Chapter 15

As soon as it gets dark, Flora told me to wait in my room. She said she will double check the situation there. I know she meant the rooftop area, where she mentioned everyone will gather to enjoy the fireworks display later.

I am quite excited for that event. Though I have seen fireworks before, I never expected to be this thrilled to see it with them.

Though I don't usually have time to enjoy it back to my world because of my hectic schedule. Now I understand that being this thrilled to watch fireworks is awesome.

I don't know why too, but my heart is exhilarating to watch it with Sahana.

There is something about him that made me feel comfortable when he is around. Eiliff at first, was annoying but somehow I get used to him and with his presece.

Flora, like a mother is always ready to tend to me anytime. I barely see Dave around.

But then I remember Denver. That jerk suddenly disappeared. I never even had time to ask about him, if ever I do have, I would always forget about it. Baley said that Denver was being held in the prison. So does that mean this simple inn also have an underground prison?

I shiver when I remembered the very first time I got here. Those monstrous wolves. If this town is enjoying a festival like this, perhaps they are secured. So, I wonder what happened to the previous town Sahana and I went.

A knock on the door stops me from wondering.

"Milady, we can go upstairs now." Flora

She put the coat around my shoulders and smile. "They are there already."

"What's with the preparation?" I curiously ask. They have been busy the whole day as I noticed.

"Sir Chess said that since this is your first time in a festival with us, making it a little grand is nothing."

Wow. "I am so grateful for them to think that."

Making me want to feel welcome here with the simplest gesture is very warming to the heart.

Flora lead the way upstairs. So I was ready to get surprise and they didn't disappoint me.

There I saw few tables were prepared. A neat decoration, telling me that it has been done by the boys, gentleman rather. I look around and just notice that this inn we are occupying is indeed a tall building.

The nearby buildings are quite small to compare.

"Milady! You are finally here. We still have few minutes before the fireworks starts." It was Arcon who's smiling at me.

"Wow, what a cozy decorations." I complimented. "These flowers are really beautiful."

"Well, we all notice how you always admire flowers everytime, so we decided to have some with us tonight." He informed me.

Dave and Baley are already sitting when I came, but they both stand up to welcome me.

"Let's enjoy the night Milady." Dave

"Indeed, let's enjoy tonight." Baley.

"Milady! I am here too." I look back when I heard him talk while panting. It was Chess who's trying hard to smile while catching some breathe.

"Where did you start running?" I ask him laughing.

"I was outside when I heard that you are already here."

His response made me laugh. Why would they be so excited that I am here.

They guided me to my table, they said that I will be with Eiliff, Sahana and Flora. While the other table will be for the other magicians present.

They said that the other magicians are on their way to join us here. So that's why there are few vacant table.

As the clock tic, nearing the time my heart started getting excited again.

Sahana already arrived. And he is oozingly handsome with his cloak!

"Wow Sahana, you look refresh and..." I whisper. "Handsome."

I look at his flustered look.

"M-Milady!."

I just laugh at him when he blushes. Wew! How can a man still look handsome while blushing.

Two minutes and there, their master arrive.

Everyone stand up from their chair and bowed to him. I didn't bother doing the same thing as they did. Instead my mouth agape with his presence.

The aura of confidence is a must. But all I could say that he looks more handsome than the other time I saw him half naked inside his room.

He may not be showing his well-built body but that cold expressions to his face says a lot of how handsome he really is!

He could wear his usual cloak, but this is the only time I really appreciated his beauty. Not from the small light from the moon, but from his very own self.

What a very handsome man. That's the only word I could say for now. If only, I really have a pen and a paper, I could draw him and placed it carefully to somewhere safe.

No! Rather, I should have my camera with me. So that I could always stare at him whenever I feel down. His handsomeness is on a different level.

"You are salivating..."

I unconsciously wipe my mouth, and when I notice how he's smirking my hand automatically raise and hit him on his arm.

"How dare you!" Rolling my eyes, I look at him.

"Well, you are staring too much."

Did I?

"I should have known that you'll like the way I dress up, I must always dress properly infront of you from now on." He said teasing.

"Nah, that's too bad." I disaggree.

"You don't like it?" With his voice and face became sad, I panic and smile.

"That's too bad for my heart."

