"Yu?" I called out.
"Yes?" She replied from right above me. So she was sitting on my head?
"Do you know why Shion is so angry?" I asked curiously, today is already the third day, I've pretty much exhausted all of the people who might know about love, please, Yu!
"No clue." She replied evenly, of course not, "Maybe try Seramia? It seems that Shion got upset after finding out about me so perhaps it's a local thing?"
A local thing, huh.
Worth a shot.
The streets are bustling, it's only a little while until night comes and festival goes into full effect.
Guests should also be arriving soon.
Better make this quick then.
Breaking into a run through a few back streets I arrived in front of the newly built church, it finished construction about two months ago while I was out so I didn't get to see it open for the first time.
A big church to say the least, it looks like they refurbished an older church and turned the surrounding buildings into a dormitory area for the staff.
"Champion, this way." Suddenly a soft voice floated in through the church doors, Seramia?
Walking forward Yu held onto my hair tightly, "The church has some pretty vicious energies from whatever previous deity used to be worshipped here."
"I see, well, that goes away with time right?" I replied lightly, the inside of this church is really fancy! There's even real glass! Pretty much no one in Durlivan has unbroken glass except for myself and this church it seems.
"Im not sure, I've never come across this sort of thing." Yu replied meekly, she must really feel uncomfortable, but I don't feel anything at all? Maybe it was a deity that hated fairies?
"Champion, for what might you be here?" Seramia turned a corner wearing an ephereal dress clearly having been practicing for something.
"I have a question." I replied embaressedly.
Glancing at Seramia it seems her whole body is trying to say 'go on what is it?' happy to be helpful.
"Do fairies have some sort of local meaning? It slipped that I can see fairies and about Yu and when Shion asked me why I didn't tell I said it wasn't important, now she's angry and I don't understand why." I said evenly, Really why.
Why are you looking at me like that? Like your looking at an idiot?
"My my, champion, you are really just..." Just what? Why is your face cramping up like that, "Listen I won't question how you befriended a fairy but, fairies are said to be both a calamity and a wish granter, but their most important role at least in Dra is that they are said to be messengers of love and to hide a fairy away from your significant other is the same as saying you don't love them."
Oh. That's bad. That's super not good.
"I see, and what can I do to mend the situation?" I replied hopingly.
"Just explain it to her, she should understand that it was an honest mistake and then reveal Yu to her." Seramia shrugged very unbecomingly of a Priestess looking more like a maiden who had found a stupid puppy trying to teach it how to sit.
So that's what I have to do? It should be fairly simple, then I'll go right now!
"Lord, the guests are arriving now, they have just passed the Wolf's Teeth unit out in the fields and are being escorted into the city now by Marcus and a detachment of his troops from the first squad." Suddenly a voice shattered my thoughts, but it's not Hardvar.
One of the newly trained operatives under Hardvar who can't take care of me personally while also cleaning up the Desdon Fort and setting various things up, as such he assigned his most talented operative to me, Leyalt Cornstalch.
A fallen noble from Kendogan who has been living here in Durlivan for over twenty years now and was a speaker against the previous Duke Loktre.
"Thank you, Leyalt, you may go." I said lightly as he disappeared away. I really want to learn how to do that. I'll learn how after the festival then.
"Champion, I must go back to finish preparing for the Rite of Harvest later tonight, I take my leave." Seramia made a light bow before leaving, nobody ever waits for a reply here! Ever!
Well, whatever, not like I have all that much time to stick around and chat either.
Swiftly moving through the streets of Durlivan many recognized me and nodded or said a few short words, the people of Durlivan have never been so talkative! Things are really looking up!
The main street is lined with stalls and festivities, since the bandit extermination happened a few small caravans had entered the city and setup shop selling their wares all over, many of these merchants coming here following the guests from the capital.
Without wasting any more time I arrived up at the estate where several carriages lay parked, a small garrisons worth of guards taking point all around the estate.
The emblem of a twin-headed dragon, it's Nova then, and several other house's sigils are sprawled about on both carriages and men.
"Leyalt."
"Here."
"Relay to Huanto and Netman that they are to tighten security around the fields, and tell Marcus to spread his men out around the city in their civilian clothes." I said lightly glancing around the estate grounds, "Tell them to be prepared for anything, I have a bad feeling."
"It will be done." Leyalt vanished around a corner then. How?! I swear I watched him for every single second of his movements, but he still escaped my vision!
Hardvar, who are you really to be capable of teaching people things like that?
Hum.... too many questions too little time.
Noting it in the back of my head I went forward.
"Lord, this way, the guests are the in the main room." Oswald, Alias' stand in said, a medium tall boy with dark brown hair and a pair of mixed eyes, rare even for the people of Durlivan, we found him in a cage within a camp.
Nodding we arrived at the entrance of the main area on the first floor, now that I think about it I've been living here for several months but have never really fully explored this place except for a cursory glance around when we first took the city from the coalition.
Opening the doors I found a horrible shine adorning my eyes, ahhh, the previous Duke Loktre's retainer Lenal Ikar seemed to have quite the fancy taste in rooms, but don't get me wrong the room looks very noble, but it is also very shiny and quite.... irritating? Somehow?
"Prince Surnova, it is an honor to have you here for the festival," I said politely lowering my head slightly placing a hand over my heart turning my head I glanced around the room and found Trigo off to the side.
