Chapter 195 Pleasantries
"It is nice to meet you, Stag," Aleshia said, courteously bowing.
"Pah, enough with the nonsense. There's no need for pleasantries like this. If you were a dwarf, all we would need is an exchange of blows, but since you're a maiden, drinking will have to suffice," Stag winked.
Although Aleshia had only met him recently, she could guess his motivation; he was looking for an excuse to drink.
When Stag saw Aleshia wasn't following his suggestion, he stepped closer, trying to intimidate her. However, even when he stood just inches away, she remained unfazed. Seeing he couldn't sway her, he backed away and was immediately slapped on the back by three hands. "Hey! There was no attempt on her life!" the dwarf yelled, feeling taken aback.
The owners of those hands—Em, Rey, and Miya—glared at him with cold expressions. Feeling the intensity of their gazes, Stag attempted to apologize in the way he knew best. Gruffly, he offered one of the beers from his shelf. "Here, take this as an apology."
In an instant, the three girls pounced on the bottle, swiftly grabbing it from Stag and moving to Aleshia's side, where they secured the bottle tightly in their hands. The three whispered reproachful remarks loud enough for Stag to hear: "This guy is a creep."
"Let's spread rumors to everyone else."
"A bottle from a dwarf? No way this won't sell." Em, Rey, and Miya each chimed in with their thoughts.
Seeing the beady eyes filled with greed and danger during the encounter, Stag felt a shiver run down his spine. Attempting to mitigate any future threats to his life or reputation, he changed the subject.
"It seems you all did a fine job, Tristan. You have already received half of what I owe you, and now I'm giving you the other half of the reward. Please consider this bottle compensation for any discomfort I may have caused." After sensing the glares directed at him, Stag quickly rephrased, "Ahem, I mean the discomfort I have caused."
Stag handed Tristan a bag filled with money. After Tristan received the bag and checked the amount inside, he confirmed that it contained the remainder of the agreed-upon sum. Once they finished their business, Tristan gathered the group, and they left the dwarf's home. After walking for a distance, Miya asked Aleshia, "What did you think of him?"
After considering her words, Aleshia said, "Stag is what I would expect from an employer around here. No offense intended, but he was alright to work for."