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It was a fairly great day for Voyd. Being inside the elaborate cave system provided relief from the heat caused by the midday sun but this was no ordinary cave since it's the largest black market in Bumi right now. As a result, fairly a lot of people were buzzing about outdoors, engaging in business with merchants dealing in a variety of wares, some genuine, but considering where he is right now, most of them are probably fake. Others were partaking of services that would be frowned upon by society.
Voyd was inside Somnus right now on the way to a certain tavern to meet up with an employer his father notified him about. He told him that this person was looking for a highly-skilled individual to do a few jobs for them and the best part was the pay was supposed to be good. Upon entering the tavern, he proceeded to the counter and ordered a shot of whisky and a glass of mead. This would supposedly signal the client that he had already arrived.
Having finished her immediate business on the Lughanta, Sorina only had a limited amount of time till she needed to return. Setting off to repair her armor at the local smith who had the skill to do so in this city of Scum.
Walking along there was one more issue that she needed to take care of, a letter from home that came with her lance;
"tch.. I'm doing fine Mom, all things considered, you and father worry too much.." Gazing at her lance as she put the letter away, this had better be worth her time. Though she found it unwise to depend on disgraced soldiers, what would make this one so important to warrant a second chance?
She would soon find out in any case, having some time before her armor would be ready, there was no harm in seeing what this was about. Given a lack of detailed instructions she assumed that the person would stand out, or even be known to her in some fashion. Though there was some scribbling about mead and whiskey and the contact would have a bit of both.
What a terrible choice in alcohol when compared to Wine. Entering the establishment it seemed her own instincts were correct as well as the scribbling.
"Ah..You... Well... Hello Voyd." Given the death of her eldest sister in part because of his incompetence, she knew given the situation he wasn't at fault for it per see. But all the same just having kind words for him just in the open, after all this time?
"Ohoh... Well, a small world after all. If you enjoy playing with scum, then I'll leave here and turn right now. My mother for whatever reason wishes to offer you a chance at redemption, to return home in return serving me aboard a certain Famous Mercenary Airship. And perhaps other purpose in the Future."
Shrugging slightly as if to challenge him, Sorina leands in close to whisper in his ear. "Or do intend to forever run for fear of getting yet another of her daughters killed as you need a bit of seasoning?"
"Oh well, be it wealth, honor, or some usefulness my family has not seen fit to acquaint me with, you'll be getting what you want it seems."
Setting down at the table Sorina waits for what he will say next to this proposition. Or in general to any of what she had just said to him. Just ho much did he like this life, and would he care to return to the fold, but at least this way if he acceapted she could help him out in some manner.
Before he could even down either the mead and whisky he held in each hand, he heard the voice of a female that he was all too familiar with... for better or for worse.
The condescending way she spoke further revealed the female's identity, and Voyd could only down both drinks as he listened to what the younger sister of the girl he failed to protect had to say. Even so, he was well acquainted with Sorina long enough to know that was just the way she is. Incidentally, he finished both drinks by the time she finished speaking and he called the bartender again rather than address her first.
"Oi, barkeep. I think I'm gonna need the rest of the damn bottle this time." He said nonchalantly. That should fluster Sorina quite a bit.
Afterwards, he turned to address Sorina for each of the thing she said, complete with a smug look on his face as he sat down across her.
"Heh, I guess my stubborn old man really pulled some strings this time. I guess I am indebted to Lady Caramitru for being so considerate, even after all this time. Nonetheless, it's good to see you, Sorina. You've sure grown quite a bit since I last saw you..." the black haired freelancer couldn't help comparing the blood devil girl's chest to her entire body. "... in most areas at least."
That comment would certainly earn him a hit from her but this was just his way of getting back at Sorina and her haughty attitude. Still, he was indeed glad to see a familiar for the first time, ever since he left the netherworld, even though he was admittedly hesitant to meet up with her for quite a while now.
"Well, life here isn't too bad. When the pay is good, I sometimes forget that I need to return home eventually. But hey, I assume you've gotten stronger since last time so you should be able to hold of your own even without me, right? Still, I really can't ignore a request from your mother so I guess I'm on board. Don't expect me to call you milady though."
Suddenly a pair of ruffians approached the pair and one of them, an orc, even laid their hands on Sorina's shoulder.
"Ohoho! Looks like we got a pair of lost folks here, eh? One of them is rather cute too, even though she's flat as a rock." The guy holding on to Sorina's shoulder commented.
"Oh boy, that guy sure has a death wish." Voyd thought as he observed the scene taking place before his eyes. Acting too rashly without reason would certainly get him on most of the denizens of Somnus' bad side. That's pretty much how group psychology works. After all, people would strive to defend people they know against those outside of the group even though said person would be in the wrong.
