The Party and the Emerald

The gale weakens and has finally disappeared as the Mother Bee's body splits apart. The crystal also got hit by Christa's attack, but unlike the body of the monster splitting in half, the Crystal remained intact and only suffered visible damage

Everyone apart from Sieghart have their mouth fell open and was speechless after witnessing Christa killing an Emerald level monster with only a simple swing of a wooden sword.

"That should do it."

The Mother Bee's severed corpse fell with the Crystal intact, lying dead along with its children on the ground.

"What the heck! She just swings her sword and that thing was sliced in half!" Jinrah spoke astoundingly with what he saw, his eyes lits up.

Christa descends steadily in front of the Mother Bee and the crystal. Afterwards, she crouched down to reach the crystal that's continously giving a faint, flickering light. With her right hand, she grabbed the thing that is relatively bigger than the last one she got from the other purple monster. It was quite heavy but even though she couldn't grasp the whole crystal, she was able to lift it up with a single hand. After taking the crystal away from the corpse, the purple light immediately vanished.

The crystal got the attention of Lira, Jinrah and even David and Eileen.

"I've never seen a crystal like that before."

"Eh... So that crystal is kinda rare, huh? Maybe it can be sold at a high price?"

Christa's ears twitch after such information she never heard before.

"It's not just rare, it's literally a part of the body of that monster. I thought crystals only form inside a dungeon or a place where no one could interrupt them forming?"

"I doubt that crystal came from a dungeon and just suddenly attach itself to a Mother Bee and made it look like that. Crystals are formed and only on the ground, unless someone or something takes them, crystals will do nothing. If anything, I could sense an overflowing strange energy beating inside it as if it was a heart. Although I couldn't determine what kind of energy it was."

Eileen cuts in as she responded to Jinrah and David's question. But at the same time, she seemed to be a bit wary about the girl holding the crystal. It's like she feels something strange about her that makes her feel a bit worried and anxious. Just then, Sieghart, who were quiet and was too absorbed at watching the events have finally spoke.

"You guys, look."

The group turned their eyes to the direction Sieghart was pointing at. And what they see is the Mother Bee's corpse as it makes a cracking sound, its body began to show cracks all over. Just like last time, the monster clad in purple crumbled and turned into somewhat like dust, and slowly fades away along with the wind. The same thing happens to other purple Wither Bees, their corpse turned into dust and was blown away by the gentle wind.

"Is that how monsters' corpse usually end up to?"

"I don't think so."

Sieghart's party were utterly confused seeing things they never seen their whole life, while Edle and Kaien doesn't looked bothered like they were back then. The two spoke as they talk about the same thing that happened not too long ago.

"It's accurately the same thing to what we saw back then."

"Precisely. Its oddly crystal purple skin, its ferocious and violent nature, the way it fades away as it dies, and the crystal... There's no doubt that they all originated from the same thing."

After hearing the two talked about the purple creatures with her pointy, keen ears, Lira steps in and asked them.

"Hey, boys. Do both of you know what kind of creature that was?"

"We don't know exactly what kind of creature that was, but we encountered another creature that is very similar to that thing not too long ago. It was a purple monster in a form of a wolf, its skin is also made of crystal, and it also has that same crystal under its chest. That thing also disappeared after the crystal was taken off."

Lira and Kaien continues to discuss the matter in a normal pace.

"Then, could this be a some sort of a new species that we haven't discovered before?"

"We thought that was the case, but we still can't determine where they came from."

"I highly doubt that this thing was some new kind of species like you both said."

Eileen stepped between the two as she began to explain her opinion.

"If you think carefully, those normal Wither Bees were actually just trying to fly passed through the city just like what Sieghart told the prince, but the reason for that is not because they are trying to migrate to another nest, but because they got kicked out of their nest. And that purple monster was most probably the one that kicked them out."

"Now that I think about it, this area has the perfect environment for the Wither Bees to make nests and its the season for them to reproduce and stock up their honey. There's no reason that justified them trying to migrate from another place."

Now the question that got stucked in Lira, Kaien and Edle was how did the purple Mother Bee got inside the nest and essentially getting them kicked out. With that, Eileen spoke once again and answered them.

"That purple Mother Bee didn't exactly came to invade the nest, it was actually there - It was their Mother Bee, before it turned into that purple and vile creature."

