Chapter 5: Servant Boy (4)

The soldiers swaggered into the tavern, making themselves comfortable around one of the bigger tables without so much as a glance at the other patrons. Their loud laughter and crude banter echoed through the room, clearly disrupting the meals of several customers, though no one dared to voice their complaints.

While cleaning a table nearby, I couldn't help but recall the last time this particular group had barged in.

It had been late at night, the inn winding down with only a handful of customers left. The girls were busy attending to their usual routines when the soldiers arrived, stomping through the doorway as though they owned the place. They demanded food and beer, their voices loud enough to drown out the ambient chatter.

Naturally, as a backwater inn nestled in the slums, refusing their request wasn't an option. Soldiers like these—armed and unaccountable—didn't take kindly to being denied anything. Nana and I hurried to serve them, and, to their credit, they did pay for their meals, but it wasn't the money that left a sour taste in everyone's mouth.

No, the real trouble began once they'd eaten their fill.

The Midnight Inn wasn't just a tavern, it was also a brothel. The soldiers clearly knew that when they walked in, and their intentions had been obvious from the start. Once their plates were empty and their tankards drained, they turned their attention to the girls.

Lena and Yana, the two most experienced among the five, had already found clients for the night and were safely out of reach. That left Hannah, Kana, and Mana to deal with the soldiers.

Kana, toughened by a lifetime in the slums, somehow managed to handle the situation, enduring their aggression with a hardened resolve, but the same couldn't be said for Hannah and Mana.

Although the two of them possessed the same hardened resolve, their bodies weren't as tough, becoming bedridden the next day. Remembering the sorry sight of them lying in bed this morning caused me to sigh.

Taking a glance to the side, I could see that they were serving dishes to other tables, forcing their aching bodies to move.

After clearing the table, I carried the stack of dishes to the kitchen.

"Here you go," I said, handing them off to Nana. She took them without a word at first, but her eyes flicked up to meet mine, concern etched on her face.

"What was all that noise earlier?" she asked, her voice low but tinged with worry. "It sounded like..." Her words trailed off, her unease clearly visible.

"Soldiers," I interrupted gently, not wanting her to dwell on it. Her expression immediately tensed, the worry deepening in her eyes.

I knew why she was anxious. Everyone at the inn knew that Nana and Mana were sisters, with Mana being the older by two years. It made sense that hearing about soldiers would unsettle her, especially after seeing the state of Mana this morning.

Trying to lighten the mood, I mustered a reassuring smile and reached out to ruffle her hair. "Don't worry," I said, keeping my tone calm and confident. "I'm sure everything will be fine."

"Hey! Stop that!" Nana protested, swatting at my hand and squirming out of reach. Once she managed to free herself, she folded her arms with a small huff and pouted. "Hmph! I'm not a kid, you know. You don't have to treat me like one."

I chuckled, leaning back against the counter. "Oh, really? Then should I treat you like a toddler instead?"

Her eyes narrowed, and before I could dodge, she delivered a quick, playful kick to my shin. "Jerk," she muttered, but the corners of her mouth twitched upward in spite of herself.

"By the way, do you really have the time to be joking around with me?" Nana said, as if realizing that the two of them were probably holding up the work of the others.

"I did, but that time just went so I should probably get back to work. Good luck in the kitchen, kid." Turning around before she could respond, I hurriedly walked out of the kitchen.

Behind me, Nana stuck out her tongue playfully before getting back to work.

Walking back into the tavern, I noticed Lena weaving her way between tables, her tray laden with mugs of frothy beer. She had already taken the soldiers' orders and was now delivering drinks with practiced ease, her cheerful demeanor masking any unease she might have felt. The soldiers, clad in leather armor and reeking of sweat and ale, laughed boisterously as they waited for their food.

