Chapter 20

Diacrao had recently developed new habits to keep himself occupied from the usual group routine, that was hunting, and returning back to their quarters, while they rest only to wake up to repeat the same process again. He was unsure if others felt the same, but he was getting tired of it as it became emotionally draining with the current schedule. The only change of pace was when he attended training at the Swordsman's guild, but it was getting expensive to train and learn new skills.

The make a change of scenery, he decided to get up early, before dawn, and take a stroll around the empty streets of Manda, witnessing daybreak and enjoying the cool night. It also gave him some time to think through as he prefers a personal time reserved for himself. 

On this day, he started his activity, but he contemplated doing this activity as his body held him back with tiredness as it was not adapted to this new schedule, but he was determined to start out this activity, so he mustered all his strength and will to get out of the hay-filled bed. Conrad and Kadungon was deep asleep, undisturbed by the audible footsteps from Diacrao's movements.

He went out of his room, and down below in the main hall, it was mostly empty, barring a few auxiliaries who were hanging around, but they were unknown to Diacrao, and seemingly didn't acknowledge his presence as he made his way below. They just minded their own business, as he did that as well. 

He washed his face, hands, and legs at the communal water bucket that was placed beside the well, as he took a neem twig provided by the authorities to brush his teeth, before gargling it with a cup of water and spitting it on the plants. He threw the water from the communal bucket and refilled it from a nearby well. It was a rule recently enforced by the authorities for people to routinely change the water bucket to ensure disease does not break among the ranks and hygiene is maintained, which is evident from the recent supplements of Neem twigs and change of practice among people's of Manda, extending to the Auxiliaries as well. This was of course, sponsored by the state, a subsidy in return for their services.

From the view of the quarters, the town of Manda was quiet, and a few homes were lit up, distant dogs barking echoing through the scene, but still quiet, nonetheless. He left the quarters and begun aimlessly strolling around the empty streets of Manda. It was a different place from the usual bustling cosmopolitan scenery, but it provided a well deserved mental break for the lad who finally had time to think of himself and assess the events that had taken place.

In a junction, he took a turning the the right, where it led him to a section of the town that had a different urban layout compared to the other parts, in which it possessed well laid out space between each structures as they are surrounded by beautiful gardens, with tables and chairs placed outside. It was a beauty in urban design, and whoever planned it really placed thought into the urban landscape. It was not his first, nor his last thought, but Diacrao really admired the beauty of the town of Manda. Sometimes he even wondered if the term "Town" would be applicable given that it could constitute to be a small city, but he wasn't too keen to argue or change about which term was applicable.

To his surprise, some of the shops were opened at this hour, but there were only a few patrons, who were seated outside and drinking tea. What surprised him further, however, was the sight of a familiar person, who was shocked to spot him as well.

"Dia? I didn't know you were a morning person!" Aitana called for Diacrao as she gestured him to come and take a seat at her table. As Diacrao did not have any plans to head anywhere specifically, he went inside of the compound and took a seat on Aitana's table. On her table, she had a cup of tea, and a few Sabaayad flatbread. 

"I've been trying to get into new habits, didn't know you would be up in this hour too. Been trying to get up early recently?" Aitana giggled as she took a sip from her cup of tea. "I've always been waking up early and taking morning strolls, it's how I found this place too! It's a calm place that serves pretty good food and light tea, and it is reasonably priced as well. Also, you've been trying to getting up earlier as well?"

"Yeah, although my body feels like its been hit by a rock, not sure if I might continue this though." He commented on his difficulties on waking up earlier today. "Pffft, you definitely will be feeling like a rock without breakfast! You want to get something here? the tea here is refreshing, and you can have some of their flatbreads, it's really soft and flavorful. I'll pay!" Aitana offered him the plate of the flatbread.