He stunned after I said that. I got confuse of that expressions, but I let it go. Hearing him clear his throat and look up at the sky.

I am being honest here!

"Five..." They started counting so I look up at the sky too.

"One...."

I can't help my self from covering my mouth that open widely when I witness the beauty of their fireworks.

My heart is full of contintment and happiness. This, this is the feeling I have been dreaming to feel. Appreciating the sorrounding.

The beauty that sparks everytime I see the wonderful displays on the sky, I can' help my self from being mesmirized with what I ak seeing.

Different colors blended well with a perfect outcome from the fireworks. As soon as the magical flowers slowly fading from the sky, another colorful fireworks will be shown.

"What an amazing flower.." I mumble to myself.

I can't stop myself from staring intently into it, trying to remember every shape, color and it's magnificient effect to the sky.

Fireworks is an art created solely by a human, but it resulted this beauty.

"Thank you." It was Sahana.

It was almost an hour before they finally launched the last firework. And my eyes, as if reflected the lights from the skies. Being covered with that beautiful flower covering the sky.

"So beautiful!"

When the sky became clear, I look around to see these magicians who exerted their effort to create that wonderful fireworks.

"It was really beautiful guys! You did a great job creating a wonderful art on the sky!" I said smiling to them.

They became shy with my compliments and slowly bow. "We are so grateful to Milady for appreciating it." It was Sahana who talk.

"Indeed! Job well done guys!"

After complimenting them they all started moving and sharing glasses. For a toast.

"Can you handle drinking?"

I look at him with my proud face. "Yup! No worries. I am a heavy drinker.."

"We barely have time to enjoy festivals, so after this event we should get back with out duties." Eiliff. "To our guest, Lady Prestine let her stay with us with comfort and safety.."

They did the toast, even Flora raise her hand holding the glass.

"Cheers!" I was the one who said that and made my toast with Sahana first, then look at Eiliff. He was confuse of what I am doing, but he still gave me a toast.

Everyone started eating and discussing different topic. Now that I remember Denver I should ask Sahana.

"Sahana..."

"Yes Milady?"

Eiliff left our table and started raoming around every table. He's not that snob to his people I see.

"What happened to the guy who invaded the tower?"

As if forgetting something, Sahana's face lighten up. "The tower that has been destroyed was made temporarily for the sake of the newbies."

"A temporary tower?"

"Yes Milady. And the invador was brought to the tower."

"How long does it take to get there?"

"It will take a few more days if we won't get delayed ahead."

"Can't you just teleport there?" I curiously ask.

"There are several places around that cannot be reach with magic nor can use magic within. Especially every town."

"Why? I mean, you said that most people here were born with magic."

"That is to prevent using magic carelessly."

I get it. So they are limiting the use of magic to prevent it from getting out of control. What a clever decision.

"It was the late King's last order. There were several occasions that causes it to have a civil war, human with a great magic can always be a reason to hurt others. There are few records because of greed."

"So, something like license is being issued? I mean likea they can use it freely? Something like that?"

He nodded and drink first before answering me. "Exactly, Milady."

"Does that law even work with you?"

"Few of us are exempted. Especially from the one came from the tower."

"So, you can use magic freely here?"

"Yes, Milady. But we respect the law, and we always follow their respective laws so that we won't create any problem."

"Are all of you here can use magic freely? Without being limited?"

"There were five of us. Master is different since he is the owner of the tower. No one can restrain Master if he wanted too."

"Are you telling me that Eiliff is was more powerful?"

"He is, he is the Red Tower's master, Milady. There's no doubt of how strong the Master is. I have been with him since I can remember, he barely uses magic, but everyone he'll have to use it was a great admiration for me."

"W-what about the other magicians? From the other continent? Are they stronger than your master?"

"Hmm.. Let me see, mostly, magicians became magicians if they put their souls into learning it properly, becoming strong takes time, since for a magician who weild stronger mana, they live longer than any ordinary magicians, so it is like everyday, learning magic can help you become stronger. But with the case of Master..." He look at Eiliff who's sitting on another table. "He's been learning magic since day one, and I am not well aware of other magicians."

"Eeeh?! So those magicians from the other places can be stronger than Eiliff?"

