It’s a late night in Xenokuni when Bettel and Shinri sit down at a roadside stall.

Sometimes, missions go on for far too long. That’s an inevitable aspect of being an adventurer, and eventually, you’ll stumble into something that’s like a rabbit hole. You take a job that seems simple, and it turns out it’s a whole lot deeper than first expected. That’s the type of job that the pair had been assigned to, and now that it’s done, they’re able to sit down together and relax for the first time in a long time.

“…god, it’s finally over!” Bettel practically collapses in his seat, weakly pointing at some kaarage that have been arranged in a square box. The stall owner chuckles and passes them over to the jester, who immediately begins chowing down. Shinri politely orders a bowl of soba noodles before responding to the man next to him, turning and folding his hands on the counter as he does.

“I know, right?” Shinri rolls his shoulders, eliciting a few loud pops. “You try and rescue a cat, and then assassins are breathing down your neck…our leader gets us into the strangest situations.”

“Paid fuckin’ well, though!” Bettel laughs, almost choking on the chicken as he does. “God, and the view is so nice here, too. It feels like a vacation, except where people are trying to stab you!”

“You got off pretty lucky.” Shinri pats the jester on the shoulder, drawing attention down to his own bare stomach where bloody bandages have been wrapped. “Although, I won’t take full credit – you’re the one who took down the main threat, in the end.”

“Ah, what can I say? I’m just built differently! Really lucky sometimes, really unlucky other times. It’s pretty great that we turned out fine!” Bettel elbows Shinri in the side just as the stall owner finishes cooking the noodles for the koi. “Besides, it’s been a bit since we’ve been able to hang. What better way to do that when death’s around every corner?”

“True enough.” The owner pours the pair thick mugs of beer, and they clink their glasses together with a shared smile.