Going back to the scene on top of the mountain where Wilhelm and Celestine went. Wilhelm decided to wake Celestine up after she snuck to his lap and slept. He pinched her cheek, she woke up with the sting on her face.
"Do you think I'm a pillow?" Says the guy who allowed her to sleep on his lap for about an hour.
"Ouch," She feels her cheeks. "You do know that you could wake me up without pinching my cheek"
"I know."
"So? Why did you?"
"Just felt like doing it... So, where do you want to go next?"
Celestine didn't expect him to ask her where to go next and with as simple as that she began to feel more excited by the idea. But the best thing so far is that he didn't look like he was not forcing himself and genuinely wanted to take her to places.
"Are you for real?" She asked since she still couldn't believe him, it was just to make sure that she didn't hear him wrong.
"I did ask you, so yes, or do you want to head back already?"
"No! By all means let's go somewhere..!"
"Where to? This time it should be a place that you want to go."
"Oh..? Wait, let me think about it."
She searched her memory about the places that she wanted to go. There were so many places that she planned to visit and she was having a rough time choosing a place. After all these places were only described in books and rumors. After a moment of thinking she finally decided where to go.
"Rowas Island, the nest of the Sea Serpent"
"You want to meet Lagus?"
"Yes but aside from that, I'm curious what the nest looks like and it's very close in Reolona too. You've been there haven't you? What was it like?"
"It looked like an island with a giant wormhole at the center. The island is covered by the leaves of an ocean tree. It's best to visit it at night since the tree illuminates colorful lights where creatures start to gather."
"But before we leave this place. Can I finish a few more chapters? I kinda fell asleep---"
"Do as you like."
"Hehe"
Rowas Island serves as a place that's conducive to shared interests, in other words, a place to find their potential love partner. Little did Wilhelm know that that was the case since monsters were the only inhabitant there.
In the meantime, they went back to town; to have their lunch. They went and visited Rachel's store. Runa was happy to see them, she was wearing her work outfit, a hay-colored long-sleeved blouse with a high-waisted long muddy dark brown skirt around knee-level, with a clean white apron.
"G-good afternoon... Master... and Miss Celestine" She greeted him with a timid smile on her face. She missed him even though it wasn't that long since they haven't seen each other.
"Good afternoon to you too, how's work going?" Wilhelm asked.
"I've been doing well... Patricia and Rachel have been taking good care of me"
"That's good to know"
He gave her a head pat out of impulse. Celestine was staring daggers behind him as she saw his hand reaching for the top of her head.
She was thinking,
'There he goes again with those kind-looking eyes! And he even gave her a head pat! I haven't received one ever since we met! The treatment between me and her is unfair! I want to knuckle him on the head! But I'll let this slide. I must let this---Slide!'
And she did. She was proud of herself for being able to hold the intrusive thoughts, it was very mature of her according to her beliefs. Although this time she doesn't have this aching feeling inside her chest, she is assured that Runa is not a potential love rival but that won't always be the case, that's why she's still a bit wary of her.
The place was a little bit crowded, Rachel's store is popular among the town's folks. Especially in the afternoon. Luckily, there was a customer that just finished his meal, the table was vacant. They occupied the table and ordered some food.
The menu was almost full of seafood dishes, and she couldn't decide what to eat. Wilhelm was the one to choose their meals. Celestine is from the kingdom of Meltiz, the place is located at the center of Delios, and only three kingdoms have access to the ocean, the Kingdom of Bernin, and the Kingdom Elaxia, including Reolona. She rarely gets to taste such delicacies.
"What are we going to do after this? We still have a lot of time before night"
"I'll show you around the town by then, we'll leave by sunset." He suggested.
She never had the chance to explore the town. Celestine went straight to Wilhelm's house the moment she arrived in the area. The town is called Agama, inside the Aliudin territory in Reolona, and is located in the far west of the area.
They first visited the stalls. They sell different kinds of items such as food, materials, equipment, and others.
Along the way, a hair clip caught Wilhelm's eyes, an elderly woman was selling them. It was a flower-designed clip from the old woman in the accessories stall. The clip was based on a magical flower only found in places that are potent in magicules.
"How much do you sell this" Wilhelm asked her. Celestine was wondering what he wanted to buy for him to stop by.
"It is only worth five copper coins"
"Isn't that way too cheap?"
"It's fine young man, customers buy often at my stall. Lowering the price would help me sell them all off."
"Are they yours?"
"Yes, these were some of the accessories that I gathered when I was young."
"These are different types of flowers including magical ones"
"You're quite knowledgeable young man. You are right, these are collections of flowers crafted in accessories. The one you spotted is a magical flower called Zenovia, these are found in magical places and are hard to come by."
"Zenovia?" Celestine was not familiar with that kind of flower. She was curious and tried to have a peek at the design.
There were about twenty accessories having different types, and each of them looked fashionable. It was difficult to determine what the two of them were talking about.
Wilhelm explained to her,
"Zenovia looks like a clean white hibiscus flower and the color of the flower differs according to the degree of magicules that are present in the area where it resides."
"The edge of the petals has a pointed extension, and the flower has the ability to collect mana from the surroundings making a crystallized stigma. The leaves are hard diamond-shaped with jade-green color."
"What's hibiscus?"
"A flower."
The old lady couldn't help but giggle at them. It reminded her of her late husband. The two heard her giggle and felt a little embarrassed by the way they acted.
"I'll give this to you for free, you made me recall one of my pleasant memories" She handed over the hair clip.
"Are you sure?" Wilhelm asked. The old lady nodded and gently smiled at him. "Alright, if you say so, I'll gladly take it"
"Hey! Don't just take it without paying for it," Celestine told him the tone was close to that of a nagging mother. "Can't you see that she's selling those?"
