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After crossing the threshold of the tavern, Kimoko was greeted by loud laughter, thumping music, and the intense smell of alcohol mixed with the scent of damp wood. The smell was so strong that the girl felt nauseous.
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“How is anyone here supposed to help us?”
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She heard heavy footsteps behind her. She guessed it was her companion, so she turned to him.
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“What’s next?” she whispered quietly enough for only she and Kigami to hear.
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“I suggest to approach the barmaid. I have a feeling that we have the best chance of success with her.”
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Kimoko sighed and moved forward, barely squeezing between the tables and drunk customers. Suddenly, she felt Kigami place his hands on her shoulders and gently pull her closer to him. His gaze nervously swept the interior of the tavern, as if he was expecting a sudden attack. It was only when they reached the bar that he visibly relaxed.
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They both took their seats at the counter. Kimoko looked at the barmaid with mixed feelings, mostly disgust. She watched silently as the woman spat into the glasses, then wiped them with a piece of torn, stinking cloth. She was so absorbed in her “work” that she didn’t even notice the new guests. It wasn’t until Kigami whistled that she looked up.
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Kimoko was finally able to take a closer look at her. The barmaid had intensely purple eyes that were barely visible from under her long, pearly white hair. On her slightly rosy cheeks were painted whiskers, and on her head, a pair of fox ears. Behind her, five fluffy tails waved, moving to the rhythm of the music.
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The woman didn’t seem pleased with their presence. She sighed deeply, threw the cloth she had previously “cleaned” the glasses with on the counter, and approached them.
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“What can I get you?” There was a note of irritation in her voice. Kimoko and Kigami exchanged glances, and the barmaid only grew more irritated.
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“Are you here to order something or to waste my time?”
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“There’s no reason to be angry, really,” Kigami said in his usual, gentle tone.
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“We’d like to learn something about this country… and your god.”
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A hint of interest appeared on the woman’s face, though she continued to watch them suspiciously. She slowly reached for her pack of cigarettes, pulled one out, and lit it. They stared at each other in silence until the woman finally blew the smoke directly at them.
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They both immediately started coughing, and tears welled up in their eyes.
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“Tourists, huh? No wonder you didn’t even know what to order… But don’t worry. Kumiho will serve you her specialty.”
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She turned her back on them and began to prepare drinks for them. A moment later, the woman turned to them back and slammed two glasses filled with a dark purple liquid onto the counter. With one swift movement of her tail, she moved the drinks towards them.
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Kimoko looked at her glass suspiciously, while watching Kigami out of the corner of her eye. The demon lifted the glass to his lips and took a sip. Then he slowly put it back on the counter, still maintaining eye contact with Kumiho.
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Kimoko silently put her glass to her lips. The drink was sweet. It tasted like berries to her. However, as soon as she swallowed the first sip, she felt her throat begin to burn. Tears filled her eyes and a shiver ran through her body. Coughing violently, she could barely catch her breath. Through her blurry eyes, she saw both Kigami and the barmaid looking at her with slight concern.
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“Kimoko, are you okay?” the demon asked, frowning.
The girl nodded quickly and moved her glass towards Kigami.
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“Don’t worry, everything’s fine…” she forced a smile, although in reality she felt as if her insides were on fire.
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Kumiho laughed under her breath, then reached for the glass of water and handed it to the girl.
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“Next time you can just say that you prefer a drink without alcohol,” she said, amused.
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Kimoko didn’t comment, she just took a deep breath, glad that the fiery pain in her esophagus was slowly subsiding.
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“So… what do you want to learn about this beautiful country and our god?”
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“Is this place Nokta?” Kigami asked, crossing his legs and looking at the woman carefully. “And as for your god… we want to learn as much as we can. What is his character, how does he behave, what are his relations with his subjects?”
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The barmaid closed her eyes and was silent for a moment.
“This is not Nokta itself, only its port. You still have about ten kilometers to the heart of the country. Just be warned, the road to Nokta leads through a dark, gloomy forest.”
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Kimoko felt a slight disappointment, although she had already considered that the place they would sail to might not be where the god of the night was. She sighed quietly, then looked around the tavern.
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From the moment she crossed its threshold, she had a strange feeling that someone was watching her. She didn’t tell Kigami about it - she didn’t want him to worry unnecessarily. She was probably just tired and exaggerating the matter.
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She turned her gaze back to the demon and the barmaid. Their lips were moving, but suddenly she stopped hearing their words. Something caught her attention.
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Her gaze fell on the dark corridor leading to the toilets.
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A woman was standing there.
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Her eyes expressed only pain and sadness, and her silver hair fell lifelessly over her shoulders. Dark, tear-shine eyes looked directly at Kimoko. She had wolf ears and a long tail.
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For a moment, their gazes met.
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The stranger raised her hand and made a gesture, she wanted Kimoko to come to her.
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“Kimoko, hey...”
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The girl almost fell off the chair when she felt a sudden touch of a hand on her shoulder. She jumped up slightly and looked at Kigami. Thanks to him, she managed to move, as if he had torn her from a strange lethargy. She opened her mouth to say something, but immediately looked back at the corridor.
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The woman was no longer there.
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She felt the demon gently place a hand on her cheek and turn her face towards him. Their gazes met, his eyes were full of worry.
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“Are you okay kitty? You look like your mind is somewhere else entirely.”
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Kimoko smiled slightly and placed her hand on his, which was still resting on her cheek.
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“You don’t have to worry…” she said quietly. “What did you manage to arrange with the barmaid?”
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Her voice was unconvincing. She knew that. And she also knew that Kigami didn’t believe her assurances, although to her relief he didn’t press for further explanation. However, he looked at her carefully, as if trying to decipher her thoughts.
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“The barmaid said that if we want to find out something specific, it would be better to ask the girl sitting there, in the corner. Supposedly she is somehow connected to the Lord of the Night.”
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Kimoko moved her gaze towards the darkest corner of the tavern, where the candlelight barely reached.
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A young woman was sitting there.
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She had long, black hair, in which silver strands were braided into braids. Her ears were long and pointed, and one of them was decorated with a silver hoop. She also had a long tail with navy blue feathers at the end.
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Kimoko guessed she was one of the Noctis race, although her complexion was darker than Kigami’s description suggested.
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She was sitting alone, holding a glass of fruit cocktail in her hand, which she slowly stirred, staring at its content.
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Kimoko and Kigami moved towards her.
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The girl’s ears twitched slightly, and she sighed quietly.
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“What do you want?” Her voice was monotonous, and the cold tone sent shivers down Kimoko’s spine. Her intense blue eyes seemed to pierce through her.
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“We were told you could help us.” Kimoko said, trying to sound confident.
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The girl narrowed her eyes.
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Without a word, she lifted the glass to her lips and drained it in one gulp. Then she slammed the glass down on the table.
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“Let me guess… The barmaid, huh?” Her voice was devoid of any emotion.
“You want to know something about our god? Right?”
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Kimoko nodded cautiously.
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A light, almost predatory smile appeared on the girl’s lips.
“In that case, sit down. My name is Sheyra… and I will be happy to answer your questions.”
ns216.73.217.110da2
and then Add to home screen.