Dwarven Hospitality

Walking hand in hand with Sher Aka she asks me, “So…Where would you like to go eat?”

“The guild!”

“Are you sure? The food might not taste as good anymore now that you’ve eaten more high-class food.”

“Gao! I want to eat in the guild.”

“Okay then, let’s go to the guild.”

“Miguel, do you get a discount for working at the guild?”

“Probably? But I don’t really need it. Also, try to ignore me, Rose. I just want to observe you.”

“Hmm…Gao!”

Walking through the streets I notice that people seem a lot different than when we first went here two years ago. The place is full of people displaying holy symbols prominently and the Beastkin and Frigants seem like they’re all on edge while the Dwarfs and Humans seem quite happy. Overall the town also gives off a different feeling from before. Rather than the fun party people I remember they seem a lot more orderly. The only thing that is still the same is how people are staring at me wherever I go.

Entering the guild, the stares keep on coming as I sit down at one of the tables, very close to Sher Aka, and look at the menu. Shortly after, a dwarven man in heavy armor walks up to me. He has a red braided beard and an axe on his back.

“Oy! You there you Elven sissy. I don’t know what you think this place is but it’s not a restaurant for you and your girlfriend, sister, grandma or whatever incenstual relationship you have with her to just flounder around with. This is an adventuring guild.”

“I’m aware. Both my friend and I are adventurers and this guy over here works at a different guild branch as a part time receptionist.”

“Hah! You an adventurer!? I don’t know if you just huffed too much of that fart that you dragged in to make your hair float in the wind but you don’t look like you can even pick up a sword.”

“I can pick up a sword. I’m not a frontliner though, I’m an archer.”

“I don’t know why you damn Knife-Ears say these things as if it's some sort of accomplishment to use your hair tie, bind it to a stick you found in your mother’s back yard and shoot arrows at half the speed a crossbow could. If you spent half the time you do wanking in your hands and smearing it in your hair to get that glossy sheen you’d learn how to do some real fighting!”

“Ah, I actually can’t fight as a frontliner because my body is too weak for it to get far with it.”

“I’m not surprised with those noodly arms of yours! So why don’t you leave your guild card here, give up and fuck off?”

“Because I like being an adventurer and I’m hungry so I’m going to eat some food now.”

Two more armored dwarves show up as he answers, “No, I don’t think you will.”

Sher Aka puts her hand on my shoulder and says, “Let’s go somewhere else. We can eat at a different guild once we skip town.”

“Sigh Alright…”

We then stand up and try to leave but one of the other two dwarves stops us by holding Sher Aka by the wrist, “I believe our boss told you to leave your guild cards here as well.”

Before I have time to react to this, eight people, dressed like construction workers, run into the guild and knock out all three dwarves, causing the rest of the guild to get into an uproar and more angry people show up to try and defend the Dwarves.

In response, Sher Aka takes me by the hand and starts running out of the guild with me. Once we’ve gained some distance, Sher Aka puts her hand on my cheek and asks, “Are you alright?”

“Yeah of course but what about you? That guy grabbed you and then a bunch of strangers beat them up.”

“Don’t worry I’m fine. Also those guys weren’t strangers, they're your guards.”

“Oh. So they’re disguised?”

“Yep, the saintess thought you might feel a little better if you weren’t surrounded by them all the time and they kept their distance a little.”

“Huh…That’s nice of her. But are you sure you’re alright?”

“Yes, I’ll just need to wash my wrist at the next fountain or restaurant we pass by.”

“Do you want me to clean it for you?”

Miguel interrupts, “You’re not allowed to.”

“What? Why not?”

“Because you’re too young and could get sick from bathing others. You need to be at least two hundred years old before you can bathe others.”

“Oh…Okay…Sorry Sher Aka I can’t help.”

Brushing through my hair she answers, “It’s alright. More importantly though, were you not scared, Rose?”

“No. I’m sure we could have killed them if we needed to.”

“...”

“Would knocking them out or running away not have been enough?”

“Nope, if they do these sorts of things to us they’ll do them to others as well. If we just knock them out they’ll get mad or call in their friends. The best thing to do for people like that is probably to publicly execute them to make sure people know what happens to bad people like that.”

“...”

Both Sher Aka and Miguel look at me with surprise and Sher Aka says, “Could you please stay here for a few seconds? I need to talk to your cousin for a bit.”

“Gao!”

—------------------------------------------------

“What the hell were you teaching her in Blaze!?”

“Excuse me!? We didn’t teach her anything like that. The only violent thought I have ever heard her utter outside of this was her thinking about killing herself. Otherwise she has always been the cutest most compassionate little angel I know. But apparently the second she’s back with you, she says things like this.”

“She has never said anything like this when she was with us either! In fact she was always the one trying to ask us to be merciful and forgive people so she must have changed while she was with you.”

“...”

“The only explanation I could think of that takes into account both of us being right is the heightened spirit blood. My aunt did mention it would lower her empathy but even if that’s it she would still have had to learn these concepts before meeting us because she was definitely not exposed to any of this back home.”

“I see…You’re right. If that blood considerably lowered her empathy she would go with the most efficient solution since she can’t feel pity or compassion normally anymore…It’s definitely something we need to keep an eye on.”

“Agreed.” 

—----------------------------------------------------------------

After a minute or two Sher Aka and Miguel come back.

“Alrighty~ I just wanted to check if there is any food your cousin despises. Shall we go look for a nice restaurant now?”

“Gao!”

“Do you have any preferences?”

“Hmm…I’d like some fish if we can.”

“Sure! Let’s see if we find a restaurant with some nice fish dishes.”

“Gao gao!”