Book Four – Chapter Seven – Part Four – Reunions and Reunions; The Birth of a Sanctuary

Once they were far away, Momo asked if Tim and Mire would get in trouble.

“No, they won’t. I really am glad to have such wonderful subordinates working for me… I don’t know why… Why couldn’t I have ended it sooner? Why did I allow Mire to speak over me while I slumped back to my office? That drowsiness was an excuse."

“Don’t be too hard on yourself, Fisher. Just think about what you went through. It’s impossible to stay cool, calm, and collected, even in the most extraneous of circumstances. We all act out of character every once in a little while. That’s just a part of life. The best thing to do is to just roll with it. When you get back, offer an apology and spin the tale from disobedience into one where Mire and Tim only wanted to protect their captain from further harm. Appeal to everyone’s sense of compassion if you have to make a statement. You can also retell that story for some extra brownie points with the public.”

“I gotta say I’m impressed, Servi. It took you what…four seconds to come up with that. It’s good advice. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were in my spot once before.”

“Servy, do you think you were someone in a leadership role at one time? Someone who had to make statements to the public?” Momo asked.

Servi thought about it as they headed towards the Bank of Gea. It was still going to be about a forty-five-minute walk. Possibly even longer than that since the streets were already packed to the brim of fun party-goers. Thanks to how the three were walking, Fisher's missing arm was slightly obscured by Momo.

Servi’s mind went back to her comments about how Sakdu ran the Mafia. She distinctly remembered saying something about how inefficient it was and how he had made so many mistakes. She was so angry and upset he didn’t do it the way she would have if she was in control. Why was that?

“Maybe you’re right,” Servi said. “But I can’t be totally sure one way or the other until my memories come back.”

Fisher changed subjects. “Have you two had the chance to experience the festival? Tim, Mire, and the governor worked out a plan to give me six days off to spend it with my family.”

“That was sweet of them. But we haven’t. Servy’s been rehearsing for a play—Oh, I forgot!!! Fisher, Servy’s in a play!” Momo was enthusiastic when she let loose all of the fine details of how Servi obtained the role.

“That’s incredible. I wish I could attend, but I cannot get out of work. My family, on the other hand… I believe I have a way for them to attend. I did get some tickets from the governor three days ago…” A sadness cast over his eyes. Fisher was just dying inside, and Servi and Momo shared the pain. Neither of them wanted to press the issue since it was volatile and sensitive. The only thing they could do was be there for his support. Perhaps in the near future, they could assist in reconnecting father and daughters.

“I do wish we could have experienced it all from day one. I bet there’s a lot of delicious food we missed out on. And the games. When Servi and I were walking back to the guild from the theater hall, it seemed like there were games galore. One involved fishing a hook through a little wooden duck to win a prize. And another had you throw a ball and knock down a bunch of cups,” Momo said. She stared listlessly at the fun passing her by. “And then there were the cute, colorful robes with pretty designs you could get at some stores. They’re probably out of them by now… But there is always next year, right?”

“That’s right, Mosie. Fisher, is there another festival coming up? Like a winter one?”

“There might be. I’m sure I don’t need to say it, but money is tight at the moment for this city. The governor had to fund the majority of this out of his pocket. Depending on how much is earned, he said we may or may not have a winter festival for Yuletide. That one would be a single day long. But there is something small that happens on Hallow’s Eve. Think of it like a miniature festival. It’s common for many to adorn their houses and businesses with spooky decorations. Children run around with bags and receive candy from adults. Some adults even participate and dress up like monsters. Meri had antlers, and she was just the cutest deer. Mari went dressed as a bunny.”

“So I guess I’m not alone in thinking there are bunny people out there,” Momo said. Fisher was rightly confused, and Momo explained her little talk with Claire about how there couldn’t be only just the handful of races out there that could use skills. The world was big and full of things that had never been discovered.

