Edenteric

I'm Going Home

The spring breeze blew, bringing green leaves from the trees, dancing together with the environment, then fell right on the palm of a man.

The man was standing on the porch of a large castle. Closing his eyes, enjoying the wind. He opened his eyes when he felt something touch his open palm.

A leaf.

He looked at the leaf, then smiled slightly and let it go back, letting it get carried away by the wind.

"..your attitude is what will cause great trouble for Edenteria" the voice came from an old woman sitting in her room.

Nia, - the man in the sign - turned around and stepped into the room. Sitting on one of the seats there, he looked at the two royal elders the Lord had chosen to be Edenteria's advisors.

"So what's up?" asked Nia politely. Even so the old woman before him showed a clear expression of offence.

The old woman wanted to raise her voice immediately, but the figure of the old man sitting next to her interjected.

"More.." Nia looked at him, giving him a chance to talk. The old man sighed for a while before continuing his words.

"You are the highest Aldrich at the moment, your existence is very influential, it gives you great responsibility, therefore we expect wise action in the future" he said.

Nia smiled, she glanced at Lian, another man who had been standing next to her since.

"This we can talk about over tea I think, gosh, what I just did." he said, patting his forehead.

"I forgot to get you a drink, oh please forgive my irreverence" he said in a polite tone, clearly trying to shift the subject.

"I know you understand what I just said." said the old man affirming his words earlier.

Nia again glanced at Lian beside her, and finally Lian understood. He immediately spoke up.

"Ehem, I'm sorry Mr. Arion, I think we've done everything we should have done"

"Yes.. Except for one thing" Lian raised next to her eyebrows.

"What about him?" the old man named Arion asked again.

"Ahh, that matter" Nia stood up from her seat, then walked back towards the veranda. His eyes looked at the sky.

"You know, the sky represents freedom.."

"Even so he remains in his place, covering the world as bad as any condition" said Nia who now looks back at the two royal advisers.

"Such things can't.."

Tok tok tok tok

A knock on the door cut the old woman's words, a second later the door opened, revealing two girls in brown tatters behind it. One of them was wearing an iron armor with a combination of a short red skirt, a sharp gaze like an eagle and a sword on his waist. The others were wearing black travelling robes.

"Ah.. Noey, Bella, I've been waiting for you guys, come in" Nia told the two newly arrived girls.

An awkward feeling enveloped the two girls, seeing the presence of the royal elder in the room made both of them pause for a moment on the doorstep, but a second later the two royal advisers rose from their seats.

"It looks like we will wait for your answer later, it is enough for the First, lest he also act as he pleases." said Arion coldly, his eyes stared intently at Nia and Lian who were fixated on where they stood.

Nia smiled blankly.

"Alright, I'll make sure it doesn't happen" said Nia flat. Then the two advisors walked out of the room, passing the two girls in front of the door who looked down respectfully at them.

"Come in.." said Lian then let Noey and Bella in, the tone was back to normal. Dealing with the elders made him have to be formal. While Nia was sitting on her desk, Aldrich's first desk.

"Not usually they both come here." Noey opened the conversation. Standing right in front of Aldrich's first desk, Bella stood beside him after closing the door behind.

"Only ordinary things, control our work." said Lian casually as she walked to the right side of the room, taking her place on a soft knitted chair. He sat there crossing his legs.

"So what's up?"

Noey glanced at the girl next to him.

"I was just dropping off Bella, she just arrived from the assignment you gave her" Noey explained.

Lian rose again excitedly.

"So you got it?"

Bella smiled slightly, then she took out a parchment from behind her clothes and placed it on the table, Nia picked it up and read it.

"We got it, though not too much.. As you would expect" Bella said, taking out a blue jewel the size of a fist from her pocket.

"That mine is already a Goblin's nest, some of us were wounded as a result of the battle, therefore we only got about 150 pieces"

Lian grabbed the jewel, looking at it with great interest.

"Candellion blue.. One of the most interesting things in the world, 150? That's more than enough"

Nia noticed her friend's interest. Then smile mischievously.

"..and what is the miracle of that thing that makes you interested, Mr. Aldrich the third"

Lian glanced at him sharply.

"What the hell is that way of talking about you.."

"I also want to know, what are you planning to do with that thing?" Noey seemed interested as well. Bella was just quiet in the room.

Lian smiled.

"There's something I want to create, and with this Candellion, it might be possible" he explained, which still seemed incomprehensible to the three people. It was clearly on his third face.

"Haaah.. Should I explain?" he said that sounded like his spirit suddenly evaporated. Even so, he still explains.

"Candellion, is one of the three gems that has the power to absorb and capture a person's Cloe pressure, then store it and release it in the form of doubled energy"

Bella looked at the third Aldrich with a questioning look.

"Is it really doable?I mean, a gem that small has extraordinary abilities, is that possible?"

Lian did not answer, he threw Candellion in his hand up, soaring in the ceiling of the room. Then he pointed at the Candellion while chanting the matra.

"Aux de brue flare~"

A small lightning bolt struck from his fingertip towards Candellion who was still soaring in the ceiling of the room. There was no meaningful effect, but the entire lightning that struck it looked like it was being absorbed by the jewel.

When finished, the Candellion fell into Nia's hands. He grasped it, there was something strange about the Candellion.

"Pulsed.." he said.

"It was the pressure Cloe had just absorbed, pulsing with the pressure" Lian said with a small smile.

"Very useful, thank you Bella" said Lian again.

Bella looked down respectfully.

"I'm just doing my job." he said.

"Alright, Bella. You can go, rest, don't look tired at the festival tomorrow" said Nia as she let Bella go.

"Noey stay here, there's something I want to talk about"

Bella looks down respectfully at Nia and Lian. Then switch to Noey.

"I'm sorry captain" he said.

Noey rolled his eyeballs.

"How many times have I told you, there's no need to call me that if it's in the castle" Noey said with a bored face, while Bella only smiled a little and then left the room.

