Reincarnated as a Phoenix

Chapter 29 – Invitation

“Ikarus-sama, you awake yet?”

“Ikarus, wake up”

Two faces stare at me looking down from above, I’m currently laying down on a bed and I feel slightly hungover.

‘Urgh, my head…’

Whose room am I in? There’s only one double bed in here, this definitely isn’t the room my party would have bought for the night.

“Where am I?”

“You’re in the blind woman’s room”

“Yeah Ikarus. Petra told us you were in here”

These two did brilliant in the quest to defend me, I’ve woken up in another woman’s bed, that couldn’t have been dangerous for me at all. Sarcasm intended.

…

Wait, did I share a bed with the blind woman last night? Shit, I can’t remember.

I’ve never done that one night thing and I can’t even remember doing anything as well, I only remember drinking and laughing, then falling asleep at a table.

I can understand why I’m getting such a disappointing look from the priestess about this, even I’m really unhappy with myself. Ikarus, you should have way more class than sleeping with a woman before you even get to know her, stupid bird!

“Ah, you’re awake”

The blind woman joins all of us in the bedroom she’s rented out, I can’t help but feel extremely guilty.

“Erm… did we do anything last night?”

The priestess immediately facepalms from my questioning and I can’t even deny that she’s right to do so.

“We did nothing. Since I didn’t know which room you three booked, I took you back into my room after you fell asleep at the table. It was slightly after you decided to start mixing some drinks”

“Phew…”

After a let out a phew of relief, I can’t help but quickly get stressed out again.

‘Aesa, why did I pass out? It doesn’t feel like a normal hangover this time’

I’ve got to ask because I don’t know if the blind woman is telling the truth or not, I still can’t trust her one hundred percent yet.

[<-User’s- stamina hit 0. Target -*****- told -user- truth>]

‘Argh! For the love of God, you can’t be calling the blind woman target *****, you’ve got to stop that target thing as well. Please system, it’s infuriating now’

***** doesn’t make any intelligible word, it just sounds like a quiet bit of static. It actually hurts hearing it in my head.

[<Aesa will try -user->]

‘Thank you… anyway, back on topic. How the hell did my stamina drop that quickly? I swear I slept a night or two ago’

[<Constant alcohol consumption increases stamina drain throughout the next day. -User- has been drinking too much recently so stamina current drain is maxed out. Stamina hit 0 last night>]

Wow, I actually might have a problem. The issue is when I don’t feel tired, I’m more than happy to spend most of the night drinking. Yeah, I’ve got to cut down, it’s time to start drinking in moderation now.

“You say we didn’t do anything right? What about the bed, did we share the same bed?”

Stop looking at me like that priestess! At least the blind woman doesn’t seem to care all that much, the knight doesn’t really seem all that fussed as well. With him, I don’t know if he actually understands the situation or not. Sometimes he seems innocent, others he’s somewhat normal.

“No, I stayed up last night”

Oh God, I’ve even kept her from getting a good night’s rest as well stealing her bed.

“I’m really sorry Petra”

She gives me a reassuring smile after my apology.

“Heh, it’s fine Ikarus, last night was a nice laugh. Been too long since I’ve had a nice drink and good company, thanks for that”

“You’re welcome, I’m in agreement but only on the company part, I’ve got a slight problem. It’s probably caused by how boring these two are”

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“Heh”

“That was uncalled for Ikarus-sama”

(Nathan) “It was a bit”

I get a couple of nasty faces from my slight joke but I also get a slight laugh from the blind woman. That’s more than enough motivation.

“Since your awake and alright, I’m going to head off since I’ve already paid. It was nice speaking to you all again”

“It was nice speaking to you as well Petra-sama. May God bless you on your travels”

“Yeah, it was nice to speak again”

I’m guessing these two had a quick chat while I was out cold, they clearly must have since my party members wouldn’t have known where I was.

Getting myself of the bed to say goodbye to the woman, I can’t help but get curious on something.

“Wait… before you leave, what are your plans moving forward Petra?”

“My plans?”

“Yeah, other than stalk me, what else were you planning on doing?”

This gets another smile and slight laugh out of her, at least someone here finds me funny.

“Heh, probably hunting, have a lot of free time right now”

Then an idea appears from my brilliant mind.

“If you’re going hunting, want to join us in some bandit massacre? Ah, you might have to try and let me get the final hit on some of them if it’s possible though”

I still need to be a EXP thief, my level is pathetic right now. She knows what I’m on about since increasing her level seems to work in the same way as mine, execution points for the win!

“You want me to join your party?”

She gives a little bit of a surprised face while saying that, it’s not that big of a deal, is it? It’s just bandit hunting.

