07 - Welcome To Kaleido, An Ordinary Village

They now stood on the side of the dirt road, staring at a pile of scattered pebbles on the ground.

Gwyn looked at the three girls in pity.

"What's with that look?" Ael asked.

"How do I say this... Isn't your village a little bit too minimalistic?" Gwyn said, gesturing at the pebbles.

Euria chuckled at his statement.

"What are you talking about? This is just the entrance that leads to our village!"

Gwyn' pitying look didn't disappear but became worse.

"It's okay. You girls look capable. I'm sure that if we work hard we'll be able to build our own village someday!"

Euria blushed in embarrassment. "I told you you're misunderstanding it!" She crouched down and started rearranging the pebbles. "Just watch."

The space around them suddenly started wobbling and twisting, and within a second, they were at a completely different place.

They were on a road in a forest filled with tall trees with varying vibrant colors.

Gwyn eyed the surroundings in curiosity and wonder. "What the hell was that? Some kind of displacement spell?"

Euria stood up and patted her hands. "It's more of a very convenient door. It connects two separate places to each other using those pebbles as a formation."

"What for?" Gwyn asked.

Euria smiled and started walking down the road. "Our village chief doesn't want our village to be disturbed. And besides, it's a shortcut to the road leading to the other villages so we don't have to walk for hours."

"Are you sure you should be letting me see that formation then? I have a pretty good memory, you know?"

"Must not be that good if you lost it."

"Touche."

"Besides, it changes every time it's used so there's nothing to worry about."

'So it's sort of like a password door that changes password every time it's used.' Gwyn thought.

He looked around and observed the surroundings. He marveled at the sight of the colorful trees shimmering with a light ethereal glow.

"Amazing." Gwyn uttered in awe.

The three girls looked proud seeing his reaction.

"Beautiful right? Our village is in a pretty nice forest!"

"Not bad. The one who created your village had nice taste."

"Yep! Come on, our village looks nicer than this forest." Euria gestured for Gwyn to follow.

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"Before we arrive. I warn you, our village isn't a normal one."

"Don't worry about it. I don't even know what a normal village is supposed to be like."

"You're still on about that?"

"Dunno what you're talkin bout."

"Whatever. In any case don't be too surprised about how amazing our village is."

"My expectations are kinda lowered because of you three."

"Hey!"

Gwyn bantered around with the three girls while walking along the forest. They were fun to talk to, Gwyn had to admit, until a giant winged shadow was cast over them causing them to look up.

Gwyn's eyes widened at what he saw, is that a-

"Giant fucking winged dog?!"

Yes it was. Flying over them was a golden furred dog with wings.

"Holy shit, if that isn't one of the coolest things I've ever seen." Gwyn said in admiration as the dog flew away in the direction the four of them were headed to.

Euria chuckled at his reaction, "Nihihi~! Amazing right? That was Sir Pawrthur, he lives in our village.".

"Seriously? Sir Pawrthur?! That's hella cute! Does he talk?" Gwyn asked.

"No, but he barks gentlemanly!"

Gwyn giggled, "NOW my expectations about your village have suddenly increased.".

"That's Sir Pawrthur for you." Ael said, smugly.

After that little event, they continued walking through the forest until they spotted what looked like a Japanese torii gate.

"We're here!" Euria exclaimed excitedly, skipping towards the gate.

Gwyn followed her and looked beyond the gate. Mossy stone steps led down towards a village bursting with... individuality.

I mean look at that house with a glimmering gem like giant turtle shell as a roof. And is that a building that looks like beer keg? That's gotta be the village tavern right?

All around the village, houses and buildings that look completely different from each other with various designs and colors. It seemed chaotic but somehow... It was harmonious. Nothing looks out of place because everything IS out of place.

It was one of the most breathtaking sights Gwyn has ever seen. He couldn't help but smile at the sight.

Euria giggled at his reaction. "Crazy right? Come on, let's go down." Gwyn followed the three girls down the mossy steps that led to the village.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Euria spread her arms to the village with a smile. "Welcome to Kaleido, our ordinary village!".

"Bullshit." Gwyn countered.

Euria ignored him and continued. "Before we show you around the village, we have to let the village chief see you first."

"I don't mind."

"Great! Let's get going then!"

Gwyn looked around while they were walking, they were still in outskirts of the village which was full of farm fields. He looked at one of fields and saw... Was that a Lich farming? Wearing all black farmer clothes?

Using a scythe?!

