The night was calm and peaceful. There was no hustle and bustle of the city nor the noises of rowdy crowds. Under the starry night, in the verdant forest, there was only the cold night breeze to be felt along with a beautiful and relaxing symphony.
In such a dense forest, there was a village up ahead, hidden from the outside world, like a jewel deep under the earth. Just like jewels, once they are discovered, one would feel an overwhelming admiration and joy, frozen in the beautiful sight served before them.
Warm and gentle light filled the forest as the lanterns hung silently beside the houses, gently swayed by the wind from time to time. It was like a shining treasure trove or a firefly-lit grove, gleaming and ever so beautiful.
"Grey, it's so beautiful..." ［Yuna］
"I couldn't agree more." ［Grey］
Traveling for several days and encountering a little bit of trouble, Grey and Yuna felt everything was worth it after uncovering such a sight. There was happiness brewing in their hearts like children who just unearthed something pretty and precious.
The two were there to attend Kris and Aria's wedding, yet they were the one who felt like being done a favor. Yet a new experience has been added into their list and they couldn't be any happier to be invited.
"Then, shall we head inside? It's getting pretty late already." ［Grey］
"Un. I also want to meet Miss Aria and Mister Kris before the day ends. I wonder what they're doing right now..." ［Yuna］
"Well, we'll find out soon enough." ［Grey］
Hands linking with one another, Grey and Yuna crossed the little and shallow stream before them, walking towards the village with their heads still turning left and right and their eyes still filled with curiosity and excitement.
Just as they were a couple meters away from the village's perimeters, two elves noticed them approaching. They were the village guards who just happen to be patrolling the area at the moment.
The very moment they spotted Grey and Yuna, they immediately raised their guards. While there was no hostility in their eyes, they still exhibited caution, wary of the travelers who were approaching their village by the second.
"Good evening. This is the Malus village, correct?" ［Grey］
The guards had assumed that the two were travelers who just happened to lose their way in the forest, but with Grey's statement, everything was cleared out. It only made the guards raise caution even more, wary of the outsider who knew of their home.
"Yes, that is correct. Do you have any business with our village?" ［Guard 1］
"Actually, we do... Here's our invitation, it's for Mister Kris and Miss Aria's wedding. We are at the right place, aren't we?" ［Grey］
As soon as the guards received the letter, they quickly scanned its contents, verifying its authenticity with their eyes. Nodding to one another as soon as they confirmed that it was indeed legitimate.
"We have already been informed of your arrival. We apologize for our cautiousness just a moment before. Truly, we're sorry." ［Guard 1］
Discomfort. That was what Grey and Yuna only felt when the two guards bowed their heads before them in apology. They were even stiffer than stone, valuing formality and respect above any other.
While Grey found their attitude and personalities similar to the fictional works he once read in his previous life, he couldn't say he was happy. The only thing it did was remind him of the stuffy feelings he felt during the awarding ceremony. The same went for Yuna.
"Umm... It's alright so please raise your heads." ［Grey］
"As you wish, Your Highnesses." ［Guard 1］
Well, it wasn't long until Grey and Yuna realized what the problem was. It was apparent that Kris and Aria didn't just inform them of their arrival, they had also informed them of their ranks beforehand, hence the guards' attitudes.
They haven't even shown their ID cards yet they are already treated as such. It was only then that they could feel how cruel and unfair the world was. They only wanted to enjoy a normal life.
"Anyway, do you know where Mister Kris and Miss Aria are at the moment? We'd like to extend our greetings to them before the day ends." ［Grey］
"Un. We'd also like to talk about a few things with them." ［Yuna］
"Hmm... If it's Miss Aria and Mister Kris, they should still be at the wedding venue. It should be about time that they finish, isn't it?" ［Guard 1］
"That's right. They should be wrapping things up by now." ［Guard 2］
Answering Grey and Yuna's question, the guards talked between themselves about Kris and Aria's whereabouts, talking casually as if they completely forgot Grey and Yuna were still there with them.
"If you don't mind, should I guideー I mean, it would be my pleasure to lead the way, Your Highnesses." ［Guard 1］
One of the guards addressed the two casually, but when the other guard reminded him by hitting him gently with his elbow, he returned to his formal self, a little bit panicky that his tongue slipped for a moment.
As for Grey and Yuna, they could only smile wryly at what was happening. No matter what, they preferred casual conversations over formal ones. After all, apart from being immensely powerful, they are just normal teenagers, yes, normal...
