Calm Before the Storm, Part 3

Calm Before the Storm, Part 3

Luciada and I explored Serog Street with vigor and curiosity, the allure of exploration running through us. We visited many shops and stalls selling interesting products for combat.

Luciada bought numerous items related to bows and guns, her favorite collectibles from a civilization she considered ancient, which the current era falls into.

"How much does this magic item cost?" Luciada asked, pointing at a beautiful bracelet.

"At least 49,000 Valis, give or take," the old merchant replied dismissively.

"What do you think, John?" Luciada inquired.

"It looks good on you, but I wouldn't advise buying it," I said, squinting my eyes and continuing with a harmless smile, "Why does this item have magic runes that scan the wielder's body and send the data to an unknown location, potentially creating a naked picture of the wearer? Tell me, good sir, why is that?"

Hearing my question, Luciada hugged herself subconsciously, looking at the merchant with disgust. Cold sweat began to pour from the merchant, he defended himself by arguing but I Ignored him, and we left. The others who were nearby started to crowd the merchant and inspected the item and when they discovered that John's words were true they beat him to near death and then called the city guards.

"Phew, that was close. Thank you, John," Luciada said.

"You're welcome. Let's go over there. The owner seems trustworthy," I suggested, pointing at a stall selling accessories. This was the first merchant not selling combat-related items today. The stall was called Veda Moving Workshop.

The stall, made of wood with aesthetically pleasing patterns, was attended by a beautiful girl with silver hair tied in a side ponytail, silver eyes, fair skin, and a great figure. She wore a black blouse, a gray skirt with red edges, white stockings, and black shoes. (Her Image).

"Why do you think that? Do you know her, John?" Luciada asked.

"No, not really."

This girl gave off the same feeling as those girls in the Merva Bookstore and Padalapan.

"Hello, miss. Are these magic items?" I asked.

"No," the beautiful girl replied shyly.

"Wow! John, look at this stunning gem. What kind of gem is this?" Luciada asked, pointing at a simple silver ring with a white gem that, upon closer inspection, revealed a galaxy of sparkles inside.

"That is the Canava Ring. I made it to show the beauty of the stars," the silver-haired girl explained.

Luciada nodded in appreciation of the art.

The two beauties, Luciada, and the silver-haired girl, started talking and quickly became friends, thanks to Luciada's social skills.

I didn't disturb them and focused on Vida's craft, but I couldn't help overhearing fragments of their conversation. The silver-haired girl's name was Vida Carlane, a crafter at heart who created many items and accessories as a hobby, with her business being just a bonus.

Half an hour later, Luciada had enjoyed a good chat with her new friend, Vida.

"Bye, Vida. See you again soon," Luciada said.

"See you again soon, Luciada. And bring more money next time. Also, master, see you soon," Vida shouted, her face red when she realized what she had said. She crouched down, covering her red face.

"I shouldn't have said that," Vida muttered.

"?" Luciada looked confused.

I smirked but said nothing, I just waved my hand in response.

Luciada was puzzled about why Vida had addressed John that way but dismissed it as Vida's clumsiness or those it? She didn't think deeply and just put it in the back of her mind.

In Vida's watchful eyes, John and Luciada disappeared into the crowd.

"What a blunder. Master would know what's going on now," Vida said.

"Calm down, Vida. They won't blame me for this, right? They wouldn't. They'll even thank me for it," Vida tried to convince herself. "That's it. They'd just put me last in the line to serve Master." Her face went pale. "No, I want to serve Master first," Vida sobbed like a cute innocent girl, confusing everyone who saw her.

John and Luciada wandered around Serog Street, buying items that caught their interest. By the end of their walk, they had bought over a hundred combat-related items and were heading to a restaurant for lunch.

On the way, John noticed someone following them.

"What's the matter, John?" Luciada asked, worry on her face. Though she couldn't see any changes in him, she sensed something was wrong.

"Why do you ask?"

Luciada stared into John's eyes for a moment before turning her head. "Nothing."

Hand in hand, John and Luciada walked toward a restaurant. In an alleyway, five figures eyed them with malicious intent.

"John, over here. Anna said this is one of the popular taverns here. She told me their steaks are delicious," Luciada said, pointing at the tavern.

My sight landed on the tavern.

"Flenceo Velgro?" I blurted out subconsciously. That's a weird name.

The tavern looked normal for this era, but something felt off. As soon as I entered with Luciada, a familiar feeling overwhelmed me again. This place was similar to those two shops.

They're everywhere. Oh well, stop thinking about it. They're just doing their own thing. If I followed my blueprint when creating them, they must be everywhere, secretly and publicly dominating everything already. The only thing left was the return, or should I say, the ascension part of the script.

The interior looked simple and similar to a medieval fantasy tavern but with high-tech cooking utensils and equipment, electric bulbs, and cleaning robots.

While I was lost in thought, Luciada dragged me to the front seat at the counter.