"Listen, we folks in Somnus don't take too kindly to outsiders. As it stands now, you'd be lucky to make it out here with your limbs intact." The other guy, a Beastkin resembling a pig told them off in a menacing tone.
"Well that can be arranged. How about we let the both of you go, but in exchange, the little miss has to do... " the orc was beginning to reach out his hand towards Sorina's chest as he eyed her with pure carnal lust in his eyes. "... a little something for us first!"
"Hmm... I wouldn't do that if I were you... she's already pissed at this point, any more and well... it's your funeral, buddy." Voyd warned casually as he took another sip of his whisky. The barkeep had truly given him the entire bottle of whisky while he and Sorina were chatting earlier. He managed to slip the barkeep a couple of florins while still keeping his attention on her.
"What'd you say punk! Stay out of this, you little shi--- Ughhhh!" As the boarman was about to lunge at him, Voyd grinned and smashed the bottle of whisky on his face. The beastkin reeled back as a result while his orc companion seemed to be in shock. Only the Divine One knows what Sorina would do to him after all that.
Slightly irked with his response towards her and needing more to drink, he made it sound like she was a great pain to deal with. Glaring daggers at him, she would not be baited by his provocations. Least not immediately.
With his next remark, she does however outright slap him with an angry glare to her face. All of her sisters had grown larger, her mother was, her fathers family, and for whatever reason that bothered her, she was just entering a growth period for her kind, but so far she was only around the same size of Marumei. Having a factor brought up that he was more than well aware of was a sore issue for her was just asking for trouble.
The next person to speak didn't help either, the leader of some group of ruffians.
"I'm NOT THAT FLAT YOU SON OF A BITCH! LUNA CURSE YOU!"
Watching as the filthy Greenskin attempted to touch her Sorina bares her fangs with a nasty snarl, pondering the skewer the greenskin and his porky friend, Voyd's sudden counter attack really escalated things. Deceptively strong for her appearance, Sorina kicks the Orc in the gut quite viciously, sending him spilling over a table behind the pair. "I'll deal with you later Greenskin! I'll cut off your bloody teeth!"
"Oh for Luna's sake!" Grabbing Voyd by his right arm as fist cuffs begin to fly with the rest of the bar joining in. This was a terrible mess, one she normally would have been more than happy to join in on, but she promised to return to Agatha and the others as soon as her repairs were finished.
Still more than a bit angry at the Harbinger, Sorina hated being so young, self conscious about her growth rate and her own personal fears, it also didn't help this man in a round about way was responsible for her eldest Sister's death.. Well that was a bit much to hold against him, though at the moment some reminder of that to twist the knife in kind was in order.
"Oh, well at least this time another of my mother's daughters did not die, I would commend you for surviving at the least. Well while I would like to get even with them, I have places where I must be.. Unless you wish to go back into hiding like a lowly dog. If you decide to come I'll introduce you to my temporary boss, perhaps speak out to be your..handler or partner of sorts. My parents as well as your father seems to have some use of you to regain your honor as a Harbinger. If you will take it or not makes no never mind to me."
In her typical haughty fashion, Sorina grins, feeling she finally has a one up over him. Hoping the day would soon come to make him eat those words also came to mine, causing her to giggle creepily before regaining her composure.
Things escalated pretty fast after Voyd slammed the bottle on the boarman's face. Apparently, most of the other patrons interpreted it as the start of a classic bar fight and all hell broke loose immediately.
Glancing at Sorina, he almost bawled out laughing on the spot when she got furious after the orc flatly called her... well flat. He can't believe he had to go through all that trouble to explain it to her in a roundabout way, only for the fool to infuriate her this badly. Heck that roundabout method earned him a slap, though he expected such an action from her.
Still, he had to say that the orc surprisingly got away easy with that kick. He expected that Sorina would have just ripped the sucker's arm off but seeing as she only spouted a death threat coupled by the fact that she dragged him out of the bar fight meant that she was fairly in a hurry.
Noticing that Sorina was looking a bit down, Voyd couldn't help but internally berate himself for what he said earlier. Maybe going for something that Sorina was overly conscious of was uncouth of him. Even if the girl was playing dirty as well by bringing up a sensitive topic, that shouldn't have been grounds for him to overstep his bounds as well.
"Look, a woman's chest alone doesn't determine her overall beauty. You may not have the largest bust, but you have a great figure, a beautiful face, and an interesting personality so don't beat yourself up too much about it. You're still young too so a growth spurt is entirely possible. And for what it's worth... you're pretty cute." Voyd admitted, though he did try to do so in a casual manner.
