Felicia's Second Life Chapter 6 Part 2

A Romantic Vacation In Lytis (Part 2)

"Lili, may I ask you a question?"


"Of course, Felicia. What is it?"


"Have you ever thought of living a different life?"


Lili paused and put her roasted squid on the rock beside us. "What do you mean by that, Felicia?"


"Like, maybe living a life of a free woman? A life where you don’t have to attend to me?"


Silence. She made neither a move nor a sound as I waited for her answer. When she finally spoke, I could tell she was holding her tears.


"Is this why you've been so nice to me, my lady? Are you throwing me away?"


"What? No!" I turned around to confront the sobbing Lili, "By the ancestors, that's not what I meant. You're thinking too far, Lili."


I wrapped my arms around her body. Pulling her close, I whispered in her ears, "I'm not throwing you away, Lili. We've been best friends for our entire lives, aren't we?"


"But..."


"We were even born on the same day, Lili. We're closer to sisters than even blood-related sisters. How can I possibly throw you away? Wouldn't it be like throwing away my own family?"


She stopped crying and her arms also snuck their way around me. She pulled me closer and I relented, hugging her tightly as our breaths mixed together. Suddenly I realized that she would probably take this the wrong way, that I was probably giving her the wrong signal. I tried to disengage from her, but she held me tighter.


"Please, my lady. Would you allow me this just this once?" she pleaded with her face resting against my chest.


I nodded and wrapped my arms around her again. It wasn't really a hard decision. She was simply so soft and she felt so good in my arms.


I couldn't tell how long we were like that, but we eventually disentangled ourselves when it looked like it would rain. The River Country wasn't known for long downpours, being that it had such strong winds that rain clouds move from one spot to the other pretty quickly. Regardless, we should probably go back to the inn.


It started raining as we got near the inn and we hastened to reach the inn before the downpour started. By accident, I bumped against something large and almost fell on my butt if not for Lili suddenly coming up from behind and held me up. I looked in front of me and it was a large man, wearing black leather and holding a knife in his left hand.


"How dare you raise a knife against Lady Felicia. Do you want to die, rogue?" Lili threatened as she slipped a hand under her sleeve for a hidden throwing knife she kept tied around her lower arm.


"Rogue? Wait, hold on. I just had a frayed hem and was in the process of cutting it when this pretty lady bumped into me. Thankfully she didn't bump against the knife, or else we'd have a completely different problem," the man said.


He was right, it could've been worse. "I'm sorry, I was in a hurry because of the rain. Please excuse me," I said as I ran ahead into the inn with Lili in tow. Strange though, that man looked familiar to me.


We arrived just as it started to rain outside.


"What luck, eh?" I said.


"Absolutely, Felicia. If we were a minute later, we'd have been drenched."


"All that running's making me hungry, though. Let's have an early dinner."


"I wonder what they have for tonight."


"Guess we'll find out," I said as I called a waitress to get our orders. We ended up having a very satisfying meal of beef and vegetables.


It was then time to pay and something unexpected happened.


"Eh? Where's my coin pouch?" I said as I touched the part of my belt where my coin pouch used to hang.


"Could it have fallen somewhere?" Lili asked as she looked at the floor and took a few steps towards the door.


Suddenly the waitress, a woman in her 30s (probably) said with an unhappy face, "I see, eating and running, is it? Haven't had that happen since last week."


"Wait, hold on a minute! I really had money, look, it looks like the attaching leather is cut somehow."


"Cut?" Lili came back and examined the place where my coins pouch used to hang.


"If you're beggars, you shouldn't order food here. There's a soup kitchen on Knave's Path, it's free to eat there," the waitress said condescendingly, but neither Lili nor I took notice.


"The man with a knife!" we came to a conclusion at the same time.


"Let's go find that bastard!" I said as we moved to go out.


That was before the waitress grabbed both of us in a choke hold. "Do you think you're the first beggar kids to eat and run? Not even a 'sorry', you're really begging me to send you to the watchmen, aren't you?"


"Wait, you got it all wrong! We're not beggars, just look at my dress. Does this look like a beggar's dress to you?"


"Dresses can be stolen."


"No, we really got robbed. Please believe us!"


"I won't be fooled like that again. If I let you both go, you'll just run away."


