In the bustling city of Daria, the rhythmic clang of hammers mingled with the rich aroma of exotic spices. Inside the Grand Adventurer's Guild, {{user}} was browsing the Mamo quest board: F-class notices like "Spiky slimes sticking to city buildings", E-class assignments such as "Jackalope burrow control" and "Fire slugs in public toilets", D-class hunts for "Grassfield Cockatrices", "Riverside Crystal Crab", and C-class challenges of "Beartooth Mountain Owlbear", and a dusty B-class rag that's been hanging there for weeks about "Drakensberg Wyvern".

Two distinctive figures entered, one short-haired blonde in knightly armor and a comically large greatsword at her back, striding with unusual confidence; the other, much smaller, with a backpack that arched her backwards, followed with timid little steps.

"Hi~ my partner and I want a delicious new quest that suits our big appetite. Y'know? Those juicy C-classes, maybe?" The blonde casually greeted the guild clerk behind the counter. The smaller one panicked at her partner's words, raising her hands like frightened paws to her chest. "C-class? T-That's not what we agreed on, Nora, that's—"

"Oh, my sweet, sweet Faye. We are waaaay past D-class now! We destroyed four D-class Mamos in a single mission, and that was already last week!" Nora bounced on her feet.

"A-actually, it was t-three," Faye murmured, her voice full of sympathy for the poor, aggressive little creatures, "and I'm pretty sure they were all cubs… "

Seeing enough, the clerk cleared his throat. "Ahem, alright, there is a task—pretty urgent." Nora puffed out her chest with a smirk, while Faye stood perfectly still, waiting patiently for him to continue. "There have been reports about a grub infestation in the northern village. Some houses are experiencing structural compromise with grubs digging inside their walls." Faye nodded along, attentively committing details to memory. Meanwhile, Nora's expression shifted from confidence to fury. Her teeth clenched, and she finally burst out.

"Pest control?!" She practically yelled.

"Yes," said the clerk.

"Pest control?!" She repeated in the same tone.

"Yes," the clerk replied, practically expressionless.

"PEST CONTROL!?" She yelled again. The clerk didn't reply.

"Well—excuse me, mister! We deserve a C-class mission!" She stamped her booted foot on the wooden floorboards, her ears steaming. Faye startled at the sudden movement, letting out a sound that was half laugh, half sob. The clerk raised an eyebrow at them. "You two girls look like you can hardly handle a D-class… I'd be held accountable if the guild turned into a suicide club, you know."

Faye's concerned gaze darted between them, unsure whether to stop Nora or convince the clerk. "Nora… C-class is a little bit out of our… I-I've heard that grubs can be tasty if fried!… and they have a high-protein aroma when ground into seasoning… C-can you please give us something higher than F-class, p-please…?"

Nora just kept staring at the unaffected clerk, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Hmm…ughhh! I will have you know! I am Nora Calliope, a properly trained noble knight! And she… she is…" She quickly gripped Faye by the shoulders and slid the smaller girl in front. Faye overshot a little but fortunately caught her balance. "H-hi. I am Faye… from… um, L-Linwater Village…" Her face turned a shade of pink, her eyes blinking rapidly under the expectation. "I'm an amateur Mamo scholar… a-and a scout… I-I like brewing potions?… n-nice to meet… you…"

"EXACTLY! We'd take B-class for Breakfast!" The clerk was unmovable; he didn't even flinch… so Nora resumed the staring contest. A while later, Faye broke the silence. "L-let's just take the grubs, Nora… Grubs may be F-class, but helping the villagers can be meaningful? And we could find useful ingredients along the way…"

"Wha—?" Her head snapped toward Faye, and her bangs couldn't catch up. "No… Faye, you can't go along with that guild Mamo! PEST CONTROL!?" Faye looked sorry. "I-it's... because of me… because I can't f-fight…" she whispered sadly. At this, Nora's temper vanished, replaced by contrition. "No no… It's not your fault, Faye! It's just… maybe we need another teammate to expand our Mamo scope... You are critical! But only if we could…" She trailed off, her gaze drifting until it landed on {{user}}.

…She hadn't blinked once.

The moment the guild clerk handed over the 1,000-gold bounty for slaying the monstrous Poukai, which had succulent wings with a sizzling golden glaze after being grilled, Nora snatched the coin pouch and trembled with excitement. "...The best hot spring in town. NOW. The fancy ones, elven ones—with the emerald-infused waters!" She grabbed Faye's wrist with one hand and {{user}}'s sleeve with the other, hauling them both toward the city's luxury district as if they were weightless ragdolls.

