Chapter 128 – Poaching (1/2)

(Hmm...this is probably a problem.)

As I circled around over Knossos's airspace, I was debating as to what I should do.

The sun had made its retreat quite a while ago, so while the stars and moons stood proud, most of the city was currently asleep.

No matter how much of a workaholic Peitho was, there wasn't much of a chance that she would be awake.

But in my rush to proceed with my plans, I forgot to take that into consideration as I raced through the skies.

Though thinking about it, this was inevitable. Arriving before the sun was gone wasn't really possible, not with the time I had left. I could just wait until morning, but that felt like a waste.

So instead, I glided down while concealing myself using the intrinsic property of [Spirit Form].

Despite how deep the night was, it wasn't like there weren't any people that were awake. The few lights seeping from various windows was proof of that. In addition, there were a few lights moving through the streets. Either guards on night duty or people who simply had some sort of business despite the hour.

Or maybe no business and just wanted to take a walk. That was something I could sympathize with, being that I've done it enough times in my previous life. Taking a stroll for no apparent reason in the middle of the night was quite an enjoyable thing, if you had the time to do it at least.

(Huh? Is that...?)

A particular building caught my eye. Or rather, the lights that came from its top floor. A single room's windows had light seeping out from the crack of the nearly closed shutters.

That building, was Knossos's Adventurers' Guild.

I was drawn to that light like a moth. Something about it drew me towards it.

Floating down, I grabbed hold the wall and stood on a small exposed bit of the window ledge. I engaged [Materialize] and undid my wings as I thought about what to do next.

(If someone sees me like this, they'd think I was a stalker or something.)

But fortunately, I couldn't detect anyone nearby on the streets below, so that wasn't a problem.

What was a concern, though, was that the sole occupant had moved and was now standing on the opposite side of the wooden shutters.

”...Scarlet, is that you?”

”Ah, umm. Hi. How'd you know I was here?”

”Were you actually trying to hide?”

The shutter on one side opened slowly enough to allow me to shift over and avoid falling.

”Well, most people wouldn't notice me as long as I stay out of sight.”

”I'd rather you not lump me in with most people.”

”Yea, sorry about that Peitho.”

The woman across from me was as beautiful as ever. Her uniform hugged her curves so well that I had to exercise quite a bit of willpower to avoid staring.

Then again, once I noticed how dark the circles under her eyes were, it became quite easy to look her in the eye instead of anywhere else.

Either way, it seemed like my hunch worked out. The workaholic elf was burning the midnight oil again. And it looked like things were worse than the last time we met.

”Well, come in. It's cold out there.”

”Ah, thanks.”

The workaholic elf backed off to make space and I obliged. Tucking my legs in, I slipped through the open window. But as I did so, the vice guild master's eyes popped open as she stared at my lower body.

”I suppose congratulations are in order?”

”Ah yea, thank...oh geez why now?”

Just as I was closing the shutters, all sense of balance fell apart as a bought of nausea hit me like truck-san was on some vendetta.

”Are you alright?!”

I collapsed into a heap and soon my guts tried to do its best vuvuzela impression.

”Hurgh!”

Unable to use my voice, I just nodded to Peitho's worries and waved a hand before using it to cover my mouth again.

The elf administrator rubbed my back while Claret went to watch our surroundings until my body managed to calm down.

”Are you really aright Scarlet?”

”Yea. Supposedly, this is normal.”

”Normal? Is this morning sickness? I don't know about your kind, but I've never heard it being this bad for us elves.”

Peitho helped me back onto my feet and guided me to a chair before sitting down on the one opposing the desk I was placed in front of.

”Well, maybe. The others said I was getting it worse than most.”

”Apparently.”

”Don't worry. I'm getting used to it.”

”Really?”

Peitho cartoonishly raised an eyebrow.

”...Not really. I'd give almost anything to make it stop.”

It almost felt like my body was trying to reject the very idea of a pregnancy or something. I was only thankful that there were no signs of a miscarriage, and that everyone who had checked me up said that there didn't seem to be any major risk of that.

As long as that was the case, I could only hope that it would go away on its own. I couldn't take any of the normal remedies, so we were completely out of ideas as to what I could do to deal with the morning sickness beyond sucking it up.

”Anyways, I'm not here to complain about that.”

”Then can you explain why you decided to show up through my office window in the middle of the night?”

Without even bothering to look at me as she talked, Peitho went right back to one of the mountains of bark sheets held in place with a block of metal.

”Well, I came back here, and just happened to notice that there was a light on here.”