Somewhere along the way, the topic shifted over to Kobold anatomy. Servi found it a scientific marvel how Koena could circulate their organs and lungs to different spots in their body. She said that should be something scientifically impossible. If Koena and humans shared the same skeletal and muscular system, there wouldn't be room for multiple organs.

“They don’t. Their scales act as both of those things. The entirety of their bodies is… I don’t know the proper term, but their organs… 'float.’ Think of their body as a box. The organs can be rearranged and slotted in different areas. And some Koena are born with a second or third organ in case one fails. It’s rare, but there are Koena out there with three or four lungs. They can master Pulmoni Oxygeni. Only a Koena can use that technique because of how their bodies are designed. Ah, a fair few are actually born with bones like we have. It’s almost something of a disease, though, and I do not know the cause.” That was the extent of Fisher’s knowledge, which he only learned from Kaitlyn. During one of his visits, he escorted her to the local library inside the noble district and assisted her in checking out a book that held the answers to all of her questions. Those included the ones about the differences between a Singi and a Koena when it came to… particular matters involving reproduction.

The general shape of the penis was the same, but when flaccid, their penile scales were slightly shifted apart with gaps in between. When erect, the scales fuse together and harden to become like metal, but the surface of the penile scales grew small ridges and bumps that did not indicate anything unsanitary. On the contrary, those were where the nerve clusters were located at.

In other words, their most sensitive spots functioned much like a clitoris. Only they had far more than one.

When Kaitlyn first learned of this, she thought it was impossible for her to teach this to her newly adopted son. It wasn’t hard teaching her daughter about her body since they shared the same gender. During one late night, she closed the book with a huff and expressed disappointment over her uncomfortableness.  She realized it was up to her to give Myil the best education possible.

“He’s my son, now,” she had said while looking to the right. He had curled up in a ball while wearing the red pajamas she had sewed for him. Kaitlyn, her daughter, and Myil were sleeping in the same bed since he had a tendency to cry in his sleep. It was a hard habit to break, and he was progressing, but he still often whimpered like a lost puppy before finally drifting off. “It’s my job to make sure he’s prepared to face what life may throw at him…”

Of course, all of that highly sensitive and personal information about Koena did not transfer to Fisher. He didn’t know a thing about it. As such, Servi wasn’t privy to it either. She went back and forth about any general questions she had. Momo joined in, and the one-armed man found it reassuring to teach what he had learned.

A couple of minutes later, Servi spotted a very familiar dog walking alongside an Elf and a group of casual-dressed adventurers. They were laughing and giggling while enjoying the snacks and delicious treats in their hands.  “Cue?”

“Woof?” The white beast turned around and remained incredibly still until his nose recognized an unforgettable scent. “Bark… Bark!!! Bark!!! Woof!!! Awoooooo!!!” He scrambled his legs as fast as he could while running over to Servi. She kneeled down rubbed him all over. A pair of long, earthen-colored legs appeared in her vision, and Servi looked up.

“It’s you… You’re better!!!” cried the Elf. Water sprung forth from the corner of her eyes. Her companions behind her just stood there with a smile. They were happy their party member was happy, but they didn’t know the reason. Servi stood up and gave Elly a hug.

“It’s nice to see you again, Elly. And Cue’s still as cute as he can be.”

“Servy!”

“Woof!!! Woof!!! Awoooooo!!!!” howled the excited dog. He scurried around Servi’s legs, jumping and scratching and licking.

“I’m glad to see you’re doing well…” There was an unoccupied bench available a couple of meters away.

“I did…” she whispered. Servi leaned back from the hug but kept her arms on Elly’s quivering shoulders for a second or two. They walked over to the empty seats and sat down. Cue hopped up in Servi’s lap and viciously licked her face. Elly smiled and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief one of her party members had given her. “I’m so glad I got to run into you again. If it weren’t for you, I… I wouldn’t be where I am now. It isn’t wrong to say you saved my life. I tried to give you this back once before, but…” Elly was wearing a tunic that had a dagger sheath sewed into it. She pulled it out.

