Slam! The Tavern Blues
“Puhaaa!”
While Isaac and Lianna took turns showering in the castle, Silberna was downing beer at the tavern prepared for the soldiers inside the fortress.
“What’s this? Why does it taste so good today?”
“Milady, didn’t you say you were tired?”
Anna, keeping her company with a sigh, ordered another round anyway. She knew what was weighing on Silberna’s heart, so while she voiced her concern, she didn’t outright forbid the drinking.
“Innkeeper, did you put honey in this today?”
“No way we’d waste something that pricey on beer, milady.”
“Then what? Why’s it this delicious?”
She’s already tipsy.
Silberna slumped against the table, letting out a long breath. Her flushed cheeks spilled out complaints, and tonight, Anna planned to hear them all.
Good thing, actually.
She knew Silberna hadn’t fully let go. If those feelings had been so easy to snuff out, she wouldn’t have struggled this much. But with Lianna Helmont here now, this could be the perfect chance to sever them for good.
“My father always said, ‘Life is bitter, so booze is sweet’? Is that why?”
“He just kept muttering that to make it taste sweeter.”
“……”
Silberna lifted her mug again in silence. But it was already empty, so she smacked her lips in empty frustration and set it down. Just then, the beer Anna had ordered arrived, and Silberna guzzled it like water.
“It’s okay, milady.”
Anna patted her back in comfort.
“He was never gonna happen anyway, right? Better to know for sure than keep agonizing over it.”
“You say that like it’s easy?!”
Yep, definitely tipsy.
Normally, she’d agree with some tsundere pride. Instead:
“Have you ever felt like this, Anna?! Have you?!”
“Why’s this flying back at me?! And hey, I’m a pro at romance!”
Silberna’s jaw dropped in shock.
“What?! You’ve actually dated? You’re always griping about being too busy cleaning up my messes, but you’ve been out there doing it all behind my back?!”
“Even I get to keep my private life private. You told me to, milady.”
“I said protect your privacy, not sneak around sucking and biting in secret!”
Bam!Silberna slammed her mug on the table. The innkeeper’s face stiffened, but he pretended not to notice, not wanting to get involved.
“Sucking and biting? What kinda crude way is that to put it…”
“You’re the crude one, Anna!”
Is she nuts? If she weren’t milady, I’d smack her upside the head.
“Sigh, I haven’t actually dated anyone.”
“…Huh?”
“Y’know those novels? Romance ones? I’m tight with a merchant from the capital who hooks me up. Read a ton of ‘em.”
Anna scratched her cheek, embarrassed even admitting it, and Silberna let out a snicker.
“Pfft, what ‘pro’? You’re just like me.”
“At least I don’t pine after married men.”
“……”
Silberna clamped her mouth shut. Seeing her face crumple a bit, Anna hurriedly patted her shoulder.
“Oops! Sorry! That came out harsh. Don’t take it to heart! I got heated too.”
“No…”
Instead of holding a grudge over the jab, Silberna shook her head, steeling herself with a determined look.
“Say more.”
“Pardon?”
“I need to really get why that was a mistake. Keep going.”
“…You serious?”
“Dead serious.”
Even through the buzz, the sincerity in Silberna’s voice gave Anna pause. After a moment, she spoke.
“Honestly?”
Gulp.
“They looked perfect together?”
“Gahk!”
Silberna clutched her chest. It hurt more when it hit something she already sensed herself—flattery wouldn’t have stung like this.
“Like a match made by the gods themselves.”
Grind.
“No wonder they made waves in high society. A love transcending status—especially a Helmont and a commoner. And both so stunning…”
Anna glanced sidelong.
“No way you could wedge in between that.”
A hiss escaped through clenched teeth. Silberna chugged her beer like she was shoving the words back down her throat. Seeing her like this, it hit home how crazy she’d been. And that sparked one more worry.
“Hey, Anna.”
“Should we stop?”
“No, listen.”
Silberna beckoned her closer. As Anna leaned in, she whispered.
“…Are you insane?”
Anna stared at her in horror after hearing it.
“The spear? That spear—you were gonna melt it down and gift it to him?”
The spear forged from frost-silver ore, symbol of the Kaldias. Melting it to make a sword for the Helmont son-in-law?
“N-no… I just thought, since Isaac’s working so hard, I should help with something.”
Silberna fidgeted her fingers, mumbling timidly. Anna smacked her own forehead with a despairing groan.
