"And... That makes it thirty." ［Grey］
Grass here, grass there, grass everywhere. With the final cutting of a blade, the quest had finally been completed. A subtle smile appeared on the young man's face, tucking the herbs away with a wave of his hand.
The sound of footsteps soon echoed in the air after he disposed of all their items, the gentle winds blowing a whisper to his ears. The sweet chirping of the birds and the harmonious rustling of the leaves were music dancing in the breeze.
Several steps later, a number of familiar figures appeared in his line of sight, sitting under the shade of a tree. One was an elf smiling as soon as she saw him, the other was a young lady sleeping on her lap, several furballs laying down the soft grass.
"Looks like she's still sound asleep." ［Grey］
"Fufu. We've taken a lot of quests, after all. It's only natural." ［Yuna］
"I guess you're right, though... Yuna, you should ought to hide your sweets a little. I can see them poking out your right." ［Grey］
There wasn't just one, there were many. Be it cupcakes, candies, or fruit juice, Yuna was practically snacking her time away as she let Iris rest on her lap. She was very skilled, she didn't even let a crumb fall on the sleeping princess' sweet sleeping face.
"Mou... I was just a little hungry..." ［Yuna］
"A little... Haah... Yeah, sure, let's leave it at that." ［Grey］
There was no use complaining nor thinking too much about it. Grey simply accepted Yuna's words as it is, sitting down beside her. His beloved is simply too much for him to comprehend. Not like he has the right to say so anyway.
It has been a couple days since they brought Iris on her first quest, and ever since, they have been taking quests left and right to sate the young princess' love for novel and exciting experiences, smiling ever so happily each and every time.
Though, be that as it may, the adventures were still too much for her body to handle. They have taken them a couple days straight, and now, the fatigue is really hitting her, unable to fight back the temptations of sleepiness and drowsiness.
"Tomorrow, let's take a break, yeah? I don't want Iris to overdo herself." ［Grey］
"I was just thinking that. It's good that she's become more bold and active these past few days, but I think she's still pushing herself too hard. I'm worried she won't tell us if she's tired so as to not trouble us." ［Yuna］
"Well, that's just how she is, being a princess and all. Always so hardworking. Too hardworking, actually." ［Grey］
"Mou... I'm hardworking too, you know..." ［Yuna］
And also, in these past days, Yuna's attacks have become heavier and more frequent. Especially now, seeing her pout and puff her cheeks because of simple and petty jealousy was too adorable.
In fact, if it weren't for the fact that Iris was with them most of the time, Grey, who is currently abstaining from his desires, would have already lost it. After all, what kind of beast would dare attack his beloved in front of a child? He isn't such at the very least.
"Yuna, you really the cutest when you're pouting," ［Grey］
"Fweeh?!" ［Yuna］
Thankfully, as strong as her offense is, Yuna has practically zero defense. Grey has been using it to his advantage, making Yuna stop on her tracks before he finally loses it and becomes a starved and insatiable beast.
Just a couple sweet words topped with a smile and Yuna was red all the way to the tip of her pointy ears. She was now meek and quiet as one can be, unable to think of a response to get back at Grey. She was simply too cute.
"Well, it's still early in the afternoon, but I think we should head back to the city now. Adventurers will crowd if we get back too late." ［Grey］
"Hey, Grey! Don't change the topic! We're still not done yー" ［Yuna］
"Yuna, shh～! You'll wake Iris up at this rate." ［Grey］
"Grey...! You meanie...! Bully...! Tyrant...!" ［Yuna］
Screaming yet whispering at the same time. Grey was simply too much of an expert in teasing Yuna, making her all pouty and puffy. Seeing her make such adorable expressions was simply too fun. Too much fun, in fact.
And so, with the sun sinking down the horizon, Grey carried Iris inside the Sanctuary so that she could have a lovely sleep there, letting the familiars stay by her side as she rested, sound snores rippling in the air.
