Eliza's idea might be a little complicated, but if you're going sic the Klyton militia on Frank for something, you'd better at least have some sort of evidence to back it up, real or imagined.



"Okay Eliza, we'll go with your plan."

"What?" Rita exclaims.

"Are you serious?" Wendy adds.

" Oh, um really?" Eliza says just as surprised as everyone.

"Sure and you're going to be the one to do it."

"Oh I couldn't…I'm far too shy!"

"Oh for…if you're going to insist on doing this plan, you'll need someone who can work a room. Of course I'll expect to be paid extra for this." Rita volunteers.

"Oh I can see this plan is a GREAT idea." Wendy says rolling her eyes.

"Everyone be quiet! I'm not using you Rita because quite frankly too many people already know who you are and you're too obvious. Eliza needs to do it. She's practically invisible. No offense."

"Oh none taken, but I just don't know if I can."

"Of course you can, you came up with the idea right? We just need to hammer out the details."



After a few moments of discussion, Eliza says that the easiest way would be to get hired there as a waitress. If Frank questions her, she'll say that she didn't like the environment at your place and her co-workers (especially Rita). It should be enough to convince him, but Eliza's just worried that she won't get hired due to her looks. She's a pretty a girl, but she suffers from low self esteem so you try to boost her up a bit with compliments. Hopefully they work and hopefully this plan works.



A few days later the plan is in motion. Eliza "quits" working at your Inn and works for Frank. In your first secret meeting, she tells you he did know who she was, but apparently he didn't even question her that much. He was too overjoyed that he was taking help away from you that he hired her right away. Though you wonder if that could be a ruse to lull her into some sort of trap, you tell her to be very cautious.



The next time you meet Eliza she's dressed a lot more provocatively than usual. You can't help but to comment.



"Wow, Eliza that uh dress…"

"I know. It doesn't leave much to the imagination does it? I feel like I'm almost walking around naked and everyone is looking."

"Oh don't worry about it, they were looking even before you dressed like that. You are very attractive after all."

"Oh you don't need to boost me up anymore, I'm getting over my shyness, though I suppose I don't have much choice. Now here's what I've found out so far…"



Eliza goes on to say that other than having a lot of beautiful girls working for him she hasn't found anything out of the ordinary yet. He doesn't seem to be involved in any illegal activity either.



"Are you sure there isn't any prostitution going on?"

"That was the first thing I thought of, but it doesn't look like it. None of the other waitresses are sneaking off with the patrons to some backroom and I haven't been asked to do anything unseemly either."

"Damn…uh I mean that's good you weren't put in that position though. So nothing at all huh?"

"Well, the only thing that I noticed that might be odd is two of the girls always seem to be there all the time and sometimes they go off with Frank in the basement for long periods of time. There are rumors that they're sleeping with him."

"Well sleeping with the boss might be sleazy, but it's not illegal." You say.

"I dunno if it's that sleazy, I think people can maintain a healthy relationship even if one is in a higher position than the other."



This odd little quip from Eliza puts you off guard for a moment.



"Uh, well sure, but I doubt if that's the case with those three." You sputter.

"Oh I agree, but the thing is, I get the impression it isn't necessarily sex. It feels like something else is going on with them. I think it's still worthwhile to stick around a little longer."

"Okay, but as I've said before, be very careful. I wouldn't want anyone there to find out about you, you're the only employee I have that doesn't cause any trouble."

"I will, but thanks for your concern."



You suddenly feel the need to "correct" yourself.



"I don't mean I only care about you as an employee, I mean I also care about you…I mean as a person! Y'know, I don't want anything to happen to you." You awkwardly word.

"I know what you mean. And thanks again I appreciate it." Eliza says with a smile.



You tell her the next time you want to meet, but if she finds out anything really important to come to you earlier. As she begins to leave you realize you are starting to develop some feelings for Eliza, though you aren't sure if she feels the same way, but you get the impression that she has also been dropping a few hints.

You leave it alone

Whatever feelings either of you might have need to be put aside and left alone at least until she's done with this mission. She needs to focus.



A month passes and Wendy begins to grumble about being short staffed and wonder when the hell Eliza is coming back.



"Eliza's doing important work, just hang in there. She'll be back here on a regular basis soon."

"Well she better. Dunno why you went with her plan anyway, it would've been easier to go with mine." Wendy says.