"Then let my friend go, she'll look for the thief. I'll stay here as hostage, how about it?"


"No, my lady!"


"Hostage eh? Very well," she loosened her hold on Lili. "You can go, but you," she tightened her hold on my neck, "Are staying here as hostage."


"That's fine. Lili, can you find him?"


"I-I still remember what he looks like. Tracking is not my strong point, but if it's less than an hour, I think I can find him."


"Then go take your cloak, I don't want you to fall sick."


"Yes, my lady!" Lili said as she ran up the flight of stairs two steps at a time, took the cloak and jumped down from the second floor. She was out of the door before I could even say anything else.


"Umm, can't we work this out somehow? In case my friend can't find the thief?" I said as I sat in a corner of the kitchen.


"Sure, we'll just hand you over to the watchmen. Do you want to know what they'd do to a pretty little thing like you?" the waitress from before said. She was sitting on a barrel, probably filled with some kind of ale. The hem of her uniform, a barmaid costume, rode up halfway on her thighs as she rested one foot on a box filled with bottles of some kind of spirit.


"Now now, big sis, she's probably telling the truth. She's too clean to be a beggar," the other woman, presumably the younger sister came forward and pinched my cheeks. She was wearing the same black barmaid costume as the older one.


"You're too trusting, Nira. Remember how mom and dad died? If not for my husband, we'd have ended up on the streets that time."


"But I don't think she's lying. She has an honest face."


"Face doesn't mean shit when a person is lying. That's what they call 'poker face', you know?"


"Umm, the bill amounts to 3 silver, right? I paid for 3 days' lodging for one of the rooms upstairs. Can't you deduct it from my room fee?"


"This and that are under different management," the older sister said.


"Eh? Then surely there's something else, maybe I can wash the dishes or something?"


"I thought your cover story is a noblewoman. Are you telling me that wherever you're from, noblewomen wash dishes like a common house maid?"


Good point. Although I've done my fair share of washing dishes, crops and some work that noblewomen would consider 'dirty', 'washing dishes' isn't what a noblewoman would have been caught dead doing. Even for a small and poor noble family such as mine, mother and I never washed the dishes ourselves before I started having my own farm and working in my own workshop.


"Well... I've done it before."


"No, if you're really a noblewoman, I won't risk you breaking the plates," the older sister refused.


Suddenly the little sister who was having fun pinching my cheeks and playing with my long brown hair said, "You're really pretty. Have you ever thought of becoming a waitress?"


"Nira! I won't have her breaking the plates!"


"Just talking orders and delivering drinks will be fine, don't you think? Not much chance for her to screw up, and we get a fresh employee for free. Besides, it's going to become busy in just an hour, right?"


The older sister looked thoughtful, before she said, "You're going to be a trainee waitress for a period of one week. You won't be paid a single copper for this period unless it's a tip from the customers. In exchange, you get to eat whatever we eat and three mugs of cider a day. Your duties will include taking orders, delivering drinks, sweeping and cleaning the restaurant as well as wiping tables. If you mess up, we have the right to kick you out immediately and hand you over to the watchmen. Do you agree?"


"A week? But I only paid for 3 days' worth of accomodation."


"You can sleep in the attic."


"Is it haunted?"


"What?"


"My friend is afraid of ghosts."


The younger sister giggled. "There is no ghost, but there are a lot of cobwebs, some spiders and dust. Nothing a little cleaning won't fix."


The older sister continued. "The same goes for your friend. If she wants to stay here and eat the same meals, she will have to work. Same deal."


I thought about the offer. I didn't actually come here to get a job. I came here to play. Losing my money and getting into debt wasn't part of the plan. Sure, I still have money left in my cabin, but if I went back for it, chances are, I won't even be able to get off the ship again.


"I accept," I said, because I thought wearing their uniforms and and waitressing would be kind of hot.


Let me explain a little. As Malcolm, I was not only a re-enactor, but also a cosplayer. I've cosplayed as Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon, Alucard from Hellsing and even crossplayed as Chii from Chobits. The thought of wearing a barmaid costume, which I had never worn before, made me kind of excited.


"Then I leave her training to you, Nira. Get her ready in half an hour," the older sister decided as she got up and left to the restaurant floor area.


"Huhuhu, we're going to have so much fun," the little sister said.


