Society parties; something Benedict had never truly experienced. He had been to high school club events that were supposed to be formal, yes, but nothing like he was dressing for. Nor had he ever worn anything like the clothes that he had been given. The main piece was a bright red doublet vest decorated with so many small gold accents that it looked like the fake studded armor used in far too many medieval films. Under the doublet he had a long-sleeved white shirt, then a pair of loose black pants and short leather boots. Unlike the formal wear he was used to, it was quite comfortable.

  He waited with Ordra and Kirion in the common room, also dressed. Their costumes were similar to Benedict’s, but with different color schemes. Kirion wore all white except his black shoes, and Ordra had a navy blue doublet and pants, with black knee boots and white shirt. Just like Vellat promised, Ordra also had a matching cape.

  “I hate this so much,” Kirion groaned.

  “I think I look good in this,” Ordra said as he posed in front of a mirror.

  “Of course you do. Vellat gave you that cape.”

  “He said it was natural for a party leader to do so.”

  “It still looks better.”

  “I wonder if the girls are done yet,” Benedict said.

  “We should be leaving soon,” Ordra admitted.

  Kirion stood and started toward the stairs. “No worries, I’ll check on them.”

  Ordra grabbed the thief by the collar before he took a single step. “Benedict, would you mind?”

  “Sure, sure,” Benedict said.

  Kirion complained as Benedict walked up the stairs to the girls’ rooms. Poor kid couldn’t help himself. Maybe one day he’d grow out of it.

  Benedict listened at each door until he heard voices filtering through the wood. They were all gathered in a single room. That made things easy, at least. He raised his hand to knock, then stopped when he heard Amalyn’s voice.

  “Seriously, Celica, where do you hide those?” she asked.

  “It’s not like I try,” Celica responded.

  “It must be the smallclothes you always wear. I don’t know how you could stand being squished down so much.”

  “How does one acquire such a body?” Shiyo asked.

  “Not you, too,” Celica complained.

  “Is there some kind of spell that accelerates growth in specific areas?”

  “You shouldn’t want to do that, Shiyo, yours are so cute,” Amalyn said.

  “There’s no spell like that, anyway!” Celica shouted.

  “Too bad. I would have liked to see the effects,” Shiyo said.

  Ordra and Kirion weren’t even at the bottom of the steps. Benedict could easily use Sense to see them beyond the door. Not even Shiyo would know. Morighana’s power simmered just below the surface, waiting for him to touch it just a bit. It would only be a momentary glimpse. Nothing to even feel guilty about.

  That’s when Celica’s words came back to him. “Benedict’s been a perfect gentleman to me.”

  He cursed himself and knocked on the door. “Girls, we’re going to have to leave soon. Are you almost ready?”

  Shiyo answered. “Don’t you dare peek!”

  “I’m not.”

  She probably suspected the thoughts he had just banished.

  “We’re finishing up,” Celica said.

  “We’ll be waiting, then,” Benedict replied.

  He rushed back downstairs before temptation could get the better of him.

  Kirion stared at him as he stepped onto the floor. “All right, what did you see, you lucky dog?”

  “I didn’t see anything,” Benedict said.

  “Then you heard something!”

  “I did not,” Benedict lied.

  “How long until they’re ready?” Ordra asked.

  “They said they’re finishing up.”

  “Then who knows how long we could be waiting?”

  Half an hour later, all three of the girls walked downstairs. Benedict was about to complain, then he saw Amalyn. A dark blue top draped down her shoulders, forming into an ankle-length skirt while creating a plunging neckline on her torso. Shiyo came next, wearing a dark bodice over a lighter, long-sleeved dress with a skirt to her knees. Benedict suspected the black leggings were not part of Vellat’s original design. Neither was the hairpin, but it looked good in her hair. Celica was last, wearing a yellow dress low cut and tight around her bust and waist. Unlike the other two, her skirt flared out slightly. All three of them wore a layer of makeup around their eyes and on their lips.