Now the three of them were left, quietly enveloping the white room, only the ticking of the clock and the sound of Lian rubbing her glasses.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" ask Noey who started talking. He looked at Nia, the second Aldrich did not answer, he just looked blankly at the other side of the room. Looking at the white robe hanging there.

The four white robes were stored there, in a glass cabinet made especially for it. The white robe itself was the oversized cloak of the Aldrich, the number on its back knitted with golden threads representing the Aldrich themselves.

Nia was still staring at the glass cabinet until finally Noey back up.

"Is this about the chairman?"

Nia turned away from the closet, turning to look at Noey who was still standing in front of her.

He smiles.

"I don't know what he's been thinking, it's been four years since that day but until now there's been no news of him"

Lian looked at him, she also felt a similar feeling. And perhaps not only him, but the whole population of Edenteria also felt it.

The departure of the first Aldrich, the chairman of the union who had always been with them. Now I don't know where, just disappeared leaving them.

Nia turned her chair to face the veranda, she stared at the clear sky of spring.

"Maybe I've asked you this, but I want to ask you one more time.."

"Do you know anything?"

Noey was speechless, he stared at the back of the second Aldrich.

"Nothing, I don't know anything"

"Is that? I thought.." Nia sighed and then said back.

"...since you're from the same village, you'll know something"

Noey fell silent, staring at Aldrich's first robe in the glass cabinet.

"As far as I know, that person is always troublesome, acting as he pleases, acting foolishly while shouting his dreams"

Lian stood up from her sitting position. Putting back his glasses.

"I admit, I lost her figure, no one knows us all better than her"

"Yes"

Nia turned her chair back to the table. His outlook had changed, he did not want to drag on in this matter.

"Tomorrow is the day that the Vanor festival is held, how is the preparation?" he said, now with a brighter tone.

Noey was stunned for a while, yet he immediately understood Nia's current change in attitude. As the current supreme Aldrich, he was unwilling to show his unease. Then Noey immediately replied.

"Everything is going well, until now it has reached 90%, I'm sure tomorrow's festival will be perfect"

"Good indeed.. Then I hope tomorrow will be a good day." said Nia with a smile, Lian and Noey also smile to see it.

***

Trinking~

"Congratulationsang~" said a shopkeeper who welcomed the arrival of the customer, a white-tailed girl covered in a thin jacket of the same color. The red scarf on her neck looks striking, although it is spring but the air outside is still too cold forcing some people to wear warm clothes.

The girl stepped in, smiled at the shopkeeper, then started walking around the store looking for groceries she was going to buy.

He picked up some vegetables, some fruits and then stopped right in front of the meat table.

He stared at the white flesh lined up on the table, a signboard explaining that it was RoutRabbit meat. A rabbit that was still in the category of monsters, three-eyed and thick-haired, larger than a normal rabbit.

'I really like RoutRabbit!!'

The shadow of a boy flashed past his head, a boy with a deafening voice.

The girl immediately shook her head, then picked up a few large pieces of meat.

.

.

.

.

.

"Thank you, please come back again~" said the shopkeeper as he waved his hand at the customer.

The girl walked straight away from the shop. Her blond strands tied to the ponytail swung each time she stepped. Looks funny.

He walked slowly, carrying a paper bag filled with groceries in front of his chest. His eyes stared unfocusedly into the street, his flat face showing the uneasiness he felt.

Tap..

"Hey Frans!!"

"Ka Mou?"

***

Lian picked up one of the tea cups that a castle maid had just placed on the table. Inhaling the scent of brown liquid in his hand while closing his eyes.

"Ahh~ fragrant aroma of tea in the afternoon.."

"Thank you 79" Nia said to the maid who brought her tea. The waiter smiled and then looked down respectfully.

"Is there anything else I can get you, Mr Nia?" said gently.

Nia nodded and smiled.

"No, thank you, this is enough.."

The servant girl looked down respectfully and then left. Noey stared at him until the door closed, then turned to look at Nia who was drinking her tea.

"Until now I still don't understand why they're called numbers." said Noey

"So did I." said Lian as she placed the tea cup on the table right next to her.

"If the number wasn't on his clothes, maybe I'd have mistakenly called him"

"Only the butler and the top five maids have quite normal names" Nia put down her teacup and then gave a small smile.

"I think Dimas had enough trouble determining a name for them"

Noey was still standing in his place since, his tea which was placed 79 on the table in front of him was not touched at all.

Another with Lian who had even emptied the contents of her cup.

"Vanor Festival" Lian broke the silence, she stood up, walking closer to her two friends.

"I think it'll be better than last year"

"Yes, there will be many immigrants present, especially traders from various regions, besides various people from noble families have begun to meet the Atrium." said Noey confirming Lian's words. He folded his hands in front of his chest, then looked at Nia who was still enjoying her tea.

"Then..when are you going to explain about your meeting with the Sovereign?"

Nia almost spouted her tea when she heard Noey ask, lucky that she could still control herself. He put down his teacup, then looked at Noey who was standing with her sharp gaze. At first glance he saw Lian who was standing next to Noey with a surprised face.

"I don't remember ever saying that." said Nia while putting on a small smile, although it was clear that she was trying to cover something up.

"Never underestimate the hearing of the Elves." a voice rang out, then the door swung open revealing the figure of Kevin behind him. He stepped into the room, pulling down the hood of his robe, revealing his delicate facial skin and the pointed ears of a typical Elf.

"Ah... It's you.." Nia massaged her temple slowly watching Kevin step in after closing the door behind her.

"Remind me to cast a spell of mind-repellent in this room later." he said again while staring at Lian.

Kevin smiled obliquely, grunting softly. He stopped right next to Noey.

"I'm not entirely an Elf, that spell won't be of any use to me"

"Then let me put up a Kevin-repellent spell, I think I read it in a book" Lian joked while mentioning a spell that never existed. Kevin smiled flatly.

