August 25 Year 9,000
After a week of preparation, the new Clothing Shop of the Sternix Clan is now ready to open. Their Clan was also filled with all sorts of decorations for the Banquet. The tables are aligned perfectly along with some lanterns to give light from the darkness of the night
The foods that the chefs poured all of their blood, sweat, and efforts to make are arranged properly together with alcoholic beverages
Inside Kence and Calter's room. The Young Master can be seen standing in front of his window while looking at the bluish moon above. Somehow, the moon always reminded him of Kence that is always giving light to his dark life. Calter is a Darkness Type Mage and he always felt comfort by being surrounded by darkness and repelled light a bit
However, if the light comes from that bluish moon it has a calming and soothing effect on him. Calter was currently wearing a formal wear. It doesn't have any annoying designs on it, in fact it looked quite simple. It was all black and simple that suited his taste
If he has the choice, he would like to spend this night cultivating. When darkness descended down, it was the best time for him to cultivate. Too bad, he needs to attend the Banquet to give face to the Nobles who helped their Clan
The door of the bathroom inside the room was pushed open and a youth slightly younger than Calter walked out. He still wasn't wearing his clothes for the night as his hair was still dripping wet
Calter gave Kence a warm smile before doing their usual routine. Kence sat on the bed while Calter pick a hair comb and started combing Kence hair with it
Kence was not his usual self and was fidgeting a bit. A clear sign that he was feeling some distress and was uncomfortable. "Are you nervous?" Calter asked even though he already knew of the answer
Kence nodded his head in helplessness. "There would be many people in the Banquet, right?" Kence asked and Calter hummed as a response
"I-I'm afraid to make any mistake. I don't want to embarrass the Clan and you, Big Brother" Calter's hand froze and shook his head bitterly. All along, he thought that Kence just feared being in a place with a lot of people. Turns out what Kence was really worrying about was the Clan and his master's reputation
"Do you think I care if you mess up? It doesn't matter to me how much you mess up. The most important thing is you are with me"
Kence giggled at hearing his master's words. "I figure you'll say that"
Calter just chuckled, it seems like Kence was slowly understanding him. That's a good sign
"But...." Kence trailed and his voice turned into a serious one. "Even if Big Brother will forgive me, I won't forgive myself if I embarrassed you. There are scary and powerful people there. I'm really afraid"
Even Kence knew that this Banquet was a chance for the Sternix Clan to have more connections. He is afraid that he'll offend some powerful Noble and cause trouble for them. From what Kence heard, there are many cruel Nobles out there that he shouldn't offend. The Patriarch also asked him to act nice and make people like him. This gave him a huge pressure as he doesn't have much socializing experiences
"You really care too much about me"
"Of course!" Kence said proudly
"You don't need to worry about those Nobles. You are still innocent and doesn't know how the world works. They are the one that is anxious to forge a good relationship with you, not the other way around. They will flutter and try to be in your good books. No need to be afraid okay?"
For Kence, Nobles are powerful and as a servant he should always be subservient to them. But he still doesn't realize that he's not just some servant. He is the City Lord's true disciple. His position was far above than the patriarchs of Noble Clans
Calter can feel Kence pouting even though he was facing the latter's back. "Big Brother, I'm not innocent! I already know a lot of things okay?" Kence said with some dissatisfaction. It felt good when his master was spoiling him but for him, he's not a child! The two of them are almost at the same age, he's just a year younger than his master but Calter always treated him like that
"That's where you are wrong, my Kence. You are still my innocence Kence okay?" Calter said while shaking his head. How can Kence say those words? Calter was being obvious of his affections but Kence still hasn't realize his feelings for him. If this is not innocent and naive then what is this?
"Nooooo I'm mature now!" Kence insisted. He's like a kid that's acting tough and trying to show that he's already an adult
"Hahaha" Calter can just laughed at how childish Kence was acting causing the latter's pout to deepened
Knock knock
Someone knocks on their door before speaking outside. "Young Masters, the Patriarch asked for the both of you. The Banquet already started for almost half an hour." said the voice from outside
"We'll go there when we are ready" Calter said coldly to Nan.
Nan is a Magic Knight that the City Lord arranged to be Kence and Calter's bodyguard. As the City Lord was busy for all the paper works and negotiations for a part of the Thousand Beasts Forest, he doesn't have time to care much for any of his disciple
He can only arrange a guard for them. Although the Knights he assigned are not the cream of the top but Magic Knights are still Magic Knights!
