Guinevere's plan to escape was a success and now that she has a clue of where the Death Chanter could be, there was no point of turning back now. Thank God for the man who gave her the bow. If he hadn't appeared that night, perhaps she wouldn't be riding a horse heading for the Southern Mountains.
It's going to be a long dangerous journey, but Guinevere is willing to try. This is her opportunity to reconcile with the person she's been craving to meet again, even if he was the Death Chanter who has killed a tribe of demons alone. How could someone even be so powerful?
After a few hours, the sun had rose and so Guinevere decided to stop in a small peaceful village near the border of the Capitol and the Western Expanse. There was a small library she had managed to find on her own. It was thankfully open. She tied her horse and put on her cloak before going inside. As expected, the library was empty. The only person around other than herself was the graceful woman behind the counter.
"Excuse me," Guinevere began. "Is there a map I could buy around here?"
"Where ya headin'?" She had very slang accent, which was common around here in the Border.
"The Southern Mountains."
"Are you a demon hunter?"
"Y-Yes, I am."
"Isn't that the most unfortunate job for a woman?"
"It's better than doing chores for your drunkard of a husband in my opinion." Guinevere mocked flatly, making the woman slam her fist on the counter, offended.
"You don't know me!" The woman exclaimed.
"From the looks of you, your appearance already tells me everything about your life."
"I don't have a husband," she sneered. "I have a wife."
Guinevere didn't expect that. "I'm very sorry. Look, I just really want to buy a map."
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Back at the Baroque castle, Alucard and Granger talked with the parents of Guinevere. Same as Gusion, they offered them big rewards if their daughter was returned alive. With or without the money though, Granger would do anything to bring her back to where she's safe.
"Do you have any idea where she might went?" Alucard asked the couple, but they said they didn't know. It seems their daughter didn't trust them enough with anything. They said they don't even know what color she likes even though it's clear as day. Both of them were the prime examples of bad parenting, in Granger's opinion.
Granger then remembered the night he first saw Guinevere. She told him she was slapped by her father for declining to greet their guests. His father was abusive while her mother was young and spoiled greatly by her husband.
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Alucard and Granger have left the castle and were now having drinks in a tavern. The tavern was empty for it was still the crack of dawn. It was just what Granger needed. As for Alucard, he was impossible. He's been flirting with the female bartender ever since they arrived.
Granger decided it would be best if Alucard knew how he had some history with Guinevere. But he has to get rid of the bartender first. Claiming the stall beside Alucard, Granger politely asked the woman to leave and gladly she did. Alucard wasn't happy though.
"I think I know where she's heading." Granger said to Alucard, barely a whisper for the bartender not to hear. "She might be going to find the Death Chanter in the Southern Mountains."
"Why would she want to find you?" Alucard winced, either he was beginning to feel the effects of drinking too much ale or was actually confused.
"Dunno." Though he did know.
"Did you do something to upset her? Perhaps killed her favorite pet or what?"
"That porcupine demon wasn't her pet. It was supposedly a scapegoat of her escape." Granger stated.
"Well, if you knew she was looking for you then why didn't you reveal yourself to her instead? You would've made this mission a lot shorter."
"Because revealing my identity is dangerous."
"Excuse me? You're facing the almighty and handsome demon hunter Alucard who's a legend among the Land Of Dawn. Every demon knows who I am but why am I still alive, though?"
"Because I'm not a fame freak."
Alucard scoffed. "Watch your mouth. Anyhow, how did you know she was going to find you in the Southern Mountains? You had some alone time with her earlier, didn't you, eh?" The blonde demon hunter teased. Smelling the alcohol in his breath, Granger figured he needed sleep.
The both of them do, but Granger admits he can stay awake for five days without hallucinations if he casts a spell upon himself.
"We did," Granger confessed, nervously. "And it wasn't the first time I met her. She was a childhood friend of mine, sort of."
"Awe, really? I'm jelly! Though she doesn't seem to be your type...is she?"
"No, of course not." The vagrant poet's voice wavered.
"Thank God. For a second, you'd steal her from me." Alucard winked.
"She doesn't deserve someone like you in my opinion."
Alucard spits his last sip of ale and stood up, towering over him. "How so? Is it because I'm a flirt? If so, you must know that I'm just helping women acknowledge they're all beautiful!"
Standing up, Granger removes his disguise and nodded curtly. "I'm gonna find somewhere to rest so don't follow me."
"Whatever, kid! I'll be here if you need me." The blonde man laughed. He then turn his attention back to the female bartender. "Now where were we, darling?"
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Hiding from Lancelot, the two children were snickering as they run down the halls.
"Quick! In here." Guinevere grabbed the boy and pulled him inside an empty room where paintings of the important Baroque ancestors were hung. There was a chair in the midst which was enough for two kids to sat in while they wait for Lancelot to come in.
"Where are we?" Guinevere's friend asked, looking around the unfamiliar faces.
"We're in the Room of Paintings. The people in the paintings are my ancestors." She explained.
"That one is a knight? That's so cool!"
"Hmm. That was my late grandfather when he was younger."
"If only I had a grandfather... " She heard him mutter. Looking up, he smiled sadly.
"I wasn't able to meet my grandfather either. He died before I was born." She said empathically.
"Gwen," the boy called, making her raise her brows. "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
"I want to be an adventurer and travel the world. What about you?"
"I'm gonna be a demon hunter."
"No way."
"I am."
"Hey Gusion?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you be my best friend from now on?"
"Aren't we already friends?"
"Not just friends. Best friends, forever." Guinevere takes out her pinky finger. The boy sheepishly smirked before connecting his finger with hers.