"And I've spent quite a bit of Florin getting here to meet an employer who pays well so whatever job you got for me, I'm in." He added while smiling at the Blood Devil girl.
Sorina led him through a bunch of twists and turns, through narrow corridors and walkways until they reached what seemed to be an indoor port. Voyd was familiar with Somnus though he hasn't really taken the time to fully explore the entire place so the sight of the indoor port, and the airship that was docked there greatly impressed him. All he could do now was either wait for the captain to take notice of them or Sorina getting the attention of the captain herself to speed the process along.
Just staring at him for the lonest time, her expression briefly softens, while a bit of a sucker for praise, she considers if he meant what he said, though she simply could not accept the comment at face value, blushing slightly she gives her typical laugh, though in an arrogant fashion.
"Ehehehe, you are right I will grow more.. And such honeyed words.. Thank you.." Leading the pair onwards to regain her armor, Sorina wastes little time putting the full set back on and paying the man, with a frown, this was a significant chunk of change. "...Keep your mouth shut about what you see next.. While I may have taken something of a liking to you, I don't want others getting the wrong idea in regards to me."
While at first a mystery what she meant by this, Sorina visits a local Temple to the divine. As was custom for her a portion of her funds went towards the Temple's Orphanage. With the remainder going towards buying some books, a little to a savings, and a couple small souvenirs to send home, at odds with her normally blood thirsty nature to those who knew her only on the ship.
Stopping by a local brewery Sorina purchases two bottles, one of wine, the other a rather ironic if slightly more expensive choice. Orcish Mead, and judging by the bottle and color of the liquid it's self not so cheap. "Hmph..if you are going to stay in my good graces then you should at least be of my class... And do not thank me, should you get this job you may come to regret it.. I figured this was fitting given the nature of our meeting and the loss of your cheap whiskey." Off handily playing down the Gift it was now time to head for the ship.
Upon boarding the Lughanta Sorina makes for the Captain's office, noting a wary stare from Aster, smelling the Alcohol from beyond the door, she was drunk...wasn't she.. Sighing openly as she opens the door, drunk or not the woman likely had her cause. "By the gods...be mindful of what you say...she's likely drunk. Things have been bad for the Company the last few days, so I do not blame her."
Saluting in her typical fashion, Sorina addresses the Captain. "My Captain, I would like to introduce Voyd Umbridge. A.. former retainer to my house, he was who my parents sent for me. I believe he would be a useful addition to the crew and will vouch for him as his handler if need be till we leave this ship, I shall let him speak for himself however."
Moving aside it was now time for him to carry out his own introduction, well provided the Captain was aware enough to carry out the conversation and give her approval.
"Eeeeh?" The brunette raised her head from her arm pillow, blinking lazily towards her cabin door. It was soon opened and two figures sauntered, one was familiar, the other unknown. "Sorina... who the fuck is this?" Agatha lightly gestured to the black-haired figure beside the blood devil, the request was promptly answered. "Nnn..." Unsurprisingly, Agatha took longer than normal to process a seemingly simple information, considering her state, it was already good that she understood whatever Sorina said at all.
"Uh huh..." She nodded twice, slowly, "Voyd Underbridge, huh?" The twintailed human turned her gaze at the only male in the room, eying him, "Former retainer, you said? He certainly doesn't look like a former... what's with him standing beside you... like a proper retainer should be." She simply shrugged, "That means he's capable then, good, and you recommend him, also good. What's stopping you from joining already? Ugh..." Agatha groaned, "What do you wanna say, Underbridge, make it quick..."
After the man made his introduction, formalities and all that, Agatha simply yawned, "You're in, welcome, I assign you under Sorina, just do... whatever you used to do since you were her retainer after all. Talk to one of the officers, they'll get the paperwork sorted out." A light hic escaped her lips, prompting a blush from the Captain, "You two are dismissed, now go, hush... I need to take a nap. Guh..."
As Voyd was led all around Somnus by Sorina, they made a stop at the brewery. It wasn't all of a surprise for him since the Caramitru family, like most blood devils, were quite fond of drinking wine, and Sorina was seemingly not an exception to this practice.
What surprised him, however, was the blood devil giving him a bottle of orcish mead, arguably one of the best varieties of mead in all of Bumi. Voyd figured this was her way of saying thanks to what he last said to her earlier but he didn't expect her to be this happy.
For a second there, he thought of showering the blood devil with praise, flattery, and honeyed words just to get rewarded like this instance but ultimately decided against it. For one thing, it was against his nature to engage in flattery in exchange of favors and he figured she deserved better than that. If he's going to tell her something about her, it would be the truth.
