Server Lost

Jack was making his way through the foyer, dressed in an wealthy looking vibrant midnight blue waistcoat, white dress shirt, black slacks and a the typical set of leather boots. Right before he rested a hand against the door however, he could hear the padding of stockinged feet behind him. Glancing over his shoulder casually, his hands then folded behind his back.

He raised a brow seeing Cassandra in a new outfit.

She was dressed in white stockings under a dark blue colored frilled skirt that dips down in front of the knees, with matching white dress shirt with a frilled collar and a blue poncho-like cloak.

To Jack, it looked like like she was about to go out on a picnic as little red riding hood dressed in blue.

His eyes rested on her feet which other than than the stockings, which seemed to be strips of thin white cloth wound around her legs and tied by strong golden laces. His eyes then moved over towards the silver tri-buckled ankle boots she had in her hands, held between her fingers by the edge of their mouths.

They were made out of black leather.

"You're ready?" Jack inquired teasingly as he stood at an angle, taking in the sight.

She honestly looked absolutely adorable, in his opinion. She was just missing the small triangular hat or even a larger beret with a red feather sticking out of it. Even a flat cap could work with the outfit, if not the classic medieval bonnet that goes well with the theme of the world.

"You going to be okay in just that?"

"What do you mean?" Cassandra blinked a few times looking up at Jack, one hand tugging at her skirt as she curled in her upper lip.

"It's cold outside," Jack replied as his gaze went back down to her legs which were covered, but not thickly. He could see the pale skin tone from beneath the thin cloth pressed against her two scrawny limbs that had her standing.

"Its fine!" Cassandra giggled aloud as she let go of the skirt, having thought that he had originally disliked her outfit. Though it seemed that wasn't the case! So her excitement began to boil over as she practically vibrated in place. "This cloak and my stockings are enchanted with insulation magic I learned from the Guild!"

"Interesting," Jack smirked at the fact that her clothes were enchanted, and that it was done by her no less. It didn't seem that he had to give any of his things away. Which in a way, was a relief.

A few seconds later and she was standing straight up with a c.o.c.ky looking grin across her face, as she held out her arm. "I know a place we can go to and get some fresh bread for the walk!"

"I see your father told you the intended destination."

Cassandra nodded happily, none the wiser, that it was more of an inspection of the outer wall. Though it was several hours of just walking all around the City.

Something that he'd enjoy doing with or without someone at his side. Walking, still, was something he had missed for a very, very long time.

Holding out his arm for her to hook hers around, the two would waltz out the door as he pushed his back against it. Allowing it to creek its way shut with a loud clack sound rang out the moment it closed.

About a half hour into the first residential quarter, she lead him up to a Tavern.

The closer they got, the more he could smell the alcohol along with the fresh rising bread which was in the brick chimney oven. It made Jack's mouth water slightly. The fresh bread smelled nothing like the items from the Dungeon.

This stuff, it wasn't generated by magic!

Cassandra squealed happily as she pulled him through the front door, which was rather loose to begin with. "Come on! Come on!"

Jack blinked several times down at her as he watched her pulling on him, letting her lead him on. "Is it normal for the Lord's Daughter to roam the city and know of a Tavern that serves common food?"

"Pft! No." Cassandra looked up at him with a brow raised, her head c.o.c.ked to the side, turned only partially to meet him. Making one eye look bigger than the other from his perspective.

"If you tell my dad, I will bite your pecker," A threat suddenly left her mouth.

"Don't break your teeth." Was Jack's only response, before she continued to lead him over to the counter behind two seated men.

Two average looking men on stools glanced over their shoulder, looked them over and chuckled. "It seems the Lord's daughter has arrived! You persuade your father to hold off on the next conscription?"

The girl nodded as she leaned into Jack's side.

Both men turned their full attention to her 'escort,' taking a much more thorough look over him. Since he didn't have his wings out, he didn't necessarily look like an Angel. Yet there was something mystical about the radiance which was ambient and noticeable at a glance by the densest of eyes.

"Ah! The man who came back with the Elves last night!" The older looking average man would slip off his stool and hold out a hand. He was mostly dressed with homemade clothes in mainly earthly colors of tan and brown, which were cheap and easy to produce.

The younger one seemed to be dressed the same, though didn't leave his stool.