"Maybe, but I wanted to have some extra leverage on Frank if we're going to report him to our militia friends."



Your gamble pays off, a few days later. Eliza comes running into the inn with something bundled under one of her arms and looking more than a little nervous. She says she needs to talk to you immediately and how important it is. You comply and head to the kitchen where your mother is, since she probably needs to know whatever Eliza has to say as well.



"Demons…Frank's in league with demons!" Eliza blurts out.

"What? Are you sure?" you ask.

"Yes! I was in his wine cellar getting a special bottle for one of his wealthy merchant customers when a rat passed by and startled me. This caused me to jump back and I hit the wall, but in doing so I must've hit some sort of secret button because the wall opened up into a small room. There was blood on the floor, a few bones, and a bunch of symbols drawn everywhere. The thing that stood out though was this!"



Eliza drops the bundle on the kitchen table and unwraps the cloth she's put it in to reveal a large leather bound book with a few symbols written on it. If it isn't a spell book, it sure looks like one.



"Well I suppose we now know Frank's an unlicensed mage, but are you sure about the demons?" Your mother asks.

"Yes! I've seen them! I mean everyone has, they just don't know!" Eliza exclaims. "When I was leaving with the book and closing the secret door, two of the waitresses I work with confronted me. When they showed me their true forms, I was scared for my life. These two in particular had always made me a little nervous. They just had an odd aura about them, never imagined that they were demons though."

"They didn't try to do anything to you?"

"No, they just said that I was very lucky Frank neglected to be thorough when drawing up his contract with them. I think they saw me as a potential loophole out of their service to him. I know they never really seemed fond of Frank."

"Well whatever the reason, I'm glad you're safe. I suppose now we should go inform the Klyton militia." You say.



After bringing the book to Klyton sergeant and Eliza repeating her story to them, they take action immediately. Unlicensed magery is a very series offense, let alone cavorting with demons.



Naturally you don't witness the raid; in fact the Klyton militia tries its best to section off the area beforehand, but given that Frank's place is in a high traffic area and is already pretty popular, it's not an entirely successful endeavor. A group of heavily armed Klyton militia with sanctioned wizards as support tends to draw attention. Fortunately it doesn't end in a big explosion and hundreds dead. It ends with a few smaller explosions and only a couple dozen dead instead. Unfortunately it also ends with the one of the demons escaping as well. For a while there's a lock down on the entire city as the Klyton militia tries to maintain order as well as searching for the thing, eventually nothing comes of it and it is assumed that the succubus flew away to a place where it could hunt for new prey a lot easier. (Probably Hessla).



During this time, the inn was pretty busy since several merchants couldn't leave the city right away, not to mention some of the regulars drinking a little more to calm themselves of a possible demon running around, so it works out for you pretty well.



After everything is said and done, you have enough money to continue your education and with this financial pressure off, you easily pass the rest of your classes with no worries.



Of course now you're in your final stages of your education, which means medical school as well as actually having to get a job actually working at a hospital. The only problem with that is being an intern doesn't pay all that well and you certainly can't do that AND work at the bar. Your mother reassures you that you shouldn't worry about it as she'll be able to hire a couple extra people as well as being able to help with the rest of your tuition.



In any case it looks like your days as an innkeeper are over.

You future Plans

A few years have passed and your medical schooling is complete and you now work at the Klyton hospital as a real doctor.



Your personal life has changed quite a bit over the past few years as well. You currently live in an apartment near the hospital with a fellow medical student. Actually she's your girlfriend. It started out as a simple roommates thing, but then it developed into something a little more. Cindy still has a year of schooling to go, and you now have a job at the hospital so you weren't planning on going anywhere just yet.



However Cindy suggests that the pair of you should leave for the Delantium Kingdom, specifically Sivak, which is the closest big city. She mentions that there are more opportunities there and she would prefer living there as well.



You don't really have any specific objections against going there, it's just you've never left Klyton, so you're probably a little nervous especially since you've managed to succeed in getting a good job here and maintain a friendly relationship with most of the people you work beside.



Well you have a year to hammer out all the plans in the meantime you're on your way to visit your mother. You don't see her as much as you used to but she is of course very proud of you and mentions that your father would be too if he were still alive. After all it was always his goal to make sure that you went into medicine for a career.



