"Han Qin..." he uttered while trying to keep his composure, "How long?"
"Young Lord Han..." she uttered.
"H-hasn't it been four hours already?" one of the servant pretended not to know.
"O-oh... has it?"
"Tell me." Han Zeno asked with pleading eyes.
Han Qin cannot take it anymore and spoke, "It has been eight hours young lord!"
Upon hearing that, Han Zeno's eyes widened, feeling as if a thunder has hit him directly, he hastily went to where Han Dae is.
"Han Dae!" he called but there is no response. 'H-He's unconscious?' he asked himself. Han Dae's eyes are open, but the spark is nowhere. Removing the snow that piled up on his shoulders and head, Han Dae's ice cold body already fell on his chest. 'His clothes...' noticing that his clothes are wet, he touched his wrist to find the pulse.
It is weak.
Very weak.
Removing his outer garment, he wrapped it to Han Dae and carried him to his room.
After a long while, Han Dae woke up finding himself inside Han Zeno's chambers. 'Huh?' he wondered, 'What am I doing here?'
Asher groaned, "Ugh, I feel like my head is about to burst!" but when his vision clears, "Of course! I'm still here in this endless dream!"
Han Dae noticed the basin and the towel beside him, "Shocks..." he uttered, "Did I pass out?" he felt a tingling pain in his head and rubbed it, giving it a massage. He sighed, "I'm burning up? Really?"
He caught a fever.
He stood and peeked at the window when he saw how the alley is decorated with crimson and emerald cloths and the streets are bright even with all the snow. Everyone is busy.
"What is going on?" Han Dae wondered. Rushing outside his young lord's chambers, he spotted the head servant who punished him earlier. Hiding on a corner, he heard him.
"Hurry up! Hurry up!" he hastily said to the female servants who are carrying the food. "We have to get moving!"
Asher wondered, 'Is it another lavish feast?'
After massaging his head, Han Lulu already passed through him so he started walking hastily again when he saw a golden bow with emerald-colored writings and symbols carved on it lying on the ground.
"Huh?" he wondered, 'Who would leave a sacred weapon here?' Picking it up, he flinch when he saw an arm holding the bow on the other side. As he tried to look further, he saw a sleeping person on the two steps stairs.
Han Dae mistook it for a corpse and freaked. The person opened his eyes in shock and shouted as well after sitting hastily. Han Dae realized that he was wrong so he stopped but the other continued shouting so he punched his head to make him stop.
"Owiie!" he said while massaging his head.
Han Dae scolded, "You can't be noisy here, you are in front of the library!"
Asher held back his laughter thinking, 'Said the one who shouted first.'
The guy immediately covered his mouth, "Oh! I'm sorry..."
Han Dae crossed his arms, "And what are you doing here? You are not allowed here!"
"Ehhh?" he sounds surprised, "I-I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! I do not know—" Han Dae raised a brow in disbelief, 'He is a servant here and he does not know? What kind of lame excuse is that?'
Just when he is about to scold him again, the moon shone brighter and it revealed the emerald colored-kimono of the person. Instead of scolding, Han Dae asked, "Who-who are you?"
The guy wore his bow and lowered his head a bit, then he said, "Sei Chryseis, son of Sei Sumi from Emerald Sei Tribe."
'He-He's a young lord?!' Han Dae's face freaked but his mouth only hangs wide open.
"Y-You are..." Han Dae uttered, "from the East?"
Sei Chryseis nodded, "Indeed. M-May I know young lord's name?"
"Ack!" Han Dae freaked. 'Now what do I do?! He mistook me for a young lord! A young lord!'
"Ehem!" Han Dae faked a cough and composed himself, "My name is Han Dae, and sorry to disappoint Young Lord Sei, I am merely an attendant of Young Lord Han Zeno here in the South."
"Oh!" he looks so shocked, "Han-chou looks such a fine gentleman, I mistook him for a young lord!"
Han Dae laughed awkwardly, 'Well you can treat me as one if you'd like.'
Asher answered, "Ha! Saw that coming!"
"May I ask what Young Lord Sei is doing here?" Han Dae wondered while taking a seat beside him. He smiled as if he had found a reason to stay awake in the place.
"We came here to talk about something." He said.
'Hmm?' Han Dae wondered, 'Are they the guests from earlier?'
Sei Chryseis continued, "I don't really fit in so I hid. I dislike loud noise too..."
"Oh!" Han Dae uttered, "No wonder why Young Lord Sei is here in front of the library. It is kind of noisy since tonight is busy." Then he wondered, "Why are they busy again?"
