After what felt like an eternity - seriously, the clock could have exploded from my sheer boredom, checking what I needed only took 10 minutes at minimum - Emilia was starting to get fidgety. Her fingers tapped restlessly on the table, her eyes darting toward the door every few seconds. I could practically see her patience crumbling like dry paper.
I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice so only she could hear. "Hey, you seem to be getting quite figity, are you nervous?"
She snapped up to me and quickly said quietly enough, "Y-yes, it's just... the insignia is very important, and sitting here doing nothing just doesn't feel right. I know Rom said Felt was coming, but... it feels wrong for me to just wait around."
"I get it. You're anxious to make sure everything goes right. But the waiting is part of the plan, too. If we don't interact with Felt, we won't get your insignia back. so we need to know where she is first... but your nerves might tip off the big guy over there." I paused for a second, thinking. "Hmm... since you feel bad about doing nothing, how about you go outside and scout for Felt? That way, you'll be doing something productive and get some fresh air. Does that sound good?"
She hesitated, her eyes flickering between the door and my face before returning to the door. "But... what if something goes wrong? I don't want to be caught off guard."
I leaned back in my chair, trying to sound reassuring. "Well, I'd say it won't. Just stay on watch outside, keep hidden, and when I give the signal - probably just me saying 'now' - you come in, full force, and get it back yourself."
She paused again, considering it, but then nodded slowly. "Alright, sounds good. I'll do it."
I gave her a reassuring smile. "Good. You've got this. Just stay sharp."
With a final glance at me, she stood up and made her way to the door, leaving me alone with rom.
***
The door swung open with a creak, and in walked Felt, her voice casual as she called out, "Hey Gramps. I'm back."
Rom's eyes flickered toward her, a grunt of acknowledgment leaving his lips. "Bout time. What'd you bring me?" His voice was gruff, but there was a hint of curiosity and slight fondness beneath the hardened exterior.
Felt smirked, her hands tucked into the pockets of her worn-out jacket. "Nothing you'd want, old man." Her gaze swept over the room, landing on me and Rom before she casually leaned against the counter.
"Who's this chick, Gramps?" she asked, glancing at me with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.
Rom let out a deep sigh, rubbing his temple. "This here is Belova. She's looking for you, Felt."
Felt raised an eyebrow, taking a quick look at me before giving a short laugh. "For me?" She scoffed, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "Ha, sorry, Belova's a weird name."
After a second, she spoke up "Well, okay, what is it you need from me?"
I cleared my throat. "I'm an interested buyer for something I think you have."
Felt chuckled and gave me a once-over before leaning her hands behind her head. "I doubt it. I don't have anything at the moment worth it."
I didn't flinch, keeping my gaze steady. "Ah, but you do. See, my boss sent me to town to steal something from an elf girl." I let the words hang in the air for a moment, watching her reaction. "But then suddenly, I was no longer able. I think you know the rest."
Her eyes widened for just a fraction of a second before she drew back from the counter, her posture shifting ever so slightly.
I smiled, seeing the shift, and held my hands up in a calming gesture. "Now, now, no need to get so spooked. I'm not looking for a fight or revenge or a reason to hurt. I just want the item. And like I said, I'm willing to buy it."
Felt bit her lower lip, her mind clearly turning over my offer. After a pause, she sighed and rolled her eyes, clearly unamused by the situation. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest, looking me over for a moment before pulling out a small silver badge from her pocket. It had a dragon etched across the surface with a small red jewel embedded in the center. "This one, right?"
"Mhm, yep, that's it," I said, nodding in approval. "How much are you lookin' for?"
The girl remained silent for a beat, her expression thoughtful. "I was promised twenty gold coins for it."
I grinned, but there was a tinge of coldness to it. "Well, that's a nice offer, but I've got an item that's worth far more than that." I paused for dramatic effect, then leaned in slightly, the edge of my voice sharpening. "But, sadly, I won't be giving it." my face dropping into a frown.
Felt's eyes narrowed, her confusion clear as she processed the situation.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Satella through the window. I gave her a quick thumbs-up and winked, signaling everything was in place.
Then, without a word, I smoothly stepped back, distancing myself from both Rom and Felt.