Oh wait, that's what scythes were originally used for.

Around the Lich were a bunch of skeletons crouched down collecting wheat.

The Lich raised it's scythe and reaped a bunch of wheat in front of him.

'What the... Am I hallucinating or are there marginally more wheat that fell down than what was cut down? It looked like it doubled!' Gwyn thought, analyzing the scene. 'Was it magic?' He turned his gaze towards the scythe. 'Or that scythe.'

"Hey! Why'd you stop?" Ael shouted from the front, breaking Gwyn out of his sturpor.

"Nothing." Gwyn shrugged it off and walked towards them.

They turned to where he was looking at and saw the Lich.

"Oh, were you looking at Uncle Gam?" Euria asked.

"Uncle Gam?"

"Yeah! He loves farming! Mostly wheat because his wife runs the bakery at the village. He's really kind too! Although he's not very talkative."

"I see, introduce him to me sometime, he sounds cool."

"Sure~! Sure~! I'll introduce you to everyone in the village!"

After a while, they finally arrived inside of the village, and it seemed like the buildings weren't the only ones bursting with individuality. Various races, humanoid and not, all walking around the village in harmony.

Gwyn's eyes sparkled at the sight that you would only see in fiction. He wanted to see more.

Cat girls.

Wolf girls.

Succubuses.

"Definitely Succubuses."

"Did ya say something?" Ael asked.

"Succubussy."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Nothing at all."

"Wha?"

They stopped in front of a building, supposedly the chief's office.

Euria grabbed him by the arm and pulled him down to whisper.

"Hey, once we get inside don't SAY or DO anything stupid you hear me?"

Gwyn rolled his eyes, "Do I look like the type to do that?"

Euria raised her brow and stared at Gwyn with narrowed eyes, looking at him in doubt.

"Don't give me that look, you'll make me horny."

Euria let go of his arm and slapped him in the shoulder, "Whatever! Just don't do anything stupid!"

They entered the building and went inside one of the rooms where they cam face to face with the village chief.

Setting behinds a desk was a lady with white hair tied in a ponytail. She wore a black eyepatch on her right eye while her left eye were onyx black that exuded an aura wisdom. Her face, though plastered with a few wrinkles, was still undoubtedly beautiful.

She was holding a smoking pipe while gazing at the guests inside her office.

They stared at each other in silence.

Wanting to break the awkward atmosphere, Gwyn took it upon himself to make the first move.

He raised his right hand and pointed at the chief.

And at the top his lungs, he shouted.

"GILF!"

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"So what you're saying is the boy came running at you butt naked hoping to ask for directions? After that he helped you fend off roblins that came out of an evil portal?" The village chief asked.

"Yes ma'am! That's the gist of it." Euria answered, sweat trickling down her face from the nervousness.

Gwyn was currently listening in on their conversation. He would have loved to join the chat, if only his mouth weren't being covered by two hands by the two girls on his side.

"We're so dead..." Ael murmured while holding down Gwyn's right arm.

"Uuuuu~...." Faela on the verge of tears while holding down Gwyn's left arm.

A compromising position to be sure, but Gwyn didn't mind, he liked the feeling of softness on both of his arms. Though it did feel unbalanced.

He couldn't help but chuckle at the situation.

Ael felt it on her hand and pinched Gwyn on the sides, "You still have the gall to laugh after the shit you did?! What the hell does gilf even mean?!"

Gwyn chuckled again and turned his gaze back to the village chief and Euria, it looked like their conversation was wrapping up.

"Girls you can let go of him now." The village chief commanded.

"Umm, he might say something stupid again..." Faela replied.

"It's fine. You can leave him here and wait at the lobby, I want to speak with him in private. I'll call for you when we're done."

The three girls nodded reluctantly and left, but not before giving Gwyn a stare that said 'Behave yourself!'

"Jeez, those girls sure are afraid of you." Gwyn said.

"It's more fascinating that you're not, considering how they behaved around me."

"Should I be?"

"Not if you give me a reason to make you."

Gwyn giggled at the answer, "Wow, that was a cool reply."

The village chief smiled, "Thank you."

"Anyway, my name is Gwyn, nice to meet you miss...?"

"Qweine."

"Then nice to meet you miss Qweine!"

"Likewise."

Gwyn sat right on front of her desk and offered her a handshake which she reciprocated.

"So, boy. About what you shouted at me earlier. What does it mean?"

" ...I feel like you'd kill me if I told you the meaning of that right now."