In a particular city, everything inside was bustling. The darkness could not cover up the positive mood of the ongoing festival. The moon hung high in the dark skies, casting pale light in countless buildings that celebrated a special occasion.
However, outside the city, everything was silent still. It was a large contrast to the rowdy and exhilarating noises inside. It was because the people who were lining to enter the city, to participate the festival, were unable to express their shock. That included the guards who were frozen in their spots at the highest altitude to the walls, and the ones guarding below.
A big sized muscular person showed its large appearance from the path in the forest, giving out a fierce aura that people would not get close to. His muscles were toned enough to depict of its distinct features. But that was not the person that caused them to be wide eyed.
It was the empire-wrecking beauty following that man. The pitch-black hair shimmered and reflected the pale light of the moon amidst the dark hour. His skin tone was snowy white and healthy, giving out an appearance of its greatly smooth and tender characteristics. It even had a reddish color at some parts, making him look like a girl.
It was Orlan and Gloathiac, the reason of the pin drop silence outside the city. Orlan halted at his tracks while his left arm lifted horizontally straight, stopping Gloathiac from his thrilling walk. He scrutinized the people, staring them. They appeared like ghosts which had left their bodies. He then looked back to Gloathiac.
"Uncle, the festival is just right there! Why are we stopping? Uncle Orlan, lets continue!" Gloathiac complained incessantly, excitement in his words.
"Kid, before that, we need to change your appearance first. Its a disaster." Orlan seriously said.
After a while, there was no longer the muscular person coming out from the forest and including the otherworldly kid. Instead a thin lean man, with a facial feature closely related to Orlan's while a young handsome boy followed him, always smiling buoyantly.
As they were just approaching the line, the people immediately scattered out, erratically moving towards them. Their eyes extremely passionate, it was as if they became crazy.
"Are we found out? Hey kid, it seems your ability had now for the first time been lacking." Orlan was astonished at the people with crazed expressions, rushing to them. He also didn't forget to mock Gloathiac.
"I also don't know. My powers should be impeccable." Gloathiac panicked, experiencing a first in this kind of situation.
"Anyway, teleport us outside when it comes to it." Orlan severely said. The trouble handling a beauty was truly problematic.
As they waited for the people to encircle them, they just unexpectedly passed by.
"Eh, why are they not coming to us?" Orlan was deeply baffled, thinking weirdly, 'Should they crowd and entrap us here?'
"Told ya uncle, I've never done a mistake." Gloathiac widely smiled, his confident pride immediately regained.
But as if they had thought they had solved their problem, they walked briskly towards the city with their lips curled up happily. They were laughing when suddenly some guys stopped them, their expressions were somber.
'Now what is this time?' Orlan's expression darkened as he thought, 'Did they finally realize it?'
Gloathiac also had his mood turned a 180 degrees, the atmosphere was dark.
"You two, did you know where that two earlier went out?" A middle-aged warrior asked them with a threatened voice.
Orlan's duo should have been afraid after being threatened but they were joyously celebrated after the response the warrior himself given.
It was because both Gloathiac and Orlan found out that their identities were still in the dark. The warrior and his group swiftly had their expressions turned to worse, realizing they were being laughed instead. That was a blow to their pride of their presence which supposed to be fierce and intimidating.
"What are you both laughing at?" They unsheathed their weapons and pointed at both of them.
"Oh, oh calm guys. I knew where those two went earlier. I think they went to the east of the woods. They sure run pretty quickly seemingly afraid of the persons like you, strong and powerful." Orlan was abundantly experienced, knowing how to deal this situation and adding a boot-licking sentence at the end.
"Oh, thanks old man. I never knew we're that strong to scare a beauty." That middle-aged person scratched his head while his group was also embarrassed. If they were women, they would bash in apparent redness. He looked at his group, saying seriously, "Let's go!"
They then swiftly drifted out.
Orlan sighed in relief, they had survived the disaster brought upon his nephew's unreasonable beauty.
Gloathiac suddenly inquired a question, "Uncle, why are they being crazy over something I don't understand. I've heard him saying a beauty, is that the cause of it?"
Gloathiac had tackled an idea not found in all of his books.
Orlan responded to look at him seriously as he said, "Yes, beauty is a catastrophe. That's why uncle here always needed to hide his appearance or else he will not live any longer. Now, come on, the line of people had long been gone."
As he followed his uncle, Gloathiac thought strangely, 'I never thought uncle is that beautiful. People sure have a weird sense of taste.'
As they arrived to the city, they stepped at the front of the magnificent and towering size of its gates. It was opened wide, suggesting for entry. At the walls beside, it heightened to reach the clouds where dots of silhouettes were mostly not visibly seen, defensively moving.
