6 Chapter V

The sound of footsteps on wet dirt sounded much louder than they actually were to a certain purple-clothed man.

Quest Lawless had a mild headache, his ears could hear all the loud chattering of a parade of people but all he could make out was gibberish.

Quest slowly lifted his heavy eyelids, only to close them immediately after once the unusally bright sunlight hit his eyes. The brunet turned his head to the side and opened his eyes one more time- this time he was met with hunter green, the smell of morning dew enveloped his nose but there was a faint scent of alcohol coming along as well.

When Quest figured he had been laying on the ground, surrounded by tall grass, he pushed himself up with his arms. As he stood up, he noticed all the wet dirt and mud that stuck to his clothes and hair.

While he tried to brush off what stuck to him, he also tried to figure out how he got here and what this place was- It was awfully familiar, the thief just couldn't put his finger on it.

Once Quest started to remember what had happened- everything with Lake and the Euphony- he let out a long downcast sigh. His memories were mostly crystal clear, putting to heart every word Lake had said- though after he left the building it started becoming blurry.

All he clearly knew at the time was that he went out and got his fair share of wine- since even in his state he could smell how much he reeked of alcohol.

After trying to remove all the dirt he could, Quest walked towards all the loud chattering. It was a parade of people all of which were heading towards north.

They were carrying a huge variety of things, from cloths and silverware to hardwood and metal. But not only a huge variety, also a huge amount- having big carts and even horses helping.

It seemed like they were preparing for some grand and lavish event, seeing that there was this was quite the crowd.

Quest was still about a meter away from the actual path, not really wanting to mingle. His headache worsened just by thinking of squeezing into the flock, having to walk beside people and coming into contact with them- it really wasn't something Quest was fond of.

This got the thief thinking with his brain still drenched in alcohol- What kind of amazing event was this, so much so that people would try to overthrow one another regardless of the mountain of things they carried? To Quest they even looked like horses carrying carts trying to race in the narrowest of streets.

Maybe a sect marriage? Those mighty cultivation sects love to flaunt their wealth after all.

Quest's eyes started to follow the direction of the parade, and as he slowly turned his head- his body slowly did as well.

The thief finally saw the towering mountain range up north, with it's notable pyramid shape- short mountains on the opposite sides gradually building up to the middle where the tallest mountain was. Its peak barely visible as it was surrounded by clouds.

The Northern Mountains.

Quest's eyes widened at the beautiful sight. The landscape was both nostalgic and melancholic to the brunet, especially the mid mountain.

Mount Strati

Quest Lawless stood still as he gazed upon the lofty mountain, it was as if the world had slowly stopped spinning- all the chattering in the background gradually disappeared.

Just a look at the view infront of him was enough to evoke Quest's bittersweet memories. They flashed in his mind like a book swiftly flipped through, it started as a joyous and heartwarming tale which caused a smile to tug on the thief's lips- but as the story progressed, it started getting dull and wretched until it stopped at the inevitable tragic end.

Quest's eyes were downcast as the world started spinning again, he had only stood still for a minute but it felt like forever- atleast to him.

"Hey there! Hey!" A young woman in the crowd calls out, trying to get Quest's attention as he just stood there in tall grass.

"Are you lost?" She asks in a loud but sweet voice as soon as Quest turned his head.

Quest definitely wasn't lost, he knew this place like the back of his hand. Though he hasn't gone there in years, he'd always been wanting to- maybe that's why his drunken self dragged him here.

The woman had a slight jawdrop before her lips were pulled into a wide smile. If the brunet's sideview was dessert then the front view was a full course meal!

"What are you doing? Walk!" A woman shorter but of the same age pushes the taller one, both of them carried slender and long baskets, but the taller woman didn't budge.

"Look at him." The taller one whispers as the shorter one follows suit, raising her brow.

"Look at how handsome he is!"

"Are you from here?" The taller woman quickly transitions from whispering to asking loudly.

Quest was looking in their direction, but he didn't lock eyes with anyone. Especially since the women didn't know that cultivators had enhanced hearing, and even though he currently didn't look like it- Quest was a cultivator, a skilled one at that.

"Aish-! Here you are again drooling over men." The shorter woman unconsciously rolled her eyes while she whispered back, the two of them clueless that Quest could hear their full conversation.

