Marion charged in with her ride, zooming past the Velocidrome while cutting its head. Scarlet followed suit with her glaive, stabbing on its side with icy touch. Aria went in last as she leapt off her horse and spun mid-air, creating a vortex of crackling slashes on the beast's head.
Several Velocipreys tried to return to their alpha, but were rammed by the calvaries. The stampeding noises from the horses created a cacophony of unruly sounds that reduced the Velocidrome's ability to communicate with the Velocipreys; the head had been separated from the body.
Marion, Scarlet and Aria continued to pressure the Velocidrome with hit-and-run tactics, confusing it and not giving it any chance to counter attack. The confused beast had to switch its attention rapidly among the 3 as it got attacked from the other 2 the moment it targeted 1 of the girls. The beast tried to claw at them, but they dodged with ease as they got off and on their rides.
Soon, the Velocidrome decided to escape and leapt out of the encirclement, ignoring all 3 who were chasing it. Marion immediately ordered all to chase after the fleeing foe and asking Aria to use her wind magic to catch up while she herself was also chanting her magic.
Aria, being the nimblest, burst with her Air Walk spell at tremendous speed, reaching the Velocidrome in the blink of an eye. She unleashed her devastating spiral slashes onto the back of the beast, flinching it. The monster retaliated by turning around with tail and claw swipes, causing Aria to retreat in order to avoid the attacks.
Just as Aria retreated, the Velocidrome turned away towards its herd. However, Marion, having chanted her wind magic, charged in with her iai slash and ended up in front of the beast after her attack. She continued to unleash more slashes, keeping its attention to her while Scarlet jumped in with a downward slash from behind.
Scarlet landed a devastating blow on the Velocidrome, causing it to fall and allowing Scarlet to hop on its back. She held on with her dagger as the beast shook around in panic. It let out a loud call as Scarlet continued to slash its head with her glaive. With the wound opening, Scarlet finished with a drill attack that made the monster kissed the ground.
Seeing as their leader was suffering, the Velocipreys weaved through the calvaries in order to escape the encirclement. However, this was deliberately done on Manifique's order in order to assess Marion's abilities to sense danger and responded appropriately.
Marion spotted the incoming Velocipreys, thinking that the last scream from the Velocidrome had called them, she immediately called for Aria to be careful. Thinking fast, she shouted for Scarlet to chant her most powerful spell and ordered Aria to retreat, allowing the Velocipreys to close in on the chanting Scarlet.
"Fire! Fill the raging soul of my sun!" The Velocidrome got back on its feet, staring down on Scarlet while the various Velocipreys surrounded her with their claws perked up. "Novus Stella!"
The brilliant light exploded in every direction, engulfing the Velocidrome and the incoming Velocipreys in fiery inferno that ignited even the air. The following rumbles of the explosion changed the terrain as vegetations were uprooted and incinerated. After the thermal flash and shockwave, the afterwinds rushed back and formed a secondary firestorm that dissipated almost as fast as the initial explosion.
As the dust settled, Scarlet stood amidst the crater, carcasses were strewn around her while the large Velocidrome laid beneath her, gasping for air. Marion had called for Aria to immediately rid of the remaining Velocipreys who managed to avoid the impact of the fire spell while Marion herself closed in on Scarlet who was a little exhausted.
The Velocidrome stood back up and Scarlet prepared her glaive, ready to slash, but Marion came in with iai slash. "You have done enough. I will finish this."
Marion performed a spirit thrust and jumped high. While airborne, she turned he blade downward and execute a spirit helm breaker that broke the crest of the beast. The moment she landed, she unleashed her spirit release slashes that created 12 consecutive cuts in an instant. The monster fell after the final cut, with its soul leaving the mortal world.
"Fuhh... Are you hurt, Scarlet?"
"I am fine. I could have handled it you know. It was practically on its last leg."
"Hehehe, I was just trying to put my weight so that you can rest."
