little hero
I saw Syr returning from the bathroom and preparing the tables with me, occasionally giving me side glances of weariness but I ignored it.
With everyone present in the pub, Mama Mia quickly prepared the finishing touches and got ready for the opening hour.
"Get ready, everyone," Mama Mia shouted and walked to the door to flip the card to 'open.'
And just like last time, people of all sizes and ages started flowing in.
"Xian, give me a beer and today's special!" an adventurer shouted.
I quietly nodded and prepared the beer.
"Did you hear? Some kid who was covered in blood ran out of the dungeon with an ecstatic face." An overheard conversation caught my attention.
"Haha, yes, I've heard. That kid must have been saved from his hero or something to have that face," one adventurer merrily replied.
'Dungeon, huh? I've heard some adventurers mention that a couple of times.' Dungeon is one of the lists that I need more information on.
"Xian, today's special is on the counter," May's voice is heard from the kitchen.
After grabbing today's special, I will pay more attention to dungeon topics.
After the pub closed, I went over what I'd heard from an overheard conversation, and from the knowledge I attained, the giant tower in the middle seemed to be the dungeon.
The dungeon seems to be an endless battlefield, but instead of humans, they fight beasts and monsters, and the lower you delve, the more frequent and stronger they become.
The monsters drop crystals, which you exchange for Valis at the guild building near the dungeon entrance.
This is the knowledge I have managed to gather so far, and quite a fruitful one. It seems this pub attracts many adventurers, so rumors surrounding the dungeon are plenty.
After damaging my muscles and bones, taking off my blindfold, and putting it on the bedside, I quickly fell asleep again.
Waking up and taking a shower again, I went downstairs in my work outfit and saw Syr was talking to someone outside.
Curious, I went to them to join them in their conversation.
"Um... you dropped this yesterday," Syr handed a purple stone to a white-haired boy.
"A magic stone?" He took the stone and raised it to get a better view of it.
"I thought I traded it all yesterday." He pocketed the stone and bowed to Syr.
"Thank you very much," he added.
"You're an adventurer, right? Heading to the dungeon this early?" Syr questioned.
"Yes, I guess you can say that." A low growl came from his stomach.
"Ah, hold on for a moment," Syr quickly dashed into the kitchen to grab something.
Turning my attention back to the boy, he realized my presence and greeted me.
"Ah, sorry, didn't notice you."
"Do not mind me, I'm just curious about the boy who grabbed Syr's attention," I replied.
"What's your name, boy?" I questioned.
"My name is Bell Cranel. It's nice to meet you," he bowed his head again.
"Umm, can I ask"
"Ah, sorry, for the wait," Syr's voice came behind me, and I side-stepped away.
"A-ah, good morning, Xian. I didn't notice you," Syr looked at me nervously.
"Good morning, Syr. It's quite rare to see you interested in someone," I said.
"Well, he dropped something when he was running yesterday, and I wanted to return it to him," Syr turned her attention to Bell.
"Here," Syr handed him a lunchbox.
"It's not much, but you can have that," Syr smiled.
"I couldn't, though. Can't take lunch from somebody I've never met," Bell added.
