"I thought you would never ask"
She replied before taking a sip from her mug of ale. The mug had managed to hide the smile forming on her face perfectly, leaving him unaware of how her inviting lips had twisted into something that was neither loving nor gentle by any stretch of the imagination.
She accepted!
The feeling of relief he felt was cathartic, similar to a huge weight lifting off of him. The mug lowered, and he could see the soft, angelic smile full of warmth he was getting used to seeing and even starting to crave in a scarily quick fashion. A realisation that, for some reason, did not feel alarming to him.
"Shall we meet at dawn by the gates to start our adventures?"
The words were music to his ears, so he nodded in agreement with an eagerness that was very out of character and almost bordered on desperation.
"That'd be great."
They both finished their final mugs and left for their individual lodgings.
His room was a small one inside a local low-end inn he barely had been able to afford with the odd jobs he had been taking care of around the city, but now that he was partied up and was a registered adventurer, he could earn much better pay even by just selling the low-quality magicores he and Melissa would be gathering soon.
I'm so lucky to have found her; a healer without a party, and she is so nice to me. No matter what, I can't afford to let her get hurt or disappoint her; today was more proof than enough that I desperately need backup if I want to survive this path I've chosen to tread.
There was a smile creeping up on his usually pissed-off-at-the-world face, another very uncharacteristic thing for him, along with the lucky day he had managed to have. He performed his nightly routine of washing up and heading to bed to let the sweet embrace of sleep claim him with more excitement than one should have for sleep. The morning simply could not come fast enough.
The light of the sun peering through the mountains to the east made its way into the room through the windows of the modest room. His eyes flickered open; he had gotten used to waking up to the sunrise, and despite today's special status, it was no exception to his habit of being an early riser.
He practically bolted out of bed, feeling more energetic than he could recall; it was most probably the excitement of finally being able to call himself a proper adventurer. He got ready as quickly as he could. As usual, he was wearing a fresh light-coloured tunic and a pair of dark-coloured trousers to replace the old blood-stained ones from yesterday, along with the shortsword that was secured in the sheath on his belt.
He closed the door behind him before rushing down the stairs of the building and practically throwing himself outside onto the streets. Not many people were up yet. He made his way towards the western gate with a pace that was a little quicker than his usual
There she was; the white of her hair and robes lightly reflecting the light of the sun, which made her almost glow in an ethereal manner while the red of her eyes captured rays as if perfect rubies.
She actually came!
Truthfully, he had doubted her sincerity in agreeing. Seeing her there with an almost inhuman grace filled him with a warmth that was entirely foreign to him. His heart skipped a beat.
Just first-day nerves.
He saw the exact moment she noticed him. A wave of her hand, paired with that smile.
Adorable.
The light wasn't enough for her to see the way he was very slightly blushing, or at least he hoped so.
"Hi! Are you ready? Hope you didn't wait for me for long."
Honestly... How's her hair so perfect so early in the morning? Must've woken up crazy early.
His thoughts were a mess, like his hair.
She chuckled lightly.
"I am perfectly fine, Liam, and no, you did not make me wait for long; do not worry. I just got here myself."
There was not a single trace of the grogginess of the bed in her voice; it was the same as yesterday.
Relief. That was what he felt at her admission of not waiting for long; he really didn't want to make a bad impression on the very first day of their teaming up.
"I do not think we should delay any longer; the earlier we get there, the more we can earn."
The light tug she gave on the sleeve of his tunic felt electric even through the fabric.
Right. The adventuring.
"Probably a good idea."
He gave a nod of agreement. He wasn't about to admit he had momentarily forgotten about why they were meeting when she had chuckled. He started moving, and she matched the pace again, walking perfectly beside him.
The journey was a quiet one. Liam had never been a man of eloquence, and Melissa seemingly didn't mind the silence. Soon the two made it to the cave he had almost perished in not even a full day ago. He took a deep breath and stepped inside. She matched his stride.
There were remnants of a few goblins littered around the ground, meaning others had already entered the cave-system-shaped dungeon.
It can't have been too long if bodies are still here and haven't been recycled by the dungeon.
He drew his sword; if there were others, he'd prefer to have his weapon ready, be it for monsters or others. He almost instinctively stepped in front of Melissa; it was adventurer basics to ensure the healer was protected before anything else. Yes, he was only being prudent and applying the most common knowledge, nothing else. This time she remained behind him, head slightly tilted to the side and a smile he interpreted as appreciation of his practicality.
"I hope we have a most fruitful hunt."
Her voice came from behind him as he led the way further into the cave. He was on high alert, the same chill from yesterday running down his spine.
Soon enough, they encountered their first goblin. The prior party had either missed it or the dungeon was now starting its recycling and had freshly spawned it. He got into his stance, stepping forward to make some separation between himself and Melissa for ease of movement while making sure he was positioned perfectly between the creature and her.
The goblin launched itself at him without any real strategy; they were not exactly known for their tactical acumen after all. He deflected the crude blade with his own sword before thrusting in. Shluk! The blade pierced the green skin. The goblin reeled, black drops dripping from its shoulder. It was not a deep, decisive cut, but it was a massive advantage to have your opponent injured at the shoulder. He didn't press on; he knew he didn't have to. The goblin tried again, an attempt that was even weaker this time. Another easy deflection and a shallow cut on its arm that drew even more of the black liquid out.
I swear this one's slower than the last one and weaker with its strikes. Compared to the one that almost killed me, this is like a free magicore drop.
The next hit on the goblin was a decisive one; he had officially gotten the first kill of his hopefully long adventuring career. He wasted no time and got to harvesting the core inside it. The slight narrowing of Melissa's eyes and her satisfied smile went entirely unnoticed by him.
"Well done, Liam! That was beautifully executed; that goblin stood no chance."
The sound of a few excited claps and a cheery tone came from Melissa. The praise settled over him like a blanket on a cold winter night. He was used to being made to feel like a fool; being appreciated was a new feeling, an almost intoxicating one. He took out the core and stood back up to smile at her. Before he could open his mouth, she called out, her tone no longer meant for cheering.
"Liam, be careful! There are more behind you."
He spun around quickly, and his eyes widened.
Why are there three of them together? Upper floors are rarely home to groups of monsters. Did they come because of the noise of the fight and then her? Were we too loud? It doesn't make sense; I never heard of them wandering as anything more than a pair so close to the entrance.
His mind was racing as he positioned himself between the new threats and Melissa.
"Fight to your heart's content, Liam. I will make sure I heal any injuries you might suffer afterwards. You got this! I believe in you."
Her encouragement filled him with a confidence he had never possessed as he readied himself to take on triple what had almost killed him with a look of stubborn determination. He let out a deep breath and waited for the disorganized attacks.
I won't let them get to her unless I am dead.
His back was turned to her, so the way she bit her lower lip and the crimson of her eyes shimmered weren't things his eyes caught.