With his mind made up, Colin approached Bastiat's group, accompanied by Safira, who followed him closely. It would be interesting to join the trio—perhaps he could learn a thing or two.
"Guys, this elf has come to help us. He's accompanied by the boy!"
Bastiat announced loudly, drawing the attention of the other three adventurers sitting at a table in the corner of the tavern.
The place was bustling with people, the sounds of conversation, laughter, and music blending into a lively hum.
Elara, the cleric, smiled warmly, stood up, and extended her hand to greet Colin.
"Welcome! I'm Elara, the group's cleric."
Kaldor, the swordsman, nodded without getting up. He had a mug of wine in hand and seemed relaxed.
Darian, the archer, smiled and gave a friendly wave. He was leaning casually against the wall, his bow and quiver resting beside him.
"I'm Kaldor, the warrior. If you need someone to take a few hits for you, I'm your guy!" he joked, taking a sip of his wine.
"And I'm Darian, the archer. Looks like we've gained two new companions for the mission!" he added, his tone light with curiosity.
Colin shook Elara's hand firmly and nodded to Kaldor and Darian. He felt a bit nervous but tried not to show it.
"I'm Colin, and this is…"
"Safira," the girl replied softly, avoiding eye contact as she stayed close behind Colin.
The group was surprised to realize the "boy" was actually a girl, but Bastiat, not wanting to spoil the mood, continued cheerfully.
"We're looking forward to working together. Why don't you sit down? I'll ask the tavern keeper for more glasses and his best roast!" he said, tapping the table with enthusiasm.
He gestured to the tavern keeper, who quickly brought four more glasses and a plate of roast beef with fresh bread.
Colin and Safira sat down at the table, next to Elara and Darian.
Bastiat took the seat at the head of the table, pouring wine for everyone.
Raising his glass, he proposed a toast.
"To our new alliance!"
Everyone joined in the toast, their glasses clinking together.
"So, Colin," Elara said, picking up the conversation. "Which clan of the Dark Elves do you come from?"
"None," Colin replied curtly.
He didn't want to dwell on it, and he hoped she wouldn't press further.
"A family without parentage?" commented Kaldor, impressed. "That's something you don't see every day. You must have an interesting story to tell."
"Where are you heading?" asked Elara, changing the subject. "You don't look like you're from around here. Just passing through, like us, right?"
Colin crossed his arms.
"Anywhere that has money."
It was too early to trust these strangers, and he didn't want to get too involved with them.
Kaldor raised his glass in a casual toast.
"Now that's the spirit. Money makes the world go round, and we know that better than anyone," he said with a mischievous smile.
"You look young. Why don't you come to the capital with us?" suggested Elara in a sympathetic tone. "There are plenty of opportunities there for someone like you. You could even study at the university if you wanted to."
"I don't think he'd be interested in something like that," Darian interjected, his expression serious. "It's far away—and dangerous to get there."
The conversation piqued Colin's interest. He had never thought of going to the capital, but now curiosity stirred within him.
"Why? What's there?" he asked, glancing at Darian.
"The university," Kaldor replied, banging his glass on the table with enthusiasm. "It's the place to learn everything—magic, science, history, art, you name it. If you join, you can even start your own guild. And one day, you might work for the emperor himself. People would kill for an opportunity like that," he said, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
Bastiat returned with more wine, settling back at the table. He listened to Kaldor's words and nodded in agreement.
"That's right," he said, handing a glass to Colin. "We'll gather some money and head there. The empire is full of bastards, but they pay well. You should come with us. Maybe you'll discover some hidden talent, eh?" he added with a wink.
"Yeah, who knows."
The group continued drinking and sharing stories, talking about their future plans and past missions. They spoke of their hometown with passion, reminiscing about their childhoods.
Colin and Safira remained mostly silent, just listening. They ate the roast the tavern keeper had brought, and when they had finished their food and drink, they headed straight to the inn.
They passed the innkeeper, climbed the stairs, and reached the room. It was a simple space with partitions dividing it into smaller sections, each with several beds.
"You can stay here. There's a bed, though it's small—it should fit both of you."
Bastiat slid the door shut, leaving them alone. Colin picked up one of the pillows and tossed it onto the floor.
"You can have the bed. I'll sleep on the floor."
"…"
"What?"
"Mr. Colin… am I a burden to you?"
Colin stared at her for a few seconds.
"Yeah. Once we've done a few jobs and I get paid, I'll give you some money—and then you're on your own."
Her eyes filled with tears, and she lay down on the bed, turning her back to him.
Colin adjusted the pillow on the floor and lay down, staring at the wooden ceiling, listening to Safira's soft sobs.
It'll be better this way, girl.
[…]
Morning came softly, and Colin awoke in the modest room of the inn.
He got up and quietly opened the bedroom door, allowing the light of dawn to spill into the corridor.
With careful steps, he explored his surroundings, observing the still-sleeping inn.
As he approached the kitchen, the aroma of fresh bread awakened his senses.
At a nearby table, he found a basket of freshly baked bread and a bottle of coffee.
A letter lay next to it, written in handwriting Colin didn't recognize.
Curious, Colin picked up the letter, examining its contents carefully.
The words were elegant, but he couldn't understand their meaning.
I wonder what it says…
Safira had woken up, staring at him with the same frightened look on her face.
"There's bread and coffee. Looks like they left it for us."
He walked over to Safira and handed her the letter.
"What does it say?"
She read it for a few moments, her brow furrowing slightly.
"They're southwest of here… I think they're training."
"Got it."
He sat down at the table.
"Do you trust them?"
She thought for a few seconds.
"I think so… What about you?"
"I don't know. When we've finished our coffee, we'll go find them."