Bet

Frozen Drop was a guild that was founded less than a year ago and it was still under construction. The archery range was nothing but a few targets and a soil field for the time being, and it was more crowded than ever before today.

''I'm not sure if they're watching the guild leader or the woman's legs though,'' I murmured looking at the woman who was carrying water and a towel to Hermes, who had just finished his training.

The woman was taller than me, only a little shorter than Hermes, which is pretty tall for a human. She was wearing an apron that has the emblem of a blacksmith, a hammer, and gloves, probably to protect her hands while forging. Apart from these, she wasn't wearing anything that supposed to cover her body.

''He's looking at you,'' the fox said and I knew who it was talking about. Looking at Hermes, I smiled and watched him leaving the blonde and approaching me without being able to stop myself from feeling satisfied. The blonde hesitated but still followed him.

''What do I owe the pleasure of seeing you here?'' Hermes asked.

''I need to talk to you about last night.'' Yeah, I chose my words carefully.

''What a coincidence. I, too, need to talk to you about last night. But before that, have you met Coral?'' The blonde, who I was ninety nine percent sure to be Coral, took a step forward with the mention of herself and got between me and Hermes.

''I don't think I've,'' I answered.

''But I've heard a lot about you,'' Coral said.

The fox laughed in my mind, ''Savage, isn't she?''

Smiling, I put on my good girl manner, ''Oh, have you?'' I said as we shaking hands. I didn't say that I was not even aware of her existence until today. I'm not that rude.

I could feel her desire for Hermes, even if she wasn't screaming "stay away from my man" with her gestures. Unfortunately, I didn't have time for a catfight. Being aware that I was being observed and scored as I just did to her, I turned to Hermes. ''Do you have a minute?''

Instead of answering me, ''Have you agreed to take the place of Roen?'' Hermes asked. When I nod, ''So we need to equip you, right? I'm sure I can find something in the guild's treasury. Coral can readjust armors to your size, now, go get your measurements. I'll be busy... with something.'' He left without waiting for either of us to agree.

The fox was already burst into laughter, ''He just ran away, didn't he?''

Coral turned and headed to the blacksmith store which is pretty close, ''Follow me.'' Not knowing what else to do, I followed her.

The blacksmith was a tanned blonde also, but apart from that, as a bald and muscular middle aged man, he had nothing alike with her daughter. When we walked into the shop, he looked up at us.

I could see for a second his face that didn't have a single hair except his mustache and eyebrows, then he nodded and went back to doing whatever he was doing with his hammer. No, he wasn't hitting the hammer with all his might. He was smoothing the surface of something with light blows.

Regardless, it was impossible not to think that father and daughter were related, with their aprons, gloves, and tanned skins which is quite unusual at this far north town. ''At least he's wearing real pants, not panties pretenting to be pants,'' I thought.

''What a pity,'' the fox added.

Coral didn't waste time chatting and got to work without hiding that she wanted to get rid of me as soon as possible. I didn't attempt to start a friendly conversation either.

Mr Blacksmith seemed to care about nothing but his hammer and the steel in front of him, so except for the ringing of the hammer, there was silence until a young adventurer walked through the store door.

''Hermes said that would do,'' he put a large box on the iron table where the blacksmith was working on. The blacksmith opened the box and eyed the shiny chain armor with approval.

I wasn't trained to understand the material and craftsmanship of an armor, but the armor smelled of quality. It had that glow to prove that magic was added to it while it was forging.

''Ah, and, there is the thing...'' said the young adventurer stammering. ''Others, not me, others made a bet. I wonder, I mean, if it is possible, can you...''

''My god, spit it out already!'' Coral said.

The young adventurer closed his eyes and crossed his arms in front of him as if waiting for a punch, ''Lady Coral, Lady Sora, please tell me your bust waist hip measurements!''

Under the gaze of the blacksmith, the young adventurer had to run out of the store.

''Poor boy must have drew the short straw,'' the fox said in a very cheerful voice contrary to its words.

''Coral, if you're done, come and look at the armor and you,'' the blacksmith said to me, ''can leave.'' This was the first time I heard his voice.

Feeling kicked out, I went back to the guild to look for Hermes. The archery range was empty, ''Without Coral, the adventurers must have lost their interest in archery,'' I murmured.

I checked his study room again and it was empty, again. Sighing, ''Where he might be?'' I asked.

''No idea. Why don't you ask someone who might know?''

Surprised by a reasonable suggestion from the fox, I asked Galen, who was at the reception as usual, where Hermes was.

''Being a guild leader surely provides some privileges, huh,'' the fox said as I headed to the Hermes's V.I.P. room which I learned of its existence minutes ago. I knocked on the door and entered. The scene I encountered was definitely pleasing.

The V.I.P. room was bigger than the study room and had a king size bed with someone half naked on it. Hermes looked up me and after made sure it wasn't an attacker but me, he closed his eyes.

''Hey,'' he said with a tired voice. He was lying face down on the bed. A sheet was covering below his waist and he was wearing nothing on his upper body. His hair was wet, he must had just come out of the shower.

''Hey,'' I took the towel thrown on the floor and sat on the bed. Putting the towel on his head, ''Do you have your own bathroom? I'm jealous,'' I said and gently massaged his head with a towel to dry his hair.

''I wish I have one, but no. There are public showers in the training area. They are still under construction though. Did I win the bet?''

Bet? Frowning, ''Did you bet about my measurements?'' I asked.

He laughed in a tired and reckless voice, ''Guilty. Did I win?''

''I don't know. Next time, ask yourself instead of having others do your dirty work. The blacksmith scared away your guy.''

Hermes sighed deeply as if he's hopeless but I saw his lips curled to form a grin. ''Why am I a guild leader if I can't get other people to do my dirty work?''

''I thought it was to help the town.''

He laughed, ''It is the secondary purpose. So would you give me the numbers? I'd be more than glad if I won the bet.''

''I don't know my measurements,'' I said and put the towel on my lap.

''Now, this is a problem.'' He stretched and opened his eyes, ''What should I do now?'' said on his elbows. Taking the towel from my lap, ''Hiding is useless. If my hand is eight inches,'' he put his hands on my waist ran them as if following an invisible belt.

''Eight, sixteen, twenty for? Heck. Don't tell anyone that. Why you had to be so thin? Are you starving? You need to gain weight. I'll detain the final decision a few days. Eat something good. Or even better, why don't I take you to dinner?''

Distracted by his touch, I stared at him blankly. What were we talking about now? I liked his touch. It was confident and warm, causing me to get lost. While I was thinking the sensitized sense of touch had done me more harm than good so far, someone clocked on the door.

''Hermes, you'd better come and have a look.''