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  Vol 2 Chapter 22: The Night's Trials and a Silent spiracy

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  Aris had once been forced to survive in the depths of the Abyss, feasting on whatever meager, revolting scraps she could find-- squirming is, rotting carcasses, you . Whether or not these ‘meals’ were toxic ceased to matter after a point; what would make a normal persoch had simply bee her sustenance. In a rather twisted sense, she’d grown aced to it, building up a stitution so resistant that even alcohol couldn’t faze her. Perhaps it was little wonder her sense of taste had all but vanished. Eating such things and still preserving a normal pate would’ve been agony; her ability to smell, though faintly intact, was a miracle in itself.

  As she surveyed the unscious Sisi sprawled out before her, Aris merely took another sip from her gss-- whether it irits or mere fruit juice mattered little, for she couldn’t dis the taste any longer.

  Arouhe previously rowdy adventurers had quieted, aware that even the victor had deemed them too noisy. It seemed, at least, they uood a well-timed hush.

  "Um... Miss Sisi, are you alright?" Veridith, seated beside Aris, cautiously peered over at Sisi, who was now drooling slightly iupor.

  "...Urp."

  "..."

  Seeing Sisi’s current state, Veridith could only fall silent herself.

  "Puff Pu.. pu...."

  "Well, Pupu, let's stick to juice, shall we?" Veridith resolved that if she ever ventured into drinking as an adult, she would certainly drink in moderation.

  ...

  Havien and drunk to their hearts’ tent, the group left the Adventurers’ Guild, leaving behind a few poor souls whose attempts to treat the group had run up quite the tab.

  Dianna, who had dozed off uhe influence, was hoisted over Elyssa’s back, looking every bit the little sister riding piggyback with her legs dangling close to the ground.

  Sisi, meanwhile, was cradled by Marlyno, with Mira sprawled across her back.

  "Need a hand there?" Farkonia inquired with an uanding smile.

  "No, no, it’s fine. Hardly the first time, after all," Marlyno replied with a look ned amusement.

  "Right, then. I’ll be off to buy some hangover remedies. Otherwise, Sisi’ll be wailing by dawn."

  Sisi had always insisted magic would suffice, but the idea only held if she could muster the focus to cast. Besides, depleting her mana reserves would only amplify her headache ter.

  "Tomorrow, then," Farkonia waved her off, and with that, Marlyno turned and led Sisi and Mira toward the inn.

  "Well, where to now?" Elyssa asked.

  "Hmm... Miss Dianna’s still out cold, isn’t she? If you’re tired, you head back; I nning to visit the apothecary to gather a few ingredients for the hangover cure," Farkonia replied.

  "Oh, I don’t mind. This one’s surprisingly light. It’s as if she’s barely eaten a thing," Elyssa quipped, giving the still-snoozing Dianna a pyful pin her side, elig a quiet squeak.

  "Alright then. And what about you, Misako?" Farkonia asked.

  "We’re good! Time is on our side," Misako replied with a grin.

  Together, they made their way to the apothecary, where the intense st of herbs enveloped them as soon as they stepped inside.

  "By the way, Miss Farkonia," Elyssa said, eyeing the shelves as she adjusted Dianna’s weight on her back, "could you tell me the specific recipe for that hangover cure?"

  "Ah, I had inteo share it. However, the co is a bit challenging fio make. That’s why I came to gather the materials myself and prepare it for you all."

  "No matter; I’d like to try it myself," Elyssa replied early. Dianna had gotten herself into druupors before, and given her formidable lineage as a dragonkin, ventional potions rarely did the trick. All Elyssa could do was watch over her, powerless to help. If she could learn to make a remedy that worked even onkin, perhaps she wouldn’t be so helpless.

  "Very well. In that case, I’ll take this opportunity to teach you a bit abnizing herb quality and types," Farkonia agreed with a nod.

  Despite having lived for over five turies, some skills simply did not fade, and her knowledge of herbalism remained just as sharp. Pnts, after all, did not evolve in such a short span.

  Meanwhile, at the far er of the shop...

  "Eh? Lady Misako, what brings you here?" Veridith asked as she spotted Misako perusing a particur se of the shelves.

  Siheir return from the Abyss, Veridith had adjusted her address to Misako to match Farkonia’s formality-- a sign of newfound respect that Misako had e to accept.

  "Oh? Nothing, nothing at all," Misako replied, shifting ever so slightly in an attempt to ceal the items she’d been eyeing. However, her petite frame, smaller even than Veridith’s, hardly blocked the view.

  "Hmm… A pink potion? I don’t think I’ve seen that one before. The bel says..."

  Before Veridith could finish reading, Misako swiftly raised a hand to obscure her line of sight.

  "o look, dear. In fact, I’d rather you didn’t. Run along now, little one."

  "Wha-- " Veridith pouted, cheeks puffing slightly, a the ‘little one’ remark but uue, as Misako's strength was still leagues above her own. Begrudgingly, she withdrew.

  "Puff."

  "Hm? Pupu?" Veridith’s eyes suddenly gleamed. "Ah-ha!"

  Though Misako saw her as a child, that hardly meant everyone else did.

  "Pupu, remember those words for me, alright?"

  "Puu?" the creature chirped, cog its tiny head with a quizzical trill as Veridith attempted to prompt it.

  ‘Ahh, the tle thing,’ Misako mused to herself, overhearing every word. It was hardly a challenge, especially given her keen fox-like ears, though asking Pupu to memorize words was a task beyond its limited ability.

  ‘Not sure how Aris unicates with the little scamp, though I suppose it makes sense. With fragments of eldritch magi them, they probably have their owhod of versing.’

  "That’s enough! e along now. Pupu may be older than your sister Aris by a long shot, but who knows if it’ll ever fully mature. You’re not allowed to look-- now off you go!" Misako gently but firmly pced a hand over Veridith’s eyes and ushered her out of the shop.

  "What are you hiding?" came a familiar voice, a knowing croak that froze Misako iracks. Farkonia had returned.

  "Nothing... absolutely nothing..."

  "Mm-hm," Farkonia regarded her with quiet scrutiny.

  "I swear…"

  Under Farkonia's narrowing gaze, Misako’s resolve faltered.

  "This won’t do. You’ve evaded enough expnations. This time, I expect a proper answer."

  "Er…"

  Caught out, Misako averted her gaze with an awkward cough.

  She couldn’t very well admit to indulging in ‘questionable’ reading material! Farkonia, while somewhat aware of her more mischievous is, be informed of every sordid detail.

  "Miss Farkonia," Elyssa called, approag with her newly purchased herbs in hand.

  "Ah, yes, about that…" Farkonia turned her attention to Elyssa’s question.

  Misako, momentarily spared, heaved a sigh of relief-- until she met Farkonia's gaze o time, that unmistakable look that promised, 'Just wait until we’re back'.