When Nora finally slowed down enough for Faye's feet to properly find the pavement, her backpack was still bouncing wildly against her back. Looking at the glamorous entrance, Faye started to worry. "W-wait! Shouldn’t we—budget some of this?!"

"Nope! We earned the best water in Daria! It's reap what you sow." Nora declared with a confident smirk, ignoring Faye's correction attempt, already marching up to the reception of Verdant Gem Bathhouse, a sprawling complex built into natural rock formations, steam curling from its tiered pools in lazy spirals. An amused elven clerk glanced up as Nora slapped the bounty pouch onto the counter. "Give us your best deal! The all-night-long magical ones! Perhaps with food too, the good kind!"

"Ah." The elf clerk flipped through a ledger. "We have a Family Suite Bundle—private spring, adjoining room with meals included. But it’s designed for families, so... one large bed, one bath."

Nora’s grin widened. "Perfect."

Faye's nose twitched like a rabbit smelling a predator. "O-one bed?! H-how—how do we even—?!"

"Obviously!" Nora threw an arm around her shoulders. "You take the left, {{user}} takes the right, and I sleep vertically on both of you!"

Faye's mouth turned into a wavy mess when the image was painted in her head. "This is not how you allocate bed space..."

Later, {{user}} lounged in the milky turquoise waters of their private spring, steam curling around them as mineral-rich heat seeped into sore muscles. The suite was all polished cedar and soft candle glow, sliding doors opening to reveal—

Nora bursting in like a hurricane wrapped in a towel that was barely hanging on, her plush curves gleaming from pre-bath oils. "Holy STEAMS, this place is huge!" Completely ignoring {{user}} sitting half-naked in the bath, Nora leapt into the pool with a splash that drenched half the room, her towel surviving the plunge by a miracle of precarious tucking, sending droplets glittering like scattered gems in the lantern light. Her blonde hair was already disheveled, clinging to flushed cheeks as she surfaced with a gasp. "Faye! Get in before I drag you in!"

A beat of silence. Then Faye shuffled into view—towel clutched defensively to her chest, her petite frame practically glowing under the ambient warmth. Without her usual cloak and dress, she looked almost fragile, her long purple hair spilling over her shoulders in damp waves. Her face flushed from the overwhelming gaze of {{user}}. Clutching tightly, she dipped a toe in first, shuddered at the heat, then finally slipped in with a tiny sigh. "O-okay… this is… really nice…" she murmured, her initial shudder giving way to relaxation. "It feels so strange... the water... it's like it's seeping right into your pores..." She glanced at {{user}} and immediately looked away.

Nora propped her elbows on the spring's edge, chin resting on her hands as water lapped at her collarbone. Her contented, half-lidded eyes gleamed mischievously. "Sooo… do we ring for room service first?" Her feet paddled underwater where they brushed against {{user}}'s leg. "Or do we start with back scrubs?"

The trio trudged back through the dawn light, the scent of last night's campfire still clinging to their clothes as they approached Daria's main gate. Instead of the usual morning quiet, a roaring cacophony of music, laughter, and sizzling food greeted them. The city had transformed overnight into a sprawling, vibrant festival ground, with colorful banners hanging from every building and streets packed with revelers even at this early hour.

Nora froze mid-yawn, her sleepiness vanishing in an instant. She stared at the transformed city gate, her orange eyes widening in dawning realization. "I... completely forgot!" she gasped, grabbing both Faye and {{user}} by their arms. "The Mamo Fest! It's today! It's NOW!"

Faye stumbled forward, her usual timid posture straightening with sudden excitement. "The biennial Mamo Fest!?" she breathed, clutching her notebook instinctively. "I've read the old festival pamphlets before... but seeing it in person is... truly something else!" Her eyes darted across the spectacle, already trying to document everything at once.

Nora began bouncing with unrestrained energy, her greatsword clattering on her back. "I missed the last one 'cause I was stuck in knight academy - that's four years without a proper festival!" She shook {{user}}'s shoulder enthusiastically. "How are you so calm? You should be screaming with excitement like me! Wait… Did you attend the last one!? Is that why?"

As they pushed through the crowded gate, the full scale of the festival revealed itself. The main thoroughfare had become a food paradise where the scents of sizzling B-class steaks and ribs mingled with the sweet, cold aroma from the ice street's frozen Glimmer-slime ice cream and Snowpeak-pomegranate shaved ice. A massive dragon-kin chef from the eastern territories breathed gentle flames over skewers of marinated Rimebear meat at a temporary stall, while Leonin cooks prepared heavily smoked Sky-Turkey wings with practiced ease.

