"What?!" ［Helen］
A loud and high-pitched scream echoed throughout the silent night, disturbing the all-enveloping peace. It was a scream full of rage and annoyance, and the source was none other than Helen.
After the incident at the guild, Grey headed back to the "Rabbit's Den" with Yuna asleep in his arms. She had cried for quite some time and only stopped when fell asleep from the combined force of exhaustion and crying.
When they exited the guild building, the last bell had already rung and the streets were filled with deafening silence. The only thing which could be heard was the sound of the cold night breeze as it passed through the streets and the chirping of nocturnal insects.
Above, the moon and the stars watched over the city with its gentle light, illuminating the dark night along with the city lights. It was a lonely night in a lonely street treaded upon by a lonely man.
The only ones to greet Grey were Helen and her family as they finished their work for the day, preparing for their work tomorrow. The renters were either away or asleep as the inn was as quiet as the night was.
Leaving Yuna to rest in her room, Grey came down to have time for himself to think. It was then that he was joined by Helen, concerned about the gloomy expression looming all over Grey's face.
"Those bastards, I'm going to castrate them!" ［Helen］
After learning about the incident which occured at the guild, the usually carefree Helen became something akin to a fierce dragon which just got its offspring stolen. If only she could breathe fire, she would definitely look like one.
While Grey was quite taken aback by Helen's change of personality, he was happy that Helen was concerned about Yuna. He was happy that someone other than him became angry in Yuna's stead.
But after the incident, Grey had realized his and Yuna's shortcomings. For him, it was his temper. Although he can hold his anger, the moment he snaps, it would be near impossible to him. A problem which might cause greater troubles in the future if not addressed properly.
The previous incident was only resolved since Yuna was there, but if it were to happen once again when Yuna is not around, he is afraid of the things he might commit from being carried away by his emotions.
As for Yuna, it was her meek personality. Although there was nothing wrong with being meek, in situations like the encounter before, it makes Yuna incapable of defending herself even when she has the capability to do so. Especially when it comes to abusive people, it becomes increasingly difficult.
But for now, what Grey needed to do was cheer up Yuna. He needed to do something to bring Yuna to her usual bright and curious self.
"Hey, Helen, do you know somewhere with nice scenery?" ［Grey］
"Hm?" ［Helen］
Grey asked Helen, halting her from throwing punches in the air as if she was imagining beating up someone or something.
Hearing Grey's words, her romance sensor activated and her mind quickly switched to wingwoman mode. While she was still angry about what happened to Yuna, her mind was also thinking of places to recommend. It was as if she had two consciousness inside of her.
Being born in Galderia, Helen of course knew which places are the best for enjoyment and relaxation, but the problem was, she had already recommended it to Grey on his previous date with Yuna.
Helen searched her mind of any other places to go, but to no avail. She was about to lose hope, when suddenly...
"Ah, there is one!" ［Helen］
... Helen remembered about a special place in the nearby woods. A place which she had heard from people far and few in between.
The nearest forest from Galderia was called "Emerald Woods" located west of Galderia. Although it was similar to other forests, there was one thing which sets it apart from them. It was the existence of "Emerald Leaf Flowers".
Emerald Leaf Flowers are plants which only bloom once every year on a single night. Once they bloom, they will emit a scent which attracts nearby fireflies. It would be as if the stars came down on the world.
Coincidentally, the day the flowers are supposed to bloom was today. It was the perfect romantic place Helen could think of.
Of course, Grey wasn't thinking about anything in the lines of romance like Helen was. It was only because of her wild imaginations that she arrived at such conclusions.
"How about it, you can have a picnic there while you wait for the night." ［Helen］
"A picnic, huh... But wouldn't it be crowded there?" ［Grey］
"Nah, there are barely any people who visit there. Especially when it only blooms deep in the night, people are afraid there will be monsters and beasts roaming about. But according to adventurers, it was a fairly safe place. People are just being too cautious about it." ［Helen］
At first, Grey was worried there would be a huge crowd present, as it might make Yuna uncomfortable. But thankfully, it doesn't seem to be the case.
What surprised Grey the most was that even when both Emerald Leaf Flowers and the Emerald Woods were in his knowledge, it wasn't registered as a good tourist spot or something similar. It seems like the "common sense" implanted on him depended on how much people know about it.
As for the monsters and beasts which might suddenly pop out of nowhere, it was of no serious concern to Grey. After all, most beasts and monsters in the Emerald Woods are all weaker than E-rank.
