"Hahhh... Why do we have to leave so early?"
As they walk onto a pathway leaving the City, Starlight didn't got to hold her grudge to complain.
*Birds chirping*
"I'm sorry, Starlight, even I wasn't good with this desicion if it weren't for how far our destination is."
Early in the morning, Vlera woke Starlight already to depart from the City, they may both don't want the desicion but it's their destination that matters. Starlight continued to walk while Vlera was talking...
"Hey, Luke, you good there? I believe you didn't had enough sleep either."
"Don't worry about me, Vlera, I'm used to this."
... To a man named, Luke.
—
Last night, when both Vlera and the Guy captured the thief. The thief was bought into a police station immediately for the cause of robbery, and alarming the residents. Vlera tried talking with the Guy and he seemed friendly. It's been an hour after the case have been closed, Vlera took a small can of coffee in a vending machine and was finishing it in a roof — mesmerizing the view.
*Slurps*
"So, what's your point of staying beside me?"
As she drank her hourly coffee, she seemed annoyed by the Guy of how he doesn't let go of their seat in the roof, he tried replying in which Vlera half-gladly responded.
"Not with the rudeness please, can't we enjoy the scenery here? The light pollution of this place was balanced to see the stars!"
"Uh, I'm sorry, I didn't intend to be rude."
"Really? Oh! I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Luke Louré, nice to meet you."
As he offered his hand, Vlera introduced herself as well.
"Ah, I'm Vlera Lurious, nice to meet you too."
Thus, they shaked hand.
"Vlera, huh? You have a beautiful name!"
"You think so? T-thanks."
Upon his compliment, Vlera almost lost her words as she thanked.
"Say, do you live in this place?" He asked.
"Unfortunately, no. I'm a traveler that accidentally stopped in this city. How about you?" She answered.
"Well, you could say I came from this place, but I don't live here anymore."
"Why's that?"
"Well, as you can see, I'm also a traveler like you, not only that, but we have the same reason of being lost here."
"Ahh, you mean you got into your home-city accidentally?"
"Precisely."
Upon their conversation, Vlera took her notebook out of her pocket.
"What are you writing?"
"I'm taking notes of parts that I will write on my book."
"You write books?!"
After Luke's scream, it surprised Vlera to the point that her notebook jumped once again, numerous residents below noticed the scream that made Luke embarrassed of how the residents stopped walking and looked for who screamed.
"Or maybe... I shouldn't scream like that specially when I'm in someone's roof."
"Are you gonna get me in trouble?"
As Vlera replied with her humorous tone, Luke apologized and Vlera stood from her seat.
"Hah... This is no good, do you have something called, home, here?" She asked.
"Uh... My parents long ago left the city, so it's a no."
"Typical traveller. How about some money to rent a room?"
"Uh... I actually got separated from my partner and she's the only one I can depend to..."
"So...?"
"Yes."
"Ugh, how can you be called a traveler without being ready? Here, why don't you stay in my rented room for tonight?"
"Are you sure you're inviting me... to YOUR ROOM?!"
"Why? Like there's anything wrong here."
As Vlera threw her empty can of coffee, she jumped from the roof in which she was followed by Luke who's in mind was different from normal.
"(A girl inviting me to her room at a hotel... A girl inviting me to her room at a hotel...)"
—
As they got into the 5th floor where Vlera's room was located, she opened the door and went in, Luke was stunned to walk because of his thoughts.
("WHAT'S HAPPENING?! A GIRL IS LITERALLY BRINGING ME INTO SOMEWHERE PRIVATE! OH NO, I'M TOO YOUNG FOR THIS THING! PLEASE, ATLEAST LET ME TELL MY PARTNER THAT I'M GONNA BE LOOSING MY VIRGI-)"
"Oh... Looks like Blu got tired of waiting for Starlight, not only that, Re was sleeping with her as well."
To her view, it was Re, Blu and Starlight who's sleeping together in a bed, the image broke Luke's thoughts and melted in relief.
*Thud*
"Eh? Hey, are you alright? Hey, wake up."
*Slap*
*Slap*
*Slap*
"Luuuke..."
After seeing as Luke stumbled down, Vlera approached him to try and wake him up, she was giving him mini slaps and he actually woke up.
"Uh... Where am I?"
"In my room...?"
"Your-?!"
