As Kristoffer snored, there came a tapping on his door.

It was such a gentle tap that it could only wake someone up if they were literally lying a mere few centimeters on the other side.

Yet, the snoring stopped and the sound of a person getting up from slumber passed through the door.

Kristoffer, ignoring the sudden headache, opened the door just to see a woman with a slim body, her black hair short enough to not touch the shoulders, that was, aside from the maintained tail that reached her waist.

Behind her was a man with silver buzz-cut hair, his face still fresh in his mind.

It was Nel and Victor.

For some reason, it was strange to see these two together.

"Good morning," Nel greeted with an apologetic smile.

"Why are you sleeping at your door?" Victor asked, confused.

Kristoffer grumbled. He wanted to know the reason as well. Oh, that's right, it's because practically anyone could come in!

Although, he wondered why were they here so early. "You're early."

"Early?" Victor frowned and pointed to the sky, "it's at least a couple hours past dawn!"

Using his droopy eyes to scan the horizon, it was indeed how he described it.

Kristoffer couldn't believe he woke up this late. Well, he did stay up late getting angry at the door and pondering about the recent life-and-death events that he went through.

Taking a look at Victor's face, it seemed he slept well. Was he used to these things?

"So, what are you here for?" 

"Whoa there, partner. How long have you slept?" 

Not long enough.

"I actually got here an hour ago," Nel said. "But after seeing the bakery still closed, I went to the nearby food stall and had a small chat with the owner."

Oh, right! Kristoffer wanted to smack himself in the face after realizing that he hadn't even started prepping for today's baking. But after surviving last night's ordeal, that should be the least of his worries anyway so he congratulated himself instead.

"I'm taking the day off. I know it's sudden, Nel, but I feel like not moving my body too much for a while."

"Oh, is that so."

"It is so." Kristoffer then turned to Victor. "So, how 'bout you?"

"I need to ask you some things." 

"About what?" 

"A lot."

Seeing his serious expression, it was most likely about what they saw in that basement.

Should he just shut the door on them? It's not like he has a lock though.

He silently clicked his tongue in frustration.

"Come on in."

 

---

 

Kristoffer invited Victor to have a seat in the living room as he prepared some hot cocoa. When he put down the cup on the rectangular coffee table, Victor took it and gulped the contents in one go.

Kristoffer sat on his personal sofa from the opposite side of the table, facing Victor.

"Did you know about it?" Victor whispered.

"What are you talking about exactly?" 

"You know what I'm talking about! It's about-"

Victor took a glance at Nel who was inspecting the baking tools several meters away, "It's about our boss, your and my boss."

"Don't pretend like you think Quill's still your boss, Victor. With what you did down there, I doubt you're planning to stay any longer."

"And don't change the subject, Kristoff."

Victor squinted his eyes as if he's talking to a prime suspect. "We both know what we saw down there and I'm trying to find a reason not to reveal that to the world whatever that is. Now, tell me. Who is Quill really?"

To tell the truth, Kristoffer didn't want to talk about it and for the last 10 years, no one with the knowledge had asked him so directly.

Should he tell him? If so, wouldn't that mean he snitched on her?

However, it didn't look like Victor's going to leave if he kept silent.

Since she didn't mention anything, he had a feeling that Quill wouldn't care if he told Victor...no, it's dangerous to make assumptions.

Should he deny it then?

But his master told him to always think whether the consequences would be worth the lie.

Then should he just kill him..?

Urgh.

"You can think what you want. No more explanations are necessary. Whatever I say, there's no evidence of it anyway."

Neither Kristoffer nor Victor dared break their stares at each other. 

"...Is there any reason why she changed sides?"

Changed sides?

"I think there's a misunderstanding."

Hm? Didn't it look like he just took the cat out of the bag? Dang, all he could do now was to make sure that Victor would understand.

"Have you ever seen her assassinate a righteous noble, execute an innocent child, or steal from anyone?"

"I've heard information about her assassinating a noble notorious for some shady things, slaughtering an entire family of thieves, and scamming people for fun. Should I be happy about that?"

Crap, maybe those weren't the best examples.

"Hey, those people she scammed, they were given a lot more their money's worth in the end. As you said, she's just playing around and having fun. While those thieves trespassed her home and the noble sent assassins after her."

"And I'm telling you that is f****d up! Self-defense aside, are you telling me then that getting scammed by her is a good thing?"

"Isn't that the reality! I wanted to be that guy who got fooled and was given a house and lot afterward as an apology. Or that guy who was tricked into selling his business but got it back anyway when it was at its peak!"

A heavy silence dawned over the two as they continued staring each other down.

Kristoffer had been thinking about this when he got home, Victor froze up when he saw Lime and had been staring daggers at Quill on the way back. It was a different vibe from when they were arguing about the little critters.

He knew Victor should be shocked, but it was something more. It felt more akin to concern...