"Whoo wee! I'll be sure to cherish this gift, Sorina. Perhaps even turn it into an heirloom. 'A gift from the most generous Sorina Caramitru'."
While he did promise to himself not to lie to her, teasing her, on the other hand, is free game. Admittedly, he enjoyed seeing her reactions, even finding them to be cute so long as she doesn't turn too violent. Perhaps he just wants to remind Sorina that she's still a girl despite all the responsibilities she shoulders.
Upon boarding the ship, Sorina warned him to be mindful of his words, explaining that things had been rather unfortunate for the company as of late and that the captain would most probably be drunk.
Sure enough, the captain was drinking away her troubles when they arrived and could barely make coherent statements. She even got his surname wrong though he didn't let it bother him.
When prompted to introduce himself, he Voyd stepped a bit forward and bowed slightly to Agatha.
"My name is Voyd Umbridge, an Infernal that once served House Caramitru. I work as a freelancer nowadays but a chance encounter with Sorina here in Somnus has led me here to your mercenary company. I would very much like to be a part of your group and so, would like to request to work for you from now on."
"As for my abilities, my specialty is obviously combat but I am also a fast learner so I can pretty much do anything and do a decent job at it. I have other abilities as well but perhaps a demonstration would be due another time. I fear that you won't be able to comprehend what you'll see as you are right now."
Fortunately, despite her intoxicated state, the captain still managed to comprehend what he said (with the exception of his name since it seemed like she was keen on calling him Underbridge) and didn't think twice about letting him join.
"It is an honor and a pleasure to be working alongside you, Lady Nightingale. I am thankful for this opportunity and promise to be a worthy addition to your crew." Bowing again slightly, he turned to leave the Captain's cabin.
While his primary objective now was to protect Sorina, Voyd refused to leave the life of a mercenary at the same time. Besides, by becoming part of the Lughanta's crew, he could pursue both goals at the same time. It can be said that he had hit two birds with the proverbial stone.
Upon his exiting Sorina was there waiting, it seemed he was hired after all. "Well let's find you a room or bunk, plus I need to figure out how this lance functions."
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After he exited the Captain's cabin, Sorina lay in waylay, approaching him with an offer to aid him in finding a room... a room huh?
With the realization that he can pretty much do anything to ensure Sorina's safety, Voyd chuckles to himself before addressing her with an impish grin on his face.
"A room or bunk for me? Why Sorina, I'm afraid that wouldn't be necessary. I'll be staying in the same room as you after all. I have to ensure I can act as quickly as possible in the event that somebody threatens your life. Hence, such an arrangement is necessary."
The statement did contain a half-truth but he demanded to sleep in the same room as her partly to fluster her and throw her off the loop even further.
"W-what!? People will talk!" Narrowing her eyes this arrangement was not sound to her at all, well then again he was a bodyguard, though she valued her privacy while on the ship immensely. "..We'll talk about this later, if you do I'm installing a cover around my bed.. What did I do to deserve this.." Pouting briefly with a shake of her head. "Why not a room next to me or across the hall?"
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"I care not about what people think of us. It is a price i'm willing to pay in order to ensure that I do not fail you as i've failed Erika. " Voyd retorted, conviction and all bloody seriousness present in his voice.
"Do not fret. I will not make your room my own. I shall acquire living quarters for myself. However, I would still need to sleep in your room for reasons I've stated earlier. The difference between life and death can take place in a matter of seconds."
Leaning closer to her and placing his index finger under Sorina's chin to raise her head slightly, he stares into her Scarlet eyes intently with his own Crimson ones.
"Besides, I've really missed you my dear Scarlet. And I intend to spend as much time with you as possible to make up for lost time."
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Blushing at first, the girl angrily shakes her head to escape his touch before heading off towards the lower decks. "..I'm not a kid anymore.. Keep that name to us. We have a mission later, I can make some room in the cabin, it was meant for two anyways.." He always did this to get to her, conflicted with how she should treat him she defaults to professionalism explaining the next mission in passing and what was where in the ship, briefly going over her own typical daily activities in turn.
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"Whatever you say, Scarlet."
Realizing that he could still tease her and get such a reaction made him confident that he still had his touch. The fact that the Sorina before him now had not changed completely from the Sorina he knew back then put him in a pleasant mood. It reminded him of the forlorn days of their childhood... back when everything seemed so simple.
"I promise... I won't make the same mistake again... I won't fail you a second time... Sorina." The Harbinger vowed to himself as he walked side by side yet again with the Blood Devil Princess.
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