“And we’re back,” Sekh announced cheerily as we entered the Labor Bureau.

The current time was somewhere in the afternoon. Fortunately the Bureau didn’t show obvious signs of chaos. Still, I saw hints of relief from the faces of the clerks when Minerva and I entered. 

“Looks like they missed us,” Minerva sighed. “Let’s drop our stuff off then get to work.”

“As you say,” I replied with a teasing smile. 

They did in fact miss us. Although the Labor Bureau was able to run on its own, all the veteran clerks asserted that the Minerva’s presence was still needed. They were complaining that some of the lower clerks had slacked off a bit. But the overall state of things could be considered a success. 

Minerva and I spent the rest of the day working with the clerks to get everything in order. Sekh just decided to call it quits and take a break. Even if Sekh is generally a bit lazy, I have to point out that Minerva and I should not be used for comparison. Minerva can almost be classified as a workaholic, while I’m not that far behind. Honestly, I think the issue might be that the average sellsword is just a bit lazy. 

“You know, I’m actually surprised at how well things went,” Minerva told me during closing hours. “Maybe I was being pessimistic, but I had expected a small disaster.”

“I think calling it pessimistic would be an understatement,” I remarked. “Are you sure you’re not a bit paranoid about the state of affairs?”

“Maybe I am,” Minerva conceded while shrugging. “And I think that my belief might not be entirely justified.”

Even though I just smiled in response, I was inwardly sighing. I didn’t expect her to do a full turn of face, but she’s being even more stubborn than I expected. I guess that I’ll just have to wait until she slowly develops more trust in her staff. Well, I’ll make sure to thank Edwin and the other clerks when the time comes. 

“By the way, do you plan to work at the Labor Bureau for the rest of your career?” I asked Minerva. “Or are you planning to advance your position at some point?”

“Good question,” Minerva said while moving a pile of papers. “Well I do intend to get a post as a higher rank administrator. Ideally I’d like to be an important advisor to a Doux, but that job depends quite a bit on connections.”

“Well best of luck with that,” I replied. 

Realistically I could put in a good word for her, though there are only a few Douxes who would consider my recommendation in a positive light. Still, I’m glad that we’re training the clerks. If Minerva left before training them, I’m not sure how things would turn out for the Labor Bureau in Damask. 

That night, the three of us had a simple dinner of smoked meat stew with fresh greens. Minerva went to her room to do some work while Sekh and I got to work on our own business. While Sekh conducted maintenance on our equipment, I was busy writing a report to the merchant group that issued the request to clear the reed serpent’s nest. Although I could meet them, I could also just save time by filing a report. 

Before going to sleep, Sekh and I played a game of cards. The result was a very clothed Sekh and a very naked me. One day I would like to have other people to play with. At least I wouldn’t have to be the only nude person. 

The following morning was very typical. I woke up early to exercise and spar, then came back and made breakfast. Meanwhile, Minerva has still never tried to wake Sekh up. Well that’s fine by me. If she doesn’t want to experience peak cuteness, then that’s her choice.

Additionally, the weather in Damask has begun to slowly change recently. While it had already reached the wet season when Sekh and I arrived, it’s possible that it may begin to lightly snow within a month’s time. 

“Do you two have any plans for today?” Minerva asked after swallowing a mouthful of porridge. 

“Not really,” I answered. “Why? Do you have something in mind?”

“I’d like to invite you two to go out for some fun today,” Minerva told us. 

“Yeah I’m fine with that,” I replied.

“No thanks,” Sekh said after gulping down some milk. “I just want to stay at home and rest today. But don’t let that hold you back, you two should go if you want.”

“Are you sure?” Minerva inquired of Sekh. “We’ll probably end up getting food during that time.” 

“It’s fine,” Sekh brushed off. “You can enjoy my boyfriend for today.”

“Huh?” Minerva spat out with rosy cheeks. 

“No need to phrase it like that,” I chided Sekh while completely ignoring the nervous dark elf. “I think it’s best to leave after lunch so I make sure you don’t starve.”

Thus Minerva and I stayed back at the Bureau doing minor tasks before lunchtime came. The two of us mainly took care of some minor paperwork, while I also gave Sekh a short massage. Unfortunately, or fortunately, Sekh decided to toss in a few moans for good measure. I wonder how her parents would feel about this. Though if they’re anything like her, there’s a chance that they might approve. 

