Casual talk

"So this is where you were. Sneaking off to drink beer on your own?"

Aldrich woke up, his face was stuck to the tableware and his drool made a little puddle. Raised his head and looked at the direction of the speaker.

Ayemon was sitting on the chair opposite to his own. Ayemon was an opposing reflection of him at this moment.

He was well dressed with his simple and elegant temperament, his hair was combed neatly and he even smelled nice. All of this ticked Aldrich off.

"What do you want?" Aldrich asked, and his voice was sharper than he intended.

"Well I was looking for you," answered Ayemon, unaffected by Aldrich's grumpy attitude.

"What's with the beer?"

"Ugh—I just wanted to drink a little..."

"Well you're doing it wrong."

"Wrong?"

"Indeed, wrong. Don't you know that you shouldn't be drinking alone? Beer is best enjoyed in company!"

"Really? I haven't heard of that..."

"That's because you're still young. Now here, get drinking."

"I was actually kind of done for the day..."

"What? You dare to refuse a drink from me? Do you want to lose your head?!"

"Fine, fine, just one more drink though. I mean I'm sure you're jesting about me losing my head right?"

"Right, right. Do I look like some crazy person who'd do something like that?"

"N-no?..." Aldrich answered hesitantly and Ayemon glared at him so he corrected himself, "I mean no."

"Hahhaha Ahaha"

Although he said it was just one drink they kept drinking well into the night. The twin moons were shining in full tonight.

"Hey, you don't— you don't feel like how I imagined nobles to be?"

"And how did you imagine them? Fat, ugly and arrogant? Well there are some of those here and there."

"I don't know. I thought nobles would be difficult to talk to."

"Difficult? Well, it must be difficult for some but not for you."

"Me? Why not?"

"Eh? Aren't you an unusual boy who managed to escape several deadly situations? You're impressive."

"Me? Impressive?" Aldrich asked bewilderedly.

"Hey, stop trying yo be humble. It's okay to be proud of such an achievement. The bastards that attacked your village weren't amateurs they knew what they were doing. It doesn't mater how you did it whether by luck or skill, you managed to escape that's impressive. Hold your head high."

"Yeah I guess you're right. I am impressive."

"Yeah you are, be proud and confident. Most other fifteen year old's wouldn't have made it. Oh, yeah didn't you escape from a slaver goblin band right after that?"

"Eh, it was just a coincidence really."

"It doesn't matter. The fact is you made it out of two deadly situations consecutively no less, that means you have something that makes you special. Don't be in a rush. Take it easy, in no time you'll shine."

Aldrich was a little embarrassed, he had not been so highly praised, and the one praising him was not only a Crestmaster but also a noble and an honorary professor in the Crest academy, his station was worlds higher than some nobody like Aldrich.

That's right, he might have lost but that was not the end, it was just a minor setback. The important thing is to keep going never giving in to stress and pressure.

He had it in him to make it. Through the nightmare realm he could take himself to the highest summit. Whether it may be riches or glory, he was at the turning point in his life.

"Hey, Ayemon, eh, I just wanted to say thank you for all the things that you've done for me until now."

"Don't thank me just yet. I'm not the type to help people for no reason. I helped you because I believe you are a valuable person. I'm helping you for myself not for you."

"I don't mind. Helping me for yourself? That doesn't sound so bad to me."

"You are a bit of weirdo aren't you? Most people would have been offended by that."

"Really? I don't see why." Aldrich then recalled something, "by the way, is it alright for you guys to return like this? Weren't you looking for an oracle? That sounds quite serious to me."

"Nah, its fine. We've been looking for the oracle for three years now. We didn't have any luck. I have others looking all over the empire so its fine. To be honest I'm not sure that finding the oracle is a good thing."

Aldrich was confused, they were looking for the oracle so thoroughly yet Ayemon didn't seem to keen on finding the oracle.

"Why not?"

"Well, it's complicated. Oracles aren't exactly known for the good news they deliver. Every time an oracle appears its not a good sign. One may even say it a bad omen in and of itself. Ironic, god loves irony they say right?"

"I guess its not that simple, huh."

"Yeah. Well, you best not get involved in things like that."

"Well it has nothing to do with me. I was just curious."

"You know what they say, curiosity killed the cat. hahahah"

Aldrich returned back to his room, he was still very tired, ever since he returned to the real world he has been tired and the headache just won't stop.

Aldrich opened the windows shutters to let the night air in. The twins looked even closer from this high up. The waves on the river were calm and slow.

Aldrich had made up his mind, he was tired and weak as of now but he was highly motivated. He planned to avoid that horde of mice at any cost.

He wasn't wrong in thinking that the mice were the weakest creatures in the nightmare town until now at least. But the real problem was their insane numbers.

However that was not all bad. Aldrich decided to think of them as resources that he lost for now but they will eventually become his prey. He wasn't going to forget this lesson.

There was another creature that roamed the town in great numbers. The giant roaches.

For now he will just carry out his original plan and take down the houses surrounding the base. Maybe by then he could become strong enough to take them down.

If he was lucky enough he might get to upgrade his spirit to four by then, a step closer to becoming a true Crestmaster.

Although he wasn't really sure how high did it have to be for him to become a Crestmaster. But a step closer was still a step closer.

Aldrich slid into the bed and after some time he sank into sleep.

Aldrich woke up in an unexpected but familiar place, he was in the real world on his bed and it was morning. The sound of the waves crashing against the ship.

He didn't go. For some reason he wasn't pulled into the nightmare realm yesterday. Wait did something like this happen before? He wasn't sure.