My Servant Is An Elf Knight From Another World

Irene and I talked for a little while longer before she had to get back to work again. Or at least, I tried to anyway. Every string of conversation I initiated, she'd more or less quickly cut short with a curt response; rinse and repeat until she packed up her things and left her seat.

All the signs pointed to me souring her mood, but Irene, apparently a clairvoyant to my private thoughts, quickly clarified that she was just fine and nothing was wrong.

I've heard tales and rumors of this exact moment; when a woman tells you that nothing is wrong and everything's all fine and dandy. Now, if the legends are to be believed, then I'm in some serious shit.

Then again, maybe I could be reading too much into it. For the sake of my mental state, I'm just gonna go along with the latter.

"Pick me up after work," Irene said, standing beneath the exit with what seemed to be a genuine smile. "Don't be late."

I would have left right after her, but my drink was barely even halfway finished, and I'd rather not leave Nick with the assumption that I think his coffee was a human rights violation. I'd never hear the end of it.

So alas, I stuck with it, feeling the slow agonizing death of my palate with each sip I took.

"You can take this now," I said upon finishing. I got up fighting the collapse of my entire digestive system as I staggered toward the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Nick."

"I better," Nick said, scooping my cup and shoving it haphazardly into a crowded sink. "Hey," he called out before I could leave, and from across the room, I saw his eyes formed a look kinder than his usual scowl. "Happy Birthday."

"Thanks."

I spent the ride back home looking forward to the expression on Ash's face the moment she sees me wheeling into the driveway. When I did finally reach home, she did not disappoint one bit—swinging open the door, clambering down the porch, trying and failing to restrain herself from ogling at all the new shiny parts.

And all before I even have the chance to get off the bike.

"I take it that you like the new look?" I said, swinging my leg over and landing the opposite way I usually do to avoid kicking her in the head with how close she was to the engine.

"An understatement, Master," she said, the glossy sheen of the exhaust pipe magnifying her smile. "All these alterations, refurbishments, and yet… unless I am mistaken… none seemed indicative of the kind of service you intended for."

"No, not at all. But you're not complaining, right?"

"What would I dare even raise in opposition, Master?" Ash said at first, before seemingly thinking about it a little more. "Unless you've happened to overlook the financial aspect of such liberties? In which case…"

"Relax, I pawned a kidney to cover the cost. No worries."

"You—what?"

"Kidding," I smirked. "No, I was actually coerced into not paying the guy. Free of charge, he told me—insisted. Who was I to argue?"

"Quite an unorthodox practice, if anything," she remarked. "Providing such exorbitant services all the while seeking nothing in return. Is that sustainable?"

"Not in this economy," I said. "But when your Dad's apparently best pals with the owner of the place, I guess that grants you some special perks."

"Special indeed," Ash continued to gush over the bike, her voice washing away with the pulling tide of awe and wonder to engage in any more talk.

I decided to give the two of them some privacy for a bit and head inside. I spotted Sammy at the dining table, her hair looking like a frazzled bush that had just barely survived a forest fire while sleepily swirling a bowl of cereal.

"Wait, you were gone?" She asked, having just noticed my existence I presume. "Where'd you go?"

"Get my bike back. It's fixed."

"This early?" She said, squinting at the time on her phone. "Did you even sleep last night?"

"It's called having discipline, Sammy," I said, ruffling her head as I passed her by on my way to the stairs. "Should try it sometime, it's good for you."

I didn't hear her reply on account of walking out of earshot, but I'm sure whatever she had to say was nothing but polite, humble, and just generally grateful for having such a wise and caring big brother like me.

Upon opening my door, I found myself walking into an empty bedroom with no nesting vampire in sight; just a bed with its sheets and pillows that Ash had already made and tidied to perfection.

Gone yesterday, and vanished today too. I can sort of gloss over a single day's disappearance, but two? in a row? Barely a cloud in the sky today, sun's shining real bright. Just what's so important that she would choose it over a nice, long sleep wrapped in the embrace of the finest wool and cotton?