After realizing the fact once again, Luke lost his consciousness once again.
"Hey! Don't pass out! Are you trying to show up like I Assaulted You here?!"
After pulling him into a couch to Try To Hide Her Trace by closing the door, Vlera tried to give him a comfortable pose while he sleeps.
...
It was a few minutes after Vlera noticed that Luke woke up. They went for numerous topics until they got to Starlight, Re, and Blue.
"Ah... So she's your friend in travel?"
"Yes, she is Starlight. The red haired one was Re, and the blue one was Blu."
"Are they triplets?"
"Yeah, cool isn't?"
As Vlera gave a smirk on her face to see Re, Blu, and Starlight sleep together, Luke seemed to be uncomfortable.
"What's wrong?"
"Ah, nothing, I just feel sorry for how I acted recently."
"Nah, it's alright, treat it as my interaction towards travelers like me."
"Really? Thanks."
"Hehe. If you feel uncomfortable of sleeping with four girls in one room, I can rent you another room."
"No, I'm fine here."
"You sure?"
"Of course! I sleep with my partner a lot, you know?"
"And how many was she?"
"Ah... Yes... But it's still the same! It just increased by three more girls, nothing new."
"Hahaha! It's a joke. Well, if you really insist, then goodnight."
"Yeah, goodnight as well."
As Vlera turned off the light, she slept with the Trio Stars while Luke was at the couch. Morning came by and Vlera woke Starlight up after sipping a coffee.
"Wake up, Starlight, we're going."
"Huh...? What time is it?"
"It's 6 in the morning."
"Doesn't... too early...? Let me sleep."
"C'mon, you slept earlier than me last night!"
As Vlera persisted in waking Starlight, Luke on the other side was the one that got woken, he got up and sat by the couch and Vlera noticed it.
"Oh, Luke, I didn't noticed you were awake."
"Hm...? Ah, no, I just woke up."
"Is that so? There's a hot water here if you want some coffee."
"Yeah... Thanks."
*Tap* *Tap*
"I wonder why are you so up in the early morning."
As Luke make his own coffee, he asked Vlera who's still waking Starlight.
"Heh, it's because we have a destination that was so far, we have to chase our time."
"I see, so you'll probably leave here later."
"Yeah. There's still a remaining night here left in this room, want to take over it?"
Upon giving an offer, Luke tasted the coffee using his spoon before talking.
"I'd rather not take the offer. I have the same route like yours by what you told me last night. I heard it's Dragon's Lair, isn't?
I have the shortest route possible to it."
...
And as they gradually left the City by a pathway, Starlight was interacting to Luke with a gloomy face.
"Hey...! I didn't knew Marco changed his face...!"
"Huh? Marco? I didn't know who is he."
"It's Marco, one of my travel partners. Unlike Starlight, Marco came to my teaching about 5 months ago."
"Oh..."
"Hey! Don't ignore me!"
As they walk, a tummy seemed to be growling.
*Growling*
"Wait... Have we took our breakfast yet?"
And so, Vlera, Starlight, and Luke came back from the city to find a restaurant to fill their morning.
"So you met this guy last night after I slept?"
"Precisely."
As they took they meal, the waiter seemed to have his eyes glowing over the costumers.
"FOR WHAT AN OCCURRENCE! That our costumer last night literally came back the next morning for their breakfast! Not only your looks, but your choices are what makes you beautiful!"
"Mr. Waiter, please head back from our kitchen, our Manager was calling you...
Our loved Costumers, we deeply apologize for our waiter's performance..."
"No, it's alright, we actually met him last night and I think we're used of his energy."
Coincidentally, it was the same restaurant from yesterday. As their took their meal, Vlera asked for a few things to Luke as Starlight devours every meal to make her feel alive.
"So, where is it that you intend to go? You said we had the same route."
"Ah, yes, it was actually a place just beside the large place of Dragon's Lair."
"Oh... And why is it that you wish to go there?"
"Well, if I told you already, this was an accident between me and my Partner."
"That reminds me, you were separated from your partner, ain't? How?"
"Well, if you really insist on knowing it, why not? Let's just finish this meal and I'll tell you everything in our walk."
From there, they continued their meal with a pending tense between Vlera and Luke about the accident about his Partner.
...
"It started when a Huge Bird attacked us..."
— End of Chapter 18