“Mosie told me everything. Keep it. Let it be a symbol of our friendship,” Servi said.

Elly cried, thanking Servi once more before introducing her party. “I’ve got friends now. I’ve got people I can rely on… I don’t know if you’ll ever need my help, but I swear I’ll drop everything and rush over. It’s the least I can do.”

“That’s nice, but I didn’t do it intending to receive help. I just saw someone in need of help…and I simply helped. But if I’m in a spot of trouble, I am glad to know I can count on you.” Servi stood up while holding Cue. He had fallen asleep in her arms in the short time they had been talking. Elly’s ears twitched when Servi handed the fluffy beast back to his master.

After talking and catching up for a few more minutes, it was time to part ways. “You take care, Servy. Mosie, it was nice seeing you again. Captain Fisher, it was a pleasure meeting you. I hope you’ll be fine with that wound.” The rest of Elly’s companions said something similar and walked away while waving. Servi knew Fisher had questions, so she went ahead and recounted their meeting. She left out her tormenters' torture and how close Elly came to being raped, though. She didn’t think that stuff was  needed to get her point across.

Momo was smiling, but not because of the story Servi was telling. Her fluffy ears picked up a conversation Elly was having with one of her friends.

“So that’s her? The dagger giver?” said the only other Elf in the party. He wasn’t an Earth Elf like Elly.

“Yes. Without her, I simply wouldn’t be here. I would have died that night in the slums with Cue, and no one would have known I even existed. Her strength is my goal, but it’s one that’s impossible for me to achieve.” She touched her ears and whispered a prayer of thanks for their meeting. If it wasn’t for Servi’s miraculous ability to heal her ears, her pride and symbol as an Elf would have remained tarnished forever since only death was awaiting her.

“Really? She seems like a normal Human to me. I could take her in a match.” Elly shut him down fast.

“If you and her were to fight… You would not win. Trust me on that, friend. I’m of the right mind that even if the captain had both arms, he wouldn’t win at all. I haven’t even seen her at full strength. The sliver I saw was… No, it isn’t in my right to say anything about her.”

“Eh?! Then let’s go back and ask for—”

“Don’t. Give her the peace she deserves. If you want to lose that badly, then we can find her another day.” By then, they were too far for Momo to hear.

The group traveling to the bank continued on their way. They soon walked past the shopping center and into the noble district proper, and that was when more and more people noticed Fisher’s missing arm. He couldn’t hide it anymore, and he was endlessly pestered about it. He kept repeating the story he told Mire, but it was a drastically shortened version.

That alone added another half-hour to their journey. Most of that was spent reassuring the concerned citizens that everything was fine. The last thing Fisher needed was a panic to break out. He had to admit it warmed his heart to see so many were worried about him. It meant he was respected amongst the citizens, and his sacrifice… He didn’t want to say it was worth it, but it was the correct choice. Even if it would continue to pain him for another eternity or so, the people he saw with concerned expressions almost lessened that emotional anguish.

This…is justice, right? Doing what’s right for the city? I saved them and my family, so I should be happy that the worst-case scenario failed to pass. For the city, that is… Meri, Mari… Your father will love you until the end of his days… You’re my precious angels…

Momo couldn’t help but compare the quality of the excitement in the noble district to the common district. Everything on this side of town was on a different level. The food was more delicious, the sweets were sweeter, the exquisite intricacy of the silks used to create shirts, robes, shawls, and scarves couldn’t be matched. That was for a few main reasons, but dupla was the primary one.

Those who could pay more would naturally receive better materials that were of the highest quality. Those with money to spend could pay others to manufacture the goods they wanted to sell. On top of that, everything located here was marked up at an outrageous percent because those with an excessive amount of dupla wouldn’t think twice before dropping a couple thousand on a dress.