"I was right under this room with Brother Noey when the elders came in, told you about the meeting" Kevin explained, he turned around then sat in the same chair where the elders had sat before.

"I was surprised, you know that Brother Noey was downstairs, even asked him to come, but you don't know if I was there" Kevin said.

"Wait, ask?" Lian asked, then turned to look at Nia who was still behind the table.

"You asked him to come? How'd you.."

"Daun.." said Noey who then made Lian more confused. Then he spoke back.

"No ordinary leaf has the words 'come and help me' on the surface"

Nia patted her forehead while Lian stared at her with a strange look.

"When did you write it??"

"That's not important, than that can you explain? why would the Lord want to meet you?" now Noey again urged him, looking at him with an ice-cold look.

"Is this about the chairman's departure?"

All eyes looked at him, waiting for an answer. Nia sighed, she shifted her tea cup aside, fused her finger and then started talking.

"Yes it is not only I who will meet the Sovereign, all the leaders of every kingdom on this continent will come to that meeting. But specifically for me, it seems like they want to discuss the issue, even though the real goal is to prevent it from happening again"

"Ah.. I get it, it must be about him, right?" said Kevin who was immediately replied to a small nod by Nia.

Noey raised his eyebrows.

"That idiot?"

"It's been two years that he's gone, correct me if I'm wrong" Lian recalled.

***

Grandel Cop, one of dozens of shops in Edenteria. It is located in the eastern part of the kingdom, not far from the central Atrium.

This small, simple-looking shop is a favorite place for residents, especially for those who do not have much money. However, although the menu is served quite cheap, the taste offered is not inferior to the big shops in this kingdom.

Late in the afternoon, Grandel Cop looked quiet. Just a few visitors were seen there. One of them is three girls who are now sitting in the corner of the store with their own glasses.

"Ahhh~ is delicious" said one of the three girls cheerfully as he put down his Amonte glass. The long black-blonde girl looked at her two friends sitting right in front of her.

"I really like Amonte in this store"

"It's no ordinary Amonte" Iro, the dark purple girly girl wearing those casual clothes, smelled the scent of orange liquid in her glass.

"Amonte is usually made from Raspberry, another type of strawberry that grows on the edge of the forest. But this, it's a little different"

"Mou, is this really Amonte?" tanya Iro assured.

The girl called Mou chuckled, she took another sip of her Amonte.

"Iro, what's wrong with you? Don't be so stiff, we're off duty, relax, it's not poison"

Iro was still staring at the glass in his hand. Mou immediately turned to another direction, right at the other girl sitting beside Iro. The girl with the red scarf fell silent.

"Hey, Frans.. You okay?"

The girl named Frans was awakened from her daydream. He looked at Mou.

"Oh yes, why Brother Mou?"

"You okay? Are you sick?" asked Mou with a worried tone. He saw Frans' face was quite pale, plus a scarf around his neck, maybe he was sick.

Frans shook his head slowly. Then she smiled a little.

"What's wrong, I'm fine" he said, but Mou still stared at him intensely.

Frans who was stared at like that tried to divert the conversation, he looked at Iro who was still thinking about Amonte in his hands.

"Sister Iro, it's just Amonte" he said.

Iro turned his head, from his eyes showing that he was still doubtful. The type of fighter like himself is used to being meticulous in everything, especially about food and drinks. His expertise in poison processing makes him a 'little' picky about food.

Always vigilant.

Or be too wary, if that's according to Mou.

"This store, Grandel Cop, blends Amonte with cow's milk. Makes it a little more liquid than usual" Frans explained, looking into his glass. He wiggled his Amonte glass and then inhaled its aroma.

"Raspberries used are also not from the forest, but from a garden that is planted alone. It felt a little different because it grew in the garden, the texture of the soil in Edenteria that was hard enough to make it unable to grow as good as in the forest" Frans took a spoon, then tasted his Amonte with a spoon.

"It tastes somewhat acidic due to fermentation of the milk.. Ah, yes I think it would be better if plus a little honey bees Wamps" he said again with a smile and then realized that the two friends did not understand his words, visible from their gazes towards him.

"Eh, I'm sorry I said too much huh"

Mou laughed, and so did Iro. Frans was confused as to why the two of them were laughing.

But Iro soon mastered himself.

"Haha.one thing only Frans" he said while holding back his laughter.

"At least, I don't understand what you said just now" he said, returning to laugh while Frans only smiled clumsily.

"From that." now Mou has managed to stop her laughter, albeit with great difficulty, even more so when she sees Frans' clumsy smile.

"You have so much.."

Frans glanced at his shopping bag on the table, right by his side. That's right, it seems he just realized that the paper bag he used was a little bulging because of the many items that must be accommodated.

"Yes.. This is for supplies in the next few months" he said.

"I often get assignments far away, I don't have time to buy any of this. So, while I can buy it in large quantities" Frans said again.

Mou stared at Frans' shopping bag, looking at some fruits, vegetables, and meat she had never seen.

"Em, the white meat." said Mou while pointing at the meat in the chocolate shopping bag.

"I've never seen him"

Iro turned his head, looking at the direction Mou was pointing at.

"That's RoutRabbit, right?" Frans nodded small.

"RoutRabbit?" Mou looked confused, Frans immediately explained everything about RoutRabbit. Mou nodded in understanding.

"Have you?"

"Truly delicious, the meat is different from other meats. The texture is soft and has its own taste. Even if you just burn it without seasoning, RoutRabbit never feels tasteless" explained Iro who is now convinced that the orange liquid in his glass is just Amonte. He took it a few times.

"Have you tried it?" now Mou asked Iro. The purple girl looked at the ceiling of the tavern and replied.

"First, when Master was still in charge of the Eight Divisions, while on duty out of the kingdom we often hunted RoutRabbit and roasted it for dinner"

"Master likes the head the most" he said again which makes Mou feel nauseous.

"Huee disgusting.."

"You should try it once in a while." said Iro who then gulped down his Amonte.