Behind the counter stood a striking figure with long, flowing red hair cascading past her waist. She wore a white kimono with intricate blue and gold designs, tied with a yellow sash and blue rope. Her outfit had wide sleeves and a split skirt, revealing gray thigh-high leggings and traditional sandals. Her confident stance was accentuated by the large spoon-like weapon on her back, used for both cooking and combat. Her wide, expressive eyes and bright smile completed her overall beauty. (Her Image).

When I saw and felt the girl's presence, the first thing that entered my mind was A True Creator.

A True Creator is here. Why am I not surprised anymore? I guess I expected it. This red-haired beauty is not the True Creator who made this reality. She must be from the Mystic Castle. Even though she is a human now I could still feel what is hidden within, after all only a fellow True Creator or a True Creator Level powerhouse detect a True Creator disguise.

"This is my first time seeing you two. Are you new in the city?" the red-haired beauty asked energetically, like a curious cat brimming with mischief.

Luciada was about to respond but was interrupted by the barrage of questions from the energetic red-haired beauty. "What's your name? How is the city? Did you visit the Eastern district? It's great there. How about those beautiful missiles last night? Did you watch the rain of destruction?"

Luciada was overwhelmed but did her best to answer her questions.

Later, Luciada and the red-haired beauty became friends. According to her introduction, her name was Lulu Elfin, a 3-star Hunter from the Hunter Association.

Hearing her name and title, I felt déjà vu. Isn't the Hunter Association from the anime Hunter x Hunter? This must be a coincidence, as I am not in the HxH universe. This is the alternate universe of Danmachi. Wait, scrap that. This must be the Mystic Castle's doing.

"Hey John, are you alright?" Luciada asked worriedly.

I snapped out of my thoughts at her worried voice. "I'm okay. I was just thinking."

Sigh! "I'm glad. I thought you had some hidden injuries I didn't notice yesterday."

As soon as her words fell, Lulu's eyes flashed with cold light but it immediately disappeared. No one noticed this, not even John.

I scratched my cheek embarrassingly. I promised her I'd be safe and yet returned covered in injuries.

Flashback.

On a tranquil night before the conflict against the horde started, under the gentle glow of the moonlight, two figures sat on the roof, gazing at the starry sky and the beautiful moon. The never-changing, unfathomable castle floated beyond the stars and moon in the sky.

"John, promise me you won't be reckless and you'll stay safe," Luciada said without looking at John.

John replied, "Okay, I promise."

"I'll kill myself if you die," Luciada said.

"I don't know if it's appropriate to say thank you or not," John said awkwardly.

Luciada pouted. "John, you're ruining the mood. Follow the script and say 'I won't let that happen. I promise you, my princess,' or something."

"Hahaha," John laughed awkwardly, thinking, [I dodged a bullet there, but it's a pity I dodged].

Flashback ended.

"Sorry about that."

Luciada shook her head. "Don't be. I know that getting hurt or worse, being killed, in this profession is normal. That's why I didn't hold anything back. But promise me you won't do that. If you do, make sure you're in peak condition when you return."

I tried to speak but Luciada put her finger on my mouth in a silent gesture and then spoke gently, "I know you can do anything, so don't make excuses."

"What makes you think that?"

"Do you think I can't recognize what those books and items are capable of? Such a book in my hometown is feared by all. It was one of the rarest and one of a kind and could grant any wishes. There is only one existed and yet you possess many. Because of this, it was easy to arrive at that conclusion," Luciada said.

She got me there.

"Forget about that for now. Let's order first. I'm hungry."

"John, don't forget your promise," Luciada said.

"That's not what I meant."

"I'm just joking," Luciada said.

"Miss Elfin!"

"Just call me Lulu. No need for formalities," Lulu said.

Everyone in the tavern gasped. They couldn't believe their beautiful idol and goddess allowed a man to use her first name. In their eyes, this was a sign of intimacy. They grind their teeth in anger and jealousy. They had spent years trying to court her to no avail, and now a kid—no, a Pallum had made significant progress without doing anything.

Of course, the trio of John, Luciada, and Lulu ignored everyone.

"I want 60 orders of steak, and then one bottle of milk."

Luciada followed suit with her order. "Just give one steak and an orange juice."

"Coming right up!" Lulu said with vigor.

Lulu grabbed her spoon like a weapon on her back.

Everyone familiar with Lulu's cooking was shocked when they saw her use the huge spoon-like weapon to cook for a nobody. In their eyes, Luciada and John were just nobodies; even royalty and the gods don't have that luxury, and yet.

Whispers started to fly through the air, discussing and concocting new rumors about the two nobodies.

They labeled John as a subordinate or a slave while Luciada was recognized as some sort of noble lady or princess from a faraway kingdom, which wasn't far from the truth. The trio ignored the crowd, they didn't care about the opinions of others as long as the opinions didn't come from their friends or loved ones.