Noticing the looks of surprise of my party members as well, I’d feel like this isn’t a decision I can make myself. Sure, I know there’s still a small risk but it’s tiny now. She could have just killed me while I was out cold last night if she really wanted to.

“Well… I’ll need to discuss it first. I’m not running a dictatorship over here. I’m trying not to at the very least”

Both my party members give slight relieved looks towards me, I feel like they don’t like her all that much. It’s probably cause these two are boring as fuck!

"Fair enough... Ikarus the dictator, why does that sound like it fits?"

Does it? It does kind of roll off the tongue, Ikarus the dictator! Say it in a Central-European accent and it sounds badass! Why does a job so cruel and hated sound so cool though?

Okay, I'm just being weird and stupid now, might still be slightly drunk from last night, it wasn't really all that funny.

“That’s a little rude Petra-sama”

(Nathan) “Yeah, I agree”

Damn, why are these taking it as if she’s insulting me? I guess she did call me a dictator but it wasn’t meant in it that way.

“Didn’t mean any offence”

“Hey, you two, quiet! You two don’t get it since you have no sense of humour… just ignore those two”

“I’ll still apologize again since it seemed to upset your party members”

This is going to be one of these days, isn’t it? All I need is Aesa to start pestering me as well.

[<-User- was asking for Aesa?>]

I can’t help but let out a really loud and long sigh.

“*SIGHHHHHHH*… let’s just get a table and talk there, alright? I can get some food quickly as well. Just stick around for a little bit if you don’t mind Petra”

“Okay then”

The two of my party members can be exhausting at times, I think it’s just what most humans are like in this empire.

__________

Once all three of us are at a table in the inn and once I’ve had a quick bite to eat, I need to clear something up quickly to Charlotte.

“Before you say anything priestess… this time, I do regret it. That situation I woke up to isn’t something I want to do again”

I feel like I have to get this off my chest right now, I actually do regret what happened last night. I’m not the type of bird to sleep with someone without getting to know them first, at least I don’t want to be.

I’m really happy I didn’t end up doing anything, that would have been so ungentlemanly of me… just because I’ve had a gender swap doesn’t mean I can’t try and act like a gentleman, I’m clearly really shit at it though. Blame the devil’s drink.

“Me and the Lord can’t always protect you Ikarus-sama”

“I know, I know. I promise I’m cutting down slightly on the booze…”

She gives another look of disappointment and scepticism while I’m speaking, I have to call it out though.

“… Hey! Don’t look at me like that, I’m being honest, I promise! I have to slow down; my stamina is getting effected now. It actually has some side effects which will be more than enough encouragement to slow down”

“*Sigh*… that’s better than nothing then… I’ll pray for your soul”

(Ikarus) “Please don’t”

I can’t get too annoyed with the religious nut, she does mean well, it’s just that she’s way too serious. Except with cake, she turns a little bit childish with that.

“At least that’s settled now, should we get onto what Ikarus suggested?”

Ah good, Nathan’s bringing the important conversation forward.

“Yeah, I invited her and I’d like to know your opinions on it”

(Charlotte) “I’m against her coming with us”

(Nathan) “I’m also in agreement”

DENIED!... This is such bs! Seriously, these two are such buzzkills. I’m not taking no for an answer though.

“Why are you two so against it? I’m confused”

“Ikarus-sama, have you forgotten she admitted that she was stalking you earlier?”

“Lotte’s right Ikarus, this doesn’t seem like it’s a safe idea”

They may have a point but I have a much better one prepared in response, I don’t care how confident and serious these two look right now, I’m still not taking no for an answer.

“It was more in a joking way, I think? Look, it really doesn’t matter all that much, if you’re that worried about my safety, you’ve already both failed in your jobs”

(Nathan) “We’ve failed?”

(Charlotte) “What do you mean?”

Judging by how they look, they actually haven’t realized it yet, that works in my favour.

“What I mean is that last night, that woman could have easily killed me and you two weren’t around. So why did you leave me and the potential murderer alone then?”

For the record, I’m one hundred percent in the wrong here, I’m not even denying it, it’s just I do have a slight point. I don’t understand why are they so adamant about her not coming with us when they were more than happy enough to leave us alone last night.

(Charlotte) “That’s because… I really don’t want to say”

(Nathan) “I’ll say it then for Lotte then… we both assumed you were hooking up. If we had gotten involved or stopped you, we thought you would’ve gotten angry with us”

…

Okay, I’m pissed off now.

“Who the hell do you take me for!? Ah forget it, the situation I was in really doesn’t help my case… let’s just go back on topic once more. If you two are so worried about my safety now, it should be obvious that it’s safe seeing that I’m happily alive and kicking after what’s happened”

“…”   “…”

Both of them are quiet from my somewhat intelligent response, they can’t use the danger excuse no more. They probably could say that she might attack me at a later date but I think we’re all slightly dumb in this party, this bird included.