Dupla made the world go around and around. That rule was the oldest one in the book.

Even if she personally couldn’t afford even a single chocolate piece, Momo still had lots of fun. She was able to see and experience what a proper festival should be with her lover. She could use this experience to further prepare for the next one.

Yeah… Servy and I will squeeze eight days of fun into one. This is just us gathering information, right? Canary, you better watch yourself!

“The bank’s just up ahead.” Fisher’s words brought Momo out of a dream. They turned a corner and found themselves with so many people it was like a stampede. Their destination was a large building with ‘Bank of Gea’ plastered across in big, bold letters. It stood on the left side of the street. The financial building was mostly made out of brick. The only glass was used in the four windows on each side of the glass doors. A pair of armored guards—not from Canary but from a private security company, stood on both sides. Their equipment wasn’t nadrium, but it was still incredibly tough enchanted steel.

The reason why so many little stalls and stores were nearby was simple. If someone saw something they wanted but couldn’t afford, the meticulously close bank had the answer to that sudden problem. This guaranteed more money would swirl around Canary, which was good for the economy and the bank. What if a commoner wanted to take out a loan? The bank automatically declined anyone without a last name. But anyone could set up an account with them because why would the bank give up an opportunity to make any money? Loans were a different story since someone with nothing to lose could skip town after getting paid.

The group approached the bank’s entrance, but they were stopped. In order to come in, Fisher had to give up his weapons. Likewise, Momo had to leave behind her sword and bag since it was enchanted with Dimensional Storage. She didn’t want to leave them alone with a stranger but ultimately complied with the order.

“Do not worry, ma’am. Nothing will happen to your items. Captain Fisher, I apologize for the trouble. I do not know the story behind your wound, but I wish you well.” The one that spoke was on the right. His voice was deep and guttural, and his height suggested he was a Dwarf. Fisher thanked him and said it was no trouble. The guard on the left opened one of the doors, the three walked right in.

Right at once, a blast of cold, refreshing wind came at them from the ceiling. When the doors shut behind them, the roaring noise of an excitable crowd experiencing the festival died down to a quiet whisper. Did this place use materials enchanted with Silentium Fluctus? Quite possibly, but that added an outrageous amount of dupla to its construction. Fisher spotted a sign nearby that asked any customers to be patient.

“In here. You have to wait for someone to be available. Servi, do you know anything about banking?”

Servi and the others walked over to a small waiting area and sat down. A table of cookies and snacks sat in front of them.

Servi and her companions were in the main lobby of the bank. It had just the one floor, but against the far back wall stood a row of receptionists behind a waist-high desk. There weren’t any ridiculous windows separating them into smaller units. But perhaps there should have been since this building manager quite a lot of dupla. Servi did notice a small hip-high door that allowed employees to walk from behind the desks out into the lobby.

Immediately, the only thing preventing her from venting in frustration was the absurdity of the situation. Internally, she screamed against her mind’s walls. WHY DOES THE BANK HAVE THE LAYOUT WARDEN SHOULD HAVE USED?!?! WAS THERE A MIX-UP AMD NOBODY CORRECTED IT?! Why do I care so much about it?!?! GAH!!!!!!

She kept looking and saw a couple of rooms off to the side. Like the entrance, these were guarded by an armored warrior. Since the equipment looked similar enough, they probably came from the same company.

A family of three women wearing dresses—two girls and a mother— were elegantly sitting quietly and patiently waiting nearby. They seemed familiar, but their faces were turned towards the mother’s lap because she was reading a document to them. “A little. You give them money to hold on to. When you need it, you take it," Servi said, finally answering Fisher's question.

“There’s also a savings account you can have that’s different from a normal one. With a savings, you accrue interest and end up making money. You might want to open an account here. Or at least give it thought. If you pay an additional fee, you can have your bank details show up on your ID. It isn’t useful for people like you and I, but for those involved in the changing market in Adenaford, it’s invaluable.”

