Katsuki awoke to the bright sunlight streaming through the trees, squinting against the glare as he pushed himself up. The first thing he noticed was Rosie, already dressed in fitted black shorts and a white ruffled off-the-shoulder blouse, accentuated by a tight black corset. She was lacing up knee-high black boots, a quiver of arrows slung over her shoulder, a large bow propped nearby, and a sheathed sword resting against her leg.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!" she grinned, her cheerfulness grating on him. "I was about to wake you up so we can get on the road."

Katsuki rolled his eyes, a groan escaping his lips. Why the hell was she so cheery in the morning? It was barely an hour after sunrise, and he felt like a grizzly bear waking from hibernation.

Standing, he quickly packed up his bedroll, watching as she dumped water from the river over the fire, effectively extinguishing the last remnants of warmth. He changed into black baggy pants, tucking them into laced boots, and pulled on a sleeveless tight shirt that showcased the black tattoos scattered across his skin.

Mounting his steed, Dynamite, he couldn't help but notice Rosie humming a light tune beside him as they started down the road. She seemed completely unfazed by the morning chill, her bright blue eyes scanning the dense forest around them with an alertness that made him feel sluggish in comparison.

Katsuki kept his mouth shut, still waking up fully. He appreciated that she'd let him sleep through the entire night despite their earlier agreement to take turns. But it also irked him that she was now traveling alongside him, a development he hadn't anticipated.

As they rode on in silence, he couldn't shake the nagging curiosity that tugged at him. What had made her go from leaving her realm to working as a tavern wench, and now to being an adventurer? The questions swirled in his mind, but he pushed them down, unwilling to voice them.

"We should make it to Kaminla by lunch," she said, glancing over at him with that same bright smile. "Would you want to stop and get lunch since we skipped breakfast?"

As much as he wanted to snap at her to just let him be, the truth was he was hungry—though he would never admit that to her. He owed her for saving his ass last night, and skipping breakfast had only compounded his irritation.

"If that's what you want," he grumbled, his tone curt.

Rosie's eyes sparkled with delight at his reluctant agreement, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance. She had saved him, and now here they were, two unlikely companions on the road. Katsuki took a deep breath, shaking off the irritation. He would pay her back for allowing him to sleep with lunch, then head to the adventurer's guild to choose out the next job.

As they rode, the trees began to thin out, and the morning sun filtered through, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Katsuki glanced sideways at Rosie, trying to focus on the ride instead of the unsettling feeling of having a high elf at his side. The day was just beginning, and he could only hope that the adventures ahead would keep his mind off her relentless cheerfulness.

Katsuki watched as Rosie hummed quietly to herself, content to let the road and the passing forest fill the silence between them. He was grateful, at least, that she wasn't the chatty type—her quiet humming was better than constant conversation. They had only stopped once for their horses to drink from a nearby stream, and as she fed her horse, Divine, a shiny red apple, she offered him one for Dynamite. Katsuki's brows furrowed in irritation, but knowing his supplies were running low, he begrudgingly accepted.

Dynamite eagerly took the apple from her hand, munching contently as Rosie scratched the patch of hair between his eyes. Katsuki scowled, watching as his horse, usually indifferent to others, nuzzled into her touch.

"Traitorous bastard," he muttered under his breath, glaring at Dynamite's sudden affection for the elf.

When they resumed riding, Katsuki noticed Dynamite moving closer to Rosie and her horse, practically following her lead. He let out an annoyed huff but said nothing as they rode through the forest, the trees finally thinning out as the city of Kaminla appeared in the distance.

Kaminla was a bustling hub, filled with locals and adventurers alike, all weaving through the marketplace or huddled in small groups discussing quests. Katsuki took the lead as they entered the city, heading directly toward the tavern he had visited before: The Goblin's Pub. The place was busy, full of loud conversations and the clinking of mugs, adventurers filling the tables and barstools. Tying their horses outside, he didn't miss the glances others gave Rosie as she dismounted her horse, the tightness of her shorts drawing attention.

