However, I can’t help but notice one person who’s eating silently, all by himself. His face is a blank slate, and I begin to worry that he’s not enjoying himself, but perhaps maybe that’s just how he is. Debating with myself whether or not I should say something, I gather up my courage, pick up my cup, and approach him.
“Can I sit next to you, Macro?”
The only person who doesn’t seem to be in high spirits is Macro, who’s sitting off to the side, as far away from everyone as possible. Maybe this is just how he is, and he’s actually having a great time, but he keeps his joy hidden away?
“Why?”
“Err… I don’t really have any specific reason. I just thought…”
I hover anxiously, unsure what to do since he hasn’t actually given me permission to sit. I clearly didn’t think this through.
What do I do now?
“…You can sit if you want to?” he says quietly.
“Oh! Uh! You’re sure?”
“…You’re free to do whatever you want.”
And with that, he goes back to eating. If I continue standing here, it’ll be weird, so I settle myself down next to Macro. The silence deepens. It’s clear Macro will continue eating his food whether I’m here or not. I glance over at him out of the corner of my eye only to see him completely invested in his meal. I’m surprised by how much he can stuff in his mouth, one bite after another. He doesn’t look like he’d be able to eat a lot, but his appetite seems larger than anyone else here. I guess he really loves to eat.
After a moment, he finally finishes the food on his plate and stands up, empty plate in hand.
“Oh! Are you done? Want another serving? I’m happy to get it for you,” I offer.
“Huh?”
“I’d be happy to bring you a bowl of stew if you want?” I clarify.
“Uh…”
I grab the plate from his hand, his eyes wide with surprise, and shout “I’ll be right back!” over my shoulder as I hurry to the kitchen.
Ugh! Sitting there in silence was just too awkward! But I can’t let him sit there all by himself. I’m going to try talking to him about something!
Filled with renewed determination, I fill a bowl with stew and carry it back to him.
“Here you are.”
“Thanks…”
I place the bowl down gently in front of Macro, and he utters a brief word of thanks before digging in. Based on the number of plates surrounding him, he’d been snacking on a bunch of side dishes while I was gone.
He really eats a lot! Just watching him makes me feel full.
“I’m surprised by what a huge appetite you have, Macro.”
“It’s a normal amount, honestly.”
It’s definitely not normal! At any rate, I can’t let the conversation die now after successfully starting it. Since we’re on the topic of food, might as well keep it going!
“What’s your favorite dish?”
“…Everything’s delicious.”
He’s not wrong, but our conversation is rapidly dying! He’s been chowing down a seemingly endless amount of salad and meat, so it’s hard to tell if there’s anything he especially likes or dislikes. Oh, no. What now?
“What’s your favorite food?”
At least I can find out what he likes! And in turn learn a little more about him. I guess I can be a bit stubborn sometimes, refusing to give up no matter what.
“Why do you want to know?”
Ugh! I thought he might give me that answer. I guess I’m being a little pushy.
I suddenly notice I’m hugging my tail.
I’m a failure.
“Sweets…”
“Huh?”
Hearing his hesitant answer pulls me from my gloomy introspection, and I look over at him. He’s still completely engrossed in his food, but his cheeks are now bright pink.
Could it be…?
“My favorite food. You asked me. So, I told you.”
Is he embarrassed? I never expected Macro to like something as cute as sweets and desserts. He has such an unfriendly air about him, and he’s impossible to read, but hearing that about him makes me see him in a slightly different light.
“I see! Hee-hee… Thanks for telling me! I love sweets, too.”
I can’t get anything else out of him, but I’m still glad I tried my best. And I’ll have something to talk about next time!
“At long last!” Rinny declares. “The dessert everyone’s been waiting for! It looks amazing! Just like something from a store window! Where did you learn how to make something like this, Claire?”
Once the copious amounts of food had been consumed, Rinny rushed to the kitchen to bring forth an enormous strawberry shortcake, topped with strawberry jam, of course. I understand exactly how Rinny feels. Her cakes really are magnificently fluffy!