“You’ve already started, haven’t you?”
“Pr-probably.”
“Even if you went and asked for it back now, he wouldn’t give it up, right?”
“Probably not.”
“Figures. The guy who’d storm the White Fort himself causing a ruckus. No way he’d hand it over.”
“Wh-what do I do? Just give it naturally? It won’t look weird, right?”
“Who wouldn’t think it’s weird? Kaldias gifting a frost-silver sword to a Helmont.”
“……”
“With his wife right there! Aaaagh! It’s a declaration of war!”
Silberna clutched her face with both hands.
“I’m an idiot.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Anna…”
“Idiot doesn’t cover it. Way worse.”
“……”
Unable to hold back, Anna shot to her feet and started smacking Silberna on the back.
“How! How could you even think that?! And you call yourself a pure-hearted lover! Makes me even madder imagining you telling yourself you’d moved on!”
“Ow! Ow! Anna! I’m a noble!”
“Fire me! Go on, fire me! Ugh, fine, I quit—I’m done worrying!”
After a solid minute, Anna plopped back down and nodded resolutely.
“Only one way now.”
“What?”
“You use it.”
“……”
“Nothing else. Ditch the spear for once and try something else.”
Silberna sighed, dismissing it as nonsense. Anna hadn’t meant it seriously anyway, so they were about to move on when—
“But y’know.”
Suddenly, something Nortemus had said that day popped into her head.
“He saw Isaac’s swordsmanship and called it transcendent-style, right?”
“…Yeah.”
“He knew taedo on sight too. And a ton about transcendents.”
“Shamanism too?”
“Exactly.”
“So starting tomorrow, I’ll investigate with Lianna. Father’s orders.”
Of course, “investigate” was the word, but neither would hold much back. Here, most things fell under Uldiran’s discretion—no big crisis.
Then—
Creak!
The door flew open, and in came a twin-tailed girl.
“Innkeeper! Make it a big one!”
“Milady…”
Sharen Helmont and her maid Kelsey burst in, utterly out of place. With only Silberna and Anna in the tavern, they couldn’t miss them.
“Oh?”
Naturally, Sharen headed straight for their table and joined in.
“Said you were going drinking, and here you are.”
Silberna gave a hollow chuckle as Sharen plopped into a chair. They’d bickered at first, but after fighting side by side, they were just comrades now.
“You drink too?”
She’d pegged her for a sweets girl, but Sharen shrugged with a grin.
“I’m a booze hound!”
She chatted with the innkeeper, then mixed her own drink.
“Kelsey makes killer stuff, especially. Pairs perfect with snacks.”
“Oh.”
Silberna considered asking for a sip when Kelsey already brought glasses. Not beer—crimson like wine. Sharen sipped and beamed.
“Mmm! Delicious! Rough day maybe? Feels like I’ll get buzzed quick!”
“…Lemme try a sip.”
“Nope.”
Sharen pouted, but relented with a “just a little.” Silberna took a sip.
…Orange juice?
Glancing at Kelsey behind her, who pressed a finger to her lips with a soft smile. Orange juice and snacks—fitting combo. A slight tang, but no real alcohol.
“Good, right? Kelsey makes it with orange concentrate, like wine!”
“Yeah, tasty.”
Silberna handed it back slyly. Feeling her head clear a bit, she sighed and asked:
“So why’re you here?”
“Stressed! They treat me like an idiot—it pisses me off!”
Sharen gulped her juice, voice rising. She really thought she was getting drunk.
“What happened?”
An unexpected guest, but not unwelcome. It let them gloss over Silberna’s crush naturally.
“Isaac, sister—same crap again! Over and over! Do they think I’m dumb?!”
“Hm?”
“Like, why would I go blabbing about their divorce? They keep warning me not to, which just makes them look stupid! So annoying!”
“Ah, milady!?”
Kelsey, behind her, jumped in desperately. She didn’t know about the divorce, but anyone could tell the tomboy had just spilled something she shouldn’t.
“Huh? No, what—”
Sharen froze mid-sip. Her red eyes darted, gauging the two staring at her, mouths agape.
Creak!
“I’m drunk! So drunk! Gotta go! See ya tomorrow?!”
Sharen bolted up and fled in a panic.
“Wh-what do I do?! Sister’ll kill me! Help, Kelsey! Save meee!”
Her frantic wail echoed as she vanished. Silence settled over the table for the two left behind.