Sei Chryseis faced him and blinked, "Han-chou, you don't know?"
"Know what?" he wondered.
"About Young Lord Han Zeno and my sister, Sei Cressida's marriage." He uttered.
"Wha--! No way!" Han Dae and Asher both freaked.
Asher continued, "Bro! It is so obvious that he likes Han Dae! How come he is marrying someone?!" then he wondered, "Is it? It is right?!"
Han Dae continued as well, "Hashi-ni is all about studying and work! How come I didn't hear about this?!"
"W-we just discussed this today. Even I am surprised..." Sei Chryseis said while waving his hands, "But they said that it is already a long term plan..."
'Grr!' Han Dae freaked, 'Getting his hand all over a rich chick! He didn't even tell me! Hashi-ni I am so going to annoy you!'
"Han-chou!" Sei Chryseis called, "Are you a Hashi?"
"M-me?" Han Dae blushed in embarrassment, "Nah, I am still a Zushi apprentice. How about Young Lord Sei?"
"I am a Hashi apprentice." He answered.
Han Dae got excited, "Wow! Young Lord Sei is really strong then!"
Sei Chryseis forced a laugh, "I am not..."
"Huh?" Han Dae wondered. The atmosphere between them got heavier. Sei Chryseis eyes saddened but he is still forcing a smile. He fixed himself and sat properly.
"I am not good at anything besides archery." He answered, "Take my Arcum away and I'll never stand a chance against an A-jin. Because of that, my father is greatly disappointed in me and my sister is the one who has to make up for my shortcomings."
"But Young Lord Sei is still a Hashi apprentice." Han Dae smiled.
"That is as far as I can go." Sei Chryseis answered, "Everyone said that I cannot become something greater than that. It is true. I only know how to use my spiritual energy when I am holding my bow. I can use a sword, but I don't know how to wield it. You see, I get scared easily when my enemy is up close."
Han Dae faced the sky, "I have been told..." Sei Chryseis faced him as he continued, "that I would never make it here in Nagafushi. Now that I am here, I have also been told that I won't last a week. When I lasted more than a year, I have been told that I am not someone who can become as strong as my Young Lord..." Han Dae faced him with a smile, "So I thought, I have proven them wrong a lot of times, why not prove them wrong once again?"
Asher is surprised that he found himself at a loss of words. Remembering his mother's voice, 'Make this mommy proud' is also equivalent to, 'Prove them wrong son'
Sei Chryseis is in awe. Smiling, he said, "Han-chou, you have a will of stone huh? However, one criticism will always be followed by another like a never ending cycle. What do you do, then?"
Han Dae faced him with full confidence on his face, "If that's the case, all I have to do is to break it, right?"
"Break it?" Sei Chryseis wondered.
Giving him a nod, he replied, "Young Lord Sei has his own cycle to break, and I have mine too. Let's give it our best shot!"
Sei Chryseis laughed, "Then Han-chou has to start defeating Zushis first before he could stand on the same stage as Young Lord Han."
Han Dae blushed in embarrassment.
Asher teased, "True, you have yet to kill a low level monster Han-chou!" he laughed.
"I-I'm getting there!" Han Dae snubbed, acting tough. In his head, he thought, 'No! You're nowhere near him, you moron!'
"Will Han-Chou accompany Young Lord Han in studying?" Sei Chryseis wondered.
Han Dae blinked, "Studying?"
Sei Chryseis nodded, "After a month, the Saphirus Sen Tribe will invite all Majin candidates and other young lords to study so that their skills can be honed further."
Han Dae asked in a wonder, "But why invite people from other tribes?"
"Han-chou might not know but many of well-known cultivators and Majins have studied and came from the Saphirus Sen Tribe. Other tribe heads agreed that the said tribe is truly worthy of the title and are willing to let them educate their children especially their heirs." Sei Chryseis said and added, "But the Saphirus Sen Tribe is really strict and only allow people from other tribe to study there every after three years."
"Are they really that famous?" Han Dae wondered in excitement, "Do you think they'll teach something superb?"
Sei Chryseis smiled happily, "I bet they will! Sei-ji – I mean, my sister told me that father once got the chance to study there and learned a lot about cultivating!"
Han Dae flipped his hair, "Hmph! I'm definitely accompanying Young Lord Han!"
Sei Chryseis, "Really?" sighing in relief, he continued, "Then I won't be alone!" he sounds reassured.
"Young Lord Sei will study there too?" Han Dae wondered.
Sei Chryseis nodded, "Well, technically, I am a son of a Lord. Also, I may not look like it, but I am a Majin candidate as well."
