Chapter 57 57 - Princess

Nyx began to appear a little more frequently at Mama Holga's tavern. It was one of the largest and most frequented restaurants in the area. Several young girls served the public, serving beer and food that Mama Holga herself prepared. As beautiful as all those girls were, no man tried to approach Mama's daughters, after all, everyone in the village knew what their fate would be.

When an outsider arrived in town, one of the first things they were told was the sad fate of any man who tried to get close to one of the orphans that Mama Holga took care of. All of those girls lived a happy life in that tavern, cooking, eating, and having fun. The place was lively with drunks and arguments, but whenever the atmosphere got a little more aggressive, Mama Holga would take the matters into her own hands.

"I heard that the chief of this tavern was a top-rank adventurer," A rogue said, as he lifted a mug of beer close to his mouth.

"She was, she is probably stronger than anyone at this table," A monk said, with his eyes closed and arms crossed.

"That's surprising," A paladin said, as he picked up a piece of meat and bit down with all his might.

At the next table, that girl with white hair and a hood was sitting, watching a mana soup. The girl was alone, moving her spoon around as she watched the pieces of mushrooms and vegetables float through the sparkling water.

"Aren't you hungry today, Lux?" Said a girl, as she approached. She was dressed in an apron and a black dress, she had beautiful dark hair and pointed ears that caught the eye of anyone who looked at her.

That beautiful elf was Nyx's closest friend, a girl named Lux.

"It's okay Lux, I'm just... I'm thoughtful" The girl replied, as she turned to the elf.

"You are always focused on your thoughts, I like that about you. But try to eat some more of your soup, try to get some of that cheer back that you had when you first ate mana soup!" Lux replied, laughing.

The day the two had met, Nyx had been so hungry that she had had more than four pots of mana soup. After eating so many glowing mushrooms charged by mana, Nyx's tongue was glowing in a blue color.

"Hahaha! You're right Lux... I just kept thinking that maybe I should travel again by now. I'm thinking about leaving Crystaldrift" She said, as she put a spoonful of that glowing soup into her mouth.

The white-haired girl's speech surprised the elf, who took a step backward while holding herself not to cry. Taking a deep breath, Lux placed her hand on her friend's shoulder.

"It's been over five years since I met you, and yet, I've never seen you without those cloaks that hide you. Let me see you for real before you leave, my friend" The elf's voice was a little shaky, but she kept forced a smile as she said all that.

The two exchanged glances and smiles until Mama Holga called for help in the kitchen. Again, quiet at her table, Nyx looked at her reflection in the soup.

'These years have been fun...'

The girl's face was a little depressed, but, waving her face, she chose to change her countenance. With a forced smile, Nyx went back to eating that glowing mushroom soup.

At the next table, a conversation full of energy was going on.

"Did you guys see that the princess is going to visit Crystaldrift?" The rogue commented as he looked at the whole group.

"The ice princess is coming to this village? But what would bring such an important woman to this place" A swordsman replied, with a visibly confused look on his face.

The paladin, who had his mouth full of food, replied.

"She *munch* she wants to meet the crystal factory *munch* she is going to try to talk to the miners to boost the spirits of the production team" Then the paladin swallowed the meat he was chewing.

"You shouldn't be talking with food in your mouth, that's disgusting," The monk said with a look of disgust.

Nyx was listening to the conversation attentively. When she had finished eating her soup, the girl went upstairs to the room in which she was living.

* A few days later *

The girls were again exploring the forest. The youngest was playing in a river, while Nyx, Mama Holga, and a few other girls were scouring bushes, looking for blueberries.

"By the time we get back to the village, the princess will probably be here" Mama Holga said, as she placed her hand in the middle of the basket of blueberries. She was chewing on some of those fruits, hungry.

"If Lux were here, she would give you a scolding," Nyx said, with a smile.

"But she's not! And I'm a little hungry, I'm a big woman, I need plenty of food to keep me on my feet! Hahaha!" Mama Holga replied, with a proud smile.

"I hope Sister Lux gets to see the princess, she's been waiting all month for this" The small girl said, her skirt was completely wet with water.

"Maria! You've played in the water for too long! Go into the sun to dry yourself off!" Another woman ordered, it was a brown-haired girl with an elegant face.

"Don't be so strict Helenna, she's just a child" Mama Holga said as she ran her hand over the girl's head.

Looking at that group, Nyx gave a smile. She was finally feeling like she belonged somewhere.

The group then continued collecting blueberries for a while longer. When they had finished the fourth basket of blueberries, the girls returned home.

The road was silent, but as they approached the village, a vision of a nightmare appeared in front of them. A cloud of black smoke was billowing up the mountain. The girls exchanged confused looks. Helenna took Maria in her arms and ran towards the village.

"They attacked the village, they must be looking for the ice princess" Holga concluded, her face visibly angry.

Holga pulled up her sleeves, and activating an acceleration skill, the woman began to run like an angry bull. Nyx followed, running towards the village until she quickly realized what was happening.

'They are not here for the princess, they are here for me' Her eyes widened as she realized what was occurring. That black smoke was not a fire, that smoke was the symbol of a portal opening.

A lord from hell was coming out of the underworld through a portal, that black smoke was the materialization of his body.

With tears streaming down her face, Nyx materialized her two black wings.

'This is all my fault. '

//SleepyNotes//

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