  Still, Benedict’s eyes kept going toward Celica’s chest. “How has she been hiding those?”

  “I haven’t felt this exposed in my life; at least while wearing clothes.” Celica’s cheeks turned bright red.

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “The boys’ reaction doesn’t help,” Amalyn complained.

  Benedict shut his mouth, then looked at Kirion and Ordra. Yeah, all their mouths had been hanging open.

  “You are all stunning,” Ordra said quickly.

  Amalyn and Shiyo looked at each other, then at Celica, who blushed harder. They didn’t say anything, but the following glare was enough.

  “Let’s just go,” Shiyo said.

  Shiyo and Amalyn flanked Celica, walking arm in arm with her out of the house. Benedict caught Kirion staring at their backs as they passed, after which he grumbled about their dresses hiding too much. Ordra chastised him under his breath before they set off.

  As Ordra had thought, they were later than they should have been, but not by too far. As they approached the magistrate’s home, they ran into a queue of adventurers extending from the front gate. Tirra and Daena met up with them, and Benedict almost tripped over himself. It was mostly because of Tirra’s dress. Kirion and Ordra felt the same.

  “You should be thankful to Tirra, Celica,” Shiyo said.

  “She’s certainly more distracting,” Amalyn groaned.

  “At least I’m not the only one showing off so much,” Celica said with a relieved sigh.

  “You ladies all look amazing,” Tirra said as she turned around. “The gentlemen, too. I don’t know where to look.”

  Benedict tried to avert his eyes, but the woman was too distracting.

  “She’s just trying to get under your skin,” Daena said. “She thinks it’s funny.”

  “And the boys predictably fell for it instantly,” Amalyn said.

  “I’m so disappointed, Benedict,” Celica said, averting her gaze.

  Benedict hung his head. After resisting all the temptation, they still thought badly of him.

  “Does it seem like there are much fewer adventurers here than there should be?” Ordra wondered aloud.

  Once it was mentioned, Benedict noticed. Adventurers and nobles were easy to pick out just from clothes, and the queue included just over twenty of the former. The latter were obvious due to the much more lavish decorations the nobles wore. Only Shiyo’s hairpin came close to comparing in the adventurers’ group. Given the number of adventurers in the city when they arrived, half of them must have left before the celebration. That didn’t keep the gate guards from looking harried as they tried to get everyone identified and let through.

  After they made it into the garden, it seemed the magistrate also thought the crowd was going to be larger. Two tables full of enough food for twice the crowd’s size sat at the side attended by four men serving it, while a third table was set aside for drinks. Otherwise, nothing had been done but to clear the space, and it was only partially filled.

  Someone spoke above the crowd. “I know they’re here. What party destroyed the nest?”

  Ordra stayed silent, and so did the others. Tirra did the honors instead, being louder than the original request and waving above them. An elder statesman approached them, his cloak practically sparkling with gold thread distributed through his robe. Behind him walked a smaller man holding a plate full of food and a cup of dark liquid; likely a servant of some kind.

  When he spoke, the strong stench of alcohol flowed from his mouth. “I hear you six did a magnificent job rescuing this town. How did you manage such a feat?”

  “I’m surprised you haven’t heard the story,” Ordra said.

  “Oh, I have, but I want to hear it from your mouth, my boy!”

  Ordra relented, and the crowd closed in. The story, as he told it, was nothing special, just tactics properly applied by a group who already knew each other well. Benedict would have qualified it the same way, to be fair. Questions flew about specific powers and weapons, eventually forcing Benedict to show off his rifle.

  Before the questions became too personal, a trumpet blew at the mansion’s front door, where the magistrate had appeared, flanked by Astei on one side and a butler on the other, with the latter carrying a box. They walked together to the front steps, staying on the platform.

  After giving a moment for the crowd to take him in, the magistrate spoke. “Everyone, we have gathered here today to celebrate the liberation of this fine city. It is thanks to a single band of brave adventurers that we stand here tonight in the canopy of our incredible world tree and say that, without a doubt, our tormentors have been ejected and our lives spared.”