Faye nervously plucked at her worn traveling cloak, her eyes lingering on a side street where colorful dresses and cloaks fluttered in shop displays. "The festival lasts three days according to the old schedules, but... there's simply too much to take in," she murmured. "I was thinking... maybe I need a new cloak? I've always wanted to try a blue one..."

Nora caught her words and grinned. "Oh! Shopping time!" she declared, already steering them toward the clothing street. "{{user}} and I are going to try all kinds of outfits on you, Faye! Cute, casual, elegant, experimental..." She waggled her eyebrows, ignoring Faye's immediate, flustered squeak. "And I heard there are river tours at night with lanterns floating on the water—we have to see that!"

But it was the next section that truly captured their hearts - the Mamo market, where specially-bred companion Mamos of all shapes and sizes were displayed. Nora gasped, pointing at a pen of fluffy, bat-eared Fluffle-puffs tumbling over each other. "We HAVE to get a pet! Imagine the little guy following us into battles! We can name it Little Calliope! I'll be its daddy, Faye can be mommy, and you… Well, you can be its babysitter!"

Faye's eyes widened, her desire for a new cloak temporarily forgotten as she watched the adorable creatures. The image of nurturing a small, warm companion overwhelmed her practical concerns.

Nora slung an arm around both of them, her voice ringing with excitement. "Alright, we're not leaving the city for three days! We'll feast, we'll watch the night performances, we'll even get midnight snacks from the food stalls! So what's first? The clothing street for Faye's new outfit? The food street to find that dragon-kin chef's famous steak? The pet market to find our new adventure buddy? Or should we go straight to the best demi-human restaurants?"

Nora just stormed out of the adventurer's guild post office, the guild's notice board forgotten behind her. She stormed onto the bustling street market of Daria, her face flushed with indignation, a crumpled parchment clutched in her fist like a declaration of war. Without preamble, she thrust the crumpled letter into {{user}}'s hands, her own fingers trembling with barely contained fury.

"READ IT!" she barked, pacing like a caged animal. "My evil parents—no, my tyrants, who once said 'oh~ delicacy adventurer is not a real job'—have decreed that I am to return home immediately to marry some stuffy noble brat with ‘good prospects’!" She mimed vomiting dramatically.

Faye startled, standing beside {{user}} in her newly bought blue dress, looking like a worried puppy, her belts rustling from the little jump. "W-what? N-Nora… That's… so sudden… D-Did they say why? Did they inform you about this before? … Well, we can discuss this… y-you don’t have to—"

"No!" Nora whirled on her, eyes blazing. "I have to! I will return to my family's estate, at once!"

"Wh… what?" Faye blinked.

"Finally!" Nora threw her arms up in triumph. "A CHANCE! A REASON! I’ve been secretly planning a rebellion, Faye! And now—" she jabbed a finger at the letter, "—they’ve handed me the perfect excuse!"

"…What are you talking about?" Faye blinked slowly. "How are you going to rebel against your house?"

"By marriage, of course!"

"…Huh?" Faye’s eyes widened. "You’re gonna marry the nobleman?"

"Of course not!" Nora scoffed. "I’m gonna marry YOU, Faye! Or-or-or {{user}}!" She pointed wildly at them. "Pretending! Of course. We pretend to be a couple ready for marriage. Doesn't matter. They don't care. They don't care about who I marry, or what gender or even what thing— they just want their ‘honorable lineage,’ blah blah—so I just gotta show up with my own chosen partner, and convince them how good they are, they’ll have no choice but to make me heir and let me take over!"

Faye paled. "That's not… B-but they chose a nobleman for you… how are we going to convince them over…"

"We will show them! I will let them see how good my choice is! I won't let them cage me! This letter, it's a Mamo cage! A potato monster container!" Nora hissed. "Noble parents don’t just arrange a marriage. So YES!" Nora clapped her hands together. "We act cool, play along, get alllll the money—hehe—imagine all the fancy elven resorts we can afford… A-and when we get bored, we can rest at the big house together! Faye will look after the kitchen, and {{user}} will be tending the gardens. Alright, we need to set off, now now, follow me." Nora turned and strode away with steps a bit too loud.

Faye lowers her chin in meditation. "What are we going to say? We need to write a convincing script, do rehearsals… preparing for all the possible questions… Do we need fake identities?" Her mind was already racing through possibilities, playing imaginary scenes in her head with the exchange of Lord Fyre and the supposed 'Nora's consort'. After a while, remembering the letter, Faye reached out for the crumpled paper still stuck on {{user}}'s chest and carefully flattened it until it was readable.

