Going back in time a little.
Alex and Gracier entered The Moonlight Inn, and as usual, it was crowded. It was to be expected because it was already evening.
When the two entered, they saw a busy Lea serving food here and there while exchanging a few pleasantries with the customers.
"Welcome, Gracier, Alex." Even though she was busy serving a customer, Lea still greeted the two when she noticed them.
"Evening, Lea. You seem busy. Wants me to help? But you'll pay me. I'm costly, you must know." Alex said with a smile.
Rolling her eyes, Lea replied, "I don't need your help, but if you could let Gracier help, it would be welcome."
"Sorry, that won't be possible; there's something Gracier and I need to discuss. Maybe another time." Alex said apologetically.
Gracier looks apologetic as well.
"It's fine. I was joking anyway, but tonight Gracier will sleep with me. There's no discussion on this one." Lea stated as if she would not take no for an answer.
Alex glanced at Gracier to see her smiling; she didn't seem against the idea. As a result, Alex saw no need to refuse Lea's demand.
"Alright, we will come down after showering," Alex added before disappearing with Gracier.
Watching the retreating Alex's back, Lea couldn't help but sigh while thinking Alex was acting like a Big brother. How funny.
"I say, little Lea could you go take my order? I'm dying from hunger here. Your boyfriend's already gone. Well, he said he would come down after taking a shower, or are you planning to join him?" one of the customers sitting around a table said jokingly.
Lea was brought out of her stupor; glaring at the bald old man, she said: "He's not my boyfriend, you baldhead."
Then, she hurried away, leaving the customers who started laughing, making fun of her, saying there was no need to be shy.
Mrs. Lana in the kitchen heard the commotion and saw a red-faced Lea entering the kitchen; she knew what happened, smiling; she placed the orders in front of Lea and said.
Lea left with the orders.
Half of an hour later, Alex and Gracier descended and sat around an unoccupied table.
Automatically Lea approached the two, smiling; she said, "Welcome back; mother said that tonight she has something specially prepared for you, a surprise. She said you'll like it."
"Oh? I'm eager then. I want orange juice, not a wine tonight." Alex said.
Lea said, then she glanced at Gracier; the latter said, "It will be a salad for me. Same drink as Big brother Alex."
"Roger, I'll be back soon," Lea said before leaving.
Shortly, Lea arrived with their orders.
Firstly she served Alex's orange juice and Mrs. Lana's surprise: two plates of ravioli.
The little white parcels were wonderfully fresh, filled with wild mushrooms, and served with a salad of mixed greens and parmesan cheese. Alex tasted one. He had to admit that the food was as delicious as Mrs. Lana had promised.
Then Lea placed Gracier's salad in front of her.
Gracier stared at her salad with a smile.
The salad was primarily crisp lettuce leaves tossed in some sort of a creamy sauce, served with buttery garlic bread. Gracier loved the leaves and the crunchy croutons. She loved the cold sliced chicken and avocado that lay on top. In no time at all, the salad was gone, and her mind turned to the orange juice.
Lea observed the two as they devoured everything. She was happy to see them enjoy their food; even though she had not prepared Alex's food, Gracier's salad had been prepared specially by her.
"How was it?" She asked.
"Delicious," the two responded in unison. Startled, the two looks at each other before laughing.
"Tell your mother that I enjoyed her surprise. It was good." Alex praised the ravioli; He was being honest. It was delicious.
"Thank you for the salad; I know it was you who did it," Gracier said with a smile.
"What? How do you know?" asked the surprised Lea.
Gracier giggled, "I don't know; you just said it. I was testing you earlier."
"You" Lea was lost for words; she didn't think that Gracier would trick her. She jumped in; finally, she understood why Alex was smiling after Gracier praised her, so he knew what her little sister was up to.
Lea glared at Alex; Alex smiled before shrugging his shoulders, saying it wasn't his fault.