"I look forward to it," I said with a curtsey.


I probably shouldn't have been looking forward to it so much. And so, I got my first job in my second life. I regretted it almost immediately after.


Starting my job during its peak hour was probably not the best time to learn the job. I made a lot of mistakes such as taking the wrong orders, delivering drinks to the wrong tables, scolding people when they touched my butt and slapping customers when they called me 'wench'. If not for my cute face and Nira's intervention, it would've probably become a big issue.


Thankfully, as the night became late, the number of customers lessened and I was able to learn the job at a more manageable pace. My boss Nira was very kind and gentle. She explained and taught me many things about my job, even the shortcuts to make the job easier. Unfortunately, she was kind of like a perverted old man. Her groping was even worse than the customers and she seemed particularly attached to stroking my long hair and hugging my smaller body while rubbing her face on my cheeks. She scared me in different ways from her older sister, also my boss.


It was during one of these skinship rituals that Lili returned. "What are you doing to Lady Felicia, you hag?!"


"Hag? Now that's rude, I'm not even 30 yet," Nira sighed as she nuzzled her nose on my cheek with her arms tightly holding me against her large breasts.


"You-How dare you! Not even I get to do that. Let her go at once!" she said as she took out the hidden knife under her sleeves.


Wait, Lili. Are you saying that it's fine for her to do it if you can do it too? And put the knives away!


"Lili, please calm down. This is Nira, one of the owners of the restaurant. She's just teaching me some things," I said as I pushed Nira away.


She looked at my uniform as if noticing it for the first time. "What's with the dress, my lady?"


"Well, uhh, starting today, I work here."


"Ehhh? Why? There's no need for you to work in this dirty, rundown restaurant, my lady!"


"Well, sorry that the restaurant is dirty and run down," Nira said with a tight smile.


"Is it because of the money? I couldn't find the thief, but I'll go back to the ship and borrow money right away, my lady!"


"Hold that thought!" I said as I grabbed Lili's wrist. "This must not reach their ears, understand?"


"But my lady, you're a highborn. Just from selling the ship you can buy ten of these rundown restaurants!"


"I have decided, Lili."


"But-but... I can't let you serve those brutes like a common barwench."


"Sorry for being a 'common barwench'," Nira mumbled again.


"Lili, quit it. I will get angry."


"Umm, then I will also become a barwench. I'll do everything that you have to do, my lady!"


"Great! Welcome. Ahh, it's nice to have young girls," Nira said as she hugged the much smaller girl tightly.


Lili had to restrain herself from stabbing the much older woman.


******


"Two of today's special and two mugs of Foxfire Ale for table 12," I said to the older sister, whose name was Nara.


"Understood, take these to table 6," she pushed forward three mugs of bluish drink. "And take these to table 2," she pushed forward two mugs of beer.


"Table 6 and table 2, got it!" I said as I carried those in my hands.


"Lili, take these to table 3," she said to Lili who was waiting behind me.


"Yes!" Lili was surprisingly eager. Perhaps after being trained for two days, she had become less jumpy and less sensitive about the patrons' vulgar teasing.


"Alright, here you go, three mugs of Blue Peach Brandy. Your meals will arrive shortly. Is there anything else you want?"


"How about a kiss, Felicia?"


"A kiss? Oh gee, I don't think my boss will like me doing that very much."


"Let's keep it our little secret," the man grinned.


"Not very secret when she's watching... and apparently glaring. Sorry, Mr. Kute, I have to deliver these mugs to table 2."


"Here you go, Mr. Malor and Mr. Soom. Your meal will arrive shortly, is there anything more you want?"


"I want you to put your cute butt on my lap, baby," Mr. Soom patted his lap.


"I'm sorry, Mr. Soom, but my butt is pretty expensive," I said with a smile and a wink.


"Then how about calling me 'daddy', Felicia?" Mr. Malor said.


"Are you sure that's fine, Mr. Malor, won't your real daughter be angry?"


"Aw no. My daughter is a sewer-mouthed spinster. Seriously, I have no idea where we went wrong raising her."


"Then... daddy, is it? Is there anything else you need, daddy?"


"Ooohhhh! This is what it should've been. Damn it! Where has my youth disappeared to?" he said as he placed a single silver into my left hand.


