>>31667897
>Spy on the man
Adventure? Stupidity?
Let's find out

And we're back. Thanks for the timely response. moot.
>>31667897
>>Spy on the man

>>31667897
>Spy on the man

>>31667897
>>Spy on the man
I missed the last thread, but why didn't we tell Sissel about his dad? Wouldn't he be interested in his father as well?

>>31668476
He already seemed to know, and he left right after we confirmed his identity.

You and Carna do your best to keep your steps quiet, moving around the crowds and keeping yourself out of the eyesight of the men moving the bags. Sneaking in between some untrimmed bushes near the one-eyed man, you listened in on his conversation with one of the soldiers whose helmet looked just a bit more complex than the others.

"Are you sure about this, Sir Goss?" The soldier asked.

"It is the order of Duke Santo." The one-eyed man, Goss responded.

"He has been saying Franson will march for years now, but still I see no signs of aggression."

"It is not our place to question our masters, what the Duke says, I do. And what I say, you do."

The soldier shook his head as he made way back to the caravans, ready to lug over more supplies.

"Ah, do be careful with that bag. It's filled with moonpowder, we can't have it exploding before The Lady's Night." Goss ran over to where the soldier was carrying a bag, grabbing the other end and helping with the efforts.

"Did you get any of that?" Carna asked you, you shook your head. At the time, you didn't understand any of what was happening.

"Moonpowder huh... sounds tasty." Carna's mouth sat open in ponder, "Let's go see what your mother's making! I'm starving!"

Your gut had a bad feeling about this Goss man, but it had a worse feeling from how empty it was. Hand in hand with Carna, you returned home.

And so the dream ends.

Wow, that was a long time of posting disabled.

File: librarianquest.png (33 KB, 600x400)

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>Year 484 of the Raschan Calendar

Ten years ago you lost her, Carna; ever so curious. Ten years later, not any demon could stop you from fiding her.

"Geez, what in the world is keeping him?" Rein sighed out, her hands on her hips.

As usual you'd planned to go to class with Leona, Rein and Yu'yen. The events the previous week hadn't been mentioned by any of the teachers, perhaps a quiet consideration to the girl who lost her father. Leona and Rein were at the front door at the usual time, but Yu'yen seemed to be running late today. His sleeping habits were questionable, but not ever did he keep you waiting in the morning.

"We can spare a few more minutes right sis?" Leona said.

"I guess, but we should probably be there early today."

Today was the start of your fifth month, you'd finished learning the foundations of magic and gotten a couple very simple weaves under your belt. Now you were set to learn what you'd been waiting for the last ten years, today Silvest would teach about demons, you could learn more about the fiend that took Carna away from you.

"Grrrrr! I'm going, even Anlak will beat us there at this rate," Rein mentioned your dark-skinned classmate, who had a knack for showing up just before the class' start, "You two coming?"

"I guess so." Leona nodded and made to follow her sister Rein.

You certainly don't want to be late for the start of this, but you know Yu'yen would wait for you...

>Go with Leona and Rein
>Wait for Yu'yen

>>31668514
but he didn't want to see him? Shanan was about to die as well, we knew that.

>>31668577
>Wait for Yu'yen

>>31668577
>>Wait for Yu'yen
is he still gunning for Sheryl?

>>31668577
>Look for Yu'Yen

>>31668679
He's gunning for everything that's a woman and isn't Belgran

"You two head on first, I'll see to Yu'yen." You tell the sisters, and wave them off as they leave the dorms.

You spend a few minutes more by the entrance way, but as time passes it's pretty clear that you'll be late if you don't exit soon. You make way back to the men's hall and knock a few times on Yu'yen's door, when he doesn't answer you push it open. One of the few times the rooms lacking locks has worked out nicely for you.

Clothes are tattered all over the place, the few books he keeps are likewise on the floor. His desk is covered in paper scraps, an ink jar sits on it with the cap left open. Yu'yen lays in bed, his eyes are open, "Ah, I guess it's time for class huh." He shifts his gaze to you and begins to drag himself out of his sheets without another word, you avert your eyes and cap off his ink before it dries itself out, hearing him toss clothes over his body.

"Up late last night?" You ask Yu'yen.

"No. Just didn't really feel like getting up today." He answers without much energy.

Though not looking for it, you can't help but notice the papers on his desk when you close off the ink jar. Numerous news clippings about Rascha's criminal underworld, articles on the child trades and demonic cults.

You tuck the knowledge into the back of your mind, then exit into the hallway. Yu'yen joins you shortly.

A creek from the left catches your attention, you see Anlak exiting his room, staring at the two of you in surprise.

>CONT

>>31668725
...honestly I kinda suspect woman is not nessicarily a prerequisite

>>31669000
Pretty sure he's said he has no interest in men.

After seeing Anlak's tattoos some time ago, Yu'yen has made an awful lot of effort befriending the quiet Daktori. Some of them border on embarrassing, but no one has bothered to make any issue out of it with Yu'yen being as sociable as he is, and Anlak being as unsociable as he is.

You'd expected the walk to class with the two of them to be awkward, but rather than Yu'yen making clumsy efforts to befriend your stoic classmate, the stroll was silent and tense. You stood between the two of them, each one just staring forward down the path and not making any noise.

At the front of The Archives, you spot Henry seated at a bench. You'd met the fellow the previous week under some unfortunate circumstances, but every time you've seen him around since, he'd just been an awkward mess. Today, he was swaying sleepily from side to side, mumbling words to himself. His bushy brown hair hovered over his eyes.

"Aaah, she's so cute. Not like all those other Belgran girls, hearts as cold as their country."

Anlak raises a brow at Henry and eyes him curiously, but continues walking. You expect Yu'yen to suggest playing a little trick on the fellow, but he like-wise just passes on by.

You've only a few minutes to class, but perhaps you could do something to raise the mood of your friends at the start of the day.

>Keep walking
>[Cunning] Play a trick on Henry

>>31669130
>Keep walking

Rolled 5

>>31669130
>[Cunning] Play a trick on Henry
Bro'en is pretty down why not?
I mean what's the worst that can happen?

>>31669130
>>Keep walking

>>31669130
>>Keep walking
we've given him a hard enough time already.

You walk past Henry and ignore him like the others, it's probably for the best not to involve yourself with him any more than you have to.

When you get to class, just barely in time, you see the cat Seeker Silvest standing on the podium giving the three of you an annoyed look, "I see that the girls are the ones with all the competence in this class."

"Meow-time." You slyly say as you head towards your seat, Silvest doesn't make a response. As usual, Sheryl seems to have been seated well before everyone else, you were worried about how she'd do after the recent events but things seem to have only changed for the better in regards to her relationship with everyone. Her books are ready and prepared on her desk, and a little beret sits beside them neatly. Leona and Rein make idle chatter some seats behind you, but the start of class stops you from considering on listening in.

"Alright. Let me reintroduce myself, I am Silvest, White Cat of the Seekers, brown cat outside of them, and your lecturer on demonic things. Over the next month, we'll be discussing contractors, demons, and the history on and between them. To begin with, could anyone tell me what a demon is?"

It's a wonder whether or not the question needs to be asked, your class has seen them far more than anyone should be comfortable with.

"Demons are the sons of Rasc, the Hound of Rascha. From the world beneath the seams, they spill out in order to unmake The Shepherd's order." Leona answers.

>CONT

"A classic answer, good enough for now. To clear up a common misconception though, while Rasci are said to be born from the beast's incorporeal body, the 'demons' most people are familiar with are the spawn of Rasci. As both forms exist in opposition to the world's natural order, they have difficulty holding their form. There is a sort of demon that can wander freely though, can anyone tell me what they are?"