"No, thank you. I don't want to ruin my dinner" replied Mou who then laughed with her two friends.

***

"Allow me to bring her home" Noey said suddenly, making Nia lift next to her eyebrows.

"That fool, I'll find him and I'll force him home"

"Ahh, that's a good idea" Lian said in an agreed tone. He smiled slanted.

"I'll bet Brother Noey can definitely take him home with a chain tied around his neck" he said, chuckling.

Kevin seemed to think, his forehead shriveled and then finally made a sound.

"Yes, I think so too, considering there's no one who can stop that fool other than Brother Noey"

"But how are you gonna find him?"

"I'll take Iro" replied Noey, who then returned to his voice as he felt Kevin's confusion behind him.

"When the chairman placed him in the Eight Divisions as captain, the fool implanted the Four Paths Seal both ways on the Iro"

"Four-Hand Seal?" Kevin seems interested, seen from his sitting attitude which is now no longer leaning back in the chair.

"Both direction." Noey correction

"Yes, the seal connects him to Iro so he can track Iro's Cloe's pressure and find out where he is, and vice versa A level higher than the Searchdon Tracker's Spell that has a limit at a certain distance, The Four Corners Seal has no bounds, so you can track it wherever it is" Noey explained. 

Lian nodded in understanding. While Nia did not give any expression, she stared blankly ahead, not focusing on anyone.

The wind blew from the veranda, making the Second Aldrich speechless while the three friends were still discussing the Four Corners Seal. He felt strange to himself, something in him like tickling his brain, making his feelings unsettled.

What was?

The wind blew again, this time stronger than before, making some of the parchments on the table fly away from him.

Something's.

He felt something strange. His brain turned violently, ignoring the voice of his friend. Closing his eyes, he heard a gust of wind - which he felt - strange for the third time.

And then, - just as Noey was again asking permission for the second time - he opened his eyes. Then smile on his side.

"We'll talk about it next time, we have a guest .."

***

Hyushh~

The spring breeze blew against his black robe, revealing powerful legs that stepped steadily. A black-robed man walked through the forest, right behind him another figure no taller than his knee, walking following him with a humorous-sounding clattering of steps.

Pyong~ pyong~

"Heii~ I'm hungry-gero~" said the small black-gray-faced frog-like figure. His head is quite large compared to his body, his long ears look more like a rabbit, although not standing upright but dangling up to his chin.

The gray round face looks cute with big eyeballs and black round pupils. He walked lethargic with his two small legs, a big brown bag on his back making him look very tired.

"You think you're the only one starving, huh!?" said the black-robed man who walked in front of him in a high tone.

It made the hood of his robe slump, revealing a black-bladed man with a thin face just like his posture, his Onyx bead gleaming.

"Huh. I will have 4 stomach-gero" replied the small figure who turned out to be a DragonFrog-type monster frog that is very rarely found in this arena, which is very rare, it was seen from a pair of dragon-like wings poking out from behind his back, sandwiched between his back and the large bag he was carrying.

The man stopped suddenly and pointed at the frog's face in annoyance.

"HOW DO YOU HAVE 4 BELLY WITH SUCH A SMALL BODY IS STUPID!!"

"DON'T CALL ME STUPID, STUPID!!" reply to the frog who also shouted with his loud voice. Although it sounds funny.

"Hmbb! You better shut up, your voice can break my ears" said the man, throwing his face away and then walking back.

"Hmb!! Your voice can even ruin the whole world-gero!" reply frogs did not want to lose and finally the little quarrel began again until they both realized that they were starving.

"I lapaaaar (geroo~)" said the two of them while bowed limp.

But then the man immediately stood holding the big bag of black-gray frog and then pulled it until the frog and his bag lifted.

"There's no point in keeping quiet, we have to keep going" he said again walking while lifting the frog with his bag.

"But I'm lapaaar-geroo~" whined the frog with his funny voice, his little feet kicking in the wind making the man who raised him slumber.

"I can finish off a Minotaur if I want to!!"

"Oh I really want to see it" said the man in a mocking tone as he glanced back, towards the frog he held up behind his back.

"I want to see who gets eaten"

There's no answer. It seemed like the frog was holding back from returning his ridicule, he was quite thankful that there was no need to waste energy on useless fights.

Instead, he looked ahead. The forest path he went through began to widen, and he knew that only a few meters away, they would both arrive.

The large trees were reduced to the right, replaced by shrubs and some small trees. Then in front of there, he saw an open road to a cliff that he had memorized.

"Hey we have arrived" he said, lowering the frog to the ground while he looked around.

The forest was really over, the path he took had a fairly difficult terrain but the distance was closer.

He stepped forward, towards the edge of the cliff. The steep cliffs are quite high, below which lie valleys and vast grasslands. The green color of the meadow filled his eyes, spread so wide.

"A lot has changed like-gero~" said the frog who turned out to look at the softness in front of him.

"I don't remember ever having those towers-gero~" he said again, pointing forward.

A sizable kingdom stood atop a vast meadow, docked in the cliff wall where they stood. A large castle was built right on the side of the cliff, four new towers have been built high up to slightly over the cliff border.

"I think they've just finished it" the man folded his arms around his chest, staring at the big castle below them. The kingdom was little changed from 2 years ago when he last saw it, many new buildings.

"Ahh, it looks like we came at the right time" he said as he stared at a large white-gold flag waving loudly in the wind.

"Vanor Festival, I think it'll be tomorrow"

The frog looks cheerful, the face of the club is beaming.

"Then, let's hurry!! There!! I don't think they've moved the ladder-gero~" said the frog, jumping in delight but as he wanted to run up the stairs that would take them down the cliff, a hand pulled his big bag.

"We are not going through the usual path" said the man behind him, he grasped the bag of the frog who was now looking at him confused.

"I-I mean mu-gero"

The man pulled the big bag under the frog so roughly that it slipped off his back. The frog's wings are visible there.

"Don't say.. I-if" the frog put on an anxious face, while the man in front of him smiled broadly.

