Leo and the Seventh Ruin Ch. 01

A thick gray ceiling of clouds tucked the sun away from behind, making the mightiest ray of sunshine unable to pass through them. The water beat down upon the land as though it was trying to cleanse away all the heated sins it held. With that kind of weather, the travelers had to find a place for shelter, such as a small inn at the crossroads out of town.

Inside the Crossroad Inn, several people were sitting in front of the fire from the cozy chimney as they were enjoying their drinks. Unfortunately, no one was having a moment of peace when a gaggle of drunkards were making a lot of noise, cackling and guzzling drink after drink of beer.

"Innkeeper! Where's our bloody drinks? We want more!" One of them with a scruffy beard shouted, slamming the empty mug on the table.

"I'm sorry, but I think you and your friends drank enough for today." The robust man said, restraining a grumble as he knew their behavior was bothering the customers.

"Hey! Who is paying you more to give us more beer? So do your job and bring the sweet maid to us with our drinks!" Another drunken man with greasy hair spat.

The innkeeper let out a resigned sigh before he went to serve more drinks and left them in the tray, as a maiden was standing anxiously.

"Do we have to give them more?" She said with an apprehensive look.

"We don't have much of a choice. If we don't give them what they want, they're going to make a mess, maybe even hurt our customers. Maybe this should be their last batch before they pass out." The innkeeper said, biting his bottom lip.

"I don't wanna get close to them..." The maiden whimpered as she noticed the thugs were now giving lecherous looks at them.

"Calm down, just give these drinks to them and walk away."

The maiden took the tray with her hands before strolling across the hall until reaching the table where the tipplers were sitting. Restraining a grimace over the smelt of alcohol from their breaths, she left the drinks on the table in a hurry, before giving them a bow and turned around to leave without a word. But suddenly, a hand gripped around her waist, stopping her from walking away as she gasped before turning around and saw a drunken man with a bald spot on his head grabbed her.

"Where do you think you're going, pretty? You haven't told us your name." He slurred with a moronic giggle.

"P-Please, let me go." The maiden muttered as she tried to pull her arm off his grasp to no avail.

"Aw, come on, beauty. Sit down and have a drink with us! I promise you'll have a good time with us!" The man with a scruffy beard burst out laughing, though he was now wearing a wicked smile.

"I said let me go! Someone help me!" The maiden cried out as she looked around, but no one, not even the innkeeper, had dared to intervene. Such realization became devastating to her that she was losing her will to fight back, as she let herself get pulled along by the drunken men.

Things would get worse by the minute, when the door was opened with a loud creak, before a couple of cloaked figures walked inside the inn. Everyone stopped drinking as they watched the newcomers closing the door with a slam before more water of the rain would waft through the door. Even the drunkards stopped laughing and harassing the poor maiden.

One stranger was a man judging by his broad figure, and the other was the shortest, possibly a female. Both of them were wearing cloaks with the hoods hanging over their faces, both utterly drenched by the rain that at some point they needed to take them off, which was what they just did.

No longer wearing the cloaks, the male one revealed to be a young man around earlier twenties with wavy dark brown hair and a small tuft of beard on his chin, a faded scar running across the left side of his cheek. He wore a leather pauldron over his dark vest with sleeves covered in chainmail and fastened with two straps, a small pouch was hung below his hip. A pair of gauntlets with metal studs, brown leather trousers with poleyns and a pair of downward flared leather boots. Everyone knew he didn't seem like a common traveler, let alone because he was carrying a sword beside his hip and a shield over his back.

His companion was a stunningly beautiful young woman with enchanting reddish brown eyes and thick chestnut hair with a dark bandana on her head. To everyone's surprise however, the woman turned out to be a demi-human judging by the floppy dog ears on the sides of her head. Her reinforced leather vest could barely contain her jutting pair of breasts, let alone the fabric hugged firmly the curves of her hips. As if it was not enough, her pair of tight hot pants wrapped snugly over the curves of her supple thighs and lithe legs. The demi-human then turned around to face her companion, inadvertently showing the perfect outline of her plump buttcheeks and the crack that split between them. Much like the other stranger, she was carrying a sword and a wooden shield.