"That would be much appreciated, also... Please talk in a way you're comfortable. There's no need for formalities between us." ［Grey］
"Un. We'd really love it if you could just talk casually. Formalities and honorifics aren't really our forte, you see." ［Yuna］
"A-Ah... Is that so..." ［Guard 2］
Thankfully, the guards were easy to talk to. All Grey and Yuna needed was a simple request and the guard's loosened up immediately. In just a quick moment, the tension in the air finally disappeared.
"Then... Should I lead the two of you now?" ［Guard 1］
"Un, please and thank you." ［Yuna］
Leaving the other guard to continue his patrol, one of the guards led Grey and Yuna to the venue where Kris and Aria were. Along the way, the two couldn't help but notice the curious gazes landing upon them from the villagers.
Be it the elderly or the children playing around, all of them stopped with what they were doing to look at Grey and Yuna who were passing by. It was as if they were looking at celebrities walking down the streets.
"Sorry for the stares. The villagers don't mean any harm. It's just that we don't really get visitors that often." ［Guard 1］
"No, it's alright. This isn't the first time this happened. Actually, we're quite accustomed to such treatment," ［Grey］
Grey and Yuna also looked at the villagers who were staring at them. While the number of elves couldn't be compared to Torvis, there were still quite a good number. They have already seen dozens along the way.
"I see.... Oh, how rude of me! By the way, the name's Nestor, and the other one from before was Alto. Nice to meet you, Mister Grey, Miss Yuna." ［Nestor］
"You already know our names, but let us introduce ourselves formally. I'm called Grey, it's also a pleasure to meet you." ［Grey］
"And I'm Yuna. It's nice to meet you too, Mister Nestor." ［Yuna］
As if their previous interaction was just but a mere lie, the three were now friendly with one another. They continued their walk towards the wedding venue, only arriving their after a couple more minutes of walking.
What greeted Grey and Yuna the moment they arrived was a magnificent pathway. The trees and plants were aligned neatly besides the path, flowers blooming as if it was spring. And arches of plants and vines placed equidistantly along the path. Even when it was dark, Grey and Yuna could tell that it was beautiful.
Of course, after their arrival, they could see a couple of people working to polish the place. There were unfamiliar faces, but there were also those they knew. A golden-haired beauty and a gray-haired man. It was Aria and Kris.
"Miss Aria, Mister Kris, we have guests." ［Nestor］
"Guests...?" ［Aria］
The moment she turned around her head to look, Aria's eyes immediately landed on Grey and Yuna who were now waving their hands hello, all the while wearing smiles on their faces.
"Yuna! Grey! You've arrived!" ［Aria］
"We have... Also, the Guildmaster said he couldn't make it. He wanted to send his regards through us." ［Grey］
"I see, that's a shame... Well, it was already expected. The old geezer's a busy one, after all." ［Kris］
After Aria, Kris also approached Grey and Yuna, greeting them in his own way. He was as casual as ever, not showing any ounce of nervousness even when his own wedding was just a couple weeks away.
"Good to see you again, Grey, Yuna. Last time we heard of you, you were getting crowded by your admirers. Has everything settled now?" ［Kris］
"Thankfully, yes. Although we did have to buy a house to avoid trouble. Nevertheless, it was quite an experience." ［Grey］
"Un. It was quite tiring... Miss Aria and Mister Kris sure are lucky to have avoided the same trouble..." ［Yuna］
"Hahaha, you could say it's all thanks to my genius mind! I knew something like that would happen. Thankfully, we were able to escape before the worse came to worst. It was worth leaving early." ［Kris］
Kris proudly proclaimed as he laughed out loud. Grey and Yuna have always wondered why the two suddenly disappeared despite not knowing when their wedding would be. Now, their questions have been answered.
At her groom's boisterous attitude, Aria could only shake her head lightly, heavy a brief sigh as she looked at him with a dry smile on her face. She was wondering if it really was the right decision to marry him.
Well, it was only a passing thought. She knew full well how much she loves him despite him being Kris. She could only lament her future self for what was about to come. Even then, she was looking forward to what destiny has in store for her.
"Oh, right... Grey, Yuna, let me introduce you to my family." ［Aria］
Following Aria's lead, Grey and Yuna were introduced to a couple of people who were also present in the wedding venue for a moment. With a quick request from Aria, they all gathered around in an orderly manner.