"Oh gee, I appreciate it, but I will pay for my own alright? What do you recommend over here?" Diacrao was looking forward to learn more about the menu and what tea is famous in this place in particular. "Well! I recommend the Light Herbal Tea for starters, it's light, but flavorful and keeps you refreshed and energized for the day. It goes super well with the flatbread too." She placed her recommendation.

"Well as you are experienced with this place, I'll go with that then. I guess we gotta place our order somewhere?" He looked around for a waiter. "Yeap! don't worry, I'll make the order. In the meantime, have some of the flatbread, it's pretty good!" Aitana passed the plate of flatbread as he got up to place her order.

Diacrao took a piece of the flatbread, it wasn't too oily or greasy and had a soft texture. He took a bite of the flatbread, and in an instant, he was impressed by the flavorful taste. Buttery and had a soft spicy taste, he took another bite from the bread before eating them completely. He was quite satisfied with the quality of food.

"You seem to be happy with the food!" Aitana returned from the order as she sat down at her spot. "Yeah you aren't kidding, this is amazing stuff Aitana, I assume you must be a regular patron in this place?" He took another bread and ate it.

"Yep! Been here for quite some time now, and have been well-acquainted with the owner as well, she is quite a sweetheart and passionate in baking her food, her name is Arrawelo, and believe it or not, she manages everything by herself, quite impressive!" Aitana informed Diacrao about the owner and the place that they are currently in. Diacrao nodded as a response.

"Tea is ready!" A waitress approached their table with a cup of tea. The person in question must have been Arrawelo, the owner and the worker of this place. It was quite impressive that she was able to maintain a tidy environment, while making good food at the same time, Diacrao thought, and he believed the tea would not disappoint him. He shared his gratitude, and took a sip from of his tea.

Aitana wasn't exaggerating, the Light Herbal Tea, as its name implies, is light, but have been infused with local herbal flavours that stimulated the male's energy, feeling refreshed and energized after the sip. It was not too bitter nor too sweet, but straddled in between the flavors with a tangy sensation. 

"Do you like the tea Dia?" Aitana checked up on him as she noticed his bulging eyes. "I can trust your instincts when it comes to tea flavors. This is the best thing i've tasted today and really need it, thank you Aitana." He complimented her as he took more sip from the cup, much to the joy of Aitana, who flustered with his compliments.

"You know Dia, I've never really gotten to know you well. We have been in the same party together, but you and the rest of the boys are a mystery to us, like a whole other world sometimes!" Aitana's random thought made Diacrao choke on his tea. As he regained his composure, he looked at her with a dumbfounded expression.

"Well, in that case, what do you think about me?" His question threw Aitana off her guard, she didn't know how to respond to that. "Don't be shy, I'm not gonna bite you, or am i?" He jested, which lightened up the mood a little.

"Well, you promise you won't be mad?" 

"I won't, I am just curious, and what better way to get to know each other well than with what we think about ourselves, right?"

"Well in that case....I thought you were quite a dead person from the inside out, in that sense that you were quite strict and uptight with discipline, so much so that the term fun might not even be in your book! I was really afraid to approach you because you had quite a militant aura, it was fascinating as it was imposing as well!" Her description of himself intrigued the swordsman, who found it hilarious, rather than offensive. He burst out into laughter.

"Oh come on, I am not that strict,  I am just naturally born to have a strict expression generally, but me and the boys often do crazy things when we are together." Aitana just sighed in relief as she giggled, as she was glad that he did not take offense at her description. 

"I'm curious now, what do you think of Conrad and Kadu?" He hoped to learn more about her opinions about his friends.

"Oh gee aren't you persistent, promise me you won't tell anyone?" She wanted assurance that this conversation stayed between them.

"Of course, whatever is said here, will stay here." He assured her as he crossed his fingers.

"If I hear any yelling from either of them, I'm gonna beat you!" She jested. "Well, Conrad seems like a pretty rough guy and always puts up a tough image of himself by being vulgar, and it can be uncomfortable, but...I am pretty sure he is a nice guy deep inside, don't you think?"

