...you are not a hero, Lilith

The next morning, with Lilith in the lead, they walked downstairs only to be confused.

"Oh," Lilith said with a questionable tone. "Where is the diner?"

She looked around and then spotted Jizla at the counter. "Good morning, Jizla," Lilith greeted.

"Ahhh, good morning, dear customer. Did you all sleep well?" Jizla replied.

"We did," Lilith said. "Jizla?" Lilith asked, "Where is the diner?"

"The diner?" Jizla answered. "Well, this inn doesn't have a diner since we have the tavern next door. In the beginning of The Red Devil history, it was just a tavern, but at some point, my father built this inn next to the tavern so people that stay at the inn can go eat at the tavern at a lower price," Jizla explained with a smile.

"Oh, that makes sense," Lilith said, now feeling a little foolish.

Elara giggled and said, "Thanks, Jizla. We'll go to the tavern then for some breakfast."

"You all do that," Jizla said with a smile. "And greet my father; he should be there, talking with the customers."

"Thanks," the three replied and walked next door into the tavern.

The tavern was bustling with activity. The smell of freshly cooked food filled the air, and the sound of cheerful chatter and clinking utensils created a lively atmosphere. They found a table and sat down, looking around for Jizla's father.

A moment later, an older demon with a jovial expression approached their table. "Good morning! You must be the guests from the inn. I'm Harvin, the owner of The Red Devil. Jizla mentioned you might be coming over for breakfast."

"Good morning, Harvin," Elara greeted. "Yes, Jizla told us to come here. We're looking forward to a good meal before we start our day."

"Well, you've come to the right place! Our breakfast is the best in town. Let me get you some menus," Harvin said, handing them each a menu. "Feel free to ask if you have any questions."

As they looked over the menus, Ella fluttered around, curious about the bustling environment. "Everything looks so good," she said, peering over Lilith's shoulder at her menu.

"I think I'll have the demon's delight breakfast platter," Lilith said. "It sounds interesting."

Elara nodded. "I'll go with the hearty adventurer's meal. I need all the energy I can get."

Ella, spotting a section for smaller portions, decided on a light faerie breakfast. "I'll have the faerie feast, please."

Harvin returned to take their orders, and soon after, the trio was enjoying a delicious breakfast. The food was hearty and flavorful, providing them with the energy needed for the day ahead.

As they ate, Elara laid out their plans. "After breakfast, we'll head to the guild to deliver our tokens and get paid. Then we can explore Bez'Eru and see what it has to offer."

"Sounds like a plan," Lilith said, taking another bite of her food.

Ella nodded enthusiastically. "I can't wait to see more of this city!"

After finishing their meal, they thanked Harvin and headed out, ready to start their day in Bez'Eru.

They headed over to the guild with light steps. After getting lost a few times, they finally found the guild—a larger-sized building. As they entered, they could feel a gloomy atmosphere among the adventurers and guild staff. They overheard some whispering.

"Did you hear about the necromancer?" one adventurer whispered.

"Yes, the one up in the mountains," another replied.

"Yes. I heard that some miners got killed up in the mines, and it was the necromancer's doing," the first adventurer continued.

"Gosh," another adventurer murmured. "What will the lord do?"

"Hard to say. It's been a few weeks now, and we haven't heard anything. No news at all. And the guild doesn't even have a quest for the mountains at the moment. It's all worrisome."

Lilith and the group, overhearing the whispers, walked over to the guild staff at the counter.

"Greetings, adventurers," the guild staff said. "How can we help you today?"

Elara took out the token and said, "We are here to turn in a quest token."

"I see," she said, taking the token. "Oh, this is the same token Kai turned in yesterday."

"Kai?" Lilith exclaimed.

"Ah, yes," she answered and said. "Kai is somewhat famous here in the city, known as a great battle mage. He even got a request from the lord. I gave it to him yesterday. This is all hush-hush, but I think it has something to do with a mission concerning the necromancer in the mountain."

"Oh, really?" Lilith said, a little too excited.

"Yes, but it's hush-hush, so don't tell anyone," the guild staff said.

Lilith nodded and remained silent.

"Well, guys," the guild staff said, "it's going to take a few minutes to do the paperwork for the token you delivered. You can take a seat over there," she pointed. "Oh, by the way, you can call me Vicksy."

She turned around to find the right paperwork and payment. Elara nodded, and with Lilith and Ella, they walked over to the waiting area and sat down.

Lilith whispered, "What beastkin type is she?"

Elara answered, "Ahh, she's a foxkin. They are rare to see outside their domain. They normally stay with their people and family. I guess Vicksy has family in the city or something like that."

