Theo and his friends draw everyone's attention in the main hall of the tavern when the waitress kicks out a group of drunkards and begins cleaning their table for the trio. "Come on, make yourselves at home." The woman says in a gentle tone and hands menus to them.
"Do you want to order something already? Maybe a drink? I recommend the honey beer; it was made early this morning, and it is very sweet." As soon as the woman comments, Lorien raises his hand. "I will have a mug of that!"
"One mug of honey beer for the white-haired boy…" The woman quickly writes it down in a small notebook with a pencil and then glances at Theo. He almost orders the same, but then Sarah speaks first. "We will share a bottle of your best blackberry wine, please."
"My Lady?" The woman looks at Sarah with a concerned expression. "Are you sure? Our blackberry wine is really stro-" Sarah does not let the woman finish speaking. "Yeah, bring one bottle for us, please?" Sarah quickly hands another black coin to the woman, who simply nods with a wide smile on her face.
"I will bring it immediately." The woman prepares to leave, but Sarah calls her again. "Also, bring us something to eat as well," She looks at Theo. "How big is your hunger?" As soon as she asks, he laughs. "I feel as if I have not eaten anything for two days."
Sarah turns her attention back to the waitress. "Bring us the best and freshest you have today, do not worry about the cost." The waitress simply nods respectfully. "Yes, My Lady. I will have them prepare the best dishes we have in the kitchen today and bring the drinks as fast as possible."
As soon as the waitress leaves, Sarah looks back at Theo and Lorien, and both are staring at her with different expressions. "You really are a spoiled noble Lady, are you not?" Lorien mocks, but Theo smiles at her. "I will help you with the bill." He is confident that the gold coins Eruina left in his bag will be enough.
"Oh, do not worry, I have plenty of Academy credits," Sarah comments confidently, and then a glow flashes in her eyes as she looks at Theo. "But when you start earning your own credits at the Academy, I will accept you paying for a full dinner for me as well."
"It will be an honor, My Lady," Theo says in a charming tone, making Sarah's cheeks blush slightly, and both laugh while Lorien shakes his head. "Are you two going to start flirting again?" When Sarah avoids Theo's gaze, becoming shy, he laughs.
Before the atmosphere starts to become awkward, a young waitress arrives with a large mug of beer, a luxurious bottle of wine, and two glasses on the tray. "Here, My Lords and My Lady. The food is already being prepared; it will not take long." The girl hands the drinks to the trio and cannot help but glance at Theo, revealing an enthusiastic smile.
The girl tries to pour wine into a glass for Theo, but Sarah quickly takes it from her hand. "We can handle it now, thank you." The girl simply nods and runs off shyly while Sarah shakes her head, and Theo laughs.
"This is very good!" Lorien starts drinking his honey beer and praises the flavor, making Theo curious about the wine Sarah ordered for them. She opens the bottle and smells it, making an expression of absolute pleasure. "Hmmm, it smells as good as they said."
She pours some into a glass and drinks half of it, letting out a sigh of satisfaction. Then she passes that same glass to Theo with what is left. "Try it, it is really delicious."
Lorien watches everything with a solemn face, but Theo simply smiles at Sarah as he takes the glass and drinks the rest of the wine. He feels a fruity scent and a delicious sweet taste, but also a strong burn from the alcohol that mixed with the blackberry flavor creates something unique and balanced. "Delicious!"
"I knew you would like it." Sarah smiles at Theo and then fills that glass with wine before filling the other glass for herself. Theo does not notice it because he is focused on savoring the wine, but she responds to Lorien's deep look with a provocative wink.
"We have to make a toast," Sarah comments excitedly and looks at Theo, who makes a sorry expression. "I think I have never made a toast in my life, but everything has its first time, right?"
"I am happy to be part of your first time," Sarah comments excitedly, but then immediately blushes. "I mean your first time making a toast, of course."
"Of course," Theo smiles and winks teasingly at Sarah, making her even more shy. "So, what are we toasting to?" As soon as he asks, she smiles. "To our entry into the Academy and to our future as Dragon Riders."
"Great," Theo raises his glass along with Sarah, and Lorien does the same, "And to new friends!" The white-haired young man smiles warmly at Theo, who smiles back. "To us!" He exclaims excitedly and, together with Sarah, clinks their glasses against Lorien's mug.
Then each of them takes a good gulp of their drinks, and Theo lets out a pleased sigh. "Damn! This thing is really delicious." He glances at Sarah, and she smiles. "Tonight is on me, let's drink until we pass out drunk, that is the tradition."
"What tradition?" Lorien gives Sarah an inquisitive look, but she keeps smiling at Theo. "Our tradition, I just created it." He cannot help but laugh. "I like it! Hahaha…"
While they drink and laugh, the trio becomes the target of dozens of looks and comments from the people around, but no one tries to approach them, except a good-looking young man who walks up to the table with a friendly expression. "Sorry to interrupt you, but…" He glances at Theo with bright eyes full of admiration. "Are you the one they call Theo? The one who knocked down that half-giant with a headbutt?"
Theo keeps drinking his wine while staring at the young man with a doubtful expression, while Sarah analyzes him from head to toe, focusing especially on the emblem on the young man's luxurious clothes that bears the symbol of a silver horseshoe. "Aurelien? What do you want from us?"
"Direct and brutal," The young man smiles politely at Sarah. "You must be the famous Lady Malveryn, correct? I saw how you treated those animals from the Dalemmar family, and I would like to express my admiration for such courage." The young man bows respectfully. "I am Hermes Aurelien of Solvain, also from the Omnara Kingdom like My Lady."