"Oh you, admit it- his face and body look perfect." The taller one smirked which annoyed the shorter more.

"And what if they do? Do we just ignore how dirty he is?" The shorter continued whispering.

"Eh, just run him through a bath and we're golden." The taller answered, her smile not fading.

"He's probably homeless, for goodness' sake!"

"Are you headed for the Northern Mountains too?" The taller woman asks Quest once again, ignoring what the shorter had whispered to her.

"What..." Quest finally opened his mouth, which caused the taller woman to divert her focus on him.

"Hmm?"

"What are you going to do there?" The thief asked, which surprised the two.

"I told you he's homeless-" The shorter insisted, which wasn't entirely false. Quest had long been jumping from inn to inn because to him, it was more convenient.

"Shut up." The taller snapped back and then looked back at Quest once again.

"We're preparing for the grandest event of the year- and the most profitable!" She answered, trying her best to raise her hand and fold her fingers into the money sign.

"And that's why we need to head on or we won't have a place to sell!" The shorter exclaimed and started to tug on the other's arm.

"Don't worry so much," The taller nonchalantly says.

"I should! It's only a week away. So let's go-" The shorter woman pulls on other's arm harder.

A week away? Quest thought. That's still a far date and there's this much people?

"What event is it?" Quest suddenly asks after his bout of silence.

"Let's go!" The shorter woman pulls the other with all her strength, which forces the taller to start walking with her.

"Sword Festival! Come find our stall!" The taller pulls out a wooden sword from her basket and waves it as a goodbye as she walked North with the crowd.

-

"Sword Festival..." A certain blond said to himself as he walked around the foot of Mount Strati.

This was certainly a new view for Lake Vallehollow. He's always known the Northern Mountains to be a quiet and placid, a place devoid of noise and had little to no people. Now seeing it full of life and color was a change, but atleast for him- it wasn't a bad one.

It was a day before the actual start of the festival yet the place was filled to the brim with stalls already up and running, selling what they had to offer to people coming from different parts of the region. It really was a profitable event.

However, Lake hadn't come here before the festival proper to gaze at the stores or buy a heap of things.

As the blond walked down the path, he'd see some people gape and gawk at him- to which responds with a kind smile. Lake was used to this kind of attention, golden hair was rare for commonfolk after all. He had a face fit for royalty, but wore clothes fit for peasantry.

Lake wasn't bothered and kept walking. There were less and less people as he continued down the path, he only stopped when reached the closest he could go near Mount Strati before being blocked off by the cultivators guarding the said mountain.

He looked around the place, it wasn't even at the actual mountain yet the place was abundantly covered with lofty trees and thick foliage.

"Hey! Nevaeh! Where are going?" A familiar voice calls out. It was followed by brisk footsteps completely overlapping quiet ones.

"Here." Nevaeh replies to which Hyeong-sun furrows his eyebrows at.

"Eh? What are we going to do here?" The loud young cultivator asks as he looked around the place with his eyes eventually landing back at his companion.

"To examine the terrain in preparation for tomorrow, what else?" Hyeong-sun sighs at Nevaeh's answer. He knew that Nevaeh was more than serious about the Hunting Race, and so was he- partly- but even their competitors were currently resting or letting loose- probably!

"Have fun and buy all the things we want because we're going to be busy tomorrow?" Hyeong-sun suggested with a gleam of hope in his eyes but Nevaeh was quick to turn down the idea.

"We don't have time for that."

"Oh come on!" Hyeong-sun whined and he was about to continue to when both of them heard footsteps inching in closer.

"Quiet." Nevaeh whispered which Hyeong-sun quickly followed. In habit the two already had their hands grabbing on the hilts of their swords.

However the two eventually let their guards down when they saw who was walking towards them.

"Sir Lake, good morning." Nevaeh was quick to let the hilt go and bend into a slight bow as he greeted the blond. Hyeong-sun quickly followed suit.

"Good morning." Lake greeted back with the same kind smile he showed the last time all three of them met.

"How was the wine?" The blond asks, however Nevaeh couldn't answer.

He wasn't really fond of the memories he haf made when Hyeong-sun drank the wine he wasn't supposed to drink on the way back to the temple on that faithful day.