"Goblins." Leona answers again.

"That's right. Originally, goblins were faeries, a race created by Catus, God of Mysteries. When Rasc devoured them, he corrupted them so that they may do his bidding on our planes as they could exist without being pressured into oblivion. A fun little tid-bit, the unlucky common black cat are also dyed in Rasc's colours."

"Why aren't you black then?" Rein asks.

"Why aren't you." Silvest hisses back at her rather unprofessionally. Rein crosses her arms and slumps back in her seat.

"At any rate. For rasci and demons to exist for long, they require a contractor belonging to this world. I'll tell you first about the types of contractors so that we can delve into more complex things." Silvest hops off forward from the podium, standing before the class.

"The most common contractors are like Kran and Masoch, symbiotic contractors. The demon, or demons in the latter's case sit within the host's body, their powers seep into the host slowly."

>CONT

"By working with the host, the demon can hide itself in society to further it's means. Devouring one too fast leaves them in a place where the world will again try to banish them, but with gradual efforts they can trick the fates that be to accepting them when they consume the host fully." Silvest puts on a devilish smile, "Thus letting the demon walk about Rascha freely. As you can see, some demons come to like their arrangement enough to serve their host faithfully, while others are borrowed from thinly to the point where the host becomes dominant."

"What about Kita?" Leona raises her hand.

"Kita would be a sub-contractor, he consumes parts of the demons in the bodies of Gin and Rum in order to borrow their powers. Eating demon flesh lets him borrow powers without much in the way of risking his mind but... well, let's just say that his smoking problem isn't the only reason he'll die young."

"And you?"

"My demon... or my host... my partner and I have already long since overlapped each other, it's known as a synchronization. At this point, I and my partner are interchangeable. Just think of me as Silvest. There are a few more complicated relationships between man and demon but we'll just deal with these simple ones for now. Take a moment to think to yourself, what sort of agreement would suit you?"

You lean back in your chair, and the thought crosses your head. You'd like to be a...

>Symbiotic Contractor
>Sub-Contractor
>Synchronized Contractor

>>31670062
Is non an option?

>>31670133
Write-ins are always an option. Especially that one.

>>31670062
>Synchronized Contractor
Can we Synch with more than one demon?

>>31670133
>Symbiotic Contractor
Have your soul slowly eaten by a monster so that it can have a free ride to reek havoc in the human realm.
>Sub-Contractor
Die young
>Synchronized Contractor
Lose who you are and become a different person

They all sound shitty. I suppose Sub-Contractor is the least shitty... I think.

>>31670062
>>Symbiotic Contractor
>>31670216
Symbiotic is the least shitty, so long as you find the right demon.

>>31670153
Then I'll vote for no.

>>31670216
>Synchronized Contractor
Lose who you are and become a different person
Synchronization implies harmony though

>>31670062
>>Symbiotic Contractor

>>31670235
>Symbiotic is the least shitty
Merging with a demon is basically committing suicide. Sure a new person will be walking around with a meat puppet that looks just like you. But the original you is dead.

No demon at all is best.

>>31670330
Not if you find a demon that's happy to not kill you and take over your body. No demon at all would probably fuck us over pretty badly, given our job.

>>31670062
> none of the above.

Who needs magic?

>>31670385
A member of the Seekers?

>>31670361
I misread your post. Being a Synchronized Contractor is suicide.

>>31670285
A corpse reaches harmony with its surroundings when it stops decomposing.

>>31670062
>Symbiotic Contractor

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>>31670153
We can already use magic why do we even need a demon?

We'll just keep beating the shit out of them with our sword.

>>31670423
Not really. You die in the same way that the you that's sitting here reading Librarian Quest will be dead in 10 years, except it happens a lot faster than that and you get cool magic powers.

>>31670475
I actually like this dumb idea

>>31670475
Note how we usually end up in the infirmary for weeks afterwards

>>31670062
>>Symbiotic Contractor

>>31670502
But the main character already has magic powers. A demon might make him a little stronger but he can already take on the lower level one with practically no training.

He just needs to buckle down on swordsmanship and magic training. Demons are not needed.

>>31670216
> No demon

Gin, Graps, Rum and Silvest haven't done anything to terribly wrong you yet... dangerous chores aside, but you've seen ten years ago what demons can do, and not ten days ago you've seen the way becoming a contractor can tear families apart. You can change your mind later, but right now you have no interest in signing over your soul.

The rest of the class goes by with Silvest repeating much of what you've already learned, Leona enthusiastically tosses out question after question, but Rein doesn't seem to make heads or tails of it, you and Sheryl already know too well, and neither Anlak nor Yu'yen have any energy today.

"I've heard the other instructors typically hand out a training mission on the first day, but there's nothing I can offer you that would be safe to show or do. You're dismissed."

You take a moment to yourself before gathering your things, you can't help but wonder, did the Rasci that manifested in your village have a contractor behind him back then?

"Hey."

Events run through your head, there were definitely strange things going on in the week leading up to what happened.

"Hey!"

Perhaps sooner is better than later to look into this, with the resources you have."

"Hey idiot! Pay some goddamn attention!" A firm slap from Rein brings you back to the present world.

>CONT

>>31670502
It's like you don't believe in magical fantasy after-lifes for your soul.

>>31670062
I'm voting for no contract. I suspect getting one would greatly complicate things with Carna, especially if she contracted.

"Geez, pay attention already! Yu'yen already left so we can talk now." Rein places her hands on her hips, shaking her head at you. Sheryl and Leona each stand at opposite sides of her. You spot Anlak getting up from his chair to leave, but the feisty short-haired Belgran girl kicks off after him, and grabs him by the collar, before dragging him over to where you're gathered.

"What're we talking about again?" You ask.

"It's Yu'yen's birthday today! Remember?" Leona touches the tips of her fingers together.

"...yes?"

"Geez, you didn't forget did you?"

"How did we know in the first place?"

"Ah, I may've had a peek at the records while I was looking up your... Yu'yen's birthday." Leona nods to herself.

"If he didn't tell us then he probably wants to be left alone." Sheryl says quietly, the beret that was on her desk now rests on her head.

"That's ridiculous, he loves events. I'm sure he was too shy to tell us." Rein keeps a grip on Anlak's sleeve, you see your dark-skinned classmate's eyes shifting around, looking for a means of escape.

"Come on, one of us needs to keep him distracted while the others prepare. We'll have two decorating the dorms, and two buying things in the market."

You sigh, it doesn't look like there's any way out of this.

>Volunteer to distract Yu'yen
>Volunteer to get supplies
>Volunteer to decorate the dorms

Captcha: Suffering orkimen

>>31670774
"Girls, have you SEEN him today? I don't think his birthday is a very happy event for him. If we're doing this, we better be tasteful about it."

>>31670774
>>Volunteer to distract Yu'yen

>>31670774
>Volunteer to distract Yu'yen

>>31670774
>Volunteer to distract Yu'yen
We can find out why he's in a bad mood and warn him about the party.

>>31670774
>Volunteer to distract Yu'yen

Suggest that we keep things fairly low key, just enough to show we care

"I guess I'll go see Yu'yen then..." You get up from your chair, grabbing your things.

"Make sure he doesn't return to the dorm until nightfall! Seriously, make sure!" Rein sticks her finger right up to your nose.

"If you're returning to the dorms, could you take my bag? I'd like to go straight to the market, I saw this recipe the other day for Ouros Snake Cake." Leona smiles at you.

"Uuh, Leona... maybe you should go back to the dorms. I think I'll take Anlak to the market so he can hold everything." Rein shivers at the mention of the cake. Anlak sighs, not happy about his decisions being made for him.

