I was shocked to hear a woman’s voice, but Wim meeting with Camilla wasn’t a problem. Seriously! I let myself get too worried.
After Wim had finished training, he headed for the dining hall. I decided to head there first, specifically, through the back window. I pulled out a collapsible stool, set it up, and stood atop it.
“All righty.”
I could just barely see inside if I grabbed hold of the windowsill and pulled myself up. I think I needed a taller stool.
✦ ✦ ✦
It was the weekend, so everyone came in at different times. Large plates heated by water had been set out so people could eat as much as they wanted, whenever they wanted.
Wim stepped into the dining hall with a slight bow and quickly figured out which foods he could eat, placing some on his plate. He chose bacon, sausage, and some steamed potatoes. How Wim of him.
Then, he found the least populated table and headed straight towards it. He was usually too embarrassed to sit in the corner, but that’s where he was going today. I couldn’t tell if he was trying to stay low or not.
Watching him eat made me hungry too. I was so worried earlier that I hadn’t had time to eat breakfast.
Should I meet up with him?
The spots directly across and next to him were open. It would probably feel natural if I told him it was just a coincidence.
Actually, never mind. I hadn’t prepared anything to talk about.
“Hey, Wim!”
Just as that thought crossed my mind, Mark approached. Being outside the dining hall, I couldn’t enter the conversation, nor could I hear what they were saying. I had no other choice but to use the wiretap stone. I booted it up and listened in.
“You’ve only got meat and potatoes! Must be nice being so young! But you gotta eat some veggies too, okay?”
“Aha ha ha… I guess you’re right.”
Wim was picky. Or rather, he had the palate of a child and didn’t enjoy any complex flavors.
“I heard you helped the commander train. Must’ve been hard, huh?”
“No, um… It actually gave me some ideas. Heh, heh, heh.”
“You’re doing something special, right? The commander sure looked happy!”
“That’s good to hear.”
The look on his face was…complex, but he was able to keep the conversation going somehow. He seemed kind of…happy? All righty, then! I’m glad he got what he wanted.
“That reminds me, we’re all gonna go drinking tonight. Ya wanna come too?” Mark suggested, seemingly on the spur of the moment. To Wim, this must’ve looked like any other invitation, but it was calculated. Camilla was Nachtlibelle’s collective will, and she had started to corner Wim. It was important to tie him to us via relationships and not just money and preferential treatment. I wasn’t expecting the others to pick up on Wim’s worth quite so quickly, but he deserved this treatment.
Wim fidgeted in his seat a few times, clearly hesitant. Finally, he bowed his head and said, “Then, um… I’d be happy to.”
“All right!”
This was reassuring, or maybe that wasn’t the right word. I let out a sigh. I had forgotten, but being recognized by a big party meant being forced into social circles. I was the one who invited him to Nachtlibelle, but it was annoying to realize that I might have caused more trouble for myself.
Yeah, I was a little bit sad. But it’s not like I wanted to be.
The evening was relatively calm. Wim avoided any harsh training—to make sure he was ready for the next labyrinth dive—and instead rested and did some light reading in his room. And I definitely didn’t follow him the entire day, by the way! Even I knew privacy was important.
I was an abenteurer through and through. Thinking about the labyrinth got my heart pumping, and on the nights before our next labyrinth dive, I was always too excited to sleep.
I was busy with magical research as an elder too. I trained and studied constantly to make sure I was prepared for anything. I meditated as well. I didn’t have the time for any personal relationships, which was why I needed to improve my efficiency in the first place. The wiretap stones and alarm bells ensured I would get the intel I needed.
It was now time for the real important part.
The drinking session tonight was just the guys and mostly the brawny members of the shield division. There was only one place that group could be headed—downtown.