Chapter 290: Took a Liking

There were a couple of things that Ned hated the most: forcing someone to do their biddings, and lying.

Teklavit, the new hand of the Forgotten Pint inn, was both. He was forcing himself to lie, and it seemed that he was enjoying it.

They could fool the others, but not Ned.

It was obvious that he was lying, Ned thought as he watched Teklavit helping the twins with a smile on his face. A smile so forced, yet genuine.

[Does it concern you, Ned?]

No, and I don't want to concern myself. Ned responded.

[Better be.]

[Let your goals be your concerns.]

"I know, I know."

Ned held the meat to his arms and proceeds to served it to the waiting customers.

After an hour of energy-depleting work, and a couple of monstrous roar from the owner, Ned and the rest took their time to form a circle in the middle of the shop and sat while Master Claire was plastering a smile.

"That was the best so far."

Forgotten Pint was located near the center of the city and is one of the closest inns to the Hunter's Guild. It would be confusing if it wasn't full at all.

Master Claire took a wooden jug and placed it in the middle of the group with a loud thud, homemade beer formed a bubble as it exits the mouth of the jug, along with their celebratory Lampaca meat that sizzles of oil and fresh juices leaking off the plate.

Lady Githa sat beside Master Claire and was followed by the twins and Teklavit, while Ned sat opposite Master Claire. The table was rounded and rather small, befitting for a group of six-person.

The twins took a mouthful of orange juices, while Teklavit gulps the same as well. It seemed that the jug of beer was for Master Claire and his wife only.

"So, Ned." Lady Githa started as he poured another drink over her wooden bottle. "Where in the Maker have you been?"

The twins gazed at Ned waiting for his response while Teklavit cut a chunk of the roasted meat which made Ned cocked an eyebrow.

Roasted meat, huh, Ned thought as he eyed the meat.

"I've been to a Raid with some Hunters."

Ned didn't wait for their responses as he cut a chunk of the roasted meat. Months under the Hive, of course, Ned waited for this fortunate moment to be able to taste the Pint's special dish—for free.

Inside Ned's thought, he was sighing: When did I become so poor.

[You and your Master were poor.]

Well, that's an entirely different matter, Ned thought then hurriedly cut another meat which prompted the twins to smile. We were poor but at least, we could eat Rabbi meat from the woods.

"Hunters?" Teklavit wiped the juices on his mouth as he began to speak to Ned. Putting the cutleries aside he began: "Hunters you say, Ned? Ned right?"

"Yes," Ned answered in a reserved tone gaining a glare from Master Claire. Ned sighed and continued instead. "I am Ned of House Sskat."

"House?"

"Ned." Master Claire jugged another beer and explained: "You see. Tek..."

"Teklavit, Master Claire." Teklavit bowed as he spoke to Master Claire.

"Thank you, boy." He continued. "You see. Teklavit is not from around here."

According to Master Claire: He saw Teklavit roaming around the Sudden Plate City, near the Ventura Market when he and Lady Githa visits one of the minor Houses where Hunter Quentin stays. From there, for some reason, Master Claire took a liking to the almost elf-like face of Teklavit. Not that he was fond of little boys like some man wearing a white robe and preaches but because of Teklavit's rare item that he was selling.

It seemed that this was the first time the twins heard Teklavit's story as they leaned closer to the table with their hands resting their cheeks in mimicking.

"You see." There was an air of superiority around Teklavit as he raised his finger as though trying to prove a point. "Master Claire, I'm selling one of my village creations."

"Magic Stones." Master Claire drunk another beer and looking red at this moment. Still, he was joined by his wife, so nothing bad would happen. Like an uncontrollable magic conjuring. But Ned was eager to learn how would magic be conjured when one was drunk.

Ned was offered juice by Su'ayun leaving him a happy smile. It seemed that the twins were still young to even drink the smoothest alcohol the Pint could offer.

In the Kingdom of Griffith, the legal age for both males and females was 16. At 16, girls could wait for someone to marry them to some noble and become concubine or they could choose to become a Hunter. Surprisingly, more females waited to become a concubine rather than become a Hunter.