Han Dae stood in surprised, "Y-you are?!"
Sei Chryseis laughed at his bewildered reaction, "I am. My sister is a candidate too, even Young Lord Han."
'H-Hashi-ni is a Majin candidate too?! How can I stand on the same ground as him then?!' Han Dae is now hearing the sound of his dream shattering.
"B-But..." Han Dae is still in massive shock state, "I-Isn't a Majin candidate s-supposed t-to be an i-i-i-immortal already?"
"Pfft!" Sei Chryseis held back his laughter, "We are immortal already, Han-chou. It's just that we haven't reached the peak of cultivating yet that is why we continue to grow up as adults until the time comes."
Han Dae received another shock, 'Huh?! Is that how things work?! I'm not even a Zushi yet! Hashi-ni is already nearing his immortal peak then?! For how long already?! Fuck, am I even worthy of surpassing him?!'
"S-Say..." Han Dae uttered helplessly, "H-How can a person know if he is a candidate of a Majin?"
Sei Chryseis replied with a sweet smile, "Majin Ashera, the current Majin will appear to you. In my sister's case, Majin Ashera appeared when she was eight and in my case, Majin Ashera appeared when I was ten."
"T-Then... do you know..." Han Dae is hesitant to ask, but since he is eager to know, he already asked, "when did Young Lord Han Zeno met the Majin?"
"Hmm..." Sei Chryseis wondered, "I am not certain because I just heard it from the rumors but people say that Young Lord Han saw Majin Ashera at the age of three."
"A-Age of three?!" Han Dae and Asher freaked. 'So he's been an immortal all my life?!'
While they are still talking, they heard a loud noise opposite the library. Han Dae stood looking a bit worried, "That's... the Forbidden Room!"
He hastily ran towards the direction with Sei Chryseis following behind him. They saw the room's door sliced up in pieces as if someone forced his way out and Han Zeno holding a crimson scroll on his left and a sword on his right.
"Hashi-ni!" Han Dae rush towards him and asked, "What happened?"
Han Zeno sighed and then he faced them with a smile, "I was just chasing a mouse." Sei Chryseis saw the scene and asked,
"Young Lord Han... is it... Hel Psyche?"
Thirty minutes ago, Han Zeno, holding a glass of juice, saw Sei Cressida on a crimson bridge. He noticed how unsettled and worried she was so he approached her asking, "Young Miss Sei's temper is different in the atmosphere everybody is giving."
She faced him in surprise as he continued,
"Is there something that displeases you?"
Sei Cressida, "N-no..." however, she cannot help but to look around anxiously with a hint of irritation painted on her beautiful face that has the same features as her di. Her long white hair flowing into the wave of the night wind makes a person tempted to brush it. Her emerald kimono shining in the moonlight inspires a painter to paint her a portrait.
Han Zeno smiled, "Here." Giving her the glass of juice he hasn't taken a sip yet, "this may help Young Miss Sei to calm down."
"Ah!" Sei Cressida faced him once again, slightly surprised. She took the glass and drank the juice before exhaling.
"Is there something wrong?" Han Zeno asked.
She faced him asking, "Does Young Lord Han know where my idiot of a brother is? I cannot find him anywhere!"
Han Zeno chuckled quietly, "I have talked to him for a while, but I never would've thought that he would really ditch today's celebration."
"Ugh!" she groaned in irritation, "I told him a thousand times not to wander off alone! Goodness, when will he learn to take things seriously?!" After ranting, she sighed and faced Han Zeno who is still smiling at her.
After lowering her head, she stated, "Please excuse me, Young Lord Han. I must find Sei-di at once."
Han Zeno nodded with a smile and she left. A group of servants are walking past her after she put the glass on one of the small tables they are carrying.
Han Zeno is about to walk away when his smile faded as he halted. He faced the Forbidden Room in a wonder, "Hmm..."
A young man in black is walking out of the same room carrying a scroll with a grin on his handsome youthful mischievous face as he wears his pitch black kimono when his eyes widened in surprise by a time a person in crimson kicked him in the chest four times and the fifth kick dragged him on the ground.
The wooden doors closed and a talisman flew. Upon sticking on it, an array appeared on the door locking the both of them inside.
Han Zeno saw his face clearly as he step on his chest, "Oh my, good evening." He smiled kindly to the one with sharp eyes, and mischievous handsome face. The other one smirked in both irritation and enjoyment, "You..." he uttered, "Aren't Young Lord Han harassing me?" he grinned seductively, even turning red in the process.
Han Zeno chuckled, "Aren't you an uninvited guest?"
