Unexpected Reunion

She was fitted in a one-piece red silk dress, sporting a long skirt that extended to her ankles. The dress, which was also sleeveless like Judy's, was bound up by laces that looped around Sarah's neck and shoulders, and contained a small opening around the chest that accentuated her bust. Her blonde hair remained kept in the same form as usual, flowing down naturally behind her back like a waterfall, yet for this occasion it somehow gave Leo the distinct impression of being completely weightless, as if it was going to float up into the air at any moment.

Out of all of them, Leo could not help but feel that Sarah's appearance was the most stunning. If he had to give an honest assessment, being placed beside their group, Sarah looked as if she belonged to an entirely different class of her own. Perhaps the latter had also realized this, as it could explain why she was positioning herself at such an awkward distance.

Finally, when the group's patience was waning with the brightness of the sky, the gate slowly opened, revealing a worker of the restaurant stepping out to greet them.

"Dear guests, welcome to our establishment," the worker said in a respectful tone.

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Once everyone got their reservations confirmed, they quickly walked through the building's front doors. The worker, who was revealed to be an assigned waiter, efficiently led them into a room filled with several dining tables and occupied guests.

After assigning them to a spot with four seats, he provided each individual with a menu, asking for the group to take their time choosing their meals, before eventually leaving to gather refreshments.

"Do you see, guys?" Judy slightly indicated with her head at the other surrounding guests. "Everybody else is in formal wear just like us. It was the best decision not to come here in our usual attire."

"I suppose," Alex admitted while loosening his collar in a similar vein to Leo. "Still, I wish that our suits didn't have to be designed to be so tight around the neck."

"Judy, I still don't think my clothes are very appropriate," Sarah shyly made a fuss after nervously peeking around. "You should've let me come in my priestess uniform; it also technically counts as a dress!"

Judy rolled her eyes at her friend's complaints.

"I keep telling you, there is nothing indecent with what you're wearing. And clothing related to magic is not acceptable in this sort of setting."

"But isn't there someone wearing mage robes over there?" Sarah refused to give up and pointed towards a senior-looking man sitting a few tables away.

Everyone turned to glance at the spot their teammate indicated and were surprised to find that there really was an individual who did not adhere with the restaurant's dress code.

"Huh? Someone actually came here in a mage getup?" Alex exclaimed.

Leo carefully studied the features of the senior man who Sarah noticed. This individual was noticeably the tallest among all the attending guests, estimated at around six-and-a-half feet, and carried a distinct air of seriousness that hinted at a constant vigilance. Despite wearing a mage's uniform, he gave off the powerful vibe of a warrior.

As Leo glanced around this person, he soon spotted a smaller figure sitting awkwardly at the same nearby table. This other figure, who was facing directly across from the senior, fidgeted nervously in his seat, seemingly appearing inexperienced to be a part of such a social setting. Unlike his taller companion, this person was actually dressed in a formal suit that appeared to be more expensive than the ones Leo and Alex were wearing. But most strangely, as Leo continued observing him, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity rising up from the back of his head.

After inspecting the figure for a few more seconds, Leo suddenly stood up in shock upon recognizing the other person's identity.

"Austin?!"

This single shout of disbelief rang out among the quiet chattering of the other guests, raising a slight commotion that drew the attention of the surrounding tables.

"Leo? What's the matter?" Alex stared in utter confusion at the sudden reaction.

Fidgeting at his table, the figure, who was indeed Austin, hastily turned his head around before eventually spotting his friend just a couple chairs away. When their gazes met, a surprised smile broke out across his face.

"WHA--?! Is that really you, Leo?!" Austin also shouted excitedly as he stood up from his seat in an effort to reunite with his friend.

But before Austin took a step forward, he immediately paused himself and nervously glanced at the senior man seated beside him.

The other person merely folded his arms and nodded, granting permission for this occasion.

Feeling relieved, Austin hastily moved between the tables to Leo's direction.

"It's good to see you!" he exclaimed with open arms.

"Same to you!" Leo responded with mirrored actions as he gave his old friend a big hug.

