on Dungeon Master 09. A silent "bye" slipped from her lips.
I held my breath, waiting for her to turn my way. When she did, the hood slipped slightly, revealing a glimpse of what she’d been hiding under the hood.
Without another word, Sir Alphonse and Miss Aquaflora left the establishment, leaving behind a swirling vortex of unanswered questions.
As we settled back into our seats, I couldn’t contain my curiosity. "You saw what I saw, right?" I blurted out, my voice barely above a whisper.
Dungeon Master 07 nodded curtly, his expression thoughtful. Dungeon Master 09, however, looked confused. "Are you talking about the fact that she’s an elf?"
"Yes," I confirmed, "but she wasn’t just any elf. There was something…more or perhaps less is the right word here."
"I can attest to that," Dungeon Master 07 added, a low growl in his voice. "She didn’t have the same aura as the other elves I’ve encountered. She was different, she felt like…"
"Like a Half-breed?" Dungeon Master 09 asked, finally catching on.
Dungeon Master 07 nodded. Being a Dungeon Master, Dungeon Master 09 naturally knew that a Half-breed was the product of the union between two different sentient races. In this case, it seemed to be a human and an elf.
"But I have this feeling that she isn’t just a random Half-breed," Dungeon Master 07 added, before looking at me.
This prompted me to ask, "What?"
"I was just wondering if you’d agree with me on the fact that there was a certain noble air about that pair. You’re the one most familiar with those people, so what do you think?"
"I guess… Now that you mention it, they did give that impression," I replied after pondering the matter for a half a dozen seconds.
I had been too distracted by the girl’s weirdness and the terrible first impression Sir Alphonse gave, to immediately make the connection.
Dungeon Master 09 nodded. "A Half-breed with a noble background... I’m very familiar with the noble families of this kingdom, and I can’t find any family that fits the profile. But I’ll look into it."
"Well, that’s a little lead to begin an investigation with," I said. "So far, you only know what they roughly look like. These names were obviously fake, you do know that, right?"
"Naturally," Dungeon Master 07 replied.
At that moment, both Dungeon Master 07 and I looked at Dungeon Master 09 as if to confirm he knew. He nodded, a spoonful of food halfway to his mouth.