"Tck!" he clicked his tongue, grinning, "Really, why are you being so mean?" by the time he said the word 'mean', he swung his right hand and a huge black scythe appeared. Han Zeno immediately flew to dodge the attack.
"Goliath?" he wondered.
The other chuckled, "Pretty good name for a pretty badass scythe, right?" he swung his scythe again and Han Zeno had no choice but to dodge first. The things and weapons inside the room flew and some of the shelves got easily sliced like tofu.
Playing with his scythe, he swung it three times towards the door. The first one didn't do any damage, the second strike cracked the barrier and the third one destroyed it completely.
"Yahoo!" he exclaimed jumping outside the room facing backwards, Han Zeno is about to land when he grinned and said, "Well then, I'll be taking this!"
Han Zeno's surprised face turned into a gentle one as his lips curved upwards. He unsheathed his sword and attacked him head on. Having no chance of escaping without putting up a fight, the other one turned and faced him, completely clashing their weapons.
"Young Lord Han," he smirked, "Is this how badly you want my attention?"
While striking still, Han Zeno smiled, "Maybe."
Upon hearing his reply, the other on got riled up. His strength and speed became completely on another level as he laughs and says, "Ahahaha! This is why I never get bored of you Han-ni!"
Han Zeno's smile is still on his face, keeping up at the speed and strength, "You're very welcome."
Both of them gathered a huge amount of spiritual energy on their left palms, Han Zeno's aura is gold, while the other one is pitch black. By the time their palms met, a huge blast of spiritual energy is released that created a small tremor in the nearby places.
The other jumped on a branch of the tree with a smirk still, completely unscathed. His smile vanished when he realized the he no longer has the scroll.
"Is this what you are looking for?" Han Zeno asked. He blinked in surprise upon seeing him holding the scroll on his left without a single scratch on him.
"How did you—" he asked.
Han Zeno smiled, "I pretended to attack you back but I didn't. I never plan on taking you down. It's a simple trick really. I just grabbed it."
"Pfft!" the other one can't help but to laugh a lot, "You're really entertaining Han-ni! I can't even call you 'Young Lord Han' anymore as a pun!"
"Knowing you, I'm sure you already read this." Han Zeno stated.
The other one nodded and sighed, "Too bad I can't use it at all."
"Well," Han Zeno said, "It is for the Crimson Han Tribe only. I believe you are from Emerald Sei Tribe, aren't you, Hel Psyche?"
"That's a bull!" he irritatingly said while picking a fruit from the tree, wiping it with his sleeve, "I don't associate myself with whatever." he rolled his eyes.
"I could care less." Han Zeno smiled, "Can you tell me why you are still after this forbidden scroll even after reading it?"
Hel Psyche bit the red fruit and answered while munching, "To stir up trouble." After swallowing it down, he grinned saying, "But I've had enough fun for the day, so I won't touch it anymore."
Both of them heard footsteps rushing over. "Ooh?" Hel Psyche wondered and rushed eating the fruit before throwing it, "I'll be going then Han-ni! 'Til we meet again!" he saluted with a wink.
Hopping on the roofs, he vanished.
"That's basically what had happened." Han Zeno smiled after telling the two.
Han Dae wondered, "That Hel Psyche has the guts to challenge Hashi-ni?!"
Asher wondered while leaning on Han Dae's shoulder with arms wrapped all over his body, "What a weird guy..." and he wondered, 'Ah! Why can I do this thing but I can't even cover my eyes?'
Sei Chryseis lowered his head in front of them, "I am terribly sorry." He uttered and they both faced him, "It is my job to capture him. It's been years but he is still running free."
Han Zeno smiled and lifted Sei Chryseis' head, "Please don't, Young Lord Sei. You have done nothing wrong to do this."
Sei Chryseis faced Han Zeno's smiling face. He immediately turned red in embarrassment. "Cheer up!" Han Zeno continued that made his face redder. He smiled back because he cannot find the right words to say.
Han Dae noticed a female approaching them. He blinked in a wonder, 'Who is she?' he asked himself. As soon as she stepped into the light, Han Dae, as well as Asher's eyes widened in surprise upon seeing Sei Chryseis' face in a female's body.
Sei Chryseis' face can be compared to the beauty of females, and is part of what you call, 'pretty boy'. With his big round emerald eyes, pinkish lips, long white lashes, pointed nose, fair skin and a white silky shoulder-length hair.
The only difference that Han Dae immediately spotted is that the female's eyes doesn't have the same kind spark Sei Chyseis had, and her hair is much longer, tied in an emerald ribbon with a lot of hair ornaments. Sei Chryseis' hair doesn't have any ornaments and ribbons.