"Felicia, call me 'daddy' too!" Mr. Soom begged, also discreetly putting a silver into my right hand.


"Okay, daddy."


Mr. Soom cried tears of happiness, before he placed another silver coin into my right hand. "Now why don't you sit on daddy's lap?"


"I'm sorry, daddy, this and that are two different things," I said in refusal.


He added another silver coin.


"I guess I can sometimes, but I shouldn't really do it."


Another silver coin.


"Oh well, I'll take pity on you today, daddy. But I'll have to get up when my boss tells me to work, okay?" I said as I plopped down onto Mr. Soom's lap.


"Hey, not fair, baby girl, sit on daddy's lap next."


"No! She's sitting on my lap! Get your own daughter to sit on yours!" then Mr. Soom called to my boss, "Hey Nara, I'm treating Felicia to a meal, okay?"


My boss looked at me sitting on Mr. Soom's lap and gave a dismissive wave. She was probably a bit more lenient since we didn't have many customers right then. There were a few tables still waiting for their meals, but Lili could take care of it if it was only that many.


Meanwhile, Mr. Malor mumbled something like, "If I ask my daughter to sit on my lap, my legs will break."


"What would you like to eat, Felicia?" Mr. Soom asked. His short beard brushed against the top of my head as he spoke.


"Anything is fine," I said noncommittally.


"Then only the best for my little girl. How does roasted lamb set and a mug of brandy sound?"


"A meal fit for a king, daddy!" I agreed to his delight as I got up to deliver the order.


Then I went back to the table and sat myself back on Mr. Soom's lap. I took a bite of my roasted lamb as I listened to Mr. Malor and Mr. Soom exchange rumours. Did I forget to mention that Mr. Soom and Mr. Malor were both two of Lytis's top merchants?


From their conversation, I learned that the ruler of the city is known as Prince Hans The Lecherous. Although a capable ruler, his achievements are overshadowed by his love for women and there have been many cases where he took two or three courtesans into his bedroom at a single time. The prince is also known as being fair towards merchants, but absolutely horrible towards people who offend him. Mr. Soom calls the prince 'petty brat'.


From time to time, I would feed 'Daddy Soom' some cuts of the lamb which made him so happy. At the same time, 'Daddy Malor' cried tears of blood every time I did that. I felt almost sad for him.


Apart from rumours about the prince, they also talked about the city's state of affairs. Apparently, there were more and more mercenaries these days. Due to that, the mercenaries are currently engaged in a price war and nowadays the services of a good mercenary company consisting of a hundred properly-armed spearmen can go as low as 30 gold. They also talked about the price of certain goods and even forecasted what these prices would be like by next week.


I finished my meal just as more customers arrived . So I got up from Mr. Soom's lap and begged my leave. I didn't want to get scolded again by Ms. Nara for ignoring the other customers. For dinner, it was 'Daddy Malor's' turn to have me sit on his lap. I felt pity for them, all these jilted daddies are just really starving for their daughters' love.


"It seems you're swimming in silver today, Felicia," Nira said after the restaurant closed.


"You saw?" I asked as I took off the apron and hung it on a nail on the wall.


"How could I not? Every time I looked at you, there was always someone dropping a copper or silver into your hands or your apron's pocket."


"Am I not allowed to?"


"No, it’s not a problem as long as you don't neglect the other customers. I was the one who taught you to milk the customers for as many tips you can after all," she said with a wink.


"Uuuu, you horrible hag. My lady Felicia is soiled..." Lili remarked with tears in her eyes.


"I'm starting to get used to being called a hag."


"Lili, don't be rude! Besides, I'm not being soiled, I'm just roleplaying."


"What is roll-play-ing?" Nira asked.


"Think of me as an actress."


"Ahh I see... so tomorrow will be your first night staying in the attic, have you cleaned it yet?"


"We're planning on cleaning it tonight, aren’t we, Lili?"


"Unn, you should just let me do it on my own, Felicia."


"Nonsense! We'll both be sleeping there together for the next 4 days. How can I just let you do all the work?"


The moment I mentioned 'sleeping together', Lili made a small smile. Her mind wandered elsewhere pursuing a fantasy. I knew exactly what that fantasy was.


No, Lili, we will only be sleeping. Stop imagining things!

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