Chương 133: 48. Kind of Interesting

I'm practically vibrating with excitement as we make our way to Rara's party. I don't actually know what to expect, but Rara is happy to answer questions for me.

"The venue is a reception hall owned by the Dou family," Rara explains.

"The hostess is Lady Biyu Dou Baanu, though you probably won't have to introduce yourself to her in person unless she takes an interest in you."

"I mean, we are kind of interesting, aren't we?" I point out.

"Well, yes," she admits.

"But you're going to be there as my guest. So she isn't explicitly expecting you to be there. It depends on how strictly she's planned her itinerary."

"What kind of itinerary should I expect? Dancing, music?"

"Possibly? It's not a ball, so I wouldn't expect those specifically," Rara hedges.

"Food is almost certain, and don't be afraid to eat as much of whatever is available as you want. You won't offend anybody, especially not at your size."

"Okay. Any [like], etiquette I need to worry about?"

"Mm, for a party like this it's generally the hostess' role to entertain the guests, and the guests' role to be entertained. You should be okay as long as you don't disrupt any of the hostess' plans." Okay, so closer to a salon than a dance party, and not super formal.

"What kind of entertainment should we expect?" I ask.

"In a formal gathering, it would mostly just be a lot of boring political debate between my cousins," Rara says.

"But parties like this are more about trying to have fun. It won't be as dominated by my cousins, but the guests are still going to be mostly wealthy and well-connected. It's sort of a game to try to surprise the guests with interesting entertainment." Not very helpful, but I guess that's just how it goes.

"Dou... that's Roro's family, right? Iro's younger apprentice." Rara blinks.

"Oh right! Good memory! Dou is a smaller family in the clan, mostly dealing within the city. Biyu is their matriarch's second daughter—like me—but she always throws great parties. Just relax, Allie, I don't know what kind of parties you're used to, but this is supposed to be fun!" I chuckle nervously.

"I should tell you about some of the college parties I've been to. It can get pretty wild."

"Really? It's hard to imagine a bunch of scholars having any real fun."

"It's a whole thing where we're from." The carriage rolls to a halt, and the door opens to reveal Draga, wearing a long, off-white poncho with open sides, tied at the waist with a red sash. Apparently a fairly dignified thing for a man to wear.

"We've arrived," he declares, offering a hand to help us disembark. I accept the gesture and have to consciously stop myself from just hopping down. We may have gotten stronger since arriving in this world, but I don't think my calves could pull a move like that off in these heels.

"Thanks, Draga," I say, once I'm on solid ground.

"Are you going to be joining us?"

"Only as security," he explains.

"I'm not here as a guest." Rara hops out of the carriage much more gracefully than me, beaming up at Draga.

"That's just the excuse I made to pull you away from mother's tedious chores. You should have some fun too!"

"Lady Goa has been very generous to provide me with work while my commission is suspended," he replies neutrally.

"My duty here is to keep you both safe."

"And to have fun!" Rara insists, waving him off.

"Consider it part of the job. I don't want some stone-faced ranger threatening every guy who approaches me with violence."

"I wasn't planning to," he says archly.

"I'm perfectly capable of being subtle."

"Well how about you subtly enjoy yourself at tonight's party?" While they bicker, I take a moment to get my bearings. I've noticed that outdoor features are very popular in the city, and this reception hall is no exception. A simple fence marks the boundary, with a central metal gate that's already wide open as other arrivals meander their way in. There doesn't seem to be anybody checking invitations or guarding the entrance, which makes me think that this is even less formal than I thought.

Within the gates, several winding pathways lit by alchemical lamps spiral out into a number of different gazebos and pavilions before converging on the central "hall" which is itself just a huge, well-lit pavilion with a raised center stage. Further back, well away from the street, the only actual building is practically hidden from view, where uniformed staff bustle in and out carrying refreshments to the guests.

By the looks of things, the party is already well underway, with visible cliques forming around the various pavilions as the guests chat idly amongst themselves. I can't immediately tell from looking who or where our hostess is, but the focus on group discussions definitely has me leaning further into the idea that this is more of a salon than what I'd normally imagine when thinking "party."

"I don't understand how this is supposed to be fun for you," Violet says.

"You don't even know anybody here."

"If we never talk to anyone we don't know, then we'll never know anybody," I counter.

"Besides, I can see Fargo right over there." Not too far in, I recognize the adventurer by his "ferret" companion Taaka, winning over a small group of listeners with her intrinsic cuteness as he regales them with tales of his travels.

"How did you even spot that?" Maggie asks.

"He wears a different style of clothes than most people in the city," I point out, "and I'm starting to get better at telling Fa'aun faces apart."

"Oh! Fargo's here!" Rara cheers, following my gaze.

"Let's go say hi!"

"Wait!" Maggie protests.

"He's only spoken to me before, if he meets you now he's going to think we're weird."

