Chapter 16: Budding Jealousy In Free time
While Raven went on to stock for his secret attempt at the minotaur quest, Amedith stayed locked up in his room, unable to get the memories of last night out of his head. Unexpectedly having watched Raven fiddling around with Brenna's body, the hero couldn't help but feel a strange crawling all over under his skin.
Locked inside his room, he wondered why a woman like her would allow herself to be defiled. But the moment her orgasming face flashed before his eyes, he gulped down those questions, knowing exactly why. She was charmed, but he didn't know it was through magic, instead in his mind, Amedith accepted Raven as the playboy that he'd always been.
'Damn it, why can't I get it out of my head!' Holding the commissioned picture of Mel in his hand, he was lying on his bed, trying to get his frustration out like he often did. However, every time he tried to use his imagination, the same memories from last night flashed right in front of him.
Getting tired of the same thing happening over and over again, he sat down on the bed, wondering what he should do next. Last night he never got to talk to Raven, and after witnessing what he did, he was feeling even less confident to confront the mage about anything.
'Mel, I should...' Even so often as he tried to imagine himself with his childhood crush, the snarky smile from Raven ruined it entirely. Instead of him being with her, his mind kept pairing Raven with Mel whenever he tried to imagine a future, be it something romantic or seductively devious. 'I don't wanna give him a chance to make any moves on her!'
After seeing a married mother succumbing to Raven's charm, Amedith wanted to take no risk and finally confess to his love. But even so, just looking at the door, his heart squeezed tight. The rumors floating about him in the world outside these walls were turning him into a hermit. Steeling his heart, however, he took a deep breath and made his way outside.
In the meantime, distancing herself from the inn in her free time, Erica the high priestess brought herself to the goddess' temple and listened to the sinners inside the confessional. To serve under her goddess's light, to her there was no greater joy, but even so, listening to the degeneracy of people's minds was having an effect on her as well.
"I thought he was dead," said the woman on the other side as she confessed her sins.
Sweat sprinkled through the air as the kids trained with bright smiles on their faces. Being orphans, very few people cared to play with them, and even though Aria was treating it as training, for the kids it was no more than just another form of play. Although, she didn't mind either way. Watching them smile like she was never made to, filled her heart with purpose, which to her was even higher than that bestowed by the goddess herself.
'A dark elf being useful for once, at least she doesn't always disappoint I guess?' Watching from a bench, Mel's eyes wandered from one kid to the other.
Once they were standing in a similar crowd, the only difference? They had no choice but to learn to fight, but these kids were much more fortunate.
'The elven lord's grace has helped the land much, yet the plague of monsters and evil forces encroach ever closer.' Clicking her tongue at the thought, she wanted to head out further into the wild. Not just to explore the world, the cities, and its wonders, but to defend it to her dying breath. 'But alas, the last time we tried something brave, one of us nearly died, or perhaps did die after all.'
Unsure whether the goddess could've revived Raven, Mel didn't want to rush into another cave looking for trouble. Especially since their party was far from prepared just yet.
'But what are we doing wrong?!' Her frustration grew, and why wouldn't it? They were supposed to be the most potent heroes in the kingdom, and yet a horde of minotaur showed them their worth.
With gritted teeth, she clenched her fist. At the same time, Aria was done with the training and was now free, and so would Erica soon enough. As for Amedith who was heading straight for the temple, he as well as Raven wouldn't catch even a glimpse of them throughout the day at all.
However, busy with the preparations, Raven had no intention of bothering them in their free time, but the same couldn't be said for the wandering Hero, Amedith.