"It was great, Sir! It was- really strong." Hyeong-sun answered for his companion, an awkward smile forming on his lips.

"Nothing less from Duvin wine." Lake remarked, still smiling.

"What brings you here, Sir?" Nevaeh finally speaks.

"Just taking in the nature, I haven't been here in a long time." The blond answered as he gazed around the place, he then starts talking once again.

"I hear you're entering the Hunting Race-"

However Lake didn't finish his sentence when he sensed a presence behind him, he quickly turned his back and gripped on the hilt of his sword- and so did the two young cultivators behind him.

Hyeong-sun's eyes widened when he saw a beautiful woman with skin akin to snow white.

He was swift to let his guard down, but was both surprised and confused as to why Lake and Nevaeh still had their hands on their hilts. Both of them with stern and attentive looks on their faces. Nevaeh even had his blade partly drawn.

"Now, now, boys." The woman spoke in a chirpy voice.

"No need to draw your swords." She continued, to which Hyeong-sun internally agreed with.

Maybe that's why Sir Lake and Nevaeh get along so well! Hyeong-sun thought. They're both scared of pretty girls! or maybe they're misogynists? That'd be pretty far-fetched though- or is it?

"I'm just strolling around. I find festivals quite fun! From where I'm from, there really aren't any festivities." The woman explained, waving around the fan she carried. Its tazzle swinging back and forth.

By that time Lake and Nevaeh already had their hands off their swords, but still had the same untrusting look.

Are they seeing something I'm not? Hyeong-sun pondered in his confusion.

"I sincerely apologize, Madam. Forgive my rudeness." Lake gave a slight bow, however it didn't sit right. To Hyeong-sun his voice almost seemed sarcastic and insincere, which he highly doubted.

"Madam?" The woman sounded offended, even pursing her lips into a slight pout.

"It's Miss." She corrected, thinking that the title 'Madam' made her look like she was somekind of older woman.

"Miss Eurydice." She introduced herself and then turned her sight at the two young men white behind Lake, as if waiting for their turn to apologize.

"Forgive our rudeness, Miss Eurydice."  Hyeong-sun was surprisingly the one who apologized and bowed first, with Nevaeh following him. It was unusual, especially since Nevaeh was known for his utmost courtesy.

"Well then, why don't you two go on with your day?" A cheeky smile formed on the lips of Eurydice as she playfully flicked her fan open.

"I've got something to tell to this fine man." 

The two young cultivators felt somekind of unusual tension growing in between Lake and Eurydice as she stepped closer. It was certainly awkward- mostly for Hyeong-sun.

"Let's go-" Hyeong-sun says to his companion and tries to walk away but quickly stops when he realizes that Nevaeh stood still- reminiscent of the way he froze when he had been met with the Core Thief.

Hyeong-sun was about to pull him away when Lake started speaking.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't have any business with you." Lake politely says, even forcing a smile to form on his lips.

"Oh, don't worry. I know that." Eurydice chuckled sweetly as he closed her fan.

"But I have business with you~" She quipped, pointing her fan directly at Lake who in turn had a grimace on his face but still had the forced smile somehow intact.

There was a brief silence that surrounded them. Hyeong-sun felt uncomfortable watching the scene unfold. The thought of a beautiful woman clearly flirting with a man was- nothing less than natural! But with him and Nevaeh at the scene? He certainly felt uneasy.

"God! My apologies," Eurydice surmised, retracting her arm putting her fan close to her chest.

"I forgot I had something scheduled tonight! Maybe next time?" She beamed, expecting an answer. However all she got was Lake's silent smile beaming right back at her.

"Next time." She concluded herself. Somehow contented, the pale woman started walking away. Her hips swayed back and forth- but despite wearing heels, her steps made no sound.

After that unexpected event, there was a bout of silence which was eventually broken by Lake.

"I apologize, I'd like to talk more but I have to travel back to Duvin before long." The blond turned to the two.

"Are you two staying? I figure that Taeyang Temple is quite far."

"Don't worry, Sir! We will be spending the night at a nearby inn." Hyeong-sun took it upon himself to answer, since Nevaeh seemed like he was for some reason too stunned to make a sound.

"Well then, I'll be off." Lake bid his good-bye, the two young cultivators once again partly bowed as a farewell.

