Quest time, hooray!
Today was the deadline for the “negotiations” mentioned in the quest description, and Tanya was beyond relieved that they’d made it in time. With the quest officially accepted, Lilium set off to meet with their new client—three of them in modest attire, while Katherine wore the standard armor expected of women in this country: that is to say, a bikini. And not just any bikini—a micro-bikini.
“Hey, Katherine? Laplace Fashions can open up for business anytime. If you’re interested, I can whip you up some armor that’s stylish and functional!”
“N-No thanks! I look way more normal in the outfit I’m wearing!”
“Just because it’s normal doesn’t mean it’s good.”
“L-Look, so far, this armor’s done its job just fine, okay?! And if you think I’m jealous of your outfits, well, uh, I’m NOT! I mean it!”
“...Hey, Tanya?”
“Hmm? What’s up, Laplace?”
“I like to think I’m more educated about the modern world these days, but... is this that tsundere thing you were telling me about?”
“I’m not an outdated stock character, thanks!” Katherine snapped, her cheeks flushing pink.
Beside her, Nadine started giggling.
“Wh-What’s so funny, huh?!”
“Oh, no, I’m sorry! It’s just... back in adventuring school you always had such high grades, and you were one of only a few women studying magic, so you always struck me as intimidating... but now I see you’re actually rather adorable!”
“A—Ado—?!” Katherine blushed even harder, her gaze flitting to and fro in embarrassment. Ever since the Sparring Tournament, she’d grown nervous around Nadine, and with this sucker punch from out of nowhere, she had absolutely no idea how to react.
“Y-Yeah, well, flattery won’t get you anywhere with me, got it?! Now let’s go find the client’s house or whatever!”
She took off at a trot, her fox ears twitching happily atop her head.
They soon arrived at a large building located on the border between the central and western districts of Ode.
“Is this... a butcher shop...?”
This was the address the client had provided. As they stood around and stared up at it, a young girl walked out, a cute smattering of freckles across her nose, her tawny reddish-brown hair worn in two buns on either side of her head. And yet, despite her tender young age, the expression on her face was one of exhaustion.
“Hi there!” Tanya greeted her cheerfully.
The girl took one look at her and her jaw dropped. “Oh my gosh... Are you... Lilium?!”
“Oh, you’ve heard of us?”
“Duh! Oh my gosh, it’s really them... Ack! Wait! Back up!” The girl straightened herself to her full height. “I mean, um, welcome to Bianca’s Quality Meats! I’m Anca Bianca, the daughter of the house. What can I get for you today?”
“Nice to meet you, Anca! I’m Tanya Artemiciov, and today we’re here on behalf of the Adventurers’ Guild to fulfill your quest listing.”
“...Wait, what?”
“Remember? ‘Fighter Needed To Oversee Negotiations And Duel On My Behalf’?”
“No way... Someone actually took the job...?” Anca’s eyes filled with tears. “All this time, I thought... maybe my quest description was too vague... or maybe my reward just plain sucked... I didn’t think anyone would show up...”
“Heehee! Well, think again! We’re here for that luxury barbecue!”
“It’s really good meat, I promise! Well, um... come on in, everybody!” Anca pushed open a small door situated right next to the butcher shop. “The negotiation is scheduled for later tonight, but first I’d like to get you all up to speed... maybe over some tea?”
“That sounds lovely.”
And so the women of Lilium followed her inside.
✦ ✦ ✦
Anca led them into what appeared to be her family’s living room. Apparently her parents were busy running the storefront.
“You have a fiancé?”
“Yes... unfortunately,” she sighed, slumping her shoulders.
And so she explained what had happened...
A few weeks ago, a tall, bony man turned up at Bianca’s Quality Meats. “Uguu~ I’m Anca-bear’s fiancé~!” he simpered in a nauseatingly cloying voice. Anca was disgusted. Her parents were scandalized.
“What kind of sick joke is this?” Anca asked.
