The blizzard had picked up, blowing white flurries of snow through Kaneth, through its paved streets, through its fortified walls, through the cracks between buildings that held life and warmth inside them. Yet, planted in the center of the city, a symbol of stability, a beacon of life, was the duchess's towering castle. The banquet hall, concealed behind a tall wall, had tall glass windows, each letting beams of warm light that illuminated the blizzard outside.
Inside the banquet hall, with servants near the sides of the room, tall wooden doors that kept the warmth inside, were the high-level, S-Ranked or above adventurers. The smaller tables that had been present during breakfast had been replaced with long tables that now flanked the side of the room, opening up a large space in the middle of the banquet hall dotted with some small, tall, round tables.
With the adventurers having all left their weapons in their rooms, a light-hearted mood permeated the hall. This mood, only further bolstered by the fact the long tables at the sides of the hall were laden with scrumptious platters of food, allowed all the adventurers to forget about the stress and upcoming dangers of the next day's work.
One of the many attendees, Alix, carrying a plate piled high with food from several different tables, walked over towards Nao, starting up a conversation, "How was it today? You worn out?"
"Not at all, I worked in moderation, did what I had to do but not too much more." Nao shrugged, raising his eyebrows at the sheer amount of food on Alix's plate, "Are you really going to eat all of that though?"
Plate in one hand, fidgeting with a coin in the other, Alix nodded, their lips curving upward as they looked towards the long tables laden with food, "I'm going to eat so much, hopefully more than a few people combined! Life is good when you get to eat for free at a noble's house, especially if it's during a party."
"That is certainly true," Nao agreed, letting out a small sigh as his eyes scanned the hall, "It's a shame there's no alcohol though, I understand the decision whole-heartedly, I would've made the same, but still... it's a shame."
Putting the coin into their pocket and picking up some utensils from a nearby basket, Alix laughed, "We can't get shit-faced after all, how will we fight tomorrow?"
"Just let a man wish, Alix..."
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Nearby, staring out of one of the many large windows was Mercadia, drinking out of her cup while sharing a light conversation with Aspen: "How much do you train everyday? I see you training like a maniac but... why so much?"
"So I can beat an X-Ranked adventurer one day," Aspen chuckled while taking a sip of his own drink, hiding an embarrassed smile behind his cup, "I'm quite far though... I can't even beat some of the newbies, people like Nao, Gwen, and Thalia. The young generation is quite amazing."
"For sure..." Mercadia agreed, gazing out into the white storm that was blowing by outside the window, "We can't forget Kaitlyn either, or the new otherworlders, crazy people for sure. I'm only a few years older than the younger generation too, but it really feels like they've been ascending fast..."
Running his hands over the stubble that had begun to grow once more on his chin while also staring off into the white storm that obscured everything outside the window, Aspen let out a sigh, "These types of conversations really remind me of how I'm getting old... At least the world is in good hands with the youngsters."
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Meanwhile, a small conversation was transpiring nearby, under the bright warm lights of the banquet hall.
"Can you teach me how to knit better sometime? Maybe also some lessons on sewing?" Clayton asked a gruff, silent Jerod.
Perking up just a touch from the question, a small smile blossomed on Jerod's face, obscured by his large beard and mustache, "For sure, I can teach you anytime afterward, I'm not too busy for a while. Surprising though, the 'Ravenous Jackal' wants to learn about this stuff though..."
"The name still curses me," Clayton chuckled with an exasperated sigh, remembering Nao's words from earlier, "It's for my four younger siblings... They're quite rough with each other, so I'd like to improve my skills at mending their clothes and stuffed animals."
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On the other side of the banquet hall, unaware of Clayton getting pulled into a deeply touched Jerod's embrace, was Kaitlyn and Rachel.
Both wearing casual clothes, having changed out of their fighting clothes earlier, a brief silence fell between the two. Yet, at the same time, behind both their relaxed eyes, their happy smiles, both of their brains were working overtime, working through their own thoughts about the other.
Rachel, having known that she was definitely, obviously, without a shadow of a doubt, known that she was in love with Kaitlyn for a while, was working up the motivation to confess to Kaitlyn.
Her fingers intertwined with Kaitlyn's, her shoulder right beside Kaitlyn's, as she stood against one of the few walls that didn't have a long table against it, Rachel's mind raced around at blistering speeds.
'You have to do it soon... you almost did it so many times already. You almost did it under the stars that first time after dinner, you almost did it under the stars that second time during the trip, and you almost did it under the stars a THIRD FUCKING TIME, girl... you gotta get your shit together,' scolded Rachel, to herself for what felt like the millionth time in just a few days, 'How about... do it tomorrow, after everything is over. Do it... make sure to tell Josephine that she can beat you up as much as she wants if you don't do it... yeah.'
Beside her though, Kaitlyn, having gotten immensely flustered earlier by Rachel who decided to change in her room instead of her own, only had one thought going through her mind as she remembered the things that Sasha and Jayce talked about and the things that Dexter talked about when mentioning his wife.
So, as she squeezed Rachel's hand, taking a drink out of her almost empty cup, Kaitlyn only thought to herself,
'Is... is this weird feeling... love?'