Ch 15 – Dinner

"So... Necro, what elements do you have affinity to?" (Bid)

"Most."

"Most?" He felt very confused by that answer. He himself had no affinity at all... Not really, he had some traces of fire affinity and a little mana, so he could conjure a Spark... but that would make him pass out, not exactly useful. 

"She can use anything but Holy magic." Ace interjected to make things clear.

"SHE WHAT!" Screamed Hal, staring blankly at the cute girl on Ace's lap.

"..." Bid just stood there, frozen. While he had heard and understood that.... What the actual fuck did that even mean.

"Do you mean you can cast any kind of magic but healing and purging?"

"Not really... There's healing magic of the water attribute and Purging magic of the fire attribute." Necro spoke nonchalantly.

Both Bid, who was about to say something finally, and Hal, who was just... yeah... froze this time.

"You made things worse" Said ace, looking down and patting her head.

"Sorry." 

"What are you talking about?"

Necro was taken aback by the sudden appearance of a gorgeous woman. She was tall and busty, her blonde hair reaching her waist. She was wearing a tight leather corset over a cotton shirt and padded chausses that were cut on her thighs, revealing cotton shorts.

Necro recalled her voice but she only really recognized her after looking attentively at her face. 

"MARY?!" 

She spoke in surprise as she lifted her upper body, seating again, and staring intently at the person. 

"Yeah... What's with that?"

"I... Was just surprised... I never imagined you'd look like this..."

"You expected a macho woman right? I also imagine that quite oft- GHAAAAAA~" Hal's laughing comment was interrupted by a punch to the guts. Making him curl up in a ball on the floor, holding his belly.

"Don't you dare talk about me like that. I'm a lady." Mary said while sitting by Necro and Ace. She chugged down almost half of the large canteen she had carried back. Angrily swallowing the alcohol.

Necro was honestly surprised by her appearance. She looked like one of those girls they hired to showcase clothes at the Holy Capital. Why would such a person... Oh yeah. Ace told her... It must've been hard. But still... Her drinking habits were a huge contrast to her otherwise pristine appearance.

"Now I understand why you have to hide yourself under all that armor... People must jump on you as soon as you show up right?"

"COF! Wa-wa-WHAT?!" Mary took the canteen from her mouth in a hurry, almost choking on the wine. 

"I mean... You are incredibly beautiful and have a killer body..."

"T-t-thank you..." Mary blushed, It had been a while since she had been honestly complimented without any ulterior motives.

"You two... Stop flirting in front of me..." (Ace)

"I was not flirting though..." Necro said, realizing Ace's angry demeanor. She was probably jealous.

"You don't have to get angry about such a thing you know? You are way more my type."

"humpf. If you say so."

Ace was a little angry at Necro. She didn't like her complimenting other women in front of her. 

"I thought you only had eyes for this cute me."

"Ah? I mean... We just met... You are cute but... I already have someone."

""""WHAT?""""

All four people retorted at once. What did she mean with that? Was she cheating?

"Well... I don't know where she is now though..."

"Another woman?!" Asked Mary. Despite being surprised, she thought she had a fiancee... A man.

"Yes..."

"How does she look? Is she beautiful?"(Hal)

"How old is she?"(Bid)

The boys were surprisingly curious about this other woman who Necro had called 'her someone'. 

Ace, on the other hand, was dead silent, almost biting her own tongue... The person she had chosen already had someone else. What would that mean to her? Was she just a plaything? A side gig ready to be left behind?

"Ah... She's a lot older. She is cute and tall and has gorgeous white hair and her eyes glow when she talks about our future... I miss her a lot... We haven't seen in over a decade..."

"Huh?"

"Decade?"

"How old are you?"

"D-Decade? I-I meant year. Yes, year. We haven't met in over a year."

Everybody swallowed her excuse. Everybody but Ace. She knew there was something fishy. 

"What about us then?"

"Us? Me and you? Ah... I like you. You are cute and pretty."

"... And her?"

"Oh... She told me once that she wanted to see me surrounded by cute women so... I guess she doesn't mind." Necro, once more, spoke something completely outrageous in a very nonchalant manner...

"I see then..."

"THATS! THATS! WRONG! ITS A SINFUL RELATIONSHIP!" Mary pointed at Necro. Her face showed that she didn't really mind it though... It was almost as if she was just envious.

"Girls. Calm down. The food's ready." Bid interrupted the discussion, prompting Hal to finally stand up from the floor to help him take the meat out of the fire.

While Hal held the large stick upwards, Bid cut large pieces of the deer and distributed them. Necro and Ace got each a large cut from the shank, while Mary was served a large portion of the ribs. How Bid managed to easily dismember the roasted deer that easily was a mystery to Necro. She had expected it to be much harder. 

But that wasn't that important. The food was.

"It's missing something..." Necro bit into the shank. The taste was... Tasteless.

"It's salt." (Ace)

"Huh?"

"I missed it too in the beginning... You get used to it eventually."

"Ah... Thanks..."

'So It has no salt... That's probably it...' She thought.

After a couple seconds they started passing a metal canteen around. It had some sort of wine in it. Necro had never drunk aside from a couple times with her mother... But this was the day she would, since there was nothing else.

She gobbled down a good amount before passing it to Ace. She hadn't even realized how thirsty she was.

She didn't even realize how bitter the 'wine' was, that is...

Until she realized everyone was staring at her with a surprised expression... With the exception of Mary.

Mary was very happy she had gotten a drinking partner.