<h4>Chapter 9: Emergency Loaning</h4>
<i>And this, my friends, is called gluttony...</i>
"What was I thinking?" he said, belching.
"I feel minor difort in the stomach, but aside from that, it was an enjoyable experience."
"Yeah, let''s just call it that, <i>grurhp..."</i>
After clearing thest te, the waitress approached them, her grin eternal. "Did you enjoy your meal, sir, miss?"
"Yes, it was quite pleasant," Ashley replied, nodding for the first time since logging in.
"I''m d to hear that. Thank you foring to the Dragon''s Belly. Here''s your bill."
As he squinted at the waitress, recognition dawned on him. "Miss! Did you used to work at the Town Hall?"
The NPC didn''t lose her grin. "That is correct, sir. Until a year ago when the new Mayor rescinded my services. Fortunately, Lord Reddington has employed me here. Anything else I can assist with?" She pushed the floating window toward him, still smiling.
<i>As expected from a basic AI, no hint of resentment.</i>
He nced at the window, a circle waiting for his thumbprint. <i>It feels like she was sold to the owner. All of them.</i> He quickly looked at the rest of the staff, wondering if the chefs were NPCs too. He pressed his thumb against the virtual bill to pay.
A message popped up.
<i>NO FUNDS</i>
"Huh?"
"Sorry to bother you, sir, but could you try again?"
He did, with the same result.
"What''s happening, n?" Ashley asked, quietly.
"I... I don''t understand..." He muttered, opening his Status tab. "I should have enough to cover everything we..." His eyes widened at his money bnce. "200 gold... I only have 200 gold left..."
He nced at the silent waitress, who was touching the side of her head where a fox ear was located.
<i>She''s contacting someone!</i>
"Are you kidding me?!" A slender young man shouted from the second floor. "Where is he?!"
The waitress remained silent, her finger on hermunicator, as the man leapt down with ease despite his slender build.
"Wait!" n pleaded as the waitress walked away without looking back.
"Is this some sort of prank, kid?" The man grabbed n by the cor, lifting him off the ground. n could see his golden teeth. "Trying to gain subscribers by pulling stupid pranks on hard workers like me?! Where''s your stupid camera?!"
"N-no, sir! I''m not trying to be funny, I swear! I don''t even know how to tell a good joke! Like, why did the engineer backstab his coworkers? Because he was sus—!"
"Shut the f—!" The man paused, noticing the number above n''s head. "Wait a minute. You''re level 5? Why?"
n also nced at the man''s level.
<i>33?! What?! Double crap!</i>
"Your orders, n," Ashley said, her hand on her dagger''s hilt.
The man sneered. "Don''t try anything stupid."
"He''s right," another voice chimed in from a neighboring table where a warrior lounged, casually sipping coffee and resting a spear on his shoulder. "He''s not alone."
n couldn''t see the man''s level, which meant only one thing.
"Ashley, lower your weapon. Please, just let me exin! Before we entered, I had 100,000 gold, I swear!"
"A level 5 with that kind of money, yeah right!"
"It''s true! Let uspensate you another way then! My partner has a set of silver armor that..."
"I don''t want your gear, kid! I want my—!"
"I''ll cover his bill," a woman dered from the second floor. n looked up to see her in purple robes, puffing on a sleek cigarette holder. "On the condition that he shares his story with me. Come up, young man." She turned and walked back to her table.
The restaurant owner released n but blocked his path to the exit. "You heard Lady Monique," he grunted. "Hurry up and go upstairs."
"n?" Ashley called, not taking her eyes off the armed User beside her.
"Let''s do as she says for now," n said, ascending the stairs. On the second floor, Lady Monique sat at a secluded table.
"T-thanks, Lady Monique," n said, too nervous to approach, but she gestured for them to sit.
Monique appeared to be in herte twenties, with straight tinum hair and caramel skin. "Don''t mistake this as charity, young man. That would ruin my reputation." She eyed their attire while biting into her steak. "A level 5 iming to have a considerable amount of money, yet dressed so shabbily?"
n felt Ashley''s cautious gaze.
<i>Yes, I know. I''ll be discreet.</i>
"I''m not lying, ma''am, I had that gold before we entered the town. Maybe I got pickpocketed along the way."
"Who would waste their time checking a Low-leveler''s pockets?" Monique''s bodyguard scoffed, eyeing him disdainfully. "And why does a noob like you still exist, anyway?"
"Don''t be harsh, Risette. I believe him," Monique interjected.
"You do?" n eximed, surprised.
"Why not? I''ve heard stranger tales during my time here. First, tell me, is ''five'' really your level, or is it a glitch?"
"It''s a glitch. Definitely."
"Are you in a guild?" she inquired, making him hesitate. "Oh, don''t worry. I just need to know where to find you to collect this debt. Because I''m only lending you the money until you can pay me back."
He nodded. "Shooting Stars."
"What?" Risette squinted. "If this is a joke..."
"It''s not," he asserted, deepening his voice.
Risette shrugged. "I don''t really care, but if a real Shooting Star hears you iming that, I doubt you''ll get another chance to lie."
"And what''s that supposed to mean?!" n cried, standing abruptly, causing the table to jolt. "You make them sound like criminals!"
"If the shoe fits..."
"Sit down. We aren''t finished here," Moniquemanded, her tone unraised yet threatening. "And don''t interrupt us again, Risette. I''m the one speaking."
The bodyguard clicked her teeth and folded her arms.
Monique slightly smiled at n. "Instead of bickering like children, let''s prove you''re telling the truth. Mister..."
"n... Warden."
"Yes, Mister n." She sipped her wine. "Add me to your friend list and send me a message stating you owe me... How much was it, Risette? Go ask."
"Fine," Risette muttered, heading towards the table where the owner still red at n.
<i>If she doesn''t question my level any further, this might be a good way out of this.</i>
He watched as the woman began typing on her User Interface, then received a friend request.
-----------------------------
<strong>NEW FRIEND REQUEST!!!</strong>
<strong>-----------------------------</strong>
<strong>Add Monique Ascencio to your contacts?</strong>
<strong>-------------------</strong>
<strong>SURE ! / NOPE !</strong>
--------------------------------
Risette returned to their table. "The bill is 4800 gold, ma''am."
"Alright, n Warden. Write that you owe me 10,000 gold. Consider the extra as interest."
n reluctantly wrote the amount in the private message. "I promise to pay you back as soon as possible."
"I''ll be waiting," she replied softly, turning to receive a notification. She tapped it and read the message carefully. "This will suffice. You may go now."
n didn''t hesitate. "Thank you—I... We''ll be in touch. Good night." He nced at the bodyguard onest time.
"Good night," Monique said quietly as the pair descended the stairs, followed by the restaurant owner''s watchful eyes. "Very interesting," Monique remarked to her bodyguard, who took a seat.
"Was that clown telling the truth, ma''am?"
Monique stared at her Messenger, where n''s chat remained open.
----------------
<strong>SOCIAL</strong>
----------------
<strong>From: n Warden</strong>
<strong>Shooting Star''s First Officer</strong>
<strong>I, n Warden, owe Monique Ascencio, 10,000 gold...</strong>
<strong>Thanks for helping me, you wonderfuldy! - xoxo</strong>
----------------------------------------------------
"We can use this information to our advantage," Monique mused, puffing on her cigarette and exhaling smoke towards the window.