Goodbyes and Guilt

“Ms. Juliette, we have enough, really!” Nona insisted when the innkeeper reappeared from the kitchen.

“Please, I have seen how fast you emptied your plates,” the innkeeper said, starting to wrap all the food she had brought. “So I want to make sure that you don’t run out of it until you reach Crowcrest.”

At that moment, the door of the inn creaked, even if the place was closed to the public with the excuse of the owner feeling unwell.

After their last night mission, they had slept until late, just to be woken up by Juliette bringing a wanted poster with a rather accurate sketch of Nona. Fortunately, she was the only one with a bounty on her head. So she was the only one who rapidly jumped over the counter to crouch behind it, hiding herself from view.

She pulled away the small carpet that was concealing a trapdoor to the basement. She was about to hide there when she recognized both the steps and the humming of the newcomer.

“Oh, you finished faster than expected,” Vesper commented while Nona stood up again to look at Adish.

“You are in a good mood.” Nona smiled hopefully. “Does that mean that you passed the exam?”

“Not exactly. There was an unexpected plot twist.” Adish adjusted his glasses, made a theatrical pause, and then spoke. “The M.I.C.E. have been cancelled this year.”

“WHAT?!” Nona exclaimed as Vesper’s eyes opened wide.

Adish chuckled at their reactions before continuing.

“From what I’ve heard, it seems like the College was going to ‘borrow’ some of the monsters from the circus for the practical test.” Adish threw an ironic glance at Nona as she got pale. “But due to a certain someone setting those monsters free, the practical test could no longer be carried out, so it was decided to postpone the exams until next year–”

“I’M SO SORRY!” Nona rushed towards Adish and bowed in two apologetically to him. “If I had known, I would have waited until you took the exam.”

“Nona–”

“Thorny is right. I’m too impulsive. And dumb. And an idiot.”

“Nona.”

“And now I’m the most terrible friend that you could have, and for sure you now hate me for ruining your exams, and–”

“NONA.” Adish crouched in order to be able to look at Nona, whose lips were now trembling because she was about to cry. “You didn’t ruin anything. I’ve been asking around, and rumors said that the practical test was added because another son of the Governor was planning to attend it. And since he was too stupid to study theory, they planned to make him pass with the practical alone. So the M.I.C.E. were completely rigged from the start.”

Nona sniffed before throwing an unsure look at Adish. “Aren’t you making this up to make me feel better?”

Adish chuckled and shook his head. “No, I don’t have that much imagination. So don’t beat yourself about it, ok?” He stood up, and so did Nona. “And the good part is that they have refunded the registration fee to all the attendants, so if anything, I should thank you for recovering my 25,000 coins.”

“Well, well, well, that’s an occasion to celebrate!” Thorny made the most of Juliette disappearing inside the kitchen once again in order to reveal himself. “In that case you better share at least half of that money to our leader’s epic cause!”

“Thorny…” Vesper admonished softly.

“What? He may not have used the super powerful antidote for the exam, but he knows the recipe for it. So it’s the least he can do to show gratitude before parting ways, four-eyes!”

“Uhm, well, now that you mention that,” Adish cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses again, this time with nervousness, “I know I said that we would go separate ways when we reached the capital. But I was wondering if it would be ok if…Well, if I stayed on the team.”

Nona’s mouth fell open in shock.

“But I thought that you didn’t believe in gods or Wish Bearers."

“You are right. I don’t.” For the first time since they started travelling together, the smile Adish showed had a fondness in it that took Nona by surprise, and made her gulp. “But I believe in you. And after all you’ve done for me, I really want to help you in your mission as much as I can. I know that I’m taking a valuable spot on your team. And that you could easily find a better mage that does not become a pumpkin man every time he casts an advanced spell. But at the very least you can benefit from an atheist who will make sure that that ‘Goddess’ does not try to take advantage of your good will–!”

Adish’s speech ended with a squeak when Nona suddenly hugged him with such emphasis that she raised him in the air.

“I’m so, so happy you want to stay with us!” Nona exclaimed, not bothering to hold back her happy tears.

“I-I’m glad you feel this way, but please, can you put me on the ground?” Adish blurted out while awkwardly patting Nona’s head when she didn’t release him.

“Tsk, so we need to keep on putting up with the useless four-eyes to the very end. Awesome news.” Thorny shut up and threw a suspicious look at Vesper when she chuckled. “What’s so funny, bestiary girl?”

“I just find it curious that, for the first time, you didn’t interrupt Adish’s speech with any snarky remarks.” Vesper smiled innocently. “Could it be that you were as expectant as Nona to see if ‘the useless four-eyes’ would join us?”

“W-W-What?! You are delusional, druid!” Thorny’s wings batted faster with frustration and embarrassment. “Of course I looked expectant, but just because I hoped that he would decide to leave so that we could recruit a powerful ally, that was all!”

“Wait, have you just said join us’?” Nona finally dropped Adish while focusing on Vesper, smiling with enthusiasm. “Does that mean that you will also continue the journey with us?!”

Vesper’s smile faltered as she averted her eyes before placing her hair behind her ear.

