The Midnight Sun

“Fair enough, then.”

With a sweep of his hand across the countertop, Cecil deftly removes the three gold coins and a single one of the Suns, spiriting them away to some container below and leaving Leona with five suns. He consults a ledger, running his finger down the list of unoccupied rooms.

“I’ll put you in room seventeen, on the second floor. That one has an exceptionally nice rug in it,” he elaborates, with a nod in Akanor’s direction.

With the payment handled and his ledger updated, Cecil turns to the wall behind him. A framed board hangs from it, covered in hooks, each of which are labeled with a number. On some hooks, keys are present, while others are empty, their keys presumably with the occupants of the rooms. From it, he plucks the key ‘17’, and places it on the counter next to the pile of Suns.

A small amber gemstone is present in the handle of the key, while the actual teeth are very simple. Once Leona takes it up to the matching lock on door 17, she would be able to notice an identical gemstone embedded into the lock, a suggestion that perhaps some sort of gem magic is used in place of conventional locks.

"Hello!" Leona Malric is met with a busty, red-eyed, young woman in a black bunny suit with dark hosiery.

"Welcome to the Midnight Sun, my name is Skarlet, how may I help you?" Skarlet had appeared at the table without Leona noticing her approach. She smiled at the young woman and held a menu in her hands, her breasts were pushed together from her arms being in front of her. She was enchanting and well endowed.

"Teehee, I'm sorry, I tend to sneak up on people." Skarlet hands the menu to Leona and changes her stance as she moves her hands to her hips, she looked really confident wearing the outfit. "Here you go. One of my waitresses is out sick, so I'm taking care of her tables. Just take a look at the menu and I'll tell our cook what you'd like."
-Link to Menu-

Skarlet hears a commotion going on across the room, "I'll be right back to take your order, it appears my crazy uncle is making trouble again."

As she walks away you can get a view of her fine booty and the white fluffy tail of her outfit.

***

Leona would have time to look over the menu before the hostess returned, having finished dealing with Hasdrubal and his enthused ravings about his experiments he wished to conduct on someone. She bows apologetically and her boobs jiggle as she stands up straight again, "Sorry to keep you waiting. Have you found anything you like?"

Well, that was certainly one of the more unique conversations she's been privy to, she muses as she returns to her normal posture.

At Naoki's request, Artemis pulls a sheaf of parchment from the desk, dips a quill, and begins to write, employing a unique shorthand to expedite her task. Several minutes later, the conversation is transcribed, and the parchment is placed on the desk.

   "I have," Whir answered, "but I'd like to hear about the places you've been sometime. Perhaps we can trade stories. I travel quite a bit myself, and I always enjoy hearing about places I haven't yet seen."

   "I have no wish to bother you during your meal though," he continued. "Please, come and find me anytime if you'd like. I am called Whir -- I've been here long enough that most of the staff will know where to find me." He offered the woman a smile and a polite bow and then walked back to the bar.

   Addressing Kevin, he asked "any word from the higher-ups yet? I've heard that the Madam has gone off to Gauldin?" Whir thinks to himself for a moment. "Aren't they the kingdom with the airships?"

Kevin nods in affirmation. "The Madame has gone to Gauldin, as an ambassador from Isra. I'm afraid she wouldn't be in any position to hire for a while now."

Here, Kevin pauses. The man in front of him had been a regular customer for some time now, and was presumably still out of work. He was polite, and had a very unique profile, with his crystalline hair. Perhaps...

Kevin leans in closer, and speaks in a lowered voice. "Tell you what, though. I've got some discretionary funding available. How would you feel about working for me behind the bar? It wouldn't be in-writing official, not until Naoki gets back, but it would be pretty darn close."

Silas cared little that he was lost. Wandering with no direction was his favorite way to explore a city. He had found a barber and got a shave and a haircut. As he rubbed his smooth chin Silas felt like a new man with his fine coat. Furthermore, it was far more comfortable strolling a city without carrying around a sword, spear, and shield, though the lack of the familiar weapons was a bit disconcerting.

