Interconnected: Spliced Souls

As we stepped into the guild, there she was, the familiar elf, sweeping the floors with a broom. Her crimson ponytail playfully bounced as she hummed a catchy tune, filling the air with her cheerful melody. 

I couldn't help but admire how well she pulled off the combination of a vest and pencil skirt. It seemed to suit her perfectly, accentuating her graceful movements. Maybe it was the Elvish heritage, but she nearly glided across the floor, making it look so smooth in those heeled shoes. 

Are elves more…’graceful’? When compared to humans or singi? Maybe Albert knows the answer.  

There were probably about forty people– more than usual for this time of day– getting ready to take on the day.  

After incidents like the one from last night, it's rare for the guild to not be full. The guild will often issue emergency quests to help with cleanup and repair, which comes with additional SP and money.  

Albert explained quite a bit to Itarr and me. But he said there probably weren't that many, if any, because of the truth. The more people investigated and dug around, the likelier it was that something people wanted to be hidden would turn up. And the powers that be wouldn't want that. The last thing this country needed was evidence a portion of it was sold to a neighboring prince after a false flag attempt. The political and societal upheaval would be... 

Well, it would just be insane. 

Word couldn't get out about Parrel Biggins actually being Viridian Keywater. That kind of information was worth thousands of dupla to the right person. Hell, twist the truth enough, and it could be a legitimate reason to start a war. 

Before I could utter a word, my footsteps gave away my presence. Claire's pointy ears twitched, and those soft, purple eyes seemed to light up with a smile as she turned around. 

"I prayed the amended report I found on my desk was accurate. Welcome back, Servi!" she greeted me. 

"A report?" I asked, intrigued by her words. Claire nodded and explained that she had discovered an amended report to the death certificate she was supposed to attach to the form I filled out when I joined the guild. "When I received it, it was hard to read. I don't know a receptionist who likes to do that, especially if it's someone they know." 

"But I don't know you, do I? It's only been a few days," I replied. 

Claire raised an eyebrow. "In a profession like this, you never know when someone's last day will be. Some receptionists keep adventurers at arm's reach, while others are the opposite. I'm sure you can guess why I was upset." 

I received a gentle scolding in kind words for my insensitive remark. 

"Sorry... That was a callous thing to say, wasn't it?" I apologized. 

"It was, but I'll forgive you!" Claire's playful smile suggested she was messing with me. "Hey, I'm about to go on break. Care to join me? I have cookies." I glanced at Momo, Momo looked at Srassa, and we all nodded. After Claire walked through a door and returned seconds later with a bag in hand, we followed her to the second floor and entered a meeting room. 

I sat across from her and expressed my gratitude for the sweet-smelling dessert. "Mmmng! It's delicious." The taste exploded in my mouth, reminiscent of chocolate... 

But it wasn't chocolate. Srassa took a nibble and asked if it was birchlot, a type of brown nut with a similar taste and appearance to chocolate, except it didn't require extensive processing. It was rarer but easier to handle without fermenting, resting, or roasting.  

Dineria, Claire's roommate, the elf with green hair and red tattoos on the back of her palms, had baked these cookies the night before as a way to try to cheer her up. 

“Well, tell her I said they were yummy,” Momo said, licking her lips.   

“Oh, I will. Now, Servi? Just what happened?”  

“It's a long story, but…” I told her the same story I shared with Srassa and Momo. The one approved by Harold that painted his soldiers in a blindingly brave light.   

“All of that was happening right here?” she asked, shocked and appalled. I nodded. “How horrible…” Once I reassured her nothing ‘awful’ had happened, she relaxed. Still tense at the horrors happening below ground, she tucked a strand of hair behind her eyes and breathed a few relieved sighs.   

Soon, there was a knock at the door, which disturbed the rather good time we were having. Claire stood and stretched while saying she had to return to work. “The breaks we get are never long enough…” she comedically whined. “But it's good to see you again, Servi. And you too, Momo, Srassa. I hope we can continue to work together in the future.”  

