New Arrivals (6)
Those emerald eyes looked somehow forlorn, making it hard to meet them straight on. There was some emotion in them that tugged painfully at my heart for no good reason.
"What? Got another complaint, you little shit?"
"No? I don't have any complaints?"
Just like that, Marim shot back with her usual playful grin.
The half-elves, after taking a big loop around the Monster Zoo, each got a wooden sculpture as a souvenir from the gift shop and had a blast riding the baby Tene Ganos at the experience area.
When they returned to Mideronde's lab, several tables were set up in the front yard laden with food. It was lunchtime anyway, and the inn's hall was already packed with guests, leaving no room for the half-elves. Plus, the backyard Monster Zoo was swarming with visitors right now.
Pelle had come to help with the meal in place of Francois, who was swamped in the kitchen.
One of the half-elves tugged at my arm and whispered, "That big sister over there doesn't look like a demon, so why does she have horns?"
"She is a demon, though?"
"No way...? Demons aren't that pretty."
"Then what should they look like?"
"Like that uncle over there—all lumpy and red like a giant king potato."
The half-elf pointed at Orkog on the other side, and I burst out laughing.
The half-elves noisily claimed their spots at the tables. At Mideronde's light gesture, tongs and ladles danced around, dishing food onto individual plates.
I recalled Brione freaking out when she saw magic like that. It might look simple, but it was probably incredibly advanced. I'd traveled with her for years and never seen her pull off anything like it.
"Eat up, kids."
I was watching the redheads chatter away happily over their meal when Mideronde approached.
"Those kids are going to work at the Monster Zoo?"
"Yeah. The human staff we have now are striking for higher pay, so I'm planning to fire them all."
"They told me the same thing. Hazard pay...? Something like that."
"They want more money for working around monsters. Even though it's already covered in their salaries."
Mideronde pursed her lips, looking puzzled.
"That's odd. No one goes there except demons and the red dragon. What's so dangerous about it?"
"They're just testing the waters. If they get more money, great; if not, no big loss. Plus, they figure if they act together, I'll get scared and give in."
"I see. How foolish."
Mideronde gazed at the half-elves alongside me.
"They seem to be enjoying themselves immensely."
"It's their first time experiencing anything like this. You know how half-elves are treated."
"I do. It's been a big controversy in elven society too."
"Like what?"
"Whether to accept hybrids whose mothers are human as part of our community."
Mideronde watched them with her characteristically elven green eyes.
"But we've been a matriarchal society since the seas parted and the skies opened—right up to now. We couldn't easily change such an ancient custom."
"I get it. Matrilineal structure is the foundation of your civilization. The problem's with humans, right?"
Just then, Ukun stormed into the front yard, bellowing.
"What the hell is this?! You little dwarven shits sneaking tasty grub without me?"
Ukun wormed his way into the midst of the half-elves and snatched up a spare spoon and fork.
"Hey! Demon! Beer for me too!"
"No beer. And this is for the kids—why are you butting in?"
Pelle shot back coldly, and Ukun roared with laughter.
"Too damn lazy to dimension-gate back! Gotta scarf something here and get back to work! And hanging with humans, I get a crick in my neck looking up! This place is perfect—all shorties like me."
Among the not-so-tall half-elves, Ukun didn't look like such a runt. But who knew? They'd probably stunted from poor nutrition growing up. Feed 'em well and let 'em sleep at the inn, and they'd shoot up like weeds. Half-elves ran small anyway.
Though, what was Ukun still doing here? He'd agreed to leave a month after finishing the bathhouse. Now he was managing not just that but the whole Monster Zoo setup too.
Fine by me. Free passionate master craftsman? Couldn't buy that with all the gold in the world. Dwarves don't move for money anyway.
After the meal, I took the half-elves back to the inn. Gave 'em a tour inside, then baths at the bathhouse.
I personally herded the boys in. The second I dunked 'em in the tub, the water turned filthy—I had to change it several times. Figures they'd never bathed before...
I grabbed 'em one by one and scrubbed like laundry with soap, scraping off the grime till they shone.
"From now on, if you're working here, you gotta smell nice all the time. Or I'll kick you out, got it?"
"Like you, uncle?"
"What? Yeah. Just like me."
The fluffy-clean half-elves gathered in the second-floor lounge. I sat 'em on the sunbeds and explained once more.
You're gonna work at the Monster Zoo you toured today, and pitch in at the inn and bathhouse if needed. Dangerous stuff's all me and the dwarf. You'll do simple manual labor. Pay's good, but since the work's easier and less than adults', we'll adjust for that. Hours are this to that—free time after, roam the city or whatever. Room and board's free.
"Anyone wanna work with uncle?"
"Me!"
The young ones shot their hands up. The older ones hesitated, glancing around.
"What're you idiots doing...? Wanna go back to the forest?"
I grabbed Marim's shoulder to stop her scolding.
"They need time to think. After what humans put 'em through, it's hard to jump in."
"Those morons..."
I told the wary older half-elves, "It's fine. Take a few days at the inn and mull it over."
With that, I left 'em with Marim and headed back.
I dimension-gated straight to the Monster Zoo and pulled Ukun aside to discuss housing for the half-elves at the inn.
"Ukun. How about this? Turn the whole third floor into staff quarters."
"Even I could see there're over twenty of 'em. Gonna cram 'em all in guest rooms?"
"Double up the beds per room, make 'em four-bunkers?"
"Goddamn idiot."
Ukun clucked his tongue and wagged his head.
"Fine for the ankle-biters—huddling together'd be fun. But I saw some grown ones too. Think they'd like that?"
"Hm... yeah, good point. Doubles at most..."
"Damn straight! And with that many washing, shitting, eating? Inn's setup can't handle it. Guest facilities are maxed as is."
"True."
"Hah. You really are a dumb fuck. Here, lemme school ya."
Ukun started sketching roughly on the ground with a stick he'd picked up.
"This is the inn. Bathhouse right next door. Over here, that half-built lot from the merchants last time."
From above: inn in the center, bathhouse right, abandoned construction left, wagon lot up top, Buren River down below.
"Three options: build a staff dorm, convert the inn to staff and build new inn, or expand the current inn."
"Go on."
"Expanding the old inn? Tough. It's ancient—might collapse. Could add floors maybe, but it'd eat time and gold."
"Hm. Not great. If we're spending anyway, might as well build new."
Ukun slashed a diagonal line through the inn sketch.
"New build it is, then decide if it's staff or inn. I'd say new inn—staff can rough it in the old one."
"Why?"
"Obvious—employees'll thrive anywhere grub's good."
"Hmm..."
Ukun had a point, but that was short-term thinking. For my big picture, blowing land on a half-assed new inn now wouldn't cut it.
"Nah. Better to build a proper big staff dorm first."
"Yeah? Fine, whatever. How big?"
"For a hundred."
Ukun stared blankly at me for a moment, then cursed.