Rimelion: The Exploiter

Before today, I never would've guessed that shopping could be anything but a chore, but Katherine proved me wrong. Her ability to find exactly what she wanted was almost as impressive as her warrior skills. Almost. Before long, we were lugging at least ten bags full of clothes, and the only thing stopping us from getting more was my dwindling account. Specifically, I stopped her.

On the top floor, tucked in a corner of the mall, we found a small coffee shop—"cute af," as she put it. Cozy green chairs and small brown tables gave it a charming vibe, but the massive windows with a clear view of the street below made the place unique.

"Look at 'tat!" Katherine dashed to the window the moment we settled down, staring out at the people below like she was trying to memorize every detail.

Her energy caught me off guard, and it took me a moment to respond. "Yeah, it's beautiful," I finally managed. As I spoke, a server approached, staring at me expectantly.

Blinking up at him, I panicked. "C-can you do Irish coffee?"

The man frowned but tapped it into his tablet without a word. Hey, it's not my fault—it's the only whiskey drink you have! I grinned nervously, but he didn't even glance at me.

Katherine, meanwhile, traced her finger across the menu, her expression shifting as she read. Then she let out a small laugh and leaned back in her chair. "Dunno, somethin' black and sugary for ma," she said with a shrug.

The server nodded and walked away. "What a charmin' fellow!" Katherine said with a grin, watching him leave. Then she turned to me, her eyes sparkling. "Hey, Charlie, did ya see ma stream? Rimelion's cool, right?"

Not yesterday. My palms grew clammy as I debated whether to admit it. This was my first time meeting her in person—what if I said something wrong? Honesty was the best policy, though, so I said, "Sorry, I was playing it." Who wasn't? Every serious player was grinding through Rimelion. Right?

Peeking at her from the corner of my eye, I caught her grinning.

"Aww, don't be sad! It's fine!" she laughed, pulling me into a random hug. She did that a lot—hugged, touched my shoulder, or patted my head. At first, I'd thought it was just her stream persona, but no. She was genuinely that expressive.

"What's yar char?" she asked.

"I'm a Priest."

Katherine threw her head back and let out her signature hearty laugh. "Hah, 'corse ya are! What's yar name?"

My cheeks flamed. Instead of answering, I grabbed my drink and took a sip, avoiding her gaze. But Katherine wasn't one to let things slide. She gently tilted my chin up, her smile soft as she looked straight into my eyes.

"Charlie?"

"Princess," I whispered, then gulped down half my drink to hide my embarrassment.

Her reaction wasn't what I expected. She burst into laughter again, nearly spilling her coffee. "Tat... 'corse you did!" she said, taking a sip as she swung her legs back and forth under the table.

Was that deliberate? I glanced at my own legs—spread out, sitting like I always did. Damn! Trying to mimic her, I awkwardly crossed one leg over the other, but it didn't feel right.

"Wanna play sometime?" she asked suddenly. "'Corse ya need to find me first, haha!"

"There's an ancient ruin I want to explore, and I need allies. I'm near Village Number Four. You?" I shifted again, trying to rest my leg more naturally. The empress in-game always sat like this—was it a cultural thing?