金瓶梅第2部

Tycondrius sensed motion in the hallway outside-- Lone's unquiet clomps and Coraline's light, Elven steps. They were walking with purpose, as opposed to merely wandering.

He lit the room's oil lamp, as to not appear suspicious and faced the doorway.

Lone knocked-- politely, as he was taught, "Boss, we're coming in."

"Go ahead."

Coraline used the Captain's Key to unlock the door of the room... and Lone entered before his female companion.

...From what Tycon knew of human culture, it was considered polite to allow females to enter first-- unless rank was a factor, of course. He made a mental note to advise the young man on that, later.

Lone was wearing a strange grin on his face-- as if he'd found some success in his romantic endeavors, "Good evening, Boss."

Tycon stood to greet them, nodding in approval, "Good evening, Miss Coraline, Mister Lone."

"Good evening, Sir Tychon..." Coraline bowed her head.

The young lady was... pouting shyly, looking everywhere else in the room but at him. Perhaps he intimidated her?

Good. He didn't care for fostering positive feelings with the young lady. That was for his Ranger companion to pursue.

"Have you two come to report?" He smirked.

Perhaps another passenger had been killed. That seemed to be rather common in recent bells.

"Ohhh," Lone's mouth hung agape in realization, his gaze upon the unlocked box on the room's desk, "You solved it, Boss?"

"Indeed," Tycon nodded, picking up the cube. He tapped a few buttons, resetting the mechanisms into place...

"This is the puzzle unsolved..." He shifted a few panels, tapped a spot with a fingernail, and most importantly, instilled the tiniest sliver of mana into the device... Placing a finger on the side he'd determined was the puzzle's base... he then spun the cube three full rotations.

The two young persons' eyes widened in awe, watching the box transform from a simple eight-cornered cube to a truncated dodecahedron.

"And this..." Tycon smirked. "--is the 'trick' the late Captain had alluded to."

Lone crossed his arms, a look of bemusement on his face, "So... the secret was... a spin-move?"

"Not quite," Tycon chuckled. "There are magical formations within the puzzle box's panels. In order to release its contents, I had to solve both layers, physical and magical."

"Y... you really-- you are... you're... a Formation Mage?" Coraline babbled... rather inelegantly. "I... can't-- I mean... Lone... you weren't lying?"

"My companion is a very poor liar," Tycon furrowed his brows, but kept his polite smile, "Your trust in him would be well-founded."

Admittedly, the girl's conjecture was somewhat flawed. Tycon was not a proper 'Formation Mage', nor was his Class magical in nature. However, for all intents and purposes, he was an expert with well over a hundred years of experience.

...He'd even dare to say he was as good as an elf.

"S-sir Tychon..." Coraline inclined her head, "I... I need your help."

"Oh..." Tycon raised an eyebrow, "Is that so?"

The Elven girl had requested him for help... concerning the ship's formations?

He was planning to deal with the issue of the Captain-less ship on his own volition. However, as the young lady had given him a formal request... it would be rude not to take every advantage that came with it.

"Very well, Miss Coraline," He nodded. "In exchange, I have a simple request of my own-- and one I hope you'd find agreeable."

The blonde elf fidgeted nervously, "Wh-what is it, Sir?"

"I will assist you..." Tycon gestured to Barza Keith, the Lone Shadowdark, "If you were to consider my companion as a romantic suitor."

The girl's eyes shot open so wide that Tycon feared they'd bulge out of her childish face.

...

"I-- what? Mister L-- what? WHAT?"

Coraline was ready to hear something lewd.

It wouldn't have been the first time a wealthy, degenerate young master requested to sleep with her. She was also ready to reject him wholeheartedly. But Sir Tychon's request--

Her? With HIM?!

NO! Absolutely not! Never in a hundred years!

That wasn't the type of thing to be FORCED! She wanted to fall in love like in the cheap books at the market! Picnics in fields of flowers! Dancing in the moonlight to festival music! Facing Iron-Rank monsters together in the field!

Lone lunged forward, grabbing his superior and half-escorting, half-dragging the green-haired noble to the opposite side of the small room.

"Boss!" He whispered through clenched teeth, "What do you think you're doing?!"

Sir Tychon narrowed his eyes, "A few moons prior, you requested my assistance in finding you a 'girlfriend.' I recall at the time, you were *quite* insistent."

"Boss, this is *not* the time," Lone growled. "People are going to *die.*"

"Irrelevant. I'll ensure the both of us survive, regardless of that girl's actions," Tychon groaned. "I am *honoring* your request to the best of my ability-- whether you like it or not. Take this seriously, will you?"

"I *am* taking this seriously, *Sir.*"

Coraline pursed her lips.

She was... still in the room, literally three fulms away from either of them.

She could easily hear their conversation, even without her sensitive Elven hearing.

It was... very rude. This entire ordeal was incredibly rude!

She stamped her foot down, shouting at the top of her lungs, "My name is CORALINE HEARTSONG!! And I am NOT a WHORE!!"

"Empty night," Tychon groaned, shoving Lone away. "Nor did I accuse you as such, young lady! I advise you to not always assume the worst in your social relationships."

"Then why would you--" Coraline pointed, "He-- Mister Lone doesn't even--"

Tychon grabbed his companion's arm, throwing him forward. Out of reflex-- and not wanting to fall over, she caught him, steadying him with her hands on his muscular chest.

"You two obviously work well together," Tychon rolled his eyes. "I am merely requesting you keep an open mind when it comes to my gentleman companion."

Lone was wearing... that strange expression, again. It was the same one at the dinner table on the first night. He obviously wasn't interested in her.

Coraline snatched her hands back, dropping her gaze to stare at the floor.

She gulped...

Unless... she had been misinterpreting that look, all along?

Did he actually like her?

There was no way...

As if such a perfect situation could exist...

It was just Sir Tychon trying to fulfill a request. She was probably the first girl they'd encountered. It didn't matter who she was, or what her feelings were... or Mister Lone's feelings, for that matter.

There wasn't any meaning behind it.

"Fine," She muttered. "I'll... consider it."

Coraline closed her eyes, thinking back... trying to figure out how exactly she got into the mess she was in.