"Well, alright. Just you and me then Sheryl." Leona turns her attention to the elf girl, with the beret on her head instead of a hood her ears stand to attention freely.

"I don't really know anything about decorating..." Sheryl says meekly

"It's okay, I'll teach you." Leona shakes Sheryl's hand a few times for good measure.

"Alright, let's go! We're going to make this one a good one!" Rein thrusts a fist into the air, Leona follows her lead enthusiastically, you and Sheryl just slowly raise your hands to keep her happy. Anlak turns for the door again, but Rein tosses her bag to Leona before quickly pursuing him out.

"I guess the three of us are going back together then." You take Rein's bag out of Leona's hand to carry it before leading the girls out.

>CONT

"Is... is money okay for a present?" Sheryl asks as you walk back to the dorms to drop everything off and pick up Yu'yen.

"I don't think he'll even notice if you don't bring a gift." Leona bites her lip softly thinking.

"I didn't get him anything, how about you?" You say.

"Well uuh... I got a book for him." Leona's eyes dart away from you, her cheeks 'catch fire' immediately.

"What kind of book?" Sheryl curiously peeks up.

"Ah... well I um... I went to a store and I bought a book there."

"Which store?"

"Ah, you know... just a small one, out of the way, I'm sure you've never been."

"The one with the little sign that changes every time you walk by it?"

Leona coughs, "Ah, I see you've been there."

Sheryl nods.

"So what book was it?" You ask, Leona's usually so energetic talking about her reads.

"Well er... it was written by Marquis Luid in 369, it's an auto-biography that I thought he'd like." Leona mumbles.

"I don't think Yu'yen likes auto-biographies, what's the title?"

"Well, I thought the topic would suit him. See, it's about the marquis... and this woman, er, women... and um, the title is 'The Prince Intimate'." Leona's so red it practically extends to her finger-tips.

You recognize the title as one of your own benefactor's 'off-limits' books and decide to let the poor girl go.

"...so what's it about exactly?" Sheryl doesn't seem to quite understand.

>Explain the book to Sheryl
>Let Leona off

>>31671336
"Do you really need me to repeat the birdseed thing?"

>>31671336
>Explain the book to Sheryl
Obvious choice is obvious

>>31671369
Even better since there are two of them now.

>>31671369
There are no brakes on the Sphagehtii train

>>31671336
>>Let Leona off

>>31671336
>Explain the book to Sheryl

You take a deep breath, and steel your mind. There is nothing that can stop you, you're an invincible man right now.

"You've seen picture books, right Sheryl?"

"Yes?"

"Well, basically it's a picture book for adult men."

"Like a weapons manual?"

"Yes, less manual, more weapons."

Leona eyes you cautiously.

"Unlike a weapons manual which you'd spread on a table between your friends, the book in question is for... private use. In it are depictions of loving acts, and accompanying text to tell the stories." You do your best to keep a straight face, you can see Sheryl's eyes sharpening, she might catch on too quickly this time.

"I think it'd be faster if I were to give an example."

Leona's eyes widen, she soundless mouths to you to stop, but you're in too far to back out now. You draw your sword, and take out the tattered map of Fort Kuglak, who knew you'd have a use for it again, "Leona, if you would."

"WHAT!?" Leona takes a step back from you.

"QUICKLY, BEFORE SHE CATCHES ON. PAGE 140! FROM LINE SIX!"

Flustered and confused, Leona just follows your direction. You hold the hilt in your hand and lower it so the back rests just between your legs, Leona lowers herself to her knees, kneeling just behind you. You pass the tattered map to her.

"I-I'm sorry master! The cup was too hot, and it didn't h-h-have any handles!" Leona says in a stutter.

"Well you'd best clean the spill off before your mouth is put to use to things other than apologizing!" You respond.

>CONT

>>31671462
Not so much spaghetti as red faces, awkward silence and hilariousness. The best part will be that after the MC leaves, Sheryl and Leona will need to spend the rest of the day together.

Rolled 98

>>31671766
So Much lewd.

>>31671766
I... have no idea whats happening right now.

>>31671890
We're acting out erotic fiction with Leona and our sword

She hesitates, but Leona takes the tattered map in hand and places it on the blade of your sword. Slowly, she runs the paper up and down the blade, polishing it.

"I see I've hired you for a reason, you'll do well in this household."

"Th-thank you master."

"Where do you see yourself in five years, maid?"

"Oh, I only wish to save enough money for my brother's treatment."

Sheryl squints as the two of you act out the sordid story of the book.

"And what will help you do that? Should I give you a raise? Would you like to be my personal head maid? Or perhaps your brother would do best if we put him under the family doctor..." You channel the long dead spirit of Marquis Luid.

"Please don't tease me sir." Leona seems to be getting fairly into character.

"Think it over would you? Now, I'm to meet a dame from Grendale. I still see a stain there, if you would clean that off with some water..."

"But I spilled the drinks sir."

"That's fine, I see some wet between your li-" Before you finish your line, a hard kick to the knees shocks you out of character. You drop your blade, and look forward to see Sheryl staring at you unimpressed. She grabs Leona's hand and pulls her up to her legs, then leads her ahead towards the dorms without a word while you try to catch yourself, hopping on one foot. Leona hides her face the whole way.

"Mission complete..." You mutter as you trip on your fallen sword, toppling over onto your face.

>CONT

>>31671933
but
>You hold the hilt in your hand and lower it so the back rests just between your legs
By "back" does he mean that the blade is between MC's legs with the handle coming out the front?
>kneeling just behind you.
Why is she behind us

>>31672009
I'm surprised Rein didn't materialize from nowhere and body's lam our shit
Oh shit guys Rein must never know

Rolled 96

>>31672009
>>31671766
MC you glorious motherfucker. I hope someday you get a name so it can be put into songs.

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When you return the dorms you don't see either of the girls immediately, Chance isn't waiting at his usual spot either. Perhaps they've been kidnapped on the way back, perhaps you went a little too far. Whatever the case, you could deal with it later.

You make way to the men's hall and knock a few times on Yu'yen's door. In a repeat of the morning, you have to let yourself in.

Sitting at his desk, Yu'yen is deep in focus going over the papers in front of him. He has a look far more grave than any you'd ever seen on him before. You consider backing out, but it'd be a problem if you got Rein angry now, especially after the last little display with Leona. You walk up behind Yu'yen and tap on his shoulders to get his attention...

He twists his body and brings up the sharp end of a pen to your neck, holding it not an inch off from your skin. You can feel light drips of ink touching your skin.

"...hey." You say.

"...hey." He says, pulling the pen away and wiping it off with some loose papers, before wrapping it up in them.

"So... you want to go out for a walk?" You ask Yu'yen.

He looks down to the papers on his desk, their positions have changed and there's writing scrawled on them them in the Lunese language unknown to you, but it's the same clips from the morning.

"Sure. I could use a break friend. Where're we going?"

You think over the things Yu'yen likes to do, but your list comes short.

>Invite Yu'yen to...
>...Find women
>...The baths
>Write-In

>>31672306
>Invite Yu'yen to find women

>>31672306
Training Grounds

Yu'yen needs to work that aggression out of his system.

Rolled 20

>>31672306
>...Find women

Rolled 1

>>31672306
>Invite Yu'yen to a bar
Bro time? Liquor and women mang

>>31672306
>...Find women
Not suspucious at all.

>>31672306
>>...The baths

"How about we go out and flirt around the city?" You suggest to Yu'yen. He gives you a suspicious look with the statement, but quickly shrugs his shoulders to it and gets up.

"Why not. Wait for me outside while I prepare."