"This is my father and mother, Falroe and Valka." ［Aria］
"It's good to finally meet the other Heroes of Alfrione. I'm called Falroe, Aria's father. I also happen to be the Chief of the Malus village." ［Falroe］
"My, my, what adorable children you are. My name's Valka, Falroe's wife and a proud mother of three. A pleasure to meet you," ［Valka］
Following Aira's brief introduction, Falroe and Valka introduced themselves, showing what personalities they possessed. It was the first time for Grey to see a father which actually bore resemblance to his daughter.
What was more shocking however was that, rather than parents, Falroe and Valka looked more like older siblings to Aria. They didn't look a day over thirty and seemed like they were still in their mid-twenties, just a couple of years older than the latter. If they didn't introduce themselves as such, they would have never known.
While Grey wanted to attribute their young looks to being elves, he had seen a couple of elves along the way. It was true that they looked younger than most humans, but Aria's parents were on another level. They were a couple of decades older than their looks would suggest.
"And here are my younger siblings. This is my younger sister, Reina, and this little one here is my younger brother, Zeke." ［Aria］
"N-Nice to meet you!" ［Reina］
"Big Sis, stop calling me little! I'm already 12!" ［Zeke］
The next to be introduced were the real siblings. Reina was just the same age as Yuna was and had a timid nature. As for the youngest, Zeke, he was a year older than Eliza and possessed the same personality, one full of energy.
Both Reina and Zeke bore a striking resemblance to their older sister. Both had blonde hair and gorgeous looks. If there was a difference, it would be that the shade of blue in their eyes was different, but only by a little bit.
Neither Grey nor Yuna has any siblings, but seeing Aria's interactions with hers, they were reminded of the children they are close with. They were left wondering how they are doing at the moment.
"Everyone, these are Grey and Yuna, our adventurer colleagues and also our friends. They might look young, but either one of them is even more powerful than me and Kris combined." ［Aria］
For Grey and Yuna's introduction, it was... a little different, one could say. It was not only an introduction but a reminder as well. Zeke's eyes were sparkling as soon as he heard of it. It was as if he just met his new idols.
"Miss Aria, there was no need for the last part..." ［Grey］
"Un. We are just normal teenage adventurers. It's Miss Aria and Mister Kris who are amazing adventurers," ［Yuna］
"What a load of bull. No normal 'teenage adventurer' can defeat Lesser Dragons and True Garudas. You two are just special." ［Kris］
Grey and Yuna tried to deny Aria's words, but Kris landed the finishing blow on them. He released a statement that the two couldn't deny. After all, there were a lot of witnesses at the time. It would only be a matter of time before the people knows,
As for the ones just hearing such a fact, their mouths were opened in awe and their eyes were sparkling brightly. Especially Zeke, he was even more drawn to Grey and Yuna now like a moth to a flame.
After the introductions, everyone had a little friendly chat as they talked about a lot of topics. They wanted to catch up with one another's life and what better way to do it than talk casually while relaxing under the starry night.
Of course, the incident in Torvis was also brought up. Needless to say, it brought quite the hefty amount of shock to the listeners. Only Kris and Aira were unfazed. After all, for reasons more than one, Grey and Yuna always manage to involve themselves with trouble. They were already used to it.
The housewarming, the joining of the other guilds, the buying of cheese, there were many stories brought to the table and time passed by quickly. It was already about 7 o'clock by the time they finished.
"Oh, dear. It seems like we talked for too long. It's already time for dinner." ［Valka］
"Right, Grey, Yuna, you don't have a place to stay, don't you? Why don't you live in one of the village's empty houses? Free of rent, of course." ［Falroe］
"Thank you, Mister Falroe. That would really help." ［Grey］
"Huhuhu, no problem. It's the least we could do for our guests." ［Falroe］
With Falroe's suggestion, one of Grey and Yuna's problems has been solved. They were planning to stay at an inn later on, but thanks to Falroe, they don't need to experience such troubles anymore. They were really thankful.
"Then, should I lead you there right now?" ［Falroe］
"Dear, that's great and all, but how about we have dinner first? I'm sure these children are famished from such a long journey." ［Valka］
"Oh, right! Huhuhu, how silly of me!" ［Falroe］
Well, it would still be only after a while that they would get to see where they will be staying. Just like Valka has previously said, dinner comes first. Grey and Yuna couldn't agree any more. They were Grey and Yuna, after all.
Everything settled, Grey and Yuna, led by Falroe and Valka, headed towards their houseー or so how it should have been, but along the way, they met a quite peculiar and random situation.