When you get to the Traveler's Inn, it never ceases to amaze you how much the place has changed and how much it has grown since the days when you were little. Wendy does most of the day to day inn management nowadays, leaving your mom to concentrate on the cooking, which she prefers in the first place. Rita still works there surprisingly enough. Apparently she found it a lot better to just hook up with various rich guys for a short period of time to get some gifts and then remain single.



Eliza is the new head barmaid. You guess that experience with the whole Griffon Inn situation boosted her confidence. She even managed to turn Flameflower and Sunshine into productive employees! You remember how friendly you were to each other and how sometimes it seemed like there was the potential for more there, but neither one of you seriously pursued it.



"Well, haven't seen you in awhile Mr. big shot doctor. You still with that…girl?" Rita asks when you walk in.

"Her name's Cindy and yes I am, Rita. What's it to you anyway?"

"Nothing, can't I be concerned for your well being? I mean we have known each other for a long time and all."

"Hm. Well I'm fine. Where's my mom?"

"She's in the kitchen as usual."



You walk past Rita, shaking your head at her sudden interest in you now that you have a good paying job. As you approach the bar, Wendy notices you.



"I see the great doctor has come for a visit. Taking a break from that girl you shacked up with huh? Anyway your mom is in the kitchen." She says and then goes back to talking with some of the patrons.



When you enter the kitchen your mom turns around to see you and smiles before rushing to give you a big hug.



"Aw mom." You say not wanting all this fuss.

"Hey indulge me, I don't get to see you as much as I used to. So how have you been? What's going on? Are you still with…that girl?"

"Her name's Cindy, geez why doesn't anyone like her? Rita and Wendy both made some snide remark about her as I came walking in."

"Sorry son, I'm sure Cindy's a nice girl and all, but the couple times you visited here with her, she was a bit pretentious, and you know Wendy doesn't care for people like that. As for Rita, well I'm sure you know why she's acts the way she does by now."

" Okay I know Cindy has a bit of that upper class personality, but Eliza was the only one who even tried to be friendly with Cindy the last time she was here!"

"Eliza would be friendly to a mountain troll as long as it wasn't eating her. It's just her nature. Not to mention she thinks you're happy with Cindy so she's happy for you."

"So, why can't you be happy for me?"

"Who said I wasn't? If that's who you want then good! I'm all for it. The question though is are you happy?"

"Of course I am! I wouldn't be moving with her to Sivak by next year if I wasn't! That's sort of why I came here today. I wanted to let you know, I'll be leaving Klyton soon."



You mother doesn't seem too emotional about this revelation, you were sort of expecting more tears or celebration. Instead she just sighs and heads off to cut some vegetables, before speaking again.



"Hmm, okay. Well as long as you're sure that's what you want to do."

"Why wouldn't it? I mean there are more opportunities in Sivak than there are here for me and Cindy. You didn't want me to stay did you? I thought you were going to sell this place and move to Teckleville anyway."

"No, of course I don't want you to stay for me! Geez, I can manage just fine. Your father and I always knew the day would come that you'd move far away. As for selling this place, eh, I'm not sure yet. It is true that after your father died, my main motivation was to keep this place running to help continue paying for your education. I figured after that goal was reached I would indeed retire to Teckleville. I dunno now though. I guess after all the stuff we went through to keep this place, not to mention making it better, I've become more attached to it again."



Now you're sort of surprised to hear her say that, you thought for sure that she was fully intending on moving back to Teckleville.



"Well, no matter where you are, I hope you know I'll visit." You say.

"Oh of course, I wasn't worried about that. Well anyway I have to finish preparing this drakling. Some adventurers can't ever order something simple, well at least they brought it in themselves I suppose."



At this point you and your mother say goodbye to each other and you walk out of the kitchen. On your way out you bump into Eliza.



"Hey you! I haven't seen you in a long time! How have you been? Are things going well for you and Cindy?"

You smile at the fact that she remembered your girlfriend's name. "I've been okay. I heard about you being the head waitress now, congratulation."

"Thanks, I'm actually running a little late right now. I'll have to talk with you later, maybe we should meet sometime when we're not both busy."

"Um…yeah maybe. Well see you later." You say and quickly leave the area.



As you leave you feel a mixture of guilt, anxiety and confusion. Part of you wants to go back. You don't know if you have real feelings for Eliza or you're just deliberately thinking about sabotaging things so you don't have to move away from Klyton.