Clouds of dust and leaves were kicked up one after another as two figures bolted across the forests and the plains. Before long, they arrived back at the city, heading towards the Adventurers' Guild without wasting a single sand of time.
"Thank you for your hard work. Please continue the good work."
The processing of the quest wasn't too long either. Since the other adventurers have yet to come back, multiple counters were open and so, they easily processed all their quests. It didn't even take them a few minutes, and they were already out of the guild.
With each passing day, the streets only got busier and livelier. More and more people poured in from all over the continent, inns filled up one after another as a steady stream of customers entered the city.
"Oh? That's new... It is, right?" ［Yuna］
"Yeah, they must have just arrived... There's many of them too." ［Grey］
"Mmn... I wonder what they're selling." ［Yuna］
Of course, with such a large festival up ahead, the number of merchants only grew by the hour. Now, every time they got back from their quests, they would often see new stalls popping up here and there, one after another.
"Grey! They're selling pretty ribbons! Let's buy some!" ［Yuna］
"Alright, alright, but only for a quick while though. We'll be back late if if stay here for too long," ［Grey］
"Un! That's more than enough!" ［Yuna］
A sweet smile on her face, Yuna grabbed Grey by the hand and headed towards the stalls selling all sorts of tailoring goods. Though they were familiar with some, some were also new to them, probably coming from other countries.
They were just normal ribbons as well. While plain ribbons were also present, there were many with pre-made embroidery on them, wonderful patterns laid out on them. Some were so wonderful, in fact, that they don't even seem like they were made by human hands.
It was unplanned, but it was the perfect time for Grey to figure more out about Yuna. He has already made a lot of progress, but a little more information wouldn't hurt. It was all for Yuna, after all.
"Mister, how much does this cost?" ［Yuna］
"Oh! Miss has very good eyes! This one was especially made in the Vairon territory of the Valliarta Empire. It's one of the best there is! I normally sell it for 300 kiels per meter, but for you, 280 will do!"
"250...? That's quite expensive..." ［Yuna］
"Why, of course. It's hard to acquire these ones! Plus, I have to travel all the way here. It's only natural that it's precious!"
And as one would expect, some of the merchants were quite the swindlers. They are fully taking advantage of the fact that people do not know the market price and proudly scamming people upfront, not a single trace of guilt. A professional swindler.
Unfortunately for him, he met the wrong people. With his eyes, Grey could easily tell that the man was lying. Even with all the traveling expenses and whatnots, 280 was still far too high. Only fools would fall for such tricks.
Grey and Yuna don't have mind-reDing skills, but they could practically see the merchant smiling wickedly in his thoughts, happy to have caught such young and inexperienced customers he could easily take advantage of.
"I see... That does sound reasonable... It's quite expensive but they're too good to simply pass up. Others might buy it if we dilly-dally." ［Grey］
"Hahaha. It seems that our dear customers are quite understanding. Then, how much would you like to buy?"
"Then, we'd like 5 meters, please." ［Grey］
"Hohoho! 5 meters it is!"
The swindling merchant was smiling ear to ear as he measured the ribbon Grey and Yuna picked. A smile which only contained mischief as he laughed inside, happy to have fooled them. A smile which wouldn't last long.
"I wonder if Sir Jonathan and the other knights will like our presents..." ［Grey］
"Un! I'm sure they'll do! After all, the RIBBON is so beautiful! I'm sure they'll likeー no, I'm sure they'll LOVE it!" ［Yuna］
"You're right. And if they want to ask where we got such PRETTY RIBBONS, we could just take them to MISTER MERCHANT." ［Grey］
"Un! I'm sure they'll be DELIGHTED to know him! After all, he's such an HONEST and hardworking man!" ［Yuna］
The merchant couldn't even finish packing the ribbons when such disturbing words reached his ears. His hands suddenly stopped, and cold chills ran down his spine, sweat dripping down his forehead as a dark aura loomed over him.