"We made it in time, the rain would have gotten worse just now." She said while wringing a part of the cloak in her hands.

"Let's leave them next to the fire, that should dry them up fast." The young man suggested before hanging their cloaks over the chairs nearby.

After that, the strangers made their way towards the bar while ignoring the glares from the drunk men, as if their presence was ruining their vibe. Although, they could admit that the demi-human was drop dead gorgeous that they stared lecherously at her rump shifting as she was walking.

"Can I help you, strangers?" The innkeeper asked with a cautious look.

"Hey there, you're the one who posted a bounty to get rid of a nekker nest?" The young man asked with a grave, yet smooth tone. "Well, you don't have to worry about that anymore, we took care of that problem. And here's the proof." He then placed on the counter a piece of claw that was apparently ripped out of its root.

This of course surprised the innkeeper as he scrutinized the claw, before confirming that it was indeed the claw of a nekker. "That's incredible. And I thought that no man around these parts would ever come to my place and tell me they just got rid of a monster. Mind I keep the claw?"

"It's all yours." The young man shrugged.

"Well, I have to be honest, I was not looking forward to hand over some of my savings to a stranger. But I promised a reward, so here you go." The innkeeper handed the young man a pouch full of coins.

"Thank you." He asked while weighing the pouch in his hand.

"Master Leo... are you seeing what those men are doing to her?" His demi-human companion spoke to him, turning her head over her shoulder to point at the men harassing the maiden as she kept serving their drinks against her will.

"I know that..." The young man, now named Leo, muttered before looking back at the innkeeper. "If that's okay, we would like to order some ale."

"Of course. Although one of the maids is busy at the moment..." The owner said, trying to ignore the cry of help from his employee."B-But don't worry, I'll get you someone else to bring your drinks. In the meantime, you can find your seats." Leo nodded before he and his companion turned back to find some seats.

"Eeehhh, why the hell did the old man give that squirt some coins? Is he a mercenary?" A drunkard slurred while glaring at the young man walking back to the hall.

"Who cares about that shite? We still have plenty of time for fun, isn't that right, sugar tits?" The man with the beard hiccuped as he held the maiden closer to him.

Her face scrunched up in disgust as the strong smell of alcohol washed over his face. "Please... Just stop."

"Aw, don't be like that! We just want to give you a good time! Maybe we can even give you something better than a tip~" He chuckled as his hand moved slowly down to her chest.

The maiden's eyes widened before her instincts kicked in. "I said leave me alone!" She shouted, writhing around before she finally broke herself free from his grasp. However, she stumbled backwards before colliding with the young man when he was passing by.

She gasped as she felt like her back hit something heavy, before turning around to face the person she bumped with. She lowered her head as the stranger looked at her with a stoic expression. "I-I'm so sorry, sir!" The maiden cried out while bowing her head, almost as if she was on the verge of crying.

Leo blinked before patting her shoulder gently. "Nah, don't worry about it. Just be careful where you're going." He said nonchalantly.

His answer completely took the maiden by surprise, but before she could say something else, the young man tilted his head to one side while shifting his eyes to the same direction. It didn't take too long for her to realize he's telling her to move away while she still had the chance.

"T-Thank you.." The maiden muttered before walking away.

"Hey! What's the big idea taking our woman from us?! You have your own to plow with!" The drunken man with a bald spot spat.

"Yeah, unless you're looking for trouble! You can go fuck yourself!" The one with greasy hair shouted before others joined to cast more insults towards the stranger.

Leo took a deep breath before moving on. "Just ignore them. They're just drunk and stupid. You've seen this before." He muttered to himself before heading to the corner where he could get a seat. "Let's go, Roxy."

The beautiful demi-human followed Leo from behind, wearing a smile after she watched him helping the poor woman from these ruffians. She knew that the timing was unexpected for him, probably he didn't even think about helping the maiden in the first place until the moment she bumped into him. Of course, he just didn't want to use unnecessary violence, especially in a public space.

She was about to pass the bad-tempered drunk men as she was also trying to ignore them, but then her wrist got caught by the same drunkard who caught the maiden earlier, pulling her back before she could reach Leo.