“You’re exaggerating, Rinny,” Claire says. “It’s not any better than the cakes everyone else makes.”
“Oh, really? Well, I’m impressed. Oh! But I hate to say, I’m not actually a huge fan of sweets,” he admits.
“Don’t feel like you have to eat it if you don’t want it,” Claire says, unbothered. “I’m sure someone else will gladly adopt your piece, so it’s no problem.”
I didn’t realize Rinny doesn’t like sweets. Come to think of it, he didn’t eat any vegetables, either, just meat. I guess he’s a pretty picky eater.
My gaze slides over to Macro, whose eyes are sparkling with delight. His expression is, otherwise, just as blank as ever, but I can tell he’s thrilled. Perhaps I’m reading too much into it, since I have insider information.
I’m sure he’d love to eat Rinny’s slice of cake.
“You bake, too?” Angela asks. “This looks sublime! You’re truly amazing, Claire!”
“Haha… I’m glad you like it.”
I turn from Macro to the guest of honor, Angela, who seems delighted. They only just met, but I have a feeling Angela and Claire have already become best friends. The aura between them is warm and friendly.
“All right, Angela. It’s time to get back to the reason why you’re here.”
With everyone enjoying their cake with a cup of tea to wash it down, Ektor speaks up, bringing us back to the topic at hand. I was having so much fun, I completely forgot why we were having this party, to begin with. Everyone turns to look at Angela. She folds her arms on top of the table before speaking.
“I have three conditions.”
Conditions? Meaning she’ll only join us if those conditions are met? Ugh, I’m so nervous!
“Number one,” she goes on at Ektor’s urging, “I want to be able to live here. I’m always on the go, so I’ve never had a place to call my own. If I’m settling down here, then I need food and board accounted for. I’ll gladly cover my share of expenses.”
That’s what we were hoping for, so that’s not a problem!
“Second, I need to be able to take whatever jobs come my way. I’ve been working as a mercenary for so long that I have plenty of long-time acquaintances besides you who I can’t leave in the lurch because I suddenly joined a guild.”
Of course. She’s an incredibly prolific swordswoman, making her quite in demand when it comes to acting as a bodyguard or slaying monsters. If she starts passing off jobs to the guild, her long-time clients might get confused.
“Third, if I join you, you have to swear you’ll never betray me. If even one person does something sneaky…that’s it. As long as you can promise to meet those three conditions, then I’ll join your guild.”
The air in the room was so tense, you could almost see sparks flying, and yet I knew she meant every word she said. Her conditions might be a little harsh, but she’s about to join a group of strangers. Setting clear boundaries before joining an official group like this only seems fair. This isn’t just a rag-tag bunch of friends…although we do all get along!
Angela stares directly at Ektor, silent and unmoving. In response, Ektor grins and begins answering her conditions, one by one.
“As far as living here, I was ready to invite you to stay with us regardless. We have plenty of rooms, and food is no issue. Of course, we won’t have feasts of this caliber every day, and Claire doesn’t make every single meal…”
“But I’ll do my best to cook whenever I can,” Claire adds. “I love to cook, after all.”
Ektor goes on to say we’ll discuss the payment system, a very important process, at a different time. Ektor and the rest of them have been paying for us ever since we arrived, and I want to be able to pay them back finally!
“Your second condition is also not a problem. All I ask is that, when accepting a job, you make sure they know you’re a member of the Lanakiller guild. I’d like to start getting the word out. You can take on whatever jobs you want, as long as they know which guild you belong to.”
Finally, Ektor stands up. He walks over to Angela before extending his right hand.
“I promise I’ll never betray you. I wouldn’t dream of it! This guild is held together by the bond of friendship, of trust! Welcome aboard, Angela.”
No one seems to have any objections to what he says. In fact, everyone’s smiling happily as they watch Ektor and Angela. She chuckles at Ektor’s words before grasping his hand in hers and giving it a hearty shake.
“Thanks for having me!”
Hooray! Angela’s finally one of us!
I turn to Claire and give her a high-five.