Claire left with a gentle wave, and since this was all that was on the docket…  

What else was there to do?  

“Umm… Servi?” Srassa said my name.   

“Yes?”  

“If you aren't busy… Do you wish to return to my house with Ms. Momo? Wouldn't it be nice to relax? Ah, but if you're–”  

“That sounds like a good idea. Thank you,” I said. I thought Srassa had changed because she took a proactive role in the conversation with Claire. Before, she would almost hide away like a cute little mouse, but maybe my ‘death’ had done something?  

It wasn't rare to see people change dramatically after a traumatic moment. While we were just ‘new’ friends, Srassa was someone who knew about my lacking memories because I chose to place my trust in her. And for someone with little life experience outside a dedicated decade of pure training, which admittedly paid off dividends– she was a very adept fighter with masterful control over the basics– her friendship with me could've been a highlight of this year.   

And meeting Momo? Maybe it wouldn't be wrong to say these would later be some of her core memories? Especially if we continued to work and fight together? 

---

Harold welcomed us after we returned to the estate. The remnants of a flashing jewel remained in his hands, and he said he had just returned from visiting Jony via a teleportation crystal.   

Albert said something like that was incredibly tough to get, so it was reserved for the rich, powerful, and famous, and it could only teleport to locations where the energy of the primary crystals had been engraved onto it.   

Yeah, sure. That makes a lot of sense.  

But Lord Flynn wasn't alone. To his left stood a tall woman with blond hair and green eyes, dressed in a red sleeveless silk gown. A flat necklace with a ruby pendant adorned her neck. She was obviously the mother of the noble I counted among my friends, but her physical features didn't match those of her daughter beyond their hair and eye color. 

The dissimilarity wasn't unusual, considering the complexities of genetics. However, it was clear that Margaret didn't resemble her daughter in terms of nose shape, ear shape, lips, and even the way her lashes fluttered with each blink. 

"Mother!" Srassa exclaimed, rushing to embrace the woman. 

"It's a blessing to see you safe and sound, my dear," Margaret Flynn said. Momo showed more respect and extended her welcome, and Margaret expressed how her heart calmed upon seeing them. 

If the appearance factor wasn't there, that motherly nature definitely was. I introduced myself and made their acquaintance. "Servi? You're someone my daughter can't stop talking about." 

"Mo-Mother... Please..." Srassa's embarrassment was evident. 

"Hehe!" Margaret chuckled before her tone turned slightly sterner. She mentioned that her husband had informed her about what happened, including my abuse from those criminals. 

Of course, she didn't use such vulgar language, unlike me. But the impression I got from her and Harold was clear. They were kind, friendly, and supportive of their daughter, her friends, and the other servants. 

But still... 

Perhaps it was just my own damn cynicism that made me want to look beyond the surface and find something that wasn't there. 

Fortunately, I managed to dispel the unnecessary grimace from my face when the topic of Jony came up. Harold mentioned that he was recovering well, and Srassa visibly relaxed, her tension and stress dissipating. 

"Servi, if you need anything at all, and I mean anything, please do not hesitate to ask," said her father. 

"Thank you for the kind offer. It means a lot to me." 

"You're welcome. Come, dear, you haven't had breakfast yet, have you?" Harold took his wife's hand and walked with her to the kitchen. 

Once they were out of sight, a butler inquired if we required anything. Srassa spoke on our behalf and led us up to her room. 

---

It didn't take long for the emotions to surface, and I was the one who initiated it. The first thirty minutes were filled with relative calm, but then the weight of regret settled in my heart. 

A few days ago, Srassa had offered me a place at her estate when I decided to leave the Crimson Grotto. And now, I couldn't help but wonder how things might have unfolded if I hadn't been so stubborn and had accepted her kindness. 

"I'm sorry... I made things much harder because I was dumb," I blurted out, sitting at the foot of Srassa's bed, clutching a stuffed animal in my arms. 

"What? No..." Srassa protested. 

