Alphonse was able to keep track of time as the glow from the complementing windows on the ceiling notably diminished. The sun lowered itself towards the west with half of its form consumed by one of the buildings. The encroaching shadows outside seemed to creep through the windows towards the front of the tea shop.

The door opened with only a quiet squeak of complaint and welcomed some muted light. Alphonse remained focused on the beastkin sitting with him at the table, but he assumed that Emily and Liam had arrived for the designated hour.

Before the siblings entered the tea shop, Asa alerted him of their arrival by making a quick motion of tapping her staff against her palm. Alphonse pulled up his scarf and was grateful when the young adventurers made their quiet entrance. Just the presence of more humans diverted attention away from him for a precious few seconds as he regained his bearings.

The trio of wolfmen responded in a similar manner to their cat brethren. The break in their conversation was barely conspicuous, and only the slight flick of their ears indicated some curiosity.

The strategy meeting with Alphonse and the beastkin had already taken a turn when he finished the outline of his plan. Conversations about proper tea preparation and what made for a nice snack on long adventuring trips took priority. The map on the table sat forgotten with Alphonse's arms folded on top of it.

He lowered his scarf a bit, took a long sip of his tea and relished the warm relief in his belly. He was content to not be the center of scrutiny for the time being.

Ash may have fallen into the casual discussions with Kureha, Kirie and Asa, but she still passed a glance over him every so often to gauge any reactions. To his credit, he remained perfectly dispassionate.

He looked at Asa, who was still glancing at the windows and entrance to the tea shop on occasion, watching for anyone else with prying eyes or appraisal spells. They didn't discount the possibility that the siblings may have been followed. It was comforting that in his moments of weakness there was someone to pick up the slack for him, but he shifted his chair so that he now had a clear view of the road.

Ah, well, this is nice too every once in a while, he thought.

He listened as Ash started to open up more when she explained tea qualities, effects on mind and body and the cultivation of the bonsai-like plants outside.

Alphonse didn't give away too much information -- just enough to fall into Ash's good graces when they naturally fell into a one on one discussion. Her personality reminded him of his father's – circumspect, with just enough openness to get others talking. Straightforward with her speech, but not revealing the true purpose behind what she stated and asked. It was as if every conversation held some sort of lesson behind it. Responses came naturally to Alphonse as a result, and she seemed rather pleased by it.

He looked up at the newcomers who stared at them awkwardly. Emily constantly adjusted the grip on her staff as Liam's eyes darted around the room. The other beastkin patrons didn't seem to notice their apprehension, or they were perhaps well-versed at hiding their awareness in the presence of humans.

Alphonse gestured to two chairs that Kureha was kind enough to borrow from a neighboring table.

He read the questioning look on the young spellcaster's face. “Don't worry, you didn't miss much.”

“Ah, that's good,” she said taking her seat. The staff rested on her lap as she suddenly remembered her manners and bowed from the chair.

Liam mirrored her and propped his glaive against a support beam. “Thank you again for helping us, mister McCarthy.”

Alphonse waved his hand at them good-naturedly. “No need for the formalities,” he said. “Hopefully, we can get this strategy meeting together without too many distractions.” He looked purposefully between the beastkin. They caught on immediately and gave him their full attention. The fox woman did so with an amused expression that seemed akin to a delighted simper. Alphonse couldn't be sure with her enigmatic persona.

“Before that,” Ash said. “I would like to say something.” She rested her hands in her lap and leaned back in a more relaxed posture.

“Alright, shoot,” Alphonse said.

“Your team lacks some protection for your spellcasters. You might encounter some unexpected complications. I'm sure you've already addressed this.”

So she didn't hear that part of our discussion, Alphonse thought. Or maybe...

“I'll admit, I've taken a bit of a liking to you. You don't behave like most humans, and your focus on the more subtle aspects of combat is something I can appreciate. Having two beastkin who trust you definitely helps.” She looked to Kirie and Asa who nodded their assent.

