Walk

 As they walked through the city, Avis occasionally stopped by stalls just to talk with the people he knew, they varied from old women to a group of guys his age, what they all had in common though, was that their every question was about the girl.

 "Don't mind them, they are just acquaintances, connections, the more you have the freer you are in this town, the less trouble there is."

 "I don't need connections, I won't stay here for long anyways, only until the monster surge passes. My parents are probably fighting on the frontlines right now."

 "Has it started already? I want to sneak out of town and see all the monsters that slipped past, maybe I'll get a spirit if I'm lucky."

 "That's a really bad idea, you will die, and you should know that useful spirits are extremely rare."

 "No worries, I defeated some monsters in the last two years so I think I can manage, and I won't be alone, the instructor will guide me."

 "Why would he do that, he could go to jail! Do you have dirt on him?"

 "No, no, for a favor, you know…He might be in his thirties but he is still single, and it just so happens that the woman he fancies has some debt to me, and so all three of our problems can be resolved just like that."

 "Hmm, so you are a manipulator."

 "It's just debt, I do something for them, they do the same for me, and then we're even. Anyway, what would you like to eat? It's my treat since I invited you."

 "Whatever you think is the best food, I don't have preferences."

 "Oo, letting the local decide, then we'll have to walk for a while, the best food is all the way at the port."

 "It's alright, I should get familiar with the town anyway."

 As they walked, curiosity started to overtake Maizy, those scars all over his body weren't from practice, at least not any she knew, but from a monster attack, she wanted to ask but was worried about his reaction.

 "Say… Avis…"

"Yes?"

 "How did you get all those scars?"

 "How, you ask…"

 "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

 "No, I'll show you… Come!"

"Wah!" As Avis pulled her into an alley, far from prying eyes, he pushed her against a wall and started unbuttoning his shirt. "Whoa, please, not here."

 "You don't want to see it?"

 "I-I don't think I'm ready for this, I'm too young still...." She turned her head to the side before something on his chest caught her attention.

 As he pulled apart the shirt, a closed eye came into view, it was a little bigger than his other eyes and seemed to be burrowed in his chest, veins bulging on either side, it didn't look like an outside entity -how spirit manifestations usually look-, but like it became a part of him.

 "That…"

 "Yeah, it's a spirit, or maybe a monster that latched onto me after we fought, that's why I'm reading adventurer manuals and bestiaries. Even so, I am unable to identify it…"

 "You fought it? Where did that even come from?"

"It was, well… it happened when I was nine, I battled it for a long time, all I had on me was a kitchen knife, yada yada, it got a lucky blow, then I got one, we were both about to die, I lost my consciousness and then I don't know what happened, but it somehow bonded to me, or somehow melted into me, if you prefer that. And worst of all, when I woke up, I couldn't move a single muscle for almost a week! It was a miracle that I wasn't attacked by any other monster while I was peacefully lying on the forest floor. The little shit's been sleeping since then, and I don't know how to wake it up, not that I really want to, anyway."

 "That sounds exaggerated. But I see, does it hurt, are there any side effects?"

 "Only making me eat more, I think it's feeding off of me."

 "That doesn't sound good…"

"It isn't! But I don't mind it that much anymore, it looks pretty cool too, doesn't it?

 "Well, I would have indeed expected it to look grosser for what it is."

 "Say, I'm quite hungry right now, so how about we continue our date?"

 "Date? This isn't a date…"

 "How can you even say that after what happened in the alley?"

 "I-I… It isn't a date!"

 "Alright, forgive me!"

 They continued walking to the docks, then Avis led her aboard a dingy-looking ship, and as they boarded a man with a rum bottle in his hand greeted them.

 "He-y! Avis, you can go right in, important clients don't have to wait."

 "I'm the only client, Zbig!"

 "Oh, yeah, we're closed…"

 "Only officially, come on Maizy, this is the place."

 "It's a little run down, no? Are you sure the food is safe?"

 "It is if you have a strong stomach, but don't worry about what we'll eat, I know the chef."

"Oh, great, this shithole has a chef?"

