Standing in front of the Adventurers’ Guild bulletin board, Tanya stared at a single quest listing with “Expires Soon!” stamped on the front in red ink.
“Hmm... This doesn’t really seem like a quest...”
The vast majority of quests filed at the Guild involved monster extermination, dungeon exploration, and/or bodyguard inquiries. The better the reward on offer, the faster a given quest would get snapped up... most of the time, anyway.
“What’s the matter, Tanya?”
“Take a look at this, Laplace,” Tanya replied, pointing to the title of the expiring quest: Fighter Needed To Oversee Negotiations And Duel On My Behalf.
“Oh, interesting,” Nadine murmured as she peered over Laplace’s shoulder. “Sounds like an arbitration case. In all my years working at the Guild, I’ve never seen another quite like it!”
“I know, right?”
“Unfortunately, it seems quests of this sort never seem to attract many takers...”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes... Most adventurers tend to prefer... you know... POW POW!”
“Aagh!”
“That sort of quest, I mean.”
“I... I didn’t realize you could scream that loud,” Tanya stammered, still reeling from the ear-splitting POW POW. Then she paused to think. “I wonder if this quest has a story behind it...”
Who could possibly need someone to bear witness to a negotiation, and even to duel on their behalf? Tanya checked the quest description, where client information was usually listed. Apparently this one was from a 16-year-old girl. She must be really desperate if she brought this request to the Adventurers’ Guild of all places... I’d sure like to help her out if I can.
“Oh, but... look at this.”
“Huh?”
“There’s a level cap on this quest.”
“Oh, you’re right... Level 20-50...”
Lilium’s current party members were as follows:
Tanya Artemiciov, Magi-Knight, Level 100.
Stone Cold Stunner (alias), Mage, Level 100.
Nadine Amaryllis, Healer, Level 3.
None of them were fit to accept this quest.
“Dang it...” Tanya slumped her shoulders.
“It’s an awful shame,” Nadine agreed.
As much as Tanya wanted to help, they couldn’t very well violate the rules... Was there any way round it...?
Just then, she felt a tap on her shoulder.
“Hey hey! Take a look at this, Tanya! Look!” Laplace exclaimed.
“Huh? The reward? I mean, I’m not too hung up on what they plan to—WHOA!”
“Hmm? What’s the matter, ladies?”
“Get a load of this, Nadine!”
“What are you—Goodness me! C-Can it be...?!”
The three women exchanged a glance. And with that, they were all firmly in agreement. After all, the reward was simply too good to pass up:
◆REWARD: All You Can Eat Luxury BBQ◆
And Lilium was a party of lofty ideals—a party that never abandoned anyone in need—
“We GOTTA take this quest!”
“We’d better take this quest, then!”
“We simply have to take this quest!”
—but most of all, they never turned down a good meal.
✦ ✦ ✦
“And you want ME to take the job?!” Katherine shouted.
That afternoon found her working at the Little Vixen, decked out in a frilly apron.
“Exactly. We need you, Katherine,” Nadine insisted.
“Please, Katherine!” Tanya chimed in. “I mean, obviously the free barbecue is a delicious prospect, but more than that... the client needs our help!”
“W-Well... I don’t see how I factor into it! Like I told you, I’m on break from adventuring or whatever!”
“Please, can’t you reconsider?”
“Take it from yours truly, the Great Sorceress: you proved yourself quite capable at that Sparring Tournament!”
“Yeah! Like those little blue Fireballs, whatever they were—I wanna see that again!”
“Little blue Fireballs...? Are you talking about Foxfire? That’s a secret foxkin technique, y’know!”
“So they’re called Fox-Fireballs?! THAT’S SO COOL!!!”
“Wha...?! Quit trying to, like, butter me up or whatever!”
The three members of Lilium all gazed at Katherine, their eyes shining with admiration. Her fox ears started to twitch.
Lilium, the party who kicked ass and paid no mind to whether or not men liked them... Truth be told, the prospect of going on a quest with them was... rather enticing.
“W-Well,” Katherine mumbled, her ears twitching like crazy, “if you absolutely insist... I guess I could help you or whatever...”
“YES! Thank you, Katherine!” Nadine exclaimed, grabbing her by the hand.
“Whoa!”
“Oh, I’m delighted! Truth be told, um, I’ve always wanted to go on a quest with you!”
