Fishing

Ruiwen lurked in the shadows, watching with disdain as La Di publicly proclaimed his ordeal.

Not every adventurer in the room was a fool, after all. A monster attack inside the city walls? That was too far-fetched to believe. Who would take this guy seriously?

“Since you say you were attacked by a monster, how did a magicless commoner like you survive?” A burly warrior with a scarred face stepped forward from the crowd. “And you don’t even have a single wound on you.”

La Di pulled open his shirt, revealing the horrific scar beneath.

Hidden in the shadows, Ruiwen froze. That was indeed the injury he had inflicted.

“That wound healed who-knows-how-long ago, yet you claim you were just attacked...” The warrior scoffed, shaking his head. “If you’re going to make up a story, at least make it believable.”

La Di stammered, unable to come up with a proper response.

“I think he’s gone mad,” a shrill voice chimed in. “Always paranoid, thinking someone’s out to get him.”

“Very likely.”

“He doesn’t look like a man of means either. Who would bother targeting him?”

“And look at the pittance of a reward he’s offering. Might as well be begging. Who’d waste their time protecting him for chump change like that?”

Amidst the noise and chatter, the adventurers retreated from La Di like an ebbing tide, drifting back to their drinks and gambling tables as if he were nothing more than a forgettable footnote. La Di stood alone, pale-faced, his eyes dull as a withered blade of grass bent by a raging wind.

Watching from the dark, Ruiwen secretly gloated. Just as he had predicted—no one took a word this man said seriously.

If the Dawn Wings guild had stumbled upon a corpse instead, it might have stirred some concern... but here La Di stood, alive and unharmed, with nothing but his claims. No one would spare him a second thought. Everyone was far too busy, after all.

And La Di had no enticing reward to offer these adventurers to win their protection.

Ruiwen was already plotting his next move. A dark back alley? Or the man’s own apartment? This time, he would strike cleanly and decisively. No more mistakes.

What a bothersome nuisance this man was.

“Are you looking for a bodyguard? Your commission—the Slime Adventurer Guild will take it!”

Ruiwen’s eyelid twitched. He turned toward the voice, incredulous. Someone actually took on a thankless job like this?

“How lucky, Mo Lini,” said Liyana, patting Mo Lini on the shoulder, then declared confidently to La Di, “You’re Mr. La Di, right? Don’t worry. We’ll make sure you’re safe.”

Ruiwen barely suppressed a laugh, his shoulders trembling slightly.

What was this? A new kind of make-believe game?

Just two little girls. He could handle them with one hand tied behind his back.

The Slime Adventurer Guild? Sounded pathetically weak. What, was the captain the slime perched on that girl’s head?

La Di looked at the two young women before him, his eyes filled with doubt and uncertainty. “Just... just the two of you?” he asked, his voice dry and heavy with exhaustion.

Out of sight, Liyana gave him a wink.

La Di let out a resigned sigh, understanding the signal. “Then it’s the two of you... better than no one at all.”

The man actually accepted.

Ruiwen almost laughed out loud. Who in their right mind would trust such an incompetent-looking adventurer guild?

Since La Di had accepted them, no other guild would pick up the job. For Ruiwen, that meant things couldn’t get any worse.

Sure, it would be overtime work, but suddenly, Ruiwen didn’t feel so grudging about it.

...

“Huh... so this is where you live.” Mo Lini carefully stepped into La Di’s apartment, eyeing her surroundings with curiosity.

The coffee table was piled high with scattered, toppled liquor bottles. The once-stylish wallpaper had yellowed and curled at the edges, with patches of grim gray wall showing through. Every chair was coated in a layer of dust—except for the heavily worn single sofa in the center of the room, which sagged deeply, as though it bore all of its owner’s weight.

“What a mess,” Liyana said bluntly, following behind.

La Di scratched his head, embarrassed.

His apartment wasn’t exactly small, but ever since his wife had passed away, he’d stopped taking care of it. Clutter and junk filled the hallways, making the place feel cramped and cramped.

Liyana walked over to the window and pulled open the curtains that hadn’t been drawn in who-knows-how-long. Accumulated dust swirled into a storm in the sudden amber glow of dusk light, dancing like countless tiny spirits. Outside lay the city’s gray, gloomy skies and jagged rooftops.

“Open up the windows now and then,” Liyana said, turning around with her hands on her hips, speaking like a nagging old mother. “Clean your place up too. A little air and order can do wonders for your spirit.”

“Spirit? I... don’t need that kind of thing anymore.” La Di offered a bitter smile, casting his gaze about this decrepit, lifeless home. “What’s the use of cleaning? It’s just me living here...”

“That won’t do!” Liyana retorted. “Don’t you have a daughter? If she gets found and comes back, only to find you living like this, she’d be deeply disappointed!”

La Di’s body jolted sharply.

“I don’t know how you’ve lived these past years, how much pain you’ve suffered—that I don’t know, Mr. La Di. But deep in your heart, have you ever believed that you’d really get her back one day?”

Liyana went on, heedless of Mo Lini, who nervously tugged at her coat and tried to stop her from continuing. These words were too cruel.

“I...” La Di found himself at a loss.

“You only use the search for your daughter as a reason to survive, but you’ve never actually thought about what happens after you find her... She’s called Lidi, isn’t she? What a poor child. She may still be hoping for her father to come rescue her, never imagining that you’re out here in such a sorry state.” Liyana shook her head with a sigh. “Even I feel sorry for her.”

Mo Lini covered her face, confused as to how things had escalated like this. Liyana wasn’t usually this cutting with her words.

La Di staggered back as though struck by a heavy blow. His fists clenched tight, then slowly, gradually loosened.

“Thank you, Miss Liyana. You’re right. I’ll make sure to tidy the place up from now on,” he said, and in his once-lifeless eyes churned pain, regret, and a faint spark of renewed hope.

“What happened to Mr. La Di?”

Mo Lini whispered to Liyana. The situation had gone completely different from what she imagined. She’d thought the two might get into an argument.

“Nothing.” Liyana patted Mo Lini’s head.

Still just a child.

She was an elf who’d lived for over a thousand years. She knew exactly how to hit where it hurt.