"Hey Ai- mpf!"

  The demi-human rushed towards them and ed her arms around both of them; she held them as tight as possible.

  "I have not seen you two cuties in forever!" She excimed while hugging them tighter. A huge grin stayed on her face for the ey.

  "A-Aiko, please... I-I 't breathe..." Lu choked out. His face turned a bright red due to the extreme foring from Aiko. Fei wasn't fairing well as her face started to turn purple. He tapped on Aiko's shoulder a few times, hoping for sweet release.

  "O-Oh, sorry... I couldn't help myself..." Aiko backed up a few steps, leaving room for Fei and Lu to catch their breath. "Where have you two been!? Wait, let's catch up inside!" She excimed after their faces had returo a natural color. ", !" With one hand in her grasps she started t them into the tavern.

  Without being able to get a word in, they plied to Aiko's orders. Ihey were greeted to an old sight. A few circur tables sat inside, eae could fit five individuals. To their right a middle aged woman who wore reading gsses sat behind a ter, her gaze lingered below her as if she was reading something. Behihere lied the kit, they could only see it through a window.

  "Ah? Is that Fei and Lu? It's good to see you two again." The dy who sat behind the ter said wheiced them.

  "It's good to see you too."

  Fei bowed slightly as to greet her.

  "Now, Aiko, we 't give them free food like usual, it's been tight this month!"

  "Yes, yes I uand, I'll pay for it myself!" Aiko responded while wagging her finger. "Here, sit down, I'll go make you two some food."

  "We-"

  "I know you two are busy, and you most likely have en anything this m!" Aiko cut Lu off. She gred at him as she saw his body stiffen up. "You expin yourself when I get back."

  "She's as eic as usual." Lu muttered, a slight smile crept onto his fabsp;

  "Y-Yes she is."

  They watched as Aiko's head whipped around from their seats. It kept going back forth and the smell of cooked eggs permeated the ey of the inside. Just as quickly as she left, she returned with two det sized ptters of scrambled eggs.

  "It isn't anything special, but I hope you two enjoy these!" Aiko excimed as she set them down onto the table.

  "T-Thank you." Fei thanked her in a low voice. "But, um, we, we came here to see y-you..."

  "Well, we catch up while you two eat."

  "Where have you two been? I haven't seen you both for at least two weeks!" Aiko excimed as soon as they took their first bites. "I was starting to get worried if something happened."

  "We have been looking around for a new job-"

  "You two would be perfect over here, why didn't you e here sooner?!"

  "This pce isn't popur enough for what we nee-"

  "So wh-"

  "Aiko, dear, please let them finish before you cut them off." The middle aged dy interjected without even gng up.

  "R-Right sorry..."

  "Anyways, we khis pce isn't popur. We mao find a job that allowed us to work together. That allowed us to save some and we could buy Fei a staff." Lu expined with a proud smile. A single bead of sweat ran down his face as Fei gave him a gnce. 'If only we could.' Lu thought to himself.

  "W-Wait, does that mean-?" Aiko mumbled as her ears perked up, aail stiffened up. Her initial ecstatic expression was quickly distorted into disbelief.

  "Yes! Our dream of being adventurers have e true!" Lu excimed as he fshed his and Fei's ids in front of Aiko's eyes. "Although our first request didn't go as we hoped... Nevermind that, there'll be better and way more fun requests today, I feel it! You feel it tht Fei?"

  "Y-Yes, I , feel it..." Fei responded, her voice lowered as guilt gripped at her heart. 'What if we 't find a better one...? What'll happen to him?' The spoon in her hand started to tremble.

  "We should probably head to the adventurer's guild."

  "Nyat quite yet!" Aiko excimed while pushing Lu bato his seat. "Do nya know how long it's been since you st visited?! Why dontnya stay a little longer!" She tinued as her grey cat tail flicked bad forth. Her furrowed eyebrows didn't pliment the pure joy in her brown eyes.

  'She's trying to hide something.' Lu and Fei simultaneously noted after seeing Aiko's as. Her expression was a clear tell to the, followed by her nyas and flig tail were signs that Aiko was hiding something.