"Of course!!" said the man excitedly, then without warning he kicked the frog hard off the cliff. Then without hesitation, he also jumped high from the top of the cliff, sliding towards the castle.

"We're home!!!"

"YYYAAA!!! I DON'T WANT TO DIE-GEROOOO!!"

***

"Please come back~" the maid girl Grandel Cop smiled at the three of them while waving her hand.

Mou replied to him briefly then ran small chasing his two friends who walked first.

The sky was now orange, reminiscent of Amonte, except that white, cotton-like clouds were floating across the twilight sky.

"So what are your plans after this?" asked Mou after successfully equating her steps with those two friends.

Iro turned his head, then his eyes looked at the sky, thinking in a long 'emm' voice. Mou soon understood that her friend did not know what to do.

"Em, I'm going to cook dinner, then go to bed after I've written some of my reports about tomorrow's festival" Frans said, recalling what he had to do. He was supposed to hand it over today, but the Castle is being temporarily closed due to the preparations for the Festival.

"Wahh!! Frans you can cook yaa. I almost forgot" said Mou with a look of amazement answered a small nod by the blonde girl, her red scarf waving in the wind behind her.

"I'd love to cook like you, but I don't seem to have the skills to do that." she added, then suddenly moody.

"Don't you, Brother Mou has some servants?" frans asked the black girly girl who was walking beside him.

"They cook for you, don't they?"

Mou nodded weakly, then turned towards Frans with an envious look.

"But I feel like I failed being a girl because I couldn't cook.."

"A good girl is not determined by whether she can cook or not." a voice startled the three girls. They looked ahead, where a man was standing.

"(Sister) Faruq!?"

The man smiled at them while raising his palm.

"Hi.." he said kindly.

That man, Faruq. The captain of the Second Division's combat troops, the figure of the Captain who was quite friendly to others. Frans calls him 'Sister' because Faruq is obviously older than him, but Mou and Iro never call anyone Kak, except the First Division Captain, Noey.

"Walking around, eh?" ask Faruq.

"Enjoy the afternoon atmosphere." replied Mou with a big smile, then looked back at Faruq.

"New to?"

"Yep, that's right" he answered who was aware of his appearance. A complete armor and a sword and shield hung on his back.

"Just arrived from Akiba" he said again.

The eyes of the three girls were rounded. Then a barrage of questions came out of Mou's mouth, attacking the clumsy smiling Faruq.

"Ah, some special duties of those jerks" he replied.

The three of them understood who the jerks Faruq meant, they were none other than those two Aldrich. Faruq did not look familiar with the Aldrich, considering their frequent quarrels, although it was a silly quarrel sort of determining the name of the castle's servants.

"Hahh~ why didn't I get the job" complained Mou with a more moody face than when she recalled her cooking skills.

"I really want to go to Akiba"

"There was actually nothing interesting there" a small voice rang out from behind Faruq, then the figure of a long brown unraveling little girl emerged from there while licking a large enough candy.

"Akiba's just a boring big city.."

Mou sneered at the little girl.

"You said it was boring, but you still enjoyed that candy Dindaa~"

"Emm, what kind of candy is that?" frans asked with interest in the large, colorful spiral-shaped candy in the little girl's hand.

Mou looked towards him.

"That's Loliglop, the candy you can only get in Akiba, the candy of all tastes that bring out the various flavors of fruit in each lick" explained Mou.

"And the little girl said that Akiba is just a boring city" he said again with a slurred voice.

Dinda, the brown-haired little girl smiled innocent. The Second Division vice-captain now looked like a sweet little girl with that smile, even though they all knew that her smile was part of her battle skills to outwit the opponent.

"You know, your smile will not be useful to me" said Mou again who is now more upset.

Faruq sighed, bored with everything, a useless quarrel that only made his ears bother. He did not realize that he always did that with the Aldrich.

"Hey hey can we stop talking about this assignment? It should be a beautiful holiday" he said.

"I'm the only one on duty when the festival will take place" he said again

"No, not just you, everyone has their own duties, but all the Divisions on duty are back today. The third Aldrich does not allow anyone to be outside the kingdom during the festival" said Iro who seemed to have given up thinking about what he would do after this.

"Sir Noey and Bella just arrived a few hours ago, Kevin and his Division arrived after, then me, Mou and Frans came back yesterday as well as the other Divisions"

"The third Aldrich has planned it carefully" Frans added.

Faruq scowled in annoyance, his right hand clenched.

"Aldrich third, that guy.. I'll beat him up" he said annoyed. Her firm face was slightly exposed to the twilight rays, looking creepy, making Mou slightly move away.

"He deliberately gave me a task to Akiba because he knew I didn't like to go far away, and it took three days to get there" Faruq explained his frustration, with a bit of a strange pitiful tone.

"Think how tired my legs are, walking all day to get mired in the mud-filled hay"

"I suggest you not to imagine it." said Dinda while still licking her Loliglop.

"Obviously I wouldn't want to imagine it." whispered Mou to Frans who then chuckled, as well as Iro.

Faruq, now his face looks even worse. Three girls and a little girl, not old enough, were laughing at him. This made him really want to beat up Lian.

'Just look at you!' angryness.

.

.

.

.

"Hey Frans" called Faruq out of the blue, Frans turned to look at him.

"Good scarf" he said, pointing to Frans' red scarf. The scarf fluttering in the wind since earlier caught Faruq's attention.

"Nia gave it to me on my birthday last December" Frans said.

"Humm, that was the one person's crush" said Faruq sneering at the second Aldrich.

"Sister Frans" called Dinda this time which made Frans stop staring at her scarf, He turned to look at the little girl.

"It looks like tonight's got a great dinner huha"

Frans realized Dinda's words were fixed on a large grocery bag in her hand. He smiled and then shook slowly.

"No, it's just my supplies for a few days at home"

"It was obviously for Dinda's cooking supplies" Faruq told Dinda beside him. Then a strange glance at Mou.