"I can't give you a direct answer to that Milady, all I know Master is the strongest magician in this land, way stronger than the royal families."

I slowly breathe out. Get another shot of this wine. "Well, as long as everyone is safe, there is no way I will be worrying."

"Your safety is our priority here Milady."

I stop sipping from my glass when I heard him said that. "Can I ask something? I mean a personal question?"

He look at me for a second and drink from his glass too. "It won't hurt hearing your questions, Milady."

"Ahm..." I clear my throat. "W-what happened to y-your sis-sister..."

He look at me without emotion. I panicked. "I-I am being insensitive, sorry..."

"My sister, disappeared infront of me. It all happened while our land was suffering from a huricane..."

Huricane.. "Look, you don't have to answer my question Sahana. Sorry for asking you without thinking about your feelings."

"It happened thirteen years ago."

"S-Sahana..." I shouldn't have asked him! This is my mouth's fault and curiousity!

"I can see how you resemble my sister, but my sister was more sweet than you Milady.." He awkwardly laugh. While I pouted. "She's always sweet, though can nag like a mother."

"Sahana.."

Is he perhaps drunk now?! But all we drink is wine! Goodness heavens! "Sahana are you drunk already?!"

Waking him up when his face suddenly fell down to his plate!

"Sahana?! How could you be so drunk you barely had two glasses!"

I was trying to look for help when I found out that they all passed out already. Even Flora.

"Hey!"

"Hey?? That's rude to hear from a lady." It was Eiliff, thanks God he still looks normal.

"Are you all drunk now?! How could you all be so drunk right now?!"

"It seems like wine doesn't work on you to get drunk." Eiliff. He snaps his finger and all the sleeping persons disappear.

"What did you do to them?!"

"Relax Milady, I just sent them to their respective rooms." He answered me and sit back to his chair.

"Ah, how could they be drunk from a wine?"

"You should be thankful that you have quite the tolerance, you know? Instead of complaining." He said mocking me.

"Tsk, I was shocked! Okay? Shocked! How could they even be drunk like that?" I still can't believe them though. Seeing their huge built and strong personalities, getting drunk over two glasses of wine is really unbelievable!

"Stop complaining when they sleep like that. They won't hear even a single word you said. Here.." He gave me another glass with a clear liquid in it.

I tried smelling it before asking him what's this liquid. "Is this stronger than wine?"

He nodded.

"Can this make me even tipsy?"

His face looks amazed of what I said. "Seems like even the strongest gin won't make you drunk."

"Oh, I think so." I laugh. "I used to drink a lot back then. You know.. When I thought that.. " I tried clearing my throat and make my voice lively. "Anyways, if you are already drunk you have to tell me as early as possible."

"Why is that?" Asking me with a smug smirk on his face. "You're not thinking that I'll get drunk faster than you, right?"

I took my drink with one sip. The alcohol is really kicking. The feeling of tasting gin again excites me.

"Well, if you are that confident with your tolerance, then let's make a bet." I raise my glass and ask for anothet shot. He obliged and have his drink finished to have for the second round.

"Don't go running to Sahana crying that you lost to me.." He teases me.

We continued drinking. As I thought, he's handling his alcohol so well. Time passes and we finished the first bottle of gin without any problem.

He snaps his finger and another nameless bottle appeard.

"You can still keep going?" His eyes looks heavy. Seems like the gin finally affected him.

Though I felt a bit dizzy, I still don't want to admit it to him! I won't tell him that the gin is finally kicking.

"Seems like you really are a heavy drinker." He commented.

"Yeah, I was once an alcoholic. It took me some time before I could remember stopping back then.." I started being nosy.

"Why was that?" He ask while giving me my next drink.

"I can't clearly remember the reason well, but it was before I met Shane, and I was struggling to make meet-ends back then."

"Didn't you mention being a succesful author?"

"That was before! Are you listening to me?"

"Were you lonely? Did you grow up alone too?"

'Too?'

"What do you mean asking me that as if you grew up alone?"

"It's my turn asking..."

Like, when did we decided to take turns asking each others?

"The memories are actually quite blurred."

"Why? Did you suffer an amnesia?"

"Ah, I don't know. There's this blurred memory about someone raising me giving me food but I can't remember the face nor the name.." I look at him when he didn't comment, so I continue. "Back then, the only memory was being alone and lonely."