"You just want to look cool, aren't you?"
"..."
"Hey! There are still some runaway Velocipreys!"
"Ah! I am sorry Aria! Scarlet, Let us go!"
"What happen to your 'you can rest' statement...?"
After a few minutes of scuffles, the herd of Velocipreys were taken down by the entire group and the cleaning up began as several villagers were recruited to help. The entire processes took some time as the sun had significantly dipped from its zenith by the time they finished.
The villages chiefs were grateful for the news and invited the entire calvaries for a delightful feast in the center square where people from the different villages would occasionally gather for a celebration. Many considered that place to be the capital of the conglomerate where critical decisions and discussions were conducted.
The calvaries entered the center square while being cheered and thanked by the villagers. They led them into a large stone building erected in the middle of the vast field of agriculture produce. Inside, wooden benches and chairs were organised in several rows where the knights were urged to sit and wait for the food. Meanwhile, they were poured some ales as a starter to quench their thirst.
Manifique and Marion were led to a separate set of table where they would be facing the crowd of knights, but Marion invited both Aria and Scarlet, introducing them as her trusted companions to the villages chiefs. The chiefs apologised for they had no idea, but both Aria and Scarlet claimed that they were not offended at all.
Soon, several plates of food were brought out and placed in the middle of each tables where the knights, hungry from the day's activities, devoured with gusto. Several stews made with beans and meat were placed in front of the quartet. Aria was especially pleased with the variety while both Manifique and Marion focused on the rabbit stew. Scarlet asked for milk and honey for a drink, to which the villager prepared a large mug of it, much to Scarlet's surprise.
The feast continued well into the night where several knights had gotten drunk enough that some slept on the dining table. They were escorted out by the villagers towards a secondary building where beddings were prepared for travelers to rest.
"Say... Marion, is it just me or do the male knights are escorted by female villagers while the female knights are escorted by the male villagers? They all seems good looking as well."
"Hmm... now that you mentioned it, that seems to be the case, but well, it is not that surprising though."
"Hmm? How is that so?" Aria drank a sweet juice from her large wooden mug.
"The villagers are offering night services."
"PFFPPHHH....!!!" Aria almost choked on her drink.
"What the! Hey Aria! Are you okay?" Marion was startled and tried to help, but had no idea on how to.
"Cough, cough, that just catches me by surprise. By night services, you mean... that... right..."
"Is there any other meaning? I am talking about sex."
Aria's face turned red as the words sunk in. "Please, I am just 11 years old. That kind of talk is..."
"Ah, right. I kind of forget. Afterall, you are quite tall and mature for your age. However, it is not as if you are unaware of the act itself. I think it is about time that you become fully aware of it."
"I am indeed well-build for my age, but please remember that."
"Hahaha. Well, do forgive me for that. I am used to assuming someone's age by their physical appearances or builds." Marion glanced briefly at Scarlet. "Perhaps, it is best not to do so."
"I am going to punch your face until all of your teeth fell off!" Scarlet raised an angry fist.
"Hmm... still I am a little uncomfortable on that kind of topic. It may take time for me to fully internalise the scenery that I am seeing now."
"Sigh, it is not uncommon you know." Scarlet popped in a small piece of aged cheese. "All living creatures crave 3 things: consumption, relaxation and fornication. Businesses that used these 3 tend to be profitable and even in negotiations, providing any of these 3 will most-likely lead to successful outcome that lean on the providers."
"That is a merchant daughter for you." Marion finished her mug of juice and asked for another. "Humans naturally act on their desires, as if these things are etched into our very souls; it is due to morality and teaching from the church that kept us from acting like feral animals or even worse, monsters."
"Monsters are essentially animals that have been corrupted by magic or stored too much mana, making them more ferocious and deadly. They acted on instinct more often than not, but they do still reproduce the same ways animals do."