As much as I was keen to know, I wasn't going to find out anything until she returned… and who knows when the hell that may be? Besides, I was more inclined to share the good news with everyone I knew than to get hung up on why vampires are so mysterious and enigmatic.

I sat down on the edge of my bed, shooting Amanda a text about my bike, and in a moment I would consider unprecedented and completely earth-shattering: a whole six minutes went and gone before I got a reply back from her.

<<Great!>> she said, followed by two party popper emoji and one heart. <<Real happy for you>>

Any other time, I'd be scrolling through an entire screen's worth of blurbs that she had sent in 30 seconds or less. She'd be requesting pics, getting on call, or just generally asking a bunch of questions.

I shot her another text.

<<Still busy?>>

She responded, still a little later than what I would consider normal.

<<You bet.>>

<<Y?>>

<<Miss me?>>

I felt her message pull on my lips as my fingers fiddled around for a reply.

<<Maybe>> I typed. <<Maybe I could also drop by your place. You see, I can do that now. Then I can finally see what you're up to.>>

This time, Amanda was near-instant.

<<Dont do that>> she said, tacking an angry face emoji at the end of it. "try it and security will be waitin gfor u. Not kidding.>>

<<Seriously?>> I asked.

<<Youre trying to spoil your surprise>> she sent another angry face. <<It is serious.>>

It's starting to feel like I've got five different sets of blindfolds on at this point. But hey, as the birthday boy, I suppose it's kind of my job to be surprised, so I can't really complain now, can I?

<<Be patient>> Amanda texted again.

<<A few more days>>

<<I promise it'd all be worth it : )>>

<I hope.>>

<<Bye love youuuu! <3 >>

After that stonewalling from Amanda, I decided I might as well let Dad know that Irene had miraculously agreed to his request to meet. I gave him the location, and a rough time frame when, and in usual fatherly fashion, acknowledged it all with a simple thumbs up.

Now there was nothing left to do but wait. Pass the time however way I wanted to. Truth be told, I originally intended to spend this free time taking orders and serving beverages but Hayley just had to be the best boss anybody could ask for so now here I was—wallowing in nothingness in my bedroom.

Maybe I could take Ash for a quick spin. I bet she'd love that. Yeah, that's a good idea.

I left the room, pulled the door closed, and I had only gone down a single step on the stairway when I noticed the door in the hallway between Ash's room and mine hanging ever so slightly ajar.

Nothing too remarkable, but when you got a reclusive housemate like Sera living under the same roof as you, then it becomes something a little more than that.

I craned my neck for a closer look at the narrow gap of darkness through the doorway. I wasn't sure what exactly I was looking at, but after some time, I could have sworn I saw something scuffling somewhere deeper inside.

Then like a bat out of hell, or in this case, a cat—Mr. Black scurried out of the opening, prancing low and fast. Seeing me, he slowed himself, meowing a squeaky hello and pressing his head around my shins, tail swishing in contentment.

That's when I noticed a splotch of color fastened around him. His collar was gone and instead, a familiar shade of violet had taken its place—a small scarf, bound in a knot, and hanging around his neck flapping freely. Little strips of gold were sprinkled along the fabric. Lines here. Curves there. From where I was standing, my cat was just a pedestal and crown away from looking like royalty.

Except I didn't get him the scarf, and Ash would have definitely told me had she decided to splurge on something like this—and even then, I don't think she could have easily found anything like this.

Which just leaves…

I titled my eyes back to the gap in the door again. For a split second, I spotted it; an illustrious pair of golden eyes gazing back at me from the shadows, before, with a rush of wind and sound, the door slammed shut, taking with it a flutter of violet… the dead silence right after conveying her message as clear as could be.

'Happy Birthday'.

Well, what do you know? And here I was thinking she just couldn't be bothered to get me something. Not that she has to, of course.

Still… it's nice that she did.

Thanks, Sera.