Chapter 14: Cheap Rent and a Strange Roommate to Boot

Chapter 14:
Cheap Rent and a Strange Roommate to Boot

 

FLUM MADE HER WAY over toward the nearest house with a light in the window and asked the woman living there for help. She explained how the man in Stude’s mother’s house, ostensibly a friend of the family, was dead, and that she had hunted down and killed his murderers.

The woman eyed Flum suspiciously as she summoned the local militia. The burly group of men that showed up soon after at the house gave her similarly suspicious looks as she retold the story before embarking toward Stude’s house.

Fortunately, their concerns were allayed when Stude and his mother corroborated everything Flum said. A short time later, the corpse slumped across the dinner table was removed from the house.

“Oh, James…” Stude watched sadly as his friend was carried away on a stretcher.

Flum clenched her hand into a fist as she watched the scene unfold. It was all so sad. The only victim to come out of all of this was a man who had absolutely nothing to do with any of it.

She finally made her way over to Stude’s side. “Was he a friend of yours?”

His voice was uneven. “Yeah, from childhood. We hadn’t seen each other in such a long time, so I invited him over for dinner. And then…and then…”

He was clearly clenching his jaw in an attempt to fight back tears. Despite his best efforts, one rolled down the side of his cheek and down to his jaw before dropping to the floor below. Stude dragged his large arm across his eyes.

“Sorry for being like this, Flum. I really need to get myself together.”

“Not at all, Stude. Besides, it’s my fault that they came here.”

“Now don’t you go there, Flum. If you guys hadn’t shown up, me and my mother would be dead right now. I’m forever thankful for that, and don’t you forget it.”

“But…”

“Not only did you save me, but you avenged my friend. Thanks a lot, Flum.” Stude slapped her back and went over toward the militia men talking to his mother.

Flum wasn’t entirely convinced. She looked down at the sand-covered street and stared into the nothingness.

 

***

 

Later that night, the remains of the two thugs were scooped into hemp bags and unceremoniously discarded in the forest. The townsfolk might not be able to seek their own justice against the men, but they could deny them a proper burial at the very least. It was only a matter of time until wild animals feasted on their remains and the two men returned to the earth.

Sara had been in a dark mood since the encounter, but she still eagerly took responsibility for administering James his last rites the following morning, since there were no pastors or nuns in Anichidey. Despite how despondent she had been last night, she acquitted the task with well-practiced professionalism. She probably took some comfort in having a job to focus on.

Flum had been undecided about whether she would even attend the funeral until the very last minute. Everyone around her was sobbing at the loss of James, while she was filled with nothing but relief at knowing that Milkit was still safe. It hardly seemed right for her to be there.

“I really am cold-blooded, aren’t I?” she muttered to herself as she followed the funeral procession.

After all, even if she technically had nothing to do with the man’s death, she was the one who’d brought his killers here in the first place. It felt like a betrayal of Stude, who’d been nothing but kind to the two slave girls who showed up on his doorstep.

Milkit watched with concern as Flum chewed on her lip, before reaching out and tugging at her clothes. Flum interpreted this as Milkit’s attempt to cheer her up, and gave her a slight smile.

“Thank you.”

She reached out and intertwined her fingers with Milkit’s, pulling the other girl’s hand into her own. No one would notice them holding hands here in the middle of a funeral. But even such a light touch, from such a very simple act, made Flum’s whole body begin to warm up.

Both girls smiled as they basked in their shared warmth.

 

***

 

It was noon on the day after the funeral when the cart finally showed up, as promised, to take them back to the capital. Flum, Milkit, and Sara climbed in and waved goodbye to the townsfolk that came out to see them off. Stude still had some things to do and would be staying behind, so it looked as if this would be goodbye.

He tried to give Sara an envelope with money in it as thanks for performing James’s last rites, but she refused to take it. She probably felt some responsibility for what had happened—after all, she’d helped take down Dein’s goons.

Flum had told the townsfolk everything last night—that the men who did this were thugs working for an infamous adventurer and that they had followed her here. To her surprise, no one seemed to blame her. Rather, they were just thankful that Flum had avenged James’s death, and even expressed relief that Milkit was safe, leaving her newly impressed by how kindhearted these people were.

The townsfolk waved enthusiastically after the three girls until the town was nearly out of sight. Though Sara’s lips were smiling, her eyes were devoid of any emotion.

