Chapter 5

***

"We talked so much, that time flew by quickly. It's already morning," Taeyang thought while looking out the window.

The sun was rising marking a new day. Surprisingly, the tavern was still filled with shouting and cheering. You would have thought by now everyone would be wasted, but that wasn't the case here. Many had succumb to the effect of the alcohol and had fallen at its feet. However, several others held their cups and cheered their victory over it. They were still vibrant and showed no effect of being affected.

"Is that so?" Taeyang asked with a smile.

"Yes, I wanted to become a priestess when I was little. We had a temple in my village, it belonged to the goddess Ganera."

"The goddess of trade, pfft, you wanted to serve a weak goddess."

"Yes, my father was a trader and believed in the goddess, so as a child I also believed in her." She forced a smile and continued. "That was until I saw what was beyond the lands of our village. I realized how small the goddess Ganera was. The dark moon made me realize one needs a certain amount of strength to survive this world."

"And did you get that strength?"

"Yes, unless powerful freaks arrives, I am proud of my abilities to protect myself and flee."

"I see. So which god or goddess do you currently like?"

"In all honesty, Ganera. I still think she's the best, though I can't offer my life to her, I like her."

"Why?"

"I just like her. What about you?"

"Rienta. She's the goddess I like the most."

"Why her?" Ruo Xi tilts her head and asked.

"She provided me a place to stay when I didn't have one."

"Like literally?"

"Haha, you can say that. I met a priestess who served her. The priestess provided me a place to stay. Though I wasn't the only one she did that for. She usually say to us that it was the goddess that told her to take us in."

"Oh!"

"So I don't know if it was literally the goddess providing or if I was a lucky kid, who was at the right place at the right time, all I know is she provided a place for me."

"I see."

"Hey everyone! It's morning, time to go hunting!" a woman yelled.

"I don't want to go today."

"Did you hear? The three-tailed jaguar monsters are getting stronger."

"Hey wake up, time to earn our keep and pay our bills."

After hearing the woman's yell, several groups chatted among themselves. Some grumbled, some shared information while others woke up their sleeping comrades.

While the others prepared to leave, Taeyang continued his chat with Ruo Xi. Silver stepped into the hall. When his eyes fell on Taeyang, they dilated. His jaw falling down was what followed it.

The heavy tavern door opens and a woman with a slenderly built figure stepped in. Several men and women greeted when they saw her.

"Gwen!"

"Good to see you, Gwen!"

"A fine morning to you!"

"Hehe, thanks everyone. Good morning to you too," she replied with a sheepish smile.

"What brings you here? Did the guild master call for us?"

"No, no, I'm here to meet sir Taeyang, to give him his pay for a mission."

"Give it to me! I'll help you give him!"

"Get lost you lazy old man!" Gwen scolded an old man who spoke and stood up.

"You should come back, coward is sleeping by this time," a woman said.

"Oi! Oi! Oi! He isn't sleeping! Coward isn't sleeping!"

At the scream of a man, everyone turned over to Taeyang's table. Even those who were drowsy turned to look. The sight they saw caused their eyes to widened. Silver straightened up before anyone noticed him.

Taeyang who was listening since Gwen stepped in, smiled at them. He waved his hand slightly and with a clear voice he said.

"Ohayou gozaimasu!"

Jaws fell, tongues rolled out and eyes popped off. They just couldn't believe it.

"Am I seeing things?"

"If you are then so am I."

In no time Taeyang's table was surrounded. They spent some distance around and continued to stare with dumbfounded eyes. Ruo Xi could only wonder why they were like that. She watched as a man slowly stretched his hand to towards Taeyang's face. However, before it got close another hand smacked it.

"Are you out of your mind?"

"If you don't like your life, I like mine!"

Several people scolded the man while pushing him out of the circle. The eyes of the people continued gazing on Taeyang for a while. It was as if they had seen a god that had descended.