"Really? I think he could be an insufferable brat who needs to get some ass-whooping sometimes, but I never really thought he could be double-faced about his tough nature. I guess he is the smallest among the guys after all, so he got to be aggressive, just like how small dogs usually are." Diacrao shared his thoughts with Aitana, the latter laughed at his comparison with the small dog.

"That's a cruel comparison Dia! But that does make sense. As for Kadu, I think he is a lovable sweetheart, though, he can be fickle and air-headed sometimes, which makes me feel more protective over the big guy. I can see that he is really genuine and passionate in learning about the world around him, and his curiosity is so childlike. I find it ironic that he would be our tank, but again, who could cover our backs just like Kadu?" She took the last sip from her cup until it was empty.

"Yeah, that makes sense, he has a great passion for history and surprisingly, he makes friends with the elders to learn more about the region. It's a win-win, he gets to build connections with the locals while also learning about the world. Do you reckon he would become a scribe?" Diacrao toyed with the possibility of Kadungon being a scribe, after all, it wasn't weird if he did become a scribe.

"I do think that sometimes, though, I find it cute that a big guy like him with a quill, hehe." She giggled as the idea of Kadungon being a scribe was cute and silly, but not far off from the realm of possibilities.

"Now it's your turn, Dia."

"My turn for what?"

"Your turn to share what you think about us ladies?"

"Wait a minute I don't remember agreeing to this!"

"Well you should've expected it! Now you can seal the jar anymore!"

"Ugh I am afraid I might not be going back alive."

"Oh please, I won't bite you, I promise ya! you can probably start with yours truly!" Aitana rested her chin on her palms that were resting on the table, glaring at the swordsman with big, curious eyes. 

"Well, here is what I think about you......that's all, thank you for listening to my speech."

"Bleh, you idiot!" She playfully kicked his legs as he laughed at his own antics.

"Alright, for real now, don't get mad at me, yeah? I initially thought that you were putting up a façade of kindness and thoughtfulness while having an ulterior motive, such as using us and leaving the group when we have no use, and I was expecting the world's harsh realities to break down your positive outlook in life. But, I am still surprised that you still maintained your views, nor did you have any ulterior motives, you sticked with us and put your time and effort to keep us together, despite our cohesion still being bad. I think we weren't wrong to pick you as a leader. Your positive outlook and charming personality is something that brightens the day, and personally, it made me look forward to another morning, to be greeted by your undying kindness and vigor, but you will not hesitate to point out and voice out your opinions if you think something is wrong. I admire that about you, Aitana."

Aitana was flabbergasted at Diacrao's response, she was expecting a short, brief response that described her, but she wasn't expecting a heartful message from the swordsman himself. The speech of compliments made her blush visibly and turned her head away for a moment, much to Diacrao's confusion.

"Did I say something wrong? I apologize if I did."

"No- you did not!! It's just, that I wasn't expecting your description to be so heartful. Thank you Dia, it made my morning, I appreciate your words, I do. I'll cherish this." Her cheeks were beet red, as she gazed at the male with a smile.

"Heh, don't fall sick now, you're as red as a tomato! are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, I am! Sorry to interrupt you, I'd like to hear about your thoughts of Zemfina and Chiasoka!"

"Okay, okay. Well, starting with Chia, I think she would be the female version of Kadungon, to be honest, except for the airheaded and the feeling of being lost, she is hearty and bubbly person, quite a conversationalist and a great listener. Oh, her fashion sense is immaculate, and If I'm not wrong, she had begun picking up weaving? regardless if she is or not, she knows how to dress and present herself. She seems to get along well with everyone generally, though, sometimes I think she could be quite reserved with her opinions and don't voice them out, which can be concerning sometimes."

"That's interesting, and yeah she is starting to learn how to weave! She is still in her infancy, but hey she's making good progress! And to be honest, it's hard to get her to voice out some of her opinions, namely dissatisfactions. I get the feeling she doesn't want to upset people." 