The way he ogled her up and down, she knew he was the last man on earth she ever wanted to marry. But the oddest part was: she didn’t recognize him at all.
“You’re out of your mind. Go back to wherever you came from!” Anca declared.
But the man donned a smug, toothy grin and said:
“Don’t be silly now, Anca-bear~! Why, we promised to spend the rest of our lives together just last night, remember~?”
A shiver ran down her spine.
The previous night, Anca had been out to eat with her friends. They’d made a reservation at a popular tavern months in advance, and she’d been really looking forward to it. The place was packed, and although Anca hadn’t drunk any alcohol, she’d still had a lot of fun... That is, until she started feeling weirdly sleepy. After that, she’d needed a friend’s help to stumble back on home.
But now this man claimed she’d promised herself to him? It didn’t make sense. First of all, she didn’t remember anything of the sort, and second of all, he seemed like a total creep. Confused and frightened, she started to cry.
“Well then, how about we have a formal negotiation~?” the man suggested. “And if that doesn’t work, we’ll settle it with a duel~!”
“More than anything, I can’t stand how he ends every sentence with a tilde!” Anca shuddered.
“Yeah, I don’t think I could tolerate that, either...” To Tanya, the guy sounded like a total nightmare to talk with, much less marry. “Well, don’t worry. We’ll be right there with you for the negotiations. We could even help you think of what to say!”
“Thank you so much... To be honest, my parents are really conflicted about this. You see, um... apparently the tilde guy’s parents run a long-standing restaurant in town...”
“Yeah?”
“And they buy our meat wholesale...”
That was when Katherine piped up. “Sounds like they’re a pretty big client.”
“Yes, exactly. That’s why my parents are so scared. At one point they suggested that, maybe, I should ‘just go ahead and marry him.’”
“Oh, I don’t think so!”
Katherine rose from her chair. Then she reached out and helped Anca to her feet.
“Cheer up, buttercup. Tanya’s going to oversee the negotiations, and if it comes to it, I’ll duel on your behalf. No sweat!”
“Thank you, um...?”
“Katherine. You know the owner of the Little Vixen? I’m her grandkid.”
“Oh, yes, the Little Vixen!”
“Grandma tells me your family’s store has some of the highest-quality meat in town,” Katherine grinned.
Tanya could tell she was trying her best to reassure Anca, and truth be told, Katherine’s smile was contagious. “She’s right, Anca. Believe it or not, we’re a lot tougher than we look!”
“Heehee! Oh, I believe it, alright. Everyone’s been talking about your performance at the Sparring Tournament.” This thought, finally, made Anca smile.
Soon, the negotiations would begin.
✦ ✦ ✦
The courtroom was located in Ode’s central district. Here, civilians could hold discussions to settle disputes. And in the event that an agreement could not be reached peaceably, a (non-fatal) duel would take place. This was also the location where formal trials were held to sentence those who infringed upon imperial law.
Anca’s circumstances were considered a civilian dispute, and thus the negotiations would be held here. She and Tanya, her chosen witness, sat together on her side of the table.
As for Anca’s parents and the rest of Lilium, they were seated in the gallery to watch the proceedings. Her parents were both grimacing; Laplace was eating popcorn.
“Yikes,” Tanya muttered as the other party walked in. The second she laid eyes on the man, she could tell he was bad news.
“Heehee~! Hi there, Anca-bear~!”
He was wearing a white tuxedo with a rose boutonnière affixed to his lapel. Oh, HELL no. This ain’t your wedding, asshole!
Anca sighed, and Tanya looked over at her to see a deeply weary expression on her face. The stress was clearly getting to her.
Then Tanya noticed something else.
“Hey, Anca?”
“Yes?”
“Uh... How old is this guy?”
“Heck if I know,” Anca spat.
The topic hadn’t come up prior to now, and Tanya hadn’t thought to ask, but now that she was face to face with him, he was pretty clearly—
“...He’s gotta be at least 40, don’t you think?”
—a middle-aged creep.