 

***

 

The cart traveled on for several hours without a single word exchanged between its occupants. Sara seemed particularly lost in thought, and seeing her friend so deeply affected by what had happened cast a cloud over Flum’s mood in turn. Milkit was also quieter than usual, though it was hard to tell if that was simply because she was following her master’s lead.

The horses continued to pull the cart forward through dusty dunes and into vast grasslands. A gentle breeze caressed their cheeks as they pressed on.

Sara ran a hand through her hair, brushing her golden locks out of her eyes, before finally breaking the silence.

“Y’know, I’ve been thinking…”

She didn’t take her eyes off the rolling green hills.

“I just don’t get it. I don’t know what to believe anymore. I’m not good with shades of grey.”

She was still so young; just ten years old. To Sara, this was still a world full of good and evil, of right and wrong.

“I think that’s fine, Sara.” Flum wasn’t in much of a place to talk, really, and she was no role model herself.

“But…but it’s all my fault that all this happened to you.”

“You can’t let yourself get hung up over something like that. Sure, I may have been stabbed in the neck, but I’m still here—still alive. Don’t worry so much about it.”

Sara seemed to visibly relax at this, though to tell the truth, the feeling of the knife cutting through Flum’s neck had been absolutely excruciating. The mere memory made her flesh tingle.

“Besides, I think it’s healthy for you kids to have a good, hard think about the world we live in.”

Sara laughed at Flum’s imitation of an old lady. “What’re you talkin’ about, Flum? You’re just six years older than me, ya know!”

“That’s six whole years, I’ll have you know. Now pay attention to what your big sis has to say.”

Sara pursed her lips in skepticism. “I dunno, you’re not very convincing.”

However, the dark cloud that had been hanging over her was mostly gone now. Sure, she still felt responsible for Flum getting hurt, but seeing Flum in such high spirits helped alleviate many of her worries. She was young and still had a lot of growing up to do. As Flum said, it would probably do her some good to think about these things.

With Sara in a better mood, the whole cart seemed to brighten along with her. Conversation picked back up, ranging over a wider variety of topics than it had on the way up, thanks to how much closer they’d grown in the past few days. When the girls began to feel their stomachs grumble, they broke out the lunch Milkit had made for them using the rest of the ingredients they bought back in Anichidey.

After stuffing themselves, Sara and Milkit rested their heads on Flum’s lap for a quick nap. Flum smiled down at them. They were heavy, but not so much so that she wanted them to move. Besides, it felt pretty good sitting here and feeling the cart rock underneath her.

Gradually, she gave in to the warm sensations that enveloped her and started to doze, letting her head rock back and forth like a boat on the open sea as she slowly drifted away.

The sounds of the horses’ hooves and the cart’s wheels echoed across the open plains as the girls slept peacefully.

 

***

 

The rest of the journey was uneventful, and they arrived near Leitch’s manor in the East District right as planned. Flum had thought they were all going to report on the results of their search together, but Sara announced that this would be where they parted ways.

“If I show up too, he’ll just try to pay me again.” Rather than have to turn him down, she’d decided it was best to simply not go. “I’m assigned to the church in the Central District, so feel free to stop by any time you happen to be around! And I’m going to hold you to your promise of having dinner together, Flum! Lookin’ forward to it!”

She vigorously waved her hand before heading back toward the church. Flum and Milkit waved after her until she was out of sight, but Flum visibly slumped once she was gone.

“What’s wrong, Master?”

“Central District, huh? Since we’d met in the West District, I’d assumed she was working out of a church somewhere over there.”

Thinking it over, however, it was hard to believe that they’d assign a young girl with such talent to a small church among the generally unreliable populace of the West District. Massive and impersonal as the organization may be, it made sense that they’d want to put her in an environment more conducive to her growth.

“I guess it makes sense, when you think about it. But anyway, Leitch is probably waiting for us and we have some kialahri to deliver.”

“Certainly, Master.”

It still seemed odd to Flum that Leitch would leave the comforts of home and venture all the way out to the West District to hire someone, but now wasn’t the time to think about that. She and Milkit walked through the streets, passing rows and rows of massive manors, until they finally stopped in front of a particularly large one. Two slave girls walking around in the East District without their master attracted a lot of whispers and raised eyebrows from the passing nobles, but Flum didn’t really care. It was the same everywhere they went.

