The stench of alcohol lingered in the air. Loud chattering and the sound of wooden mugs slamming on the wooden table could be heard all throughout the tavern. Lazarus watched from the corner of his eyes and cautiously kept track of the two newcomers by the entrance wearing expensive silky white robes with golden laces.

Nobles. That much was obvious. While Lazarus didn’t remember much from his childhood, he clearly remembered he was exiled for his so-called ‘disease’. Getting involved with anyone with status would only bring trouble. He lowered his head trying to cover as much of his face beneath his hood as possible.

The two hooded individuals looked around. Then their gaze fixated on Lazarus' general direction. For a moment, the two seemed to talk to one another. The smaller one pointed a finger at Lazarus. His stomach dropped to his knees. Even worse, the two hooded individual began making there way past the tables and–

“Excuse me. May we perhaps share this table with you?” A soft feminine voice said politely.

Lazarus scowled, his expression hidden beneath the hood. For a moment, Lazarus looked around, hoping there was another table these two people could use but unfortunately, there wasn’t. Only his table was free and being hogged entirely by himself.

“We are truly sorry for imposing on you so I–”

“Don’t worry, I’m leaving.” Lazarus stood up but then the girl grabbed the hem of his cloth.

“Please wait. Perhaps I may be mistaken but I cannot help but feel as if you are leaving because of us. We are the ones who are asking permission from you to share, so please do not feel compelled to leave simply because of my status.” Said the hooded girl in a soft, polite and elegant tone of voice.

Lazarus looked at her. He couldn’t see her face beneath the hood but he could see lustrous black hair flowing down from her neck and her cherry-pink lips parted as she said,

“Please, join us.” The young hooded woman insisted and gestured towards the table, much to Lazarus’ horror.

It was like walls were closing in on him. He wanted to leave, but will blowing off this noble make her take offense? In movies and books, typically it’d turn into a bigger issue if some main character blew them off. And so, reluctantly, Lazarus nodded. The girl smiled happily.

“Haa-...” The larger hooded individual let out a long dragging sigh, “If he wants to leave then let him.” Then he walked up to Lazarus and stared him down. “You are leaving, aren’t you?”

-’Which is it?’- Lazarus wanted to shoot back but thought better of it.

“Cease that at once!” The girl raised her voice, making the surrounding tables stop and look. Lazarus just winced internally thinking -’Great…more eyes turning this way.’-

“But princess…”

Lazarus’ eyes widened. The man’s words were soft but Lazarus could hear everything with his enhanced hearing.

-’So this girl isn’t just some noble, but a goddamn princess? Just my luck…’-

Everything just kept on getting better it seemed. He needed to de-escalate the situation somehow and judging from the incessant behavior of this princess, it was safe to say she probably wasn’t going to let him go without making it up to him.

No choice.

“Alright, I’ll finish my meal first before I go…”

“Wonderful!” The girl beamed happily, “To show our gratitude we’ve also ordered something a little special for you.”

-’Well shit…’- Lazarus facepalmed mentally. He had intended to just swallow-up the egg he ordered to get away as soon as possible but somehow this princess wasn’t getting the hint.

Lazarus quietly sat back down and the two other hooded individual’s sat themselves down.

There was a bit of silence between the three, drowned by the ever loud talking in the tavern. Thankfully, the waitresses arrived with their meals. They served a bunch of grilled steak to each one of them and the girl gestured towards the steak with a smile,

“Please, help yourself, this is a token of our gratitude for having intruded upon you.”

Lazarus looked at the steak, then to the waitresses surrounding the table. They were stiff and looking quite nervous for some reason. Better to get this done sooner rather than later, and seeing as it was already offered to him. Lazarus casually placed the sunny-side up egg he ordered on top of the steak and speared it with his fork, allowing the yellow ooze to drip on top of it.

Lazarus looked at the other two, just in case. The bigger guy was silently eating his meal but the girl had put a hand on her mouth, clearly in shock.

-’Don’t tell me this is something offensive in Valerian?’- He thought to himself and was thinking on how to explain himself. After all, he was going to be imprisoned for plucking a flower, who knew what letting the egg yolk drip on the steak could mean.

Having realized that he was looking at her, the girl hurriedly composed herself and cleared her throat,

“M-my apologies… I-it’s just that you reminded me of someone very precious to me.”

Lazarus said nothing.

“I mean, the way you did that.” The girl pointed to the steak now covered in egg yolk.

“I see.” So it wasn’t because he did anything offensive. That was relieving to hear. Still, Lazarus quietly ate his meal but did note the fact that the girl kept on stealing glances at him. It was quite obvious from how her hood would shift.

-’This is bad’- Lazarus thought as he chewed on the last piece of the steak. It did taste alright, but there wasn’t much seasoning on it. Or maybe it was harder to taste anything since he had to focus and keep his hood lowered enough so that the two couldn’t make out his face properly? Either way, it was time to go.

As he was about to stand-up, the girl raised her hand halfway through the air, hesitating.

“Uhm… perhaps this may be rude of me to ask without providing my name, but may I know who you are..?”

Lazarus felt knots twist in his stomach. As he was thinking about what to say, the other hooded individual turned to look at him, wondering why his response wasn’t prompt.

-’Well shit…’-

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reisha’s heart was throbbing violently. For some reason, the way the stranger speared the egg yolk and let it drip down from the steak was something only she knew her beloved big brother liked to do.