"Then, it's decided. The Emerald woods it is. Thank you for your help, Helen." ［Grey］
After careful consideration, Grey finally decided to have an afternoon picnic in the Emerald Woods.
It may take him a lot of work, but if it makes Yuna smile once again, Grey thought that it will be all worth it. No matter how much trouble it costs, he would do anything for his dearest partner.
"Hehehe, no worries. Just make sure to make Yuna happy, alright?" ［Helen］
"I'll do my best." ［Grey］
With the night getting deeper, Grey finally ascended up the stairs and headed to his bed. Helen also did the same and headed to her own room. It only took a few moments later for the two to head into dreamland.
The sun had risen once again and a new day had arrived. Grey stretched his arms and greeted the new day with a lengthy sigh. And like usual, the crowd was already busy early in the morning.
Although the things that happened the day before made Grey both mentally and physically exhausted, a good night's sleep was able to wash all that built up fatigue away. It was as if he was reborn.
'Come to think of it, I wasn't able to celebrate our promotion yesterday... Looks like I'll have to double the effort today.' ［Grey］
With his mind as clear as day, Grey went out of his room and checked outside of Yuna's room. There, he could hear her light breathing pattern. She was still asleep from all the happenings from yesterday.
Knowing this, Grey descended down the stairs where he was greeted by Helen who was preparing for the day. There was also Gerd and Selia who were inside the kitchen, cooking breakfast for the renters.
"Mr. Gerd, can I use the kitchen?" ［Grey］
"Oh? Sure, go ahead. We're almost done anyways. I'll just tidy up the place and you can start whenever you want." ［Gerd］
"Thanks, then I'll be imposing on you again." ［Grey］
During their stay at the "Rabbit's Den", Grey had borrowed the kitchen a few times. While it was mostly thanks to Helen's help, it also helped out that neither Gerd nor Selia were stingy people.
Every time Grey wanted to cook something, they just let him do it as long as they had finished their work. Sometimes, Gerd and Grey even cook dinner together as they exchange notes about cooking.
For two adult men, it was an odd way of enjoying each other's companionship, but it was through cooking that the two became comfortable with one another. It was one of the hobbies Grey enjoyed in his free time.
Of course, whenever Grey cooked something, he also shared it together with Gerd and his family. They especially enjoyed the potato chips and fries Grey cooked a few days ago. Gerd has been cooking it as a snack from time to time.
"Oh, right, Grey! I have a surprise for you later." ［Helen］
"A surprise...?" ［Grey］
"Hehehe, you'll just have to wait and see." ［Helen］
With a whimsical smile on her face, Helen left behind a puzzled Grey as she returned to her work. Her actions were so sudden Grey didn't know how to respond to it.
"Alright, we're done! Grey, you can use the kitchen now." ［Gerd］
"Ah... Thank you." ［Grey］
Grey wanted to figure out Helen's motives but as he was about to do so, Gerd called out to him. He decided to figure things out once he finished cooking. After all, what's a picnic when there is no food to be eaten?
With a strong determination, Grey entered the kitchen as if he was going to a battle. A battle so serious, even fighting monsters wouldn't compare to it.
Fried pork, Omelets, Sandwiches, Potato Chips, Rice, Meat Skewers, Sausages, and a handful of other dishes. Grey cooked a multitude of dishes with haste and precision, making sure everything was perfect.
After the dishes were the drinks and desserts. He prepared chilled juice from a myriad of fruits, pudding, ice cream, salads, pies and cakes. As if he had ten hands, he finished each and every one of them at astonishing speeds.
But amongst the dishes he prepared, there was one which stood out the most. It was the only dish which he will be cooking for the first time in Merusia. It was his favorite dish back on Earth... It was curry!
With the spices he had gathered from the forest and brought from the market, Grey created an improvised curry powder which worked the same miracle as actual curry powder. Coupling it with rice, curry became an unstoppable dish.
Whilst he was observing Grey, Gerd couldn't help himself but be amazed at Grey's performance. He just stood there silently, observing Grey and taking notes from time to time.
And with his concentration at its highest, Grey didn't pay any mind to Gerd. No, it would be more appropriate to say that he didn't even notice him.
"Phew... I'm finally finishedー Oh, Mr. Gerd, how long have you been there?!" ［Grey］
Exclaimed Grey as he noticed Gerd at the corner of his eyes, and the man in question just looked at him with the same amount of surprise as he was also immersed in observing Grey.