Another girl cleaned the tables as the three continued to chat. It was a new employee, Alex didn't know her name. The girl looks like Mrs. Lana; she seems to be in her early twenties.
After chatting with the girls for one hour, Alex decided to leave.
"I'm going to sleep, goodnight both of you. See you tomorrow, Gracier; you should sleep early because tomorrow we will be taking a quest, your first quest. Hence you need to be at the top of your form, do not sleep late." Alex warned.
"Okay, I understand. Good night Big brother." Gracier replied while Lea waved at the retreating Alex.
Shortly later, Gracier and Lea went upstairs, the second floor, at the end of the corridor stood Lena's room. After the two entered, Lena said before entering the bathroom.
"Make yourself home. I'm going to take a shower."
Gracier, who brought her pajamas, changed in them before sitting on the big bed.
Lea's room was painted blue; the room was simple; except for the big bed, the table, chairs, and the closet, there was nothing inside the room.
Gracier sat on the bed, lost in thoughts, Lea who freshly took a shower, entered the room with a towel wrapped around her slim figure, dropping it; she wore her underwear and a white shirt on top of it before entering the bed and covered herself with the blanket, then she turned to face Gracier.
"I'm back. Ah! I felt refreshed."
Gracier smiled, looking at her, without giving her a time to place Lea asked.
"How was your day at the Adventurer guild? Did you regret wanting to become an Adventurer?"
"Not really; I'm happy to have registered. Oh! I forgot, today I become a beautiful Elf's little sister." Gracier replied.
"What? Are you talking about Leena? That's Leena?" Lea asked, surprised that the famous Leena would take a Half-elf she had never seen as a little sister.
"Exactly, it's her. She swore an oath upon the World Tree that she'll protect me as my Big sister. I don't know why she did that, but I have the feeling that she didn't mean any harm. Besides, I have the feeling that she isn't simple as she showed. I may be wrong, but it's unlikely. Having a powerful ally is good for me and Big brother." Gracier explained.
Even though Lea was surprised by Leena's action, she doubts that Leena, the mysterious Leena, had done something so serious without reason. Well, only she knows why she did it.
Clicking her tongue because Alex seems to be lucky to have a little sister like Gracier, Lea said, displeased, "That lucky bastard, he's nothing serious. He's just lucky to have you."
"Don't talk like that about Big brother Alex. You know nothing about him." Gracier replied angrily.
Lea had an incredible expression on her face while inwardly smiling, happy to see Gracier defend Alex even though they met recently.
"Why did you say that? Did you perhaps know something about him?" Lea asked, doing her best not to smile.
Gracier's anger calmed down as she explained,
"Even though I don't know anything about him. I'm sure he was not from here. He-"
"Well, I know that he was not from here, from this town. It's obvious." Lea stated.
"You got me wrong; I'm saying he is not from this world. His aura is different from those of this world. I noticed it the first time I saw him. Do not ask how I know this, but I'm sure I'm not wrong." Gracier explained. She had noticed something unusual about Alex the first time she saw him coupled with Leena's interest in the latter, something she noticed today; she was sure of her assumption.
Women's intuition can be scary.
Gracier could not say why she felt like that, but she had the impression that Leena was interested in Alex, not in a romantic way but for a specific reason she couldn't tell. Becoming Leena's sworn sister was to know the reason, also to protect Alex in the case Leena would try to harm him. Something she doubts would happen; better be prepared.
"What? You must be joking, right?" Lea asked, refusing to believe Gracier. Gracier shrugged her shoulders, deciding not to convince the latter if she didn't believe her.
Pouting because Gracier didn't try to convince her, Lea asked, "Tell me what happened to your eye? Why are you wearing an eye patch even when you're going to sleep?"
With a giggle, Gracier replied, "Secret," before adding,
Then she fell into the bed and pulled the thick blanket to her chin.
"You're no fun at all. We will continue this conversation later. Goodnight, Gracier." Lea said before switching off the luminaes illuminating her room.