Not So Lady-Like

"Thank you for helping me, Mocha," Sebastian sniffles, inviting Mocha into his home. He trudges towards his bed, pulling out the soggy letter from his pocket. He holds it, staring at it for a few moments in thought.

"I only wanted to make sure you're alright."

Sebastian shakes his head, snapping himself out of his daze. Straightening the letter, he leaves it in the drawer of his bedside table. Stepping out of his shoes, he dresses in a pair of white socks, tucking himself into bed. "I mixed myself a brew earlier to heal but it takes up a lot of my energy. I'm sorry I won't be able to speak to you much," Sebastian rubs his red-rimmed eyes. Mocha shakes her head, carrying a chair to his bedside.

Mocha brings the blanket up to his hip, patting him on the legs lightly. "I had one thing to tell you before I go."

"Oh?" Sebastian whuffles, tilting his head. "What is it?"

Mocha takes a deep breath, raising her gaze to him. "I like you."

Sebastian blinks, suddenly a lot more awake. His sheepishness starts with the heat rising up his neck, and then blood rushing to his cheeks, all the way until his entire face is flushed. Sebastian curls up in his bed, hiding his face in his hands. Mocha rubs the back of her head, fearful she made things too awkward.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable. Thank you for letting me in and I'm sorry that… you're sick because of me," Mocha smiles brightly, thus concealing her anxiously beating heart beneath her ribs.

"N-No…" Sebastian fumbles when Mocha stands. He removes his hands from his face, looking up at her. "You're never a trouble to me."

Mocha clutches onto the fabric of her dress. Sebastian splutters, "I'm not a very good talker but it doesn't mean I… I mean, I like it when you bake for me, anything at all… As long as it's from your hands, I-I-I don't mind!"

"I'll always bake for you, Sebastian."

"Thank you for taking care of me," he beams, making Mocha's heart stop in her chest.

[Side Quest: Bartender on the Other Side Completed]

[x50000 gold coins, x500 EXP, 'Pigs Can Fly' Special Recipe received, Sebastian's Mixology Book, x100 Sigmane Wheat, Worker's Slingbag received]

Mizuki halts midway of wiping down a glass cup, questioning the achievement.

She pauses, stopping to think for a few moments until she realises the reality of the situation. Setting the cup down, she turns towards the door Mocha left with Sebastian. Her cheeks flush with joy. 'She did it! Oh my god, Mocha!' Mizuki's heart warms.

"Sparkling Apple, please."

A patron knocks his knuckle against the counter, forcing Mizuki's attention onto him.

"Right up!" Mizuki splutters, pouring a bottle of Sparkling Water and mixing in Apples and Mixed Berries. She stirrs it, sliding it to him with the hope that she hasn't messed up. He takes a sip out of it, sliding into a seat in front of the counter.

"Not bad," he remarks. Mizuki lets out a relieved sigh, flashing a smile at him. Her confidence boosted a little, she starts to find a rhythm in her work - leaving the counter once there's no sign of more customers and attending to tables in order of them calling her. Serving is something she didn't think she had in her, especially with her pampered upbringing.

She finds that, as long as the customers don't disrespect her, she can get along with them just fine. Most of the men are harmless, too busy hollering at the top of their lungs to make a pass at her. There aren't many women in general.

Mizuki ditches any observation to avoid standing around for too long, thoughts entering her mind only to leave it once again. Mizuki can't tell how long it's been since she's been running all over, neither can she gauge how much longer it'll be until she can return home.

At times, she steals glances towards the back door and there's no sign of Mocha. She probably fell asleep while taking care of Sebastian, Mizuki wonders to herself, soon broken out of her reverie by a loud voice at the corner of the pub.

"Service is over, 2am folks!" Sebastian's father claps his hands loudly, grabbing the attention of his customers. There aren't that many people as it is, some of them getting ready to pack their things and leave. Mizuki stands around, palm pressed against the counter, trying to catch her breath after several hours of service. Wow, this is more exercise than training.