"You mean that thing that girl killed was originally the Mother Bee of the ones it killed?"

"Then, how did that monster turned that way? Was it some kind of an infection?"

"I don't have enough information to answer that now, but that crystal is probably the main reason for it all."

Eileen proceeds to point her finger towards the crystal Christa was holding. With Eileen's speculations, another few questions started lingering their mind: "How did the crystal get itself attached to the Mother Bee? How did it get inside the hive? And where are these things coming from?" With a little to no information, everyone were left confused.

They set aside their thoughts about the crystal for later as they asked the girl holding the crystal what she would do about it. But Christa seemed to be absorbed looking at the crystal and was completely silent the whole time. Kaien approached Christa as he asked her.

"Miss Christa, what are you going to do with the crystal?"

"Ah, me? Actually, I don't know. But I heard that man with a curly hair and gauntlets said that crystals can be sold in a market, so I thought I should do it..."

Everyone got worked up after hearing her opinion that she wanted to sell the crystal. They knew how the monster who are supposed to be on a Gold rank have skyrocketed its power to an Emerald level. If the crystal were to get by a man with bad intentions, it will cause a disaster to the people. And so Eileen tries to approach Christa to talk to her about it, but then she stopped as Christa continues to speak.

"But, if someone bought and accidentally put it in a monster, it might start another trouble. So I thought you can just go and take it."

Christa hands over the crystal to Kaien as he proceed to take the crystal from her using both of his hand. Of course, he got surprised after realizing that it was actually a bit heavy and Christa was holding it single-handedly.

'I didn't think it was this heavy...'

Kaien mumbled as he hold the crystal with his hands. The rest sighed in relief afterwards. With the crystal now in Kaien's hands, Edle decided to bring it with them to continue further studying it.

"We'll bring it back and give it to the alchemist to continue her study further. There should be no objections about it, right?"

Sieghart and the rest nodded in approval. Everyone decided to go back to the city afterwards.

"We should go back and report to the Guild Master about it."

"Oh that's right, I forgot there was a reward for participating from the Queen's call."

"Let's go and get drunk!"

"No, we can't let you go drunk, Jinrah."

Sieghart's party are in high-spirits as they started moving on their way to the city. Christa took the sword she stabbed earlier on the ground as she started to walk away to a different direction. After noticing her going a different way, Edle called her and asked her where she was going. She then answered.

"I'm going to see my own party members if they made it in time."

"Party member? So those two are...?"

Edle remembered the young man and the woman he saw running out of the forest and went to the small neighborhood.

"I see, I understand."

"Then..."

Christa gestured at Edle as she started to walk. But before she could go further away, for whatever reason, Edle called her again. Sieghart and the others are watching from the back, especially Kaien as Christa stopped once again. Christa asked her what was the problem, but there was none. Edle suddenly called her out of pure impulse, he wanted to talk to her but he can't seem to decipher what to talk about with Christa. It was then, Kaien walks in to save Edle in time.

"Prince Edle wants you to come to the city as you have also participated in the Queen's call by killing that monster. Those Adventurer who partake in the call will be rewarded respectively. So I also suggest you to come, if you want, you can go with the Prince and get the reward personally to the Queen, it's a special privilege for taking out the Mother Bee all by yourself."

Edle was shooked, flustered and did not expect Kaien to butt in for him. But at the same time, he was also waiting for Christa's answer, which makes him even more flustered.

After hearing Edle's obviously made up request from Kaien, Christa awkwardly responded in decline.

"Sorry, but I can't come with you right now. I appreciate the offer of getting the reward personally to the Queen but, I really want to go back to my party members. Then..."

After lowering her head, Christa immediately went away. Edle and the rest watched her disappear from their sight. A brief pause occurred before Edle spat out a sigh of depression. Kaien the gently puts his hand on Edle's shoulder.

"Sorry, I couldn't be of much help."

"Don't worry, boy. There's always another time."

"She's right. Don't give up."

Lira and Jinrah nodded as they pat his back while giving him their motivational speeches. Which makes Edle irritated and fed up.

"What sorry?! I didn't need you to do that! And stop patting my back as if you are my Mother and Father!"

Soon after, Edle and the others went back to the city with the crystal on their hands. Meanwhile, Christa didn't exactly went to Itsuo and Selene after she left. She went back to the cave and inside the hive to take some of the Mother Bee's honey with an empty bottle she secretly brought with her.