You give Yu'yen a nod before leaving for the front entrance. It's another few minutes until he arrives, he's not terribly dressed up, but it seems he's quickly prepared himself to look better than he did in the morning. The two of you set out to town.

"And here I've been thinking you'd still be all strung up over that lady of yours, from your hometown was it?"

"Carna." You say, "Carna was her name."

"A pretty name. I'm sure she was a pretty girl."

"She was twelve when she vanished."

"You're something to hold onto a crush for so long. I suppose that is marrying age though."

"It wasn't romantic." The people in your home town were excited when Carna turned twelve, there were talks that you and her would be married when you were just a little older, and often you considered it a given, but it had nothing to do with love, it just made sense to your childish mind at the time that if marriage meant two people would be together forever, then married you would be.

"Well, that's good to hear," Yu'yen smirks your way, "Don't want you getting all nervous out in town that your old wife might catch you."

>CONT

You and Yu'yen stood around in the town square, he eyed the women that passed by, you eyed the clouds over your head.

"So, what kind of ladies catch your fancy, friend? Large Belgran population aside, Deneb is filled with beauties."

You shrug your shoulders to Yu'yen's question, you've been trained to act dashing, but it wasn't more than an act. Women were the last thing on your mind, "Do you have any preferences, other than having breasts and not being Belgran?"

"Well, I'd like to marry rich for all it's worth."

"Right, prince."

"That's right. Oh, look at that beauty over there."

You look to where Yu'yen gestures, and see a familiar face. It's Deneb, Masoch's wife, carrying a barrel of what you can only assume is ale towards her bar. Despite her child, you have to admit that she's got quite a young look to her, the image of an attractive Raschan town girl. Despite their relationship though, you don't think Masoch will appreciate this if it gets out.

"So friend, you want to handle this or should I?"

>Let Yu'yen go ahead
>[Cunning] Small-talk with Deneb and trick Yu'yen
>[Alacrity] Flirt with Deneb, it couldn't hurt
>[Tenacity] Help Deneb carry the barrel inside

Rolled 15

>>31673075
We STRONK

Rolled 11

>>31673075
>[Cunning] Small-talk with Deneb and trick Yu'yen
Tell her whats happening and ask her to pretend to flirt with you.

Rolled 3

>>31673075
>[Alacrity] Flirt with Deneb, it couldn't hurt

>>31673075
"Masoch probably wouldn't appreciate us coming onto his wife."

>>31673144
I forgot this is a vote to help her

>>31673144
It's 1d12 not 1d20

>>31673162
That's why we do this >>31673145

>>31673075
>[Cunning] Small-talk with Deneb and trick Yu'yen

>>31673145
^this

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>>31673075
>[Cunning] Small-talk with Deneb and trick Yu'yen
>[Tenacity] Help Deneb carry the barrel inside
Is there a reason we can't do both? Talk to her then carry the barrel inside.

"Hooow about you let me handle this one." You tell Yu'yen, he smiles and gives you a thumbs up.

You make your way over to Deneb, placing a hand on the bottom of the barrel as if helping her straighten it, positioning yourself between her and Yu'yen so that he can see neither of your faces.

"Oh? You're Masoch's student, if I remember right, your name was..." Deneb notices you.

"Don't worry about it. Say, this is a bit of an odd request but see, my friend over there is having his birthday today. I told him I'd take him out to town to meet women, but it seems he took notice of you. Could you pretend to flirt with me so that he doesn't come over here instead? I really don't want Masoch angry at us." The man of a thousand demons is not the sort of person you want to annoy.

Deneb smiles to herself, "Oh, a young man interested in me? I guess I still have it. Well, I guess I can help you out, it's a secret from my husband though." Deneb sets the barrel down on bottom and leans forward on it with an elbow, resting her other arm on top. Her cheek sits on top of her hand, "So should I sound like I'm flirting or is making small talk okay?"

You peek back to Yu'yen who gives you another thumbs up, "Small talk should be fine."

"Well, Denoch has been asking to see you and Sheryl lately. He's really taken to you two, I wonder if it'd be alright for me to bring him to a class some time..."

"Maybe next month. We're doing demons right now." You'd rather not traumatise the child.

>CONT

You talk with Deneb for a few more minutes before she has to get back to work, you offer to help her bring the barrel in but she insists that you return to Yu'yen, though not before she insists that you bring Leona to the bar again; leaning forward and whispering into your ear about what a hit she was.

When you return to Yu'yen, he slaps you on the back a few times, "Oh, didn't know you had it in you friend."

"How about we go some place else now?" You peek around the area, hoping not to see anyone else you know.

"Hm... actually, there is a place I'd like to show you." Yu'yen smirks and walks off, you follow along behind him.

There isn't much of a 'bad part' of Deneb, the city was quiet and The Seekers made it difficult for anyone to stay hidden there, it's particular location and locals didn't make it a very profitable area for criminals to run about in either. If there were though, you'd imagine this was it.

Yu'yen had led you to a part of town you stayed clear of, not out of caution but just due to a lack of interest. Just some streets past Nitt's you found yourself in a walkway too large to be an alley, but too small to be considered the one of the main streets. A few cranky looking drunkards walked about with bottles in hand in the midday, and you swear the half a dozen half-naked women you saw weren't just making a statement.

"Welcome to Ragamuffin Way friend. Keep one eye on me and one eye on your coin purse, because it's easy to lose a lot of things here."

>CONT

You follow Yu'yen past a door, a dog is tied at the front sleeping lazily but other than that, the entrance looks like it was just a part of the streets, no sign or lights to discern it.

Smoke hovers around the insides, a tiny bar stands at the end, much smaller than Deneb's. The bartender an old man with messy grey hair and a black patch over his right eye. A Daktori waitress wearing very little walks between tables balancing plates on her hands, mugs of ale sitting on them. The people at the tables all look to be a non-agreeable bunch.

Yu'yen sits down at one of the tables, a bald heavy fellow sits at it and growls at him. He gestures for you to sit beside him and you follow.

"Hey beautiful, get my friend and I something to drink. It'll be on the baldy's coin." Yu'yen pinches the leg of the waitress as she passes by.

"Who's coin!?" The man stands up, he's taller than Anlak.

"Yours. Come on, let's play some cards. If you win, I'll cover for what you already drank and then some." Yu'yen takes a deck of playing cards out of his pocket and sets it on the table. You wonder what you're in for...

It doesn't take long before Yu'yen is winning by some hands, and the stranger's stubbornness just keeps bringing him back. You finish the ale he ordered you, but it seems he's not quite done with his game yet.

>Talk to the bartender
>Talk to the waitress
>Talk to Yu'yen about...
>...Ragamuffin Way
>...today
>Write-In

>>31674091
>Talk to the waitress
Wait until Yu'yen is drunk to talk about whats going on.

>>31674091
>Write-In
Join in on the game

>>31674091
>>Talk to the waitress

>>31674159
This.

>>31674091
>Talk to the waitress

>>31674091
>Write-In
Join in on the game

When the waitress comes by, you decide to stop her for some conversation, "Sorry about my friend earlier."

"Ah, no worries. That Yu'yen there comes by every now and then, and I'm pretty used to the harassment here." The waitress' voice is a little shrill.

"Is it really okay to get used to that?"

"Well, not so many places in Deneb will hire a woman as stupid as I am." She says it so casually, "I bet you're a real gentleman though, wouldn't do anything to embarrass a girl."

You don't respond to that.

She leans down and whispers to you, it's hard not to notice her assets a bit with the way she dresses, "Didn't think Yu'yen had much in the way of friends though, you're the first person he's brought in here. He usually comes around, plays some games for drinks and then pokes around asking about things."