The guards here at the gate wore full silver plated armor, which their eyes seemed to gleam ferociously inside. Their hard and durable armor shimmered from the light of the moon, giving a sense of being mesmerized. The designs held the symbol of the kingdom they served, a plain sword at the front of a shield blended with red and white colors.
Passing to the guards, Orlan had eyed them in a strange manner, thinking, 'The guards seemed to be much more energetic than all of my visits combined. They sure have been shocked for the first time seeing a beauty at the level of catastrophe'
They approached a man in administrative suit, with a large symbol of the kingdom plastered at the side of it. Ever since Orlan could remember, this person remained nonchalant even if the kings at the neighboring kingdoms entered here. He just only given a slight bow of formality, without any real sense of emotions.
Orlan brought a silver from his pockets, handling to the person, speaking in an experienced manner, "A silver for us two."
This time, the person's expression was different, an ecstasy was in his eyes despite his never changing expression. After getting the entry tax, he swiftly looked back at where Orlan and Gloathiac was at earlier, the opening path of the forest.
If they were not bound by their duty, the man and the guards would have also taken part of the chase.
However, all of those were not a concern to both Gloathiac and Orlan.
The two guards guarding the gate, seeing the man in charge of collecting taxes didn't give a signal wave but managed to collect the silver, they looked weirdly at each other. It was the first time they had tackled this situation where not a signal was transmitted.
But they didn't block both of them, letting them finally enter the city.
They stride from the path of the gate, covering a small distance on the surface of the pavement until they were finally in front of the commercial street. But this became another entertainment street during this special event, the festival. Orlan was excited whereas Gloathiac was obviously entranced.
Red lanterns hung high on different dazzling stalls, selling all kinds of different and unique food. Pack and packs of people roamed around every corner that anyone should squeeze to get into their way.
The aroma of cooking meat flowed in the air, touching everyone's nose like a gentle woman's caress. The surface of the pavement reflected faint flashes, glimmering all kinds of lights. Bustling noises travelled everywhere, jubilant and exhilarating voices transmitting out.
"Is this a festival? There's too many people here! And those are the stalls I viewed in the books. Look, uncle! What are they doing over there?" Gloathiac dashed towards a conspicuous and enormous stall. He left behind Orlan in the dust, garnering the wind proficiently below of his toes.
"Damn kid, don't leave me behind. I'll tell your mother of this!" Orlan swiftly followed his nephew, helplessness and exuberant to the kid's elated mood.
As Orlan arrived, he saw parents galore with their kids in enlivened expressions, crowding excitedly on a line of bubble balls. They were truly plentiful, waiting for their turns to play this type of game. Lots of well families gathered here, wearing clothes more prominent than others.
It seemed that sizes of the stalls mattered for the well-off families, who had a sizable money. The poorer ones couldn't afford this type of leisure.
This stall had an astronomical aquarium in a traditional fashion, with full of giant glamorous fishes. They were totally spectacular, successfully enrapturing everyone's eyes with their wonders and beauty.
The purpose of those bubble balls were for the cute hands of those children even including the matured adults, to be filled with it. Their hands would be linked to a humongous 4 fingered claw on the aquarium, letting them control it by their will by just moving their hands inside the bubble ball.
Orlan was wary that some mischievous nobles would leave silently from their houses to participate in this lowly festival. For nobles, a festival for them was meant to be enjoyed with their exclusive families. But to the noble children, they would tend to flock here stubbornly that some parents could only abide.
This type of game would attract those noble's eyes. And he was exactly right, there were a flock of kids, a group of 6, lining in the middle. They were wearing noble attires, clearly eye grabber. They apparently stood out, with some fierce butlers and personal guards beside them.
Today, he face smacked himself. He had not taught Gloathiac of some things he should not act presumptuously. Like today, he lucidly seen his nephew arguing those nobles.
'Like hell I would step in for that brat. It would just be a minor scuffle. I would not let my identity be find out, especially of such exposure.' Orlan snorted with disgruntlement. His green pair of eyes could be connected that he was part of the nobles, much more if he was in near distance to them.
"You commoner, where the heck you come from, barging with our line? Did your parents not told you to not meddle with us nobles?" An arrogant kid, the same age as Gloathiac, had a big displeasure.
His noble peers, also mostly around the same age, were greatly annoyed of the lowly person. This person even had the guts to argue them.
The butlers and the guards remained nonchalant. They were only troubled. Their duty was to protect their young masters and mistresses, not to prevent an irritating scuffle between kids.
"What nobles, chee! The hierarchy I've read in the books? That doesn't concern me at all. Only strength in this world matters, unlike some bunch of weak children like all of you that I can easily squash." Gloathiac's tone was full of disdain that if he didn't hold back, he had long gone spit on their faces.