"Hey, psst, psst. Grey, Yuna, come here for a second." ［Kris］
"Hm? What is it?" ［Grey］
"Just come quietly. And don't make any unnecessary movements or noises. Just back away slowly." ［Kris］
While they were heading back, they were suddenly called out by Kris. For what reason? Neither of the two knew, but they could feel that nothing good was going to come out of it. It was quite the strong feeling too.
Coincidentally, neither of the others noticed the three going away. Well, they didn't go away completely, they only lagged behind for a short while, but still followed behind the others, albeit on a slower pace.
"Hey, did you two bring what I asked you to?" ［Kris］
"Huh? What are you talkingー" ［Grey］
"The booze! The booze!" ［Kris］
Shouting yet whispering at the same time, Kris reminded Grey and Yuna about what he was talking about. It was about what was written in the postscript of the letter. Kris' request that Aria doesn't have an inkling of.
Unfortunately for Kris, Grey and Yuna didn't entertain his request. While they did buy some bottles of wine as a wedding present for the two, they didn't buy any beer or ale for the occasion. Not only were they not knowledgeable on the subject, they also didn't drink alcohol.
Not to mention they didn't want to get scolded by Aria if ever they were to be found out. Grey has yet to experience it firsthand, but from Yuna's experiences, she knew Aria was quite scary when angry. She didn't want to get caught up in such a mess.
"Sorry, but it totally slipped our mind. But we did bring some wine." ［Grey］
"Ugh... Wine again? It's always been wine and tea around here. To be honest, it's quite tiring. I want to drink something stronger. Grey, don't you know how to make some?" ［Kris］
"Sorry, but I really don't know much about strong alcohol. If it's wine, maybe I could try a little." ［Grey］
"M-Maybe I can make some with alchemy?" ［Yuna］
Grey and Yuna tried to suggest a couple of things, but none of them were up to Kris's satisfaction. He appreciated their efforts but booze just isn't the same if it's not brewed by an expert. He was a little downcast.
The tea and wine in the Malis village was in no way of bad quality. Rather, they were very delicious and easy to drink. It was just that Kris had only been having them for some time now. He had grown quite sick of it.
"Haah... And I even had to carefully slip that in Aria's letter. Tho think you'll forget about it... What a shame..." ［Kris］
"What was?" ［Aria］
"The booze. It's a shame I wouldn't be able to drink someー" ［Kris］
Everybody froze at that moment. They were so caught up with their conversation that not one of them noticed Aria's approach. Kris especially was sweating bullets after realizing his fiancée had appeared behind him.
"I see... So other than tampering with the letter, you also requested some alcohol from Grey and Yuna. I see, I see, so that's how it is..." ［Aria］
"N... No... Aria, this isn't what it looks like." ［Kris］
"How exactly does it not look like what I think it does? My dear, please explain it as concisely as possible." ［Aria］
Aria was wearing a smile on her face, but her eyes weren't smiling in any way. Rather, they were quite terrifying, especially with the dark expression on her face. It was the first time they saw Aria in such a state.
As for Kris, his face was going pale as he tried to change the subject. Unfortunately for her, Aria was quite firm in her stand and wouldn't budge an inch. She was determined to squeeze out of Kris what she wanted to hear.
"Grey, Yuna, if you don't mind. Could you tell me what exactly Kris wrote in the letter? Just a brief summary would suffice." ［Aria］
"Umm... That's..." ［Grey］
"Miss Aria... You see, this is..." ［Yuna］
"Actually, never mind that. You still have the letter with you, don't you? Could I have a quick read for a moment?" ［Aria］
Feeling the pressure from Aria's words, Grey and Yuna had no other choice but hand over the said letter. The moment he saw such a scene unfold, Kris knew that it was the end of him. And a bitter one at that.
Aria's eyes quickly scanned through the letter, an even scarier expression painted on her face as soon as she got to the postscript. Her smile only made her expression even more terrifying.
"Grey, Yuna, our house is just straight ahead, the one with two large chimneys and a small balcony on the front. Please head there first, I'll just have a little talk with Kris, okay?" ［Aria］
"Y-Yeah..." ［Grey］ "Un..." ［Yuna］
Leaving Kris alone in Aria's "care", Grey and Yuna followed Aria's directions and headed towards the direction of her house, meeting up with her family along the way and having a delicious breakfast with them soon after.
As for Kris, there was nothing left to be said. He received quite a long and loving scolding from Aira. For the whole time, he kneeled on the floor whilst being lectured. It was a long night for him.
CHAPTER 138 END