Chapter 13: How to quench your thirst

Lavella whipped down the hood that was covering her face. Come to think of it, there was one thing that crossed her mind.

The identity of an old inn on the eastern outskirts of town. It was already familiar to the villagers.

A place where lovers visited for a secret meeting, or lonely people stopped by to find a partner for the night.

Oh, I mean, is this in broad daylight?

“Ha?”

I didn’t know that it would end so despondently when I followed behind to find out something.

“Don’t forget the deal to date me when I reach a million gold.”

“Oh, yeah, yeah.”

“I’m serious, Lavella.”

On the night we went to the festival, when we rode horses back to the guild together, I remembered a voice that was urging me from behind.

Was he serious? Falling in love at first sight? What a load of shit.

I mean, in there, right now, with that woman…

Lavella swept her hair roughly and cursed him with insults.

It felt like a strong feeling that couldn’t be expressed came up from under her feet and wound her whole body.

She didn’t know why but she had the urge to blow up the entire inn.

It was when Lavella was biting her lips and glaring at the inn.

“Hey, lady. Are you looking for a partner?”

A large man approached with a smirk. Lavella only rolled her eyes to identify the man.

Seeing that he looked unfamiliar, he didn’t seem to be from this town. She saw briskly hair through the man’s loose clothes and sweat flowing down his face.

“Or was your boyfriend cheating on you?”

“Fuck off and get out of here while I’m still talking nicely.”

Lavella, who felt unpleasant after seeing such an ugly sight, furrowed her eyebrows.

“Come on, you’re already all the way here.”

It was like a huge fly was buzzing.

‘Tsk, you don’t know how to save your life.’

Lavella’s annoyed gaze turned to the building where Iska had disappeared.

She followed him for no reason, and only annoying things happened.

Lavella turned around and took off after losing interest.

“Where are you going when the conversation isn’t over yet?”

Lavella, who lightly avoided the thick hands that stretched out from behind, kicked the man in the shin. Even though it was kicked lightly, there was a throbbing sound as if the bone was broken.

“Oh my god, I’m dying. I’m dying!”

In an instant, the man collapsed and fell over holding his leg.

Regardless, Lavella kicked the guy and slammed her feet on the floor as if she had touched something dirty.

“Oh no!”

“No, brother!”

A group of men gathered to help the man who was rolling on the floor when they heard a loud sound like a pig’s scream.

“Catch that bitch.”

When the ugly end of his finger pointed in Lavella’s direction, the men’s eyes turned nasty.

“Hey, lady.”

“…….”

“Where are you going? My brother is hurt right now.”

“Ah, you’re asking to get hit?”

The tip of Lavella’s lips rose gently as she saw the group of men surrounding her.

She was going to leave, but she thought she’d go along with this fight. She needed something to refresh her mind.

The wound should have healed. Lavella’s eyes sparkled as she felt that she had to warm up after a long time.

“What are you doing there?”

A curious voice flew over Lavella’s head as she was about to move.

Iska, who leaned down from the window on the second floor, was tilting his head while alternating between Lavella and the men.

“…….”

His disheveled hair and clothes caught her eyes faster than Iska’s curious look. Slowly blinking, Lavella lowered her head and turned away from Iska.

Suddenly, a man, alternating between the interrupter and Lavella, shook his head.

“Make sure to cry on my bed today… Ugh!”

The roar of the man’s cry was cut off midway.

“…Say that again.”

Iska’s voice, which should be heard on the second floor, rang cool right in front of her.

Iska grabbed the man’s neck after he jumped out of the window in the blink of an eye.

“Shut up, hkk.”

The man couldn’t breathe, so his face turned red. His heavy body struggled to escape, but Iska’s merciless hand did not move at all.

“Oh, you want me to kill you?”

Cold air emitted out of Iska, who erased his laughter. It was quite different from the usual easy going Iska who smiled all the time.

‘Oh you have a face like that.’

His appearance was new, but that was all.

Lavella, who was watching Iska about to likely kill the man immediately, turned away with an indifferent look.

The opportunity for her to relax was gone and she had no intention to interfere with Iska’s private life.

‘I should get out of the way.’

Lavella left without looking back as if it had nothing to do with her.