"When was it? How old were you when you have those memories?"

"Maybe around my teenage years?" I lean on the table, makes me closer to him. "I don't quite remember. Are you aware of that kind? An almost faded memories, can't clearly remember it well?"

His eyes became curious of what I said. Looking at me intently, as if he's studying my entire face. "I think so too. I slept longer than I thought, when I woke up someday, there were memories that has been disappeared."

"Oh, you slept? what do you mean by that?"

We both drink our shot and ready the next glass of gin. Damn, this one is stronger. Or maybe I am getting drunk too.

"For a magicain with a strong mana, we usually aged slower than any weaker persons with mana, if you grew up around sixty years old, the time with how you age shows that you have been living for a long time, but for us, for me I have been living for quite a long time..."

He pause and the hesitations was with him. But he continued. "Living with the strongest mana makes me aged slower, but suffering from a certain curse is too much."

Is he drunk? Curse? How the hell did he come up to that?

"What c-curse?" I stop drinking. I really can't keep going on with this gin.

"It's a long story to share, and it will not be safe if I tell you."

"Huh?! You started talking about it, now that I am curious, you will live me hanging! That's rediculous!"

"You won't believe it afterall, so I better shut my mouth up!"

"Aah, so annoying! Should I start 'questioning' you now?" Emphasizing the word 'questioning' he laughed.

"You really are a violent lady!"

"Am not."

"I still wonder how you made that Denver talk before."

"Oh, it was nothing. I just show him the leather built and he started shivering witu fear and then that made him talk."

"Do you know about curses?"

I think for a moment. I sure read a lot about fantasies and the curses inside the story. But this is not a romantic fantasy novel, this is my real life experiences. Magic, swords, noble families owning terretories. "I am not sure about it, though I have read few fantasy novel about it."

"So, you don't know at all." He said and rested his back to the chair while combing his hair with his fingers.

His hand is big so his fingers. And he look freaking hot doing that!

I gulp and avoided his eyes. I can't get caught looking at him while thinking about weird things.

"I don't know the entire story, but one of my servant who raised me said something about the curse my own father gave me."

"Father... though I don't remember having a family, a father, but what does you father did to you? About the curse you mentioned. How did your father get involved with it?" Wasn't fathers supposedly protect and love their offsprings? But hearing him mentioned the word father, his eyes shows the emotion he's been hiding infront of everyone. And that is and endless solitude of loneliness.

"He blamed me for taking my mother's life, and because of his hatred of what happened he sentence me a curse that can't be broken."

All my random thoughts about his father stops when I heard that. Was he telling me that her mother died because of him? Wasn't mothers are all like that? Will sacrifice everything for their children?!

"Y-you, what really happened to you?" Again, his eyes shows loneliness. Longing for something I can't comprehend.

He sighed loud and drink his shot. "I don't have the memories but as far as I remember, father cursed me to suffer my whole life, to the point of suffering for eternity."

My mouth agape with his words. "H-how..How could that happen? You?! To suffer for all eternity? Are you saying that as long as you live you only have to suffer? Of what? Of loneliness? Or what?"

"What I said, it was.."

"Eiliff..." I sigh and trying to understand his situation. Was that the reason he said to be always on guard so that you won't get hury easily? Was it somehow related to his life?

"How long have you been living like that? I mean, you must be lonely for that reason, but honestly, my heart ache understanding how you always look like you are longing for something that no one could ever give you peace of mind!"

"I don't know how to undo the curse." He drink again. "And no one knew how to undo it."

"So, Sahana and the other magicians know of it?"

He nodded and drink again. "Five of them knew about the curse."

"Five?"

"Sahana, Dave, Baley, Chess and Arcon and they all swear that they will help me undo the curse, so as what it is they are suffering with it too."

My poor Sahana. "T-thats too much for you." My hand instinctively move and hold his hand with my both palm. "I may not be so sure about the curse or I may not understand it, but if you need something as long as I can help, I will do so. To atleast ease your pain for longing."

He didn't remove my hands, instead stare at them. Those red eyes glows that made me feel comfortable. Unlike before seeing his as red as blood eyes makes me uncomfortable.

"I am an immortal longing for death, will you be able to help me rest in peace?"