"Spot on, Aria. I guess you have read a lot before becoming an adventurer. Most do not even know the differences and rely on others to inform them." Marion thanked the villager who brought her another mug of juice. "Monsters also have a chance of dropping some magical gems. Thus, hunting them, although more dangerous, have a chance of giving you way higher rewards."
"If you include those new monsters, I am not sure if the rewards are even worth it. You are most likely going to die, especially those with 5 stars and above. Even 4 stars monsters seem too much for most adventurers."
"By the way, Miss Aria." Manifique placed down his mug of ale.
"Hmm?"
"What is the highest possible stars? In addition, what level do you think I am relative to those new monsters? Meaning, what is the highest number of stars do you think I can conveniently defeat?"
"That... I am unsure of. I think, going by the current scaling of strength and dangerousness, the highest would probably be 10 stars." Aria emptied her mug. "I do not know the true extend of your abilities, but if I may be permitted to say, I think taking down a 5 stars monster would be of no issue for you."
"I see..." Manifique finished his drink and stood up, ready to retire for the night. "This means at the current state, humanity would be doomed unless we grow stronger."
"Indeed. As of right now, if we were facing a 6 stars or above monster instead of the Velocidrome, we would probably be wiped out. The best we can do is 5 stars."
"That is grim indeed." Marion shuddered, remembering the sheer power of the 6 and 8 stars monsters she had encountered.
"In that case, we will need to increase the production of our weaponries and armours. I will inform father to do so once we return."
"That would be helpful. In that case, I can forge a weapon for both you and the Marquis; using the carcasses of the monsters we encountered in the territory."
Manifique walked away from the table. "I will be looking forward to it."
***
As dawn broke, the knights woke up feeling satisfied from a good night's rest and entertainment. Manifique, Marion, Aria and Scarlet had woken up earlier to train, with Manifique guiding them on combats. Their training ended the moment the sun peeked over the horizon and they washed themselves in a nearby public bathhouse with a small stream running through it. The cold water felt refreshing after a workout.
The villagers woke up early to prepare breakfast which they distributed to the knights before they were preparing to leave. A simple bowl of gruel with summer berries and spicy smoked meat filled up the morning stomach with refreshing flavour that cleared up anyone who had hang-over.
Finishing their meals early, Scarlet, Aria and Marion decided to look around the center square. They chanced upon a large church erected behind the large dining hall where rows of wooden benches were placed in front of several statues. Several villagers were praying while the priests and priestesses were chanting in a low murmur. The large stained glass window facing the east showed the sun rising, creating a beautiful scenery that many would admire.
"The sunlight that filtered through the glass window illuminated the entire hall, bathing us in the glorious warmth and embrace of our God." A priestess explained to the trio after the morning prayer. "The sun soon reached a point in the sky that lined up perfectly with the statue of Lord Flare, giving the image of our God shining in his own aura."
3 statues were placed in front of the large window. The middle statue depicted an androgenous beauty adorned with white silk robe, the god of Creation: God Flare. On his right, stood a beautiful girl with 3 pairs of wings wearing a similar silk robe painted red. She held a magic staff that was shaped like a tree branch decorated with leaves. On the left, a statue of a young man with 4 faces, each occupying a side of his head; he too adorned a silk robe, but was painted in blue. He held a feather-shaped longsword that was hoisted in the air with his right hand.
"On the right is Lady Seraphim and on the left is Sir Cherubim. Both are of the highest order of the Angelos under Lord Flare. Similar to how Lord Flare body is the sun, Lady Seraphim body is represented by the red moon while Sir Cherubim is represented by the azure moon; the 2 moons that illuminated our night with the light from the sun. Lady Seraphim wield both fire and earth elements while Sir Cherubim wield water and wind elements; finally, God Flare himself wields holy or most would refer to as light element."