A guard standing by the gate to Leitch’s manor called out to Flum as she approached. There was no look of disgust on his face, much unlike the nobles who had passed by them earlier.

“May I ask your business?”

“My name is Flum. I’m working on a job for Leitch. May we enter?”

“Aah, Miss Flum? The Master has told me about you. Please, come on in.”

He quickly opened the gate and gestured the two girls onto the manor’s property.

A vast, flower-filled garden stretched out before them. Awed by the sheer immensity of the grounds alone, Flum did her best to not be distracted as they walked the path to the actual manor, which was visible in the distance.

Once at the manor’s massive double doors, she put her hand on the round, magic-powered switch embedded in the wall and fed a little magic into it. A moment later, they heard a bell ring inside.

Milkit looked closely at Flum’s hand in great interest. “How does that switch work?”

“If I recall correctly, it uses magic to pull and release a mallet, which strikes the bell.”

“You certainly know a lot, Master.”

“It’s nothing special, really. Just something I learned in school.”

“No, you truly are amazing, Master.” Milkit’s trust in Flum seemed to be growing day by day.

Flum blushed a bit at receiving such praise for something so simple. She scratched at her cheek in embarrassment. This really was something she’d learned as part of the standard school curriculum, but it was all new to Milkit, who’d never had the benefit of a proper education and sucked up new information like a sponge. Even if she had been curious about such things in the past, her previous masters hadn’t condescended to answer, and she eventually stopped asking altogether.

Slowly but surely, Milkit was beginning to find her humanity again.

Flum smiled proudly as her younger companion stared at the magical implement with great interest until the door finally opened. An older man—a butler by the looks of it—bowed low and escorted the girls into the building.

This was the second time she’d been here, but Flum was still completely thrown by the enormity of the mansion. The grandeur of the foyer was testament to how Leitch’s life was worlds apart from that of a commoner. Glorious chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceilings, and the patterns on the rug underfoot were so bright and beautiful that Flum felt uncomfortable walking over it with her shoes on.

Even her uneducated eye could tell that the vases, urns, and paintings that adorned the rooms were all of the highest quality. These were riches beyond the means of even the wealthiest people in the West and Central Districts.

The girls made their way up a flight of stairs with a beautiful wooden banister. It was intricately carved at both ends and polished to such a sheen that Flum could see her face in it; neither she not Milkit dared touch it for fear of messing up that sheen. Once they reached the second floor, they were escorted into a reception room.

Flum sat down in a chair and gently placed her elbows on the armrests. Despite having sat here before, she was taken by surprise at how comfortable it was. Milkit stubbornly stood just behind her, but Flum insisted—ordered, even—that she sit down. With a wry grin, she mumbled something to herself about Milkit someday sitting down on her own without being told to.

Moments later, two servants showed up with sweet smelling herb tea and fruit cakes for them to snack on while they waited for Leitch. With food like this to occupy her, Flum was happy to let him take his time. Alas, he turned up about ten minutes later. Judging by the sweat on his forehead, he’d hurried here as fast as he could.

“Apologies, Miss Flum, Miss Milkit. Oh…where’s Miss Sara?”

“She needed to return to the church.”

“Oh? Well, that’s too bad. I’ll have to go visit her myself and offer up my apologies.” Leitch pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his forehead as he sat down. He then immediately got down to business. “So, did you find the kialahri?”

Flum picked up a small bag sitting next to her chair and handed it to Leitch. The older man quickly opened the bag, looked inside, and broke out in a broad grin.

“Well, I’ll be…”

Tears of joy welled up in his eyes, and he was left speechless. It was all he could do to stare, eyes locked on the bag’s contents. Once he’d finally had a chance to collect himself, he bowed deeply to Flum, his head practically touching the table.

“Thank you so much! With this, I can save my beloved wife. Words can never truly express how thankful I am for what you’ve done for us!”

Flum wasn’t really sure how to respond to this. “No need to bow like that to me, Leitch. We’ve just done the job asked of us.”

“But, but…still! This herb has eluded me for so long, and then some young girl I just happened to cross paths with went and procured it for me… It’s truly a miracle!”

It hadn’t exactly been a walk in the park, but Flum didn’t want to bother him with the details.

“Now, for your payment. Anything you want, it’s yours. I will do whatever I can within my power to make your wish come true.”

“Uh, wow, I hadn’t really thought about it too much. Milkit, is there anything you want?”