"Now"
The door burst open with a loud creak, and Satella strode in, her hood pulled back, revealing her icy gaze. The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly, her aura commanding attention.
Felt tensed, her eyes flicking between Satella and me, her face paling as the reality of her situation set in. Her gaze locked onto the insignia that Emilia had been hunting for, the one she had stolen.
"Return what you took, and there won't be any trouble," Emilia said, her voice calm but unwavering, her presence radiating confidence.
Felt's shock was palpable. She blinked rapidly, her mind racing to process what was happening. "Wha—" she started, her voice trailing off as she pieced everything together. Then, with a sharp snap of her head, her gaze landed on me. "You set me up."
I shrugged nonchalantly, trying to keep the upper hand. "What can I say? I mean, it's not yours, is it now? I'm just tryna get the insignia to its rightful owner. I have nothing against you, and she doesn't either. So just give it back and we can all be good. Unless you want it to get physical, which won't end well."
In an instant, six jagged ice spikes materialized around Emilia, three of them poised like spears, aimed straight at Rom and Felt.
Felt's breath hitched as she took a step back, her fingers twitching near her waist, likely debating whether she could make a run for it. Rom, on the other hand, remained still, his massive arms crossing over his chest as he observed the situation.
"Hel-" Felt started, but Rom sighed heavily, cutting her off.
"Felt. just give it back."
Felt's mouth hung open for a second, completely thrown off. "Whaaat?!" She spun to face him, eyes wide with disbelief. "Are you serious, rom? We're just gonna roll over and hand it to them?"
Rom exhaled through his nose, his gaze steady. "I don't like it either, but I ain't stupid. Look around, girl. This is not worth the trouble."
Felt clenched her jaw, frustration flashing across her face, but she wasn't reckless enough to ignore the situation. Her eyes darted toward the ice hovering dangerously close, then to me, then back to Rom.
"But... I can't just give it up. I made a deal," she said, voice tight with hesitation.
Rom let out another deep sigh, rubbing the back of his head. "Felt, listen. A deal ain't worth much if you ain't around to uphold it. You really think your contractor's gonna care if you get yourself killed over this?"
As I watched everything unfold, I kept my guard up. Any second now, she should make her move. But thankfully, I had taken precautions - Puck was already on alert. I made sure he knew to be ready without Emilia's knowledge, so the moment Elsa struck, he'd step in to block it, just like in the original. But, I'd rather this go quicker. Hmm.
Then - I saw it, in the corner of my eye. A faint glint of steel in the dim light, creeping up behind Emilia.
"PUCK, SHIELD HER!" I shouted, my voice cutting through the tension like a blade. completely startiling felt and Emilia.
Everyone's heads snapped toward me just as the attack was about to land.
CLANG
A thin, hexagonal wall of ice shot up between Emilia and the incoming dagger, deflecting it with a sharp, ringing impact. The blade bounced off harmlessly.
Emilia gasped, spinning around, while Felt stumbled back, eyes wide in shock. Rom tensed, his massive frame shifting slightly as he processed the sudden attack.
From behind the barrier, a small, glowing figure emerged—Puck, his tiny form radiating with protective energy. His feline eyes narrowed as he floated beside Emilia.
Puck sighed, stretching lazily before turning to me with a thumbs-up. "That was cutting it closer than needed. Thanks for the warning," he grinned, his usual playful tone intact.
Then, his expression darkened, his ears twitching as his gaze locked onto the figure emerging from the shadows. The air grew heavier, a cold tension settling over the room.
A low chuckle echoed from the darkness.
"How unfortunate," a sultry voice purred. "I was hoping to end this quickly."
I would find that hot if it wasn't Elsa. She just gives me the ick, no matter what. Especially because of her hobby.
Elsa stepped forward, twirling her dagger between her fingers, her dark purple eyes gleaming with excitement.
Well, she's here now. Let's just hope I don't mess it up.
A/N might be mistakes, but i have a feeling the multiple sleepless nights are catching up. also, it might be out of character ooc. but i'm not that good at writing to tell. if it is, please do tell. but anyway, see ya. also, I may have realised that I may have forgot about this scene a bit. but its like this now, and I'm to lazy to change it. next loop it'll be fixed...
yeah, you heard me, next loop.