“Maybe… But honestly, Itarr’s the perfect bank. I don’t ever have to worry about my money getting lost. Besides, I kinda don’t need anymore. I still have over twenty million, and that isn’t including the thousands of rings, necklaces, and jewels I obtained from Parrel. Then you have the nadrium armor that isn’t my size and the weapons. I honestly think that if I liquidate it all, I could buy a country. If I run out, I just have to find a mine, right? I don’t need to sleep or eat. With Itarr’s help, I could do the work of a hundred men over a thousand days in a week or less. And there’s Warden. Could make some good money by selling monster parts.”

“Eh?! You have that much?!” Momo exclaimed. She immediately covered her mouth and spoke in a much quieter voice. “You have that much?!”

Servi nodded and crossed her legs. “The previous governor had so much stowed away at the top of that ridiculous mansion. Technically, this money isn’t mine at all. Really, the only things I own are the nocturnal cod we collected, the clothes you and I bought, and the sword and armor I purchased from the Warden shop. I think I bought a spare set somewhere along the line, but it doesn’t fit me. Most of the items chilling in my ring were ill-gotten. That’s why I don’t have a problem in paying for the most expensive options for the orphanage.”

Holy dupla on a tree!!! I didn’t know she had this much!!! She probably has more than Srassa!!! Even if she was as poor as dirt, I’d still love Servy because I don’t love her for her money. Wealthy or not… I’ll love her all the same.

Servi took out the design documents and looked through them. Fisher talked with her and answered any questions she may have had. According to him, he would train the guards assigned to protect it. And every day he was working, he said he would drop by during his patrol and check on it.

“As for the caretakers, teachers, and other staff, the governor had a list of proper candidates. He and his secretary took care of the staffing and arranged employment contracts. I looked over them as well. They should have been included, but I guess it wasn’t. My apologies for that. Regardless, you couldn’t ask for better people to run it.”

About ten minutes passed, and an employee came and helped the family sitting nearby. It would take another twenty for someone to approach Servi. He was a Human with black hair, and the nametag on his suit indicated his name was Terry. With just one look, he scanned Servi’s simple clothes and already made several conclusions about her financial status. He did the same to Momo, but he actually recognized Fisher.

“My goodness, are you okay?” he asked, holding a hand to his heart. After an explanation, he told him that he was escorting Servi because she needed to make a deposit. He also said he wanted it to be in his name and apologized for any trouble. “Believe it or not, this happens somewhat frequently. Servi, yes? Follow me, please.” Terry led the group of three to an empty desk while he walked around to sit on the other side. Servi thought that was a bit strange.

Wouldn’t it be easier for someone to just call us over while sitting down? Isn’t that how it should work?

She ignored it and all the other little quirky decisions that didn’t make sense for the time being.

“What can I help you with?” asked Terry. He folded his hands over the desk and offered his most professional smile.

“It’s what Fisher said. He’s going to open an account, and I have a deposit to make.”

“Very well. Captain Fisher, if you can fill out the paperwork… I’ll also need your ID. Servi, where is the money coming from?” Fisher began to fill out the documents Terry handed to him. It was hard with one hand, but he declined any assistance.

“It’s coming from my Dimensional Storage. You have a place I can use to bring it out?”

Terry unprofessionally sighed. These damn commoners think a thousand is enough to warrant any privacy.  Biting his tongue, he spoke while scribbling a small note. “Take this to one of the armored soldiers in the back. This is your ticket to enter the room they’re guarding. Inside, you will find a private place to bring out your money. There will be an employee back there who will count your dupla. Receive a paper from them, and bring it back to me.”

“Got it. Mosie, I’ll be back.” Servi walked off towards the closest run, which was right by the family of three women. She knew they looked familiar, but her mind couldn’t place them. Possibly because she hadn’t had a chance to see their faces.