Aria noticed the lower quality of the sculptures with rough edges whereas the statue she last saw in the city of Lapis were so exquisitely made that they were life-like. She came closer and knelt in prayer, hoping to find another connection. Marion followed suit, just as how she remembered when she was young. Scarlet, however, stood still at the side, waiting for both to finish their prayers.
Several priests and priestesses approached the trio after the prayers, complementing and thanking them for their services. They even noticed the marks of Angelos on their hands, creating a rather big ruckus that even the head priest of the church knelt in front of them.
The situation managed to calm down when Marion informed them that they inscribed the marks on their hands as a form of charm, ensuring that Lord Flare's blessings would always be with them. The crowd seemed to be entranced and decided that they would also draw upon their bodies with the symbols of Angelos; some believers even decided to carve the symbols onto their bodies with knives, much to Scarlet's and Aria's shock.
"Huff... Those people are something else..." Aria complained in disbelief after stepping out of the church. "To think they will be this fanatical..."
"Hahaha... do forgive them. The people of Savion Marquisate are known to be very religious. That is why, within the empire, the churches in this territory are more magnificent and beautifully decorated... Well, maybe with the exception of the capital and some of the Southern territories."
"If you are taking into account the average of all the churches, I would agree with you. However, it is not exactly fair to say that the people of this territory is more religious than the other. There are other factors such as economic performances, territory sizes, human resources and more."
"You do know a lot, huh."
"Of course, Marion. I have travelled with my father to various places since I was young. I may not remember everything, but I do retain a fair bit of information. Some places are just not as prosperous as this. In fact, Savion Marquisate occupies almost 50% of the entire northern territories, which means it has man-power, talents, wealth and powerful military that translate to stability."
"The Savion family comes from a long line, existing since the founding of the empire."
"You are correct, Aria. However, it is more accurate to say that we exist before the founding of the Coronamars Empire since the declaration of the emergence of the empire only occurred after the unification of the northern regions, with the exception of the 3 northern-most territories."
"Ah... I think I read about it somewhere when I was still living in Sultier Earldom. The first emperor, Morrigan Sekhmet Tyr Mars, also know as Mars the First, unified many territories; starting with the Southern region of Kemet, the Western region of Montagne, the Eastern region of Orman and finally, the Northern region of Fjall."
"Woah... You actually memorised them..." Marion stared in wide-eyes, impressed by Aria's knowledge.
"Well, I was preparing to see the world, so I read a lot about other places in my spare time."
"Let us head back. I bet those hungover knights are close to finishing their meals."
After finishing their simple meals, the knights hopped on their horses, ready to travel back to the capital, Laviron. The village chiefs thanked the knights once again and prayed for their safe travel. Aria, Scarlet, and Marion hopped on to their own steed, gifted by the villagers who had witnessed their engraved symbols; they waved back at the villagers with a slight air of fear.
The journey was uneventful and they arrived as the sun set. They had dinner with the entire knight order before retiring for the night.
Aria woke up early in the morning and headed to the smithy of the Savion family. The entire building located next to a river was packed with sounds of fire and metal. The workers started their day very early in order to fire up the furnaces and stocked up the raw materials.
"Oh! Miss here is early! Did ya come here ta watch?"
"Oh no. I am here to process the monsters materials and craft some weapons."
"Eh..." Staring at Aria with a dumbfounded expression, the blacksmith began laughing, triggering the others to follow suit. "Hahaha! Little miss, ya got some joke in ya! Here is not a place ta do some martial arts ya know! This is where we forge steels ta make armours and weapons for the knights and soldiers!"
Aria looked annoyed, but she understood the perspectives of the workers where a young girl whom they had not met were trying to do the works that took them years to master. This made Aria wondered on why did the blacksmiths from Lapis allowed her in easily. She stood still as the blacksmiths returned to their activities, telling her that she could watch as long as she did not get in the way of their works.
"Oh... Is that how you guys operate?" A large bearded man with muscular frame rivaling the current Marquis of Savion entered the forge. "Do you all always assume things? This little miss here is a friend of the young lady and is the person who forged the armours and weapons use by miss Marion."
