Eris pats my shoulder, her grin as bright as the morning sun streaming through the kitchen windows. "Hehe, now that Gordon's forgiven you, you feeling happy now?" she teases, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Nn!" I nod, my tail swishing, a bubbly warmth spreading through my chest. My ears perk up, and I can't help but smile back, still reeling from Gordon's kind words.
"Anyways, don't think too much about it," Eris says, leaning in close, her voice dropping to a sly whisper that tickles my ear. "Old Man's main goal here isn't just running a kitchen, you know?"
"Heh?" I blink, my head tilting in confusion. "What do you an???" My tail flicks, and I stare at her, my brain scrambling to keep up.
"Haha!" Gordon lets out a hearty laugh, his booming voice rolling through the kitchen like a drum, shaking the very air. "Yes, as this kitty says, I'm not just running a simple kitchen!" he declares, his chest puffing out with pride. "After all, the tavern is one of the best places to gather information from all around!"
Heeeh???
I blink up at Gordon, then at Eris, my ears twitching in confusion. Information? The tavern? My mind races, trying to connect the dots, but it's like trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces missing.
Eris chuckles, her eyes glinting like she's savoring my bewildernt. She leans against the counter, her tail curling lazily around her ankle, and tosses her hair with a dramatic flair. "We're actually working for the Adventurer's Guild, you see," she says, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "Old Man here just happens to love cooking a lot. Anyways, his whole family are all adventurers you know?"
Eeehh??
My eyes widen, and I take a step back, my tail shooting straight up like a startled cat's.
Wait!
Wait, wait, wait!
Now that Eris explains it, it clicks like a lock snapping open!
The tavern, the kitchen—it's all a front! Their real mission is gathering intel for the Adventurer's Guild! I can't believe it! I've been totally fooled, bumbling around chopping vegetables while Gordon was secretly a master spy-chef! My tail thrashes, and I clutch the counter to steady myself, my mind swirling like a whirlwind. But… to think that everyone in Gordon's family are adventurers?!
"Y-your wife too?" I stamr, my voice squeaky, my tail flicking nervously.
"Of course!" Gordon beams, his chest puffing out even more, his apron straining as he plants his hands on his hips. "My wife, Celi, is A-rank, too, you know? She's actually stronger than , haha!" His laugh booms again, warm and proud, shaking the pots hanging above the stove.
"WHATTT?? A-RANK??? And stronger than you? WHAT??" I'm shaking now, my mind spinning like a whirlwind. My ears flatten, and I grip the edge of a counter to steady myself. This is unbelievable!
"A-and your children too?" I ask, my voice trembling, barely able to keep up.
"Yup, my sons are all B-rank," Gordon says, nodding proudly.
"And what about Lilly?" I gasp, my heart racing. To think our cute sheep-girl waitress, with her fluffy curls and sweet smile, could be an adventurer too? I'm reeling!
"Of course! She's already C-rank, actually!" Gordon chuckles. "If you want, you can ask her to spar with you soti!"
"UWOOOOOOHHHH!!!" I wail, my mind completely blown, my tail thrashing like it's got a life of its own. I clutch my head, trying to process it all, while Eris just smiles, all happy and amused, clearly loving my over-the-top reaction.
———————-
"So, that being said, don't worry about it, Felicia!" Eris says, her voice light and reassuring.
"Nn!" I nod, my mind's still spinning from the bombshell about Gordon's family
And with that, things are way better than I expected!
Plus, my Identification Card should be ready by now, waiting at the Adventurer's Guild. I picture the shiny card in my hands, proof I'm really starting this new life, and my tail flicks with excitent. We're heading there today to pick it up, a step toward my dream of standing beside Eris.
But before I can linger on that thought, Eris straightens, her tail snapping to attention. "Anyway, Gordon, I'm moving out today."
"What? That quickly?" he rumbles, his voice a mix of surprise and curiosity, his eyes narrowing as he studies her.
"Yes," Eris nods, her tail flicking sharply, a spark of determination in her gaze. "I need to focus on Felicia's training, so we need a quieter place, away from all this noise."
"I see," Gordon murmurs, rubbing his chin, his beard rustling softly. His eyes soften, and he leans back, crossing his massive arms. "Got a place in mind?"
"Yes," Eris replies, "I'm thinking of Lunemire Hollow, or Starbloom Glade…"
"Oh, good choice!" Gordon nods, a knowing grin spreading across his face.
anwhile, I'm super confused again, my tail swaying as I glance between them. "W-what's happening??? What do you an by moving out?"
"Hehe," Eris smirks, all smug and teasing. "It ans goodbye to our cramped little room here. We're moving to a bigger house!"
"W-what??? A HOUSE?!" I squeak, my ears shooting up.
"Yup, and it's gonna be a really nice house!" Eris says, her eyes sparkling with excitent. She then leans in close, her breath tickling my ear as she whispers, "So you won't have to keep your voice down anymore~!
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