”You just happened to have come to Knossos, been wandering around in the middle of the night, and just happened to be close enough to see the light from my window and decided to have a look?”

The elf gave me the moment to look at me with a raised eyebrow.

”Ummm, yea. Something like that. It's not like I would've been able to get here through the front doors at this time at night.”

”No, but it didn't occur to you to just not bother?”

”I wanted to talk to you, and had nothing to do until morning anyways.”

”You came here, in the middle of the night, because you were bored?!”

The older elf's face was filled with disbelief as she finally turned away from her work.

I wanted to say I was joking, or give her a better reason why I decided to check the window in the middle of the night, but in reality it was because I was bored. I just didn't want to wait until morning to see Peitho and this felt like a likely way to do it.

”Anyways, how about I make you a drink? You look like you need it.”

This woman looked like she was only sitting upright due to sheer willpower. Frankly, it wasn't even remotely healthy, but it wasn't like she'd listen to me if I told her to go to sleep. Her subordinates probably already told her that, so someone who she only met a handful of times couldn't change her mind.

Even though it felt like we might have become something akin to friends.

With a wave of my hand, a heavy bowl appearing in midair and a handful of dry brown seeds filled the container.

”You, you can use [Dimensional Magic] now?”

”Huh? Oh yea. I've been working on it for a while.”

Probably because of our short association, Peitho probably didn't even notice that my usual bag was left at home. Ever since I managed to gain so many ranks of [Dimensional Magic] thanks to those automaton maids on floor 99, leaning to use the skill until it became usable on a day to day level was a priority. Thankfully, it was a magic that was quite useful in everyday life, so after a few months of near constant usage, I got used to casually using it.

The fact that I had [Dimensional Magic 10] certainly helped as well.

Ignoring the wide eyed elf, I pressed my thumb into the seeds, crushing them into a rough powder. Next, with another wave of my hand, a large barrel of water appeared beside me. Some of the contents floated up as a distorted globe before the barrel disappeared. The globule was heated up with more magic until it was steaming, wherein it was gently placed into the bowl with the crushed seeds.

Putting the bowl to the side, I produced a clay cup, and over it, a fine metal mesh indented in the middle.

After letting the bowl of seeds steep for about a minute, I poured the contents into the cup, straining out all the solid fragments. The used filter and cup were put away, and in their place a pair of jars appeared. One was filled with cream and the other honey.

(I think a double double should be enough for her.)

Pouring in a rough estimate of both additives into the cup, I agitated the contents by propelling the liquid around using magic to incorporate them before placing the cup in front of Peitho.

The vice guild master looked a little unsure, but accepted the cup and brought it close.

”Ah, it smells nice.”

Her usually stiff expression markedly relaxed, though that wasn't exactly the point, if the drink could help her let off a bit of stress, then all the better.

The tired looking elf took a small sip, then took a bit of time to enjoy the scent before pouring more into her mouth. Despite the leisurely pace, the drink was soon finished.

”That was nice.”

”Want a refill?”

”Please.”

She pushed the cup to me and I started the brewing process again.

”I've never had this before. What is it?”

As soon as it was finished, Peitho took a sip from her refilled cup. But as it was her second cup, she lowered her drink after only finishing a third of it before asking her question.

”Oh, it's coffee with cream and honey.”

”Coffee is it? Hmmm...huh? Coffee?! Isn't that the expensive drink from the south?!”

”Ah? Maybe? I found a cheap supplier though, so don't worry about the cost.”

In fact, I was sourcing them from the 52nd floor of Hourai's dungeon, so technically it only costed my own personal labour. Though I did have to pick them, remove the husk, dry them, clean them, and roast them myself.

At least it wasn't a difficult process, just a bit time consuming. And even then, the cherries all appeared ripe growing on the trees that made up the dungeon walls unlike in the wild making picking fast and easy. In addition, I dried them with magic, so that it took minutes rather than days to dry them. The rest of the process was simple and only need me to pay the most rudimentary level of attention while being done.

”I see.”

With those soft words, Peitho closed her eyes and enjoyed another sip of her drink.

”Ah, maybe you'll like this with the coffee.”

I produced a plate of coffee cake, a spongy cake made with thickened coffee with caramel swirled throughout.

Cutting a slice, I placed some in front of the tired looking elf together with a dessert fork and put the rest away to keep from drying it out.

Glancing at me, then back at the cake, after a few moments without me bothering to say anything, Peitho took the fork in hand and brought a piece of the dessert to her lips.