"Don't worry about it, there'll be something I can eat once the pub opens up" Syr explained
"Bu-but"
"Make sure you come by tonight to eat! It's a promise" Syr excitingly said
"O-okay, ah also I want to ask, why is the girl before wearing a blindfold" Bell said realizing that Xian left them alone
"Oh? you mean Xian, well she is blind in both eyes so she needs to cover them" Syr looked over at the girl with long white hair cleaning the table
"Oh, I feel sorry for her" Bell looked at Xian with a sympathetic gaze
"Well don't worry about her, she said she could see just fine using her other senses" Syr dismissively said
"Alright don't forget to visit us at night" Syr reminded Bell
"Okay" Bell nodded vigoursely
"Thank you" Syr smiled
Then Bell quickly disappeared to the crowds heading to the dungeon
"Syr, help Xian clean the table we are about to open," Mama Mia said
"Okay"
-
-night-
"Ugh" I grunted almost dropping the tray of foods
"Xian are you okay? if you sick go take a break, I can handle the customers nya" Chloe said to me,
"OK, thank you, Chloe," I said and walked to the back of the pub
'EAT, FEAST, KILL, SLAUGHTER' Kirion's whispers rang in my head, I knew this would be a problem, even with the suppress sigils, it wouldn't completely silence him, but to think it would be this soon
"Mama Mia, I need to walk outside for a bit, to grab some medicine" I looked over to Mama Mia
"Huh? Sure sure, you look pale so don't fall over in the streets" Mama Mia worriedly said
"Thank you, Mama Mia" Walking towards the front of the pub and exiting, some adventurers ask why Xian was exiting the pub, and two adventurers quietly follow her
Chloe noticed them and tried to follow them but was quickly stopped by Ryuu
"huh, Ryuu why did you stop me?" Chloe looked at Ryuu
"You know better than I am that Xian can defend herself" Ryuu explained with a serious look
"and Mama Mia would be mad if we are understaffed" Ryuu added
"I hope Xian will be okay" Chloe looked at the front door but continued her job afterwards
"So you're Syr's friend" Mama Mia served a white-haired boy a giant bowl of noodles
"You're pretty cute for an adventurer" She added
'This is 300 valis, and the drink is 200 valis, thanks to that dropped item I have 4400 valis' Bell started to mentally count the price
"Not enough right? here's today's special" And served fried catfish
"I- I didn't order that" Bell quickly interjected
"don't worry you're still young," Mama Mia said while walking away
Bell looked over to the menu to see how much it is
"8-850 valis!!" Bell looked horrified
"Well? are you having fun?"
"I'm a bit overwhelmed" Bell solemnly said
"it looks like I'll be able to count on you to get paid a lot tonight" Syr cheerfully said
"I'm glad for you, also I didn't see Xian today, what happened to her?"
Syr put her finger on her chin and said "Well she looked sick so Mama Mia let her out to get some medicine of her own"
"Isn't that dangerous? going outside at night"
"she should be fine, what could happened to her anyway" Sry dismissively said
"The customers with reservations have arrived nya!" Anya announced
The main exploration team of the Loki Familia entered, leaving most of the other adventurers shocked
"Isn't that the Loki Familia emblem" One of the adventurers looked at the group
"Good job out there in the dungeon, guys!" A certain red-haired goddess said
"CHEERS"
"Ais, remember when we let a bunch of minotaurs escape to the upper floor, you took out the last one on the fifth floor, right?" A silver-haired guy said
"Didn't you save a wimpy kid from the last minotaur, that guy was cornered by the minotaur afraid"
"And when Ais sliced through the minotaur, the blood of the minotaur was all over that kid's face"
"And he was bright red as a tomato and get this, the tomato dork ran off screaming, our princess saved him and he ran away from her Hahaha how pathetic is that!"
"Enough bete, it was our fault that we let the minotaurs escape, and that guy is new without much battle experience, it should be you to blame," A long-haired elf said
"HUH? What's wrong with saying trash is trash"
"Ais! What do you think about him?"
"If you choose between me and him who would you prefer to date?"
