Chatter Chatter Chatter
The sun was high on the sky and the third bell had just rang loudly. Lunch had arrived and the town was busier than ever, people flocking to stalls and inns as they tried to sate their rumbling stomachs with all sorts of delicious goodness.
Skewers, sandwiches, stew, wieners, vegetable soups, and many more. A harmony of different appetizing fragrances danced throughout the whole city as thin pillars of smoke rose from the stalls and kitchen, the taste of food in the air.
The central market was especially busy. With the amount of wonderful stalls and stores present there, there was an equally amazing amount of people gathering, all wearing large, bright smiles on their faces as they savored the flavors rushing in their mouths, chugging beverages at the same time.
"It sure is crowded, huh..." ［Yuna］
"Mmn... I wonder if we can still find a spot for ourselves..." ［Aria］
And amongst such a busy crowd were two elves of gold and silver, eyes blue like the deep ocean. They were great beauties as well, garnering attention as they walked around the streets, yet unfazed by such stares.
"Ah! There's some empty spot... over... there..." ［Aria］
Aria pointed in a certain direction, but before she could even her words, her voices quickly started to die down as the spot she pointed at was suddenly occupied by a party of hungry people. She was out of luck.
"Ah... It got taken over..." ［Aria］
"Don't be too sad, Miss Aria. We can just eat as we shop around. I think it's fun in its own way, right?" ［Yuna］
"Fufufu. You're right. Shall we get started then?" ［Aria］
"Un! Let's go shopping～!" ［Yuna］
There was no time to feel down. If they were out of luck, they can simply go another route and enjoy their meal as they take a stroll. Bright smiles were blooming on their faces as they headed from stall to stall, ordering what they fancied.
From meat dishes all the way to desserts, Yuna and Aria hopped from place to place, trying out their specialties and enjoying their time to the fullest. Yuna was especially
happy, eyes sparkling brightly as she got to taste new dishes Aria introduced to her.
And as one would expect from the two, they received freebies here and there. Not only are they known as heroes, they were also great beauties. Both men and women alike are ensnared by their gorgeousness.
So much freebies, in fact, that Yuna was now carrying dozens upon dozens of food they bought from the stalls. It was actually pretty amazing how she could hold so much food in her arms without much difficulty. She was a pro.
"We've known each other for more than a year already, but no matter how many times I see it... You really are amazing, huh, Yuna..." ［Aria］
"Mou... I'm still growing, you know..." ［Yuna］
Or so she says, but not even people in puberty could consume as much as she could. She was grumbling and puffing her cheeks, all the while chewing on the skewers, a delighted expression soon blooming on her face.
"And, Miss Aria, I wasn't always like this. I ate the normal amount other people did, or rather, I didn't even eat that much." ［Yuna］
"Eh～? That's interesting... So, what happened?" ［Aria］
"Well, that's... I met Grey..." ［Yuna］
"Ah..." ［Aria］
There is no need for further explanation. It may have been short, but Aria had seen first hand how Grey and Yuna lived their daily lives. She knew full well how overprotective Grey was. He wasn't one to let Yuna go if she doesn't eat a proper amount.
"Kugh... It's because of his food... I couldn't resist it..." ［Yuna］
And combine it with the fact that Grey's cooking was out of the world, Yuna couldn't even reject his invitation if he wanted to. After all, it was also one of the reasons she fell in love with Grey. Her heart was captured by his cooking.
There was a time Yuna tried to resist the temptation, but Grey annoyed her to no end until she finally took a bite. A bite turned into a few bites, soon to a whole plate, and a couple more plates after that. She failed very spectacularly.
Thankfully, due to her always moving during training and her high metabolism, she didn't gain any weight. And not gaining weight, she ate some more, trained some more, and maintained her weight. An endless cycle. It was all Grey's fault.
"I see... So you fell for Grey because of his cooking, huh..." ［Aria］
"A-Ah! No, that's not it! I mean! There's that, but that's not it at all!" ［Yuna］
"Is it? Or is it not? Which one is it?" ［Aria］
"It's... It's because Grey is kind... gentle... and sweet... And though he's strict during training, he's also very caring... It's not just one reason..." ［Yuna］
Yuna ended her words, feet soon coming to a halt. Her face was now beet red, face feeling hot and feverish as her heart raced like a galloping stallion. She just realized how embarrassing her words were, flustered as one can be.
