Interlude
“SO, ARE we settled then?”
“Hmm… Well, I guess we don’t have much of a choice.”
In a certain pub, somewhere in a certain kingdom, three ladies were engaged in a conversation.
“I suppose I can accept this. Normally, the two of you seem to want to jump me on sight, so the fact that you’ve bothered to bring me this proposal is an improvement. Even so, I don’t really see how things ended up this way. I never did anything to you…” one said, ruefully. “Back in the village, you were like big sisters to me. And now, all of a sudden—”
The speaker appeared to be the youngest of the three—small and slight enough that, were she a human, one would assume she was still of the age to be referred to as a “girl” and not a “woman.” Noticing the expressions on her older companions’ faces, she swiftly shut her mouth. In truth, there had been a particular
incident that might explain the current state of affairs—especially in combination with the news she had just heard from the other women.
Still, she wasn’t going to apologize—doing so would only offend them more.
Plus, this girl felt she had done nothing wrong, and so there was no reason for her to be making apologies.
“Anyway, there’s the fee reduction, the travel security…and securing the ‘jack-in-the-box’!”
“That’s mine! I found it! All associated benefits belong to me!”
“No, we already told you, it’s ours! We should get preference!”
“That’s right! There’s no way you could possibly make proper use of it. Leave that part to us!”
“You’ve gotta be kidding! I’m not letting you two get around me that easily!”
Ka-blam!
Clatter!
All three stood, preparing for a fight, when—
“Um, pardon me, ladies, but you’re bothering our other guests…”
“Ah…”
The trio had inadvertently gotten a bit heated, but they did still have their manners. Their faces reddened at the shop owner’s admonishment, realizing what a ruckus they were causing in this crowded pub. Rarely did elves enter human settlements, and so their actions would reflect poorly on their kinfolk as a whole. Being plenty cognizant of that fact, all three looked suddenly stricken.
“Check, please…” said one of the elder two. She settled the bill, and the three of them swiftly left the pub behind, heads hung in shame.
“Hey, were they…?”
“Well, they had pointy ears…”
“I couldn’t see the youngest one’s ears behind her hair, but she was speaking pretty frankly with the older two, judging by her dress and physique. Those were definitely elves!”
A single elf—not to mention three—was a rare sight, and so the pub had been all but silent as they had spoken, the other customers watching warily. None wished to meddle in what they did not understand, especially considering the intensity of the conversation, but their eyes had been riveted on the three in the corner. Now, as the elves left, the other customers all started chattering at once.
Elves were a beautiful bunch, so it was no surprise that everyone was so enthralled. Of course, the two elders at least would be fully accustomed to this kind of attention and were not about to start caring about it now.
“Hey, idiots! Y’all know how good elves’ hearing is, right?! They might be able to hear you through those closed doors! They might even be able to hear more distant voices, carried on the wind or something,” one of the guests scolded. “Plus, if that girl heard you calling her flat…”
“Wh-wha?!”
The man who had spoken the offense paled. However…
“Nah, you’re fine,” another explained. “Most elves are flat—er…slim. So I don’t think that’s got any bearing on elves’ standards of beauty or femininity. It’s not like she’d have some complex about it. In fact, she might even take it as a compliment, like if you say to a human woman how small her hands are—like, ‘Oh, they’re so slender, it’s charming.’ Honestly, for forest-dwellers like them, being busty would just be a drawback. Makes it harder to draw a bow, gets in the way of running through the trees, makes your shoulders stiff, gives you heat rashes, make you crawl slower… Stuff like that.”
“Whoa! Seriously?!”
The men’s minds were boggled. Meanwhile, the more modestly built of the female customers suddenly had reason to wonder if they might have an edge in attracting a beautiful elven man…
“Anyway, to reprimand three elves, just like that…”
“The boss is terrifying!!!”
The regulars were instilled with a newfound respect for the establishment’s owner.
At the same time, a short distance outside the pub, the three ladies stopped along the road, continuing their conversation. “Ugh, that was so embarrassing! You two made me look like a fool!”
“Don’t act like at least a third of the blame there wasn’t yours!”
“Anyway, let’s just take a break until this operation is finished. For now, we’ll put these trivialities aside. We have a greater goal. We can address the previous matter once all is said and done… Are we agreed?”
Nod.
And thus, the elves’ plot was underway…
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