"Frans are experts in cooking, unlike a~" he said again while glancing at Mou.

"Hey hey! Just a moment ago you said a good girl can't be seen cooking or not." said Mou, who was well aware that Faruq was mocking her.

"I'm changing my mind now" replied Faruq who this time made Frans, Iro and also Dinda laugh. While Mou was annoyed by it.

"I'll cook! You don't think I can!"

"Then let me visit Madam Hopkins in his clinic, ask him if he has some stomach painkillers" Dinda's laughter grew louder, as did Frans and Iro. As for Mou, her face flushed in annoyance under the twilight light.

The sun was tilting further west, leaving a black shadow between its rings. Some shops have put up a sign of closure, but not a few also remain open on the night of preparation for this festival.

People passing by the main streets of the kingdom occasionally turn to a group of laughing girls, as well as passionate men who are also there.

The wind blew slowly then, their laughter began to thin, leaving Mou who was now attacking Faruq with her small blows.

Iro and Frans chuckled at him, even more so Frans who now looked a little comfortable than a moment ago.

But his laughter did not last long, after seeing Mou successfully kick Faruq, Frans stopped his laughter.

Not without reason, he was silent, something was bothering him.

He smelled something, a familiar smell. Then he realized something, his shopping bag just slipped out of his arms, slid to the ground.

Mou turned her head towards him, ignoring Faruq who was complaining of pain.

"French? What's up?" ask Mou who is approaching her. But Frans did not budge, he remained silent where he stood.

He, unconsciously ignored Mou's questions. He was too busy convincing himself of what he had just felt.

He smelled it again, the same smell. Even he had heard a scream, although it sounded weak, but he really knew the voice.

He will assume all this is his delusion, if he is a normal human being. But since childhood, his smell and hearing are indeed more than ordinary humans, even Elves.

Therefore, not caring about Mou's worried cry, he turned around, then ran as fast as he could.

Iro who saw it was also confused, but could not follow in Mou's footsteps shouting Frans' name.

Something happened to him too. He felt his head heavy, there was air that made his body feel depressed. Mou who looked towards him now looked confused.

"Iro??"

Iro fell silent, he did not intend to answer Mou's call at all. There was something strange about him. He thought for a moment, ignoring Mou's words beside him.

What happened to him, he made sure there was no poison in Amonte that he drank a while ago.

This is not a poison symptom, he thought again. He thought again, though he could not find the answer. But his eyes were perfectly rounded as he felt his right hand tremble. 

Right on his wrist, there was a slight burning sensation like being hit by a spark. Vibrates slowly.

He was very surprised, he never felt this again, at least for the last two years. And then when he was sure his hands were shaking strongly enough, he ran in the same direction as Frans.

"What's this?" asked Mou who saw her two friends running in the same direction. Then he quickly picked up Frans' shopping bag, then turned to Faruq for a moment.

"I left first" he said, running after his two friends, leaving Faruq standing there with Dinda.

"They're why?" ask Faruq in confusion. Dinda who was standing next to him just shrugged both of his shoulders, not knowing.

"Oh look! What fell from the sky?" Faruq again made a sound while pointing up at the sky. Dinda raised her head, looking in the direction Faruq pointed out.

"Either, maybe bird droppings" Dinda replied.

"How can a little girl like you say such a disgusting thing flatly" Faruq said as he looked at Dinda in wonder who was replied with the girl's innocent smile.

"..and don't look at me with that annoying smile of yours!!"

***

"Guests?" Noey clearly did not understand what the second Aldrich had just said, not only himself, Lian and Kevin were equally incomprehensible.

"Yes guests" said Nia again, smiling for the umpteenth time at the three who looked still confused by what he just said.

"Guess what do you mean?" kevin asked now.

The wind again blew slowly, shaking the curtain of the glass door behind Nia.

"Didn't you feel it?"

No one answered, all still in the same confusion until a voice surprised them.

"Have you forgotten me in two years?"

The voice came from the veranda, right behind Nia. The wind blew again, making the curtain dance again in its place. The black-robed male figure was seen crouched at the end of the veranda, just above the guardrail.

The hood worn by the man slumped down from the wind, revealing a familiar face.

"I'm very disappointed." said the figure again.

Lian, Kevin and Noey were shocked when they realized that the figure was..

"U-udzaa.." Noey, his eyes were round looking at that figure.

The man smiled widely, then raised his hand.

"Hi, how are you?"

***

Lian, Kevin and Noey were shocked, their eyes were round looking at the figure. Nia smiled slightly, she did not need to look around to know who that figure was.

"U-udzaa.."

"Hey... How are you?"

"I think you're still the same as before" Nia voiced out, ignoring the surprised gazes of her three friends. He said without looking.

"Did you still not understand something they call the entrance?"

Udzaa, that cloaked figure smiled widely. Quite happy with Nia's words, as if the person knew what she wanted to do.

"Then you can explain, the important thing you call that entrance" he said with great passion.

Nia got up from her seat, she laughed softly. His three friends are still there.

"Well, I'll teach you one more time"

"Hoo.. I'm really looking forward to it" said Udzaa, who then jumped back high.

Nia turned to face the veranda, then she muttered something quietly.

"Cloth~"

Instantly, a magic circle appeared that shimmered bluishly under his feet. Slowly the circle rose through his legs, continued to rise until it disappeared after passing through his head.

And now, Nia had been wearing another outfit. His standard combat armor. Then step in your guard. His three friends followed behind.

The sky really understands. It was already 7pm, yet the sky was still not dark at all, as if giving time for Nia to 'teach'.

Taps.

Udzaa, now standing - or rather hovering in the air - not far from the veranda where Nia and the others were.

"Bahh.. Looks like you're so excited that you're going to wear your stupid shirt"

"Then you should be sure you will be much more 'smart' than this stupid shirt" Nia said as she grabbed something from behind her waist. There was a pair of iron Gloves of his, he wore them, then the Glove glowed a brief bluish glow.