"""Eh..."""
"Hahaha! All of your dumbfounded faces are truly hilarious!" The large man sat on a wooden stool and motioned Aria to sit beside him. "Listen here! All of you! The lord Marquis just told me to let this lady here use whatever is in this forge! She will be forging weapons for the lord and his heir!"
"""Huh!!!"""
"All of you will be assisting her when she asked for it! Other than that, we will be increasing the production rate of equipment for knights, scouts and soldiers! Lord Marciano ordered to use as many resources as we want as long as we deliver!"
"""EEHHH...!"""
Thus, Aria managed to overcome the rejection after the arrival of the head of the forge, Riando von Lesten. He introduced himself as a friend of the Marquis who had been by his side since childhood and was his closest confidant during the war. However, he suffered several devastating injuries that cannot be fully healed, causing him to retire from the front line and decided to work as a blacksmith.
"I was a commoner whose father worked as a knight of the Savion family. Sir Marciano, at the time, always came to the training field and since I was training to be a knight myself, I was also there. We are of the same age and we naturally became friend; the rest are history." Riando placed several ores in front of Aria. "Now then, what will you be making?"
"I am planning to use the Velocidrome and Velocipreys materials as a base for the Yian-Kut Ku and the Najarala weapons."
"Hoo... Layering materials atop another equipment, huh. What is the purpose of doing so? Is it to strengthen the weapon?"
"The materials of these monsters can be unstable and there is a need to create a foundation that is compatible. It is possible to craft a weapon only using the materials from the same monster, but it will require other things to solidify the shape, such as ores or monster bones. However, since we have these Velocidrome and Velocipreys from the previous hunt, I might as well use them for better compatibility to increase the effectiveness."
"Hehehe, you are truly a treasure trove of knowledge. I would love it if you can teach me more."
"I am fine with it. In fact, I have taught other blacksmiths before. They are probably in the capital right now."
"Hah! I would love to meet them someday."
***
"What a magnificent blade!"
"Indeed, my friend! You should have seen how this missy here was wielding it!" Riando patted the back of the Marquis with much enthusiasm. "She called it the great sword that can block and deliver heavy blows to monsters. This one in particular, is made with the material from the fire breathing monsters that they took down before."
"I see! I cannot wait to test this out!" Marciano swung the sword only with his right hand, creating a small gust of wind. "Miss Aria, I thank you for the gift!"
"It is my pleasure, lord marquis." Aria gave a small bow. "This great sword has fire element imbued into it due to the characteristics of the monsters. Therefore, you will not need to exhaust your magic whenever you attack. Shall I gave a small demonstration?"
"Hahaha! I heard you can swung this despite being so young and small! Go ahead!"
Aria held the sword and performed several overhead slashes that she charged and followed by wide slashes with incredible reach. She also did shoulder tackle and rising slash that she explained would be beneficial in countering monster attacks. Next, she performed a leaping wide slash that relied on the momentum of the heavy blade to propel herself in order to get closer to the target.
"Hahaha! Do you see that Manifique, Marion!? She easily wield that great sword despite being small! You 2 have a lot to learn from her when it comes to body strengthening! Her mana pool must be high as well in order to do that without looking tired!"
Both Manifique and Marion stayed quiet and observed Aria's magic flow that pulsed throughout her body, strengthening her muscles without straining in order to maintain her flexibility. They were impressed by Aria's perfect control of her magic where it flowed and burst according to her movements.
Aria finished her demonstration and passed the weapon back to the marquis, to which he decided to try out and destroyed several wooden targets, much to the dismay of the servants.
"The weapon that I am gifting to sir Manifique is this sword and shield made with the Najarala materials: Spiked circle. It has the monster's paralytic venom imbued in both the sword and shield. Therefore, you may be able to paralyse any monsters that are not immune to it after several hits. You have no need to worry about the venom as well since the weapons produce them naturally."
