The inn looks distasteful from the outside with its two storey structure. Its color is so dull and the building looks old to the point that anyone who sees it would judge that there is no one managing it. However as the two enter the inn, there is so much inside. The designs and compositions of colors are well planned and executed.
"I'm back!" Balthazar greeted the people inside the inn.
"Welcome back old man." A woman said from a corner wearing an overcoat that covers most of her body while reading a book.
"We are glad you're back, Sir Balthazar." A man in the counter wearing a butler-like suit cleaning some wine glasses said.
"Hey uncle, what took you so long? We're worried." A girl in a pony tail wearing a dress in pastel suddenly approached Balthazar.
'What would a little girl do something in a place like this?' Mizuki thought upon seeing the young lady.
"I'm alright Chaneri. I've just caught up in a little something along the way." He smiled. "Anyway, I brought someone with me."
"Another one? Who is it this time?" A good looking guy with a stylish dark blue hair suddenly came down from upstairs.
"Just someone who have helped me along the way."
"Oh, it's a girl?" The guy said surprisingly when he saw Mizuki's appearance.
Balthazar laughed that irritates Mizuki.
"Tch!" Mizuki just scrunched his mouth.
"I'm sorry, I can't help it." Balthazar said to Mizuki as he wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes.
"Did I say anything wrong?" The guy confusedly asked as he tries to figure out why Balthazar was laughing.
"He's a guy, Maku." Balthazar said frankly.
"Yup! You heard it. I'm a guy." Mizuki said trying to get out of embarrassment.
"There's nothing wrong with a guy who looks feminine." He said as he walks boldly towards Mizuki. "I am Maku by the way. Maku Levine.t" He greeted him with a grin as he shook Mizuki's hand.
A curly-haired guy wearing all black with metal buttons and piercings on the clothes who's sitting on the other corner of the room whistled. "Wew, that went smoothly." He jokingly said.
"And you are?" Maku asked Mizuki.
"I'm Mizuki." He instantly replied. "I only goes by that name."
Balthazar introduced them one by one to Mizuki.
"That's my son, Maku. And that guy over there is Isidore, he's the owner of this inn." He said pointing to the guy wearing a butler-like suit at the counter cleaning the wine glasses.
"Pleased to meet you." Isidore greeted bowing his head slightly.
"That woman over there is Fayette." He points to the woman in the corner who was wearing a coat and thick clothes.
"Don't call me that!" The woman shouted sternly.
"She hates being called by that name." Balthazar said.
The woman stood up and walked towards Mizuki. "Just call me Faye instead." She said as she puts her face closer to Mizuki.
"That guy over there is Jeruzen." Balthazar said pointing over to the curly-haired guy wearing all black.
"Yo!" Jeruzen greeted.
"And this sweet beauty here is Chaneri." Balthazar said pointing to the young girl in front of them.
"Hello, I'm Chaneri, it's nice to meet you." The young girl greeted him.
"It's nice to meet you as well." He greeted back.
"So, how did the two of you meet each other?" Faye asked.
"I found him unconscious at the Forest of White Secrets. Nethilorian soldiers were after him." Mizuki answered.
"What? How come? You could have escaped easily." Faye said to Balthazar.
"Someone on their group had thermal vision, how could I possibly escaped?" He said scratching his nape.
"How did you found him exactly?" Isidore asked Mizuki.
"I was on my way to pick some berries when I found him running towards the forest. It was not my intention to help but the soldiers were closing in and they're stealing geodes from the forest so I've taken care of it. The water nymphs found him unconscious deep into the forest so I took him to my house." Mizuki explained.
"You should be careful next time, father." Maku said as he sits down in one of the chairs laid beside the table.
"Yeah you could have been killed." Faye uttered.
Isidore walks toward Mizuki and looks at him with an eerie look.
"What's happening?" Mizuki strangely asked.
Isidore took a deep breath and his tone of attitude suddenly changed.
"He who treated others beautifully must also be treated fairly." Isidore smiled.