"What did you say?!" A noble girl with sharp features was deeply angered. It was a first for her to be ridiculed by a commoner in her face.
The arrogant kid also had his face livid. If the girl didn't blurt out, he would be the one to.
"Commoner, go back to your rightful place. Your insect presence annoyed me." Another arrogant kid, with prideful confidence, uttered with contempt.
"Leo, I'm still not done with him." The same girl directly complained.
"Shut up Gia. Its only natural for some flies would come across us to this lowly place." The prideful kid, Leo, replied.
The other children nobles agreed condescendingly, which everyone stared at Gloathiac in a deigning gaze. It was more blatant to Gia and the first arrogant kid.
"You want me to leave? What an excuse of giving up! I've changed my mind, I'm taking your line." Gloathiac wanted to line back knowing his mistake but these nobles were high and mighty, constantly provoking him of his low status.
It was not his fault to born with his status right? Anyway, even if he had to choose, living in the secluded forest was better if you could not grow up to be like these feeling mighty nobles.
"Did you hear me right? Step out of our boundary!" The prideful person was swiftly agitated. The lowly commoner was totally disrespecting him.
But suddenly, that kid approached them, wanting to force them out of the line. They immediately panicked.
The first arrogant kid had his expression severely darkened, he tried to punch him. However, his moves seemed to be predicted, Gloathiac had already adjusted himself to evade by slightly moving his head sideways.
At the moment, that arrogant kid was shocked, a punch was also averted towards his stomach, impacting him. His saliva spurted out, as he moved backwards.
Gloathiac suddenly halted as he had already made them intimidated by his presence. Of course, he made sure to professionally control his strength, using only 0.1 percent. Not 1 percent but 0.1.
And professionally, not expertly.
The guards and the butlers immediately reacted as they moved towards their masters and mistresses, staring intently at Gloathiac.
"Whoa, that kid just made a move to a noble."
There were large amount of people that witnessed this fight. It was an extremely rare occurrence for a commoner to argue with a noble, much more having a fist fight. That was the cause of why the noble children were extremely distressed towards Gloathiac, experiencing for the first time an audacity of a lowly person.
"Is that kid going to be alright?" A mother holding her daughter, spoke out worriedly.
"Never mind that, he's going to be alright. Since their growth, children nobles have already been taught martial arts from famous teachers across the plains. To easily hit a noble, that kid must also have a big background." A wise middle aged man answered.
"So that explained his boldness." A father joined the conversation.
"Are you alright, young master Duram?" A personal butler attentively grabbed the arrogant kid in a beat after Gloathiac hit him. He then looked intensely at Gloathiac. "You vicious kid, you dare to hit a Ravenz from the nobles?"
All of the children nobles, especially Leo and Gia had violent expressions. Their guards and butlers had their faces dark, now seriously dealing this situation that they only firstly deemed as troublesome. They had never thought it would escalate to such a point.
"Why wouldn't I? He first wanted to hit me. Should I just watch and not take a move?" Gloathiac's tone was filled with utter scorn. His words were already not fit for a wisdom of a child. And now, he had already schemed of letting that arrogant noble take the first move, to have an excuse.
"You commoner, you thought we will not hurt you for this?" Gia was madly driven into impulse as she wanted to step up and kicked Gloathiac's ass out. However, she was held back by her guards. Whereas her butler was sizing up Gloathiac, wondering how this child had let him envision of a mighty master even for a moment.
"Uncle, let me avenge my brother" Leo said with a vicious tone. He would avenge Duram, thinking that Gloathiac had only made a lucky punch. But, his butler would not budge, not letting him go his way. He could only persuade his uncle butler, to attack them. "Okay then, uncle please make your move."
However, at this moment, Orlan had already arrived at Gloathiac's spot. He loudly shouted, "Wait, wait, I'm sorry for my nephew's trouble. This damn brat. My dear nobles, how should I compensate you?"
His tone was fawning and he lowered his head. It was just that he only didn't want them to see his green eyes.
"Uncle, what are you doing? Do we need to lower ourselves by some mere nobles?" Gloathiac said strongly, feeling strangely.
"Damn kid, just speak no words and let me deal with this." Orlan spoke with a low volume voice with a gritted expression. He squeezed out those words that only Gloathiac could only hear as he continue to silently bow his head.
Gloathiac only snorted, feeling unsatisfied.
The experienced three butlers had viewed the kid in a new light after witnessing his momentary blow. After seeing Orlan taken a great bow, seemingly taken as an initiative to hide their identities; it only strengthened their speculation that this kid had a more prominent background.
One similar thought came across of their minds.
They should not offend these persons!