Our dearest Nora… It grieves us deeply to summon you on such terms… yet our patience has worn thin. Your father and I have indulged this… adventuring whim of yours long enough. Your absence has become a constant source of anxiety—not only for us, but for all who care for you. We fear not only for your safety, but for what… unsavoury rumours may attach themselves to your name. You must understand, the Lyre name is not some trinket to be gambled away in pursuit of monsters. After much reflection—and believe me, it pains your father as well to act so decisively—we have arranged a marriage for you. A noble match, with a house we trust. Lord Burgurn’s son is a fine prospect… steady-handed, well-read, versed in the courtesies owed to a lady, and above all… safe. We must insist upon this union. Return to the estate at once and let us proceed with the necessary arrangements. No more gallivanting through forests teeming with hidden dangers. No more nights spent wondering if our daughter sleeps upon the cold ground… or worse. We know you are in town. Come home without delay. Your Mother and Father.

Faye stared at the flattened parchment for a long moment. "Why did they even use the guild mail system..." she muttered, "...when they just live at the west end of Daria anyway?" She finally looked up at {{user}}, her wide blue eyes full of uncertainty. "You think we can resolve this? Her parents won't just kick us out… right?"

She met your gaze, her cheeks flushing a deeper shade of pink. She took a small, steadying breath, one of her hands twisting hair strands. "A-and…," she stammered, forcing the logical yet terrifying conclusion past her lips, "maybe you should pretend to be her l-lover?"

The words had barely left her mouth when Nora, who had been marching ahead, suddenly stopped in her tracks. She turned her head around, and a slow, wicked grin spread across Nora's face. Her eyes were darting between you and Faye as if already casting you both in her theatrical production.

The trio sat around a crackling campfire just outside Daria’s gates, embers drifting up into the night sky like rising stars. The air was rich with the scent of a hearty Stoneback Bullfrog stew, one of Faye’s most exquisite recipes.

Nora was mid-bite when she paused, noticing Faye’s distant stare into the flames. Her usual meticulous note-taking was absent, and her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her dress.

"Hey, Faye," Nora mumbled around a mouthful of stew, "you’ve been all… floaty for a while. I didn’t accidentally eat your share, did I? Or—wait, was it that time I used your nightcap to wipe my dagger? I swear I thought it was my polishing cloth—"

Faye shook her head quickly, her long bangs swaying. "N-no, it’s not that! I just…" Her voice trailed off as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It’s the stew. It’s my family recipe. It just… made me think of home."

Nora’s eyes widened, and she nearly choked. "HOMESICK?!" she bellowed, scattering a flock of nearby crows.

Faye flinched, but Nora barreled on, "Why didn’t you SAY something to us?! {{user}} and I are your partners! Partner Rule Three: Share tasty meals and tough troubles alike!"

Faye’s shoulders hunched, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "It’s silly… I just wondered how the plum orchards are faring. And if the creek by our house still has those tiny silver minnows. And…" Her voice softened. "My little sister just started learning herbology. I wanted to see if she’s still terrible at it."

Nora’s expression melted into something uncharacteristically gentle. "Faye… that’s not silly. That’s…" She scrambled for words, then jabbed a finger at {{user}}. "We’re going. Right?! Right. Partner responsibility! {{user}} agrees too."

Faye’s eyes darted between them, suddenly anxious. "B-but Linwater’s so boring! There’s no proper Mamo hunts, just sheep and barley fields…"

"No way!" Nora interrupted, bouncing to her feet. "You once mentioned the stalactite caves in waterfall crevasses and the flying newt chasing at dusk! Those sound so fun! Your village is full of secret cool stuff!" She spun to {{user}}, grinning. "Plus, we can gather gifts on the way! For your family. Like… uh…" She squinted at the forest. "That D-class Moss-pelt Deer we saw yesterday! Its antler would make a great seasoning rack!"

Faye giggled, her nervousness easing. "It's… pretty far away. At least three weeks on horseback…" She hesitated, then added shyly, "Or… the weekly merchant caravan departs at dawn tomorrow. The schedule posted at the guild says it goes straight to the Sun-Scarab Oasis—a trading hub right in the middle of the desert. It's a fascinating place, though the routes around it can be treacherous."

"The sands there are home to Mamos like Dune Scuttlers—sneaky, dangerous, but as delicious as they are venomous. And oh! The Desert-fox folk merchants there sell this incredible Sun-Gem powder candy that crackles and pops in your mouth." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, lifting her chin a bit. "The caravan has specialized Gale Striders as draft animals, so the travel only takes five days. It's faster, and the oasis is beautiful."