"A... Ah, I've been here since the beginning." ［Gerd］
"Sorry, I didn't notice you." ［Grey］
"It's fine. I also learned a lot while I was observing you, but there was one part which I didn't quite get." ［Gerd］
With his notes in his hands, Gerd approached Grey to ask questions about Grey's methods. In response, Grey answered him as thanks for letting him use the kitchen.
As if they were lost in their own world, the two men went ahead and exchanged notes with one another. They were so engrossed with their conversation that they didn't pay any heed to anything else.
"Oh... So that's how it is..." ［Gerd］
"If you have any questiー" ［Grey］
"No, Helen! That's too embarrassing!" ［Yuna］
"Come on, just try it on!" ［Helen］
Just as Grey and Gerd finished exchanging notes with one another, voices echoed coming from the 3rd floor throughout the whole inn.
The source of the voice was none other than Yuna and Helen. As for what they were up to, neither Gerd nor Grey has any of the slightest idea. For all they know, it was something only women know about.
Grey was planning to wake Yuna up if she was still sleeping, but it looks like he doesn't need to anymore. Helen already went ahead and did it for him. The two were already very lively upstairs.
"Grey～! Come up to Yuna's room!" ［Helen］
Right in time when Grey had stored all the food in his "Inventory", Helen's voice called out to him like a loud siren. It was a voice even normal people would hear even if they were a hundred meters away.
Without any idea what was going on, Grey went up the stairs just as Helen instructed her to. The only thing he can think of was that it was the "surprise" Helen was talking about a few hours ago.
"What is it, Helー" ［Grey］
The moment he opened the door, what greeted him was indeed a "surprise". The scene he walked into was so bright, it was blinding to the eyes.
In front of him, Yuna was adorned by a deep blue dress matching the color of her eyes. The dress was just a little bit longer than the knee level and rather than sleeves, there was only a slightly transparent fabric covering both her arms and chest area, only exposing her shoulders. It was also embroidered with a white floral design, matching the white summer hat and sandals which went along with it.
At the sight of Yuna dressed in such lovely garments, Grey just stood and stared silently as if he was frozen in time. In his eyes, it was as if there was a filter which made Yuna look like she was glowing.
"H... How is it...?" ［Yuna］
Yuna asked bashfully, obviously embarrassed in wearing such a dress for the first time. Beside her, Helen was smiling from ear to ear, proud of her masterpiece.
But even then, Grey was too much at a loss for words that he couldn't answer her right away. Yuna herself was already beautiful, but with her hair done carefully, along with the dress she's wearing, she has become even more stunning.
"Umm... Grey, you're staring too much..." ［Yuna］
"Ah, sorry. You were just so beautiful that I couldn't help it." ［Grey］
"Th... Thank... you..." ［Yuna］
The two became bright red, resembling that of ripe tomatoes as they looked slightly away from one another. Grey focused her attention to the side, while Yuna was looking down as they tried to hide their flustered faces.
On the other hand, Helen was watching the two warmly and happily as a strong sense of satisfaction brewed in her heart. She was so happy, she could die at any moment.
"Now, now, move along, you still have a picnic to catch, don't you?" ［Helen］
"Ah, right!" ［Grey］ "Eh, a picnic?!" ［Yuna］
Towards Helen's statement, the two reacted very differently from one another. Although they were both shocked, it was for completely different reasons.
With haste, Grey rushed to his room and picked up a set of clothes which was made for going out. It was just a simple set of trousers, polo, and undershirt, but with Grey wearing them, they instantly looked very fashionable.
As for Yuna, she was still in shock. It was only when Helen filled her out on the details that she understood what was happening. She was especially happy when she learnt that Grey was doing it for her sake.
Dressed in the appropriate attire, Grey and Yuna then went out of the Rabbit's Den and headed to the direction of the Western Gate where a small serene and beautiful forest lay ahead.
The city of Galderia has a total of 4 gates, one in each of the four cardinal directions. When Grey and Yuna entered the city for the first time, the two went through the Southern Gate and when adventuring, they often used the Southern or Eastern gates. It was their first time heading to the Western one.
But as they were heading there, like a lantern to a group of moths, the two garnered the attention of the whole crowd upon them. The two were so eye-catching, it was difficult to miss them,
After they left the city, they then immediately headed to the Emerald Leaf Forest. A forest which greeted them with a beautiful array of flowers at full bloom, the moment they arrived. Some were even blooming right before our eyes.