"Found you at last." A menacing tone of her voice was heard from behind Sei Chryseis. He, on the other hand, felt the chills down from his spine. Slowly facing her in fear, he gulped and uttered,
"S-Sei... ji..."
"Quit calling me ji if you can't even follow simple instructions such as 'don't wander around' you harmless moron!" she scolded while pulling his collar.
Sei Chryseis immediately apologized like no tomorrow, "F-forgive me! Forgive me ji! I-I won't do it again! I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!"
"Do you think a simple sorry would work on me?" she threatened as if she's ready to eat him in whole.
"Eek!" Sei Chryseis teared up, "I'm sorry..." he sniffed. Sei Cressida let him go and he immediately hid behind Han Dae.
"Hey!" Han Dae whispered in surprise, "Don't involve me!"
Sei Chryseis wrapped his arms around Han Dae and uttered, "She's scaring me!"
Han Dae shouted at him, "Do you think I'm not scared?!" He then exclaimed in his thoughts, 'Yes! She is pretty as hell but I wouldn't want to do anything with her! Especially with that scary temper!'
Asher nodded, "I agree, I love every woman, but I could never handle that."
She sighed and lowered her head in front of Han Zeno. Han Zeno did the same.
"I felt the tremor here nearby," she saw the broken door of the Forbidden Room, "did something happen Young Lord Han?"
Han Zeno faced the door too and then faced her back with a smile, "Yes, Hel Psyche broke in the room. I have dealt with him already, it is fine now."
"Hel Psyche?!" She freaked. She gave Sei Chryseis a glare, "You. Come here. Now."
Sei Chryseis gulped burying his head on Han Dae's shoulder even if he is a bit taller than him. Sei Cressida sighed, "Fine. Don't you ever approach me again." As she starts to walk away.
Sei Chryseis flinched and ran towards his sister, "I-I'm coming! Sei-ji! Wait for me!" he clung to her arms as she continued scolding him, "Oh, now you want me?"
Han Zeno chuckled, "Having a sibling must be nice."
Han Dae faced him in a wonder while he is still looking at those two. Then, an evil idea came to his mind.
Asher shuddered in shock of what he realized, "H-Hold on!" he tried to halt him, "Why would you do that?! Han Dae don't do it!"
"Hashi-ni..." Han Dae uttered with a kind smile on his face.
Asher freaked, 'You're really doing it?! Don't you have shame?!'
Han Zeno faced him with a smile, "What is it?"
"If Hashi-ni wants to, I can be his little brother!" Han Dae smiled.
Han Zeno blinked, "You would?"
Han Dae nodded, "Mhm..."
Han Zeno smiled, "That would be great!"
Han Dae thought, 'Baited!'
Facing Han Zeno, he smiled once again, "Then... would Hashi-ni take his poor di with him when he studies at Saphirus Sen Tribe?" while blinking with puppy eyes.
Han Zeno realized what Han Dae was planning but it was too late to take back his words. Instead, he smiled awkwardly, "S-So that's why..."
Han Dae smirked, "Hashi-ni won't take his words back, right?"
"I am..." Han Zeno uttered, looking a bit embarrassed as he put his fingers together, "...planning to take you with me."
Han Dae's eyes widened. After a while, he smiled and shouted, "Yes! That's my Hashi-ni! Woohoo! I'm studying there too!"
"Huh?" Han Zeno wondered.
"Hmm?" Han Dae asked.
Han Zeno smiled awkwardly once again, "I can only bring Han Dae there as a servant."
Han Dae's face suddenly turned sour. As if his soul left his body and he has been poured a very cold water in the blizzard naked, he fell on his knees looking so depressed.
"The gap... the gap... is widening..." he uttered.
Han Zeno sat to see Han Dae's depressed face. He caressed his hair and noticed the drops of water on the corners of his eyes.
"Are you really that eager to study there with me?" Han Zeno wondered.
Han Dae nodded, "Mnn."
"Then I'll allow you." Han Zeno smiled.
The life in Han Dae's eyes went back as he faced his Hashi, "Really?"
"However," Han Zeno said, "You have to do your part as well."
"What is it?" Han Dae asked.
"I will introduce you to my own Shihan." He said, "You must become a full-fledged Zushi in a month. If you failed to do so, I cannot take you there to study."
Asher's eyes widened, 'Full-fledged... Zushi?'
Han Dae, '...in just a month?'
Both of them have the same thought after that,
'What the fuck?!'