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Chapter 97: Naaza's Request
Tifa looked at an apologetic Aiden and spoke earnestly. "I'm the one who asked you to train with me this morning. Besides, as a martial artist, I know very well how hard it is to hold back when a fight gets intense. I'm actually glad you didn't pull your punches just because I'm a woman."
She flashed a radiant smile, as warm as the morning sun. "You can't grow if you fight with your hands tied."
After resting for a little while, the two of them descended the city walls.
The sky was completely clear. The weather in Orario had been quite stable lately, with several cloudless, sunny days in a row. Warm sunlight bathed the city, and citizens began filling the broad avenues, carrying their belongings and bustling about.
Some balanced baskets of fresh fruit on their heads, carefully holding them steady. Others hurried by with large bundles of laundry tucked under their arms. A few obvious wealthy merchants strolled past in fine clothes, flanked by entourages of servants.
The growing clamor of the crowds was soon drowned out by the crisp clatter of carriages rolling down the center of the street. This vibrant streetscape, teeming with humans and various demi-humans, gave Aiden and Tifa a profound sense of exotic charm.
Taking in the lively scene, the two walked side by side down West Main Street.
Three days had passed since Monsterphilia.
Perhaps due to the sheer difficulty of the Dungeon's middle floors, even the usually grounded Tifa was beginning to feel a sense of urgency. Because of this, she dragged Aiden out before dawn every morning for high-intensity sparring, returning to their Familia headquarters afterward... to meet up with Robin and Hyacine for their Dungeon dives.
"Aiden, Tifa."
Suddenly, a slightly sluggish voice called out from the side.
Hearing their names, they stopped and turned toward the voice. They quickly spotted the person calling them.
It was Naaza, the Dog Person and member of the Miach Familia.
She was standing in the mouth of an alley leading between two buildings off the main street. Seeing them look her way, she waved a hand in front of her chest.
She wore her usual quirky top—short sleeves on the left, long on the right—along with a thick leather glove on her right hand. Beneath the hem of her long skirt, a fluffy dog tail wagged slowly. She wore an expression that was half-asleep, as if she could doze off at any second, and gestured for them to come over.
"Morning, Naaza. What are you doing here?"
Tifa greeted her with a warm, familiar smile. She was noticeably closer to Naaza than Aiden was.
"I was waiting specifically for you two."
Naaza wore her usual drowsy expression, looking like she'd collapse into sleep at any moment. As she spoke, she reached into her shirt, pulled out a rolled-up, frayed piece of parchment, and offered it to them.
"An Adventurer Commission. Could you—run an errand for me?"
"An Adventurer Commission?" Aiden asked, surprised.
"Yeah, I'll pay you, of course—" Naaza's voice grew smaller and smaller. "I was hoping you could help me get the items listed on this memo."
Aiden took the parchment, scanned it quickly, and then shifted his gaze back to Naaza.
Naaza's eyes darted away guiltily, unable to meet Aiden's gaze. She clapped her hands together in prayer and practically begged, "Please, do it for Lord Miach. I'm begging you."
"Alright." Aiden nodded with almost no hesitation.
"Really?! Thank you so much!"
Naaza's face instantly lit up with joy. "There's no time limit on this quest, but the sooner the better—I'm counting on you!"
She bowed deeply in gratitude, then spun around and disappeared into the alley behind her, quickly vanishing toward the Miach Familia headquarters.
Watching her go, Aiden shook his head with a sigh.
"Blue Papilio wings... You really can gather these on the upper floors, but this reward..."
Tifa leaned in to look at the required drop items and the listed reward at the bottom. She was no ignorant rookie; she had taken Eina's Guild lessons to heart. She knew perfectly well how much Blue Papilio wings—a rare material for healing potions—were worth on the market.
Yet, the price Naaza had set for this "commission" was just a few basic Mind Potions. That wasn't even a tenth of the material's actual cost.
"Forget it. It's on our way anyway. We'll just consider it a favor to Lord Miach," Aiden said, shaking his head with a chuckle.
Naaza was clearly trying to use them as free labor, though he was sure Lord Miach himself was completely unaware of her little scheme. Because Miach had helped look after Furina while they were in the Dungeon and had taught Hyacine about potions, Aiden wasn't going to fuss over something so minor.
However, this did set off warning bells in his head. If Naaza kept treating them like gullible tools... he would seriously have to consider distancing themselves from the Miach Familia. A relationship wasn't worth keeping if it was going to be entirely one-sided.
"Naaza... has it rough, too. After all, Lord Miach is..."
Tifa, kindhearted as ever, understood Naaza's struggles and tried to put in a good word for her.
"I know."
Aiden nodded. He knew Naaza was in a tight spot with a desperately poor Familia and a god who was essentially a clueless spendthrift. For the sake of their friendship, he would gladly help for free if she had just been honest about her troubles. But treating them like free labor was a disappointing move.
Carrying a mix of complicated feelings, the two returned to their Familia headquarters.
Fortunately, because Tifa had left early to train with Aiden, breakfast had been prepared by Hyacine and Robin. The sight of the delicious, steaming food on the dining table chased away their lingering annoyance.
After breakfast, they briefly greeted a sleepy, pajama-clad Furina as she emerged from her room yawning, and then the four of them—Aiden, Robin, Tifa, and Hyacine—left headquarters and headed for the Dungeon.
They walked down Northwest Main Street. Compared to the other main arteries, this road was incredibly wide. True to its nickname, "Adventurer Street," it was packed with adventurers carrying all sorts of weapons and gear. The clanging from blacksmiths, the hawking from potion shops, and the boisterous chatter of adventurers blended together into a vibrant metropolitan symphony.
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