Starstruck at the sight of a real-life hero, Lincy stood still like an idol while her brother sat across the couch from Raven. She had no clue what was happening or why Tanya had brought Athenia's chosen to her door, however, none of it mattered as her heart bubbled with curiosity and her heart fluttered with butterflies.
The demi-girl wished to ask him many questions, most notable of his conquest over tyrants and his pronounced luck with the ladies. In her eyes, he was a beacon of hope and a nexus of romance for many to come as he ventures through the rest of his journey. Like a character of fiction, she saw him, ready to be unfolded and read page by page.
Her fantasies, however, were quickly snipped loose as Monty in the direst of tone asked…
"Can we help you with something?" Glancing down to the informal tone of her brother, Lincy's eyes widened and she almost leapt to pull him by the ear. But with Raven speaking up next, she was reminded not to be too harsh in front of her idol.
"Nothing, I just came here to drop your payment for the last job," Raven's words left the siblings confused, and their confusion grew further as he reached into his pocket to take out a pouch so full of gold it was pouring out of his hands. "Here, take it."
Leaning forward and placing the pouch on the coffee table, Raven had stunned the whole room, including Tanya who'd never seen such a grand amount of gold being pushed across tables. Her shock, however, didn't last long as she was reminded exactly who she was dating.
'As expected of a hero and a noble.' She thought with a smile.
Pulled out of her trance as well, Lincy shook her head and turned her gaze to her brother. Tugging on his shirt at the shoulder, she shook him for a bit and demanded an answer.
"What job? Y-you never told me anything about this!" A mix of overjoyed and scared as to exactly what the hero was having her brother do, Lincy hoped and prayed that it wasn't anything that would put Monty's life in jeopardy.
The boy wanted to refuse, knowing anything and everything, but before he could speak, Raven decided to take over. Holding his hand forward, he got the attention of both siblings. Then with a smile, he looked at Lincy and requested.
"Can we get a glass of water first? I'd love to explain everything to you, but some water would help with the long explanation first," Lincy's eyes lit up at Raven's request, thus without wasting a second, she marched in the direction of the kitchen to get some water.
"What's this really about, tell me…" Not letting the chance slip either, Monty turned to Raven and demanded an answer. His eyes glanced down the gold pouch for a moment, but instead of accepting it, he simply pushed it back towards Raven. "And keep the money, I don't want any favors, they always come with deranged expectations."
Having worked in the maze as a peddler for a while, Monty was well aware of the fact that nothing comes free. What you think is someone being friendly, could easily be their way to get closer before the eventual scam. Although he didn't expect Raven to scam him, he deduced that he was needed by the hero for something.
"You're sharp, you know that?" Raven said with a faint smile riding on his lips.
Intertwining his fingers, Monty leaned forward and stared back at Raven.
"Just tell me what you want, and get out of our house before my sister starts catching up on what's actually happening here," his patience was running thin, but that didn't stop Raven from pursuing what he wanted still.
"Fine, I saw you in the maze before and I want to employ your service–but," sliding the coin pouch forward again, Raven held his hand on top to not allow him to push it back just yet. "Not exactly the way you think, however, if you agree, who knows maybe one day you can run that place yourself?"
"Is this about your visit to Mistress?" Monty asked, the look in his eyes growing sharper still.
Leaning back on the couch, Raven was once again impressed at the boy's shrewd deduction skills.
"Yes, and I want you to be my eyes inside that hell hole."
"Forget it, I don't wanna make the Mistress an enemy–not when I can easily ignore this whole mess." Monty didn't even give the proposal a moment of thought. After all, why would he mess up an already tranquil lifestyle with his sister? Leaning back in his seat as well, he closed his eyes and drew deep breaths before adding further.
"I've seen first-hand what happens when you greed too much over anything. The nobles lose their secrets and the commoners their free will. And I…"
Opening his eyes, he looked to the front once more.
"Have no intentions of ruining what I already have. You may be a hero of justice but don't expect me to be the same." Punctuating his line were the rushing steps of her sister. Walking up to the table from behind them, she hastily began pouring everyone not a glass of water but rather a cup of tea.
Placing a few hurriedly warmed biscuits in each coaster as well, she moved it in front of the guest while picking up her own to drink from while standing.
"There was no need for all this, but thank you for your hospitality," said Raven, nodding at Lincy.
Picking up his cup, he quickly turned his gaze back to Monty.
'Think about what we discussed, the Mistress isn't just another merchant in Athenia. And if you keep enriching her there will come a time when she'll devour this hub of happiness that you've built.' His eyes staring right at the boy, Raven had connected their minds through his mana-fused eye.
'Get out of my head!' Holding his surprise with a forced smile, Monty tried not to let his true emotion reflect on his face.
The offer may have been shot down, but this conversation was far from over, if anything, the tea and biscuits had ensured that it lasted an uncomfortably long time.