You make plans to meet with Eliza

You go back to the inn. You don't know what the hell you're doing, but you're doing it.



"Back so soon doc?" Rita says as you ignore her and look for Eliza.



You instinctively head back to the kitchen where you find her talking to some of the other staff members.



"Eliza, I have to talk to you!" you say anxiously.

"Um…okay, I'm almost done here."



You wait impatiently for Eliza to finish talking to her subordinates, while you're doing that your mother is eyeing you suspiciously as she begins cooking a large piece of meat.



You can't wait here! This was a mistake! You have to leave now!



You rush out of the kitchen, but you don't get far when you feel Eliza's hand grab your shoulder.



"Hey, where are you going? I thought you had to talk to me." She says.



You turn around and nothing comes out. You just take one look at her face and you can't contain yourself. You grab and kiss her right on the lips. This is followed by a few cheers and claps from the patrons in the bar.



"Huh, took him long enough to realize it." Wendy says and goes back to cleaning the bar.



Eliza's response is pure shock. She doesn't know what to do except run into the ladies room. You call out to her before realizing you've done this in front of several onlookers. You panic again and run into the kitchen.



"What's going on out there? Did I hear you call out Eliza's name? What did you do?"

"I…I fucked up…" you blurt out.



You quickly explain what just happened and your mother shakes her head while throwing a washcloth on the table.



"(Sigh) I KNEW something was up when you wanted to talk to her and were acting more jittery than a goblin caught in a troll's larder. I don't know what to tell you son except you've handled this poorly. This is definitely something you're going to have to fix yourself, but you need to do it soon, because Eliza's one of the best employees here and I don't need her all upset right now."



You think about slipping out the back, but your mother's right, you need to take care of this now. At least part of it, because you'll need to take care of the rest tonight when you talk to Cindy.



You sheepishly exit the kitchen wondering if everyone will be looking. Most glance your way, but go back to their business.



"She's down in the cellar doctor love." Wendy says.



Not saying another word you go down to the cellar. You see Eliza trying to keep busy by taking stock of the beer casks with another employee you don't know.



"Eliza."

"I can't talk anymore, I really have to make sure we have enough beer this month. Our shipment is a little late. It was nice seeing you." She answers without looking in your direction.

"Eliza we need to talk about what just happened."

"I think we should just forget about it. Shouldn't you be getting home? I'm sure Cindy will be wondering about where you are."



At this point you grab Eliza again and tell the stock boy to leave, he doesn't seem to want to get involved in whatever drama you two have so he complies.



"Let me go."

"Okay, but we're gonna talk!"

"Talk about what? About me being the other woman? I don't want to be that and Cindy doesn't deserve it! I don't deserve it!"

"I'm gonna break up with Cindy! I want you. I know that now. I should've acted on it earlier…"

"You certainly should have! (sob) Do you know how much I wanted you to say something? Years! From the moment you came back to this inn after your father died, I wanted you to say something. Now it's too late!"

"It's not too late! I just said I'll break up with Cindy then we can be together!"

"Just like that huh? You can toss her aside so easily? I thought you were in love with her."

"I was…I mean…no…agh! Shit look, I want to be with you! Why are you making this so difficult?"

"Because it IS fucking difficult! (sob) I had just come to accept the fact that you and I were never going to happen no matter how much I wanted it. (sob) And now you come back and stir all my emotions up, because you're having doubts about your relationship with Cindy? What the hell happens when you start having doubts about me one day?"

"That wouldn't happen…"

"How do I know? I mean… (sniffle) we've never even gone out on a date. How do you know if we're even going to be compatible?"

"Well let's go on one right now. Anywhere you want!"

"Just leave me alone. I need time to myself."



You try to touch Eliza to reassure her, but she flinches away. You don't say anything else and leave her be like she wanted.



On your way home you think about everything and how badly it all went. You didn't know Eliza pined after you for so long. You really had no idea. If you did you would've…



Would've, could've, should've, doesn't really matter now. What matters now is what you're going to do about all this. Eliza also brought up a good point on how can you possibly know that you're compatible and how it looks like you're just reaching out to her because of your doubts with Cindy.



Speaking of Cindy, you need to figure out what you're going to say to her when you get home.

