My life was a spectacle of endless blunders. The 10-coin debt to Zara and another 5 to Selene, because of the caravan fiasco, were like thorns in my pocket. Melina's song about "the caravan strippers" now echoed even in the alleys of Vaelor, and all I wanted was to pay off those debts and stop being everyone's punchline. My head was a mess. Elara, Vespera, and Liriel messed with me in ways I couldn't understand. Elara, with her shy glances that made my heart race; Vespera, with her teasing that made me blush; and Liriel, with that jealousy she tried to hide behind sharp remarks — every moment near them turned into a disaster. I wanted to understand these feelings, but with this group, it was like trying to solve a puzzle in a hurricane. The amulet, scepter, orb, tome, crystal, and scroll in my backpack glowed together, and Harlan said the minions of the Demon King's general were planning something in Vaelor. The danger was getting closer.
At the guild, I found a mission that seemed like a breather: "Help Torin with a drinking contest at the tavern to attract customers. Reward: 80 silver coins." A simple job could settle my debts with Zara and Selene. Dragging Liriel out of the inn was the same drama. "A contest of drunkards? Unworthy of a goddess!" she complained, holding her wine glass. Elara seemed nervous. "I'll use purification magic, nothing too much," she said, clutching her staff. Vespera, holding her bow, smiled. "Drinks? This will be exciting!" I tried to sound firm. "No crazy magic, no crooked arrows, no succubus charm. Just serve the drinks." They nodded, but I knew it was all talk.
Torin's tavern was packed, with adventurers shouting and mugs clinking. Torin greeted us with a suspicious look. "The strippers? Don't wreck my tavern again," he said, pointing at the counter. Zara, the gambling trickster, was there, betting on the contest. "You guys? This will be a show," she said, laughing. Torin introduced Brom, a short-bearded, grumpy bartender who organized the event. "Watch out for the drunkards, and don't let Zara cheat," Brom said. I noticed Elara adjusting my cloak, Vespera giving me a teasing look, and Liriel posing with her glass as if they were all fighting for my attention. It was confusing, and I just wanted to focus on the mission. Torin, passing by, mentioned he heard rumors of a minion of the Demon King's general lurking around the tavern. "Nothing you guys can't handle, right?" he said, returning to the bar.
The contest began, and chaos followed fast. Elara tried a purification spell to stop the drunkards from throwing up. "Just helping!" she said. The spell shone for a few seconds before she collapsed, exhausted. "Mana… gone," she gasped, falling into my arms. Her face was so close I could feel my heart pounding — it almost felt like she wanted to say something more, but the spell failed, and a mug exploded, splashing beer everywhere. Vespera, laughing, used her succubus charm to calm the drunkards. "Relax, you drunk fools!" She attracted half the tavern, which started a brawl, but her arrows went crooked, hitting a barrel that gushed liquor. "What a delicious mess!" she shouted as a drunk pushed her, and she seemed to enjoy it.
"Liriel, do something!" I yelled. She raised her glass. "Divine Purification Magic!" The liquor turned into a glowing goo that stuck to everyone, making our clothes semi-transparent — again. I tried to stop the fight but slipped on the goo and fell on top of Zara. "Flirting in my contest, stripper?" she said, winking. My face burned, and I noticed Elara, Vespera, and Liriel staring at me, with Liriel fuming with jealousy. Elara, still weak, murmured, "You're so kind, Takumi…" blushing, almost a confession. Vespera, laughing, got closer. "I like seeing you like this, all soaked." My heart pounded, but Liriel, irritated, tried another spell, only making it worse: the goo spread, sticking the four of us — and Brom — together. "Mortals and their idiotic crushes!" she huffed, though her jealous glare was stronger than ever. Brom, furious, stopped the chaos, but the tavern was a wreck.
The crowd laughed, and Zara improvised: "The strippers drink and strip, in this tavern no one can resist!" Our new fame was now "the strippers of the contest." We managed to finish the event, but the destroyed barrel cost us. At the guild, we received 50 coins, deducted for damages. We paid off Zara and Selene, but Brom charged us 10 coins for the mess. At the inn, I sat down, exhausted, while Elara and Vespera argued over who "saved" the contest. "My purification helped!" said Elara. "And my charm distracted them!" Vespera shot back. Liriel, sipping wine, snorted. "You're pathetic. I did everything."
When they left to get food, I pulled Liriel aside. "If you're a goddess, who's on your throne right now?" She shrugged. "Celine, my assistant. She's annoying, but she handles things." She took a sip. "Why? You trying to get rid of me?" She smiled, giving me a look that left me confused. Brom stopped by the inn, saying he'd found a vial with markings similar to those on the amulet, scepter, orb, tome, crystal, and scroll, suggesting that the Demon King's general was planning something in Vaelor. "Careful, strippers," he said, leaving. I looked at the glowing items. Those moments with Elara, Vespera, and Liriel — almost confessions — stirred something in me, but always turned into humiliation. And now, more plans from the Demon King? My life was a nightmare, and I just wanted one day without being called a pervert.