"Miss Aria... Please forget everything I said..." ［Yuna］
"Fufufu! I'm afraid I can't do that～!" ［Aria］
"Geez! Miss Aria!" ［Yuna］
Embarrassment in the air, the two ladies continued their stroll with Yuna chasing after Aria. They went from stall to stall, buying all sorts of things with bright smiles on their faces. And it wasn't just because they wanted to taste a lot of things, they also wanted their beloved to have a taste as well.
After the market, Aria and Yuna headed to the boutiques next, buying all sorts and styles of clothing. Each one of them beautifully suited the two of them, garnering all eyes as they showed off their grace. A two-person fashion show.
Aria grabbed a dress of red and black, and draped herself with it. The dress fitted as if it was tailored for her, accentuating her figure and adoring her with a seductive and mature allure. Stars sparkled as she twirled her dress around.
"Yuna, what do you think of this? Does it suit me?" ［Aria］
"Un! It really does! Miss Aria looks so beautiful!" ［Yuna］
"Fufufu! I could say the same. White really does suit you perfectly, Yuna." ［Aria］
Well, it wasn't just Aria. Yuna was wearing a white and tight sleeveless frill blouse on top, and a short, checked knee-length skirt below. She also wore high heels for a change, further enhancing cuteness by several folds.
"Miss Aria, do you think Grey will like it?" ［Yuna］
"Fufufu! What sort of question is that? It's Grey we're talking about. I'm sure he'll say you're cute no matter what you wear." ［Aria］
"That's true..." ［Yuna］
Yuna couldn't even deny Aria's words. Be it a dress, a blouse, or even a jacket, Grey would surely call her the most beautiful in the world, eyes filled with hearts. Well, it's not just Grey, Kris was also the same case. Both men were head over heels for the two, powerless against their beloved.
Still, Aria and Yuna want to put some effort in choosing their clothes, not only for their men, but for themselves as well. After all, what kind of woman doesn't want to pretty themselves up? It's the nature of people to seek beauty and to want to be beautiful themselves.
"Then, Miss, we'd like to buy all of these, please. How much are they? I will be paying right up." ［Aria］
"Ah! Miss Aria, I'll pay for myself!" ［Yuna］
"Don't worry about it, silly. As the one who invited you, I should at least do this much, right? Just relax and leave it to me, okay?" ［Aria］
Yuna wants to argue back, but with Aria putting it in such a way, there was no way she could reject her offer. The latter was already like an older sister to her, after all. It's not a bad idea relying on her from time to time.
"Okay... And, thank you..." ［Yuna］
"Fufufu! You're welcome." ［Aria］
And like an older sister, as Aria ended her words, she then gave Yuna a gentle pat on her head as she giggled ever so softly. She then continued her talk with one of the clerks, checking out their items and paying it up front.
The total cost her several thousand kiels, but with pockets as deep as Aria's, such an amount barely made a dent on her money. In fact, she brought so much that they could still buy a couple dozen clothes and dresses, no problem.
"Then, shall we head to our next destination?" ［Aria］
"Un! Let's go!" ［Yuna］
Of course, as one would expect from women, their shopping spree wouldn't just end with one store alone. They then headed store after store, buying all sorts of apparels which they fancied, even buying underwear while they're at it.
From boutiques to the theaters, our two elven ladies then watched a play to entertain themselves, admiring the play silently as various expressions unfolded on their faces. Though they've already seen what was being played, watching it again wasn't so bad.
"I've come to see you, my dearest princess."
"Nooo! How could you do this?!"
"You dare challenge me, mortal?!"
The play was all about the conquest of a legendary hero filled with love, tragedies, and challenges. Silence loomed over the place as the actors poured their hearts and souls into their acting, everyone captured by their skills and passion.
There were tears, there were smiles, there were screams and shrieks, and there was an applause at the end. A pandemonium of loud noises rang throughout the air as the curtains rose and fell, acts played one after another.
"Waah～! That was a good play!" ［Yuna］
"Yes. I especially like the part where the hero fought a dragon." ［Aria］
"Un! I also want to fight a dragon someday. I wonder where I can find one." ［Yuna］
"Yuna, please don't say such scary things." ［Aria］
And their play reviews were... quite interesting. Though it was normal at first, talking about what happened and chatting normally like any other, their conversation then took a weird turn due to Yuna's comment.
Rather than simply admiring the play, she was now wondering how powerful a dragon is and where she could find one. Not only would it be good for training, there was also the fact that dragon meat is said to be an exquisite delicacy. She was all for it.
Well, not that Aria could really blame her too much. She was also quite curious and interested about what fighting dragons would be like, wanting to see one for herself. In the end, adventurers are all the same in the core.