"Little girl, what did you do to him?" a woman who looked to be in her forties asked. At her question all eyes fell on Ruo Xi. They all gave her a gaze that asked the same question the woman had asked.

"Come on, don't be shy. How did you make him not drink and cry his heart out?" another lady asked.

"Ahem!" Taeyang cleared his throat loudly.

"What? Is it not the truth?"

"I didn't say it wasn't," Taeyang retorted.

"Coward, usually drinks and cries all night. Then in the morning he eats like an animal when he sobers up," a man with gold teeth said.

"Ahem!" Taeyang cleared his throat again.

"Stop coughing will you, we want to hear what she did. You are being noisy," one of the previous women spoke.

"Did you give him any pills? Did you use a magic spell?" the other asked while moving closer and leaning on the table.

"Um… I didn't do anything. We only talked," Ruo Xi replied.

"Talked? You are pulling my legs, right?"

"No I'm not, we only talked."

"So you are saying you only talked with him? What did you talk about?"

"About the previous sword saint," Taeyang said and took a sip from his cup.

At his words Silver stepped forward. "Alright, you guys should start heading out. The guild master won't like it if we are late."

"Make way!" Gwen yelled while squeezing through.

"Sorry!" a few said and stepped aside.

"See you later, coward."

"Hey, let's go too."

"I don't want to go!"

"Get your ass out of my tavern!" Silver yelled at those reluctant to leave.

Taeyang watched as the crowd disperse, some grumbling while they left. Gwen sat on the chair beside him making sure she kept her distance.

"Taeyang, how did your mission go?" she asked with a smile and sparkling eyes.

"It went well. Something unexpected happened but I was able to leave."

"What happened?"

"The leader seemed to be infected by something that made him stronger."

"Did you fight it? How strong was it?"

"I fled as fast as I could. It was really strong!" Ruo Xi giggled at his words. Gwen looked at her with a nonchalant expression then turned back to Taeyang, who continued. "A seventh petal beast couldn't leave a scratch on it."

"Then it was stronger than a ninth petal?" Gwen asked.

"No, no. A ninth petal golden eagle easily killed it."

"Then, it wasn't strong," Gwen pouted.

"It was. The golden eagle's attack caught it by surprise, that was the eagle won."

"Ah! I want to hear about your battles with powerful foes!" Gwen grumbled.

"There was one time I was faced with two powerful foes. They had the power to destroy a city with one swing of their hand."

Gwen's eyes lit up like a little child. "So what did you?"

"What any sane person would do, I fled as fast as the wind."

Ruo Xi burst out laughing. Taeyang raised his chin, proud of what he said. Gwen on the other hand pouted. "You are so annoying. By the way who is she?"

"Ruo Xi, she works for Silver."

"Oh, okay. I'm taking your pay, thank you!"

"Nah-uh, not this time. Hand it over!" Taeyang raised his hand at her.

"Come on! Can't I have it?"

"I need it, I got debts to settle. Hand it over."

"Fine!" Gwen reluctantly place a pouch bag on his hand. "I'm taking the next one. Right, the guild master has a job for you and sir Silver."

"What's it?" Silver asked.

"You guys have to go to Demiga."

"Huh? Why?"

"There's a beast tide going on there. The Demiga kingdom requested support, so the guild master is sending you two to support."

"Would only the two of us do?" Taeyang asked.

"We are stretched too thin. Zeniel also asked for help. Their situation seemed worded than Demiga's, so we need to help to the two kingdom, while also defending our city."

"So city lord, I mean guild master is sending the Cardinals to help?" Silver asked.

"Yes, one main cardinal and two sub-cardinal hunters have been sent to Zeniel to help. You two will be the one to help Demiga."

"In this way, we won't loose our hunters," Taeyang said.

"If the situation get too out of hand, we can escape, normal hunters can't," Silver said.

"That's the guild master's plan," Gwen confirmed their thoughts.