"Alright... I'm going to enjoy myself with this tonight!"

After taking some left over honey for herself, she went back to the neighborhood where Itsuo and Selene are living. As she casually walking on the grassy and rocky path towards the small houses, a bunch of people standing right in front of Itsuo's house can be seen from a distance.

Curiosity suddenly hit her as she ran at a permitted speed to see what they were looking at. As she gets closer, one of the crowd who seemed to be in a good mood at whatever he was looking at began to shift his head towards Christa as he heard her running footsteps. Christa stopped after she was noticed, the guy then averted his gaze at Christa as he move his mouth, talking to someone behind the wall of Itsuo's house.

"You guys, she's here."

The man took a few steps back to give way to the people he was talking to - Selene came out first, looking at Christa with her teary eyes. Itsuo followed suit as his little sister did the same. They all stood aside to give space for someone else, and then a woman that looked like she was close to death when Christa last saw her has come out, standing beside Itsuo's little sister, she looks alive and well unlike her pale and dead look before.

Christa's surprised look were replaced with a smile of relief.

"It looks like it went well."

With the honey bee that the three of them took from the hive of the Mother Bee, the party managed to save Itsuo's Mother. Thanks to the incredible healing ability of the honey, the wound behind Itsuo's Mother disappears and is now safe from her critical condition. Selene came rushing towards while her tears have started dropping on the way like a sprinkling fountain.

"Selene...? Gah!"

Selene bumped herself to Christa before wrapping her arms tight around her who almost tripped from Selene's sudden charge.

"T-thank you, Christa!"

Selene spoke, whimpering onto Christa's chest.

"You don't have to thank me, it's not me, we three did it."

Christa gave out a contented smile before she turned her attention to Itsuo and his family who are approaching her. After stopping at a distance close enough to Christa, Itsuo bows his head on Christa as he gave her his gratitude.

"Christa, you did so much for me, for us. So much that I don't know how I could repay it all. I will be forever in debt to you, Christa."

"We are in debt to you for helping my son to save me. Thank you, young miss."

Itsuo's Mother and his Little Sister followed his lead as they bowed their head to show their gratitude on Christa.

"Um, er... You don't really have to feel in debt to me, Itsuo, everyone..."

Christa spoke with a bashful face. She began to ponder what to say for them to not feel that way. Eventually, she comes up with one.

"I know! How about we just forget about everything and Celebrate Itsuo's Mother's recovery?"

"A celebration?"

Christa's suggestion made Selene's cry stop rather quick. She removed her head on Christa's chest as she looked at Christa while Itsuo and his family raised their back up and did the same.

"A celebration, huh? That's sounds like a great plan."

"Oh, a party!"

"Let's do it, let's go buy meat in the city!"

The people who are listening from the back were rather fired up and excited just from hearing Christa's idea that they started planning on buying meat in the capital. Christa joins in as she suggest one more thing.

"Alright! If we're gonna have a party, we should get something sweet as a snack, drink or use to cook the meat!"

"Sweet?"

Itsuo curiously asked as Christa whips out a bottle containing a fresh, delicate and delicious honey she took secretly back in the hive.

"We can have a number of people help to take all the honey from the hive back here. It'd be a waste if we let those stay there and become inedible, right?"

Christa winked silly.

"Well, it all depends on Itsuo. If he wants it or not."

"Why me?!"

The people began to utter bribing words to Itsuo.

"Itsuo, what do you say?"

"We can't let those honey go to waste like she said."

"Let's go and have a party tonight!"

Even his Mother and his Little Sister joins in.

"Big brother, let's do it!"

"You can chose whatever you want, my son."

Of course, Selene did the same.

"Itsuo, let's do it!"

Selene started flashing her eyes on Itsuo, blinking in a cute way but also quite seductive.

"Don't give me that look!"

Itsuo spat out a sigh before suddenly joining the cheery atmosphere.

"Alright! Let's go and have a party until morning!"

The neighborhood suddenly roared joyfully.

The entire neighborhood spend the entire morning gathering a lot of meat they could buy in the city while the others followed Itsuo, Selene and Christa's lead to the bee hive with a carriage containing a lot of empty barrel where they will put the honey and bring back to their place where the others are preparing the rest of the ingredients in the food they were about to make.

