"Just not for the better…"
"Oh no." Rion commented.
A melancholic smirk crossed Clair's face as she continued.
"Anyway… we met up in a small, peaceful place—Tonbo Village…"
—
Clair stepped up to the tavern and pushed open the door. It was a cold night so the warmth of the tavern brushed her face as she scanned the crowded room. For a moment, she didn't see him—until a hand shot up from across the tavern, beckoning her over.
"Is that…?" Clair muttered under her breath, making her way toward the table. As she took a seat and propped her shield up beside it, then she hesitated. "C-Cain? Is that you?"
The man on the other side of the table lifted a hand to his hood and pulled it down.
"—!"
Clair caught herself before she gasped.
The person sitting in front of her was Cain… but not as she remembered him. His bloodshot eyes stared at her, heavy bags drooped beneath them. His once-short, put-together hair was now long, greasy, and unkempt. His yellowed teeth, resembling coins, peeked through as he grinned.
Cain let out a chuckle. "Heh. Don't I look pretty?" He forced a smile with his chapped lips.
"Cain, w-what happened to you?" Clair muttered, still taken aback.
Cain leaned back in his chair. "Ohhh, you know… stuff."
Just then, a waiter approached, asking if they wanted anything. Clair declined, while Cain ordered a beer.
"So," he said, still grinning, "what've you been up to, Clair? What rank are you now?"
"I…" Clair hesitated.
Cain extended his hand across the table. "C'mon." His voice dropped. "Lemme see your ID."
A shiver ran down Clair's spine at the way he spoke, but she slowly reached into her pocket and showed him her adventurer's ID.
Cain went silent, carefully studying it before speaking up, "Woahhh. Rank 2. How about that…" Cain muttered. Then as if an idea had struck him he looked up to Clair, his grin widening.
"Guess my rank!"
Clair forced a weak laugh. "Ahaha… I don't really want to." She said, quickly stuffed her ID back into her pocket.
"C'mon, it'll be fun."
"No, I really—"
"CMON!"
Cain suddenly slammed his hands on the table with a dull thud, rattling the silverware. The entire tavern went silent for a brief moment. The Tavern went quiet for a moment, people briefly stared before eventually falling back into conversation.
By this time the waiter reappeared, setting Cain's beer on the table.
Cain let out a short laugh. "Haha… sorry, sorry." He grabbed the mug and took a sip before setting it down. "So… are you gonna guess or what?"
Clair sat there in silence for a moment before finally speaking. "I'd rather not."
Cain's grin faltered and he lowered his gaze. "O-okay…" He took another sip of beer, then finally muttered, "I called you out here for a reason. I didn't just wanna meet up."
Clair remained silent.
"So I'm, uh… I'm not an adventurer anymore. It's embarrassing but my ID got taken away. Permanently." Cain's fingers lightly tapped the table.
"AllIdidwasfakeafewmissions— b-but that doesn't matter right now, What I really wanted to ask you was…"
Clair already knew where this was going.
And she already knew her answer.
"…If the two of us can team up again," Cain continued. His voice grew desperate as he clasped his hands together, as if in prayer. "I need some money but noody will hire me without an ID so I'm wondering if you can handle the ID part then we can split the job money."
He looked up to her with a chuckle greed laced in his eyes. "I've changed, I promise you. So please—give me another chance!"
"…"
"I'm sorry, Cain."
Cain's expression darkened. "…And why's that?"
Clair inhaled deeply, steadying herself. "Because I can't trust you anymore."
(And thus, Rion's adventure continues…)