"What kind of things?" You whisper back.

"All sorts of stuff for scum. News on where money is passing hands in Rascha, movements of bandits, he's really big on asking about the slave trade."

You think back to the clippings this morning, Yu'yen seems to have a real invested interest in Rascha's underworld.

"Well, I've got to get back to work. If you see me around, just give me a squeeze kid." The waitress gets up and winks to you as she turns around, strutting as she walks off.

You look back to Yu'yen who's just finished his game.

"Look at that friend, free drinks for us all night."

"How about we hold off on the drinks," You pick up the deck, "Let's play a game."

>CONT

>>31674489
we probably shouldn't bet anything

"Well, there's not much for us to bet on. I won't be able to walk back to the dorms if I've got two people paying for my rounds." Yu'yen smirks at you.

"You sound real confident that you'll win." You look back at him, the bald guy walks off towards the bar counter dejected.

"Well I mean, in a book, I'd be a dashing rogue and you friend, you'd be a clumsy bookworm. Or some sort of quiet noble if you prefer that."

Oh if only Yu'yen knew about your acting today, "Those inaccurate comparisons aside, let's play."

"Well then, what are we going to bet? I play for fun, but you can't have fun playing without stakes... oh, I know. How about if I win, you tell me all about that Carna from your village."

You weren't exactly trying to keep it a secret, but it seems that Yu'yen has that impression.

"Then if I win..." You think over what you'll have Yu'yen wager.

>His pride, you can have him do something embarrassing at the party
>His story, even out the odds, if you win then he'll tell you his secrets
>He can owe you one later, though it might be hard to collect with him
>Write-In

>>31674651
>His story, even out the odds, if you win then he'll tell you his secrets

>>31674651
>His pride, you can have him do something embarrassing at the party
Make him ask Sheryl out, but ham it up. Flowers, Violin, genuflect, hand-kissing, the works

>>31674715
>Sheryl
No, make it even more embarrassing. Rein.

>>31674651
>His story, even out the odds, if you win then he'll tell you his secrets

>>31674736
this

>>31674651
>His story, even out the odds, if you win then he'll tell you his secrets

>>31674736
This.
We don't want to damper his mood before the party. Let him tell us his story at a more fitting time.

>>31674715
I think he's asked her out multiple times already. Sometimes hammed up sometimes not

>>31674736
This would be better

But I'm going with
>His story, even out the odds, if you win then he'll tell you his secrets

You want to ask Yu'yen about his story but you'll have chances later. Right now...

"Alright, we'll continue from earlier. If I win, you'll have to ask someone out in front of me." You tell Yu'yen, arms crossed.

"Easy! That's practically a reward!"

"You'll have to go over the top, go the whole mile! Put on something nice, grab some flowers, play some music, be a real gentleman."

"No different from usual. This is hardly a bet at all!"

"It has to be Rein."

"Well that can't be di- what."

"Rein. Short bob, orange hair, blue eyes... Belgran." You emphasize the last part.

"No, no, NO! I will never, ever so much as think to flirt with a Belgran lady. Why just the thought of it..." Yu'yen's face curls up, he coughs a few times for dramatic effect.

"Well, that's only if you lose. You're not thinking of backing out are you?" You pick up the deck and begin shuffling.

"Ugh... fine fine. Have it your way." Yu'yen chugs down what remains of his drink and calls the waitress to bring him another, it looks like you got him. You deal out the cards, and the game begins.

...for the first few hands of your game, the two of you are neck and neck, almost eerily. It's no surprise, both of you paid full attention to Kita's class on reading faces and hiding expressions. On the final hand, Yu'yen shifts his glance up at you and gives you the a bastard smile. Your hand is no good, and you have a feeling his is.

>[Cunning] Try to read through Yu'yen
>[Alacrity] Try to cheat
>Play it straight

Rolled 8

>>31675034
>[Cunning] Try to read through Yu'yen

Rolled 1

>>31675034
>[Cunning] Try to read through Yu'yen

>>31675077
So, crit fails don't override other rolls, right?

>>31675034
>Play it straight
we don't HAVE to win

>>31675117
I don't think so

>>31675117
Nope.

I miss bad rolls, I like writing the protagonist best when he's failing.

>>31675161
Just have us fight another demon.

>>31675161
just think of the hilarity we can get from him asking out rein

You watch Yu'yen carefully, he's got a lot of confidence in his hand, did your luck run out in the last stretch? You'd have no choice but to ditch your cards and hope for the best here... if you didn't know what was going on.

Between the two of you, the game had been going one win for him and one for you until now, going by that pattern it'd be his victory. It's odd that in his games against the balding man that he won every round of a game that was mostly luck, but it'd been so close for the two of you.

You shuffled the first spread, and from then on the two of you alternated. Chances are it he wasn't doing something there. If the cards were marked, he'd likely play the odds further apart in case you winded up lucky. His sleeves are far too short to be hiding something there...

"You're cheating." You say.

"Cheating how?" Yu'yan raises an eyebrow in your direction, not denying it but raising a question.

You can't imagine what Yu'yan would possibly be doing, and honestly it wasn't impossible he was just getting lucky but you caught him just then, if he weren't cheating, you know well enough that he'd have denied it, rather than challenge you the way he did. Four months with him has taught you that much at least.

The waitress comes by again, Yu'yen has been downing his drinks swiftly, calling her over between each hand and even for yours, giving her a firm squeeze on the rear each time.

>CONT

Rolled 1

>>3167504
>[Cunning] Try to read through Yu'yen

As the waitress walks by you, you gamble on an idea.

You reach your hand out, still filled with cards and slide it down on the woman's behind, praying to yourself that this doesn't land you in trouble somehow. Your hands slip into the pocket on her bottom, and you confirm your suspicions. You let go of your cards, and draw five new ones as you take your hand back to the table.

Yu'yen gives you a bothered look, when the waitress leans down by him to place down a new mug, he reaches behind her and gives her a quick smack, unlike you he does it with his free hand, his other hand just slipping under the table for a moment. When his hand comes off the waitress, it slips behind his chair where you can't see it in an instant, his arm lowering below the table and both hands coming back up so you can see the back of his cards. It happens in just a second.

Too quick, too skillful for a bunch of drunkards to think it possible.

But you know well what just happened, and so does he.

"Geez, your hand was the dogs, you cheater." Yu'yen says.

"Cheating how?" You respond to him.

He sighs and reveals the poor hand you passed to him via the waitress on the table, you reveal the winning hand he was expecting.

"I saw every bit of that." He looks up at you.

"Should I explain the trick so everyone else here finds out?" You shoot back at him.

Yu'yen sighs heavily and stands up, "You bastard. You win this time."

Leaving your bills to the old baldy, you and Yu'yen go to leave the bar.

>CONT

Yu'yen whines the entire time as you pick out flowers for him, and some more as you walk back to the dorm. The sun having finally set.

"How about I ask out five non-Belgran women?"

"No."

"How about one ugly non-Belgran woman?"

"No."

"Show up in Masoch's office, naked."

"No. Why in the world do you hate Belgran women so much?"

"I'm just saying, any woman can break your heart, but Belgran women will break your bones, your horse's bones, and your bone's bone."

The two of you come up to the doors of the dorm, you prepare your ears for the celebration inside, and your rear if Rein has been informed by Leona or Sheryl of what happened. Swallowing your breath, you push the door open ahead of Yu'yan.

"SURPRISE!" Leona and Rein yell out, Anlak and Sheryl repeat it apathetically, tossing coloured paper bits into the air. Chance runs to the door and runs between your legs, then sits over beside Yu'yan panting.