As I moved closer, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a soldier stretching out his hand, aiming to grab a handful of Lena's plump, round bottom. Before he could succeed, Lena, having noticed his attempt, sidestepped his reach with a graceful turn. Her movement was fluid, almost like a dance, and she pivoted to face him with a sly smile.

Bending slightly at the waist, she deliberately gave him and his comrades a generous view of her ample cleavage. The rowdy laughter around the table quieted as the soldiers' attention locked onto her, their leering expressions growing even more pronounced.

"Sorry, love," she purred, placing a delicate finger against her lips. Her voice was sweet but carried a sharp edge. "If you're after more than a view, you'll have to pay up~" She finished with a playful wink, expertly diffusing the situation while maintaining control.

My cheek twitched in response as a wry smile appeared on my face.

'This is why she's the Big Sister of the Midnight Inn...'

***

Despite the disturbance brought by the soldiers, time pressed on. Soon, an hour had passed, and the soldiers had their fill of food and drink.

While wiping down another table, I couldn't help but overhear their conversation.

"When will this damn war end?" one of the soldiers slurred, his drunken face buried in the table.

"Fuck if I know," another replied, his voice more somber. "It's been nearly 50 years since those demonic bastards invaded our land."

"Yeah, I heard Jerry's squad got sent to the frontlines yesterday. Do you think we'll get shipped out next?" a third soldier asked, his words cutting through the chatter and silencing the group.

An uneasy quiet settled over the table. None of them wanted to voice the fear they all carried in their hearts.

"Argh, I can't be sent to the front. The old cow would kill me before I even left!" one soldier finally blurted, clearly trying to lift the mood.

"Hahaha! You say that, but look where you are?" the somber soldier chuckled, his eyes drifting to Lena with a lecherous gleam. "Oh wait, don't tell me she'll kill you because she finds out you've been sneaking off to play hooky with the boys?"

At his words, the entire table erupted into laughter, the heavy atmosphere lifting with their boisterous amusement.

I found myself smiling along with them, swept up in the infectious sound of their laughter.

For all their faults, the soldiers seemed like ordinary men underneath it all—paying for their meals, talking about life, and drinking until they could barely stand. In a different time, they might have been just another group of friends hanging out at the local pub.

Thinking about it from another perspective, it was possible they hadn't meant to harm the girls as much as they did yesterday. The looming threat of the frontlines and the relentless pressure of this half-century-long war must weigh on them heavily. Even I might struggle under such burdens, desperately seeking a way to let off steam.

That didn't mean I forgave them, but I could at least understand.

'So this is what war does to people...' Sighing to myself, I gathered the dirty dishes and carried them back to the kitchen. The tavern was quiet now, most patrons having cleared out after the soldiers' arrival.

'Looks like we might close earlier than usual tonight,' I thought, estimating the time passed in my head. It was probably around 9 or 10.

As I neared the kitchen, I noticed Mana standing by the entrance, her gaze fixed warily on the soldiers. She looked like an older, more refined version of Nana—slightly taller, with her auburn hair tied in a low ponytail and brown eyes filled with unease.

"Hm?" I paused, watching her closely. She seemed deep in thought, weighing some decision. Then it struck me—she hadn't secured a customer for the night.

'She wouldn't...'

Before I could think any further, Mana straightened her posture and began walking toward the soldiers, who were already scanning the room each for a girl to take for the night.

'This crazy—! She hasn't even recovered yet!'

The determined look in her eyes left no doubt about her intentions.

David, the owner of the Midnight Inn, wasn't a kind man. As a notorious cheapskate, he didn't pay us with money, only food and shelter. For most people, that wouldn't have been enough, but here in the slums, where the streets were rife with danger, his offer was a lifeline.

Still, there were strings attached. If any of us failed to meet his expectations, he'd cut our meals for the night, leaving us to go to bed hungry.

For me, it meant making sure the tavern was spotless and ready for the next day. For the girls, it meant finding at least one customer by the end of the night.

Before I even realized it, my body was moving on its own, stepping in to intercept her.