"I just needed to get this off my chest. Srassa, I'm sorry I didn't..." 

"I've kicked myself countless times since that day. When you didn't show up, I immediately feared the worst," the noble confessed, speaking in a vulnerable tone I hadn't heard from her before. "I kept thinking if I had been more insistent...more determined, or proactive... If I had been better, you would still be alive. Ms. Momo, did you feel the same way?" Srassa crossed her legs and adjusted the pillow she held. 

"Yeah, I did. Hindsight is 20/20. You can only see the optimal choice when you have the luxury of looking back," Momo said. She sat on her knees with a stuffed unicorn resting on her lap. 

The bed provided more than enough space for the three of us. 

"You can't allow yourself to be chained to the past, no matter how much you wish to punish yourself for not thinking you could have done more. That kind of behavior is self-destructive. It only dampens the flames within you when you let it consume you." 

"That's quite profound, captain," I remarked. 

"Maybe it's because... No, it's not important. What matters are your feelings. Don't try to bury the regret you once felt. Allowing it to fester in your heart only diminishes what you want to achieve. And I know I'm not clever enough to come up with that, so you can thank my grampy. He's a wise man beyond his years, hehe! We've had countless late-night conversations about the world, life, and nature." 

"You're plenty smart, Ms. Momo! You've managed to teach me so much. I may not be the best, but you're a great teacher! You're different from my previous instructors but he couldn't match how enjoyable you make it!" 

"Um... That's a bit embarrassing! But it warms my heart. You're my best student, Srassa. Actually, you're my only student, but still the best one!" Momo replied with a playful tone. 

The emotions remained absent, and I found solace in that because it was time for some much-needed positivity. 

Tomorrow, we would likely return to our usual routine – meeting at the guild to embark on quests for the day, sharing meals, engaging in conversations, and going on adventures. 

"Oh, by the way, Ms. Momo, do you recall what Ms. Nimyra mentioned?" Srassa asked. 

"About..." Momo pondered for a moment. 

"About having a small celebration when Servi returned?" Srassa reminded her. 

“Ooooh, that's right. She did say something like that, didn't she? She wanted to have supper together, but I don't see why it has to be limited to just that.”   

"What if we throw a party?" I suggested. 

"A party?" Srassa and Momo exclaimed simultaneously. 

"Yes. While I'm certain I've attended a few in my lifetime, I don't have any memories of experiencing one. I thought it would be a great opportunity to check that off my list of first-time experiences," I explained.  

"Speaking of parties, there's a festival and ball happening in Adenaford in the upcoming days. The king organizes it every year during early summer to commemorate the founding of Lando," Srassa shared. "If it's not too forward, would you consider joining us at the ball? The three of us could go together. My parents will be there, and I'm sure Ms. Nimyra will attend too. I'm sure she'll bring Lucy, too.”  

“You mean that can be the little celebration of my safe return?” Srassa nodded. “But I'm not a noble. Momo isn't one, either, and I don't know the first thing about acting like a proper lady.”   

Momo added that she couldn't dance to save her life. She didn't have any fancy or cute dresses. She emphasized that she wasn't a noble. “The last thing we wanna do is embarrass you or your family. Besides, would we even get an invitation?”   

Srassa said her father's name had pull in the political climate surrounding King Lando, his advisors, and the most influential noble families within Adenaford and the surrounding cities. She could ask, but it didn't mean he would stake his reputation to allow two commoners to visit.   

More accurately-- one commoner and one potential noble– who was to say that I didn't used to live as a noble, with fancy houses, expensive meals, and the finest of luxuries?   

I mean, I highly doubted a stuffy life like that was one I ever lived, but the chances weren't zero. 

Srassa said she was taught everything there was to know about royal etiquette, dancing, and the like. She darted off her bed and danced with an invisible partner, swaying in rhythm with one hand on its hip and the other folded in its hand. It was almost magic in how effortlessly she moved. She twirled herself, her beautiful hair fluttering gleefully, and leaned back with one slender arm reaching for the sky.   

