Demon World Boba Shop: A Cozy Fantasy Novel

Arthur walked out of the church alone. Itela still had a lot of work to do, most of it aimed at a very-young, very terrified cleric who was getting one-on-one tutelage from what, to her, was a living legend of priest-work. He left them to it, watching Itela go into business-mode, and relieved that most of his interactions with her were more casual than that.

She wasn’t wrong about him accepting the work. Spiky had thought he’d do a good job at this, and so did Itela. Even if Arthu disagreed, it was almost a sure thing that they were right and he was wrong. Even if it meant he was going to spend some time away from his tea shop, it wouldn’t be that long.

The thing that bothered him the most was being alone. He would have friends there, which meant he was whining a bit by even thinking that. But he wouldn’t have as many friends as he liked, and they’d be busy most of the time. He would be wandering the streets of the capital like an outsider. It wasn’t his thing.

It’s too late, though. I said I’d do it. You have to do the things you said you’ll do.

“Arthur!” Lily ran up to him from the side. “Are you done talking to Itela?”

“Yes. How’d you know?” Arthur reached down and ruffled Lily’s head. He’d miss her the most, maybe. Or Mizu. It was hard to say. “Were you spying?”

“No, you doof. I talked to her before you did.”

“How?” Arthur said. “Spiky barely had time to tell me about it.”

“Because she found me. Showed up at my house in the middle of the night. I thought you had hurt yourself again.”

“She found me too.” Mizu’s voice rang out from behind Arthur. “In my well. I don’t even know how. I hadn’t told anyone I was doing night work.”

“When she found me, I tried to run away before she could talk,” Milo said, walking side by side with Mizu. “She’s really, really fast. I think she picked up something from Karbo. She had me by the ear before I took three steps.”

“Why?” Arthur asked. “Was she just asking about the town?”

“No, you fool.” Milo flicked him. “She said, and I quote, ‘that boy will wilt if he doesn’t have at least four of you around him at any given time. He’s a herd animal. Just don’t let him take the Pratas.’”

“She said the same thing to me, except she said you need ‘regular watering.’ She also said I’m a medical oddity, so I’ll have my own things to do,” Lily said. “I think I have to explain how to win an argument with the system.”

“The point is, you aren’t going alone,” Mizu said. “As if I’d let you, anyway. Do you know what kind of well-work they do in the capital, Arthur? It’s the best. The very best. Even mother’s advancements are only a small part of it.”

“I’m just mad that Rhodia won’t go. She doesn’t like the bustle,” Milo said. “But it’s okay. We’ll be back soon enough.”

“Huh.” Arthur felt himself warming to the idea of the capital more. “You said four though, right? At least four. Who is the fourth? Is Corbin going to destealth now?”

Corbin did.

“Gods, Corbin, you almost gave me a heart attack.” Milo patted his chest. “You have to stop doing that.”

“That’s what Arthur always says.”

“So listen to him!” Milo tried to flick Corbin, who had far too many points in dexterity to actually get hit by his attack. “How did Itela even catch you?”

“She blessed a whole street. I guess she can see the people she has buffs on,” Corbin said. “And she really is faster than she should be. I almost got away before she tackled me. So I guess I’m going, too.”

There would be weeks of packing and preparing before they actually left, then more travel than Arthur wanted to think about to actually get to the capital. Improved shocks and Talca’s driving could only do so much to help cut down that time. There would be more reading than he wanted to do, more speeches than he wanted to give, and he was increasingly sure more chaos and weirdness than he wanted to deal with.

All those things were a given. Spiky had caught the hot potato, and then not only passed it to Arthur but actually glued it to his hand. Arthur would give him hell for that later.

But there were good things, too. As much as Arthur didn’t want to admit it, his tea production was stalled and the only way past that kind of bottleneck was piling on life experience, dealing with problems, and helping people. The capital would provide all those things in spades. And that was before he actually got access to the best brewers and beverage-makers in the world. It was an expo, after all. He wouldn’t just be teaching. He could learn.

And his friends would be with him. Not all of them, but enough of them that he’d always have someone nearby to help him. He’d be leaving home, but he was also dragging a bit of home with him wherever he went.

Arthur went around the circle, hugging each of them in turn. He was that glad. When he got to Lily, he refused to let go, picking her up and holding her at his side like a child. Which she still was, he supposed, despite her insistence he put her down. He ignored her, kissed her cheek, and looked around his circle of friends.

“Itela says I’ll make the capital chaotic. Are you sure you are all ready for that much Arthur stuff?”

Everyone nodded. Of course they were. They were his friends.