Races: Online

"I don't have a brother." Han said. He had a sister, but that wasn't really the point about this, wasn't it? 

Teresa crossed her arms and eyed him, "Che, that Gargoyle thing didn't seem true either."

"Aw. You could have explained it further." Roux Arcois muttered.

As for the others, the expression of Diov lit up, a little smug smirk appeared on his face. Donovan grunted beside him while the others who hadn't exactly said a thing had mixed reactions. But one didn't exactly have to wait for everyone to answer—because Ellynn really hadn't been answering that much either.

And yet he continued the game despite that. He had gotten caught up too much in the game himself, didn't he?

"You could have waited a little more for me to decipher it." Sir Leon de Harrington clicked his tongue, although he didn't look genuinely stressed about it. The Noble leaned back against his seat and folded his hands together, "Honestly, it is a little hard to believe the second one but I'll trust it on the account that it was you saying it."

Diov snorted. "Well, who else could confirm it?" 

Han scratched the back of his head, "Thanks I think?" In a way, competitive games like this revealed a bit how the others thought of it. And though he assumed that Sir Leon de Harrington would be more upset about getting it wrong—after his earlier words of this as a training to lie. He was pretty chill.

Someone else was more eager to get the ball rolling, or the bottle spinning. Roux Arcois held it up, "Alright, another… spin? Is this how you refer to it?" The Healer's sudden interest was suspicious to Han but there was something else more important.

Han glanced at Ellynn and coughed, "Actually, I think I might go on ahead now—"

"Some people didn't get a turn yet." One of the guys grumbled on the other end of the table. And it was Calum? Or the guy beside him? They really did get hooked didn't they? Then again, what else were the possible entertainments in this world… 

Han would have to think about it later as he got himself out of the bench and offered an apologetic grin, "I really did have fun and you guys can keep playing without me you know? I'm uh… gonna check on Timothy, he didn't seem to drop by here for dinner?" Yes, there was that.

"I think he's going to meet with Penelope." Lady Angelika shrugged.

Right. The guy mentioned that didn't he?

He forgot about it. "Welp, better to check on him still—and uh," Han glanced at Ellynn. The Half Elf didn't say a thing, it was the perfect time to also excuse herself wasn't it? He looked back at the others, "Ellynn might be going too? Right?"

"...Yes." She nodded at last.

He was starting to feel bad about dragging her into this—he had really hoped that the bottle would end on her and she'd get a chance to say something, but luck wasn't really on her side nor had it been his tonight. He could have let her stay, but leaving her alone with the others probably wouldn't be a good thing either? Even if the others didn't seem like they would personally attack her out of nowhere.

"Well, it's such a shame but I guess we can do this sometime again." Sir Leon de Harrington clasped his hand together, glancing at the other Students at the table. "But we are continuing this it seems… although we are losing two players. Which is a pity."

"Hmm? Is there a number requirement here?" Roux Arcois raised his brows. "I'll drag Xanthe and Azura here if that's the case."

Han opened his mouth—but then felt a prick in his back. It was a weird feeling, like he had a knife on his back, but there really wasn't anything. He instead waited for Ellynn to get up from her seat and waved at the others. "Have a good game you guys."

"We'll see you again tomorrow, Han and Ellynn—a goodnight to the both of you." Sir Leon de Harrington said. There was a smile on his face, but a glint in his eyes.

"Thanks." Han managed a grin.

The Noble's own greeting was chorused along by the others, although it wasn't as friendly as the first one—he should have expected that. Even Roux Arcois left to get the other two Students. 

But soon enough he and Ellynn left the dining hall. 

The two of them walked side by side, shuffling through the hallways—thankfully they were both headed to Dewrowan Tower. But he really did need to talk to her, the only thing however was his approach to talk with her again. How to bring it up? 

How to apologize…?