"I can see it as clear as the sky but the elder was the one to insist."
The old lady was beckoning him. He leaned a little closer,
"You two looked like magicians... I'll tell you a little secret. That accessory changes color when imbued with mana. You can change it to whatever color you like"
"I already noticed that the craftsman used a mana crystal, that's the reason why it caught my interest."
"You really have good eyes. Also good preferences" She told him and added the last part while glancing at Celestine.
He was a bit embarrassed about it, he clearly knew what she meant by that. He cleared his throat and said,
"I'll have everything that you are selling," to change the topic.
"Pardon?"
"I'll buy everything"
"Young man---"
"It's fine, I happen to have a lot of coins. Spending extra money on good quality products doesn't hurt my pocket." He handed over a pouch full of silver coins. The old lady only took ten coins saying,
"This much already costs everything on the table. Keep the rest for yourself."
Wilhelm admired her honesty and because of that, he had another reason to give out his money but in respect for the old lady he didn't force it. He only added two coins telling her that it was a tip for her.
"What did she tell you?" Celestine asked as she approached him right after seeing that their conversation ended. "She looks happier, what did you buy? Is it a present for your mother?"
He kept his mouth shut and was still thinking about what the old lady told her.
'She meant good preferences? This annoying creature?' he thinks as he searches her from top to bottom. Celestine covered her bosom in response. Compared with Rachel's bust, she's not even near, is what crossed his mind.
"You don't have that much in you" He bluntly told her. After what he said Celestine couldn't help but show a hardened expression. He added, "What? I'm telling the truth."
She forcefully smiled at him and walked stiffly ahead of him.
"Why are you mad?" He asked while catching up with her.
"Well, I don't know, probably because some insensitive stupid-idiotic-moronic-hermit-jerk pointed out one of my insecurities!" She braided a lot of words.
"Mind your language woman. You're in public places."
"I don't care..! I can say whatever I want..! These people don't even know me and I won't be staying here for long!"
The vendors started laughing at them and all said their parts,
"A lover's quarrel huh? How cute~"
"The guy seems to be the one who offended the girl."
"Brother! Always be lenient when dealing with a woman! HAHA!"
"Hahaha, Youth~"
Because of the crowd, Celestine walked faster slightly getting embarrassed of the situation.
"Don't walk too fast or you'll trip yourself." He advised her but she didn't listen and sped up her walk going way too ahead of him.
Due to her speeding up, she wandered near the red district and random men started staring lecherous at her. She didn't detect the lustful stares because she was still feeling angry.
She bumped into a rough-looking drunk man, he intentionally blocked her path. His face was uncleaned and he reeked of alcohol even though it was still daytime.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you." Celestine apologized but the man suddenly reached for her arm, she saw it coming and avoided it by stepping a few steps backward.
"Why you little--"
"I've already apologized, the bump wasn't strong enough to cause injuries. I advise you to not touch me... Back off..."
The man was feeling threatened by the presence of a woman. Her eyes were that of a predator, fierce, sharp, and dangerous but the effect of the alcohol and the snickers of other men around made him do otherwise. Instead of following his instincts, he charged towards her. Celestine was ready to use her magic to teach him a lesson.
He stopped and was frozen because of the man who appeared and was standing behind her. A more intense intimidation he felt from him. He was wearing a calm expression and was frail-looking but his intuition was telling otherwise. He knows that it would be dangerous to approach the girl with him around.
Celestine was wondering why the man stopped his charge and heard Wilhelm's voice behind her saying,
"I saw what you did."
Celestine slowly turned around wanting to inform him that she was not at fault and had already apologized but the rough-looking fellow shouted,
"I apologize! Please forgive me!" it made her look back at him, and she was a little bit confused by his sudden apology.
Wilhelm tapped her shoulder, she glanced back and saw that his face was close to her ears. He asked a question, "What are we going to do with his apology?"
"I actually wanted to break his arm for trying to grab me but I think that it would be too harsh."
"You won't accept his apology?"
"For trying to grab my arm and charge at me?"
"No, for bumping you. He was the one who intentionally bumped you"
When she heard the truth, Celestine began to feel furious. Her anger was different this time. It was a silent form of anger.
"He needs a lesson... Is what I think"
"Go on... I'll patch him up."
Celestine started creating a magic circle while Wilhelm surrounded the perimeter with sound-canceling magic so that the noise inside wouldn't reach outside,
"So you planned all those huh? You even made me apologize by making me think I was wrong. I have to tell you this... I'm not lenient with filthy schemers... [Lightning]"
The magic was aimed at his arm. The one that he tried to use to grab her. It struck him, piercing through his arm, it was burning some of his flesh, and eventually, his arm got dismembered.
The current of the lightning coursed throughout his body making him experience an incredible amount of pain. She was holding herself pretty well to not accidentally kill the man.
The other men at present were left to watch him cower, grunting, in pain, they wanted to flee but they were rooted to their positions afraid that they might get mixed up with the sudden turn of events. What they saw was a good lesson for them to not mess with magicians, which are people who are wearing robes.
His eyes met with hers and she could see that there were signs of wanting to retaliate. Wilhelm saw Celestine charging up lightning again, and he immediately used healing magic on the man enabling him to survive the second hit.
His dismembered arm reattached itself making it look like there were no damage made in the first place. They kept repeating the process until Celestine saw his crying face as he showed eyes that regretted his actions. She was satisfied with it and finally had a breather.
Wilhelm called off his sound-canceling magic and healed the fellow one last time. He then showed the people who were present a threatening hush gesture.
Celestine walked out of the place and Wilhelm followed.
"Just so you know, we're still not okay... but thank you for patching him up..." She told him.
Wilhelm knew too well that Celestine despised filthy schemers. She had a history with them back at the academy and ever since then she never held herself when she's taking revenge.