“Now that I’ve explained in it that way, will you two be willing to compromise a little more?”

“Fine Ikarus-sama”

“Okay then but what about the species issue? We won’t exactly be able to get around”

Nathan does have a little bit of a point but I can use that backstory I made up. I’m also surprised he’s managed to be confidential and not say my species out loud, fair play to him.

“I said I knew her while growing up, she’s knows what I am Nathan”

(Nathan) “Ah, okay then”

At least there slightly open minded, it would’ve been a lot harder if they were stuck in their ways. Thing is, I don’t actually think they dislike her, it’s just it’s more of an unsure thing.

“So… will you two be willing for her to join us then?”

“I guess so”

“I’m still not completely happy on the idea but me and the Lord will accept your decision”

They both still don’t seem to be all that behind it but what can you do? I’ve convinced them more than enough now, it’s just up to the both of them to get on with it and accept the blind lady. They really should be more thoughtful to people with disabilities… once again, I’ve started thinking of stupid shit. Let’s continue on with something else which I think is funny.

“You can stop listening now Petra, we're all done slagging you off behind your back. You’re more than welcome to join us if you want to”

…

Wait, was she listening or not? She didn’t leave the inn so I just assumed she would be quietly spying and listening in our conversation. That ruins my little acting bit then.

“I’m surprised you could sense me Ikarus. I wasn’t actually listening till you just called my name right now, have no need for eavesdropping”

Ah, I was right, she walks in from the hallway leading to the rooms while saying that. I guess I’m more partially correct at the very least, I’ll try and play off that I actually can sense her.

“Aha… yeah, I most definitely can sense you”

“Heh, you’re not the greatest of liars Ikarus”

In my defence, I am a good liar, just I only properly lie about things when I really need to. I’m just being playful more than anything else right now, think it’s called a white lie. No, it’s not called that, I think?

“Ah, you caught me. Do you want to come along then for an adventure of blood and glory? Valhalla awaits! Just makes sure you die holding a weapon”

I’m getting a bit exited again, Vikings are epic!

“Valhalla? I’m unsure on what that is but I’m happy to tag along”

She’s not going to get my references, is she? She’s too old to remember anything about Earth. Sigh… it’s still better than the other two though.

“Now everything is sorted, should we get on our way then?”

Immediately, my plans are thwarted by my shitty memory sometimes choosing to play up. It’s now decided to not work.

“Ikarus-sama, you’re forgetting something. You still haven’t paid your tab yet”

“Me and Lotte have both paid for our rooms already, your drink and food bill are unpaid”

“Oh crap… crap crap crap”

I head up to the counter and wait for the inn owner to return, he went out back to get something while we speaking at the table.

I’m dreading the bill, I didn’t drink this inn under like the one on the north but I still did have a lot, the bill is definitely going to be nasty, I’m sure of it.

Okay, let’s prepare my ‘how much!?’ face and get ready to start complaining when this costs close to a gold coin.

Before I even have the chance to prepare my shocked face, the blind woman interrupts and joins me up by the counter.

“I’ll pay for you, call it my treat”

She’s actually offering? Hmmmm, it’s tempting, but no, I can’t accept her generosity. I actually don’t mind this woman, making her pay for my bill makes me feel guilty. No idea why though.

“No no, that’s not happening. Ikarus ain’t no charity”

“It’s not charity, you made last night enjoyable so this is just me saying thank you”

“You’ve already said thank you… you understand just how much that bill will be? No, I can’t allow you to pay for me”

“I’m sorry Ikarus but I must insist, just let me pay the bill”

“And I’m telling you, there’s no need for such a thing. Stop offering”

We’re actually arguing over who has to pay, what’s going on right now? It’s actually winding me up a little and even she is looking a little annoyed from this as well. Let me pay off my own debt, I know it’s my parents’ money but still.

(Charlotte) “Why don’t you two just compromise and just pay half each?”

“That’s what me and Lotte do most of time”

Both my party members have joined us by the counter as well now.

They pay half for everything? How is that even possible especially when knight’s get paid in peanuts? I guess the prince must have upped his wages then.

Wait, why am I fixating on that? They literally just said they pay for halves on everything… that’s what some married couples do… I knew it! I freaking knew it!

I’m just going to let them get on with it now and try not to tease them too much, cupid Ikarus is no longer needed! They’re going to have three brown haired little babies I bet, that’s only if succubus-sama is fertile.

Damn, I shouldn’t call her that, it will get stuck in my head again.