'Such a bunch of weirdos.' Mizuki thought.
"You are officially a VIP in this inn, please do anything you would like…" Isidore said as he gracefully swayed his hand in the air and bend forward. "For free."
"What does that even mean?" Mizuki confusedly asked.
"Haha. Just let him be." Balthazar said embarrassingly. "He's just showing his gratitude."
"So you've taken this child with you just because he saved your life, huh?" Faye said sternly.
"He's an orphan!" Balthazar answered instantly.
"I'm not an orphan!" Mizuki shouted that startle every one in the room.
Suddenly, his face becomes gloomy.
"I have all the trees, flowers, plants, spirits, the nymphs and animals with me." He almost cried.
"He resides at the Forest of White Secrets after his parents were killed seven years ago at Velaris." Balthazar said to the others.
"Hmph." Faye raised one of her eyebrow sternly. "So you're a Lunarian."
"Probably the last one of them if there are no others who escaped." Balthazar added.
"So that explains the violin you've been carrying on your back. Perfect! Your music will match perfectly well with the beauty of my poems." Isidore said gracefully.
"I'm leaving." Mizuki said that surprises the others even more.
"What? Now?" Balthazar asked surprisingly. "How about our trip to the moon goddess?"
Mizuki turns back and headed towards the door.
"So you're leaving just because you think we're making you a mockery?" Faye said with an attitude. "Or is it you're thinking that you don't belong here?"
Mizuki stopped and looked at her.
"Everyone else in this room are no different from you. We all fall on the same fate, a victim of someone's greed and desire." Faye said as she removed the overcoat that covered her body.
To his surprise, Mizuki's eyes widen when he saw what was hidden under. It's a pair of fairy wings. Its luminous structure creates a rainbow when struck by light.
"You're not the only one with a difference." Faye said.
"That's enough Faye." Jeruzen interfered. "Be easy on him."
"Why don't you sit down first?" Maku invited Mizuki. "Here try this."
Maku handed him a bowl of ice cream sundae. Mizuki was amazed by the beautiful mix of colors. He immediately scooped a bite without any hesitation.
"What's this?" Mizuki curiously asked. "It's so delicious." His eyes glimmers.
"It's an ice cream sundae." Maku said.
"Cool!" Mizuki said as his eyes sparkles with delight.
"Oh wait, I think it's not cold enough." Maku said.
He flick his hand on top of the bowl and shredded ice appears over it.
"You have ice magic?" Mizuki was surprised.
Maku just smiled at him.
"That's Big Bro Maku for you, his ice may be cold but he's indefinitely warm inside." Chaneri teases him.
"Chaneri!" Maku blushed of embarrassment.
"Big bro? Are you by any chance?.." Mizuki curiously asked.
"Siblings? No." Maku laughed.
"Chaneri treats everyone here as her older brothers and sisters." Jeruzen said. "Well, except for Balthazar. He's too old that Chaneri regarded him as uncle."
"Hey!" Balthazar yelled. "I'm not that old." He sighed.
"So, are you still gonna stay?" Faye asked him.
"Please stay!" Maku and Chaneri dropped down to the floor and beg Mizuki to stay.
"Hey, what are you doing? Stand up!" Mizuki was embarrassed.
"We will not stand up unless you stay." Chaneri said.
A few moments of silence and at last Mizuki agreed.
"Okay! I'll stay." Mizuki said.
"Yay!" The two jumped in joy.
"But on one condition," Mizuki said that silenced them.
"Name it!" Maku replied instantly.
"Can you make more of this?" He said embarrassingly pointing to the bowl of ice cream sundae on the table.
Everyone in the room laughed.
"Say no more!" Isidore said from the counter with a laugh.
"Maku, why don't you escort him to your room upstairs." Balthazar said to his son. "And also give him a tour around the place."
"I would sure love to have a roommate, father!" he replied. "Come!" he grabbed Mizuki upstairs.
"Hey, wait for me!" Chaneri came running after.