  "I, I think w-we should stay a little, b-bit longer." Fei said. Lu nodded as Aiko's "angry" eyebrows softened.

  "Great! Nyaow, tell meow how your first request went!"

  "It really wasn't iing to be ho."

  With enough insistence from Aiko, Lu told her how their first request went. Despite it being a bore, she listened ily. An obvious tell that she was, her tail wagged furiously. From an outsider's perspective she seemed like aed mother listening about her kids' first day of school.

  "Wow~ That really didn't sound like a good time, are you feeling sore from that?" Aiko asked after the ey. Lu shook his head in response. "What about you Fei? How are you doing after that?"

  "I'm, I'm doing o-okay." Fei said. She drew her hands closer to her body unsciously. This, however didn't go unnoticed under Aiko's eyes.

  "Let me see your hands!" Aiko ordered. Like a scared child, Fei's ears instantly drooped at the her tone and plied with her orders. "You are so clumsy... They look to be healing fine, but, ime make sure to treat them properly." Aiko let out an exasperated sigh after seeing the state of Fei's palms. The spots where her skin has been peeled off exposed the pink flesh underh.

  "S-Sorry..."

  "Good. Lu, please keep an eye on her ime."

  "I will." Lu fidently agreed. Fei pulled her trembling hands back; Aiko gave a warm smile to her to try and calm her down.

  "Aside from Fei getting hurt, I'm happy to hear that went smoothly."

  "AH! I almeowst fot something!" Aiko yelled startling both of them. "I-I'll be right back!"

  "Don't fet, they're iht et."

  "Thank you!"

  She bolted into the kit leaving Fei and Lu in utter fusion.

  'What's she doing?'

  gs and bangs could be heard ing from the kit as Aiko rummaged inside. Lu tried to stand but was told to sit down by the dy at the ter. Fei covered her ears as the ruckus started to irritate them.

  A thunderous bang could be heard, in suit a yowl came.

  "AHA! Found them!" Aiko excimed after a few moments. She returned just as quickly as she left. In her hands she held 3 wooden boxes, 2 of which had bows on top. "Here, one for you and one for you! Go ahead and open them!"

  "Um, Aiko, what is thi-" Lu questioned as he brought the box up to his eye level.

  "Don't question it! Just open it!"

  "A-Alright."

  Once he found the sliding partment at the top, he slid it open. Peering inside, he saw a silver bracelet.

  "U-Um, what is this...?" Fei was the first to speak, she held a simir looking bracelet, albeit smaller than Lus in her palm.

  "It's a good luck charm! Look I bought one for each of us!" Aiko pulled aical one from her box. Although they believed her, Aiko's tail kept whipping bad forth which was telling them she's hiding something else.

  "I-I s-see... T-Thank you." Fei thanked her with a small smile.

  "Thank you."

  Aiko puffed her chest out embrag the words of gratitude given to her. She quickly put hers on, giving a sign to them both to put theirs on.

  Staring at each other for a moment, Lu put his on his right wrist, whilst Fei put hers on her left.

  "Nyaow, we'll be getting good luck for the year... Hehehe." Aiko ughed, she rubbed her bracelet softly. "What's with the looks?" Both Lu and Fei had a frown on their faces and their eyebrows furrowed.

  "Did someone say that these'll give good luck?" Lu was the first to respond. Although, he had heard that items give someone luck, or increase their physical and magical abilities; they were incredibly rare. There was no way Aiko could have bought them, even if she found a pce that sold them.

  "N-Nyo..."

  Aiko put her pointer finger up to her lips, shushing whatever follow up question they could ask.

  "Nyaow nyaow, you two should get going. I know yoing to have a busy day."

  Aiko ed her arms around them wheook a step outside of the tavern.

  "Please be careful out there." Aiko whispered as she carefully squeezed them. "Aurn here whenever you get the ce." Her voice soothed the nervoushat Lu and Fei felt.

  "We will."

  Lu and Fei looked back at her with a smile on their faces. With a slight push from Aiko they began their jouro the adventurer's guild.