"Ahh," Lilith remarked with a smile.

Twenty minutes later, Vicksy walked over to them and handed Elara the payment for the quest.

"Now all the paperwork is done. It took a little longer since you guys were the last ones to turn in the token. I'm sorry for the wait," Vicksy said. She then asked, "Is there anything else we can help you with?"

"No, that would be all for today," Elara said. "We just came to Bez'Eru, so we want to check out the city."

"Ahh, that is a good idea," Vicksy said. "I'll be leaving you guys then. Please come if you have any questions about the city or the area around Bez'Eru." She bowed lightly and left them.

As they stepped out of the guild, the city awaited them with its myriad sights, sounds, and potential adventures. They walked around and quickly noticed the gloomy-looking merchants and customers walking around and talking to themselves in whispering voices and murmurs.

"This city is wary," Ella said as she flew next to Elara and Lilith.

"Yes, it must be because of the necromancer in the mountains," Lilith said. "I want to help," she exclaimed.

Elara, noticing Lilith's excitement, put her hand on Lilith's head to calm her down. "Lilith," she said, "you are not a hero. I know you want to help everyone, and you have a lot of power, but you are still young. I'm not sure we can handle a task like that in our current state."

Ella nodded, agreeing with Elara.

After exploring the city for the day, they returned to the Red Devil's Tavern for food and drinks. The atmosphere inside the tavern was warm and lively, a stark contrast to the tense mood outside. The scent of roasted meats and freshly baked bread wafted through the air, mingling with the sound of cheerful chatter and clinking mugs.

They found a table near the corner, away from the bustling crowd. As they settled in, a demon waitress approached them with a friendly smile.

"Welcome! What can I get for you today?" she asked.

"We'll have the house special and some drinks," Elara replied.

"Coming right up!" the waitress said, jotting down their order before hurrying off.

Lilith looked around, taking in the lively scene. "It's nice in here," she said. "Much better than outside."

Elara nodded. "Yes, it's a good place to relax after a long day."

Ella fluttered above the table, her wings shimmering in the tavern's warm light. "Do you think we'll find out more about the necromancer here?"

"Maybe," Elara said. "People tend to talk more freely in places like this. Let's keep our ears open."

Their food arrived quickly, steaming plates of savory dishes and mugs of refreshing drinks. As they ate, they listened to the conversations around them, hoping to glean more information about the necromancer and the troubles plaguing the city.

A group of adventurers at a nearby table caught their attention. They were discussing the recent events in the mountains, their voices low but urgent.

"I heard the necromancer's magic is growing stronger," one of them said. "He's raising more undead every day."

"Yeah, and the lord hasn't done anything about it," another added. "We're just sitting ducks."

"We should do something," a third adventurer said. "If we don't, who will?"

Elara leaned closer to Lilith and Ella. "It seems like there's a lot of unrest about this necromancer. We might need to be careful."

Lilith nodded, her earlier excitement tempered by a sense of caution. "I understand. We'll be careful."

Ella, ever curious, flitted closer to the other table, trying to catch more of their conversation. "Maybe we can find out where the necromancer is exactly," she suggested.

"We'll see," Elara said. "For now, let's focus on finishing our meal and getting some rest. We'll need all our strength if we're going to investigate further."

As they finished their meal, the weight of the city's troubles seemed to press down on them, but they were determined to face whatever challenges lay ahead. They called over the waitress to pay and then headed back to the inn next door.

As they entered the inn, Jizla waved at them with a smile and greeted them. "I hope you had a good day today."

"We did," Elara answered.

"And now we are tired," Lilith yawned.

Ella, in a small voice, said, "Yeah, it's time for some snoozing."

Jizla chuckled softly. "Well, your room is ready and waiting. Have a restful night, and if you need anything, just let me know."

"Thank you, Jizla," Elara said as they headed up the stairs to their room.

Once inside, they settled down for the night. Lilith plopped onto her bed with a sigh of relief, while Elara carefully arranged a small, fluffy pillow for Ella.

"This feels nice," Lilith said, stretching out. "Today was long, but we learned a lot."

Elara nodded. "We did. Tomorrow, we'll see what more we can find out about this necromancer. But for now, let's rest."

Ella nestled into her pillow and quickly drifted off to sleep, her small form rising and falling with each breath.

Elara extinguished the lamp, and the room fell into a comfortable darkness. She lay down on her bed, letting the events of the day replay in her mind. The city of Bez'Eru held many secrets, and the looming threat of the necromancer weighed heavily on her thoughts.