Einar took Alice to the café where one could see the fountain. It was a café that is usually visited by the nobles. Its walls were made of lumber, it has two floors, the first floor usually for the commoners, and the second one for the nobles. Below them the stone-paved street. Einar took Alice to where he usually sits near the Veranda.

“Never thought that I’d be sitting here,” Alice said. “Hmm, I guess it pays to have a generous guardian.”

Einar sipped on his juice, “My cousin took me here, liked the place, has a nice view and food is fine. Looks like no rain today.”

“No rain until the Dance of Ninon is over. The Tower emits heat at the end so all the rain clouds are melted away.”

“Looks like the merchants are going to be busy with the festival. Heard that there would be visitors from the south as well. Wonder if they are going to bring in those strange bald lions.”

“Probably going to have the striped tigers. Also three-horned cows from the looks of it. They say that their milk tastes like vanilla.”

Alice eyed the street, “Looks like the guards are going to be busy. Oh, are those the Knights of Ton?”

“Really?” Einar looked. “Looks like it, the anvil, and the hammer. Oh, they really prefer that bladed war picks huh?”

“Heavily plated and they are a band of spellswords.”

Einar leaned his elbows on the table. “Are you going to wear a special outfit for this event?”

“They really have a good cake here. Is this the sponge cake that I hear all the time from the noble girls?”

“It is,” Einar folded arms. “You can continue eating them.

Alice scooped a spoonful of cake, “Hmm, this is nice. Ah, I am going to wear the headdress of Ninon along with the outfit.”
“You are not what I was expecting,” Einar said. “I thought you’d be harder to talk to.”

Alice said, “That’s kinda rude. Just because I work hard on trying to be better doesn’t mean I don’t know how to talk to people.”

“People usually steers clear from bloodied people. I mean there are still traces of blood around you and if it wasn’t for me we wouldn’t have entered this place.”

“It doesn’t really matter to me.”

“Personal hygiene doesn’t matter to you? Oh, I really don’t want to pry but can you not practice whatever that makes you bloody?”

“Breaking my habit would be problematic. I agree with it. I rather not worry my guardian.”

“The dance is a simple ritual but it would be problematic if you are not on your best then I might be troubled. Monsters going to try and stop the ritual dance. The Hearth Fire Dance will make them go crazy.”

“The ritual’s going to be troublesome.”

“Of course it would be.”

“Cake is good, hmm, you’d need a good sword.”

“That I will. I can borrow some sword back home. A shield would be perfect since it is a guardian role. Ah, can you pass me that?”

“Here,” she handed the kettle to Einar.

“I needed this,” he poured tea and drank. “Juice after tea, I wonder if this is going to ruin my stomach.”

“Don’t see how a warrior’s stomach can be easily ruined,” she stared at Einar, her cheeks reddening, before turning away, exhaling air from her nose. “Sigh, who would have thought?”

“Hmm?” Einar stared at her. “Thought what?”

She shook her head, and touched her jaw, “Nothing, really. So is that all?”

“You are going to train?” He asked.

“I will help manage my Brother’s store for a while.”

“You have a store?”

“We sell trinkets and items that came from the dungeons. My brother is a Purveyor, he usually climbs down to gather the materials himself.”

“The dungeons inside the labyrinths are separated spaces, right? How does he manage.”

“He joins expeditions and acts as their luggage holder. My brother holds the materials from the, appraise them, and then he gets a cut from them.”

“Sounds troublesome. Dungeon materials are expensive and hard to refine. Each material needs cleaning, inspecting, and making sure that they aren’t carrying any miasma from the dungeon. Brother handles them by contract, he’s allowed to sell the materials in exchange for money. Artifacts that are unearthed usually belongs to the expedition team.”

“Looks like things would be busy,” Einar. “Going to manned the store then. Are things busy at your shop?”

“There are days, but with the Dance of Ninon, people tend to steer clear from shops like ours. Quality being lowered while the tower is undergoing such a state. Such nonsense, the materials are non-living so there is no need for such concern. Oh, can I have that?”

“Sure,” Einar handed the rest of his biscuits. “How they fit the cheese inside, is a mystery.”

“I think they are using those small tubes to fit these cheeses? I don’t know, oh, that’s nice.”

Einar pushed his palms on the table, “We both should be going. See you around, Alice.”

“Sure,” Alice stood as well.

The two walked down to the first floor and parted on the door. Einar carried himself to where a lavish scholar was speaking poems to the noble ladies. Alice, walked, holding the handle of her sword sternly, eyes focused on the road. She stopped for a moment, turned her eyes to Einar who was speaking to the scholar on the fountain, before plodding away, returning to the store that her family built. It was the store that her brother inherited, and the sign outside the store was placed above the door where it could be seen clearly to those who might visit.

Inside, Alice went and dressed, then went back to the counter, checked the materials that were placed on the shelves. After making sure that all was in order, she went to the counter, sat on the stool, and watched the door. She saw a figure entering, she readied herself, and did her best smile, hoping that it wouldn’t be too awkward.

“Welcome to Pale Shine, what can I get you?