Victor looked like he was about to shout something but then halted. He just looked at the floor in silence for a short while until he raised his head. "...Then, please, tell me..."

Even Kristoffer was surprised by Victor's sad tone. Didn't it look like he's gonna cry?

"...what made her fed up with being a champion of justice? Did the country do something wrong with her? Was she unsatisfied with the support we have been giving?"

Then Kristoffer realized. Victor was just like him. Just one among the countless citizens who look up to the dark elf who led them throughout trying times. Was that what's been bothering him, why did Lime leave?

But more importantly, what did he mean by 'support'?

Before he could come up with an answer to either Victor's questions or his own, he saw Nel behind Victor raising her hand full of long knife-like claws. Did she have those before? And when did she get there?

Victor, noticing the surprise on Kristoffer's face, dived forward on instinct and rolled over the table.

The claws only managed to cut a few strands of hair. If he were late for even a tenth of a second, instead of hair it would have been blood flying.

The same time as the glass cup fell and shattered, Victor unsheathed his dagger as he stood back up. "What the hell are you doing, bitch?!"

This was the reason why Kristoffer also invited her in. A witness that could be an ally if things get messy. Anyone under Quill with a shady background couldn't be weak after all, or so he believed.

But he never would have thought that she would strike first like an assassin!

Victor knew Kristoffer didn't expect this as well because of his reaction but he shifted away from Kristoffer just to make sure. Simultaneously, he was trying to calculate if he could make a run for it if given the opportunity.

Even so, he's confident he wouldn't need to do that as he secretly readied a magic item and scooted closer to Nel. "That's right... I know you also work for Quill but somehow that slipped my mind. Is that a skill too? Did Quill send you?"

"Can't you see that you are bothering him?" Nel said.

"Huh?"

"You've been talking for a while now but all this time it seemed like you were just trying to upset him."

Kristoffer and Victor looked at each other in bewilderment.

"...So Quill didn't send you?"

"Why? Did you do something?" Holding up her claws further accentuated their sharpness. "I would end your misery for you if you just tell me now."

"No, thanks," Victor smirked. "I doubt you're up to the challenge, anyway."

As Nel stepped up to the provocation, Kristoffer rushed in between them. "Whoa, whoa. Hold up there. No need to escalate things, he was just asking me some stuff."

"Are you sure you don't want him gone?" Nel asked.

"Well, I do want him to leave, but alive, please." It should be cold this time of the year so why was he sweating so much.

Nel looked at Victor with frustrated disappointment as she shifted her fingers to their normal state.

Turning at an exaggerated motion, Kristoffer beckoned Victor over to the exit, "Do you mind?"

Victor complied. But before he did, he haughtily voiced a "heh" seeing as Nel was easy to stay down at another's request. He thought it was because she knew she can't beat him head-on but, regardless whether that was true or false, it was only because it's Kristoffer who said so.

After no longer detecting Victor's presence, Kristoffer could feel his headache getting a little worse at the sight of Nel who seemed quite happy, like a dog who thought it did good but didn't.

"What was that?" Kristoffer couldn't help but ask. He wasn't particularly asking anyone and he's kind of thankful that no one answered.

"Um, Nel?"

"Yes?"

He had a feeling that Nel would be working here for a while so he just had to make sure. Why not fire her? She hasn't even experienced working here, that would be too cruel, he thought.

"Before you do something like that again, give me a signal first, okay?" He wasn't quite angry but the pain made it look like he's frowning at her, his voice domineering. "Because I wouldn't want my bakery to be stained with blood. Got that?"

If rumors spread, it would be bad for business after all.

Getting scolded so suddenly when she thought she managed to help him drive away the foul man dampened her mood. "I understand, I'll be careful next time. I'm sorry."

But just like a dog that got scolded, she was surprised when a hand patted her in the head.

"Oh, sorry," Kristoffer said, retracting his arm. "I didn't mean to be upset or anything, I'm actually thankful. So don't let it get you down, okay?"

After being told so with a smile, Nel beamed once again, "I see, that's a relief."

Both of them considered this to be a nice moment as they smiled at each other, and so Kristoffer remembered, "Oh, by the way, I apologize that I haven't introduced myself properly yesterday," holding up a hand for her to shake, "I'm Kristoffer Marchand, the only baker of the town."

Nel took it, "I'm called Penelope, just Penelope, and please take care of me from now on."

"Likewise." It wasn't uncommon for peasants to not possess a surname so he didn't mind it, moreover, seeing that hand earlier, he doubted she's even human.

Just as they were relishing the warmth of each other's hand, a voice boomed from his open door, "Hello, master! Fancy meeting you here. Nanchatte~✰!"

At first, he didn't realize who it was until he locked onto those red eyes that he couldn't take out of his mind since last night. She no longer had a tail, her ears now looked human, and she even wore a proper shirt and expensive-looking pants.

"Why are you here!?"