"The region you're headed has some plants that I need for myself and a certain...client," Ash continued. "Normally, I travel alone to deal with these errands, but I've mostly avoided this area up until now.”

Alphonse made a show of resting his arm on the table as he anticipated her proposal.

Ash smiled. “So, how about letting me tag along? You'll have another fighter to defend your spellcasters, and you can deal with your specialty as a scout. And if you need any help with your role, I can assist there as well. In return, I can collect what I need with little urgency knowing that I have a capable party of adventurers.”

Alphonse tapped a finger on the table. He couldn't deny that her offer was enticing. Having an extra body on the field to aid the newbie adventurers was reassuring. If things did get out of hand, having someone else to draw attention would make matters simpler. Forging a certain bond with her on the battlefield was also another positive. They would be in an area that wasn't too far from foot traffic, so it added risk for someone boldly pursuing any underhanded deeds.

He discarded the last bit with a fit of frustration. The trust issues were a double-edged sword.

The deirgu had only just recently set up their camps over the past week. It wasn't likely that other factors would come into play being so close to a populated area. They would also secure a larger perimeter than normal, but Ash concurred with his caution to expect the unexpected.

He saw no reason not to place at least that much faith in her. After all, he had other plans in regards to the demihuman district as a whole.

Having her as an acquaintance would be invaluable. Refusing will set me back quite a bit, he thought.

“I do have terms,” Alphonse said. "We would have to stop by the Guild Union."

Kirie and Asa nodded in agreement, and Alphonse was impressed by their understanding. Emily and Liam acknowledged this as well, having gone through the process themselves. It wouldn't be professional to only have the adventurers sign a contract of services with his guild. If Ash wanted to accompany them, then she would have to undergo the same process to keep everything on record.

Ash seemed pleased by this response. “Of course. I imagine there is more to adventuring than just simply fighting monsters.”

You have no idea, Alphonse thought. Then he reconsidered, Or do you?

“You said this is also for another person,” Alphonse said.

“Yes, an alchemist. He needs materials.”

Alphonse stopped tapping his finger and straightened in his seat. An alchemist?

He considered the possibilities with this new information. Coming to this tea shop was bearing more fruit than he could have possibly imagined.

He'd noticed some books at the library concerning the practice of alchemy, but they were rather sparse in comparison to magic. The latter mostly dominated in the fields of combat, medicine and most other occupations. Over a period of decades, magic was preferred in combat since everyone in Hovestile was born with some amount of mana. Spellcasters utilized mana for their magical arts and required incantations with strong mental focus to envision the various aspects of the spell, while other classes focused it into skills activated by a distinct sort of imprint on their being; hence, why obtaining these skills was referred to as a sort of "awakening." Alchemy required materials, concoctions and elaborate sigils that pulled from the elements, which could be a painstaking and laborious process in comparison to mana. Alchemists usually inscribed these sigils on their bodies or gear to decrease the time required for the process.

Unfortunately, Alphonse's mana pool was absent, thanks to his deal with the Construct Contract. Alchemy seemed like a decent alternative given his mana handicap.

It doesn't hurt to try, he thought.

“Alright then,” Alphonse said. “If you introduce me to this alchemist, then you'll also have a new regular customer.”

Ash's smile faltered for a barely perceptible moment. “He is a tough man to get ahold of.”

“So am I. If our paths happen to cross, then so be it. The tea is enough for me to come here, but having another reason helps.”

Kureha clasped her hands together and beamed at the compliment. Her bright smile had Alphonse's heart beating like a snare drum again.

Kirie raised her hand. “Question! Do you have the tea in packets or something?”

Alphonse rolled his eyes. Way to shift an important subject, Kirie.

“We do!”

Alphonse seized the opportunity, "Perfect. Kirie, you get to carry the cookware.”

“Wait, what?”

He looked at her as if the answer was obvious. “The extra weight will affect my sneaking ability.”

“Oh, we can't have that,” Asa chimed in.