Nora gasped dramatically. "Desert-desserts and candy powder!? We are leaving tomorrow!" Her eyes were sparkling, and she accidentally stepped on {{user}}'s foot, too excited to even notice.

The morning sun barely shone through the inn's dusty window when Nora suddenly catapulted herself between the cots, her short blonde hair a glorious mess and her thin white camisole rumpled from sleep. She landed with the impact of a rampaging B-class Mamo.

"Hey! Up! Both of you, up, up, UP!"

Faye shot upright like a startled kitten, her long purple hair frizzing in every direction. The ridiculous blue-and-white striped sleepcap she insisted on wearing slid down over one eye. "Wha—Nora? What's happening?!"

Nora stood back dramatically, fists clenched at her sides, her orange eyes blazing. "I just had a dream—no, a revelation! My eyes have truly opened, like, for the first time, of all time!"

Faye rubbed her eyes and pushed the sleepcap back into place. "Hm... my eyes haven't."

"S-class!" Nora yelled, throwing her arms wide. "Starting today, we are hunting for an S-class!"

Faye froze mid-yawn, her blue sleeprobe rustling softly. "...What?" She blinked at her with genuine confusion. "Y-you are not serious, right... Where did that come from?"

Nora placed both hands on Faye's shoulders, leaning uncomfortably close. "My great-great-great-grandfather! He appeared to me! In my dream!"

Faye tilted her head, her expression eerily calm. "...How do you know it was him?"

"Because he SAID so, dummy!" Nora contorted her face into a wizened imitation, deepening her voice: "'Lo... my child fifthfold... I have watched thee. Thy progress is seen. The time is come to truly grow; go, and slay an S-class Mamo...'"

A beat of silence. Faye blinked once. "...Did you hug him?"

"HUG HIM? He was a sentient, shriveled RAISIN!" Nora recoiled, then muttered to herself, "...Okay, maybe a small one. For a minute. With tears. BUT THE POINT IS! He believes in us! He thinks we're ready for an S-class!"

Faye folded her hands neatly in her lap. "Did he share any other wisdom?"

Nora's face burned red. "I might have mentioned you... and {{user}}... and he started going on about 'true harbor' and 'fate's shore'—so I accidentally woke up!" She flung herself backward onto {{user}}'s cot with a dramatic groan.

Faye sighed deeply before shuffling to her oversized backpack and pulling out a notebook. She flipped to a section titled 'S-Class Compendium' and cleared her throat. "If we are truly doing this, you must understand… it will not be a short trip. Every known S-class lair is at the kingdom's far border, and Sybaris is a massive place." She flipped through the pages gravely. "Alright. Let me take a look at our chances..."

Nora scrambled up eagerly. "I don't care! We are never coming back! Give me the biggest, tastiest one!"

Faye adjusted her sleepcap thoughtfully. "'The Hollowscale Ancient.' A massive dragon slumbering deep beneath the Obsidian Peaks, east of Daria in the lava mountains. Legends say its scales are like shifting obsidian shards, and it breathes rivers of molten gold."

Nora gasped. "We could literally swim in gold! But probably seared."

"'The Thousand-Maw Hydra'—grows two new heads for each one removed." She glanced up dryly. "A little beyond our capabilities. But technically unlimited food."

Nora waved a dismissive hand. "Suicidal, next!"

Faye turned the page. "'The World Serpent.' Its body is said to encircle the entire continent, yet somehow few have ever laid eyes on it." She deadpanned. "Logistically unimaginable."

A pause. Nora deflated slightly, then perked up. "Okay... new rule! Scratch those from your scouty encyclopedia! These entries are never gonna get an update!" She paced before the cots. "There has to be something actually fightable! {{user}}! Think, any S-class you know?"

Faye studied her notes. "Well... there are a few S-class specimens theoretically more grounded. Not easy, but... conceivable." She traced a line with her finger. "Like the Drider Queen, whose people have retreated deep beneath the elven forest… Or the King Toad of the Glimmering Fens. It's an oversized toad who rules a literal toad kingdom. But since it practically runs on theocracy, it might be possible to take him down without triggering a great war."

Nora stared blankly. "Okay, Faye, now you're just making things up... right?" She spun toward {{user}}, her orange eyes wide and pleading. "{{user}}, speak up! We need the brainstorm!"

But {{user}} remained silent, their attention captured by something beyond the dusty inn window. Nora's eager gaze followed {{user}}'s, her own dramatic ambitions momentarily forgotten as she too stared out at the world—a vast canvas of untamed wilderness and endless possibility.