"The elegant design with spikes dotting the blade and shield... I like this." Manifique was pleased and moved with precision and power while testing it. "The bright yellow and green colouration made it difficult to perform sneak attack though."
"Well... That is unfortunately a downside of the weapon since it follows the colouration of the monster it is made out off."
"Oh no, I am not exactly complaining. After all, intimidating your opponent with this brightly coloured weapon that screams venomous may be better in a duel."
"Umm... I am afraid that most monsters will not be intimidated though..."
"Are we done with the demonstration? I am hungry... and today is my birthday. I should be the center of attention." Marion sulked, but was ignored by everybody who were invested in the weapons.
As the sky began to dim, Manifique stopped the testing and reminded his father on Marion's birthday celebration. They dropped everything and got themselves cleaned up before heading to the dining hall where a lavish spread of food was set on the table.
"Now then! To my daughter's 15th birthday! Raise your drinks! Cheers!"
"""Cheers!""" The entire group, including Riando, Count Ponterim and several loyal servants, raised their mugs in celebration.
"Marion, you are now officially an adult and you will need to take responsibilities on your actions." Marciano finished his mug of ale. "The trial of life has begun for you. Whatever you do, God Flare will be watching and judging you, so live on courageously with proper morals. Otherwise, you will not be able to join your mother when your life ends."
"Thank you, father. Although, I would prefer you not talking about my life ending on my birthday..."
"Bah! The world is full of dangers. You will never know when the time has come; just like Marco."
"Father, what happen to Marco was an accident. It was due to bad luck that a stray arrow hit him in the vital spot. You should stop blaming yourself." Manifique finished his bowl of rabbit stew and ladled another bowl to consume. "Mother's death is also not your fault."
"Hah... I know..., but I cannot help it. I failed to protect Marco, resulting in Milan's mental instability. I should be staying by her side instead of going off to another battle field." Marciano downed a shot of hard liquor. "Her suicide is due to my neglect."
"Father..." Marion patted her father's back in an effort to comfort him. "I promise you that I will write back and explain how I am doing. Please rest assured that I will be fine."
"I pray that you will... that you will..."
The feast lasted until the next morning where many had gone drunk and slept on the hard floor. Marion, being an adult now, had tried several types of ales and understood that she was not a drinker, deciding to stick with juices instead; she retired into her room together with Aria and Scarlet where they talked over several platters of cheeses and smoked meats.
The day after the birthday celebration, Count Ponterim decided to continue his journey down south towards the capital. He kept a journal detailing the new monsters that they encountered along their journey in order to report them to the emperor. Aria, Scarlet and Marion bid farewell to the Savion Marquisate family and the various servants and workers supporting them as they hopped on their respective steeds. The Count entered his carriage that was re-stocked with supplies provided by the Marquis.
The autumn wind blew the leaves that has turned brown and many animals began fattening up on the ripening fruits popping out throughout the land. Mushrooms began to emerge and relied on the wind to spread their spores. The summer on the Fjall region was known to be mild when compared to the other parts of the empire due to the abundance of water bodies and high elevation that regulated the temperature. However, the winter was known to be brutal and residents of the northern region would prepare and prayed for the safe passing of winter.
Several weeks elapsed; the group exited the Savion Marquisate and entered the Bisconti Earldom, known to be 1 of the 3 transition lands between the northern Fjall and the central Lacus regions. They travelled along the vast grassy plains and the occasional forests where they camped and gathered fruits. Soon, they reached the capital of the Bisconti Earldom, Rach, where the ruler of the land, Earl Franc Ribel Bisconti greeted them with warm welcome.
"Welcome to my humble abode, Count Ponterim! I hope you are well during your journey! Allow me to ensure you and your crews to be well rested before you continue!"