Kirie slapped her hands on the table. “The fuck? Why do you two always gang up on me?”

Alphonse and Asa shared a grin as Kirie sputtered for a counterargument. Any tension that might have tainted the atmosphere was mostly gone at this point. Even Emily and Liam visibly relaxed as they watched their light banter.

Alphonse stared around the table. He kept to himself for the most part as the humans and beastkin slowly began to feel comfortable around each other and discussed some more abject topics. He figured this would allow the rest of the meeting to go even more smoothly.

Their party now consisted of: three fighters with plenty of variety (he wasn't entirely sure how to categorize Ash), two spellcasters who specialized in healing and different forms of elemental magic and a scout for stealth and ranged attacks. In Alphonse's humble opinion, it was a decent composition given what he had to work with.

He found himself staring at Ash. She was back to her previous neutral countenance, but there was the hint of a glimmer in her eyes as the anticipation mounted with the promise of combat. He knew that feeling, but felt his was somewhat different in a way.

He was making another roll of the dice, but for some reason, he found himself less concerned with this throw.

---

A low hum echoed through the cavern. The small creatures curled up on the ground in their deep slumber didn't notice the sound. Their dreams were filled with the addicting sounds of screams and savory images of burning bodies, preferably humans. Humans were powerful foes -- including the lowly workers of their villages. The deirgu had little chance against them in a battle, so they delighted in these joyous dreams of conquering such dangerous foes and feasting on their flesh.

The bipedal rodent creatures continued to sleep soundly, but one massive form among them awoke to the insistent sound.

The roused monster let out a rancid breath as it listened. The faint trill seemed to taunt its ears -- muting in the soft, abrupt sounds, as if tip-toeing around the fluid that dripped from the ceiling.

The broken sound morphed into something more distinct and familiar. Obvious syllables tested the air, and succinct words formed in the common tongue, "This - is your opportunity."

The hulking behemoth slowly opened its eyes upon hearing the voice. The dual membranes protecting its sclera moved fully under its eyelids, and the yellow filament dissolved around the cornea. It chewed on the leftover bits of its latest meal that had sat rotting behind sharp teeth during its slumber. A pair of meaty hands gripped the spiked club that always rested within reach.

The monster sat up and straightened as the voice intruded on its thoughts again, "The human -- the one from the forest -- do you remember him?"

The creature's bulky arms pushed away from its body as it rose to its feet and stared at the stalactites dotting the cavern's ceiling. Drops of liquefied mana in its pure cerulean state fell lazily through the air and littered the monster's face. It licked around its mouth with a rough, putrid tongue and tugged at the tusk overlapping its bottom lip.

Its sense of reasoning returned as drowsiness receded. Three days of sleep was sufficient, but the reminder of the human was what brought it to full alertness.

The volume of the voice increased. The ogre rested a hand over its thick abdomen as it recognized the will of its master. A boiling hatred bubbled in its stomach.

"The Many-robed One is not pleased," the voice continued. "The bearer of the contract is close."

The ogre narrowed its eyes. The extrinsic black markings on its arms seemed to vibrate as a dull glow traced the contours of its body. The unnatural webbed skin between its toes split and oozed a dark, viscous fluid. The soles of its feet tore open similarly and made loud slapping sounds as it strode forward. It felt no pain when more portions of its skin opened, as if a number of invisible scalpels drew along its body with delicate precision. More of the fluid bled forth and splattered to the ground.

After a few seconds, the monster's regenerative abilities sealed the wounds as if they never existed.

"Kill the black-garbed one," the voice commanded. "Leave Rinka's daughters alive."

"Rinka..." the ogre grunted in its garbled, saliva-filled speech. "Daughters...alive..."

The ogre grumbled its displeasure at the thought of sparing lives, but it nodded in acquiescence despite the motion being pointless. The being that intruded on its thoughts always knew its mental state.

The monster carefully stepped over its sleeping army and exited the cavern.