"Then, now that we're done with the theater... Where should we head next?" ［Aria］
"Ah! Miss Aria, I know a place!" ［Yuna］
There was no time to dilly-dally. After the theater, Aria and Yuna then headed to the gaming center Yuna and Grey once visited, a merry and lively atmosphere ringing in their ears the moment they stepped inside.
Compared to when Yuna last visited, there were much more games and attractions around, the gaming center growing more and more as their customers grew in number, slowly becoming more and more like gaming centers back on Earth.
And as it wouldn't be fun if Yuna and Aria simply used their full strength, the two decided to limit it to match that of F-rankers. That way, they could use their skills without going overboard. The perfect balance.
The first game Yuna and Aria played was one where goblins would pop out of holes in the machine and the player had to hit them with the light wooden bat given to them. Each successful hit is a point, with a rare orc giving 5 points with every hit.
Of course, in consideration to strong people who may play the game and their absurd reflexes, the speed at which the goblins pop in and stay out was much shorter, with the orc being the shortest of them all. It was Merusian-style whack-a-mole!
"Are you ready, Miss Aria?" ［Yuna］
"Ready when you are." ［Aria］
Beep Beep Beep Ting
The machine beeped and bopped, and when the bell rang, the game finally started. A flurry of strikes rained down upon the machines and struck the popping goblins one after another, scores rising by the minute.
They may have limited their strengths to F-rank, but their reflexes were that of High-Rankers. Not a single goblin or orc were spared, each one hit with brute force which would make one shiver at the sheer sight of it.
The timer went down second by second and the flurry of strikes continued. More than half the time had elapsed and both of them still hadn't missed a single shot. Such a streak continued until the bell rang once again. The game has finished
"A tie, huh..." ［Yuna］
"So it's a tie..." ［Aria］
No, it wasn't just a simple tie. Both Yuna and Aria got perfect scores, the whack-a-monster machine ringing with a sweet melody as the little mascot on top shook and wiggled as if it was dancing. A spectacle which garnered the eyes of many.
"Well, it can't be helped. Should we try out another game?" ［Aria］
"Un! Let's go over there, Miss Aria! I haven't seen that one!" ［Yuna］
"That's fine by me, but I'll pick the next one, okay?" ［Aria］
"Un! Let's take turns picking games!" ［Yuna］
Setting a record on the whack-a-monster machine, Aria and Yuna hopped from game to game and played each one with skill and grace. They garnered the attention of many, kids admiring them with sparkling eyes.
There were even times that they blindfolded themselves to make the challenges much harder, but as one would expect from the two, they got high scores in all the games, achieving perfection in a lot of them. New legends were born.
After the gaming center, Yuna and Aria then headed to a lot more venues, from the ever so colorful gardens all the way to the peaceful city sides, basking in the sun as they lay down the soft, green grass, chatting peacefully.
"Right, that reminds me. Miss Aria, have you heard the news already?" ［Yuna］
"News? What news?" ［Aria］
"You know... About Missus Valka..." ［Yuna］
"Ah... That..." ［Aria］
Amongst the topic they discussed, there was Valka's pregnancy. A mix of emotions dwelled on Aria's face as she pondered. She was happy, but also a little confused. After all, who would have thought she'll get a younger sibling at such an age.
In fact, the very first time she heard about the news over the telephone, she froze into a statue, mind emptied like that of outer space. As her family continued the call, her mind was elsewhere, drifting afloat in emptiness.
Thankfully, Kris was around to take note of what they said. He was also in shock, but not as much as Aria was. It took her a few hours to comprehend what she just heard, still a little confused even now.
"But, Yuna, how did you know about it? Did Mom and Dad tell you?" ［Aria］
"Ah, no... Actually, me and Grey went to Malus village a couple days ago, and he heard the news there... It was really shocking to say the least." ［Yuna］
"Fufufu! I could imagine." ［Aria］
It wasn't just shocking, it was extremely shocking. Especially with Falroe and Valka treating it as if it was something natural, acting carefree as ever. But such was much better than them getting worried. Much, much better.
"But well, though I say I'm surprised, I'm also a little excited. It's been so long since Zeke was born. I've almost forgotten what holding a baby feels like." ［Aria］
"Ah! Speaking of which, I've just held a baby just recently, and she was extremely light! And she looked so fragile too, so I was a little bit scared to hold her. Thankfully, Big Sis Vanessa was there." ［Yuna］
"Oh, that's right. Vanessa did just give birth recently. How was the baby?" ［Aria］
"She's been well. Her name's Antoinette and she was extremely cute!" ［Yuna］
Like an excited child telling her mother what happened at school, Yuna blabbered on about how adorable Antoinette was. Her smile, her little hand movements, and her surprisingly strong grip. She didn't leave a single detail behind.