Grey and Yuna continued with their conversation, emphasizing a couple words here and there. With each sentence they spouted, his hands trembled more and more, heart beating faster and faster. The smile which was once shining so brightly was now long gone.
It was not the first time Grey and Yuna had encountered such schemes. And after spending time with the bargaining queen, Marika, they have become even more skilled in dealing with them. It's a walk in the park.
"O... Oh my... How silly of me... It seems like I mistook these for another set of ribbons... These ones are actually just 70 kiels per meter... Hahaha..."
"Ah! You should be more careful, Mister Merchant! Someone might think you're a SWINDLER if you're not careful!" ［Yuna］
"Ahaha... My bad. As an apology, how about I sell you these for 60 kiels, instead?"
"Really? You're too kind, Mister. Is that really alright?" ［Grey］
"Of course! This is nothing at all... Hahaha..."
The swindler has become the swindled, and rather than earning big time, he even suffered some losses. He was so scared of the knights Grey and Yuna were talking about, he didn't even dare to speak back. A wry laugh echoing in the air.
Continuing their momentum, Grey and Yuna headed to other stalls and also bought some things they fancied. They encountered more swindlers, but they were handled all the same, suffering loses they wouldn't have acquired if they were being honest,
Before long, the sun had finally started to rest, and so, it was time for them to return to the mansion. And just in time, Iris had also woken up. With a little help from the familiars, they helped the princess up, still feeling a little drowsy,
"Then, Grey, we'll meet you again during dinner." ［Yuna］
"Yeah, sure. But don't play too much in the bath, okay? Finish quickly." ［Grey］
"Un～! Roger that～!" ［Yuna］
Of course, as they were out in the wild the whole day, dust and leaves have stuck to them. Like usual, as soon as they returned, they headed towards the bath to rid themselves of such grime and to melt away the fatigue.
Yuna and Iris headed to the women's bath, the former guiding the still sleepy princess who rubbed her eyes every now and then. As for Grey, he also headed to the men's bath, looking forward to a time of warmth and relaxation...
"Hm? Lord Gerald...?" ［Grey］
... Or so he planned. But before he could even head towards there, he met a familiar figure walking down the corridors, bags deep and dark below his eyes. He was practically a zombie, exhausted as one can be.
It was not a scene Grey was unfamiliar with. In fact, he was so familiar with it, it was actually worrying. He didn't even have to use appraisal, he could tell that he has been up for multiple nights in a row, barely getting a wink of sleep.
"Oh... Your Highness... It's a great delight to see you here..." ［Gerald］
"Ah, y-yeah... Good to see you too, but... Lord Gerald, are you alright? It looks like you haven't rested in a while." ［Grey］
"Hahaha, I'm glad that you're worried, Your Highness. But fret not, I'm more than alright. Never felt better." ［Gerald］
Or so he says, but his hoarse voice and powerless actions begged to differ. His energy which was once through the roof was nowhere to be found, only a shell of what he used to be. Such was the hard life of a Lord.
Especially with the Festival of Hearts drawing closer, the number of works he needs to finish multiplied by leaps and bounds, documents forming mountains atop his desk. He barely even gets a decent nap, as proven by the dark bags under his eyes.
"Lord Gerald, I think you should have some rest." ［Grey］
"Hahaha... You worry too much, Your Highness... I'm fineー Hm? Your Highness, you're multiplying! I didn't know you had such an ability!" ［Gerald］
The Mayor wasn't fine at all, rather, he was the opposite of fine. He was so tired, he is now seeing hallucinations, Grey multiplying before his eyes as his vision started to go awry. Even the background was changing colors.
"Alright, that's it. You're resting." ［Grey］
There was no time to waste. Though he needed to use some force to convince the Mayor, in the end, Grey managed to have him sit down on their couch. The latter was a little hesitant at first, but it was no use. Grey's 'convincing' was too good.
⟨⟨Recuperate⟩⟩ ［Grey］
A little bit of magic later and color finally returned to the Mayor's eyes. Fatigue slowly but surely seeped out of his body and his complexion returned to normal, an expression of surprise painted on his face.