With the help of Sebastian's father, the last few customers are soon led out of the door and Mizuki can, finally, after all this hand work, catch a break. Grabbing her satchel, she proceeds towards the front, watching Sebastian's father tiredly slump against a chair. He opens his mouth to speak but before he can, Mizuki cuts him off, "Your son's sick. You should take better care of him instead of ordering him around all the time."

Not interested in anything he has to say, Mizuki steps out of the door and returns to Hinata's house, exhaling deeply. It's dark like most nights with a single light on in the main room. Kicking off her shoes, Mizuki inches forward on the tips of her toes, slowly so she doesn't wake him if he's asleep. Which he is, on the couch with his arm over the back of his head. He shuffles around, squirming in his sleep like he's in great discomfort.

'Nightmares', Mizuki pities.

"Aki…" Hinata cries in a soft, helpless voice. Mizuki's lips part in surprise. She decides it's best to leave him alone. As she tucks herself into bed, she thinks briefly about Hinata's words. Aki, the name reverberates through her mind.

"Aki…" The words leave Mizuki's lips wistfully.

[Hirashi Mizuki has hit the sack]

"You're going to the castle, right?"

Mizuki hears a familiar voice. She furrows her eyebrows, rubbing her eyes. When she looks up, she spots Hinata standing over her bed. She sits up, nudging her head. "What..? What do you mean?"

"You have a side quest."

Mizuki, groggily, flicks open her Quest tab and activates the only Side Quest that's started. Surely so, she does have to visit the castle and speak to the librarian. She recalls it to be the same one that got her into the mess with Valkyrie. She shivers at the thought.

"I do. What about it?" She questions in a sleepy tone, not ready to have Hinata's probing so early in the morning. Muffling a yawn, she lies back down, ready to succumb to her sleep yet again, only to have her arm tugged up roughly by Hinata. This time, she wakes up properly, reflexes working faster than her mind - punching him in the stomach.

"Were you never taught how to treat a lady?" She clicks her tongue in annoyance, pushing him away to make room for herself to stand.

"To be fair, you're not much of a lady," Hinata jokes.

"Keep that mouth running and you're going to get yourself into a lot of trouble," Mizuki turns with a cold glare. Hinata flings a dress at her face, dispelling the tension in the air. Mizuki shrieks, peeling the clothes off her face. Stepping forward furiously, she hits him in the chest. "And you deny being so mischievous."

Hinata doubles over in laughter as Mizuki continues to punch him in the chest. Hinata ruffles her hair playfully, "I don't ever recall denying being playful, Snowball," he bends to Mizuki's level, whispering against her ear. Bursting into another fit of laughter, he claps Mizuki's shoulder before stepping away, stepping downstairs.

Mizuki stares at the dress and this one looks like it's a proper frock, one with a petticoat and fabric that covers her ankles. Most others she has gotten from Hinata fit her like greatly oversized shirts. Some others are just ordinary adventurer's clothes. She wonders where he received such a beautiful dress from. 'Maybe it belonged to a sister.'

She trudges down to a bathroom, roughly shoving her shoulder against Hinata as she passes. Hinata turns to stare, amused at Mizuki's pettiness.

Mizuki's dress is one with red and white patterns, designed with thick leather instead of wool or cotton. Over it, she has to wear a button-down vest a couple shades darker than her skirt, a bow tied around her neckline. After all these weeks, she has somewhat gotten used to the quirks of this era - how to bathe herself in the cold water Hinata retrieves from the tap in the backyard, how to move around so her skirt doesn't get dirty when she walks.

One thing she can't get used to though, is a corset. Picking up the brown leather corset, she leads herself outside while holding up the skirt of her dress, white hair falling until her upper back. "Help me wear this," she raises the corset mid-air.

"Will you ever learn?" Hinata raises his gaze as he sets food on the table, approaching Mizuki to help her. With delicate touches, he tucks the corset into the seams of the skirt until an appropriate height at her chest, tightening it until a point that Mizuki's comfortable.

"Sorry..!" Mizuki winces. "Fashion isn't my forte."