Elkay spun around on her barstool and called over a Vietnamese man behind the counter. He walked over uncertainly, obviously put off by the odd behavior of his customers. Indeed, there was no other explanation for his unease, for Elkay was human and Ellie had hidden her wings. As the man leaned forward, Elkay gave him a big smile.

"Tôi sẽ không phải bận tâm suy nghĩ của một thông điệp bí mật để giải trí bạn ."

The man gave her a funny look. Elkay hummed and turned back to Ellie, who was leaning miserably on the bar.

"I don't speak Vietnamese."

Ellie didn't reply. She didn't so much as nod. Elkay cocked her head and frowned.

"Are you okay?"

Ellie continued to stare into space vacantly.

"I screwed up."

Elkay gulped.

"I don't know what to tell you. It happens."

Ellie exhaled dolefully.

"We should have gone after Neithhotep sooner."

Elkay shook her head.

"Naw. She'd have kicked our asses."

Ellie groaned miserably.

"We really suck at this."

Elkay lifted her chin with a wise air.

"Well, it's the bubbles of nothing that really make us something."

"Isn't that an Aero slogan?"

"Maybe. By the way, why are you capitalizing 'Vietnamese'?"

"Because it's a language."

"No, before that. You used it to describe the barkeep."

"In English, you always capitalize nationality."

Elkay hummed.

"Seems inconvenient. But you'd know better than I."

"But you've been around longer."

"That's why I get confused. At least we don't have to deal with gendered nouns."

"Mhm."

Elkay poked Ellie's shoulder lightly.

"So, why are you still narrating?"

"I don't know . . . I guess I felt that I couldn't end with . . . You know . . ."

"I know. We're fixing this, right?"

"If we can."

Elkay placed her chin on her arms, leaning against the bar in a daydreamy way. After a minute, she laughed quietly.

"What's so funny?" Ellie asked.

Elkay smiled whimsically.

"I was just thinking of my father. He was a stickler for accurate grammar. Well, not grammar, so much, but general language. If I used any New Asterparan words, he'd get so mad . . ."

Ellie blinked.

"New Asterparan?"

Elkay nodded.

"Mhm. Asterparan is a varied tongue. Language evolves all the time, but there are those who believe that the first way is always the best way."

"How many Asterparan languages are there?"

Elkay chuckled.

"That's like asking how many English accents there are. It's impossible to keep track. Basically, you just have to try several words until you can communicate with your conversation partner properly."

Ellie frowned in puzzlement.

"That's not what Donophrion said. According to him, the language is relatively simple."

Elkay winced at the mention of her late son. She shook her head quickly.

"Donophrion spoke First Asterparan, mostly, but he needed to simplify things for his half-siblings. It's pretty much impossible to learn First Asterparan by this point, and it's really not practical. Donophrion's foster parents may have been the last to speak it."

"Who were his foster parents?"

"No idea."

They didn't speak for a few minutes after that. Elkay fiddled with her shirt sleeves idly while Ellie remained motionless. The barkeep watched them nervously, not knowing whether he should try to get rid of them or pray they wouldn't pull a crazy stunt. He decided to start polishing glasses to pass the time. For once, Ellie was the one who broke the awkward silence.

"What was your father's name?"

"Horatius."

"Hm."

After a pause, Ellie stood up.

"I think I need a second to . . . figure things out."

Elkay nodded and stepped away from the bar.

"I'm going to head to Asterpara for a bit. Don't ask why."

Ellie narrowed her eyes.

"Are you going to pretend that you're abandoning me, only to show up during the final battle, armor and all?"

Elkay blinked.

"Well . . . Maybe . . . Wait, so there's going to be a final battle for sure?"

Ellie nodded.

"Unless something goes wrong. If I die, tell Alan what happened."

"Tell him yourself."

"In my theoretical situation, I'd be dead, so I couldn't."

Elkay gave a small shrug and smiled.

"Never stopped you before."

And with that, she changed back into a dragon and flew away.