"The Midnight Sun" Read the sign. A healthy noise spilled out of the establishment. Silas had heard the name on the streets. It seemed to be a popular place. It would be a good place to wait for Oliver. Entering, Silas approached the bar and took a stool. Waiting for the bartender Silas scanned the room for any interesting characters, or cute girls.

Cecil greets Leona with a wave of his hand and one of his ever-present cheery grins.

“Hello, Leona! I am doing quite well so far, thank you! Though my shift has only just started, seeing you is an excellent start!”

In one fluid motion, he snaps his fingers, points at Leona, and winks one eye. However, as she poses her question, he wastes no time in continuing the motion he had started on their first meeting, spreading his arms wide and gesturing to the area at large. 

“Find work? Why, you’re in THE place to get a job! It doesn’t matter what field you’re looking to go into, The Midnight Sun is the biggest employer in Isra!”

Though he seems pleased to have had the opportunity to finish it this time, Cecil places a hand on his chest, and continues in a more reasonable conversational tone.

“I can personally attest, Madame Naoki, she treats her employees well, if nothing else. I am among the more senior of employees here; I’ve been working… coming on three years, now. Anniversary is next August. Never once have I been dissatisfied with my treatment here. The work is steady, the pay is good, and I, personally, have found a very good fit in this job. My leg… My leg isn’t very good.”

He taps on the counter, indicating his legs beneath, though he does not stand. If Leona were able to see through the countertop, and through his pants, it would be apparent that Cecil’s leg is a bit unnaturally structured. Perhaps mangled, perhaps deformed, hard to say.

“For the longest time, I was unable to walk. I found a job here early on, mostly by circumstance. Got in very nearly on the ground floor, as it were. She sat me behind the bar, and I worked as a barhand for a while. It was alright, but I couldn’t get around real well to serve people, and never quite got the hang of mixing drinks. Last year, this Inn we’re standing in was completed, and she sat me back here, and had my leg fixed up some. I can walk, now- though it still isn’t quite easy, and now I get to sit behind this desk, on my little stool, and chat up beauties like yourself all day!”

He aims a playfully joking nudge in her direction, laughing heartily before continuing with his story.

“It’s easy work, though. Sometimes I need to get up and see to matters in the inn, but it’s really just desk work. Like I said, the pay is good, and the benefits are excellent. ‘Get to eat at the best place in town for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and I have a room just upstairs. Don’t have to walk very far at all, very accommodating. I love my job, and would very much recommend you attempt to find one with Madame Naoki.”

“Once she gets back, that is. See- ‘parrently running The Sun here wasn’t quite enough, she’s also a high-profile member of the Isranian government now, functioning both as the Treasurer- in charge of the entire nation’s finances, and also as Ambassador-at-Large to some grabbag of nations to the north.”

He shakes his head slightly, as if disapproving. “I’m not sure how she manages it all. But the fact of the matter is, she’s out on diplomatic business across the sea, and can’t see anyone in the meantime.”

“You should stick around, though. Not only would I continue to appreciate your business and your presence, I think it would be well worth your time to wait, or at least come back later.”

With this advice given, Cecil moves as if to lean back on his stool, before remembering that it’s a stool, and righting himself. Hmph. As excellent as his little stool is, perhaps he would have to have a little easychair brought in instead.

Through the telepathic capabilities of Skarlet’s gemstone, the voice of Madame Naoki makes itself heard in Skarlet’s mind. Though she is still across the sea in Gauldin, her telepathy knows no borders, and communicating with one she knows as well as Skarlet is trivial, especially when aided by the amplifying power of the gems.

“Hey Skarlet, how are things back in Isra? Do you have some time to chat and do me a few favors?”

Apparently, the extent of Naoki's knowledge about the situation inside The Sun isn't deep enough to know that Skarlet has just been called over by a customer.