Work Text:
Anderson walked off the ship's gangway, stretching his arms over his head. He'd recently been invited on a trip to the Sea of Ruins by a pair of experienced treasure hunters, and had agreed after a thorough round of convincing. All he had to do was give them a month to recruit the necessary members, and a month of preparation after that.
All in all, with Anderson's next adventure set in stone, he was fairly free at the moment.
As he was debating whether to return to his inn or head to a bar, one of his contacts approached him.
"Hey, Anderson!" The fellow adventurer came up to Anderson's side, slinging an arm around his shoulder.
Anderson elbowed him in greeting. "What brings you here, Johnson? Don't tell me you've run out of stamina already?"
"You really make me want to punch you sometimes," Johnson grumbled. "But no, I was just wondering if you wanted to go out for a drink."
Anderson raised a brow. "You never invite me unless someone's treating. What happened?"
“Ha, you caught me." Johnson raised his hands in mock surrender. His expression brightened. “There's this stunning lady hanging out in Swordfish Bar right now - we're in the middle of a challenge to see who can swoon her! Wanna join?"
Though Johnson didn't say it explicitly, his intentions were clear as day: Anderson's fame was widespread across the Archipelago, so he'd obviously have an advantage.
"Nah, count me out," Anderson replied. From the looks of it, that woman wasn't easily charmed, and he wasn't in the mood for a night of mincing his words. "If you're treating, though, I'll tag along."
The sight of those crass pirates and adventurers competing desperately for a woman's affection was bound to be entertaining.
Johnson harrumphed, tossing him a few pence. "Gah, fine. Maybe you can scare off some of the competition."
---
The bar was crowded when they entered, despite it being only four in the afternoon. Most of the patron's gazes were turned towards a woman sitting at the bar's counter, sipping a glass of sweet ice tea. The seat next to her was occupied by an adventurer Anderson couldn't recognize and didn't bother remembering.
Anderson skimmed his eyes over the woman's figure, habitually weighing her against the ladies he'd encountered in the past.
Her chest wasn't large, but it wasn't small either. She was fairly tall, and her proportions were average compared to the prostitutes at the Red Theatre. Though she was obviously Loenese, she dressed in the style of a native. An oversized blouse hung over her shoulders, and a dark belt cinched a baggy pair of pantaloons around her waist. It was as if she was wearing clothes meant for someone a size larger than her. Rather than dulling her features, however, the loose-fitting garments gave her a somewhat seductive air. Combined with the cold expression on her face and the elegant way with which she held herself, Anderson almost believed she was a noble lady in disguise.
Most stunning of all were her features from the neck up. Her long golden curls glowed under the cheap bar lights, accentuating the pair of exquisite silver piercings that dangled from her ears. A small mole sat atop her left cheekbone, drawing attention to her deep blue eyes. Those unfathomable eyes seemed to draw all those who looked at them into a daze.
Anderson almost found himself caught in them too, before he realized it and tore his gaze away. That woman... she's dangerously attractive...
"See what I mean?" Johnson whispered. "Nearly everyone in this bar's had a go at her, but no one's succeeded."
Anderson nodded. "I can see why."
The charm she exuded was less feminine and more refined, and she didn't appear to have any interest in utilizing her incredible allure to the fullest. Had she been doing so, Anderson would have clocked her as a Demoness without hesitation.
The indistinct adventurer next to her continued to brag about his escapades, though the woman seemed to have little interest in his tales. Ice clinked softly against the edge of the glass as she idly swirled her drink, staring straight through him and into the distance. Eventually, the adventurer ran out of things to say and simply sat there in awkward silence. The nearby patrons began to jeer at him, and he turned to leave in shame.
Anderson chuckled as he watched the scene. "Man, that's pathetic."
"That's the usual outcome," Johnson said. "Are you willing to try?"
Anderson hesitated, before shaking his head. "Sucking up to others isn't in my interest."
He'd be lying if he said he wasn't stunned by her ravishing figure, but he didn't find it worth the potential humiliation. It was the same reason he'd left the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom; serving anyone but himself wasn't in his style. Though there really is an unfathomable sense of fairytale-esque beauty...
Anderson's thoughts were interrupted when the door opened with a loud bang, sending nearby patrons jumping out of their seats.
A burly man lumbered into the bar, his eyes shining with lust. "I heard there was a challenge here?"
Anderson didn't recognize this man either. Whether he was a pirate or adventurer, one thing was certain - his figure was intimidating.
The woman looked almost comically frail next to him as he towered over her. His eyes roved over her figure, and Anderson could see a distinct bulge forming at the front of his waist that his pants failed to conceal.
"Is this seat taken?"
Why make it so obvious... Anderson was nearly certain this man was a pirate. As an adventurer, he'd be ashamed to be associated with someone this vulgar!
The woman looked up at him with clear eyes, seemingly unintimidated by his size. "No."
"Then don't mind if I do." He sat down beside her, a leery smile on his face. Without a moment of pause, he naturally reached out a hand to grab at the woman's waist in an attempt to pull her onto his lap.
Anderson was about to get up and stop him when he froze in his tracks. In the blink of an eye, the woman had leapt up, grabbed the man's arm, and flipped him into a nearby chair. A loud crash resounded throughout the bar, cutting through the chatter.
The surrounding adventurers shouted in fright and surprise as the man's body smashed into the barstool, sending splinters of wood and droplets of blood flying into the air. In mere seconds, the man was on the ground, clutching at a gruesomely twisted arm.
Patrons scattered, and the bar's bouncers began pushing their way through the crowd in an attempt to stop the burgeoning skirmish.
"Wow," Anderson said amidst the rapidly emptying pub. "I think you forgot to tell me the part about her being good in a fight."
Johnson didn't reply. He remained rooted to his seat in shock, his mouth agape.
Meanwhile, the woman had squatted down next to the man whose arm she shattered. "Apologize." Her voice, though distinctly feminine, was low and deep.
However, the man didn't say a word -- he'd already passed out from the pain.
For the first time that night, the mysterious and stunning woman smiled. She stood up, and began walking towards the door.
Tap, tap... As she approached the exit, the crowd parted for her like the sea.
The door swung behind her with a dull thud.
Silence reigned over the bar.
Since that day, she never appeared again.
---
At the Wind of Azure Inn, Gehrman Sparrow stepped through the door.
"You're back earlier than expected," Danitz quipped. He glanced around warily. "Don't tell me something went wrong with your preparations to hunt Vice Admiral Tracy?"
While Gehrman's expression didn't change, the temperature in the room seemed to drop by several degrees.
Danitz suppressed a shiver. "Did something really go-"
"No." His voice cut through the air like a knife, sharp and cold.
He turned into the master bedroom, slamming the door behind him.