Our lunch that day was a bit grander than usual. Partly to celebrate our successful clearing of the serpent’s nest, but also as a form of compensation for Sekh since she wasn’t going with us during the afternoon. Thus the three of us had an impromptu barbecue at noon. Even though Sekh and I can’t hunt domesticated animals, we do trade out our game meat for it. It would be even better if certain monsters start appearing in the vicinity of Damask, since some types of monsters have incredibly high quality meat. 

“Out of curiosity, we’re not going to do more work right?” I inquired of Minerva as we were getting ready to leave. 

“We’re not,” she assured me. “Unless you want to.”

I began to vigorously shake my head upon hearing her response. Knowing Minerva, I don’t doubt that I could get dragged around all day doing something productive. Truly a terrifying thought.

“Well let’s be on our way then,” Minerva said with a cute smile. 

If I hadn’t become so habituated to cuteness, I’m sure my heart would have fluttered from the sight of that smile. I soon found out the reason for Minerva’s excitement. The place that we arrived at was one of those bookstores with a cafe. From the looks of it, the store was one with a high reputation. The furniture was nice, the food and drinks smelled delicious, and the bookshelves were well stocked. 

“Let’s do some reading before we get drinks,” Minerva declared as she bounded into the library section.

“I swear if you go into the romance section,” I complained while following her. 

But the first place she reached was a counter with a waiting elven clerk. Minerva gave the young woman a knowing smile before handing her what looked to be 2 nummi. When I reached said counter, I tried to reach for my wallet before being cut off by the clerk. 

“No need,” the elf said to me. “Your fee has already been paid. Enjoy your time here.”

“Oh, thank you,” I replied as I rushed after Minerva.

At least she didn’t go towards the romance section first. Though she was still avoiding the non-fiction area when I got to her. 

“How come you paid for me?” I asked Minerva. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Minerva said as she looked up from a book she was holding. “I already have a yearly pass for this place. Since I dragged you along with me, I don’t want you to have to pay for entrance.”

“Fine,” I surrendered. “Just remember that I’m paying you back at the first opportunity. 

Minerva simply shrugged her shoulders as she delved back into the comfort of the held book. After doing some looking around, I got a rough understanding of the layout of the library. Additionally, the store has a few interesting rules. The first is that customers cannot eat or drink while reading. Secondly, the library operates on a paid pass system, though books can be purchased at the counter. Instead of receiving a copy from the shelves, a customer will place an order. After which, scribes will create a copy of the book for the customer to pick up. The prices vary based on each piece of text. Shorter texts such as “A Brief History of Stygia” would only be a few denarii, while longer works could cost a few dozen solidi. Bookstores like these are a rarity in the world, mainly being centered around major cities. Additionally, these cities tend to be trade cities, because paper is mostly exported by the northern orcish kingdoms. 

Apart from Minerva and I, there were quite a few other customers at the store during the afternoon. Nearly all of them looked to be nobles or at least some sort of social elite. Perhaps I’m being a bit critical, but all of them seemed to be putting on an intellectual air, though not all were succeeding. Still, I was probably the least educated looking person in the entire vicinity. 

“Have you read this before?” Minerva asked me while holding up a book to my face.

“Saga of the Sword of the Dawn,” I read aloud. “I might have heard about it, but I’ve never read it. It seems like one of those generic hero stories that get written every once in a while.”

“It’s not,” Minerva declared with an almost aghast look. “Compared to most of the genre, this one is exceptional. I think you’ll like the underlying theme of heroism and what it means to be a hero. The side characters are also excellently fleshed out.”

Heroism huh? Since she doesn’t know my actual identity, I would say that this is a rather funny coincidence. Still, I feel as though the gods are having a good laugh right now. 

“Interesting,” I chuckled. “I’ll certainly give it a try. But what do you like about it?”

“Pretty much all of it,” Minerva said thoughtfully. “Though if I have to narrow it down, I would say that I love the character interactions the most.”

“In that case,” I started as I began browsing the shelves. “I think I might have a book that you’ll like.” 

“There it is,” I said after some searching. “It’s not an action adventure, it’s a romantic comedy. “But I’m almost certain that you’ll enjoy the scenes with the different characters.”

“Never took you for someone that reads romcoms,” Minerva said as she began to skim through the pages. “Though I’m certainly interested now that you’ve recommended this to me.”

“I’ve recently become a fan of romcoms,” I told her. “It’s a nice change of pace from all the bloodshed I get involved in.”

