Preparing for the Festival And A Challenge

It was a lively afternoon. The sun was up in the sky as it stood guard over the planet of Zuvania. And the breeze flashed by in multiple places and the birds chirped in the bright blue sky which looked almost like a painting. The town was quite busy as It was five days before the festival would start. The farmers were busy raising their animals to sell them at the festival while the gardeners were busy harvesting crops and the blacksmiths were busy forging their weapons to display at the festival. They tried to impress the passers-by to get a lot of sales. Even Feran and Vivian were busy preparing for it in different ways. Xavier and Alex barely even got to see them these past days which showed how busy they were. A lot of people including tourists would be coming to the festival so everyone was preparing for it, even Alex and Xavier. Right now, they were both preparing for the festival mentally as they didn't have anything to do but they helped out Feran and Vivian sometimes. The two were together strolling around the town presently. Having nothing to do, they were both a bit bored. They couldn't wait for the festival, literally, they needed something time-consuming so they started a random conversation.

" You're so lucky mom spared you yesterday, had it had been me I would be a walking skeleton," Xavier said.

Alexander scratched his head with his right hand holding Xandyr in the left," Haha! I was

s even surprised too, my heart was beating a fast that I thought she had would kick me out."

" I would have expected an execution right on spot," Xavier replied.

" Maybe she was in a good mood because of the festival?" Alex wondered.

" Mmh, You're probably right."

They laughed as they wandered the streets, they passed a food stall. As Alex breathe in the aroma, he drooled. It smelled deliciousness by just smelling it you could almost taste it. Xavier noticed Alex's sudden stop. As he walked back, he saw Alex peeping at the food stall.

He then sighed as he took out a few silver coins." Did dad's food not full you?"

Alex then said truthfully," It didn't taste that good either."

" I wonder if you would still be hungry if I made it."

Alex then answered instantly as he looked at someone eating, he wasn't even paying attention," Definitely!"

Xavier then pointed out a list of foods and asked," Which one?"

Alex then placed his hand on his chin as he went through the whole list. He then closed his eyes and pointed his finger at a random one.

" Smoked sausages with grilled vegetables?" Xavier asked as Alex gave him a thumbs up," Okay."

" So want do you brothers want?" The cook and owner of the stall asked.

" Eh? Brothers?"

" Why are you not brothers? And that baby must be the baby brother."

" Yeah, we're brothers. He wants some sausages with grilled vegetables, and I'll take the same thing too."

" Okay! Coming right up!" The man shouted as he got it prepared.

And as he was finished he presented it to them." Da duh!"

As Alex took a bit of it, he found it delicious." This is so good!"

There were sausages on the sides of the dish while in the middle were grilled vegetables such as corn and so forth. Its aroma filled the air as it smelled so good. The dish looked nothing more than perfect and a complete masterpiece. But

Xavier found it to be missing something important. He didn't like it, maybe Alex liked it because he was accustomed to eating food out of a bin but Xavier had quite an experience with food from his past and new life knew it wasn't as good as he made it out to be. Perhaps, Alex was overating it a bit.

" It's missing something."

The cook was smiling as he heard Alex's compliment but his smile was easily turned into a frown when Xavier talked" What's it missing?" He questioned.

" Something important."

" What might that be? You're just a kid what would you understand about dishes, you couldn't even make a better dish yourself."

" Ooh, I'd make it much better if I cooked it, and trust me when I say that," Xavier said with much confidence.

He had made the stall keeper angry." Well then, how about we have a challenge? We'll present our dishes to people with

good taste in food, which they rate higher wins." The stall keeper wanted to humiliate Xavier in front of nobles.

" Bet I'd make you look like my baby brother in front of those people." They stared each other in the eye. It was a battle of confidence.

" Oi Xavier, you couldn't possibly get yourself in this, would you?" Alex asked as he looked at Xavier who seemed to be enjoying the whole thing.

" And what happens to the loser?" Xavier asked.

" Easy, they get laughed at by the nobles!" The stallkeeper who was also the cook said.

" Do you love nobles so much? Would you lick their shoes? Would you kill yourself for them? Would you forcefully marry one of their children?"

" You talk big for someone so short." The stallkeeper made fun of Xavier.

" At least I'm not stuck up here with barely any customers." Xavier laughed.

Alex looked at the battle of words with confusion,' Just what is happening?'

" Let's change it to whoever loses licks each other shoes!" Xavier grinned.

" I'll make you lick more than that! You'll lick my floor, my shoes, and spoilt food."

" I'm not changing it higher because I know I'm already going to win," Xavier smirked as he placed his foot on the counter and placed his face closer to the man without averting his eyes to show off his confidence.

The man's temple vein bulged out of his skin," You cocky brat! I don't care whose son you are, I'd beat you to a pulp if you weren't a kid!"

" Haha! Such bad words for a guy having a stall on the dead side of the street."

The man held his fist up and clenched it," You... Never mind, I'll beat you not physically but in front of everyone. Just imagine the son of a holy knight licking my boots." The man looked like he was in his peaceful place as he closed his eyes and imagined it.

Xavier scorned the man," You're sick, I should really call the knights on you, you might turn out to be a pedophile after all."

" What's a pedophile?" The man titled his head," If it's a good thing then I'm a big pedophile."

Xavier instantly placed his hands over his face shaking his head," Jackass! If you said that in public in my old world you'd be arrested by child authorities."

Xavier was wrong if he had said that in public, people would practically make the guy the fool of the century. It was too bad that the word didn't exist in this world. If it did, Xavier would report the guy to knights instantly. As Xavier and the man continued to argue and bet, Alex felt someone watching him. Whenever someone watched him in secret he would feel their presence hitting his back almost as if they were right behind him closely. It was a strange thing he always had, he even felt that feeling right now. Alex then took out a mirror and points it in front of him to see who was spying on him without them noticing. It was the same person from before, he never once got a look at their face as it was covered but they wore black clothing and had the body shape of a woman. Just who was spying on him? And what was their reason for doing so? As Alex looked back to scare them, they ran away. They didn't want to be seen watching him. But we're they watching him or Xavier. Maybe, Xavier or he had a fan but why would a grown woman watch them?

Alex then pinched Xavier on the shoulder." Ouch! What?"

" Someone's watching us," Alex replied.

" Who?"

" I don't know but they were there yesterday too."

" Maybe you're imagining things or we have a fan."

" You're right. Why would anyone want to tail ten-year-old boys?"

" A pedophile would." Xavier randomly said.

" What's a pedophile? Never mind, that's not important. Let's get out of here."

" You're right," Xavier replied as he got up.

They both got up from the chairs and walked away. The man looked at Xavier as he walked away grinning with his arms crossed.

Alex then asked," So when are you going to start preparing for the challenge?"

Xavier then walked with his arms behind his back," It depends. I might start tomorrow if I have time but I don't really care about the challenge thing anyway, I just want to show him what he's missing but he's ignorant so he wouldn't listen to me unless I show him in a food-off myself."

Alex smiled," Sounds like you, I knew you wouldn't just start a whole battle because you didn't like his food."

" Huh? I didn't hear what you said."

Alex then smiled," It's nothing."