You turn to Yu'yan and put on a calm smile, "Happy birthday Yu'yan."

Yu'yan's eyes widen in surprise, he looks between you and the others as he walks inside, the dog trailing behind him.

"Uuuh... sorry, there seems to be a misunderstanding." He says.

Sheryl drops the pile of confetti in her hand, she looks over at Leona accusingly, "It's... your birthday right?"

"Well..."

"I saw it in the records, I swear!" Leona raises her hands defensively.

"Ah. I guess it might be on the Raschan calendar... but uh, I celebrate on the Lunese calendar." Yu'yan chuckles.

>CONT

The initial shock wears off pretty quickly when Yu'yan insists on holding the little party anyways, "I've already got a few drinks in me, might as well live them up." He says. Things go under way pretty quickly, and although no one but the six of you and Chance are present, Anlak and Sheryl being present brings up the numbers compared to your usual dinners and the shared food and drink waiting in the kitchen is dressed up a fair amount.

The presents come out early, but it's only the book from Leona and a shirt that appropriately suits the cold climate of Deneb from Rein.

You set the flowers aside in a corner, in preparation of Yu'yen following through on the bet. But the evening is long, and you ought to kill some time first. You had Yu'yen all day, and decide to leave him alone for a bit.

>Talk to Anlak
>Talk to Leona
>Talk to Rein
>Talk to Sheryl

>>31676079
>>Talk to Leona

>>31676079
>talk to Rein
Get her in on the bet, ask her to accept, Yuyen must suffer.

>>31676079
>>Talk to Anlak

"Rein has us all on a leash, huh?"

>>31676079
>Talk to Sheryl or Leona
We need to find out if there was any fall out from the earlier stunt.

>>31676143
If she finds out about it she'll just say no. What we're really waiting for is Rein's reaction to him asking. It will be hilarious

>>31676079
Voting for Sheryl would just make it a tie so
>Talk to Leona

>>31676079
>Talk to Leona

>>31676290
Wait I just thought of something. Right before Yu'yen does his thing we walk up to Sheryl. Ask her how she like the "show" earlier with Leona. Then tell her we arranged another little "show" with someone else. Then just walk away.

>>31676079
>Talk to Sheryl

You make way over to Leona seated at a table, she crosses her ankles, pushes herself back into her seat as much as she can and places her hands over her lap, looking defensive when you approach.

"Sorry about earlier," You tell her, "I had a little bit too much fun with that."

She gives you a quick glare, but it gives way to a smiling face quickly, "Well, don't do it again, alright?" Thankfully, she's quick to forgive.

You take the seat beside her, "It must've been hard to work up the courage to buy that book."

"It was! It was hard enough finding my own copy, I had to hide it between four novels. Then buying it again in a new to-" Leona stops herself, "Hold on, forget I said that."

"Don't worry, I'd already figured. If you hadn't owned one, you wouldn't have been able to recite those lines earlier."

She punches you lightly in the arm, "Hey, you knew them too!"

"I don't own the book! Someone I lived with did!" You defend yourself.

"Well, I hope they didn't make it a regular bedtime story because you sure were familiar with it."

You might've looked over it once or twice at the onset of puberty, but you can hardly be blamed, "What about you, it's hardly a classic Raschan romance."

Leona's face goes red and she looks away from you. Neither of you wanting to press the issue further, you turn your attention to the show about to start.

"Hey Leona, watch this. You'll enjoy it." You whisper to her, and her eyes turn up front where Rein is standing.

>CONT

>>31676524
OH BOY, DIS GUNNA BE GUD

It seems Rein was pretty excited for today, although not dressed as nicely as she was for the ball, her hair is neatly parted and her outfit, still casual; is not one you've ever seen on her before. She talks with Sheryl, exchanging words about what you hope has nothing to do with this afternoon.

"Ahem." Yu'yen approaches the pair, the bouquet you picked out in his arms.

"Oh, I'll see what Leona's doing." Rein says, lifting her feet to go.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you."

Rein stops and her eyes widen in surprise, Sheryl swiftly steps away, putting her training to the wrong uses.

"I wish I played an instrument." You mutter as Sheryl takes a seat beside Leona.

Yu'yan passes the bouquet to Rein, and gets down on one knee. He grabs one of her hands and holds it gently, "REIN. I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU." He yells to her, but his eyes are on you.

You clench your hands and shake them in excitement, Leona is leaned forward and tugging on your sleeve; pointing at the scene as if you weren't watching it, Sheryl's face is as blank as ever, but her ears are practically vibrating. Anlak stands beside Chance at another table, taking a bite from his sandwich, then passing down small bits of it to the dog.

"REIN, MOST BEAUTIFUL OF WINTER FLOWERS, YOUR HAIR RADIANT LIKE THE SUN AND YOUR EYES AS CLEAR AS THE OCEAN."

>CONT

Had a posting error and had to rewrite it, 4Chan today, mang.

>>31676879
AHAHAHA

>>31676879
You don't write in a word processor beforehand?

"I know... I KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN RUDE TO YOU IN THE PAST, INSULTING YOUR PEOPLE, QUESTIONING YOUR WOMANHOOD... BUT LISTEN TO ME WHEN I TELL YOU, THEY WERE ALL WORDS I USED TO MASK MY TRUE FEELINGS." Yu'yan intends to go the full mile with this one. You would've tried something more subtle, or perhaps made an example with some carrots and some onions but you don't hate his style.

Rein looks around the room nervous, her face is red and her lips are shaking, she looks to Anlak who just shifts his gaze away, then over to the table where the rest of you are seated and, you just give her a thumbs up, Leona and Sheryl both nod at her, biting their lips. Even the elf girl is unable to hide her interest in the scene unfolding before her. She looks back to Yu'yan, who slowly stands up.

"THE TRUTH IS REIN, AND DO NOT MAKE ME SAY IT TWICE... FROM THE VERY FIRST DAY WE MET, WHERE YOU HIT ME AND MADE ME CARRY THOSE BAGS, I HAVE BEEN IN LOVE WITH YOU." Yu'yan kisses Rein on the hand, and his eyes dart up to meet hers, "PLEASE, JUST ONCE, GRANT ME ONE DATE."

Leona and Sheryl are both standing up from their seats now. Anlak is in a squat, petting Chance. You are doing your best to hold back your laughter.

Rein's eyes shift around some more, looking for who knows what. But eventually they square back in on Yu'yan. She takes a few deep breaths and lowers her head, trying to hide her embarrassment. You ears really have to tune in to listen, "Ah... well, okay..." She says.

>CONT

>>31677033
>perhaps made an example with some carrots and some onions
That was actually really funny

>Ah... well, okay...
Was honestly not expecting that.
What happens when she finds out it what really happened.

"Ah, that's a sha-" Yu'yan lets go of Rein's hand and starts to turn back in your direction, but freezes up before he takes a second step, "Hold on... could you repeat that?"

"Don't make me say it twice..." Rein's eyes dart about the floor, her voice shakes as she repeats herself, "Just one okay... one date."

"Ah... well. Okay." Yu'yan answers in monotone. Slowly, he walks over beside you, Leona and Sheryl run up over to Rein, eager to ask her about her response.

Yu'yan slumps down beside you in a chair while the girls exit the kitchen to discuss things out of earshot, "...I really thought she'd say no if I went loud about it."

You pat him on the shoulder.

"Friend, let me tell you something. You're the worst."

You pat him harder on the shoulder, "Mission complete." Today has been a productive day for you.

"Ah. Yu'yan, why are you so devilishly charming. Even trying to fail, you can't help but have women infatuated with you. How do I turn her down now after that?" Yu'yan groans.

