My life was a comedy where I always ended up flat on my face. The new debt of 10 coins to Nymara, because of the fiasco at the elven banquet, was another weight on my shoulders, and Melina's song about "the table strippers" was already making the elves laugh even in the taverns of the elven city. My head was a whirlwind. Elara, Vespera, and Liriel messed with my feelings in ways I couldn't decipher. Elara's shy glances made my heart race like a wild horse. Vespera's provocations, with that smile that seemed to know everything, made me blush like a bonfire. And Liriel's jealousy, hidden behind sharp sarcasm, left me more lost than ever. Vespera's kiss at the Moon Festival, even drunk and accidental, still lingered like a fog, with her avoiding my gaze and Elara and Liriel throwing indirect remarks that cut like knives. I wanted to understand what I felt, but with this group, it was like trying to read a book during an earthquake. The amulet, scepter, sphere, tome, orb, crystal, scroll, ring, cube, medallion, bracelet, necklace, royal scepter, cord, orb, tiara, key, cord, ring, stone, necklace, and bracelet in my backpack glowed together, and Elowen said the Demon King's ritual was drawing near. The danger felt like a distant thunder, but today, I just wanted to pay the debt to Nymara and avoid more humiliation.
At the elven guild, a vine-covered building pulsing with magic, Princess Elowyn offered us a mission: to find a lost tome in the Ancient Library, supposedly linked to an elven ritual. "It might help restore your reputation," she said, with a smile that didn't hide her doubt. Liriel grumbled: "A dusty library full of conceited elves? Unworthy of a goddess!" Elara, clutching her staff, seemed excited. "I'll use search magic, no exaggerations!" she said, with a look asking for trust. Vespera, with her bow slung over her shoulder, smiled, but still avoided my gaze. "Ancient books? This will be interesting!" I tried to be firm: "No crazy magic, no crooked arrows, no succubus charm. Just find the tome." They nodded, but their mocking smiles said I was dreaming.
The Ancient Library was a spectacle. Towers of living trees supported wooden shelves that seemed to grow from the floor, with floating books and scrolls glowing with magic. Elowyn introduced us to Faelan, an elf librarian with crooked glasses and a dry voice. "The strippers? Don't destroy my library!" he said, in a tone mixing irritation and sarcasm. He explained that the lost tome, Chronicles of the Veil, contained elven secrets, possibly linked to the Demon King. Melina, appearing out of nowhere, plucked her lute. "New verse ready!" she announced, attracting the attention of scholarly elves. The tension between Vespera and me was still high, with Elara and Liriel watching us as if I might start a fire just by breathing.
The search began, and chaos arrived quickly. Elara tried a search spell to locate the tome. "Just to find it faster!" she said. The spell glowed for a few seconds before she collapsed, panting. "Mana… gone," she groaned, falling into my arms. Her face was so close that my heart raced. "Takumi, I… I wanted to…," she began, with a look that almost made me forget the library, but the spell caused a book to explode into dust. Vespera, laughing, tried to help with an arrow to "knock down" a high tome. The crooked arrow hit a shelf, which collapsed, scattering scrolls. "What a delightful chaos!" she shouted, as an elf tried to push her, and she seemed to enjoy it. "Liriel, do something!" I yelled. She raised a wine glass. "Divine purification magic!" The light exploded, but set a pile of scrolls on fire, spreading smoke. I tried to save a book, but slipped on a loose scroll, falling with a thud that knocked over more shelves.
Amid the chaos, Elara murmured: "Takumi, I just wanted to say that…," but Liriel cut her off, eyes full of jealousy. "Focus, mortal, or you'll burn the entire library!" Vespera, still avoiding my gaze, teased: "Relax, Liriel, he's just clumsy as always." Liriel huffed: "Mortals and their silly crushes!" Faelan, eyes wide, extinguished the fire with a spell, but the shelf was reduced to ashes, and scrolls scattered across the floor. He found a ring with markings identical to the amulet, scepter, and other items, fallen among the debris. "Curious," he said, handing it to me. When I touched the ring, it vibrated, knocking over more books. Elowyn, sighing, said: "You will pay for this." Scholarly elves pointed and laughed, and Melina sang: "In the library, books stripped, the strippers fall into chaos!" Faelan huffed: "You are a plague!"
We returned to the elven inn with the tome found, but the library in ruins. The local guild paid us 60 coins for the mission, deducted for damages. We paid the debt to Nymara, but Faelan charged 10 coins for the scrolls and shelves. I sat, exhausted, while Elara and Vespera argued over who "messed up less." "I only used one spell!" said Elara, cheeks red. "And I only shot one arrow!" retorted Vespera, avoiding my gaze. Liriel, drinking wine, huffed. "You are pathetic. I did everything." Elowen appeared, looked at the ring, and said: "Another clue about the Demon King's ritual. Be careful, strippers." She left without further explanation. The tension between Vespera and me remained awkward, with Elara and Liriel casting suspicious glances. "What's going on, Takumi?" asked Elara, jealousy evident. Vespera murmured: "Nothing, just the library."
When Elara and Vespera went out to get food, I pulled Liriel aside. "If you're a goddess, who's on your throne now?" She shrugged lazily, smiling. "Celine, my assistant. She's annoying, but she takes care of the rest." She took a sip. "Why? Planning to send me away, mortal?" She smiled, with a look that left me confused. I looked at the glowing items — amulet, scepter, sphere, tome, orb, crystal, scroll, ring, cube, medallion, bracelet, necklace, royal scepter, cord, orb, tiara, key, cord, ring, stone, necklace, bracelet, ring. Vespera's kiss, Elara and Liriel's jealousy, the new debt with Faelan — my life was a nightmare, and I just wanted a day without being called a pervert.