“I’m not doing it for you, okay?! I’m just kinda bored, that’s all! And I need a break from restaurant work, anyways! So I’m only joining temporarily, got it?!”
“We’re happy to have you, Katherine!”
“Bienvenue à Lilium!”
Just then, the door jingled, and a little old lady tottered inside. Katherine looked over at her and shouted, “Hi, Grandma!”
It was Tama, owner of the Little Vixen and grandmother to Katherine. She wore her white hair in a bob cut, and had large, pointy fox ears identical to Katherine’s atop her head. She wore a soft smile on her face, and though she walked with a cane, her gait was steady.
“Hello there, Kathy. I overheard the whole story.”
“Sorry, Grandma... looks like I won’t be around to help out for a while.”
“Oh, that’s alright. You have fun on your little quest, child,” Tama grinned.
“But—”
“No buts, Kathy! Do you know how happy I was when I found out you were going to be a Mage?”
Slowly but surely, she tottered over to the table and took a seat right across from Laplace, who was taking a swig from the bottle of alcohol reserved exclusively for her. “Mmm?” Laplace asked, eyes wide, her lips still pressed to the rim. At this, Tama snickered, a twinkle in her eye.
“Besides... to see my girl going on a quest with the fine ladies of Lilium, why, I couldn’t be prouder.”
“Oh, no... we’re nothing special, really...”
Tanya looked away shyly as Tama pointed her smile in her direction. It was a uniquely charming smile, after all.
“I beg to differ! With you folks around to protect the customers, we haven’t seen nearly as many fights. And better still...”
“...Yes...?”
“You eat and drink at all hours of the day and night!”
At this, Laplace grinned. “Oui, oui. Heh heh heh... You have a sharp eye, madame.”
“I’m glad to see it! I can tell you’re all good kids... especially you there.”
She pointed at Tanya, who bolted upright. “Who, me?!”
“You remind me of myself when I was younger... You carry the scent of a very hard worker.” Tama spoke in a slow, easygoing fashion, and her voice was rather enjoyable to listen to. Smirking, she continued, “I’ve been running my own restaurant for many, many years now, and I’m blessed to say business is doing well... but tell me, do you know what they all say about the Little Vixen?”
“That it’s been around forever?”
“Yes, and what else?”
“...That it tastes just like ‘what Mama used to make’?”
Tama nodded firmly.
The Little Vixen was known for serving authentic home cooking prepared by a beastkin woman. And given her maternal appearance, the clientele easily associated her menu with a mother’s love.
“It’s strange, working as a professional chef. Everybody seems to crave their mama’s home cooking, and yet the greatest, most respected chefs are all men.”
She had a valid point, of course. Home cooking was reserved for women, but professional cooking was somehow dominated by men. It didn’t make much sense.
“That’s why I’ve held my ground and fought for my rightful place among the other restaurants. I may be just a little old lady now, but... I wanted to be a role model for my little Kathy.”
At this, Tanya’s heart skipped a beat.
For the next generation of little girls who will follow in our footsteps.
Tama’s words were reminiscent of the speech she’d given at the end of the Sparring Tournament, dedicating Lilium’s victory “to all the little girls out there who dream of adventure.”
Tanya snuck a glance at Katherine, who was gazing at Tama in wide-eyed shock.
“Now Kathy, I know you like Lilium. Why, you came home raving about them after that tournament!”
“G-Grandma! You promised not to tell them about that! But... well, yeah, I did.”
“Then get going, Kathy. Make your old grandma proud.” Tama mimed a few boxing punches, and it quickly became clear that she was a great deal more agile than she let on. “You ladies can hold your own against the menfolk, I reckon?”
“Damn right!” Tanya shouted in response.
Katherine looked from Tama to Tanya and back.
“Mind you, my granddaughter here has inherited my good looks, and she’d make a great poster girl for any restaurant... but that’s just not the kind of patron I want to attract. So if they stop coming, then good riddance! And besides,” Tama grinned, “I’m the only poster girl this place needs!”
She winked at them playfully, and the whole table was in agreement: This woman is a badass.
“I’ll be back soon, Grandma!”
“And I’ll be here, Kathy. Oh, but... y’know, I’ve been wondering...”
The old woman looked around the table and asked—
“Which one of you is Lilium, anyhow?”
All of us, ma’am.