Anlak walks towards the door in his usual heavy strides, taking just a short pause in front of you and Yu'yan, "I certainly hope that wasn't a joke between the two of you." He drops his thoughts, and Chance onto the table.

"...was he angry?" Yu'yan turns to you. Chance licks him on the cheek.

You shrug your shoulders. Anlak didn't sound any different from usual, but his usual is hard to understand.

>CONT

>>31676926
I always go over the character limit when I do.

>>31677214
I can't believe I didn't consider having him confess to Anlak until just now.

>>31677258
That would be funny, too, and wouldn't be likely to escalate.

>>31677214
We should tell him about Carna.

"Look, friend. You got me into this. We need to figure out how we resolve this." Yu'yan whispers to you while you pick confetti off of the ground, cleaning up after the party. The girls returned shortly after they left but kept to themselves most of the evening, Anlak came back only towards the very end intent on helping with the clean-up.

"Just do the one. We're all adults here, old enough to have married and widowed." He's been bothering you about something you had no answers for all evening, and your responses are slowly becoming more cynical.

"Aaaah... Rein is one thing but if Anlak is angry..." Yu'yen tosses up some of the confetti you gathered up, reminding you of cleaning with Carna.

"What's wrong with Anlak?"

"You wouldn't understand. It's something between him and I." Yu'yan waves your question off.

The girls have spread out from each other with the end of the events so that they could get the cleaning done faster, other than Rein who Leona told you they let return to her room early so she could think to herself.

"Look, I'll handle the rest of the mess, you talk to the others." Yu'yan suggests.

"Why." You much prefer cleaning to engaging in gossip. Cleaning calms you, every table you wipe down wipes away your worries.

"They won't tell me anything friend, everybody trusts you best for some reason anyways."

>Talk to Anlak
>Talk to Leona
>Talk to Rein
>Talk to Sheryl
>Tell Yu'yen to handle it himself, you need to clean

>>31677214
I must sleep, but i usually miss your threads entirely, and read them later in the archive, so this has been delightful.

So, while I have the rare chance, let me say, this is the best quest in years, your Waifu Suppression Device is marvelous, you generally keep the quest moveing at a good pace, and you have build a lovely world. TYVM, and keep up the good work.

On and thank god for auto-refresh so the completed thread will be waiting for me tomorrow afternoon when i get the chance to read the rest.

>>31677349
>>Talk to Rein

>>31677349
>>Talk to Leona
>>Talk to Rein
>>Talk to Sheryl
we gotta ask ALL of them if they've ever been asked out before.

>>31677357
Thank you, meant to have ended this session by now but 4Chan's been ridden with drowned in problems today. I appreciate you playing.

>>31677349
>Talk to Rein
Ideally he would just go on the damn date. But if that's not an option it might be better fun us to break the news to her.

>>31677432
Nah, he's going. If she found out she would probably beat up both of them.

>>31677467
It's possible she's only going on the date because she feels bad for him. Or she might actually like him.

We need to find out which it is.

No sense flanking when the general is wide open, "I'll talk to Rein." You tell Yu'yen.

"Let her down gently!" Yu'yen says, "I'm pretty sure the amount of times she'll kill me will be proportionate to how badly her heart is broken!"

You toss confetti in Yu'yen's face before heading into the women's hall. You knock on Rein's door, the first one you see. It's a short wait before she opens up, looking surprised at you.

"I'm coming in." You tell her as you step inside and close the door behind you, a little annoyed at being denied your chance to clean the mess. Rein's room, unfortunately is perfect. Like Leona, Rein has a fair collection of romance novels, unlike Leona, that collection seems to be all the books she owns. Her desk is neat, her possessions sit up against the wall and keep her floor open to walk on, and the slight crumble in her sheets is likely only there from her getting up from them to let you in.

"If you want a date now you have to get in line." She crosses her arms and puts on a tough face, but it cracks instantly, "Ah sorry, I've just always wanted to say something like that." She smiles, grabbing your hand and shaking it.

"So... do you like Yu'yen or...?" You decide to cut right to the chase.

"I hope he didn't send you over." Rein gets on her bed, leaning against her pillows. She brings her knees in close hugging them, "I guess we're friends but... I don't know, I can decide later right?" Her smile is painfully honest.

>CONT

This is a little off topic but I'm going to bed and have been wondering something.

1) If an elf and a human have a kid is it an elf?

2) If a sub-contractor has a kid is it an elf?

>>31677598
She's never been asked on a date before... Now I feel bad.

>>31677685
yeah, I was worried about that. We need to get those 2 off the romance novels.

"You're uuh, really excited aren't you?" You take a seat on her desk chair, identical to yours. Your resolve is fading quickly.

"Well, you know... I'm a lady, right?" Rein buries her face in her knees, going from proud to happy to melancholy. You prepare yourself mentally for angry. She tilts her head looking your way, "My mother was always worried that I'd never be married, so it's just exciting that anyone is interested."

"Really? With children vanishing from Rascha and how handy you are, I'm surprised they didn't pack you off at twelve."

"In Belgrand, cooking and cleaning are the men's job. I didn't take to warfare studies or field practice well, so I wasn't very popular... Well, there were a few suitors, but my mother is a knight of some ranking, so nothing less than a noble would do."

This is going to be harder than you thought.

"Leona keeps telling me that she won't marry until I marry too, so it's a responsibility for me to find a husband while I'm out here. She's a lot stronger, and she's smart and beautiful too, mother is furious because she keeps turning down all the suitors, even a prince offered to take her in once."

You begin plotting your escape route from Rein's room.

"It's not like I'll take just anyone but... I mean, it's worth a try, isn't it?"

You sigh. You can understand her, at least a little bit.

>Tell her about the bet, this can't go on any longer
>Wish her good luck, you'll find a way to resolve this without hurting her

>>31677777
>>Wish her good luck, you'll find a way to resolve this without hurting her

Nice quints

>>31677805
Didn't notice. 7s even.

Boy, Rein's a lucky girl ain't she.

>>31677777
>Wish her good luck, you'll find a way to resolve this without hurting her

>>31677777

>Tell her about the bet, this can't go on any longer

good god what have we done?

>>31677777
I was thinking about a way to take Yu'yen's place on the date. This is all I got so far.

We could lie and tell her;
>"Yu'yen and I were talking about how to go about asking a woman out on a date. Yu'yen decided he would show me the proper way to do it. That's when he asked you out."

>>31677898
Or we could just have Yu'yen break it off after the first date. You go on a date to find out if you're compatible after all.

Maybe we should talk to Anlak next?

>>31677898
I actually think this is marginally better than we bet him to do it.

If we told her that we were talking to Yu'yen about asking her on a date. She might say no because her sister Leona has a crush on the MC.

You would even be taking Yu'yen's place since there would be no date.

>>31677992
This could work out perfectly or it could explode like a tactical nuke. Either way it will be entertaining.

Some kind of fake love polygon

"Good luck then." You get up, if you can't stop one love-sick girl from crying, what hope do you have to finding Carna.

"Hey," Rein tugs on the back of your shirt, drawing your attention to her, "Thanks for listening." Her eyes peer over to the end of her room, her cheeks as red as they were during the little joke, and her lips hold a little shine to them. Just a little bit of her sizable chest shows through the top of her shirt as she leans forward on her knees from her bed, her legs poking out from her skirt. It's hard to believe that she'd gone her entire life thinking of herself as an unattractive woman.

You give Rein a nod before exiting her room and entering the main entrance. You take a deep breath to clear your mind, and forget the sweet smell of the room you'd just left.