"Where are you going, darling? Come and have some fun with us!" The toothless man almost burped.

"Um, if I were you, I would let her go right about now." Leo said, but not with a threatening tone, rather he was actually giving a warning judging by the apprehensive look on his face.

"Piss off, shithead! You took a woman from us, now we're taking yours!" Another boozer shouted.

"Yeah, and it sounds like you never touched her once! So maybe she would rather have someone who knows how to adore her body! Right swee-" Before the bald man could finish, a hand gripped around his collar before he was thrown over, landing on the edge of the table that knocked the mugs off and spilled the beverages all over the floor..

Everyone stood up from their seats in shock, before gazing up at the demi-human, who turned out to be the one who threw him away with a strength they never thought she would have.

"Sorry, I'm just not interested in someone whose breath reeks of alcohol." Roxy said dautingly. Without paying attention to the shocked reaction from the seedy men, she proceeded to continue walking towards her companion who was waiting for her, hoping that her action served as a warning.

"You fecking whore!"

Unfortunately, that was not the case. Roxy turned around to see them approaching her, though all of them were stumbling around since they were still under the influence of alcohol. A tubby man lunged forward and raised his fist to strike the demi-human, but Roxy simply stepped aside while raising her foot, tripping the attacker as a result before he fell to the floor.

The rest of the patrons began moving away from the scene, no one wanted to intervene or even ask to stop fighting. Leo however just let out a grumbled sigh before he stood up and closed to the fallen chubby man, and before he struggled to get up, Leo grabbed a nearby bottle and slammed it on his head.

"Maybe this will be enough to give you a little nap." The young man said plainly, patting playfully on the unconscious man's head. After that, he stood beside Roxy protectively while glaring at the thugs.

"Oh, you're so fucked now, you little shite! It's gonna take more than just coins to pay for all the drinks your bitch spilled!" The man with the scruffy beard shouted, before he took out a knife and brandished it threateningly. One of his mates picked up a bottle and smashed it with a nearby table to use it as a weapon, while the other just picked the leg piece of a broken chair.

"Now listen, you guys might not wanna hear me, but I'll say this anyway. You can't take the both of us while you're very drunk. So rather you take your friend and go somewhere else where you can sober yourself up. But if you try to pick a fight with us... well, you'll come to regret it." Leo finished with a cold tone.

"Hah! You think your pubescent arse is gonna scare us? Just wait until we slit your throat!" The bearded thug snarled. Unbeknownst to him, the main door was just opened before a figure showed up behind him and his hooligans. "And after we're done with you, we're gonna take your girlfriend and we're gonna fuck her that she's gonna grown to love the taste of our cocks! If anyone tries to get in our way, I don't give a feck who you are, we'll cut your throats too!" He proceeded to threaten everyone else who was watching.

"Is that a promise or is just the booze talking?"

The bearded man blinked before turning around, the first thing he saw was a pair of protruding breasts covered in a white and light green waistcoat, though the cleavage area was exposed that the drunk man couldn't help but ogle at it.

"Holy shit... look at those huge tits..." He blurted out dumbfoundedly, as he raised his head to meet the eyes of the lady he had the luck to meet with, only to meet the piercing glare of a woman, who just took off the hood of her cloak to reveal her crown-braided blond hair tied in a ponytail.

Before he would make another degenerate comment, a clenched ribbed gauntlet collided against his face as a vicious crunch was heard. The drunken man was sent flying across the hall until his back crashed against a pillar, before sliding to the ground with a broken nose. Everyone was shocked that their mouths were hung open, even Leo and Roxy were completely stunned by the display of strength as they looked back at the newcomer standing in the entrance.

The woman who threw the punch was a knight in pink-toned armor. While the only pieces of armor she was wearing were the couters, gauntlets, steeled boots, and battle skirt with a loincloth attached, her strong build and the fierce look in her elegant visage demanded to address her with respect.

The knight then turned her sights on the remaining reckless vagabonds, as they flinched in fear that they just lost all the so-called bravado they had just seconds ago.