Jack looked down at the older man's hand for a moment, before reaching out and shaking it, casting a 『Cleanse』spell which would immediately clean the old man of all dirt and grim with a flash of blue light.

The Old man's eyes immediately widened at the voiceless magic, before noticing that his clothes were also clean. "Great Holy Heaven's Light!" A delayed shout came from the man in surprise as he was frantically inspecting himself before looking up at the man. "Where in Heaven's Kingdom did she find you!?"

The other man was excited, but he didn't seem to be making any sound, he was without voice.

Jack looked back on how the two of them met and chuckled quietly, remembering how he had plucked her by the neck and practically threatened her life for calling him fake.

Cassandra rubbed the back of her neck, seemingly thinking back on that as well.

"Her father actually, found me in the Forest outside of the City, near the border."

"Oh? I heard there be bandits out that way… Lucky he found you then! Hah! Hey Lady Nance darlin' Get us a round of drinks!" The Old man then looked towards Jack, "You don't mind, right?"

Jack blinked a few times, knowing there was likely no drinking age. "Not at all," he'd glance down towards Cassandra who smiled up at him, biting at the midsection of her lower lip in anticipation.

She brought him here on purpose!

"Don't forget a loaf of bread," Jack added as his eyes returned to the two fellas who nodded. He then maneuvered himself over to the stool beside them as the old man sat back down.

When Cassandra went to sit in the stool beside him, he reached over and scooped her up and planted her on his right leg.

"You thought," he whispered in her ear as his arm went around her waist, trapping her as she tried to slip off of his l.a.p, but failed because of his unaided strength alone. That's when he paused, feeling her hands resting on his arm as she halted all resistance.

A victorious look on her lips as she gazed over towards the old man, both of them seeming to bump their fists together in the form of a secret handshake.

"Oooh?" Jack slyly rested his chin on top of her head, watching the little performance as four horn-derived mugs were placed down in front of the group by the barkeep believed to be Nance.

The smell of a honeyed dark lager immediately reached his nose. His eyes narrowed on the flavored beer. What was strange was that it was saturated well with carbonation. How well was this stored!?

His hand would reach forward as he went to grasp one of the mugs, but just ash e was about to grab it, Cassandra snatched it with an unrelenting vengeance. All due to being forced to sit on his leg!

Smirking smugly up at him as she leaned her head back, his chin on her forehead, she poked her tongue out at him. Immediately he grabbed her tongue with his thumb and forefinger, pinching it. "Ahoo!"

"Don't 'ow' me." Jack chuckled as he released her tongue, wiping her saliva on her cheek, before taking the last mug as the other two fetched two mugs in front of themselves.

His eyes rested on the soft bubbling surface of the dark sweet nectar of a liquid. Bringing it to his lips, he gave it a slow and solemn slurp. He had only tasted Lager once before, with his day, who had somehow come across a keg of it from the black market.

He ended up having to 'gift' it to the police chief of their sector due to a gradual misunderstanding.

Jack somewhat relaxed in the stool he was seated in and gazed fondly down at the liquid. "Mmm..."

"Little person… Big vent," Jack emitted under his breath as he took a single swig of the fine dark lager, l.i.c.k.i.n.g his lips after swallowing and glancing down towards her. The mug in her hands already empty.

Her face was already red and was only getting rosier.

"Is it me or are you a lightweight?" Jack cracked a joke as he wiped some foam from the corner of her mouth with the sleeve of the dress shirt. Even with his arm out of the way, she didn't seem to try and get up at all as it seems she was getting what she wanted.

The clack of a wooden plate was heard as it was dropped onto the countertop in front of them. Both Jack and the girl turned their gaze to the fresh steaming loaf of fluffy bread.

Reaching over Cassandra, Jack would crush its crust with its thumbs, hearing a satisfying crunch before he tore it in two. of course after putting down his mug to give her half as he took the other half and bit a large chunk out of the loaf.

Though things such as an oven were mostly useless in his previous world, his mother always managed to sculpt the flavored nutrient paste look like true food, like tofu into bacon.

Tears of sentiment began to well up as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back, opening them once more to stare into the ceiling.

Cassandra blinked several times as she stared up at him. Though he had those amazing omelets this morning, he reacted to the bread a bit differently. Even the Lager. She squirmed slightly on his l.a.p, l.i.c.k.i.n.g her lips as her eyes trailed over towards the mug of lager he had placed down.

"Hmhm~"