Katsuki shot seething glares at the men whose eyes lingered a little too long, making sure they understood the unspoken warning in his red eyes. Most ducked their heads under his glare, though a few braver souls met his stare from behind their ale mugs.

They found a corner table, and Katsuki slumped back into his seat with a heavy sigh, trying to ignore the fact that she sat across from him. A human tavern wench came to take their orders, and Katsuki quickly muttered, "An ale for me, and a turkey leg with a steak."

"I'll take an ale as well, and the same as him," Rosie added with a friendly smile toward the tavern wench, who jotted it down and hurried away.

Once their food was ordered, Rosie leaned forward slightly, her curious eyes fixed on him. "So, what's next?" she asked.

Katsuki shrugged, leaning back in his chair and propping his feet up on the edge of the table. "I plan on going to the Adventurers Guild after this. Gonna get a new request."

Her eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands together, beaming. "I am as well! What a coincidence!"

Katsuki raised a brow, lowering his feet as the tavern wench returned with their ales. "You're joining?"

Rosie giggled, taking a sip of her ale. "I'm already an adventurer. Been one for the last two years."

Katsuki nearly choked on his ale, coughing and slapping his chest as the liquid went down the wrong way. He blinked at her, eyes watering slightly as he tried to recover. "You? An adventurer?" He squinted at her, trying to make sense of it.

"Why the hell were you working as a tavern wench, then?" he asked, his suspicion growing. It didn't add up. An elf as an adventurer, sure, but moonlighting as a tavern wench? There had to be more to it.

Rosie's grin widened, clearly amused by his confusion. "I was undercover," she said, lowering her voice slightly as if she were sharing a secret. "There's been a notorious bandit frequenting The Goblin Arc Tavern, and I took a request to track him down. I figured the best way to get close to him was to blend in."

Katsuki raised an eyebrow. "A bandit?"

She nodded, taking another sip of her ale. "Yeah. He's been involved in a series of thefts and murders along the western trade routes. Rumor was, he'd been hiding, and the tavern was one of his usual stops."

"So you just… pretended to be a tavern wench?" Katsuki still couldn't believe it. She had seemed so genuinely cheery back at the tavern, it didn't seem like an act.

"Yep!" Rosie shrugged, leaning back in her chair now. "It's not that different from adventuring, really. You get to listen to a lot of people's stories, and sometimes you learn more than you'd think." She winked at him. "And it worked. I found him. Sent word to the client, and they took care of the rest."

Katsuki took a long drink of his ale, still trying to wrap his head around it. He felt a mix of begrudging respect and mild annoyance. "So you're telling me the whole time I was watching you run around with mugs of ale, you were on a job?"

Rosie chuckled. "Pretty much. Not the most glamorous job, but it paid well."

Katsuki scowled into his mug, feeling like he'd been played. "You could've warned me."

"I could've," she agreed, her smile mischievous, "but where's the fun in that?"

He just grunted, a bit peeved. So he was right in his assumption that a high elf as herself wouldn't stoop so low to become a tavern wench.

"Wait," her brows furrowed. "You were watching me all night?"

Shit.

He slipped again. He really needed to keep his mouth shut.

"Just to make sure that I got all the ale I wanted." He lied, hoping she bought it as it was half the truth.

Their food arrived, and Katsuki wasted no time digging into his turkey leg, letting the savory flavors drown out his irritation. Rosie, for her part, seemed content to eat in peace, her previous words lingering in the air.

He eyed her as she ate, still trying to piece together the enigma that was Rosie. One minute she was a cheerful tavern wench, the next a competent archer saving him from goblins, and now an undercover adventurer hunting down bandits.

Who the hell had he gotten himself tangled up with?

"Well," he muttered, finally breaking the silence, "guess I owe you lunch for last night, anyway."

Rosie gave him a playful smile. "Consider us even."