Hermes acts all smiling and polite, but Theo and Lorien keep drinking while Sarah's expression grows more annoyed. "Look, Hermes, I have nothing against you; in fact, I admire the incredible horses raised by your family, but if you keep interrupting my celebration with my friends, we are going to have a problem."
"Oh, forgive me, please," Hermes bows several times respectfully. "I did not mean to interrupt you; it is just that the Dalemmar intimidate everyone without scruples, but you put them in their place, and that was wonderful, seriously, I thank you on behalf of all my friends who have already suffered because of that scum."
Hermes becomes too excited with his praise and speaks in a loud tone, drawing the attention of many people in the tavern. He notices that as well and prepares to leave. "Well, I should go-" But before he can leave, a girl appears at his side. "Brother, we will not get any table here, the place is full-"
The girl stops when she notices the trio at the table, her gaze completely focused on Theo. "It is you! The gallant knight who knocked down that half-giant friend of the Dalemmar!" Her words generate all kinds of reactions, and Theo almost spits out the delicious wine when he tries to hold back his laughter.
"Gallant knight?" Lorien asks in an amused tone. "Well, I agree in part." As soon as he says that, the girl becomes shy and hides behind Hermes, who smiles politely at the trio. "Forgive my sister Clarice, she tends to exaggerate a little."
"A little?" Sarah gives Clarice an angry look while the girl keeps smiling at Theo, making Hermes grow worried. "Well, since we cannot get a table, we will be leaving. I apologize again, enjoy your time, my Lords and My Lady."
Once again, Hermes tries to leave without causing trouble, but he is surprised by two tall men dressed in black and gold, one of them clearly a few years older than the boy. "What were you saying about my family?!" The man, obviously a Dalemmar, throws a furious look at Hermes.
"I did not mean to offend," Hermes and Clarice are clearly afraid and step back, but two other men in black appear behind the siblings and the girl casts a pleading look at Theo, who keeps drinking his wine while watching the scene.
"You are not welcome here," The taller man in black steps toward the siblings, who look terrified, but then Theo calmly stands up. "You there. What is the problem now? I do not mind breaking a few more bones, but would it not be better for you to call the half-giant in order to improve your chances?"
"Hahaha!" Sarah also stands up beside Theo and throws a wild smile at the Dalemmar. "Even then, their chances would be zero." She looks very confident, but the members of the Dalemmar family do not back down and keep their hostile posture. "You think you are special because of that stupid test? You would not stand a chance against us in a real combat!"
"A real combat?" Sarah's smile becomes more sadistic. "As far as I know, the Academy rules allow duels with the consent of both parties and of a Professor who takes responsibility for maintaining order. I know some Professors who would be happy to organize a duel for us, maybe even… a mortal duel?"
"..." Sarah's final words leave everyone in silence, including the Dalemmar, who now have pale faces. Even Lorien stands up now with a cold expression on his face while setting his mug of beer on the table and casting his sharp gaze at the Dalemmar. "Who should I kill first?"
"The atmosphere here is trash," The taller man dressed in black signals to the others, and they turn their backs on the trio, leaving the place quickly. That generates all kinds of comments, most of them surprised and praising Theo, Sarah, and Lorien, making their fame grow even more among the new members of the Academy.
But no one seems more grateful than Hermes and Clarice, who bow several times to the trio. "Thank you very much! Really, you saved us…" The girl keeps smiling at Theo while Hermes sighs in relief. "I cannot believe we almost got beaten up because of my tongue. I always tell my sister that she will get us killed for talking too much; it seems I have to follow my own advice, right?"
"Don't worry, those guys are just bullies," Theo says in a friendly tone while Lorien and Sarah sit down again in silence. "Just be more careful, next time you could end up in serious trouble." Theo smiles kindly at the siblings.
"I will remember that," Hermes bows again, then makes a sad expression, especially glancing at Lorien's mug. "Now I guess we have to leave since we do not have a table. It is a shame because I really wanted to try one of those honey beers…"
Hermes is clearly playing pitiful, and Clarice follows her brother in the performance, making that sad puppy look, the kind that brings old memories to Theo. "Wait." He says to the siblings and then turns his gaze to Sarah, but the girl immediately shakes her head in denial.
"Sarah?" Theo says her name in a loving tone, but she keeps shaking her head without even looking at the siblings. "Mm-mm!" She denies again, but Theo insists with a loving smile, and they remain locked in a stare for almost half a minute, leaving everyone in suspense until he wins and she exclaims. "Alright! Alright! They can stay with us, is that good enough?"
"You are so kind," Theo winks at Sarah, and she tries to avoid smiling but fails. Clarice also becomes very happy, but Hermes still casts a concerned look at Sarah. "Is it really alright? We do not want to cause trouble for you."
Sarah continues ignoring the siblings and looking at Theo. "You can stay; any enemy of the Dalemmar is our friend." As soon as she says that, Hermes smiles. "Then we will accept the invitation, thank you very much!"
The trio's table is round and quite large, and while Lorien is sitting on one side, Sarah and Theo are closer on the other side. Hermes pulls a chair into the large empty space between Sarah and Lorien, and also pulls one for his sister. But Clarice walks around the table, pulling a chair to place between Sarah and Theo, which makes Sarah throw a deadly look at the poor girl. "Do you want to die?"
"I just…" Clarice makes an innocent expression and casts a pleading look at Theo, but he turns his face away while Hermes comes running to pull his sister to the other side of the table. Only then does Sarah lower her hostile posture and smile back at Theo while filling his glass with more wine. "Can we go back to drinking now?"