Of course she had no idea that it was a very grave misunderstanding.

It was around when Lavella was somewhat distanced from the commotion.

“What? Why are you just leaving?”

When Iska caught up with Lavella, who almost disappeared, he quickly blocked her. He was calm, breathless, but not at all expressive, as he easily cleaned up and chased the men.

WIth a face mixed with joy and wonder, Iska asked Lavella why she had left him alone.

‘Well, maybe if it were normal circumstances, I would have taken care of them before Iska even stepped up.’

“What’s going on? Did you come out here alone?”

The first thing Iska revealed was concern.

He used to check her wounds whenever he could since she got hurt, but now even the truth of his nagging was questionable.

“Why did you come after me? Why don’t you finish your business?”

Lavella said calmly with her emotionless eyes.

“Huh?”

Iska tilted his head as if he was wondering what she was talking about.

He didn’t know why but he could see that Lavella was strangely unhappy at the moment.

“Are you the one who followed after me?”

As if expecting something, Iska’s clear purple eyes permeated with dew.

“No way. I’m leaving now.”

“Lavella.”

Iska blocked the front of Lavella again. Lavella only looked away and gave a signal to move.

“Are you free now?”

“You must be busy.”

“What are you talking about? I already have someone to show you. If you’re not busy, come with me for a while.”

What happened? Why am I so annoyed?

Iska, who left his curiosity behind, caught Lavella.

Lavella swallowed a sigh and glared at Iska. However, it was unlikely that he would back down.

“…Fine. Who is it?”

Lavella twisted her lips

*   *   *

“Nice to see you again, Captain.”

As Lavella was climbing the stairs to the room of the inn, she ran into a man with dark leaf colored hair standing right in front of the stairs on the second floor.

“Ah, so you’re saying….”

“This is Dabel.”

“Yes, Dabel.”

“We’re going to use this room from now on.”

Dabel smiled and pointed behind Lavella. The door was wide open where the passage began.

“I look forward to your cooperation, Captain.”

Lavella nodded looking at his eyes full of favor for her.

***

“I’m the doctor who will work at the Guild. I can guarantee my skills.”

Iska, who took her to the inn, neatly resolved her misunderstanding.

He was so small that his height and body shape were similar to mine, but he was clearly a man even when I looked at him again and again.

How could I have mistaken you for a woman?

Lavella didn’t want to admit she had such a stupid misunderstanding. She would rather bite her tongue.

It was fortunate she didn’t mention the issue to Iska. But why was he so tightly wrapped in a hood?

“What is all this?”

Lavella’s eyes turned to the piles and piles of bags at the door.

“It’s my stuff for the infirmary. Most of them are herbs.”

“Ah.”

“I was going to sort it out, would you like to see it?”

“I’m interested in poison. Teach me everything you know, but also teach me about detoxification.”

After reading the curiosity that came to Lavella’s eyes, Dabel smiled. That was of course the reason why my lord requested it.

“Mr. Argen gave me a warehouse and medical room to use.”

With a fragile looking body, Dabel, after a few moments of silence, began to go down the stairs first as he groaned and moaned.

“…Do you need help?”

“That’s alright.”

Lavella gently followed Dabel. As Iska said, the most professional in Imperia would no longer have to visit the medicinals pharmacy in the future.

“This is a better environment than I thought.”

Entering the empty room, Dabel smiled in content. The space that Argen provided was right next to the restaurant.

“If you’re going to steam and dry medicinal herbs, it’s good to have the kitchen close by.”

Dabel hummed as he began to unpack.

“…Were you acquainted with Iska originally?”

Lavella, who looked over the various materials and household items, asked with a droll.

“Yes. As I have been wandering around because the ingredients available for each season are different, I got to know him.”

“What’s that plant? The one with green petals.”

“Oh, this one…”

As if she had never mentioned Iska, Lavella naturally changed the subject and shifted her interest to the items Dabel brought.

“Captain! I heard the doctor came!”

With Pessini at the front, Canpiden and Argen appeared. Iska was also with them.

“Huh? A woman?”

Standing in front of the door, Pessini flinched and looked over Dabel up and down.

“I often get that misunderstanding, but I’m a man.”

