The tavern door creaked open, and in walked Venti with his usual carefree grin, his lyre slung over his shoulder. You had already seen him coming and braced yourself for another night of unpaid drinks. But this time, as he approached the counter, you folded your arms and stood your ground.

"Ah, my favorite bartender!" Venti greeted, leaning on the counter. "A glass of your finest Dandelion Wine, please!"

You raised an eyebrow. "Venti, you have quite the tab. I can’t keep letting you drink for free. Either you pay up, or… you work it off."

Venti’s smile faltered slightly, a hint of nervousness crossing his face. "Work it off? Oh, dear. Mora has been a bit elusive lately, I’ll admit…" He trailed off, giving you puppy-dog eyes, but you remained unmoved.

"No pay, no wine," you replied firmly. "You can start tonight if you’re serious."

Venti groaned dramatically. "Fine, fine! I shall work off my humble debt in your fine establishment." His playful demeanor returned almost immediately, a glint of mischief sparking in his eyes. "But if I'm to work here, I’ll do it my way."

That should’ve been your first warning.

A few hours later, as the tavern filled with the usual customers, you saw him emerge from the back room, and your jaw nearly dropped. Venti was wearing a maid outfit—complete with a frilly apron and thigh-high stockings. He twirled gracefully, the short skirt lifting as he spun, and gave you a cheeky wink.

"How do I look?" he purred, leaning over the counter just enough to make you flustered. "Perfect for serving drinks, don’t you think?"

You tried to keep your composure, but his teasing was relentless. Every time he bent down to serve a customer or pick up a dropped item, he’d lift his skirt just a little too high, sending flirtatious glances your way. His movements were exaggerated, each step light and graceful, like he was performing for an audience.

And it was slowly starting to annoy you.