With the two just staying inside their Clan for the past week, they didn't encounter any danger at all
"I'll change my clothes now!" Kence said before standing up and taking his clothes for the night. Just like most of his clothes, it was icy blue in color. But unlike Calter's his has some designs on it although it wasn't too much
"Do you need some help?" Calter asked while smirking. Kence's body stiffened and he turned around to look at his master that was looking at him from head to toe
"I-I can do it!" Kence immediately run inside the bathroom just to hear his master laughing at him
"Why is master always teasing me?" Kence asked to himself. Ever since a week ago when Calter was still injured the teasing he got was increasing day by day
Especially when he was changing the bandage of his master. Fortunately, the healing spell of the Sternix Clan's doctor was very effective and it only took a couple of days before Calter's injuries were fully healed. As of now, Calter's shoulder and foot was already as good as new
Kence removed his current clothing and change with a new one before exiting the bathroom. As soon as Kence exited he bumped into a broad chest before two arms coiled around his waist
"E-Eh?" Kence was stunned as his master was currently hugging him. "B-Big Brother?"
"Just charging from you to have energy in attending such a hypocrite Banquet" although Kence doesn't understand what his master was saying he just let him be
Calter was a person that doesn't like hypocrisy. If not for the City Lord, how can those powerful Clans give face to the Sternix Clan? But it wasn't enough for him to hug Kence like this as if he's too tired just by thinking about it. He just used it as an excuse to be intimate with Kence
Calter's face burrowed on Kence's neck giving the latter goosebumps and felt a bit ticklish. "B-Big Brother..."
Calter sniffed Kence before pulling away. With their close proximity, he's afraid that Kence will feel his boner and label him as a pervert. Calling him pervert was not entirely wrong though as he always has indecent thoughts that he wants to do with Kence
"Let's go?" Calter asked and Kence nodded his head. Calter wrapped his arm on Kence's waist and the two walked side by side
When Calter opened their room's door, Nan was still waiting outside for them respectfully. They might only be Magic Apprentices but the City Lord highly regarded them! Nan won't dare show any disrespect for them
The two walked in front with Nan following behind them silently like a shadow
Arriving at the Banquet area they can see many Nobles either chatting, dancing, or eating. They formed different groups, both big and small. Nan then walked away. There are a lot of people in this Banquet and the City Lord got Kence and Calter's back. It can't be that people will dare to harm them, right? The Knight decided to make up for a week of guarding two Magic Apprentices and cultivate
There were some people playing instruments that made the night very lively. The Nobles wear all sorts of expensive clothes together with jewelries. It's like they were showing off how rich they are and threw money on everything they can and want
It was a bit loud from all the chattering around which made Calter and Kence to frown. Both of them doesn't like crowds
Some youths didn't recognize them. The Nobles scanned the two but as they didn't saw much wealth on their bodies the others only regarded them as descendants of one of the weaker clans
It wasn't entirely wrong though. Sternix Clan was still weak with only one Magic Knight on their ranks. However, with their status even those who have several Magic Knights need to give them some respect
Sternix Clan possessed the City Lord's badge and the City Lord himself was backing them. One can say that they have weak strength but has high status
After looking at them one time, the Nobles disregarded them and didn't try to befriend them. Their actions were something that the two like. The both of them doesn't want to attract too much attention
They headed deeper into the Banquet planning to disappear from the crowd but someone accidentally bumped on Kence
It was a man older that Calter and Kence. The man was about twenty years old and just like other Noble descendants wore that pompous, arrogant, and looking down on everything look. The two were just walking silently but he stared at the Kence he bumped with anger
"Are you blind?! Watch where you are going!" The man said. His mouth was reeked with an alcoholic scent. It was clear that he already drunk some wine and was a bit tipsy. Some wine was also spilled on his expensive clothes making his face to fume with anger
"I-I'm sorry!" Kence's face paled and he immediately apologized. The thing he was being afraid that might happen tonight immediately happened too fast. He was walking slowly with caution as he was really afraid with the Nobles but someone bumped on him and the Noble was clearly angered by him
'The rumors are true' Kence thought inside him with dread. He heard that other Nobles are arrogant and are mostly unreasonable. Now, he personally experienced an unreasonable Noble. If he can turn back time, he'll avoid bumping at this Noble with all cost and not make any trouble for his master
"Stupid brat!"
The Noble was about to spill the remaining wine on his glass to Kence's face making the youth to close his eyes and waited for his humiliation. However, an iron hand gripped on the Noble's hand stopping him from the thing he was about to do
The Noble looked at the youth on Kence's side and he was stunned at what he saw
Calter's already deep and dark eyes turned into an endless dark abyss. It looks like a demon's eyes from how black it is. His entire being was filled and trembling with undisguised anger
His expression was the combination of cold, dark, and furious one. All three negative emotions were too visible on him as if he met his mortal enemy. Anyone who saw him will feel as if a cruel demon was looking at them and want them dead
Killing intent exuded all over Calter's body which made the atmosphere around to turn cold. The people around shuddered from the uncomfortable feeling
When they searched around for the source, they saw a youth gripping a man's hand as if he wants to break it. They were shock to feel that kind of killing intent from such a young person
"BRONY!" Calter spoke the name of the person in front of him filled with immense amount of malice, killing intent, and deep hatred