They haven't discussed the date yet, you'll need to tell Yu'yen tomorrow to buy time while you come up with a plan. You will stop Rein's heart from breaking, no matter what it takes.

It's about time to sleep, but you're sure you can visit at least one more person before you're intruding on their rest. Yu'yan is the obvious choice, but he might be best left for when he's got his full head together as well. Other than him, an ally might be necessary in this upcoming battle, perhaps the most dangerous you've ever been in.

>Visit Anlak
>Visit Leona
>Visit Sheryl
>Visit Yu'yan

>>31678059
>Visit Anlak
Seems like the easiest way to resolve this without hurting anyone's feelings.

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>>31677898
>>31677992
Say that we where thinking about asking Rein out but didn't think we were ready for that kind of commitment because of Carna. Not to mention Leona's crush.

That's when Yu'yen pulled the stunt. Rein might realize how much drama it would cause and not make the MC go through with the date.

This is some Lelouch level manipulation. I like it.

>>31678059
>Visit Yu'yan
He still thinks we let her down and that the date isn't happening.

>>31678059
>>Visit Anlak

This is what Yu'yan tells Rein;
MC and I were talking about who out of our class we would ask out on a date. He brings up your name. But he said he wouldn’t do it because of the whole Carna thing not to mention your sister totally like him which would make it even more awkward. I tried to convince him to go through with it but he wouldn’t. So I thought I would show him how it’s done. When I asked you out I never thought you would say yes.

Only problem is MC wouldn’t think of this on his own. Yu'yan might tho.

>>31678312
Ideally we would go talk to Yu'yan. He would tell us that he has a plan then he would go up to Rein and tell her this to cover his own ass.

>>31678312
We can avoid the need for such an elaborate lie like this completely by finding out if Anlak is actually interested in Rein or not.

>>31678312
>>31678346
The reason I wrote this is that if Rein finds out the truth she's going to think that no one will ever want her. With this lie she feels like someone wants her but the circumstances preventing it from happening. Just like in a romance novel.

>>31678312
Also, that would just put us in the same situation, except instead of Yu'Yen going on a date with her despite a total lack of attraction it'd be us.

You make way back to your hall, looking to go to sleep. But a certain curiosity crosses your mind, and you step a bit further than usual to the room past yours.

You knock once, and Anlak answers, a very welcome change from your other visits today. Communicating with Anlak has become deceptively straight forward for you, you enter without saying anything and you take a seat, he closes the door and stands beside it looking for you to start the conversation.

Unfortunately, you're not sure where to start.

"I need some help." You tell Anlak. He nods.

"Yu'yan and I made a bet today, and I won. The condition I put up for him if he lost is that he had to do... well, what we did today." You tell Anlak. He nods.

"We need your help to stop this from escalating, without breaking Rein's heart, the girls can't know about it." You tell Anlak. He nods.

"...any ideas?" You ask Anlak. He shakes his head.

You thought you were done with school antics when you graduated in Ridaela some years back, but it seems things are the same anywhere.

"Just make him go with her," Anlak says, "Rein is a... charming woman." As usual, you're not sure what to make of your dark-skinned companion. He says things straight and firm, but it just makes him harder to handle.

"You two have been spending some time together, haven't you?" You ask Anlak, trying to understand the situation better.

>CONT

>>31678390
We wouldn't actually need to go on a date with her.

If Yu'yan asked the MC "If you absolutely had to go on a date with someone in our class who would it be"
And MC answered Rein. That doesn't mean they have to go on a date.

>>31678352
But I love mind games

>>31678415
Damn it Librarian stop making things simple!

>>31678491
Anlak is going to tell Rein to not go on a date with Yu'yan because he wants to go out with her instead. Then they all live happily ever after.

I saw this from a mile away and it's boring as hell.

>>31678546
Not really, it's better than having to come up with some elaborate ruse

"She's helping me with things I can't do, and I'm helping her with things she... doesn't want to do." Anlak takes a step away from his door, taking a seat on his bed.

You're aware of Anlak's little secret, but you've made secret your knowledge since you found out. Taking a look on his desk, you can see practice letters and words scrawled out on loose papers, the stack of letters on his desk still sit unopened. "That's all?" You ask Anlak, he nods.

You glance over the letters, he gives you a look but doesn't stop you, you see at least three different names on them, 'Ecktsakk', 'Nanna', 'Ru'.

"Relatives?"

"As close as I have."

"If you marry Rein you'll have some. How about you go on the date instead." You say half-jokingly, half-hoping it'll help you find a solution.

"You should stop making jokes like this. You're going to hurt people that way." Anlak says shutting you down, it stings a little the way he says it.

"You could be a bit more friendly." You get up from the chair, to exit.

"You could be a bit less selfish." Anlak says, closing his eyes, "I heard you were looking for someone, but there're people around here other than you and her. You always lead the charge helping people, but when I follow it's because I want to help. You're just looking to feel better about yourself."

You stop.

You turn and look at Anlak, who stares back at you with his usual expression.

"That's a bad face you have. Get some sleep." Anlak tells you.

You open the door, and leave.

>CONT

You hit your bed hard when you return to your room. You don't bother picking up a book tonight.

You're not entirely sure if Anlak is willing to help you, but you don't care. Your priority is on helping Rein and Yu'yen, no matter what he says.

You can discuss with Yu'yen how you'll handle this in the morning, but right now you need to sleep.

You need to sleep. Tonight you'll rest, tomorrow you'll catch Yu'yen in the morning, tell him about what Rein talked to you over, head to class, then work out a plan after. But first, you need to sleep.

What does he know about you, about the ten years you've spent looking for Carna, you're anything but selfish. The only reason you're alive is to help someone else out.

You reflect on the events of the day, the lecture from Silvest, the little play with Leona and Sheryl, your time spent with Yu'yen, the quickly out of hand joke on Rein, and the emotions that followed in her room.

"Don't worry about it, okay?" You whisper into your pillow muffled. Memories of Carna play through your head as you fall asleep.

And so, life goes on.

>>31678717
>What does he know about you, about the ten years you've spent looking for Carna, you're anything but selfish. The only reason you're alive is to help someone else out.
ahaha, Anlak probably dropped that bombshell too early.

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It's oveeeer. Thanks for playing. Meant to end a lot earlier but some part technical issues and some part my own incompetence slowed me down a lot.

Saw this image on /tg/ yesterday and I had to save it. It's not really associated to any scene I had in mind, but this is exactly how I picture contractors at work with their powers.

Thanks for playing. I'm on the west coast so I'm not sleeping yet but I'm sure a couple of you stayed up at your inconvenience, so I appreciate it. G'night to you.

>>31678756
Thanks for the thread, Librarian.

>>31678756
That pic looks pretty bad ass. Thanks for running. Also. This question was asked earlier. >>31677629

I'm curious

>>31678813
Both are answered by whatever is more convenient whenever it comes up.

East coast fag herein not sure anybody will see this but still I regret passing out yesterday because

Holy shit guys what the hell?

Rein tells y'all she insecure about herself and is into that heavy romance stuff then y'all do this? What the hell why? And to make matters worse instead of actually admitting her y'all fucked up you dudes wanna plot and shit?
C'mon guys pls
The only way I see this ending well is if we convince Yu'yen to stop being such a fucking pussy with belgrans
I love you guys but y'all could some irresponsible shit
Also don't forget this
>but there're people around here other than you and her. You always lead the charge helping people, but when I follow it's because I want to help. You're just looking to feel better about yourself
Pretty important
Later you manipulative chuckle fucks
Pls fix this the right way

>>31680757
Are you that faggot from Harem Quest? Either way fuck off, being condescending isn't helping anything.

>>31678756
Thanks for running OP!