"Me right? A guy like him shouldn't have a place to stand beside you" Bete closed his face to Ais while questioning her
Suddenly Bell dashed out into the door and straight into the dungeon
Ais noticed it and tried to stop him but it was too late, he was long gone
"Was that?" Ais was left to wonder who it was
-
Bell was running to the dungeon crying but noticed something in the corner of his eyes
"Isn't that Xian?" he looked at Xian being surrounded by two men backed up in an alleyway, the sudden urge to save her let him forget why he was running
-A minute ago-
-Xian pov-
Turning left into the alleyway the two people following me suddenly reveal themself
"what's wrong little missy? got lost" A familiar voice calls out from behind
"Didn't I say that you would regret the day you saw me in the street?" The first adventurer from the gate said
"Watching the high and mighty get beaten to a pulp is always my favorite," The first adventurer said
Both of them are identical to each other with brow hair with basic armor
"LEAVE XIAN ALONE" A voice rang behind them, bell tried to punch one of the adventurers but he dodged and left Bell running past him and positioning him between Xian and the adventurers
"Aw look at him, one of your friends I assume?" the first adventurer asked me
"Have you guys had no shame, ganging up on a blind person" Bell interjects
"tch, I don't care if she is blind, we need to put her into her place" the other adventurer scoffed
suddenly the first adventurer sends a punch to Bell and knocks him to the ground
Bell quickly tried to get up but the other adventurer kicked him, making his effort to get up futile
"ugh" Bell grunted but tried to get up again, the first tried to do the same by kicking him but Bell dodged it successfully, and drew his blade countering the first adventurer's attack
the second adventurer also drew his blade and blocked Bell's strike countering with a kick and leaving Bell on the ground
"Well well well, nice try boy but you can't fight a level two adventurer with that kind of attack," the first adventurer said
"Xian please run" Bell interjects
"Still trying to be a hero even like that? pathetic hahaha" the second adventurer ridiculed
'Our princess saved him and he ran away from her Hahaha how pathetic is that!' a voice rang in Bell's head
"Bell, thank you for trying to save me, but it is a futile effort" Xian's voice was heard by Bell
Bell looked at Xian wondering what she would do next
"See? Even this lady can't fight against level two and resign her fate" The adventurers looked at Xian with lecherous eyes
"It seems you do not heed my warning, then so be it, your death is certain" I coldly said while looking at the both of them
"I was going to the dungeon to feed on their blood but it seems, there are two that freely handed themself as a sacrifice" Touching my chest, a small portal opened up to my soul and the surrounding area was filled with bloodlust
The two adventurers looked in horror at me as I drew Kirion from the portal, and with Kirion fully revealed I unwrapped the cloth covering the blade, and cries of dead souls soon cried out in a deafening screech
Like a beast let out of the cage, the atmosphere turned bloody red as visions of the dead filled the two adventurers, rivers of blood and bodies scattered around with only one person standing
The two adventurers drew their weapons getting ready to fight
"W-W-W-WHAT ARE YOU" The first adventurer shouted
"My name is not deserving by your ear" A clear voice can be heard by the two of them
*Swoosh* A gentle and clear side-slash was heard but the two adventurers couldn't react to it in time, leaving their decapitated heads flying into the air, soon their bodies and heads fell to their ground.
Stabbing where their heart was, Kirion quickly devoured their blood and quickly turned them into a husk
Turning my attention to Bell, he passed out from the pressure of the bloodlust even if the bloodlust was not directed at him it was enough to knock him out
Quickly wrapping Kirion with the cloth again I returned him to my soul and turned my attention to Bell
After deciding to carry back Bell into Hostess of Fertility, I carried him over my shoulder and walked back in the direction of Hostess of Fertility
-
"Xian, how why did you take so lo- eh why is Bell on your shoulder?" Syr looked at me with a confused eye
The pub was now mostly empty and close to closing time
"Bell tried to save me from some adventurers following me" I replied
"Eh? How is Bell, is he alright?" Syr looked at Bell
"He is mostly alright, the reason he is knocked out is because of me," I said while walking to the stairs
"Isn't that Syr's friend what happened to him?" Mama Mia appeared behind the kitchen while wiping her hand
"Bell tried to save me from some adventurers following me" I gave the same answer as before
"Why are you taking him upstairs" Mama Mia looked confused
"To my room of course"
"EH?" "HUH?" Syr and Mama Mia gave the same reaction
"I would like to heal him" I quietly made my way to my room and set him down on my bed, opening his shirt and looking at the wound, I slowly guild my soul into his and controlled it so it would give the wound more nutrients to hasten his healing prosses
After that, I sat down on the ground in a lotus position and repeated my bone and muscle tearing, changing into more comfortable clothes and taking off my blindfold I pushed Bell and slept next to him
~~
author: yes I play Genshi, yes I wanted Booba sword, no it was not intentional, I just saw the perfect chance to cosplay as EI
anyway, this is the most passionate fanfic I've ever written, so give some love to your boy