Abyssal Awakening

As the two stared at one another, Alice only had one question on her mind.

'What the f*ck is he doing here???'

Considering he was a member of the Church of the Moon, Alice figured he would've made his way south by now rather than appearing at the port leading East.

Was the Church planning an expedition East? If so, why was he dressed as a worker behind the bar?

Alice knew he was a high ranking member belonging to the church which only made the situation stranger.

"I didn't expect us to meet again, so soon at that. Seems like the curse is still holding on strong though." Tristan threw the towel over his shoulder as he revealed a small smile.

He had tried to dispel it last time but it only resulted in the curse fighting back and lashing out at him.

At that time, if the curse was designed to counter properly, he would've been inflicted with the same curse as the girl in front of him.

"It's not something that'll disappear overnight. Though I didn't expect you to be… attending a bar despite being a member of the Church." Alice gestured with a raised eyebrow while sitting down on the new seats that he installed.

"Well, this was kind of my profession before I became a member of the Church. It was coincidence that brought them to me." Tristan chuckled.

"Now then, how may I help a dear customer?" He asked leaning against the bar counter.

"I'm looking for a room. I want to stay a few nights but the other Inn's are a tad more expensive than what my budget will allow. I already spent a bunch of money travelling here." Alice shrugged, hoping that the cost of the rooms was going to be less than 5 Gold per night.

After all, most common families only earn around 10 Gold per week and could get by the week with 5 Gold.

With her travel expenses deducted from her pouch, Alice only had 3 Gold pieces left of her overall funds.

Though her hobby of mead and buying clothes were to blame as at one point, she had more than 5 platina together with Selen.

Yet now she was reduced to a measly 3 Gold.

If she didn't leave in such a hurry, she would've asked Verona for a bit of money. Shame be damned.

"It'll be 1 Gold per night, breakfast included."

"The f*ck?" Alice blinked her eyes.

It felt like a scam considering how the other Inns were five times the price of this one. Not only that, but due to Tristan's assistance, this Inn now looked far better on the inside compared to the other places.

"We're rather far out from the centre after all, it makes travelling a bit of more of a hassle. Plus, if the other Inn's are outside your budget, you can't spare more than 5 Gold. If you're travelling with so little funds, you probably want to find a side job while staying here. Meaning ideally, more than one night. And finally, seeing as how you chose this Inn despite how run down the outside looks, clearly you're hoping for something a lot cheaper than the other places." Tristan analysed as the girl beside him hit his arm when he mentioned the run down outer appearance.

"Ever thought of changing careers to being a detective rather than a member of the Church?" Alice's smile twitched. She couldn't believe that he deducted her budget despite not mentioning anything about numbers.

"I wouldn't consider myself a detective. I'm merely someone who gathered a bit of information and made an educated guess." Tristan gave a small chuckle as Alice placed two Gold pieces on the table.

"I'll take a room for two nights then. And since you know I'm looking for a side job, any recommendations? O' one who gathered a bit of information." Alice joked as Tristan handed the money to the girl next to him.

Folding his arms, Tristan closed his eyes.

"It depends on what kind of job you want to do. From what I've seen, there is no shortage of guards or strong Hunters acting as protection. Plus, there are also pirates when it comes to sea travel. So I don't think you can earn money that way.

"The Hunters Guild doesn't get many jobs here so it's a bit of a waste but you can certainly try your luck with it."

"What about the Arena? I believe you can place bets on yourself and win money that way no?" Alice asked but Tristan shook his head.

"Unfortunately for you, the three factions that run this place have prohibited betting when it comes to the arena. Instead, they sell tickets and earn revenue while putting on a good show. There are… methods to gambling but it's run by some rather dubious fellows that I wouldn't suggest. No matter how in need of money you are." Tristan shook his head.

Hearing that gambling was banned, Alice let out a deep groan as she practically deflated in front of Tristan.

"Well, I guess I'll figure out something sooner or later. So just out of curiosity, were you living here before you joined the church then?" Alice asked while looking at the assortment of wines, meads and other alcoholic beverages lined up on his shelf.

"Nope. I used to be a Vagrant before I joined the church. I wandered from place to place, doing odd jobs and learning skills, looking for somewhere to settle down with my sister. A few months back, the Church found me and saw that I had a high affinity for their blessings and I agreed to join." Tristan smiled as he noticed Alice's gaze and decided to make a quick drink for her.

"Once the money started to roll in, we decided to settle down in Caethis since it's a trading hub. The public safety of this place is rather high and with trade between the North and the East, merchants frequent this place often."

Bringing out a glass, Tristan began to measure out and pour in samples of different beverages before pulling out some fruit from under the counter.

Squeezing some juice into the glass, he cracked an egg and poured in some egg whites, confusing Alice.

However, he simply smiled and continued.

"So while I'm out on missions for the Church, Arwen can run the Inn. She'll be safe here." Tristan explained with a smile. With everything placed into the glass, he grabbed another glass and sealed the two together before shaking it, blending the mixture.

"Aren't you afraid that your enemies might come here and target your sister?" Alice asked curiously, glancing over at Arwen who was writing in a notebook.

"That was a concern at one point but I'd already sorted it out. I'm confident that she'll be safe here. Of course, I'd rather spend time next to her but I have my own responsibilities. It's thanks to the Church that we can do all of this after all."

Pausing his shaking momentarily, he threw in a few chunks of ice before continuing.

"Seems like you hold the church in high regard then." Alice smiled.

"That's simply how life worked out for me. Do you follow any particular doctrine?"

"Kind of but not really. I don't follow any of the three main Gods." Alice shook her head.

"Oh?" Tristan raised an eyebrow. He had a thought in his mind but he hoped that it wasn't true.

Because if it was, as part of his responsibilities as a Cardinal, he'd have to strike her down here and now.

"I follow my own whims. Let my own decisions guide me through life." Alice replied. She noticed a slight spark of wariness but after her response, it disappeared.

"I see. Most Hunters follow their own gut instincts so I shouldn't be surprised." Tristan smiled, gesturing to Arwen to bring over a smaller glass with some ice in it.

Pouring out the drink, he decorated it with a piece of fruit on the side of the glass.

"Give it a try, it's on the house." Tristan slid the glass in front of Alice.

Looking at the drink, Alice wondered if this was a type of fruit juice considering its colourful appearance. It was a swirl of blue and pink that seemed to shimmer with glitter with a layer of white foam on the top and a piece of fruit to match the colour.

However, she was certain he mixed in some alcohol.

Hesitating for a moment, Alice decided to give it a sip.

"!!!"

Seeing her reaction, Tristan revealed a grin.

"Seems like you like it."

"Like it? I love it." Alice gave a thumbs up while licking her lips. The initial taste was sweet and fruitful followed by a lingering aftertaste of alcohol that warmed her up on the inside. A blend of sweetness helped disguise the bitterness of the alcohol, allowing the fruity flavours to reveal themselves.

If it wasn't for the fact that it looked like it was a lot of effort to make, Alice would've been tempted to ask him for several bottles worth.

"I'm glad you like it. It's my own personal blend that I made when travelling around the West. I worked for a rather unique bar that blended drinks together and I wanted to make something a little on the sweet side." Tristan chuckled, happy to see a customer enjoying the drink he made.

Finishing the drink, Alice closed her eye and savoured the taste. At that moment, an idea appeared in her mind.

A way for her to earn some money and repay Tristan for showing her this drink.

"Say, I got a little idea. A way to drag a lot of customers to this place if you want." Alice grinned.

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