“I see,” Minerva replied wryly. “Then maybe I like stories about heroes since I’m mostly stuck at my desk doing paperwork.”

“So we’re just using books as a means of escape,” I observed. “Well, I guess it’s better than gambling or alcohol.”

“Exactly,” Minerva gently laughed. 

After a couple hours, the two of us left the library section and went to the cafe. Compared to the library, the cafe was much more crowded. From what Mineva told me, the cafe was a popular place to socialize for much of the city’s social elite. And I have to say that they chose an excellent location. Just the smell of the pastries made my mouth water. 

“What are you planning to get?” I asked Minerva as we walked towards the counter. 

“I’ll just have some black tea,” Minerva responded. “What about you?”

“I want to see if the coffee here is any good,” I answered. “It’s been way too long since I’ve had any. Even if the brew is from Fars, coffee is coffee.”

“That makes sense,” Minerva commented. “I did know that the Marches are famous for their coffee, though I didn’t know how popular the drink is among locals.”

“I would say it’s even more popular than alcohol back home,” I informed her. “Oh, looks like there’s a free clerk.” 

The two of us promptly ordered our desired drinks, though I also got a few pastries as a side. Since I haven’t been to other cafes, I can’t gauge whether 4 nummi was an unfair price. Though the food did come out quite fast so I guess that’s always a bonus. 

“Here have some,” I said to Minerva as I pushed a few pastries towards her. “Consider it repayment for paying my entrance fee.”

“I...fine,” Minerva sighed. “I doubt there’s anyway for me to convince you otherwise.”

“I don’t see why you’re complaining,” I remarked after biting into a pastry. “These are really good.”

In response, Minerva happily nodded and smiled. I think I’ll get some for Sekh in that case. Hopefully I get a smile out of it.

“You want to try some coffee?” I offered Minerva. “The brew here is fairly decent, though a bit sweet for my taste.”

For a moment Minerva considered my proposition before taking a small sip from my coffee cup.

“It’s...really good,” Minerva remarked. “There’s a really distinct caramel taste.”

“That’s something from Fars,” I told her. “In the Marches, we mainly drink it without any additions or a little milk. But Fars has plenty of sugarcane to create caramel as an added flavor.”

“In that case, I happen to like the Farsi brew more,” Minerva said with an apologetic smile. 

“Uncivilized,” I teased.  “Though it might be the other way around considering the history of Fars and the Marches.”

“That’s right, you’re the barbarian right now,” Minerva joked. “By the way, how was the book I recommended?”

“Good so far,” I informed her. “From what I’ve read, I think the main character, the rival, and the villain are heavily geared towards different aspects of heroism. I believe they represent idealism, sacrifice, and cynicism individually.”

“It’s just like you said,” Minerva responded. “Though I like how the author handled it. Compared to most stories that just put idealistic heroism on a pedestal, this story at least gives more credit to the more cynical variants. Especially the rival character, he’s just so loveable.”

Maybe I should take this as a sign. I’m almost a walking and breathing version of that pile of text. Though I think atrocities and snark are more acceptable coming from fiction than reality.

“You mean the guy with the spear?” I asked. “Maybe I’m just ignorant, but why do only the rival characters get saddled with spears?”

“Oh I read about that somewhere,” Minerva said excitedly. “Most of the hero stories are modeled on a party of heroes from twelve thousand years ago, since they were considered to be morally superior to all their predecessors.”

“A bit off topic, but what do you think about the current heroes?” I probed while wearing a wry smile. 

“I’m not sure,” Minerva answered with a hand on her chin. “Apart from the incident in Beroea, I would say that they were a good group.”

“That seems to be the general opinion,” I remarked. “Well I didn’t really get to know them during the war, so I don’t have anything to add.”

“What a shame,” Minerva said. “I’d really like a chance to know more about them.”

“Maybe you’ll get a chance sometime,” I replied with a smile.

I couldn’t help but chuckle inside at the irony. At this point, I don’t even feel remotely upset at the past. It’s actually quite funny, even if I happen to be the butt of the joke. 

Once we were finished with our food and small talk, the two of us walked around the city for a bit before going back to the Bureau. I did remember to buy a few pastries on our way back. 1 nummi to see Sekh’s ears perk up along with her tail, I would call that a worthwhile transaction. 

“I had a lot of fun today,” Minerva said happily after dinner. “We should do this again when we get the chance.

“I look forward to it,” I replied with a smile.