Dabel responded with a smile without even showing signs of displeasure.

“Huh, oh yeah?”

Pessini scratched his head with embarrassment.

“Didn’t you say the same about Iska? Does everyone look like a woman in your eyes?”

Lavella cringed along with Argen’s mischievous tease. Yeah, I made a stupid mistake like Pessini…

“Now say hello.”

Lavella sitting on an empty table got up slowly and passed by Pessini.

Iska, curious about why Lavella was slipping out, followed after her.

She was unusually cold on her way back to the guild.

Perhaps because she’d gotten used to being comfortable with Iska recently, the distant Lavella had come a long way.

However, there was no reason to point it out. Come to think of it, she was a little strange in front of the inn.… huh. The inn?

Something crossed Iska’s mind as he thought about the day

“Lavella.”

Iska pressed the door that Lavella had just opened closed.

“What?”

Seeing the arm stretched out from the side of her face, Lavella turned her head slightly and asked.

Iska smelled refreshing as he stood right behind her.

Looking down at Lavella, Iska grinned.

“You mistook Dabel as a woman, didn’t you?”

“!”

Convinced as Lavella hid it, Iska pulled up the corners of his mouth gently.

“…Lavella you’re jealous, aren’t you?”

Jealousy?

At the unexpected words, Lavella’s eyebrows wiggled. It was a word she never thought of.

“Who?”

Lavella slowly blinked her round eyes back.

“You.”

Iska’s red lips formed a lazy smile. He looked confident as if he had already heard the answer.

Lavella laughed weakly.

“Am I mistaken?”

Iska asked in a languid voice as he tilted his head slightly in response to her denial.

As Iska took a step closer and closer to her she could almost touch his body.

At the tip of her nose, Iska’s unique smell filled her senses. It was a refreshing scent that reminded her of the first time they met.

Lavella, leaning against the hard wooden door behind her back, looked up at the man who was locking her up and was lost in thought.

Yes, I’m jealous. Well… Have I ever felt this way in my life?

One thing that suddenly came to her mind was the strong desire to surpass her father which she felt as a child.

If Lavella had to pick a memory of being jealous, she could say it was then.

The corner of Lavella’s eyes bent beautifully.

“If you prove that you’re stronger than me, I’ll admit that it’s jealousy.”

“What, why did it suddenly go in that direction?”

It wasn’t the answer I wanted.

Iska’s shoulders drooped as if he had lost steam as the flow of the conversation began to go in the wrong direction.

“I like guys who are stronger than me.”

Of course, no man could be mad at that.

“Come on, try to kill me, there’s no chance of jealousy until the words come out of my mouth and I have to admit it.”

“Are you serious?”

Iska narrowed his eyes at her vaguely open words.

“Well, if it’s you…Don’t you think it’s possible?”

Lavella’s slender fingers grazed Iska’s firm chest and rose to his shoulders.

Everytime the tip of her finger grazed him, she could feel his muscles flinching and hardening.

Lavella smiled sweetly as she patted his shoulder like he was a dog.

“Who knows, maybe I’ll bend down and kiss your feet.”

“That’s enough.”

Iska tilted his head while he watched Lavella’s clear eyes look down and back in place.

Iska whispered, wrapping the small hand that was around his shoulder with his, and pressing the tip of her fingers against his lips.

“I love this place.”

“Hah.”

Iska’s jaw twitched as Lavella, who smirked, rubbed his lips softly with her fingertips.

Their eyes were glued to each other. An unknown silence made the air surrounding the two heavy.

“…….”

What were the emotions in those eyes under his thick eyelashes?

Iska pulled down Lavella’s small hand and interlaced his fingers through the empty spaces of hers.

When she looked over the back of her hand as if to confirm what happened, it felt soft even though she had held a sword countless times.

Lavella suddenly felt thirsty.

She already knew how to solve that.

Lavella, who should have rejected him earlier, was calm as if to do whatever she wanted.

Iska tried to figure out Lavella’s thoughts as he grabbed her hand that held the door.

“…….”

Lavella watched as his amethyst colored eyes, which looked as if they were possessed, slowly darken in confusion.

Soon, her sharp nose and red lips got closer and closer as if she made up her mind.