Payday at the Greil Mercenaries was rather uneventful. After living on the ship to Begnion in uncomfortably close quarters with everyone, the almost-festive day had settled into a predictable routine of Soren's office being the headquarters for the event, and a stream of mercenaries flitting in and out with slightly fatter coin purses.
Zihark was counting his coins in the pouch that the tactician had given him just then; Soren had caught him once at it and remarked rather thinly that he wouldn't underpay, with the implication that Titania would have his head. And Mist. Soren got the polite answer that the swordsman always counted afterwards - it wasn't personal. Some mercenary companies couldn't be trusted like theirs, which seemed to satisfy the tactician. He'd probably do the same.
Not probably, Zihark amended. Would. There was a reason he had a grudging appreciation for Soren. You needed people like him to keep some people honest.
It was right about then that a streak of light purple and white caught his eye, with furtive movements, not an easy jaunt or brisk stride away. By the time he had caught up with her, he had deducted Ilyana was doubtless up to no good again.
Talk about keeping some people honest.
"Good afternoon. Enjoying payday?"
"Er, you could say so."
That reply from her only got a tilt of the head from him. Generally most people, beorc and laguz alike, were visibly more eager for coin than that. She was definitely up to something. Zihark only had to mildly stare at her for another three seconds before she broke - her hands twisting as an evasive explanation started.
"Well... oh, don't tell anyone, but Oscar took pity and he cut me a deal."
The mention of Oscar suddenly made a great many assumptions obvious, and he could see where this was going.
"Do go on."
Very quickly, the picture became clearer - Ilyana explained that she immediately had Oscar trade some of the coin for food, otherwise she wouldn't have any motivation to live, much less fight.
Paid in food, as it were.
"Really." He searched for the perfect word, an eyebrow threatening to crawl further up his forehead.
"That's ingenious."
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she heard the unspoken but friendly sarcasm. She was learning, and this time he didn't stop a smirk from starting to tug at the corner of his mouth.
"You would understand if you've been as hungry as I have-!"
"I'm only teasing, Ilyana. Never change."
That relaxed her enough that he would have gotten an eye-roll from her, on another day. Not entirely undeserved, that, but she was fun to prod. More gently he continued.
"That said, you do know being paid in food is called rations included in the contract package."
"But it's never enough!" Ilyana almost mournfully howled, and this time he gave a laugh disguised as a cough.
"I'll keep your deal with Oscar a secret then. Just watch ... you're going to have your own hidden network of chefs across all of Tellius before too long."
"Oooh..."
The look on her face made him realize he may have given her an idea.
Ashera be with all those chefs ...