  He paused to let the audience applaud, then started again when the applause ceased. “I have been given every detail on our heroes’ exploits and can tell you that I have never heard of a plan so well executed in all my years. Such a feat should be rewarded and never forgotten. Will the adventurers responsible please come forward?”

  With Ordra leading, the party walked to the steps. The crowd parted for them almost instantly, providing a free path ahead. Benedict could feel the nervousness radiating through everyone. The feeling didn’t stop when they halted just before the three standing there. Benedict made eye contact with Astei, who bore a more arrogant expression than usual.

  The magistrate took the box from the butler. From it, he removed a small medal bearing an image of their world tree. He handed it to Ordra, then grabbed another and gave it to Benedict. He continued down the line until every member of the party had one.

  “Lastly, we cannot forget the one who came up with the plan in the first place,” the magistrate said, taking a seventh medal and giving it to Astei.

  Benedict looked back to the crowd. The nobles beamed with pride, as did most of the adventurers. Tirra and Daena, notably, shook their heads with disappointed expressions on their faces.

  “Liar,” Amalyn growled.

  “Save it for later,” Ordra replied.

  “Benedict and Shiyo did far more,” Celica added.

  “No reason to air it out publicly right now,” Shiyo said.

  The magistrate didn’t notice their discussion, or hear it if he did, and continued. “With these medals, you will forever be welcomed into Noctim as honored guests to be given all our hospitality. As your first taste of that hospitality, let’s have a party!”

  Cheers rose from the crowd, and drinks clacked together in loud toasts. Benedict faced them, held up his medal, and put on the least awkward smile he could. Shiyo copied him, then the others. Kirion and Celica were the only ones who could smile for a crowd.

  It was near morning when the party finally made it back to their temporary abode. Benedict’s recent experience with alcohol hadn’t included the incredible strength of that which the magistrate served, and the effects lingered.

  “I need to lie down,” he groaned.

  “Same here,” Ordra said, matching Benedict’s tone.

  Kirion was the first into the house. “Talk to you all in the morning.”

  “That’s in about an hour,” Amalyn replied.

  “The next one.”

  Benedict started up the steps before he noticed Shiyo staying back, staring at the ground. She glanced up and motioned away. No one else noticed. After they’d walked inside, he followed Shiyo up to an isolated corner. The only ones who could see them would have been on the path a mere few feet away.

  Benedict leaned against a standing branch to steady himself. “What’s this about?”

  “I can’t go with them, though I wish it very much,” Shiyo said.

  “Why is that? Their goal is the same as ours.”

  “Seraphine is dangerous. I can’t be distracted trying to hold back Morighana’s power, or else she will certainly kill me.”

  “I understand. We can let them know after they all wake, then. I do hate to leave them.”

  Shiyo laughed. “You don’t get it. My purpose in bringing you to Noctim was to find you a party you could learn from and with. It turns out that Ordra leads best one for you. He’s a good man, and so are the others. Even Kirion.”

  “Really?”

  “Even if he’s an idiot sometimes. Either way, you should stay with them. Hone your skills and become the kind of warrior Morighana truly needs; one who can and will stop the Monstrous Scourge.”

  Every moment he’d spent with Shiyo flashed through Benedict’s mind. “You know I would be dead without you here, right?”

  “Believe me, I know, but now you have them. Just don’t show off Morighana’s power like an idiot.”

  “You’ll want this back then.” He drew the sword from his coffer and presented it to her.

  She shook her head and pushed it away. “No. He would be glad for it to be wielded by one such as yourself.”

  Her eyes flashed at the same time as her smile, and she mouthed her goodbye. Tears welled up at the corners of her eyes.

  Benedict grabbed her arm. “You won’t leave me this time.”

  “Idiot. I can control who goes.”

  Light flashed, then Benedict’s hand closed on empty air.