After a few walk from the gates of Aurinburg, Darius stood in front of the Corps' headquarters and open the door. They just went inside into the quiet house and then suddenly they found Rain just standing in the kitchen.
"Oh~ hello, thought someone just broke in hahaha! What brings both of you here?"
"I want to ask about the tests to be held two days from now. I've never heard of this before."
"Ah, so you passed the first task. Well if you did then surely your attendee told you about the things that's going to happen during that time."
"Yes but I want to know how things usually go around that time. How do they rate adventurers?"
"Oh no need to make that a problem young man! You passed the first task, surely you will finish the other that's coming before you. Oh by the way where is miss Turien? She doing fine?"
"She's just at the other room waiting for us to finish talking."
"Hmmm~ well I'm glad you took good care of the young priestess. Aight, off you go! You need to go to your house, old hag and the kids are waiting for you."
"Okay... I'll just leave these to you and I hope they can be repaired by tomorrow."
Darius dump a few of the tools he was using on their journey back from Acorn Village. Rain's face was in shock and he just paused on what he is looking at.
"Why do you have these things look so tattered?! At the very least show some care for your things Darius!"
"Hmmm?"
"Ah! No problem I'll be fixing these... Haaay~ why do I always have to do the clean up?"
After leaving the tools on the table, Darius then walked out of the kitchen and went straight to the door. Adellene then followed him quietly on the way out.
"So what were you talking back in there?"
She suddenly asked after a few steps. Darius just looked at her and then ignored her.
"Hey!!! Why are you ignoring me? Hey I just wanna kn~"
"It's just about things that you won't understand."
"Ah~ ha?! So you're telling me I'm an idiot for not being able to understand something both you and Rain are talking? Just spill it out oaf!"
Darius suddenly stopped walking and faced her with glaring eyes. She then felt like it was the right time to shut up.
"Go home. Get some rest on your house or chapel or... whatever you're living in right now."
. . . . .
Adellene just went quiet and looked on the ground. She looked like a shy kid who's about to ask for a present from someone.
"Well you know... I really don't have a home right now. So yeah~ I'm just following you where you're going to go."
"I'm sorry what?"
"I don't have a house okay? Get it?"
"The divines must have cursed me from the moment I was born. Just go live in the chapel."
"About that as well~ we are prohibited from living inside the chapels because of few incidents that happened before."
"How about inns, here take these auriems and buy a room there."
"Really? Do I look like a beggar to you. Look, can't I just go to where you live?"
"No."
"Come on! Please just for one day."
"No."
"Do you really want me to sleep outside in this cold and dangerous city?"
"..."
"Thought so! Now~ can I just live with you for a day."
Darius then turn back looking so defeated. People watching them fight over it were smiling and took their quarrel as a little misunderstanding of a couple.
"Hmmp! Hehe~ okay let's go!"
Both started to walk to Darius' home, the Gottenbron Farm. With the kids running around the city and chants and singing of the townsfolk, Adellene just said hello to everyone she meets. Hopping and skipping, clanging and thuds of barrel and cups alongside with the laughter of the drunken men, it was just a normal day in Aurinburg. Then little by little it went quiet as they reached the farms and fields on the other side of the town. They then saw an old lady waving a hoe along side a small hill.
"Who's that old lady over there?"
"That's lady Valieyn. She owns the farm that I am living. I work as her errand boy. Also just don't mess with the things around the house when we get there."
"Ah~ okay!!!"
After a few walks, they finally reached the houses of the Gotternbron farm. They then were met by Valieyn and with the kids running towards Darius.
"Darius!!! Look, look, I got a ball from grammy!"
"Look Darius I got a sword! I look so brave right? Right??"
"Darius what did you bring for us today? Are there any sweets?"
The kids were just stormed on Darius with their various stories and toys to brag. They were all smiling but there was something that shocked Adellene. It was her first time seeing Darius smile widely. She never thought that the kids are the ones making him bring various things like dress and wooden swords.
"Alright, alright~ everyone settle down. Big brother got few stories to tell later okay? Once I'm done with my unpacking at home, I'll be giving you all something but first go help grammy okay?"
"Okay Darius!!!"
The kids then went inside the large house. Valieyn then went to Darius and talked to him.
"Took you long to come back, thought you're already dead meat eaten by some horde of nagas out there."
"You really think I'd die there?"
"Oh and who is this fine looking lady beside you? Is this your ~"
"She's a young priestess who came along with me today. She's homele~"
"Hello! Nice to meet you madam. I am Adellene Turien, the new assistant of the Aurinburg Chapel."
Valieyn looked at Adellene from bottom to top and just gave her judging eyes. She then went close to her.
"Wait is there... something wrong?"
She suddenly open her arms wide and hugged Adellene. The girl was just there standing in shock to why she was hugging her.
"Oh how badly were you treated by this barbaric boy hmm? Don't worry, I know just the thing you need. Meet us later inside the orphanage."
"Orphanage?"
"Oh yes, did Darius forget to tell you? I am Valieyn Gottenbron, the owner of Valkyrie's Nest."
"..."
Darius just then turn his back to the both of them and went straight to his shack.
"Go ahead young lady, follow that rock-head over there."
"Okay madam~"
"Oh stop with the formalities. Call me grammy from now on."
"Oh~ okay grammy!"
Adellene then followed Darius' tracks to the shack. After a short walk from the orphanage, she then saw a shack with a large tree in its center. It was Darius' home. She then knocked on the door.
*knock* *knock*
"Darius? You there?"
Then it swung open. Darius in his typical ragged shirt was standing and looking at Adellene with cold eyes.
"Hays, don't you dare touch anything."
"Okay I won't."
She then went inside the shack and in an instant, she was so displeased to what she saw. It was a complete mess, worse than what she thought.
*Oh my~ Zues, Theia and all divines! Help this man clean his house.*
But something was off. Even though his room was wrecked like an aftermath of an attack of a Leviathan, the place smells like a sea of tulips.
*Why does the smell contradict on how the place looks like. This shack just makes me question more and more questions.*
"Stop judging my house and start unpacking your things. You're gonna stay here right?"
"Ah yes, right I'll be putting my things here!"
She then started unpacking her things and a thought came across her mind that made her blush like a fresh tomato.
*I forgot about that. I'm gonna sleep in his house. Does tha~*
"Hey get it done already, I'll be on the bench outside. Just call me if you're done changing."
Darius went out and left the overthinking priestess.
"Hmm I guess I'm just overthinking things. Alright Darius I'll be there."