“I’m really not sure.”

“Thought so. Um, is money okay?”

“Of course! I’ll pay you whatever you ask.”

It seemed like Leitch was telling the truth, too. He really would pay her whatever she asked. Flum gulped hard at the prospect but resolved to be straight forward and just ask for what she wanted. At present, that was just one thing.

“Got it! I’m looking to rent a place in the West District that we can use as a home base of sorts. Do you know anything good?”

Leitch frowned slightly, undoubtedly wondering why they would choose somewhere so dangerous. “The West District, you said?”

With his help, they could probably find somewhere to live in the Central District, or even the East District, if they wanted to. But Flum had no intention of running from her problems. She was going to pay Dein back.

Leitch watched her closely for a moment, as if gauging her commitment, before clapping his hands together. “I think I have just the right place.”

 

***

 

“Looks like the place.”

“Seem so.”

Flum and Milkit looked up at the building marked on the document they’d been given.

“I’d kind of just assumed it was a single room.”

“So did I.”

“But…a whole building?”

Flum didn’t know what to make of this. Sure, she’d asked Leitch if he knew of a good place, but this place seemed relatively safe by West District standards. It was even pretty close to the border with the Central District. Not to mention…

“This is a whole house, Milkit!”

Never in her wildest dreams had Flum imagined that Leitch would just give her a whole house, and a two-story one, at that. The document he’d handed them was the deed. According to Leitch, he’d had this property left over from his real estate flipping days and giving it away cost him so little that he’d insisted on handing Flum a bag of money to go with it. He’d also given her an ornate ring with an enchantment to give to Sara to thank her for her help. It was quite apparent how deeply indebted he felt to them.

“I don’t see anything wrong with this, Master. After all, you suffered a great deal and worked very hard for this.”

“I did suffer, sure, but this??”

“Well, I think it’s fitting.”

“I see… Well, let’s give it a look, shall we?”

“Let’s.”

Flum opened up the door and stepped inside, expecting to find the place covered in dust and cobwebs due to years of neglect. However…

“It’s…spotless.”

“It’s almost like someone had been living here.”

The place was immaculate. What was more, it came furnished with tables, bookshelves, beds, and all the other basic necessities of everyday life. Flum and Milkit wandered around the first floor like first-time home buyers who’d just received the keys to their new abode. Flum’s heart raced as they explored the kitchen, living room, parlor, and even the bath and toilet. It was gorgeous.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of creaking boards coming from the second floor. The house was supposed to be empty.

Milkit looked over. “Maybe it’s a small animal?”

No—whatever was moving around up there sounded pretty heavy. Even though the front door had been locked, Flum couldn’t discount the possibility that someone had smashed a window and snuck in. She looked over at Milkit, her face awash with apprehension at the idea of being confronted by a thief or would-be intruder, and gripped her hand tightly before leading the way upstairs.

The second floor was also immaculately clean. That confirmed Flum’s suspicions.

“Someone has been living here.”

“Without permission??”

“It’s the West District, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility.”

They spoke in whispers, so as to not be heard. Flum slowly reached out and grasped the metal doorknob. It was cool to the touch, though this only served to set her even more on edge. After another gulp of air, she slowly twisted the doorknob and slid the door open, trying to not make any noise in the process.

She was greeted by the sound of someone talking to themselves.

“That’s just not gonna work. So how about… No, no, that smells awful. Eww. Did I mess up somewhere? No…it tastes bad, but it seems to still be effective.”

Flum and Milkit beheld a woman in a tight-fitting white bodice and wide-brimmed steepled hat, sitting in a chair and muttering to herself as she mixed bizarre ingredients into some kind of concoction while mysterious spheres floated around the room. She looked an awful lot like someone Flum knew.

In fact, Flum had only ever met one person who dressed that way.

“H-hey, are you…”

“Huh? Someone’s here?” The woman casually glanced back over her shoulder. She didn’t seem terribly alarmed.

Upon seeing her face, Flum knew she was right.

“Eterna?!”

It was Eterna Rinebow—the “timeless witch”—whom she had traveled with on their journey to slay the Demon Lord and who had taught Flum everything she knew about medicine. Flum had a slew of questions that she wanted to ask, not the least of which was what Eterna was doing here in their house and how the heroes’ quest was going without her.

Eterna glanced nonchalantly at Flum as she struggled to form words. “Oh, hey, Flum.”