"Have a good day."

-

Lake had finally gotten back to Duvin City. The blond stood right infront of the quaint building him and Riel lived in together, carrying a basket of food he'd bought on the way home.

The blonde entered expecting Riel to greet him like he usually did, but he didn't. He was once again met with the same situation he had been in almost a week ago- and it definitely made his blood rush and heart race.

Lake knew that Riel was in the building, since the ruby red gem on the bracelet he always wore glowed and quitely resonated

which he felt on his skin.

The blond quickly ran through the short hallway, worst scenarios running through his mind.

But he immediately stopped when he both saw long light brown hair and heard the sounds various objects clanking together in the kitchen.

"Riel?" Lake called, and when Riel turned around he let out a long sigh of relief.

"Lake? Sorry- I didn't notice-" Riel claimed, though Lake saw through his sloppy lie.

Riel had even better hearing than him, a few steps in and he would've known that there was someone in their home. Not only that, but Riel also had the same bracelet Lake always wore and by the look of it- the gem was glowing just like how it should be whenever the blonde was nearby.

"You don't have to cook," Lake noticed how Riel looked like he was hiding something behind his back as he leaned onto the counter.

As the blond inched closer, Riel bit his lower lip.

"Riel," Lake sighed once again when he saw that Riel had the wine jars out in the open behind his back, even though he had hidden them.

"I know- but, I-I'm well now." Riel fiddled his fingers. Fully knowing that Lake had told him to not drink alcohol since it could hinder his healing.

"Don't worry so much."

Lake sighed a third time in such a short amount of time. Riel had always told him not to worry, but how could he not?

The blond grabbed the wine jars and put them away, at the farthest back of the cabinet.

Riel just stood beside him, pursing his lips. After Lake had finished he turned to Riel who was looking at him, his eyebrows a little puckered.

They locked gazes, Riel's golden stardust eyes met Lake's sanguine red ones. However Riel saw a tinge of gloom in those red eyes.

"Are you hungry? I bought food." Lake looked away and directed his gaze at the basket of food he left on the counter.

"Are-" Riel spoke as Lake brought the basket to their small dining table.

"Are you okay?"

Lake was surprised at Riel's question, but despite that he looked at the latter and smiled.

"Of course I am." The blonde answered but Riel's face had concern written all over it.

"I know you, Lake." Riel says as he walked closer to the blond, seeing that he wasn't as lively.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm just- tired." Lake answered to which Riel responded, concernment in his voice.

"Tired? Isn't today your break? You're not overworking yourself, are you?"

The way Riel worried and cared for him unconsciously made him smile.

"I just travelled up north," The blonde quietly chuckled. "Don't worry so much."

Riel let out a sigh and timidly smiled back, pulling out a chair from under the wooden table.

"Come, rest your legs."

The blonde followed and sat on the chair while Riel got plates to serve the food on.

"Is this- seafood?" Riel's eyes partly widened once he saw the variety in the basket while he transferred them onto their plates.

"No wonder you're so tired," Riel says slowly shaking his head, knowing that there weren't any nearby bodies of saltwater or places where they sold seafood.

However, a sudden realization dawned upon him just as he finished plating.

"I -- I didn't know there were seas up north?"

"There aren't, actually." Lake explained, which made Riel furrow his eyebrows.

"There's a festival-" The blonde continued.

"Sword Festival."

"You went and didn't tell me?" Riel spoke in a downhearted and disappointed tone

It was minimal but was enough to tug on Lake's heartstrings.

"I'm sorry- I- didn't think you'd want to attend." Lake reasoned but Riel just answered him with a slow nod and downcasted eyes.

"And it hasn't officially started yet-"

Riel's eyes suddenly lit up and a littpe smile creeped onto his lips, even Lake was delightedly surprised- his heart melted at the sight.

"Let's go." Riel beamed.

"Riel, you should stay home and rest." Lake advised. "I'll go buy you-"

"I want to go with you," Riel pleaded, slightly tugging on his sleeve as he sat at a chair beside the blond.

"Please."

Lake let out a defeated sigh, he looked at the pouting Riel and smiled.

"How can I say no when you're acting like that?" Riel giggled at Lake's answer which then ultimately turned into a smile once again.

"Thank you, Lake."