I hoped the twins decided to become a Hunter, Ned thought as he gulps the juice Su'ayun gave him.

"Yes, Master Claire." Teklavit bowed to Master Claire and smiled as he points his finger again upward as though he was lecturing the rest.

How long will you keep it up? Ned thought and listened to Teklavit as he continued explaining.

"According to Master Claire. Magic stones from my village are called Arrays in here."

"Listen everyone. This is the fun part." Master Claire cut Teklavit with his eyes twinkling as though filled with great anticipation.

Teklavit smiled and continued.

"But... My village doesn't make Array for conventional use like Barriers to defend oneself when out of mana, or Traps to ward off beast and enemies. But, the magic stone I am selling were stored of Spells."

"Ha!" Master Claire rammed the butt of the wooden bottle that made the twins wet from the spill. "You see. Our kingdom doesn't have that kind of device here. No one in this Kingdom has created an item that could conjure spells even without the use of mana."

"Even without the use of mana?" Ned tilted his head and nodded with his eyes narrowed.

"Why?" Teklavit asked as though confused.

Lady Githa went back to the kitchen seeing that the Lampaca meat was about to be wasted by Ned and Teklavit alone. The twins on the other hand were focused on their conversation, so much that the chilly juice formed droplets on the sides of the wooden bottle. Master Claire drunk another beer and waited for the conversation to prosper. His eyes were still twinkling looking at Teklavit as though he was a treasure.

"Well." Ned turned to look at Teklavit. Ned noticed that with the proper angle, the latter's eyes were turning green, but too dim to be noticed by everyone else. It was as though his eyes could be compared to some high nobles, perhaps elves. "In this continent, we have what we called a Hollow."

"Beings that were not gifted by the Maker's magic," Teklavit said in unison with his hands pointing upward.

This made the rest gazed at Teklavit, even Ned, from his revelation. As though he was so sure that the magic essences of the world of Earflgard came from what they called the Maker.

"Do you believe the Maker exists?"

This time Su'aya started. She looked at Teklavit with her big rounded eyes like she was trying to measure him.

"Oh, Yes. They are, Lady Su'aya." Teklavit insisted with his voice now rising.

This prompted Master Claire to cut in with his breath leaving his mouth with alcohol.

"Maker or not, I don't care." He raised the wooden bottle and smiled. "Y-you see, my good servants." Hiccup. " Teklavit brought a precious stone in my inn. After all, my judgment of inviting him to work here wasn't a mistake at all. T-tomorrow. Yes! Tomorrow. I will open another shop beside the Pint. But this time, it will only sell Spell Array. The first of its kind in the Kingdom of Griffith. Perhaps..." Hiccup. "My beloved King Arthurius Roland Pendragoon would invite me to his chambers. Ha!"

"Come here, love." Lady Githa pinched the ear of Master Claire as she pulled him away from the group. "You had enough. It's time for you to rest and let the kids know each other."

Master Claire stopped and spun around with Lady Githa still pinching his ear, he was red like a tomato.

"B-by the way," he said, "you never heard the King's full, complete, and clear name from me, okay my servants? Aside from a handful of people, no one knew his full name."

"~Okay, Master Claire," the twins said in unison and smiled as Lady Githa pulled him back to his room upstairs the inn.

That moment, Ned saw a glimpse of Teklavit's grin as he saw the two owners leaving the table.

"So." Ned leaned back to his chair and combed his silver hair with his fingers. He might want to have a cut sooner as it almost reaches his shoulder. "What are you doing here, Teklavit? Why choose Forgotten Pint. Why Master Claire?"

This time, the twins looked at Ned confused.

"Oh, you didn't know, Ned." Su'aya leaned closer to Ned since she was the one closest to him. Ned was reminded of Katolin from the way she speaks and wondered if they could get along well.

"Didn't know what?" Ned asked.

It was Su'ayun that leaned closer over her twins, trying to get closer to Ned. It was also just in time that another serve of Lampaca meat arrived brought by an old chef of the Pint.

After they thanked the old chef, Su'ayun said: "Teklavit—also, I and Su'aya, will join the Hunter's Exam."