"Get on the stage, and quickly teach me.." challenge Udzaa with a slanted smile on his face.

"By pleasure." replied Nia who turned a glance towards Kevin behind him.

"Help me a little bit, Kevin" he said again, then jumped high, out of the porch.

Kevin, at first, didn't quite understand. But when Nia jumped, she finally knew what to do.

He cast a little spell.

"Blind Pad!" he said while sticking his hand forward. Instantly appeared a transparent square footing in the air, glistening exposed to the light of twilight.

Taps.

Nia landed seamlessly on the transparent footing, which now makes it appear to float in the air, as did Udzaa.

"Ahh I forgot, there is a Magic Caster" said Udzaa who, although spoken calmly, a distinctive tone of ignorance was heard from the voice.

"We're not gonna lose, are we, Errol?" a black-gray frog emerged from behind his body, gliding flying with a pair of black wings.

"Yep, that's really a gero" said Errol, the DragonFrog frog. Both of his arms were extended forward with his thumb and index finger held together.

"Has right" Lian murmured suddenly, she folded her hands in front of her chest. He was no longer surprised, especially about the things that his two friends would do. He has faced it too often, of course he memorized.

"I thought how he could use that Footing-Air spell, it turned out that Errol did it"

"We start!!" said Udzaa loudly while running right towards Nia. Errol quickly made another transparent foothold making Udzaa look like it was running in the air.

Nia remained silent in her place, with a small smile. While Udzaa had already jumped at him, he pulled his greatsword from behind his back, pointing it at Nia who was still unmoved.

The trail!!

The sound of metal clashing, was clearly heard there. Nia raised her hand, resisting the massive sword attack with just her palm alone.

"Huh, without this Glove I might have been cut in half" he said.

Udzaa stopped in the air, he grasped his sword grip with both hands, trying to press it even stronger but his sword did not budge.

"Damn.."

In desperation, Udzaa swung his right leg, trying to kick Nia's left side which he turned back to with his other hand.

Udzaa pushed himself, trying to make distance between them, he landed on a transparent footing a few meters from Nia.

Nia smiled slanted.

"I'm sure it must have hurt" he mocked.

Udzaa, although it is true that his right leg is throbbing pain, he does not want to show it. Instead, he smiled at her.

"Your stupid gloves are really troublesome"

Udzaa swung his greatsword right and left, making a loud 'wush' sound every swing. Then he stretched his sword straight towards Nia.

"If you just survive like that, you won't be able to win" he said.

Nia was silent, she looked at the man in front of her expressionlessly making the man groan annoyed at thinking he was unheeded, just as soon as he attacked.

A hasty attack was not an opponent for him. Nia remained silent, resisting all attacks by Udzaa from all directions. Then he remembered something again, it felt like he had not felt this for a long time.

His little fight with his friends, which he always did first. Turned into stiff. Just because he's an Aldrich, doesn't mean he shouldn't have fun.

But somehow he felt pressured by the old advisors' unwritten rules. Makes himself stiffer than before. The attitude of his friends changed, along with his own attitude.

What good is an Aldrich?

Trang!!

The great sword again collided with Nia's Glove. Absolutely no change, the attacks launched by Udzaa can be easily detained.

Udzaa, for the umpteenth time, opened the distance between them. Gasping beside Errol who was flying there.

"Have you started giving up?" asked Nia smiling.

"Ceh, never" replied Udzaa who then turned towards Errol.

"Time for the second plan.."

***

Srakk..

Frans stopped there, right in front of the castle's main gate. The black barred gate was guarded by several bodyguards, but it seemed like the guards were even interested in something up there.

Far above the main gate, a fight was going on. Kite up there.

Frans was very familiar with the great sword, the sword with the bluish glowing blade that was none other than his..

"Udzaa!?"

Frans looked back, he saw Iro and Mou standing there, staring at the sky above the castle.

"That's Udzaa, isn't it?" Mou narrowed her eyes, trying her best to look up there. Frans was silent.

***

Nia raised next to her eyebrows, confused. But he was sure for this time he had to be serious a little, wrong - he could be thrown away.

Udzaa looks more serious now. He closed his eyes, adjusted his breathing slowly then quickly opened his eyes and charged forward.

Nia chuckled, positioning her right foot slightly forward. The perfect defensive horses.

Udzaa came quickly, without saying much he swung his sword until he could slash the head of the second Aldrich, if only he did not dodge.

Successfully evading does not mean the attack has been completed. Udzaa again swung his leg trying to kick Nia but remained held back by her.

Grimacing a little because of the pain in his leg, he jumped, turned, then Errol quickly made another transparent footing up there which Udzaa used to throw down, right towards Nia.

Nia changed her hand gesture, now firmly clenched and then pointed it upwards, welcoming the great sword drawn towards her.

But a second before the sword touched Nia's big fist, Udzaa pulled it back towards her, instead of her free left hand touching Nia's fist.

Holding her weight there, resting on Nia's fist that was directed upwards. Udzaa laughed a little.

"Because of you!"

He spun down from there, swinging his sword towards the right side of Nia's body that was unattainable by his hand.

When Udzaa was confident of winning, Nia showed a little bit of her ability.

A huge wind appeared out of nowhere, dragging Udzaa slightly back until the swing of her sword did not hit its target.

He knew, the speed of Nia's punch could not be underestimated. The wind stopped then.

The distance is open again between those who are now exchanging positions. Udzaa stood right in front of the porch while Nia was in front of Errol.

"Good move" praised Nia a little, but was not answered by Udzaa. The man just smiled triumphantly, seeing that Nia suddenly realized there was something strange behind him.

He turned his head and found Errol pulling out a fairly large fireball from his mouth, hurtling towards him. Luckily he was able to dodge at the last moment, the fireball shot past him.

Nia looked at Errol with an annoyed look, Errol replied to her with a strange wide smile then slid flying in the other direction away from her. The same smile as Udzaa, he thought then realized there was something behind his back.

