The Adventurer’s Academy

Rin pushed the metal doors leading to the cafeteria open. 

Jany followed close behind, her eyes scanning the bustling room with a mixture of curiosity and discomfort. She'd probably never been around this much metal before.

The air hung heavy with the smell of roasting meat and simmering stews. 

[Ah, crap. I'm hungry now. No, no, no, focus! Focus.] 

Rin spotted Lisa first, perched on a stool at a corner table.

She was, of course, unmistakable. Her emerald green hair, her motherly aura, her... unreasonably gigantic breasts. It was hard to miss her. 

She was speaking to someone else who was also very hard to miss, though. Eve. 

[Yes! I found you!] 

With a determined stride, Rin walked towards the table, Jany shadowing her every step.

As they approached, Rin cleared her throat, drawing their attention.

Both Lisa and Eve swiveled their heads, surprise flickering across their faces when they saw Jany. 

"Lisa, Eve," Rin began, her voice low and urgent, "I need your help."

Lisa's concern deepened.

"Rin? What's wrong? Are you injured?" 

"Uh, no. Here's the gist of it..." Taking a deep breath, Rin explained the situation quickly, gesturing towards Jany. "This is Jany, from Cardana. You know, the girl who saved you."

"I... only vaguely recall her face," Lisa admitted. "But, alright. What happened?"

"Apparently, a strange sickness has broken out there. A sickness that targets creatures specifically. We were thinking…" Rin's voice trailed off as she looked at them before picking back up. "If you two could come with us and check it out. You know, see if you can figure out what it is." 

Lisa's brow furrowed thoughtfully.

"A sickness that targets beasts specifically? That's… peculiar. It could be some kind of magical contagion, but without more information, it's hard to say."

Jany, who had been mostly silent, finally spoke up. Her voice was firm, laced with a hint of desperation.

"There is no time for speculation. My land is suffering. We need answers, and we need them now."

A heavy silence descended upon the table.

Lisa looked back at Jany for a moment and then nodded.

"Alright. I'll see if I can do anything. But, I'm only one healer. Are you sure you don't want to take this matter to anyone else?"

"Who else is gonna fly all the way to Cardana with us?" Rin asked. "Especially after what happened with the shadows. I don't think many other people would sign up."

"Well, alright," Lisa shrugged. "I'll go. But first, let me grab my medical kit. We'll need to gather as much information as possible once we get there."

On that note, Lisa got up and walked out of the cafeteria. 

And, Rin was left with a stunned Eve, who locked eyes with her. 

Then, Eve smirked. 

"Wow. And here I thought you'd just forgotten about me." 

The amusement on Eve's face sent a jolt through Rin.

"What do you mean, forgotten about you?" she blurted out, a touch of defensiveness creeping into her voice.

Eve tilted her head, her smile widening a touch.

"Just that it's been a while, hasn't it? Since we've had a chance to actually talk, I mean. No monsters, no alcohol, no party... You know, just us?" She shrugged. 

Rin floundered for a moment, guilt pricking at her conscience.

She wasn't wrong. 

Between training, trying to find her brother, going out on missions, and everything else in Rin's life, she hardly had time to breathe, let alone spend time with her friends.

"Eve, I…" she started, about to explain, but Eve cut her off with a playful wave of her hand.

"Don't worry about it, Rin. I know you've been swamped." There was a flicker of something in Eve's eyes, a hint of understanding mixed with… something else? Rin couldn't quite place it. 

Before the conversation could delve any deeper, Eve's eyes darted to the doorway.

"Speaking of swamped," she said, her voice light, "I should probably get my things packed too. Be right back." 

At that moment, Jany asked:

"Rin, will your... water spirit companion be coming with us?" 

"Water sprite," Rin corrected quietly. That cat was out of the bag, but she wasn't exactly eager to remind the monster slayers around her of it.

She shook her head.

"No," Rin replied. "I can't take her with us."

"Why?"

"She's not human. I mean," she looked at Eve, who raised a brow. "Less human than you are. I feel like I'd just be putting her at risk." 

"Ah," Jany nodded. "I see." 

"Suddenly, I'm not too eager to come with you." Eve said. 

"If anything happens, surely I could assist you," Lisa told Eve. "Come on, it'll be fun!" 

"I..." Eve looked away. "Fine." 

---

A few moments later, Lisa returned alongside Eve, a worn leather satchel slung over her shoulder.

"Alright, I'm ready," she announced. 

Jany, who had been patiently waiting at a nearby table, stood up when she saw them.

"Excellent," she said, her voice firm but laced with a hint of relief. "Then let us depart."

With a determined glint in their eyes, the four girls exited the bustling cafeteria and headed out of the academy, before then moving out of Libera entirely. 

Outside, Ysmor awaited them. Jany whistled, a sharp, clear sound that cut through the air. The drake's head swiveled, its gaze landing on her. A low rumble escaped its throat, a sound that seemed to vibrate through the very ground.

Jany offered them a reassuring smile.

"Come. Let's see what this sickness is all about."

With a shared look of determination, the four girls climbed onto Ysmor's broad back, ready for action.