It was a long day of work for everyone, but it was all worth it as the night comes - They placed a number of bamboo sticks on the ground, close enough to the rectangular shaped table they gathered together and clustered in one line.

They all placed a Magic Lantern on top of every bamboo sticks they put in the area, giving enough light that brightens the whole place quite nicely. After that, the meat started being served such us honey-glazed fried and roasted chicken wings and breast, a variety of freshly cooked seafood, skewered pork Dipped in honey sauce, and more that are too long to name.

The party began, removing the fatigue from all the work from everyone as they feast on the meat and especially the honey they prepared. It was a long night full of people doing silly things, laughing with each other, talking to each other. And most importantly, showing their love to the ones who are important to them.

Time goes by incredibly fast as the sun radiates the beautiful land of their neighborhood. Christa finally wakes up and finds herself sleeping on Selene's bed together with her, who are still asleep. Christa gently took the blanket off her as she gets out of the bed, hoping that she wouldn't accidentally wake up Selene who is deep asleep with a smile printed on her face as if she was dreaming about something nice.

"Itsuo..."

Obviously, it is related to Itsuo, which makes Christa perform a mischievous smirk. She went out of Selene's house and finds the people busy cleaning everything they used from the party last night. Carrying all her stuff inside her bag behind her back along with her covered wooden sword, she began to share cordial greetings on everyone who passed by along the way.

Incidentally, Itsuo standing right in the middle of the path that leads to Reilaea Capital City as if he was waiting for someone, Itsuo stood there and approached Christa as he noticed her coming.

"Christa! Good morning!"

"Good morning."

"Are you going back to the city?"

"Yes. I was thinking of taking some quests today, do you and Selene want to join me?"

"I appreciate the offer but, I'd like to stay with my Mother for now."

"I see. I understand, if you want to form a party again, you can invite me. I'll see you both next time!"

Itsuo stopped Christa, wanting to tell her something rather important for him.

"What is it?"

"Actually... I was waiting for you here to ask you this."

"Hmm?"

Christa tilts her head in confusion.

Itsuo was struggling on trying to say what he wanted, but eventually, he mustered up his courage and told her...

"If you have a spare time, would you mind training me? When I saw you fight, I envied your strength and regretted that I couldn't do anything much to help you during those times. So in order for me to not rely on others anymore, I want to become stronger, someone who is as strong as you. You're the only one I could ask about training me, that's why..."

Christa puts her hand on Itsuo's shoulder that made him stopped his words. Afterwards, she responded that made Itsuo feel relieved and thankful.

"Alright. I'll train with you."

"A-are you serious?"

"Yes. I don't have much to do anyway, and doing quest sometimes gets boring. So when I have a spare time, let's go training until we get knocked out!"

"Y-yes! I'm really grateful for you, Christa, thank you very much!"

After a few chattering, Christa finally went back to the City.

Ever since yesterday, a lot of things have happened - Rebuilding the damaged properties left from the fight to defend the city, A celebration for driving away and slaying the Wither Bees, the Adventurers who participated and survived the events have received the reward from the queen one by one. Moreover, Edle finally addressed to the public the existence of the purple monster that made people shook in terror and worry, some are bewildered with the address, while the others find it quite interesting.

In the meantime, Christa entered the Adventurers' Guild which is fully crowded with Adventurers. But as everyone took notice to her going in, the crowd steps aside, giving Christa a path inside as if she was a very important figure. The crowd began to gossip and whisper around as they stare with a scary look on their faces, calling Christa something she never heard before.

"It's her."

"It's the "Crimson Eye," the one who slayed the Mother Bee."

"So the breaking of the Hourglass was really because of her, huh?"

'What the hell happened here? Why are they staring daggers at me? And why are they calling me "Crimson Eye?" Seriously, what happened here?'

The Guild Master stood before her as she turned towards him. The Guild Master stood straight and mighty as he starts his speech on Christa.

"I don't know why you hid your power to me back then, but after everything, I think I kind of understand it all."

Christa was utterly confused with what the Guild Master is telling her. She kept quiet as she watched the Guild Master took something out of his pocket - A dog tag that is obviously different to the Silver and Gold one. He reached the dog tag to Christa and he placed it on her open hand.

"I hope you continue taking quests as a good Adventurer, congratulations for reaching Emerald."

A long pause occured before Christa came into realization that she suddenly climbed up to Emerald rank.

"What...?!"