Maybe she was being a bother. She had no right to ask for his name even if he was someone of lower status. In all honesty, Reisha didn’t really believe in the status difference between people and the like. There was so much more to people than just their statuses, just like her beloved big brother who was treated as a nobody. He was stronger, smarter and kinder than anyone else. Reisha also hated throwing her status around and tried to do things by herself if she could, but she recalled doing that would sometimes get her servants into trouble and so she just let them do their work.

Now, more than ever, Reisha wanted to use her status. To know the identity of the stranger. While in likelihood it might’ve just been someone who may have the same eating habits as her dear older brother Lazarus, in the off chance that it may have been him, then it was worth it.

“I’m nobody.” The hooded man managed to squeeze out and stood-up.

Why was he urgently trying to get away? This only made Reisha more suspicious and she hurriedly stood up and grabbed the hem of the man’s sleeve.

“Wait, I truly apologize for the inconvenience that I’m putting you through, but please, may I see your face?”

The man’s mouth opened slightly beneath his hood and Reisha could tell he was completely shocked. Why would he feel the need to hide his identity? Perhaps he was a criminal? Or-..

“Just because you bought me dinner doesn’t mean I have to do things for you.” The man responded in irritation. Falon then stood-up abruptly, causing the chair to fall down and everyone to turn and look. Reisha felt her heart sink. She was causing so much inconvenience to everyone around them and souring the atmosphere. She was already regretting doing this already. But-..for some reason, she couldn’t let go.

“That is no way to speak to someone of status.” Falon said in an even but sharp tone. “And Princess, why are you doing this?”

“It’s just that-...” Reisha could feel her heart pounding loudly. Never had she felt so many emotions cycling through her. It was overwhelming. But more than that, “I want to know who you are. So please,” She pleaded. Reisha half contemplated lowering her hood and ordering the man to do so, but at the same time she also feared inconveniencing the mysterious man more than she already did.

Reisha closed her eyes for a moment. Then the thought of black haired and blue eyed child from her memory popped-up. She could feel her heart beating rapidly and a yearning overflowing from her chest.

On the off chance, her hunch was right. That.. that this person might’ve been her beloved big brother Lazarus then…

Reisha unconsciously tightened her grip.

The man sighed. “The name’s Bond. James Bond.”

“O-oh..Uhmm…Well–” Reisha released her grip and wanted to talk more but– She turned her attention towards Falon who walked closer and whispered,

“We need to go. People are gathering outside already. And–” Falon subtly pointed towards the scared waitresses. Reisha’s eyes widened. He was right. She needed to reign in her selfishness and so she lowered her head to the staff,

“I-I apologize for my rudeness.”

“N-no! Uhmm it wasn’t your fault.. Uhmm..” The troubled Tifanny kept on waving her hand.

“Hey, where’s that guy going?”

“Ohh he’s making a run for it while they’re distracted.”

Reisha, hearing the words of the onlookers, felt her heart nearly stop and she hurriedly looked back. The man wasn’t there. Then she looked to the door, and he was already halfway through and had noticed her look.

“Wait!” Reisha shouted and kicked the ground, leaping into the air. The man jolted. Somewhat shocked she’d give chase, and he practically burst through the door trying to get away. Reisha hurriedly followed after and he saw the man’s silhouette mixing between the crowd who was now staring at her. “Please wait!” she yelled desperately, her heart sinking.

The mysterious man suddenly ‘stumbled’ and Reisha jumped to his location and the crowd quickly dispersed, stumbling and running trying to avoid getting landed on.

Reisha’s eyes widened.

“H-he’s gone..?” She looked around the crowd and there was no hooded man anymore. It’s like he suddenly vanished after he tripped. “But how?”

The crowd was already murmuring and Reisha was reminded that she was indeed causing a scene.

Falon soon arrived outside and asked, “Please refrain from chasing someone, I cannot follow you as I can’t cast enhancement spells instantaneously like you can. In any case, where is he..?” He looked around.

“He’s gone…he just–vanished.” Reisha sighed. Thinking about it clearly, he might’ve been a criminal trying to escape which is why he was so aversive. But maybe…

“We need to leave.” Falon said, snapping Reisha from her thoughts. And looking at the murmuring crowds, it was the right call to make and so Reisha nodded. They had already paid beforehand so she could only apologize silently to the staff and the people whom she disturbed and walked away, still thinking about that mysterious man.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“That was close…too close.” Lazarus huffed, hiding behind the tavern still cloaked. He was lucky the two were distracted by the waitresses and the people that gave him the chance to slip by them but still, he thought his heart was about to jump from his chest from the sheer fright when she suddenly leaped into the air. Who does that in a tavern?

That girl was an absolute lunatic. Why the hell did she get so riled-up just from the way he ate? Lazarus had no clue, but it was a good thing he managed to duck beneath the crowd and cloak. The guy in-front of him was spooked but Lazarus timed it right the moment he blinked and winked out of existence. That man probably was so confused why Lazarus was there one moment and the next, gone.

Still, the nobles already ran away and left so he was safe for the time being. Maybe hide in an apartment, fill-up the cloak energy and go over the books while he waits. That sounded like a plan.

To make sure he wouldn’t have any chance encounter with any nobles, Lazarus tried to look for the most run-down inn he could and found it at the corner of the city.

It was managed by a man with a rugged look, wearing a shirt with a couple of holes in them and the counter table seemed to be almost ready to fall off at a moment's notice. After asking for the price and paying a couple of bronze coins to the man, he was directed to the room by the corner that only had a bed that took up almost half of the room.

“No wonder it’s so cheap…” Lazarus muttered. He tried sitting on the bed and it creaked quite ominously and so he stood back up. “Well, it’s not like I need to sleep that much anyway.”

He sighed. This was all that damned princess’ fault.