  "Please, be careful." Aiko mumbled, she clutched both of her hands together in front of her heart. Her heart raced with worry, the silhouettes of Lu and Fei shrunk as the distance greatened.

  "Don't worry about 'em, they'll be okay."

  "I know... I 't help w."

  "Oh, your at came out when talking to 'em."

  "ait it did?!" Aiko excimed. Her ewirled around, aail stood up. "W-Why didn't you say anything?!"

  "I didn't feel like I o, those two... Wait what were talking about?" The middle aged dy said as she finally took her eyes off her book.

  "GAH!"

  "Aiko sure seemed excited today."

  "Y-Yes, she did."

  "Did you eat enough?" Lu asked. By the time they left, Fei had oen a few bites of the food.

  "I, I wasn't hungry." Fei responded, she clutched her staff closer to her body, meanwhile her ear slightly twitched.

  "If you say so... Why do you think Aiko bought these for us?" Lu ged the subject, he didn't believe Fei not being hungry; she ate almost as much as a normal person, but she barely put a dent in her food. 'Does she not like eggs? She normally eats what's given to her...'

  "I-I don't know... She, she seemed to be hiding s-something..."

  "I don't kher, it won't make us lucky, that's for sure." Lu said as he shrugged. Although they had known Aiko for the past 6 years, they had a hard time reading what she was thinking. With a mix of her energy and cat-like nature, she was uable. "Oh, what request do you think we might get today?"

  "P-Probably a s-simple one... That, that p-pays well..." Fei mumbled that st part while looking at the cloudy crystal of her staff.

  "Sorry, did you say something? I couldn't hear what you said." Lu lowered his body while keeping his momentum.

  "N-Nothing, I, I said nothing."

  "Alright..."

  'They really have to get better at lying.' Lu internally remarked. People usually have obvious habits when lying; inability to make eye tact, scratg their cheek or their intonation when lying. Fei's uncut ear flioves whenever she lies, it was hard at first to determihe truth or lie, but once he noticed the habit it became much easier to dis. "Hopefully we do get a good paying request."

  Before long, they stood in front of their destinatioering the adventurer's guild, it was in gutter silehere weren't many adventurer's around, both Lu and Fei felt release upon seeing the miniscule amount who weren't paying attention to the front.

  At the front ter, Thran leaned on it, he rested his on the palm of his hand while doing paper work. His quill moved at a speed that left them impressed.

  "Oh, wele back you two, I thought you were going to quit." Thran weled them back after gng up for a moment.

  "Thank you, is this amount of people in here normal?" Lu couldn't help but ask, the difference was night and day, his expectations were blown away.

  "Hm? Oh, no. Many of the adventurers were sent out due to the rumored monster running around the kingdom. We need as many hands on deck, and the pay was det enough to entice all of them." Thran expined, he stamped the paper he wrote on in the middle of his expnation. "And what brings you two here today?"

  "We came here to get a request, do you know if any came in?"

  "Yes, one did e in however; I wouldn't reend accepting that ohe pay is miniscule to the task at hand." Thran said as he gestured towards the request board with his quill. "Trust me, many adventurers who saw it pined."

  "I see..." Lu muttered. Hearing the news, he felt ay pit form in his stomach. "Are there any we get that pays well?"

  "No, there is not. The requests you accept are rare to e by, and the normal ones are usually taken."

  Fei's tail lowered after hearing Thran, just as Lu lowered his head. His train retful thoughts were derailed by Thran.

  "There's o feel bad about it. Let me tell you a secret, e closer." Thran said while motioning towards them with his pointer finger. "In two todays, there's an official hunting request, if you take that request today I'll put you two as didates for it." He whispered into Lu's ear.

  "Wait... really?!"

  "Shhh, keep your voice down!"

  "R-Right, sorry. Are you serious about that?"

  "Mhm~ All you have to do is take that request right over there." Thran once agaiured to the single white page stapled to the front of the board. "Don't worry about the time it takes, that secret I told you will make up for it. Oh, miss Fei did you hear?"

  Fei nodded her head, her ral expression masked the amount of fear she felt upon hearing the secret.