 "Hey, we even… turned d-down the baron when h-he came here without an invitation, you can go fuck yourself, p-picky bitch."

 "Shut up, Arnold, we came to eat, not make trouble."

 "Ha, you bastard! Keep that girl of yours on a tight leash then!"

 "Let's go."

 She followed him. "The food better be worth it or you will never speak to me again."

 "Is that what you're worrying about? You won't be disappointed then."

 As they went down a ladder into a dark room below, a bar with the only source of light came into view.

 "Yo, chef!"

"Hey, Avis, came down to eat?"

 "You already know! Give us two of the closest things to lobsters that you have!"

 "Ohh, a romantic dinner… then how about I bring out real lobsters?"

 "You have real ones!? But they are almost extinct, and sounds expensive too."

 "I'll give you a discount."

 "Sounds great, alright then."

 "Alright, Vsevolod, clean out a table and get me two lobsters!"

 "Huh, yes, chef." The assistant, just woken up, immediately got to work.

 While the chef was working his magic, the room was filled with an amazing smell, and as the lobster boiled, flowers were placed on their table, candles were lit and small appetizers were brought out.

 "May I interest you in some alcohol?"

 "Sounds g…!" Maizy tried to respond but was interrupted by Avis.

 "No, we're fine with water." After the assistant left, he continued. "I don't know what kind of crap you nobles in high society drink but I would rather drink straight piss than the shit they serve, at least then I'll know what I drink."

 "I figured you would know I'm a noble, but you're really cheap, some wine would go great…"

 "It's only five coins per bottle, 'you fine drinking that?"

 "That's... too cheap, do they put water in it or something?"

 "I would hope it's water."

 "I can hear you, Avis." The chef said.

 "Did I say something wrong?"

 "Uh… No, but still. Finish up your appetizers, the lobsters will be ready soon."

 As they spoke, the conversation started to shift towards Maizy's past.

 "You are the daughter of a duke?!"

 "Yes, I was sent to the orphanage to learn about the people I will defend in the future, all for some kind of life lesson before I go to an academy, to "experience the other side of life", father would say. Well, he was also an orphan, but to leave me here while his army is fighting giant monsters, then here I am, eating whatever this food is with a peasant."

 "Well, I understand your disappointment, but I heard the stories of tens of knights that retired in this city, war is hell, they all say, I don't know about you, but I'm not exactly eager to fight man-eating beasts for my life."

 "Yes, but I am here, safe and fed while my parents could die at any time, I wouldn't even know until a month later at the least."

 "That does sound bad, but look at the good side, you get to spend your time here, in paradise city… Uhh, town, it's not big enough for that title… With me! Isn't that wonderful?"

 "This sounds more like hell than the battlefield."

 "Well, hell is other people."

 "You sound too philosophical for someone so childish."

 As they continued speaking, the chef approached them with two plates in hand.

 "Here is the lobster, enjoy."

 "What is this creature, I've never seen anything like it… Oh, there is this one monster that somewhat resembles it, I can't remember what it's called…"

 "You never saw lobsters before? I know they got rarer in the last years, but you must have seen it even if you are from the boonies."

 "My homeland is up north, far from any sea. I assume this is a sea creature, at least."

 "That it is. So you never had any?"

 "None."

 "I'll teach you how it's eaten then, first grab it by the head and the torso, and just turn 'till you hear a pop, and you can eat the meat inside."

 "I don't know what to say about this."

 "A skeptic, try it with the sauce, that's what makes it amazing."

 As she put the lobster in her mouth, she tried to hold a poker face, but when the flavors hit her, it fell through.

 "This… It's amazing! What is this magical sauce!"

"I'm glad you like it, you scared me for a second."

 "This is delish…! I never ate something like it!"

 "It seems super fresh too, it gives it a sea flavor."

"Yeah, I really taste it!"

 They continued to enjoy the food, and by the time they finished, outside was already dark, fortunately, they didn't run into any trouble on their walk back, only when they entered their room did the stares of the other children fall on them.

 "You can have your bed back, help me move my stuff." She said.

 "Let's do it tomorrow, I'm just want to dive into bed."

…