Of course, Aria also didn't simply listen. Like a proud older sister, she talked about how cute Reina and Zeke were when they were still kids. She was surprisingly chatty, delving into the past as she shared them with Yuna.
"Ahh～! I want to hold Anne again... I wonder when she'll start crawling." ［Yuna］
"It is fun seeing them grow. I'm also curious about my new little sibling." ［Aria］
"Then, Miss Aria, would you like a little brother or a little sister?" ［Yuna］
"Hmm... I'm nor sure... But a little sister would be nice. Boys are a lot of work, after all. Zeke is more than enough for me." ［Aria］
Said Aria as she reminisced about when Zeke was but a young boy. There wasn't a single day where he would not get in trouble because of his mischievous behavior, always getting home with dirt all over his clothes.
And perhaps, the worst of all, was when he drags Reina to his shenanigans, the latter also getting home covered in dirt because of Zeke's mischief. And with their parents the way they are, Aria would always be the one to reprimand him. Such nostalgia.
"Speaking of babies... When do you plan on having one, Miss Aria?" ［Yuna］
Cough Cough Cough
It was all too sudden, Yuna's face looking as nonchalant as one can be. Thankfully, Aria wasn't eating or drinking anything, otherwise, things would have been coughed out here and there, littering on the viridescent plains.
"Yu... Yuna... What kind of question was that?" ［Aria］
"Eh? You aren't going to have any?" ［Yuna］
"That's not it! It's just that there's a right time and place for everything. You can't just spring that up on me! Geez!" ［Aria］
Aria was a little mad, but even more so, she was flustered. She wanted to pinch the young elf's cheeks so badly but held herself back, looking a distance away for the latter to not see her embarrassed face.
It wasn't that Aria hadn't thought of such things, but rather, she doesn't know yet when would be the right time. For now, she just wants to enjoy her time with Kris, moving things along only when they're both ready.
But just as she thought of their future together, a crumpling sound suddenly echoing in the air. And as she turned her head around, she saw a certain silver-haired elf opening a bag of sweets, a bright smile on her face.
"Miss Aria, snack time! Here, have some!" ［Yuna］
"A-Ah... Yes... Thank you..." ［Aria］
It was futile. No matter how much Aria tried to understand the young elf before her, she just couldn't get a firm grasp on what's going on in her brain. All she could do was accept her invitation. The snacks were delicious.
Time passed some more and the curtain of the afternoon had almost closed. The sky was now turning amber, plenty of streetlights lighting up one after another as the city slowly drifted to rest, the people heading back to their homes.
"Waah～! That was a lot of fun!" ［Yuna］
"Fufufu! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Should we hang out again someday?" ［Aria］
"Un! I'd love to!" ［Yuna］
Slowly and surely, the sun set over the horizon. Subtle and monotonous footsteps resounded in the air, accompanying the slight bustle of the city. As the ladies walked back, two familiar figures appeared before them. They were Kris and Grey.
"Looks like this is where we part ways. See you again tomorrow, Yuna." ［Aria］
"Un! See you next time～!" ［Yuna］
There wasn't much to talk about. Everyone only greeted each other shortly and had a brief chat. Before long, they then split ways, both parties heading back to their own homes as the sky continued to darken.
Grey and Yuna were now alone together, a strange atmosphere in the air. There was only silence in the air, each one stealing a glance at each other as they held their hands together, tightly as they could.
"Did you enjoy your day with Miss Aria?" ［Grey］
"Un! It was really fun! We did a lot of things and also found new stuff!" ［Yuna］
"Oh? Then, would you care telling me about your exploits, Milady?" ［Grey］
Grey broke the ice and the conversation flowed as smoothly as it usually does. There were smiles and laughter in the air as Yuna shared her experiences, still as excited as one can be, Grey chuckling by her side.
Several steps after and several minutes passed, and the sun had finally set. The stars had taken its place, gleaming brightly like diamonds in the sky. The cold wind started to blow as moonlight and starlight alike illuminated the world.
"Right! By the way... What did you and Mister Kris talk about?" ［Grey］
"Mmm... Well... That's a secret." ［Yuna］
"Ehh～?! Tell me! Tell me!" ［Grey］
CHAPTER 258 END