"Nia!! Watch out!!" lian's warning cry sounded a moment later, she turned her head back.

Udzaa was there, just a few inches away from him. The blade of his greatsword was fiery, blazing violently. He pointed the sword at Nia.

There's no time to escape.

DUAAARR!!

A big explosion happened there. A second earlier Kevin had put up additional protectors under the Udzaa attack, keeping it from impacting the residents below.

The fire from the explosion instead of heading down, even soaring high at dusk, glaring with orange color up there.

Kevin patted her forehead.

"Haahh, actually what he was thinking anyway, an attack of that size could harm another.."

"Remind me to beat him up later" Noey said coldly.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The smoke of the explosion disappeared, Udzaa was sure of winning. But when all the smoke disappeared, he did not see Nia there.

"Where is he"

"You never learn.." Udzaa turned his head immediately, looking at the figure of Nia who turned out to be on top of it. He narrowed his eyes, glare as the twilight sunlight burst into his eyes.

"Think of the impact of your attack first you fool!" nia said in an annoyed tone. He kicked Udzaa's wrist until his greatsword slipped off, then slid down, plunging dangerously on the ground almost hitting a few guards.

Udzaa who was still silent could not fight, Nia again kicked him until bounced far enough to hit Errol behind him.

"Now!!"

Nia immediately charged at him, aiming her kick from top to bottom, but Udzaa quickly held him back with both hands.

"It still survives apparently" Nia mocked. Udzaa stared at him, trying to stand up but the pressure from Nia's opposition could not make him move.

"Remember this" said Nia again who made Udzaa's attention fixated on her.

"You owe me a bowl of Miso" he said again, who then pressed his feet harder until the transparent footing there cracked.

"DAN!?"

"GERMO!!?"

THE PRANNG!!

Errol's Footing-Air Spell was completely destroyed, making the two of them slide down with a noisy shout.

"QUEENYOOO!!)"

BRUISES!

"At least you fell cool" said Nia who was still standing there while chuckling.

Down there, Udzaa falls right in front of Frans, Iro, and Mou. Errol fell right over his face.

"Kudhai .. You're.. Later.."

***

The sky was getting dark, the silly fight was over. Udzaa stood up, wagging his robe, clearing himself of the dust.

Errol shook his head, trying to relieve the dizziness on his head.

"I'll reply next time!!" udzaa shouted while clenching her hands towards Nia who was still standing there. Nia laughed a little.

"I'll wait.." she replied.

Udzaa was silent, he still felt dizzy in his head. He looked up, where he was fighting and then turned to look at the ground. I realized how high he fell.

"Lucky I'm not dead" he muttered with a pale face.

"Gero.." muttered Errol who also thought the same, who then stared at Udzaa in surprise.

"It's not like you can fly"

Errol showed a very surprised face, then in a hoarse voice he said.

"I-I forgot!!"

Small quarrels again occurred there, Errol who did not want to be blamed because they lost screaming loudly. Udzaa continued to say that Errol was the cause of their defeat because his Midland Spell was too weak.

Busy with the quarrel to not realize that there were three girls who noticed him since.

"Udzaa?" Mou raised her voice.

Udzaa stopped his quarrel, then turned towards the person who called out to him. He was stunned to find three girls standing in front of him.

"justify.. It's Udzaa!!" mou said cheerfully because her guess was right.

Frans looked at Udzaa expressionlessly. While Udzaa just stood still clumsily, scratched his head and raised his hand.

"Hello.."

Frans did not answer, he stepped in front of Udzaa quickly. Then without warning he launched a blow with great energy until Udzaa bounced hit the main gate is still closed.

"Why did you hit me.."

"Go without telling, disappeared two years without news and now you're back just saying 'hello'!!?" frans said in a high voice while Udzaa got up while stroking her own cheek, where Frans' punch landed.

"You think I'm happy?" Frans pulled some fruit from his shopping bag that Mou was carrying.

"Basic fool!! you fool!! YOU IDIOT!!"

"Hey hey! Stopit! are you trying to make me juice" Udzaa tried to avoid throwing the fruits but was late in avoiding the last proper fruit hitting her face, making her fall back.

"Stupid!" Frans bowed his head in.

"I'm happy, you're okay" Udzaa said suddenly in his lying position, his face still throbbing pain from the fruit throw.

"Two years Nia's always been keeping me up with the developments that are happening here, everything, even about you"

Frans, his eyes are round. He was silent in his place standing staring at Udzaa who was now up from his lying position.

The man smiled broadly.

"It looks like I was right" Udzaa said, staring at the circular object around Frans' neck.

"The scarf suits you well." he said again with a big smile.

Frans could not say. He recalled the day Nia gave him the scarf, and it was strange to remember that Nia had a hard time giving him a birthday present the day before.

Udzaa looked up at the guards who were looking at him from behind the main gate. He put his hands on his waist, staring at the guards.

"Are you guys gonna stand there or open this fucking gate soon?" he said with annoyance.

The guards immediately opened the gate in a hurry. There were a few whispers from most of the bodyguards there.

"Hurry and open the gates!" the order of a bodyguard who seemed to be their leader, then walked closer towards Udzaa.

"Please forgive our disrespect, sir" he said, bowing deeply.

"It seems like a lot of new bodyguards yes" Udzaa said as he extended his right hand to the side, then his large sword shot towards his grasp.

He swung it right and left before putting it back behind his back

The leader of the guard walked aside, giving way to him.

Udzaa looked back, finding Frans, Iro and Mou still silent there.

"Why are you guys staying there?"

"Let's go in, there are a lot of things I want to tell you" he said, who then walked into the gate.

Mou smiled, then pulled the hands of her two friends. Invite them into the castle.

Up there, Nia walked closer to the veranda. Then turned towards Lian.

"Gather them all together, we welcome the Fourth Aldrich" he said as he stepped into the room.

While out there, the sky was already perfectly dark. But a group of stars began to shine enliven the dark night until the morning returned.

***