[coronatiger]

Thoughts on July 23rd

Lady Karita went to consult her cousin, Lord Karl Morgenstern, about Kine’s kerfuffle. She also hired a criminal law attorney.

I spent some time with Olivia in the morning, and then she went to continue her medical training. I searched the adventurers’ guildhall for a senior member who would be in town at the time of the auction. I found one, and he introduced himself as Romus Hansdal. We talked for a little while, and he agreed to take me to the auction. I would supply the money, and he would bid on the things I wanted, with one caveat: He wouldn’t bid on my behalf on anything he wanted for himself. We both were interested in the magic ring and the leather armor. By the end of the conversation, though, I had him wrapped so tightly around by little finger that he would do anything I asked. Now I just had to keep him there, and make it up to Olivia later. I expect I won’t be staying at the Red Mansion again before the auction.

As I’ve already decided, I need to do something romantic with Olivia. Had I been a man, I would have gone down on my knee and offered her a proposal of marriage. I can’t think of anything that can more deeply convey my love for her. Of course, as we’re both women, we can’t marry. Our kind of love isn’t exactly lauded by the community, and although few people actually speak out against it, the Church would never condone formalizing the union. If I can spy on a few wedding ceremonies, maybe I’ll get a few hints, though. Something must be done. By the way, I wonder how Kine is doing, locked up in a dark hole somewhere, at that time of the month. I hope it’s not as bad as how I get when I don’t get any for more than a day.


Thoughts on July 24th

I got up early in the morning so I could bathe before taking the short trip over to the Red Mansion where I had an awkward breakfast with Olivia. She had given her permission for me to proceed with my plan to secure access to the auction, but she didn’t like it very much. We both would have loved it if I had stayed the night in our little room in the attic, but I hadn’t. Again, I thought there was something deeply wrong with me. I just can’t help myself, sharing with the world what should be exclusively hers.

Lady Karita came down uncharacteristically early and broke the silence. She had just received word that Kine had been found and would be brought to the official city jail, where they would meet the attorney and strategize.

Olivia took me up to the attic and relieved me of the guilt, at least temporarily. I get so happy and mellow after a round with her; there is no guilt or shame associated with it when she’s the one to bring ecstasy. Eventually, the world intruded, as it was time for her to go to her training with the herbalist.

Remembering that Magnar had drowned because he had to dive alone, I determined to learn how to swim. I hate the fact that my immediate thought was that Romus probably would love to get wet with me and pass on his skills. I hate even more that I couldn’t dismiss the repulsive idea, and went to ask him. Fortunately, one might say, he didn’t know how to swim. Instead, I went downhill to the harbor area and asked around if anyone wanted to earn a few coins teaching me.

I learned that the people were loath to enter the water of the Silent Lake. It’s apparently all right to go by boat, because that’s the only way to travel between Garuk and Urdon unless one wants to go through the wilderness or take a huge detour inland. They didn’t specify what kind of danger lurked in the sea, and I didn’t press them. I didn’t need to know. Some people would call them superstitious, but I know what’s real and true when people tell me. Olivia keeps telling me how gullible I am, but she exaggerates. I know I’m not as shrewd an observer as she is, and sometimes I’m deceived, only to learn the truth later, but for the most part, people are honest. Many even say so themselves!

Olivia would be pleased that I found a satisfactorily gay guy to teach me to swim. I never make a pass at someone who isn’t attracted to me, and I’m almost supernaturally good at detecting that particular kind of attraction. Milon and I agreed to meet at a small pond half an hour’s walk on the other side of the city for swimming lessons for the next few days.

In the evening, I encountered Lady Karita at the guildhall. She told me that she had talked to Kine, who had agreed to pay a hefty fine now, rather than risking a month-long trial that could end with a trip to the hangman. I got the impression that the trial would have unearthed some facts that Kine would want to keep hidden at all costs, and that this was the main reason for her to settle the case immediately.

Lady Karita said that she had confined Kine to her rooms at the inn for now, and that we all have to act as if Kine is her slave. Why she wants me to pretend, I can’t wrap my head around. Maybe she doesn’t think I believe that Kine is her slave? Lady Karita has certainly given her freedom to do as she wants in the past. More likely, it has something to do with nobility or politics. Anyway, Lady Karita is much smarter than me, so I decided just to do as she said. Now that Magnar isn’t with us anymore, she has asserted herself firmly as the leader of our little party. I don’t mind that. I found all the bickering between the two of them tiresome.

I asked Lady Karita if there was anything on the list of auction objects on which she wanted me to bid on her behalf, but she said no. I also had seen a quest notice about exploring the area where Magnar had died, with a bonus if Magnar’s body was recovered, and I expressed a desire to get him out of there and to give him a proper burial. I said I was learning how to swim. Lady Karita asked if I had miraculously acquired the ability to see in the dark, and if I thought I could fight off whatever had killed Magnar. I had to concede in the negative to both questions, and that was that. Sometimes I don’t think things through, so it’s good to have someone sensible in command.

I had also seen a note about the mile-deep shaft we had found, but as only experienced adventurers were permitted to take that quest, we didn’t say much about it.


Thoughts on July 25th

I went to the Red Mansion and had breakfast with Olivia and Kine, and we had a talk about the trial and whatnot. I stayed with Olivia until it was time for us both to go to our respective teachers.

In the evening, I thought I heard a knock on Romus’s door, and someone calling for me, but I was too deeply immersed to care. I got a gnawing feeling it might have been Olivia who was there, but I checked outside the door as soon as I came back to my senses, and nobody was there, so it can’t have been her. For Olivia to come here, knowing what was going on, it would have taken something so vitally important that she wouldn’t leave without talking to me. I looked around the common room, just in case, but I didn’t see her.