You stay with Cindy

Given that Eliza didn't seem to happy with you, your future with her seems unlikely. You see now that you missed that opportunity a long time ago and that you need to move on from this folly. You just hope that you'll be able to and that none of this will get back to Cindy.



When you get home, Cindy asks where you've been and you tell her you visited your mother at the inn. You don't really elaborate anymore than that, but Cindy doesn't ask anything further as she's not too interested in what's ever going on there in the first place.



During your last remaining year in Klyton, you don't visit your family's inn anymore as a safety precaution. You try to go on about your life though the fear of Cindy finding out what might've happened is always in the back of your mind. Granted Cindy's not likely to visit the inn anytime soon, but what happens if one of those miners goes to the hospital for a broken leg or something? What if he sees you and asks how Eliza is in the "sack?" What if Cindy is with you when he asks that question? What if Eliza herself comes down and causes a scene?



"Hey you! Come here we need another doctor in ER!" a nurse shouts at you.



You stop your current daydreaming and quickly follow her to the emergency room



"She's not breathing!"

"Does anyone know what she took?"

"Her employer said she thinks it was Bog Malice."



The noisy chaos of the emergency room seems to go silent when you step forward to see the girl lying on the table.



It's Eliza.



"Don't just stand there, hand me that pump!"



You snap out of your daze and grab the pump the surgeon asked for.



"This isn't working, the poison's too damn strong. Her body is probably completely shutting down. Where the hell are those electro-gauntlets?"

"NO, she can't die!" you shout. "Hand me a syringe of Troll Adrenaline!"

"Troll Adrenaline? Her body can't take that!" a nurse says

"She's already fucking dying! Somebody gimme that syringe now!"



You shove the syringe deep into her chest and inject the adenaline. This causes Eliza's body to begin to twitch violently and she even opens her eyes. She then spits up a mixture of blood and some sort of black fluid.



"Huuuuuuuuuu!" Eliza wheezes



A nurse rushes in with electro-gauntlets and you grab them immediately and lay your hands on Eliza's chest.



"CLEAR!"



BUZZ!



"CLEAR!"



BUZZ!



"CLEAR!"



BUZZ! SPARK! FWOOM!



The electro-gauntlets short out and you end up giving yourself a nasty zap causing you to fall to the floor. It doesn't take you long to realize the gauntlets are also on fire. You shake them off immediately. You smell the scent of burnt flesh and scramble back up to help Eliza who has now once again ceased to move.



"Oh shit, shit! I'm sorry Eliza! I'm so fucking sorry!" you say and begin pounding on her chest, but it's no use



"You tried everything you could my boy, she's gone." The surgeon says trying to calm you down.

"No, but look her foot just twitched, she…"

"That twitch was just an after effect of the troll adrenaline. (Sigh) Never gets easy losing a patient…and I gather you knew this one personally?"

"…yeah…she…yeah…"



You stumble out of the emergency room and see your mother who must've been the one who brought her here.



"Son! Is Eliza…"

"She's dead."



After the funeral you take time off from work. Cindy tries to be sympathetic, but the fact that you feel really guilty over Eliza's death and incredibly broken up about it leads her to quite rightly think that you had stronger feelings for her than you let on. Ultimately Cindy breaks up with you and eventually moves back to the Delantium Kingdom by herself.



Eventually you go back to work and continue on with your life. You never do forgive yourself for Eliza's death though and immerse yourself in your work.



As for your family's inn, your mother continues to run it until the day she dies. You get the impression her concern for you caused her to stay rather than retire to Teckleville like she once planned. Upon her death you sell the inn, as you have no desire to run the place. The owner of a chain of inns from the Delantium Kingdom ends up buying it.



Due to your focus on your job, you end up becoming a more dedicated doctor with many patients speaking highly of you. In time you even win an Excellence in Medicine Award. You graciously accept these awards and praise, but you always think back of what you should've done differently to save the one life you feel directly responsible.



You think Eliza's suicide could've been prevented if only you'd kept your mouth shut that day. Or maybe you should've pursued her harder. Or maybe you should've done something else. You routinely mentally torture yourself with all the possible better ways you think you could've handled things. As a result you never marry and place flowers on her grave site on a weekly basis.



Your own death is a sudden one at home that comes to you many years later well into an age when you should've long retired. When your body is found, your last request in your will is carried out. Your body is cremated and the ashes sprinkled over Eliza's grave.