NOVPUB
Chapter 57: Twin Sister?!
The moment he was inside, he exhaled, shaking his head with a smirk.
’What a night.’
With a chuckle, he made his way toward the counter.
Zayn made his way through the guildhall, his boots scuffing against the wooden floor.
The air inside was warm compared to the damp night outside, filled with the usual scents of ink, parchment, and the lingering musk of adventurers who had spent too much time on the road without a proper bath.
They stunk for real.
Despite that, the atmosphere was strangely quiet.
As he approached the counter, he noticed something odd — nearly all of the attendants had their heads down, resting on their arms.
Some were fully slumped over, their soft breathing indicating that they had dozed off. Others, while still awake, looked drowsy, their eyes half-lidded with exhaustion.
Zayn raised an eyebrow.
’A break? Or do they just not sleep at home?’
He reached the counter where the familiar half-elf woman was resting her head.
Her long hair cascaded over her shoulder, spilling onto the smooth wood.
Her delicate ears twitched slightly as if sensing movement, but she didn’t stir.
Not wanting to startle her too much, he tapped the counter lightly. "Hey."
Her reaction was instant.
Her golden eyes flickered open, and for a brief moment, they were filled with confusion before they landed on him.
Recognition dawned, and her gaze softened.
Slowly, she pushed herself upright, her movements languid and graceful despite the exhaustion that clung to her.
Zayn took a second to really look at her.
Even in her half-asleep state, she was undeniably beautiful.
There was a certain elegance to her features, but it was the small details that caught his attention — the slight flush to her cheeks, the way her lips were slightly parted and glistening, likely from the bit of saliva that still clung to her cheek.
He had to admit, there was something almost... adorable about seeing her like this.
She blinked at him, then rubbed the back of her hand against her cheek, probably realizing that she had been drooling in her sleep.
"You’re back early," she murmured, her voice carrying the huskiness of someone who had just woken up.
Zayn leaned an elbow on the counter, smirking slightly. "Yeah, turns out Beyrin Town wasn’t as far as I thought. Finished the job and came to report it."
She nodded sleepily, stretching her arms above her head. The movement caused her shirt to shift slightly, revealing just the faintest hint of the smooth skin beneath.
Zayn noticed but didn’t let his gaze linger. He wasn’t some starved fool who’d get distracted that easily. Well maybe he was but he wasn’t falling for these tricks.
Still, something about her demeanor was different from earlier.
When they had spoken before, she had been sharp, witty, and full of energy. Now, she looked softer, more relaxed — like someone who had been awake far longer than she should have.
"Why are you acting different?" he asked, tilting his head.
The half-elf chuckled, covering her mouth as she did. "Ah... that would be because you’re talking to a different person."
Zayn frowned. "Come again?"
She leaned against the counter, resting her chin on one hand as she explained. "I have a twin sister. She works the morning to evening shift, and I take over from night until morning. You met her earlier."
That caught him off guard. "Wait, seriously?"
"Mhm," she hummed, still looking amused. "You probably thought I was acting differently because I am a different person. We look the same, though, so I don’t blame you for not realizing it immediately."
Zayn ran a hand through his hair, exhaling in amusement. "Damn. So there’s two of you running around?"
"Surprised?" she teased, her golden eyes glinting with mischief.
"A little." He shrugged. "Though, it does explain a lot. I thought you were just really good at working long hours."
She laughed lightly. "No, no. Even elves need sleep, you know."
"Well, that makes sense."
He reached into his pouch and pulled out the proof of the completed mission, setting it on the counter. "Anyway, here. Job’s done."
She straightened up, shaking off the last remnants of sleepiness as she took the parchment from him.
Her fingers brushed against his briefly, and he noticed how warm her skin was compared to his slightly chilled hands.
"Something on your mind?" she asked, not looking up from her writing.
Zayn stumbled. "Erm... Just wondering if your sister is as fun to talk to as you are."
’Hell no she isn’t!’
She paused for half a second before continuing to write. "That depends. If you prefer someone who’s more serious and all about business, then maybe you’ll get along with her better."
"Ah, so she’s the strict one?"
"You could say that."
Zayn chuckled. "Guess I lucked out, then."
The half-elf glanced up, an amused smile playing on her lips. "Oh? You think I’m the better twin?"
"Let’s just say you’re easier on the nerves after a long trip."
She let out a small laugh, shaking her head. "Flatterer."
After a few more moments, she finished the paperwork and recorded his mission.
"I’ve added this to your card, if you do more missions like this at night, it’ll be far easier for you to rank up," She said.
"I think I’ll be heading back to sleep."
"Good idea," she replied, resting her chin on her hand again. "You adventurers have a habit of passing the sleep in dungeons."
’Well maybe I did in games... but in this life... I’d prefer a bed always,’ Zayn thought.
Zayn grinned. "Gotta live a little, right?"
She rolled her eyes playfully but didn’t disagree.
Tucking the pouch away, he gave her a lazy salute. "I’ll see you around, then. Maybe next time I’ll meet the stricter half of you."
"Maybe," she said, watching him with an amused glint in her eyes. "Try not to get yourself killed before we meet again."
Zayn laughed, shaking his head as he turned to leave. "No promises."