From left to right, all you could see were flowers that could rival precious jewels in both gleam and beauty. It was truly a wonderful spectacle. It was such a beautiful spot that it was surprising it wasn't a tourist spot.
"What pretty flowers. It's like they're jewels gleaming under the sun." ［Yuna］
While Yuna was admiring the flowers, Grey started preparing everything to start their picnic. From laying down the cloth, arranging various foods, and cleaning up the vicinity. Grey did it splendidly.
"Yuna, I'm done preparing. Why don't we eat for now and leave the flower viewing for later?" ［Grey］
"Eh? Ah! You're already done?! S-Sorry I wasn't able to help!" ［Yuna］
"Don't worry about it, didn't Helen already tell you? I prepared this picnic so that I can cheer you up. So you don't have to do anything and just enjoy yourself. Just leave it all to your trusty partner." ［Grey］
"B-But... it just doesn't feel right not doing anything." ［Yuna］
"Hahaha, If you feel like that, then why don't you join me with lunch, I cooked you your favorites." ［Grey］
"Then... I'll take you up on your offer," ［Yuna］
Hearing Grey's words, Yuna became happier than she was. She thought she couldn't be any happier, but apparently, she was wrong. Every moment she spends with Grey, the happier she becomes.
After Yuna sat down, the two then started eating their meal. They ate, laughed, told stories of their past, and did all sorts of things. It was one of the liveliest meals Grey has had for years.
"That was delicious... Especially the curry, it was sweet and spicy at the same time!" ［Yuna］
"I'm glad you liked it." ［Grey］
Seeing Yuna's smile once again bloom on her face, Grey felt a sense of happiness and relief grow inside of him. All of his efforts were worth it.
"Grey! Let's go flower viewing!" ［Yuna］
With excitement blooming brightly on her face, Yuna grabbed Grey's hand and headed over to where the flowers could be viewed clearly.
For the whole afternoon, Grey and Yuna had been going here and there viewing different kinds of flowers, each were just as beautiful as expensive jewelry. And with the perfect amount of sunlight, it became like a scene that could only be read in fairytales.
It was then that Grey became sure he'll never forget this experience. Not because of the beautiful flowers, but because of the silver-haired elf merrily watching each one of them. It made him think once again that Elves really do go well with nature.
After the sunset, Grey lit up the surroundings with a little bit of light magic and they then had dinner. Their dinner was just about the same as their lunch, minus the curry, since Yuna finished it all. Nevertheless, the two still had a wonderful time eating together.
And as dinner had finished, there was only one more thing that was left to do.
"Yuna, close your eyes." ［Grey］
"Why...?" ［Yuna］
"It's a surprise." ［Grey］
"Nnn... Alright... But don't do anything weird, okay!?" ［Yuna］
"Yeah, I promise." ［Grey］
When Yuna closed her eyes, Grey put out the lights around them and darkness quickly swallowed their surroundings. Leaving the open night sky to be the sole source of light in the dark forest.
Moments later, fireflies of all colors came out like a flood of lights. While there were some fireflies present before, they were so small in numbers that the light Grey produced had overpowered them. But with the lights off, it was time for the forest to display its full beauty.
"Now, open your eyes." ［Grey］
"Hmー Woah..." ［Yuna］
Before their eyes, the Emerald Leaf Forest glowed brightly like the sky above filled with a cascade of stars. With the fireflies gleaming in different colors whilst fading alternately and the lights reflecting on the leaves of the Emerald Leaf Flowers, the once green forest seemed like the ever expanding universe.
The moon, the stars, and the forest below, like puzzle pieces fitting with one another, a beautiful scenery surpassing any words of beauty was created. A moment so magical, it will forever be engraved in the hearts of the onlookers.
"It's beautiful..." ［Yuna］
Yuna commented as she stood there motionless, looking at the beautiful orchestra of lights before her.
'Looks like we'll be here for a while...' ［Grey］
Grey thought silently as he observed the silver-haired elven girl glow brightly along the night sky.
Yuna's heart which was filled with darkness yesterday was now filled with the light of the orchestrating night. But most importantly, it was now overflowing with the warmth Grey had given to her.
With the night growing deeper and deeper, Yuna's love also bloomed brighter and brighter with each passing second. Her heart beating quickly, going along with the symphony of the night.
CHAPTER 18 END