Smoking treat

Orion could feel the liquid flux in his veins stagnate when he stepped up to the guards. The arm wrapped around his waist did little to ease his worry. His new heart pounded with ferocity, threatening to burst. If Lux's plan failed, entering the kingdom would become much more difficult.

He reached for his pockets with steady movements, not letting his trepidation slip to the outside. His actions didn't cause any worry within the keen eyes of the guards. After placing the emblem between his fingers, he extracted it and handed it over. Luckily, Lux saved it before burning his body down to nothing.

"Step one done, now step two."

Lux's voice rang in his ears, calming him down a bit. It wasn't really the thought of failing that scared him, but the notion of not meeting his family again wrecked havoc in his head. Since he screamed at literal gods, something like this shouldn't have had this much of an effect on him. But, his new and past self currently waged war, fighting over who gets to stay.

When the guards looked over it, Orion kept a close eye on the lower-ranked one. When checking Valeria's information, he was the one casting the spells. They scanned his emblem with eyes moving like typewriters, soon arriving at the bottom.

"Step three!"

Lux's command rang in his head, and Orion grabbed the jar of spiders from his basket. Meanwhile, the guard's eyes flashed and Lux undid the magic he used to hide Orion's appearance.

Whilst a faint blue glow emerged from his body, the audience's focus was drawn to the equally radiating container in Orion's hand. The spiders emitted a bright azure light, illuminating not just Orion, but everyone around.

"Oh my, they must have woken up because of the noise," Orion said, his voice remaining steady. With one hand, he caressed the side of the jar, pretending to put them back to sleep.

When the guard undid his magic, Lux promptly reversed its actions. It hid Orion's real appearance and removed the spider's glow. All that was left to do was wait for their approval.

Time ticked, and the guards appeared to ponder.

"Keep those bugs in check next time. You may pass."

"Of course, thank you for guarding the gates," Orion said, putting the jar back in his basket. He hoped not to let it show, but his excitement shot through the roof when they approved of him.

Together with Valeria, they walked past the guards and into the still packed city. Since Nove was known for its trade, there were only times with fewer people. Never little. The roads were filled with life as people went from stall to stall in search of anything they fancied.

Orion took a moment to soak in the vibrant atmosphere of Nove, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. They had successfully passed through the guards and entered the city, one step closer to his goal. As they strolled through the bustling streets, Valeria by his side, Orion couldn't help but marvel at the diversity of sights and sounds around him.

He had seen it all before. It shouldn't be new to him. But having been away for so long, even something as common as a block of wood astounded him. Valeria needed to push him along several times, or else they would have stared at blank white napkins for an hour or two.

Merchants called out their wares, enticing passersby with colorful displays of exotic fruits, shimmering fabrics, and intricate trinkets. The aromas of various spices mingled in the air, creating a tantalizing blend that made Valeria's stomach rumble. From the side, Orion saw her fair cheeks gain a hint of color.

An idea appeared in his head and he moved to the side of the street where a vendor was selling various mouth-watering skewers. The hearty scent of freshly grilled meat and vegetables wafted through the air, attracting a crowd of eager customers.

Orion glanced at Valeria's sparkling expression and a mischievous smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "You want one, don't you?" he asked, noticing her focused look.

"I really do," Valeria said, not noticing her entranced expression. The grill's sizzling clouded her hungry mind.

"Then let's get one." Only when Orion tugged at her did she wake up from her daze, her cheeks getting redder than before.

After waiting in line momentarily, it was their turn to order. The wide selection overwhelmed the almost salivating Valeria, but they soon picked.

"One of each please," Orion said, pointing at their selections.

The vendor, a middle-aged man with a friendly smile, nodded and swiftly grabbed a pair of wooden skewers from a nearby tray. He skillfully loaded them with succulent pieces of grilled meat, alternating with colorful vegetables.

As the steaming skewers were handed over to Orion, the vendor's smile widened. "Enjoy, young ones! They're cooked to perfection," he said with a warm tone. Orion reached into his pocket, wanting to pay, but the man stopped him.

"For two lovebirds out at night, it's on the house," he teased, laughing at Valeria's tomato-like face. If seen from far away, one could mistake her head for a skewer.

"We are-" Orion placed his hand in front of her screaming mouth and continued, "very thankful for your kindness." With a stoic voice and matching expression, he pulled at Valeria to move away.

They found a more quiet road to enjoy their treat whilst walking. Orion couldn't help but chuckle at Valeria's embarrassment when she took a bite, her cheeks still flushed.

"Seems like that vendor saw right through us," Orion said with a teasing smile, his indifferent tone not befitting his expression.

Valeria shot a glare at him, mouth full of food. If the meat wasn't so juicy, she would have beaten him with everything she had. After swallowing, she replied, "I can't believe you didn't correct him. We're not...you know."

Orion shrugged, taking a bite of his own skewer. "Well, it's not like he would believe us, anyway. Might as well enjoy the free treat."

They traveled in comfortable silence, only occasionally hearing the bellows of angry merchants. The night sky was adorned with stars, casting a gentle glow over the city. It was the first serene moment since that day.

"Can I ask you something?" Valeria asked, taking her last bite. The moonlight made her golden hair appear holy.

"Sure." Orion turned to face her with a smile, waiting for her to continue.

"Exactly that. I don't mean to be rude, but you know what a smile is, right?"

Confused, Orion asked her to explain.

"It's strangely forced, as though you knew that you should smile, but your body doesn't fell like it," Valeria said, choosing her words as to not offend Orion. "I'm sorry, that was too personal." Since he didn't answer, she thought her question hit too close to home.

Unlike what she though, Orion was simply occupied by Lux. "She's right. Your emotions feel quite forced."

Their words struck a chord in Orion, who had been trying his best to pretend as if nothing happened. He knew that he wasn't the same as back as and that people would notice over time, but he never expected to be exposed this early on.

"What do I do? My family will notice immediately," He asked his partner, hoping they may have a solution bundled in their infinite wisdom.

"Don't force it. Give it time. You grew up, Orion," Lux responded, its voice as soothing as the first time he heard it.

"You're right." Orion wasn't as short-sighted as to not understand what it meant. By trying his hardest to fake the emotions his past self felt, he was pretending to be something he wasn't.

"No, you're good," Orion answered Valeria, his voice lacking what he purposefully added before.

"Much better. Sounds like a serial killer who was stuck in isolation for a year, but its natural," Valeria chuckled at her comparison, lightening the heavy mood.

"Over there," Oron said, pointing in the distance.

Valeria followed his finger and spotted a brick building. Its modest appearance made it blend in with the surrounding structures. The sign hanging above the entrance read "Herbal cauldron" in elegant lettering.

"Is that your home?" Valeria asked, remembering the profession of his father. The name wasn't quite unique, but enough to hint at an alchemist.

"Yeah, his sense of naming isn't the greatest."

They walked up to the open front gates, another sign reading "Open" hung to the side. Not wanting to implicate her any further, Orion thanked her for her help and said goodbye.

"You also have a good night, make sure to take care of your legs properly." Valeria said, her figure getting more distant. "Find me at the Tempest mercenary if you need more help!"

Once he was sure she was finished, Orion turned to face the building he missed dearly. With shaking steps, he approached the door and turned the knob.

"Welcome to the Herbal cauldron," a sweet feminine voice rang from behind the door as he opened it. Without even a glimpse of its origin, Orion knew who it belonged to.

"It's me, Mom."