"I don't think you need to be concerned about that, Maggie," I assure her.

"He already does." With Rara and a reluctant Draga in tow, we head over to Fargo's group to introduce ourselves.

"Fargo Foren!" I call out as we approach.

"It's good to see you and Taaka here!" He turns to blink at me, the gears turning as he formulates a confused response.

"Maev Maggie. A very pleasant surprise, to be sure. You're uh, uncharacteristically chipper today."

"Allie, actually," I correct him gently, tapping the side of my head.

"We've got extra minds. It's a skill."

"Oh, I see," he replies, visibly relaxing.

"How unique!" It's honestly kind of scary how simple a cheat-code that is to smooth over our eccentricities. It does come with the side effect of people treating us all as a single person, but for simple acquaintances, it's a much easier explanation than trying to explain the entire concept from scratch. Maybe if we get to know Fargo better, we'll give him the more detailed run-down.

"Lady Tara Goa Baanu!" one of the women in Fargo's circle greets with a polite bow.

"You honor us with your presence." This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"Zira Foren! Mother sends her regards for the extra shipment of feed grain—you're a life saver!"

"Oh! You remembered that? The Goa family has done us so many favors—replacing a few spoiled crates is no trouble!"

"Maybe not, but we'll remember it!" Rara says with a reassuring smile before turning her attention on the little critter nuzzling her heels.

"Is that Taaka? Come here, girl!" The cat-ferret leaps up into her outstretched arms and cuddles her cheek, purring audibly. Fargo watches the display with his hand on his hips and sighs in grim resignation.

"She's never that affectionate with me," he gripes.

"What a fickle companion I have."

"Obviously Taaka knows who loves her the most," Rara counters, fishing out a little piece of dried meat and offering it to the critter.

"And who has all the snacks!" Fargo chuckles as his greedy companion shamelessly scams the generous noble out of some free food. Not too different from her partner, really—not that I can throw stones. I give Fargo a sidelong glance.

"Don't be too jealous—everybody loves Rara."

"Indeed they do," he chuckles.

"You know, I tried to court her, once."

"Really? How'd that go?"

"She only loved me for my ferret," he replies with mock disappointment. Rara snorts and gently kicks his shin.

"Fargo's a fun date, but not marriage material. I'm a city girl, and his heart is out there in the desert. Probably dying of thirst."

"You wound me, my lady," he says sardonically.

"So, Miss Maev, what of your own companion? I don't see Nipper anywhere, and his usual hiding spot doesn't offer as much shelter in that shawl." I lift my arms to show off the sheer fabric and grin.

"Sure doesn't! We had to leave him back in our room for a bit. It's his first time being on his own for so long, but thanks to your help we're pretty sure he won't get into any trouble while we're gone."

"Good! And how is your tamer class coming along?"

"Maggie's level six now! Huge progress after being stuck for so long."

"Maggie? Not you?" he asks, cocking his head quizzically.

"It's her focus, not mine," I hedge.

"I still help out with Nipper when I can, but it's mostly Maggie's job."

"Yet you—I mean, she? She expressed an interest in fusing tamer into your core class," he comments.

"I assume you share that commitment?"

"Of course! We've already talked about it." He scratches the base of his horns.

"Huh. I confess, this is a bit awkward. You're like an entirely different person." I giggle at the comment, while Maggie mentally rolls her eyes in my head.

"No fucking shit, dumbass!"

"Maggie says you're stupid for stating something so obvious," I say with a wink.

"Wait! Don't tell him that!" she cries.

"Does she, now?" Fargo says.

"Perhaps I should reconsider you as my apprentice."

"Way to go, bitch! You fucked it all up!"

"She says sorry," I lie.

"She won't do it again."

"I swear to the Goddess I am going to find a way to kick your fucking ass, Allison!"

"I somehow doubt that," he drawls.

"But I appreciate the sentiment. I'm only teasing, of course. I'm well familiar with Miss Maggie's surly attitude by now, though I had no idea she held such animosity."

"My animosity is immeasurable!" she jeers.

"She says—[shut the fuck up, Allie!]" My outburst draws the attention of not only the girls that Fargo was talking to, but also half of the damn guests in this corner of the yard. I blush bright red, trying to hide behind our cloak, only to be foiled once more by Allison's shitty taste in clothing—the fucker is see-through! Then Fargo and Rara laugh, as do the nearby girls, then some polite chuckles from the onlookers further away before they return to minding their own business.

"Relax, Mags," Allie giggles.

"It's a party! Nobody's going to care if we're a little loud."

"[Fine, whatever, just get me out of here and stop telling people what I'm saying!]""[With pleasure!]" I reply, giving Fargo an apologetic smile.

"Sorry about that. I guess we teased her a little too much."

"What was that, exactly?" he asks. Before I can reply, I catch one of the other girls clicking her tongue and pawing at the ground with a hoof. Ah, whoops. Drawing too much attention—I'd better play it cool for a bit.