“W-Well, yes, I would like to. As long as you want to keep travelling together. Although I’m aware that, just like Adish, there are more capable druids out there–”

“You mean druids more capable in battle that can shift into animals that are not just cute pets?” Thorny smirked teasingly at Vesper who half-closed her eyes at him. “What? I thought that you missed my snarky remarks.”

“Hey, Vesper was able to handle all those knights while being a badger,” Nona jumped in to defend the druid. “Not to mention all the traps she managed to detect, so she is super capable in battle!”

“Tsk, I defeated almost twenty knights on my own and they don’t mention anything of my capacities.” Adish’s eyes opened wide behind his glasses as everyone turned their head to him. “Shit. Did I say that out loud?”

“Hehehe, it seems like our mage has a praise kink.”

“H-HAH?! Of course I don’t have that!”

“Then why are you blushing like crazy, mm?”

“Gosh, I can’t stand you.”

Normally, Nona would have joined Vesper’s laughs as the discussion between Thorny and Adish kept going. But at that moment, a sudden pang of guilt replaced the happiness that she felt learning that Adish and Vesper had decided to tag along.

Because by then, it was evident that they trusted her. That they had also grown fond of her. And the fact that she hadn’t been completely honest with them was eating her up.

A set of rhythmic knocks woke her up from her thoughts. Thorny had barely turned invisible once again as Juliette appeared from the kitchen, drying her hands with a cloth.

“Tell your little fairy that he can stop hiding. I know he is there,” Juliette said without even looking.

“HEY, who are you calling a fairy, lady?! I’m an imp!” Thorny snapped while revealing himself, provoking a surprised look from Juliette.

“Oh, really? I didn’t know that imps actually existed. I'll sleep a little smarter tonight.”

Thorny was still sulking on Nona’s shoulder when Juliette opened the trapdoor, revealing an unexpected guest.

“Come on, slowpoke,” Enia smirked at Nona. “You know I don’t like the surface very much.”

“Wait, before you go,” Juliette suddenly handed a letter to Enia, who blinked in surprise. “Ania left this for you this morning.”

“What?! Captain Ania was here this morning?!” Nona exclaimed with disappointment as Enia started to read the letter. “Why didn’t you tell us? I would have liked to say hi.”

“Well, first of, I could hear your snores from here when she passed by. And second, she didn’t come alone, and I remind you that the Order is looking for you.”

“Hey, now that you mention that, I just realized that that sign with the flower and the cross wasn’t on the door anymore,” Adish commented. “Does that mean that you are not on the Order’s blacklist?”

“Nope, not anymore. That was the main reason the captain passed by.” Juliette looked fondly towards Enia, whose lips were pursed and her eyes looked a bit brighter staring at the letter. “I knew that no matter how different your paths are now, you still want the best for the city. And also for each other.”

Enia cleared her throat, brusquely removing a rebel tear from her eyes, she impatiently gestured towards Nona.

“OK, if you don’t get down in the following five seconds I’m leaving without you, so move your ass, Wish Bearer!”

While Adish and Vesper went to rent a new horse, Nona said goodbye to Juliette, effusively thanking her for everything, and followed Enia.

“I thought you were going to send one of your thieves to escort us,” Nona commented as Enia guided her through the underground maze.

“Yes, well, that was the initial plan.” Enia smiled at her. “But after all you’ve done for me, it was only fair that the Princess of Thieves herself accompanied you personally.”

Nona chuckled before scratching the back of her head.

“I don’t think we did that much for you. It was actually the other way around.”

“Honey, have you forgotten that you were almost caught because of me?”

“But you apologized! And thanks to Boris we were able to succeed in our mission.”

“Well, you paid him for his services.”

“But thanks to you I have a super cool dwarf axe for an incredibly cheap price!”

“Nah, that doesn’t count. Cecile was so delighted to find a human that was actually capable of wielding it with no effort. It’s the first time I see her smile.”

“And you gave us that artifact that is going to help us find The Dawn Rift!”

“You mean that piece of old junk that my children found in that idiot’s safe and that probably you’ll never make it work?”

“And you took care of Horace so that we didn’t risk ourselves taking him to the hospital.”

Enia sighed defeated looking at Thorny. “I’m not going to win, right?”

“Nope. I’d give up if I were you.”

By then they had already reached the exit that led Nona straight out the outskirts of the city. Nona turned to Enia and surprised her with a hug.

“Thanks for everything, fearsome Princess of Thieves. It was really nice meeting you, and I hope our paths cross again.”

Enia snorted softly but returned the hug. “Thank you for being crazy enough to trust me, Wish Bearer.” Enia tightened the hug. “And also for saving my little sister. That, I’ll never forget.”

A few minutes later, Nona was outside the back gate of the Capital. Adish and Vesper were already there, with the horse they had rented - which seemed way more docile than the previous one they had.

“So, what’s our next destination, oh mighty Wish Bearer?” Adish joked, but then frowned seeing Nona look at him with a serious expression. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

Nona took a deep breath and looked alternatively at Adish and Vesper.

“Before we go, let’s sit for a bit.” After a pause she continued, with her heart pounding against her chest. “I need to tell you the whole truth about the Wish I was asked to fulfill.”