  "Alright, we're all set. Oh, do you have any questions about the little secret?"

  "Yes." Lu nodded quickly, his excitement was clearly written on his as. 'This is such great news!' He looked at Fei who felt the plete opposite. Her tail was aimed towards the ground and her ears were vibrating with ferocity. "What about you, Fei? Do you have any questions?"

  "yes" Fei squeaked out.

  "Sorry, what did she say?"

  "I think that was a yes."

  "Very well then, please follow me." Thran said, he stepped through a small door that separated the front ter and the main hall ahem to the able.

  "Before asking questions, are you sure you are up to the hunting request?" Thraioned when they all sat down, there was an air mixed with nervousness aement around Fei and Lu.

  "Do you even want to do this...?" Lu whispered to Fei, despite his pure joyousness, he would try to put Fei's feelings first.

  "I... I-I-" Fei stammered, her eyes darted between Lu and Thran. Her entire body urged her to avoid going on the request. "I, I do..." She mao let out.

  "Are you sure...?"

  It was evident that she felt fearful aant over this matter, even Thran could see her true feelings about it. Her entire body shivered, pletely uo the warmth ihe guild.

  "Y-Yes..."

  "Okay..."

  "I'm sorry, I couldn't hear what was said. What did she say?" Thran interjected, their entire versation took pce just between them, he couldn't hear a thing even though they were right across from him.

  "We'll do the hunting request."

  "Great, now, what were the questions you two have?"

  "What type of creatures are we going to hunt? Goblins? Slimes?!"

  "They're simir to slimes, I don't know the exact creatures. But you will learn of them on the day." Thran replied as a mysterious smile formed on his fabsp;

  "Okay, what do we o prepare for it?"

  "Just get a pair of gloves for both of you, that is all you need."

  "That's... It? Don't we need more preparation? What about medical supplies?" Lu followed-up, he felt a strange feelier his stomabsp;"Are you messing with us?"

  "No, no I am not. The creatures you'll be hunting at harmless from what I hear." Thran expined while he waved his hand, trying to dismiss Lu's doubts. "You'll just o capture them instead of fighting and sying them."

  "I see..." Lu mumbled. He believed Thran's words but he felt like all wasn't being said. "That's not a hunting request then..." He tinued with a disheartened voice.

  "It falls uhe requirements for a hunting request; that's a isception, capturing the creatures falls uhe requirements for one."

  "O-Oh... Those were my only questions." Lu said, his mi bnk after listening to Thran's expnations. No matter what he said, Lu didn't buy into it fully. Perhaps it was due to his excitement or disbelief, but the smile on Thran's face left a lingering feeing of doubt. "Um, Fei do you have any questions?"

  "y-You m-m-mentioned official requests, requests, w-what's the d-difference?" Fei fumbled out quietly, only Lu who sat o her could hear. With a quizzical look, Thran turned his head towards Lu.

  "Ah, the differeween a request and an official ohran firmed after listening to Lu's iteration. "The request you took was a normal ohe individuals who submit a form are the ohat pay you, and it doesn't tribute to your rank in the guild. However, official ohe guild pays you and it tributes to your rank. You tell if it's an official one if there's a sword and shield stamped on the request."

  Upon hearing his expnation, both heir heads.

  "Oh, before we're done here, have you two made your party yet? It's important if yoing to take on more requests." Thran asked before standing up. The expressions on their faces gave him his answer. "Sir Lu, you hand me yours and Miss Fei's ids? I'll show you how to form a party."

  Hesitantly, Lu listeo him. Ohey were in his grasps, his fingers glowed. A few seds ter, a textbox appeared in their retinas.

  "You have formed a party with Fei." Lu read aloud. "Wait, how do we even-" Thran slid both their ids over and walked away in a hurry. A long line formed at the ter during their short time talking. "He really..." Lu sighed while facepalming. "Anyways, at least we do a request today." He tinued with a smile on his face. "Are you ready?"

  "Y-Yes." Fei responded after a slight dey. 'Is he really okay with me going along?' Her worries intensified after Thran's as.