“And you would teach us that?”   

“Yes! I'd be more than happy to! Jony was the one who helped me a lot, and I can ask him to help once he's returned. And don't worry about the dresses or makeup. My mother is close friends with Lando’s most popular seamstress and stylist! Oh, please say you'll attend if my father receives the king's approval!!”   

Momo looked at me, I looked at her, and we nodded simultaneously. Srassa jumped for joy and hopped back on the bed, landing on her knees and showing me the most ‘life’ I'd ever seen of her thus far. While she soon admitted most of her time was spent with her kobold instructor in Keywater, who trained her in combat, she never really made a…debut, as she called it.    

It was strange– to me, at least– but upon reaching ten or eleven years old, noble children would ‘debut’ themselves at formal occasions their families would throw, which served many reasons.    

In my eyes, all of them were vain, like showing off their wealth or bragging to the other nobles to upstage them. It was commonly less about the child and more about weaving the intricate web of noble politicking.    

Srassa, however…   

She never had a debut. She was 18, and her father answered her wish and paid an instructor to teach her for a decade when she was eight. Yet Jony still instructed her to act like an elegant lady, even if the shy, frightened personality clashed hard with her noble upbringing.    

She said she wasn't concerned with things like this, but she felt giddy for some reason. Maybe her having friends somewhat awakened that part of her? Sure, Srassa, in the past, wanted to get strong, so she trained for a decade. It must've been lonesome, even if she said otherwise.  

Her estate was far away from the other houses in the noble district. Maybe her existence was kinda on the down-low? Not some hidden secret, but just known to a few people here and there? Like Nimyra, who was socially powerful. She'd be in the know, and the employees at the guild? 

Jony calls her Lady Srassa, not Lady Flynn. Suppose she were to debut… Would that shake up the political climate? People would vie for her hand in marriage... If only to have an attempt to get a grasp of the Flynn fortune. If you think about it, I only know her last name because Momo blurted it out when we first met. Maybe Harold came to me because I dropped her full name in the interrogation room? 

Since the ball wasn't that far away, Srassa thought it best to request her father to ask the king as early as possible, so we made our way to the living room.   

Except Harold, Margaret, and some mage wearing a flowing, iridescent robe stood in the entryway. The former read a scroll presumably given by the latter.   

“Father? Are you leaving? Already?”  

“I'm afraid so, my dear. The king has urgently requested me.”  

“Mother?”  

“I'm going to assist your father, sweetie. Hmm, you looked worried. What's on your mind?”  

Srassa explained her request, and her father smiled warmly before a realization appeared on his face. He announced the king would be delaying the Founding Festivities and the Founding Ball until further notice while he dealt with what had happened.    

From that alone, I knew the king had become aware of what I told Harold, and now it was time for him to act. That kind of stuff was priority number one. Anything else didn't matter that much.    

“I understand. Mother, father, please be careful.” Srassa took the delay announcement well. Her father hugged her, kissed her head, and promised to ask the king. He also told Momo and me that he would foot the bill to get us fitted for dresses, which included a beautician.    

In short, Harold would handle everything. Was that his way of further apologizing to me? That he couldn't take care of the underground slave market before this?   

The mage quickly raised his staff once Harold gave the okay and used a spell called [Teleportation Gate]. Albert informed me the ability saved the location coordinates of specific attunement crystals, so it was useless if you couldn't access one. A magic circle appeared beneath them, and Harold, his wife, and the mage were gone in a flash.  

Srassa showcased a frown after they left. Momo cheered her up while we returned to her room.    

“There is an alternative,” said Momo once we sat back on the bed. “We can still head to the ball and have fun and all that kinda stuff, but we can still do something small here.”   

“Like what?” I asked.    

Momo brought up having a small party or dinner at Nimyra's– what the Drow Elf suggested in the first place– and we were on board with it.    

I'd have to ask for permission, but I was sure she'd agree. Another problem was her job. I didn't know how packed her schedule was, but she probably needed a break.