"Much appreciated, Earl Bisconti." Riinol shook his hand. "Allow me to introduce you to the daughter of Marquis Savion, Lady Marion."
"Greetings, Lord Bisconti. I wish for good health upon you and your families."
"Hohoho! To be greeted by lady Marion is a great honour! I owe my life to your father during the last war and so, that gratitude extends to his daughter as well." Franc motioned them into his castle and personally guided them into their respective rooms.
Aria, Scarlet and Marion stayed in the same room and the 3 of them took a quick nap before being woken up by a maid who knocked the door. They were led into a spacious hall where Count Ponterim and Earl Bisconti and his family had been seated. They were led to their respective seats next to Riinol while Franc sat in the middle as the host.
"Let me introduce my family. This is my wife Lisandra Lua Bisconti; she grew up in the capital city Elsyrium as the third daughter of Duke Entra, who is now happily retired."
"Greetings, honoured guests. As mentioned, I am Lisandra Lua Bisconti from the Ducal family of Entra." A gorgeous lady with brilliant red hair similar to Scarlet gave a small bow. Her refined movements caught the eyes of many and with a melodic voice akin to being mesmerised by a siren, she greeted her guests. "I hope you will enjoy the meals we provide."
"Next is my second son, Alfred Youn Bisconti. My eldest son is currently studying in the capital, together with your son, and probably up to a lot of mischiefs."
"Hahaha! I am glad that my son has a reliable friend whom he can fool around with."
"Greetings, honoured guests. I am Alfred and I just turned 14 a few months ago. I hope to be well-acquaintance with all of you." A tall boy who inherited his mother's features and his father's hair colour bowed politely. He had a rather mellow face that many would associate with gentleness and calm disposition.
"Pleased to meet all of you. I am Marion Els Savion, the only daughter of Marquis Savion. These 2 are my companions: Aria and Scarlet Fragos."
"Nice to meet you-."
"Scarlet.. Fragos..."
Scarlet stopped midway as Alfred repeated her name and all seated members stared at Alfred who was looking at Scarlet with wide-eyes. Alfred continued locking eyes with Scarlet until a small cough from his father snapped him back to reality.
"Ah! I apologise. I just remember something from my childhood. Please do not mind it."
Aria tried to break the awkward atmosphere by introducing herself. "I am Aria and I turned 11 more than half a year ago; just when spring begin."
"Hm-mm. Nice to meet you Aria." Alfred returned the greeting with a polite bow and a soft smile.
"Anyway... Please bring the food in!" At Franc's order, several maids entered the hall with pots of stews, plates of hearty loaves of bread and fruits. "Now then, let us pray before we feast!"
After a brief prayer to their God, they began eating with gusto. The various stews made with wild mushrooms and milk gave a rich mouthfeel that all diners enjoyed. The herbs added to the stews complimented the earthiness of the mushrooms and gave them aromas that warmed their bodies and hearts. The bread, baked to perfection, soaked up the remaining stews and softened up, melting in the diners' mouth. They finished their hearty meals with sweet and sour fruits that were chilled with ice kept in the basement of the castle.
Small talks followed after the meals. The servants poured some wine and juice into the cups for refills with Scarlet being the only one who requested for milk with honey.
"Scarlet, I do not think the milk-."
"Shut it, Aria. I'm doing this because even if there is only a small chance of helping, I want to take it."
"Hehehe." Alfred let out a soft laugh while looking at the comedic routine. "I guess that fiery attitude never goes away even if you have grown."
"Muuu..." Scarlet stared at Alfred with an annoyed look, but reeled herself back in order to remain polite. "Umm... Sir Alfred, do we know each other? It seems that you know who I am."
"Just Alfred is fine. I am a little sad that you have forgotten about me, but yes, we do know each other when we were very young." Alfred finished his cup of juice. "In fact you saved me once when I was bullied in the Capital, Elsyrium."
"Eh..."
"It was many years ago, when I was just 5 years old."