When the two embraced, the other guests decided to ignore this commotion and went back to their own discussions. As for Leo's team, they formed dumbfounded expressions upon realizing that one of their teammate's acquaintances was actually attending the same restaurant. Such a chance encounter wasn't something people would often see.

"Eh, Leo, who exactly is this person?" Sarah asked curiously, interrupting the reunion between the two men.

"Oh, yes." Leo pulled away from the hug and quickly introduced, "This guy's name is Austin, a longtime childhood friend of mine who also happens to be a former student from Halo Academy."

"Hello, everyone. It's nice meeting you," Austin politely greeted the group with a slight bow.

"Well, I must certainly say this is a pleasant surprise." Alex stroked his chin as he stood up to shake hands with the other friend. "I'm Alex, currently a professional adventurer who is one of Leo's teammates. Behind me are Judy and Sarah, also fellow team members."

"It's a pleasure to meet one of Leo's acquaintances," Sarah greeted in an elegant manner, her worries about her dress temporarily forgotten.

"Ehehe, it's an honor," Austin awkwardly replied while rubbing the back of his head.

Leo noticed that his friend was faintly blushing around the cheeks. He had no doubt that this was due to the combination of Sarah's attire and the latter's lack of experience in engaging with women. Feeling slightly exasperated, Leo swiftly decided to direct the conversation to a different topic.

"What exactly are you doing here, Austin?" Leo asked, keeping his voice low. "And who is that person you were seated with?"

"Ahem, I'm actually here as that man's apprentice mage," Austin coughed and hurriedly divulged his situation.

"Apprentice mage?"

"Yes. You see, that person over there," Austin stealthily indicated with his thumb at the senior dressed in mage robes, "is a high-ranking member of the Mage Alliance guild. His name is Wyman Brionne."

"I see-- Wait, Brionne...?" Leo did a double take once he heard the latter's identity.

"Yes, Brionne." Austin nodded seriously. "Apparently, he is the eldest brother to our school's headmaster."

Taking the time to explain, Austin gave a brief overview of the past experiences leading up to meeting his newly acquired 'master'.

"After you left our town to become an adventurer, I traveled to a nearby city to try getting a position involving management. However, on the first day I arrived, I ended up encountering this senior mage who recognized my talents in magic. Afterwards, he took me in as an apprentice."

"It was that random?" Leo looked at his friend incredulously. "Did this guy ask for your consent, or--"

"He took me in," Austin emphasized with a smile that seemed a little strained. Leo knew his friend long enough to tell that he was in a complicated situation. "In the end, my master decided to take us on a trip around Bavalon to test my skills before determining if I was ready to join his affiliated guild."

"So, is that why you came to this city?" Leo guessed.

"Err, well, not exactly." Austin elaborated, "You see, the headquarters of the Mage Alliance is actually situated in the capital city of Bavalon. I just came here because my master temporarily wanted to visit this restaurant. He even personally bought me these new clothes so that I wouldn't stand out."

"Hm, I suppose that explains a lot. You actually look quite good in those." Leo gestured to his friend's suit.

"Heh heh, thanks, Leo." Austin grinned at the compliment. "But looking at you, I feel that you must be doing quite well as an adventurer if you can afford a reservation here. I was actually extremely shocked when I first heard the price from my master."

"Mm, I just had some good fortune, that's all...."

As the two friends were happily reveling in their discussion, forgetting the people around them, Alex turned his attention away and soon noticed that Judy had remained oddly quiet upon Austin's arrival. In addition, she appeared to be staring nervously at the senior mage sitting at the nearby table.

"Judy?" Alex called out to her.

Sitting close to them, Sarah also turned her attention to the two after noticing something was off with her friend's disposition.

"Hm?" Judy became startled upon hearing her name. "Wha-what is it?"

"You seem to be a bit uncomfortable," Alex said, observing her closely. "Is something the matter?"

"No, everything's fine," Judy hurriedly denied while motioning her hands to hide her tension. "I'm just feeling a little under the weather, that's all. It's nothing, really."