"It is an honor to be invited for the first harvest here in Durlivan, I have heard of your exploits, many call you the 'Demon of Durlivan' now, your name has even reached the capital making many a woman go crazy over your charms." Nova said happily, "The daughters of nobility all wish to meet this Demon who is said to have the eyes of an abyss wolf and the brutality to match."
"Please, it is but an exaggeration, the syndicates and bandits here in Durlivan were no match against the blades fed by your highness' kindness," I replied, it's true, had it not been for the food he had been sending over from the capital periodically we may not have even reached this point, being starved out instead, and luckily the syndicates did not dare to attack a carvan bearing the Carrien Empires royal sigil.
"It was a small price to pay for the Demon of Durlivan's army of hell beasts." Nova said lightly, hell beasts?? Since when are those kids hell beasts??
"Yes, the army of hell beasts, I too have heard of them, might we get to see them in action? I have brought a few of my best men with me if you would like to hold a small sparring show." A young man with long platinum hair said.
"And who might you be?" I replied kindly, challenging me without even naming yourself? too foolish.
"I am the lord of Kitar, Eran Tars, my territory is to the west, I came here with Prince Surnova to see if this 'Demon of Durlivan' is truly all that the rumors say." Lord Tars said mildly looking me up and down, "I must say the descriptions have indeed been exaggerated."
"My is it you? Lord Tars, the very same one who ran away from his home after losing his right to inherit to his younger brother, that Lord Tars who now speaks ill of another in their very own home?" Shion's cold voice suddenly silenced the room as she appeared.
Stunning. Her long silver-gold hair flowing neatly over her shoulder, her dress a well combat-ready thing. Eyes like honey dew with the sharpness of an eagle in full dive.
"And who are you, wen-"
"A word more and not only will you not leave this estate alive, neither will any of your men outside, Lord Tars." I said lightly releasing an extremely refined bloodlust straight into him causing the previous silence in the room to change into shock, "I apologize for making such a display, Prince Surnova."
"Lord Tars was being disrespectful, as he came with me it is my responsibility and so I apologize in his place." Nova replied winking at an angle no one else could see.
"I see, I accept your apology but I do believe that Lord Tars wished to know who this is, correct?" I replied wrapping my arm around Shion's waist, "This is my love, Shion Dra, come new years she will be officiated as my wife under Veru."
"I see that the brutality of the rumor is no exaggeration and neither are those of the famous princess of Dra who had managed to win the hearts of the people of Durlivan." Another young man stepped forth, "Ah, my apologies, I am Turkan Kleiol, Lord of Wantrest to the north directly opposite Durlivan, I am also a lord of a border city with several small kingdoms about the size of the Dra Earldom."
"It is a pleasure, Lord Kleiol." Shion said evenly.
"The rumors do your beauty no justice, Please call me Turkan." He replied with a thick faced smile.
I see. So one is an arrogant bastard who lost his right to inherit to his younger brother, and the other one is a playboy who is likely just a fool.
Hum. Should I just eliminate them?
Ouch! Shion pinched me hard on the side.
"Do not get so familiar with my wife if you value your life and your people." I said boredly, "Leyalt, go and get Marcus, he will battle with Lord Tars best men, tell him to try not to cripple them, then have him challenge Lord Kleiol's men, same rules."
"What?" Lord Kleiol suddenly coughed out, "I never said I would take part in this contest though?!"
"You have made moves on my wife in front of me, the fact that I am not crippling you right here is due to my respect for Prince Surnova." I replied lightly looking over at the remaining four nobles.
"I am Getta Otol, I was a mercenary and due to Prince Surnova's grace recieved a small patch of land to the north just past Rafulnas, it is a tourist town built on Lake Luminos." Lord Otol said calmly, "I hope to become friends with Lord Durlivan."
His hands are hard, it's clear he has seen many battlefields, he is also very calm, a dangerous man having crawled out of the dirt to become a lord, but a great friend if possible, "Then, I hope for a prosperous future."
"I am Trigo Rafulnas, we have met before long ago." Trigo said lightly half smiling.
"Indeed, thank you for your help back then, without it Durlivan likely would have taken much longer to clear out." I replied with a big smile giving him a bear hug, this seems appropriate.
"I-, i am Warren Locost, my father was the one given the reward of land by Prince Surnova, he died of wounds a short while after handing Locost down to me." Warren Locost, a young timid looking boy, skinny as well, "My lands are to the northwest, it is a small assortment of hunting villages."
"I see, it is good to meet you, young lord Locost, i hope we both continue to prosper." I replied patting his head only to realize everyone was now looking at me with barely disguised malice.
Pulling my hand back immediately as I spoke, "Sorry Lord Locost, It is a bad habit I have formed from exterminating bandits, I find that it calms people, I was out of line."
"It's-"
"I am Irea Luncur, lord of Luncur and a retainer of Prince Surnova turned vassal to the northeast." A young woman said lightly, a deep facial scar going from the middle of her forehead right over her eye.
How fiercesome and the poor Lord Locost being completely forgotten by everyone as she spoke over him.
For the next several minutes the rest of the lower nobility introduced themselves, many of them barely nobles holding perhaps an estate while others were simply nobles in name alone having been ennobled meaning it could not be inherited.