"I share the same thought too, it might break her heart more than it will break the other person's heart. Lastly, as for Zemfina, I find her lack of expression and monotonous voice to be disturbing at first sight. I wondered if we recruited an undead in the squad, and honestly, I wasn't expecting her to be socially capable, only responding with sarcastic and rude remarks, but honestly, it surprised me that she is approachable, responsive, focused, and works well with the team, and that's as far as I know, but somehow, I get the feeling she doesn't like Conrad that much due to his obnoxious behavior. How is she with you guys?"

"Well, she is quite the mistress of deception I tell you! She has been a social butterfly and sometimes the most talkative in the group! She acts more like a tomboy around the girls, sometimes even flirting with us!"

"You're kidding!"

"Jokingly of course! but you guys have only seen her when she is focused, and she can be a different person when she is performing her duties. You guys should get to know her after duties are done, she is totally a different breed! Of course, she would still be annoyed at Conrad, so expect a rain of sarcastic comments hurled at him."

"I see, well I guess we should hang out more, as a group, I think we haven't spent much time together."

"I feel the same too, Dia, it does concern me sometimes that no matter how long we have lived in this place, our organization as a group still feels pretty distant, as if we have just only known each other for a week."

"It makes sense, but usually our tight schedule and tiredness hinder us from having much leisure time anyway."

"But we can't be living in this cycle forever, can we? We should get into some activities together after our duties are done."

"Well, what are you suggesting?" Diacrao leaned forward with curiosity, eager to hear her suggestions.

"I say, we should start with something small first, maybe dinner together after dinner. frankly, it's been boring eating the same food again and again, maybe we should seek a change of scenery and perhaps we could cook together even!"

"Not a bad idea, and yeah, we gotta start somewhere. So uh, when do you plan on having dinner with the group?"

"Tomorrow, after our usual hunt, we can grab some grub! It can also be a great way to assess our situations together as well."

"Dang sounds good, I am dying to change my diet for a while. Any place in mind?"

"Can't decide on that yet, but we can decide on the way."

"Cool, sounds like a plan, I am definitely looking forward on tomorrow!"

The town bell rang from the distance, echoing through the slumbering city as it signaled daybreak had arrived at the peaks of Manda. Realizing that it was already morning, Aitana realized that she needed to meet with her trainer in early morning.

"Sorry Dia, I need to meet my trainer in a while! It's already daybreak."

"Likewise, I might go pay a visit to my trainer as well, hopefully the ass-whooping isn't gonna be terrible."

She giggled as they both got up from their seats, Diacrao pulled out a few coins, but Aitana quickly laid her hands over his.

"Dia! I. am. paying."

"You know I won't sleep well If I let you do that?"

"Then rest well knowing that I told you not to, please! It's your first time here, and I should thank you for accompanying me, so let me handle this alright?"

"Alright, but I'll pay for your meals too next time, alright?"

"Hehe, bet!" She smirked as she went on to pay for their orders. It cost them only 3 silvers, which was quite reasonable for what they had. Diacrao certainly would want to visit this place again with Aitana of course, it seems like an ideal place to relax, and blow some steam off. They made their way to the exit and found themselves on the streets.

"Want me to accompany you to your place?"

"Pfft, how kind of you, Sir Diacrao, but I can manage. You have a safe journey, alright? See you later Dia! oh, and thank you for accompanying me, it was certainly interesting to talk to you. I wish we can do it again."

"Heh, likewise, it was great to talk to you, Aitana, and I am looking forward to our next meeting too. See you, and safe travels."

They told their goodbyes and parted ways in their respective paths. Diacrao felt good talking to Aitana and gained new insights of his members. He was definitely looking forward for tomorrow's dinner, it would be their first time feasting together after a few months of being in this world. Part of him worries that it might not end up well and be an awkward dinner, but he still maintained some degree of optimism. Today, however, he would go on and finesse his ability, to become a better swordsman, slowly, but surely.