But that was not all. After using some recovery spells, Grey then took a certain something from his "Inventory" and brewed the Mayor some tea. Tea made from the leaves of the Tree of Life, a couple sweets on the side.
"I removed the fatigue from your body, but your mind is a different matter. Take some rest, and have some of this tea." ［Grey］
"A-Ah, yes..." ［Gerald］
Still in a bit of surprise, the Mayor took Grey up on his offer and held the tea cup in his hands without much hesitation. He hasn't even tasted it yet the refreshing and aromatic scent of the tea was enough to wake his senses.
A bit of a sip later, and a rush of sweetness, bitterness, acidity, and a hint of mint caressed his tongue. Just a few moments later, and he could the tension in his body loosen up, his mind more refreshed and relaxed than one can be.
"So, feeling better now?" ［Grey］
"Yes. Thank you so much, Your Highness. It feels like my mind has been revitalized now. This tea sure is amazing." ［Gerald］
"I'm glad to hear that. I can give you some tea leaves if you want." ［Grey］
"Oh! That would be great, Your Highness! I would very much love to!" ［Gerald］
Now, a smile finally sprouted on the Mayor's face. As he ate a piece of macaron, he could feel himself relax a little bit, free from the burdens of his position. He never thought he would have such casual tea time with Grey, but here they were.
But at the same time, as Grey watched the Mayor rest, a sudden idea popped up in his mind. He never planned it, but now that they were together, it was the perfect time to ask for some advice. The Mayor was a married man, after all.
"Lord Gerald, I have a favor to ask. Is that alright?" ［Grey］
"Oh! Please speak, Your Highness! As long as it is within my power, I will do my best to fulfill it no matter what!" ［Gerald］
"Haha, thanks... Actually, the thing is..." ［Grey］
And so, Grey told the Mayor about his problem, or rather, his plans of proposing to Yuna. He hasn't settled everything yet, but he was planning to do so during their 1st anniversary, other details still undecided. And the Mayor's reaction was...
"You what?! You're proposing to Her Highness?!" ［Gerald］
"Shh! Shhhh! Lord Gerald, your voice! Your voice!" ［Grey］
"A-Ah, I apologize, I was simply too excited." ［Gerald］
... He was shocked as one can be, his booming voice echoing throughout the whole room. Thankfully, there wasn't anyone else around, and so, the worst scenario has been avoided. Otherwise, it wouldn't be a surprise anymore.
"But a proposal, huh... If that's the case, then it should be that, right?" ［Gerald］
"That...?" ［Grey］
"The legend of 'Nine Colors', that is." ［Gerald］
The Legend of Nine Colors, as Gerald had said, is amongst one of the most, if not the most well-known Legend in Erdea. It involved giving your partner a certain item which represents certain aspects of love during the Festival of Hearts.
These nine items are all unique from one another, the specialty items of the past nine countries when Erdea was established. Each of these items also came in different colors, hence the name of "Nine Colors" was born.
These nine items are the "Scarleatheartt Chrysanthemum" representing red and passionate love, a branchlet of "Sunset Willow" for orange and warm love, "Golden Stardust" for yellow and gentle love, "Deepbound Cereil" for green and greedy love, "Safallia Scales" for cyan and crazy love, "Nerilia's Tear" for blue and eternal love, "Umbrosias" for violet and resolute love, "Empress Arachne Silk" for white and pure love, and lastly, "Strelitzer's Crown" representing black and blind love.
These items can be found scattered throughout the whole continent where the nine countries used to be, and it is said that giving even one to your partner will guarantee success in love and will also prove how much one loves the other.
After all, these items were amongst the most precious items back then. Some are simply rare, while some are risky to acquire, even involving some battles if one is unlucky. Truly a challenge to behold.
There are also combinations of these items depending on the type and number, creating different meanings when given together. Collecting them all creates a four-word phrase which an Emperor in the past once whispered to his beloved....