"Just a quirk of my skill—but enough about me, you've got to introduce Rara and I to your company!" The girls appreciate both the shift in attention back to themselves and the opportunity to schmooze with a noblewoman. Most of them, it turns out, are from local merchant families. Zira's mother owns some farmland just ringward of the city, run by her father and brothers while she and her mom handle the business side of things.

As for why they were in Fargo's company—well, reading between the lines a bit, I'm pretty sure he was just hitting on them, and at least one of them is quite interested. Specifically, the one that was getting all huffy about me hogging the spotlight.

"Hey," I say quietly to get her attention while Fargo starts telling another one of his stories.

"Sorry about earlier. Eri Foren, right?"

"That's not how it's pronounced," she grumbles.

"What even are you, anyway, Maev Allie?"

"Just Allie is fine, and I'm [human], not that I think you really care." Eri shrugs.

"I suppose not. What do you want?" I nod towards Fargo.

"You like him?" She looks away, and I'm sure that if not for her thin coat of dirty blonde fur I'd be able to see her blushing.

"What if I do? It was hard enough with the farmer's daughter and her hangers on, but there's no chance he notices me now that some exotic foreigner is here in the company of Rara." Dang, she really is friends with everybody.

"Rara's not interested, and neither am I, but if you want him to notice, you should make a move."

"Tsk, I may not be as wealthy or noble as some of the others, but I'm not so wanton that I'd stoop to asking a man directly." It's a little funny how Fa'aun society ended up with similar dating dynamics for totally different reasons. Of course, it's as dumb in this world as it is in ours, but at least it's familiar ground.

"I didn't say anything about that," I reply, flicking my eyes towards Rara.

"You're focusing on the wrong things. You want Fargo to notice you? Get the approval of his handler." Eri follows my gaze to Rara—or more importantly, the cat-ferret perched between her horns and pawing at her hair for more snacks while she giggles at one of Fargo's jokes.

"His pet?" she asks incredulously.

"Even if I could do that, she seems pretty attached to Rara. I can't compete with that." The phrase translates a little weirdly, but I get the sense that she means it literally. She can't compete with Rara. To even try would be unthinkable—a commoner upstaging a lady.

"Hmm..." I muse.

"[Maggie, can you still use magic when not in front?]""A bit, but it's harder," she answers.

"Why?"

"[Can you signal to Taaka to come play with Eri?]""Why?"

"[I'm trying to make a friend.]" Maggie doesn't reply, but I feel... something stirring within my soul before a very soft glow appears in Eri's hand.

"Woah! What's this?" she asks, slightly panicked.

"What are you doing?"

"Shh!" I hush her.

"Don't tell anybody." Taaka perks up suddenly, having already been taught all of our magical signals so that she can help teach them to Nipper. Before Rara or Fargo have a chance to ask her what's wrong, she leaps clear over the other guests' heads and into Eri's arms. She scrambles around, checking Eri's hands, arms, and cleavage for any treats, before whirling on me with a betrayed look. I hold a finger to my lips and wink, whispering under my breath for only Taaka and Eri to hear.

"I'll make it up to you later, I promise. Just help her catch your clueless Fa'aun's eye, okay?" Taaka stares at me for a long moment, then swivels her head to look at Fargo, who's already gone back to recounting his tale now that he sees Taaka's not in any danger, then finally looks straight up into the hopeful eyes of Eri. She smacks me in the face with a paw—mercifully without any claws—then clambers up onto Eri's shoulder, curling up into a ball and huffing impatiently.

"Looks like you're in!" I say, giving Eri a thumbs up.

"Just make sure to keep bribing her with snacks so that she doesn't get bored." Eri glances awkwardly between the ferret and me, a little uncertain.

"Uh... now what?"

"Go get noticed!" I insist, gently nudging her in Fargo's direction.

"R-right, um... thanks. You're alright, for a foreigner." I smile stiffly and wave.

"I'll take that in the spirit it was given. Good luck!" Having completed my good deed for the day, I turn in search of something to drink, only to be met by a tall, slender woman, with white fur and striking horns with a pretty double-curve pattern like those fancy bows. She looks down at me with a curious expression.

"Maev Allison. I've heard much about you, but I'm surprised to see you here," she says, speaking in a cool voice that doesn't give me much to work with.

"Rara never fails to surprise me." I offer her a bow.

"You must be Lady Biyu Dou Baanu. Thank you for hosting such a lovely party."

"You'd make a decent hostess yourself, from what I've observed," she comments, smirking slightly.

"I have some things to attend to, but I'd love a chance to speak later. Until then, please make yourself at home and enjoy the party." With that, she slips away and I return to Rara's company.

"Well so much for not having to talk to her," she giggles.

"I guess I underestimated how interesting you are."

"I guess so," I reply with a nervous smile.

"Here's hoping that's a good thing."