Try and Catch Me

The Harvest Festival (2)
Perhaps worrying herself the entire day that drove her to exhaustion. The moment they arrived in their room, Lia’s eyes were drawn to the bed right away.

Eldric seemed to notice it as he said, “You can take a nap.”

It was as if her restraint snapped as she started feeling drowsy. She just plopped down to the bed and was dead to the world for who knows how long. By the time she woke up, the sun was low in the sky.

Lia looked around the room and saw no signs of Eldric. She tried checking with the other rooms, only to find them deserted as well. It was not like she was afraid that they left her behind. It was more of them doing something for the rest of the team while Lia was resting. A pang of guilt swept through her.

She rapped her knuckles on the counter to get the attention of the innkeeper. “Excuse me, have you seen or noticed my– uh the other guys? The ones with me earlier?”

“They went out,” was her reply before sending a coy glance at Lia’s direction.

Baffled by this display of shy interest, she looked around and the other female staff was looking at her with interest. When she caught their gaze, they averted their eyes and huddled together, whispering and giggling with each other.

Lia grimaced inwardly as she thanked the innkeeper and stepped outside the inn. Those reactions were definitely the result of Eldric’s action when they first came in.

The innkeeper recognized Eldric and immediately ordered to prepare the best room despite the number of guests clamoring for that room. They gave their biggest rooms for Eldric’s men but they still had to room together due to the increase in visitors in town. But the general was special, of course. He had been given a big single room all to himself. The innkeeper looked expectantly at Eldric, obviously fishing for praise. Eldric knitted his eyebrows and shook his head much to everyone’s surprise. He was not known for having a picky attitude.

“That won’t do. Make it two beds,” then he turned to his men, “sh–he’ll room with me.” As if to emphasize his point, he even wrapped an arm around Lia’s shoulders, pulling her to his side.

Everyone was stunned with Lia wanting to dig a hole and hide. With that kind of protectiveness and action, someone was bound to think of other things. Sure enough, she heard someone murmured the word catamite before she left.

In this world, it was normal for men of the higher status to have many wives, mistresses, and even catamites so long as he could provide for them. But Eldric had a clean public image. It was not much later in the plot when he got his horde of female characters as the King gifted him with his harem. Not to mention the trail of broken-hearted girls he left in every town he had been into. But this was the first time he hinted being close to a male companion and Lia obviously did not look like a weather-worn soldier but a pampered young man. No wonder imaginations ran wild.

She pressed a palm on her forehead. She knew that it was not true but to be the subject of gossip of that kind was not something she was comfortable with.

Her thoughts were soon diverted to the many stalls that lined up the streets. They arrived in town just in time for the harvest festival. According to Eldric, this town was known for its delicious street foods. People jostled around and Lia was swept in the tide, following where the wave of people brings her. She made sure to take note of any particular landmark to be her guide to get back to the inn later.

She walked around until the sound of giggles caught her attention. She realized that she stood near a building with glowy lights. Male patrons walked in and out of it. In front of the building was a group of girls where the sound came from. Lia would have walked away when she realized who was the sole guy standing in the middle.