Chapter Four: Not A Dream
Estelle
"It's not a dream at all," I mumbled to myself as I stared at these big drunk men in front of me who were chattering loudly about how their day went.
"What are you doing, Estelle? Serve that already!" Adela, one of the girls who work here at the inn whispered to me as she passed by and served the glasses of beer to a table in front of me.
I snapped back to reality and hurriedly served the beers that I was holding. I can't believe that I am working in the morning in the café and at night, I am here at an inn in another world serving liquor.
That's right. To confirm, after my shift at the café where I work, I hurriedly went back home to take another pill to help me sleep. Then I just found myself here again at the inn which confirms everything. Good thing also that this time, I woke up in the bed that I left.
The moment that I went outside of the room, Cecil dragged me in a hurry saying that they needed someone to replace a girl that left who works below. She didn't tell me the reason why the girl left but I didn't turn down the offer since she said that she'll be paying me.
Heh, such a nice opportunity for someone who didn't even pass a resume and got a job just like that. In this modern day where a lot of people are unemployed.
Who am I to refuse?
Since I already have experience, it just feels natural for me to serve those men with their booze. Though in my mind I would complain about the smell of the alcohol. If I'm back tomorrow at the café, I'll give Manager a tight hug for making coffee instead of alcohol or beer.
When the pressure already settled down for a bit since the inn was already packed and most of the customers already got their orders, I went to the counter where Cecil was and sat at an available chair near her. The same goes with the other four girls who work with me— Adela, Joan, Sarah, and Edith.
"You're such a big help today," said Cecil while on the counter and managing some things related to money, if I am not mistaken. The other four girls agreed so I just smiled at them.
"You're a natural. Maybe you could just work here and replace Hana. I heard that slut got pregnant," Adela said and I almost choke with my own saliva. Her face was so angelic that I didn't see those words coming from her mouth.
Guess don't judge from the outside works in this place also.
"T-Thank you and in fact, that would be a huge help since I owe someone," I shyly said and scratched the back of my nape.
"Sir Azval?" Edith asked and I nodded. "Oh, how did you owe him money? Did you do some crime?"
"That's a private matter, Edith," Cecil intervened. "Go get the newcomers' orders."
"Aye, ma'am!" Edith shouted and headed to the inn's door to welcome five men who I think are mercenaries since their clothes are like Azval's but more covered in mud compared to that guy.
"I don't mind you working here Estelle. I think a lot of mercenaries would love the way you look and admire you. Who knows if you could snatch a Lord with that look," Sarah said. I just realized that she's staring for a while now at my appearance.
"You're so strange. You know? It's my first time seeing someone who has deep brown hair and eye color at the same time," Joan added.
"You girls, get back to work. Some are already leaving and new are coming."
Once again, before I can answer awkwardly, Cecil intervenes and this time, pushes Sarah and Joan away from us. I heard Adela chuckle and later on, whispered something to me as she walked by,
"If you need someone to dye your hair, I'm your girl! Though I would charge," she said and winked at me before proceeding to work. I just let out a deep sigh and went to get a glass of beer that was signed to me by Adela while she was entertaining some customers.
"Seems like you got yourself a job." When I turned around, a merchant's clothing was exposed in front of me. He leaned forward to level his face on mine.
"You should be happy," I said while gently wiping the wooden table that some men just vacated.
Since that table was free, Azval sat there throughout the whole shift, he was just there staring at me, sometimes talking to other mercenaries, merchants, and traders
This information is what the other girls told me when I asked them why other customers were dressed like travelers while others were dressed like someone who had a lot of body protection, and ordered some bread and cheese with ale, and sour milk for himself.
I should've offered him some booze so that he'd be down and crawl himself back home. That would be a fun sight if he happens to be a light drinker.
"Hey, you should hurry up and finish those already. Sir Mercenary's been waiting for almost an hour for you already," Adela said as she nudged my right shoulder and eyed Azval who was now playing with the empty milk jar.
He looks like a kid waiting for his mom to finish working.
"He's just eager to collect my debt," I mumbled which made Adela wheeze. I just continued to clean the counter.
"Okay, okay," she defeatedly said and went to Azval's direction to get his empty jar and said something to him. Whatever Adela said, I am sure that it's one of the reasons why he's heading in my direction right now with a cool aura.
"Accompany me," he said as he leaned to the counter.
Are you that lonely? Go find some work, bro.
"Move, I'm cleaning." Azval changed his gaze from me to Cecil who was now cleaning the jars with Edith. His eyes were pleading as if she was waiting for Cecil to help him convince me to agree to his plans. I heard Cecil chuckle.
"It's already 10 in the evening and your shift is over, dear. Though we provide service the whole day with our rooms, your work on this floor is already done," Cecil said calmly as she handed another jar to Edith so she could arrange it in its place.