Though today, rather than gathering the items themselves, people only give imitation items which are much easier and safer to acquire. Only some people in the city actually participate in the tradition. Still, the legend is quite popular.
"How nostalgic... I still remember giving Cynthia a branch of sunset willow as if it was just yesterday. Time sure flies..." ［Gerald］
Of course, the Mayor was one of those people. He could still remember the moment he knelt to the ground and presented the branchlet to her, his heart beating wildly with anticipation and nervousness. It was a moment he'll never forget.
"Well, what do you think, Your Highness? Was it helpful." ［Gerald］
"Yeah, it was. Thanks, I think I got an idea." ［Grey］
"Hahaha. It is my greatest pleasure to be of help." ［Gerald］
It isn't much, but Grey could finally feel like a clear path had been laid down before him. It may be a trivial legend, but it's the thought that counts. Now, he has a goal to accomplish, heart burning with determination.
As for the Mayor, he is now simply sipping his tea, watching Grey with warm eyes. He could remember his youth in him, thinking of the time he resolved himself to go to the depths of the forest to find a branchlet of the Sunset Willow. Oh, such blissful times.
"Then, Your Highness, this may be impertinent of me, but would it be alright if me and my family were to attend your wedding?" ［Gerald］
Though, as it seems, looks like the Mayor had already determined that Grey and Yuna would finally tie the knot as a fact. He was smiling ear to ear as he asked Grey such a question, eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"That... That entirely depends whether or not Yuna would say yes, you know? Aren't you rushing things a little bit much?" ［Grey］
"Hahaha. I'm sure it will go smoothly. You love each other, after all." ［Gerald］
"Well, I hope so too." ［Grey］
Says Grey, his cheeks tinted with a little bit of red. Though it's already a fact between him and Yuna that they love each other, having others point it out so casually was still a little embarrassing.
"Then, since we're on the topic, how about we plan the venue of your proposal? I know a few places in mind." ［Gerald］
"Oh, that would really help." ［Grey］
"Of course, you can count on this Gerald, Your Highness." ［Gerald］
As things went with the flow, they also started planning other things such as the venue of the proposal, the time, what decorations should be there, and all that sort of things. Strangely enough, the Mayor was especially excited.
They were so focused in their little planning that other things quickly slipped out of their minds, the sun setting over the horizon with the passing of time. Two grown men planning like little kids on a school trip. Quite a sight to behold.
"Your Highness, I think we should also add some music." ［Gerald］
"Really? But what would be good? An instrumental?" ［Grey］
"Oh～! An instrumental! How nice!" ［Yuna］
"Really? Which one should weー" ［Grey］
They didn't even hear footsteps echo in the air. Before they noticed, Yuna already appeared behind them, a bright and innocent smile blooming on her face as she listened to their little plan.
"Yuna?! When did you arrive here?!" ［Grey］
"Umm... I arrived just now... I came to say that dinner is ready..." ［Yuna］
Her smile was so innocent, but Grey and the Mayor's hearts couldn't beat any faster. They were so surprised, their hearts almost jumped out of their chest, cold chills running down their spine as they trembled a little bit.
"Anyway, what's this? It looks interesting..." ［Yuna］
"A-Ah, the Mayor was asking for my opinion in the festival later on. We were just having a little chat." ［Grey］
"Yes, yes. Though it seems that we'll have to continue later. Dinner comes first, after all. Don't you think so too, Your Highness?" ［Gerald］
"You're absolutely right, Lord Gerald. Let's get going then. I'm famished." ［Grey］
Thankfully, Yuna only managed to catch a glimpse of their plans and only hear a tad bit of their conversations, otherwise, it would have been a disaster. They managed to get away with their hearts intact, the young lady only tilting her head a little.
"Right, Yuna, what would you like for dessert?" ［Grey］
"Ah! Then I would like some ice cream, please～!" ［Yuna］
It was a close call.
CHAPTER 272 END