"Sorry about that." Han scratched the back of his head, glancing at her. That was one way to go about it, didn't it? Now that she was beside him, it was hard to see through the cloak and get a grasp on her expression.

"What for?" She asked. Her tone was a bit flat.

She was mad about it, wasn't she? It was like he dragged her against her will. "...I forced you back there, didn't I?"

"It was fine." Once again, her response was short and brusque.

Their answer made it hard to actually grasp if they were mad or not. He felt one of his eyes twitch, "No, that's not really how it works." He sighed and looked ahead of them, he waited for the passing Students to move past them before resuming. "You need to tell me when I made a mistake, so I can apologize for being an idiot. My mother always told me—"

"Your mother?"

Han bit his tongue. "Well, if I had a mother—I mean, I do have a mother. But she's not here… I think she'll tell me to use my head more properly. I should have thought ahead of this and noticed it right away?" That was a close one.

Ellynn shook her head, "You were trying your best…I should have said something back there."

"Right... did you even actually try?" Han asked and then slapped a hand over his face. It sounded bad. His own opinion affected his response—Ellynn didn't really seem like she tried. At least as far as he was concerned. But then he should have asked her more instead of getting caught up in what the others were saying either. 

Ellynn glanced at him, a tiny smile crossing her face. "I liked listening back there. I really thought you had a brother though."

He blinked. 

Han managed a chagrined expression, "Wait, are the Gargoyles thing really that unrealistic?"

"Yes."

He chuckled and waved a hand, "Yeah but still—somebody guessed it right, you know?"

"I think Diov just chose the unlikeliest one." Ellynn shrugged. "It's really an unbelievable feat, unless you fought a small Gargoyle. Smashing a beer bottle against it still seems unlikely? They are made of hard material, and even a normal kind of sword isn't enough—that's how hard they are. A special kind of alloy needs to be used or a reinforced kind of weapon?"

"Wait… they had baby versions?" Han's eyes widened before he clutched his chest. He had focused on that instead of the other words as he threw her a look. "Now I sort of feel bad, but uh, you've seen them before?" Weren't those Gargoyles something from the Demon Lord back then, how did she come across it?

The Wood Elf didn't have some sort of relationship with them, did they?

"Before." Ellynn slowed down in her steps and glanced around them, "...my father and I once crossed the Demon's territory when I was younger."

Han frowned slightly, "I see. That's far away isn't it?" What did they even do there?

"Yes, on the other end of the Veiled Continent." Ellynn nodded before moving along, speeding up ahead of him and looked back. "It's… a place."

"A place." Han chuckled and shook his head. But he waved a hand, "You don't have to explain it—it's fine. Something like that seems like...well, not one would like to talk about in polite company?" He would really have to ask her father though weren't they supposed to be enemies or something?

Ellynn nodded as she pushed back the doors to the Dewrowan Tower, they were here at last. She glanced at him one more time, "Thank you for inviting me, I'll try to do better next time and speak up?"

She really did talk more when it was just the two of them. Han scratched his cheek, "You don't have to force yourself, still you had fun right?"

The Half Elf nodded.

"Good, that's a relief. I guess we can give it a go again tomorrow?" He really had thought that she'd gotten upset or that she didn't even try, but she needed to go at her own pace. Maybe he could push her a little beyond those boundaries, but no more pushy Han. 

She narrowed her eyes at him, "You have to catch up with our classes instead of only thinking about playing."

"I didn't forget about that."

Ellynn rolled her eyes but nodded, "Thank you again. I'll be leaving now, I hope that Timothy can join us next maybe?"

"Uh yeah, I'll invite him." Now getting that guy aboard this game would be a bit more of a challenge… but Ellynn wanted him there? He watched the Half Elf speed away—literally burst through the courtyard of the tower with a blast of wind and rubbed his face. "Don't tell me that she's got a crush on Timothy or something? Was it because of the library?"

...Han shook his head. He'd have to drop by that guy's room, regardless of that.