"If it's money that you worry about, I will definitely pay you back," I said to him.
"76 rias?" he said.
"76 rias?!" Edith, Joan, and Sarah who just arrived chorused while we got the attention of some men left in the inn and Adela who was serving them. I looked at them with confused eyes and Edith immediately slid to my side.
"That's my combined salary here in almost eight months," she whispered and this time, I was so stunned that I froze from wiping the counter.
That much?!
"Every night you'll accompany me, I'll lessen 3 rias," he said which made Joan, who was just beside me, snatched the rag that I was using to wipe the counter while Sarah nudged my shoulder.
"Go, go," Sarah whispered while starting to clean the things that I left. Before I could utter any words, Azval already grabbed my shoulder and dragged me outside the inn.
The last thing I saw was Cecil and the girls laughing at us and Adela wishing me luck while dramatically swinging the door as if she were saying that I wouldn't be able to come home this whole night.
"Don't you have friends?" I boringly asked while tailing him. He was now looking at some stalls that were selling different kinds of accessories such as brooches, rings, amulets, and other trinkets. They also have animal parts! I wonder if that is a real one because it looks like it.
I used to see animal parts being sold at some local stores near our university but it was obvious that it was made from plastic.
"Mercenaries do have friends but I prefer to not have one," he said while still looking at the accessories, "do you like that one?"
"Hmm?" I looked at him and now his gaze is on my hand that was holding a small teeth accessory necklace. I immediately put it down and gestured to him that I didn't want it. "Oh, no, no. The teeth just look familiar that's why I unconsciously grabbed it."
Plus, if he bought it for me, he could add that to my debt. No can do!
He grabbed the necklace that I put down and he brought it near his face. As if he was inspecting the piece.
"It's a hamster's." I looked at him with sparkly eyes and it seemed like he was taken aback.
"Really?!" I asked in excitement and leaned closer to him, making my face closer to him. Confused, he still nodded. I let out an awkward laugh when I realized what I had done. "Sorry, it's just that I used to have a pet hamster."
"Miss, is that to your liking? The Sir here looks like he's ready to buy it for you," the old bearded man in front of us asked.
"Master Hagas? What are you—" Azval didn't finish what he was about to say when the old man cut him off.
"Such a lovely young couple," he teased.
"No, we're not!" I said in defense and smiled at him politely.
"I'll buy this necklace for you," Azval said and I was about to refuse him when he suddenly gave the old man the necklace and told him that he would buy it for me, whether I liked it or not.
"Don't worry, I won't charge," he whispered to me and put both of his hands on his back to make his head relax and later on whistled. I just looked at the old man and smiled politely.
"If you don't mind, this is a jar my daughter left me before she went to Erend to pursue magic. She said that if you just threw this hard to the ground, you would later see a spark in the sky with different colors that would last for a minute. I have 5 jars left of this but since I already know what to see, I am sometimes giving one to my customers," he said as he handed me both the necklace and the jar while touching his beard, up and down.
This jar looks kind of familiar. Where did I see this before?
"Did you just say magic?" I asked while my eyebrows went up. "Magic exists here?"
"So are dragons, elves, sorcerers—" I cut off Azval.
"That is so amazing! I wish to visit this Erend that you are saying, sir," I told the old man in front of me but he just chuckled.
"Unfortunately, it was hard to visit the island as it was protected by the barrier that selected people can enter the country. It's like a different world for ordinary people. But Sir here might be able to enter. Based on his strong build and the mana that surrounds him, he definitely can."
The old man scanned Azval from down to up as though he was seeing someone again after a long time. Later on, he brought back his gaze from me and smiled.
"You definitely can enter too, Miss. You are quite special. I wonder if you have already met my daughter from your world."
That line from him made me stunned for a bit as his gaze which was warmly looking from my eyes, lowered to the jar that I was holding. This jar...
This is like the same jar with pills that that weird girl gave me!
"Oh, how did you—" Azval suddenly put his arms around my shoulder and talked to the old man.
"She really is special! It's her first time running away from home, you see," he said jokingly and both of them started laughing. I noticed that the atmosphere surrounding us earlier was getting lighter. "We'll be on our way now, old man. Thank you for this."
I still have a lot of questions for the old man but Azval whispered to me that the old man is known for not being in his right mind after he knew that the daughter whom he sent to study becoming a Mage to Erend ended up becoming the most fearsome witch in this generation. That witch is said to be in silence for now but who would guess when she would create havoc again? The last one she did was just 100 years ago which killed about three powerful mages and almost thousands of innocent lives in her hometown.
Or so that's the rumor states.
"A hundred years? You know that is not quite adding up," I confusedly asked.
"Oh, didn't you notice? That man was an elf and the witch was his apprentice, which he considered as his daughter as time went by," Azval said as he was looking around at different stalls again.
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