"I assume the two of you are with this ruffian. Do you both dare to challenge me?" She spoke bitterly, gripping the hilt of her sword around her hand, prompting them to drop the blunt weapons off their hands. "That's what I thought. Now, unless you want to be caked with mud outside by my men, I'm giving you ten seconds to leave here or else I'll change my mind."

The runts whimpered cowardly before they scurried towards the opened door as they passed her by, without even bothering to look back and check their unconscious friends.

The knight checked her armor-covered hand, which got some stains of blood on it after she punched that man. She let out a sigh, realizing that she might have gone overboard with her reaction.

A couple of men who appeared to be her soldiers came inside.

"Captain, is everything alright?" One of them wearing full armor asked the knight.

"I am, don't worry. Just had to deal with some drunkards. Can you take the two of them outside? I don't want them to cause more trouble when they wake up." The blond young woman said, before the armored soldiers compiled and dragged the unconscious men out of the door.

The knight then turned to address the folks who were still shaken after the scene. "I'm sorry for the disturbance, but those men won't bother you anymore. You can go back to your seats and enjoy your drinks." The commoners seemed more relaxed at her words before they complied. Lifting her gaze up, her eyes caught on the two strangers who were standing in front of her. "Are you two unharmed?" She asked, her voice instantly changed into a soft tone.

The question caught them a little by surprise, although Leo was more surprised that the knight stood slightly taller than him. "Yes, we're fine. Thank you, Milady knight." Roxy said with a smile.

"We didn't mean to start some trouble, it's just..." Leo tried to speak, only to stop when the knight held up her hand.

"You don't need to explain, I heard everything that brute said." She crossed her arms, glaring at the bearded one as her armored soldiers took him away. "He probably was just babbling nonsense, but to think he would go that far of doing something like that to your partner, I just couldn't stand by. Although, I'd like to know how this happened."

"Long story short, they were harassing my girl, she stood for herself, one guy tried to punch her, I knocked him out with a bottle, I tried to warn them to go away, and that's when you came in." Leo explained while counting the details with his fingers.

"Hmm. While I don't condone this kind of brawl, I understand you had to do it in self-defense." The knight said, nodding. "By the way, you two hardly seem like weary travelers? Are you by any chance mercenaries?" She asked, looking over the equipment they're both wearing.

"Well, it's not exactly our line of work, but if someone's looking for a swordsman to hire, I'm here." Leo replied, rubbing the back of his head.

"He means that we would take any kind of job as long as we get paid." Roxy explained further, inching closer to Leo discreetly that her bust pressed against his side.

"I see..." The swordswoman while looking down to the ground with a frown. Leo could only guess what the knight's thinking right now after they just revealed their profession to her. It only lasted briefly before she lifted her gaze back to them. "Well, stay out of trouble." She then walked off and approached the bartender. "Innkeeper, are there enough tables for my men?"

"Of course, my Milady! It would be a great honor to serve you!" The innkeeper said cheerfully. The knight nodded before signaling her men to go outside and bring the rest in.

Meanwhile, Leo and Roxy had decided to find somewhere else to settle in since all the tables were getting taken by a large group of armored soldiers. They returned to the bar to meet the innkeeper again.

"Hey, sorry for the trouble back there, if I have to pay for the damages, just tell me." Leo said as he and Roxy sat on the stools facing the owner of the establishment. While he could feel the peaceful atmosphere coming back to this place, Leo could still feel some tension after making a scene, probably things could have gone worse if the knight didn't show up.

"Heh, you got that right, kid. But I'm willing to let you off the hook for not slaughtering the drunkards in front of everyone." The bartender chuckled, earning a surprised reaction from Leo. "Yeah, I saw you had the intent to use that sword you're carrying, yet you didn't intend to draw it out."

"You have a good eye for an old man." Leo said with an amused expression, tapping his hand on his cloaked side where he was keeping his sheath.

"I've been told. You still have to pay for the drinks though." The owner replied.

"Sounds fair." Leo placed two copper coins on the counter. The bartender nodded before he started serving the beverages for the strangers, and then passed the mugs to them and took the payment.

"So what do you think?" Roxy asked as she looked over her shoulder.

"What do you mean?" Leo raised an eyebrow before taking the mug and took a sip.