  Reag the board, Lu grabbed the lone white slip atop of everything. He gave it a quick s, and he felt anger enter his throat. 'What in the hell is this?!'

  I need help clearing rats that made a in my home, any rank of adventurer will do. Rewards will be 1 copper per rat caught or killed. Supplies to catch them will be given upon arrival.

  "What the f..." Lu mumbled as the temptation to tear the request up multiplied.

  "W-What does it say?" Fei asked after seeing the frown on Lu's fabsp;"O-Oh..."

  "Sigh... At least we have a new request in a couple days. Anyways, let's show Thran thehis done."

  Thus, they ehe long line of adventurer's. It moved at a snail's pace, but eventually their patience paid off as they stood at the ter. Repeating their first time, Thran took a quick look ahem on their way.

  Their walk was short, at most it took ten minutes.

  "Wha? Who's there?" A dy answered the door after Lu rapped on it a few times "Who're you two?"

  "ted the request you've sent at the adventurer's guild." Lu answered her question whilst fshing the request.

  "Eh? You and that demi-human?"

  "Yes."

  "Hm, then e inside, I'll get you gloves and a box for those rats." The dy said, leaving the door open for them as she slinked away.

  ", let's get this over with."

  Lu gave the usual nervous Fei a smile. Her breathing didn't calm, and her ear shivering stayed at its rapid pace. After a bit more pep talk, they ehe home.

  "Here."

  The dy hawo pairs of leather gloves and a slightly rge wooden box to him. She left to a different room, leaving them to themselves.

  "Hm? Do you hear something?" Lu couldn't help but ask when he saw Fei's ear twitbsp;

  "I-I think one is over there..." Fei stuttered, she poiowards a et. "I-I h-hear something moving there." Fei eborated upon seeing Lu's fused look.

  "O-Oh... Right."

  'I fot about her hearing...' Lu facepalmed mentally. 'Looks like this will be easy...' He breathed in, then swung the et doors open. A rat i out a loud squeal as it was mung on a bag of rice through a hole in it. "Aha! Gotcha! Fei, open the box quickly!"

  "O-Okay."

  One by ohey caught every rat; thanks to Fei's hearing, they were able to pinpoint each rat's hiding spot.

  "T-There's one, one more..." Fei mumbled. "It's, it's not moving, b-but I, I heard it..." She lowered her body, slowly she crept on the floor.

  "It should be here..."

  Lu's short searded after a loud bonk reverberated throughout the house.

  "Fei! Are you okay?!" He excimed, he turned around to see Fei holding her head in her hands. "W-What happened?!" He rushed to her side.

  "N-Nothing.." She grimaced, the pulsating pain she felt on her head was too great to tell. "I-I'm... Okay..." She assured Lu who stared at her with worried and curious eyes.

  "Let me see."

  "..."

  Moving her hands revealed a humongous red welt on her forehead.

  "Did- Did you run into... A wall?" He questioned, his ughter could barely be held in.

  "...Yes..."

  "H-Ho..."

  His ughter was cut short by a slight gre from Fei. Soon after, the st rat was caught.

  "That was fast, here's your payment." The dy said whilst handing them 6 copper s. She scribbled her o the request. "Go on your way, there's nothing else I need."

  They left with both feeling a sense of disappoi about their reward. But it was better thaing nothing, both thought.

  "gratutions upon finishing another request. And thank you for doing it, those pints were rather annoying." Thran gratuted them with an exhausted smile. Eyebags could be seen under his eyes. "e tomorrow, there might be more."

  'Was that his true goal? To make us clear the request so he won't get anymore pints?' Lu thought. "Thank you."

  Nothing else was said as both parties departed from each other.

  "That was disappointing..." Lu mumbled. "Hopefully that one request Thran talked to us about pays us well."

  "H-Hopefully..." Fei repeated Lu's hopes. "U-Um, g-good job t-today."

  "You too." Lu replied with a smile repg his disappointed frown.

  AnnouWe'll be ging our releasing schedule to every week! However, the chapter art will be every 3 weeks due to the artist's schedule.