She opened a special stove that looked like a sci-fi weapon rather than a stove. The stove released a red flame when opened. Lulu adjusted the stove until the flame turned white, reaching a horrifying temperature of 100 million degrees Celsius.

As soon as the flame turned white, an automatic safety mechanism of the stove was triggered. The stove had a barrier covering a 2-meter radius, creating a sealed area that no heat or light could escape. Right now, that area had become a ball of light.

No one could see what was inside of it except me and Lulu.

"White flame isn't that dangerous. I assume everything in that ball of light is already burned to nothing," Luciada said calmly.

"Oh, do you know something about this flame?" Lulu asked, curious.

"If I remember correctly, the flame turns white once it reaches tens of millions of degrees Celsius," Luciada said.

"Bingo," Lulu responded.

"This is my first time seeing someone attempting to cook with this kind of flame. Most only use this flame for forging extremely durable and heat-resistant alloys. The food you're cooking will turn to nothing from just the exposure, so I'm curious how you plan to cook with this flame?" Luciada asked.

"That's a chef's secret, but if you want to know more, just ask this gentleman," Lulu said, pointing at me.

"Me?" I said with a stupid face.

"You're a warrior chef on the same level as me, are you not?" Lulu said.

I scratched my cheek and affirmed her words with a nod.

Satisfied with my answer, Lulu refocused on her dish and dedicated herself to it.

Lulu took out the ingredients and did the prep work. She disappeared inside the 2-meter radius ball of light and then she started cooking.

While Lulu was cooking, everyone in the tavern cheered, excited about what kind of dish she was going to make.

Seeing Lulu disappear inside the ball of light, Luciada came closer to me and asked curiously, "Is everything in that 2-meter radius burned to nothing?"

"Not really. This tavern itself is immune to everything, including heat, which means everything in there is fine," I replied.

"How about Lulu?" Luciada asked.

"She's okay. Nothing can hurt her."

After three minutes of waiting, the ball of light started to subside, revealing Lulu carrying our order with telepathy.

"Order up! Please enjoy," she said, serving the dish and then attending to other customers. But before she left, she unexpectedly kissed my cheek, a mischievous smile appearing on her beautiful face.

I enjoyed the kiss, but afterward, it was a bit problematic. I felt many killing intents locking onto me. Of course, I ignored them, but I kept in mind the faces of the nobles among those sending deadly glares at me. If looks could kill, I would've been killed many times over.

While I was immersed in my musings, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Luciada with puffed-up cheeks, clearly annoyed.

I didn't say much and just gave her what she wanted. With practiced movement, I kissed Luciada's cheek.

She smiled afterward while the killing intent grew in intensity. However, before it escalated, Lulu intervened.

A very powerful pressure fell on all the customers except us.

Lulu, who was just happily cooking, turned her head to everyone and said with a gentle smile. That smile sent chills to all the customers, everyone understood without even hearing her words.

Seeing their horrified expressions, Lulu nodded in satisfaction and then turned her head to me with a wink.

I waved my hand in reply.

"John, do you know her?" Luciada asked in confusion.

"Kind of," I replied.

"What do you mean by that?" Luciada asked.

"I know her, but at the same time, I don't," I replied while chewing some of the delicious steak. Crap, this thing is so delicious. This steak is on the level of divine dishes.

"?" Luciada said.

I enjoyed my steak while Luciada was immersed in her thoughts.

Later.

"Thanks for your patronage. Come back later when you finally wake up, honey," Lulu said unabashedly.

I know this girl has some sort of connection with those girls in the Padalapan, Veda, and Merva books, but come on, can you restrain yourself a bit? I still don't know you all. Damn it, my journey of discovering the wonders of the mystic castle is getting spoiled.

Sigh!

Whatever, I know myself. Even if they do this, the scale, wonders, and secrets of the mystic castle are much larger than this. Heck, I might not even be seeing the tip of the endless iceberg of mystery that is the Mystic Castle.

"John, your mind is wandering again," Luciada said with a smile.

"What do you mean?"

Bonk!

My face slammed into a street pole, the sound of the impact loud enough to make passersby turn to look.

I clutched my aching face while kneeling on the ground.

By my side, Luciada was giggling elegantly like a melodious bell that mesmerized the passersby.

"Wait, I'll help you," Luciada said while massaging my face.

"That's what you get for not paying attention," Luciada said in the middle of her giggles.

"Why didn't you warn me sooner?" I asked.

"Well, I thought you were aware, but I didn't expect that wasn't the case. That was refreshing," Luciada replied.

"Yeah, it's refreshing to see someone slamming their face into a street pole," I replied jokingly.

Luciada shook her head. "That's not what I meant."

"What is it then?"

"It's refreshing to remember that you are still human, not some sort of perfect and almighty god," Luciada replied.

Luciada helped me up.

"So, where are we going next?" Luciada asked.

"How about we go to the East District? But before that, I need to go somewhere else," I replied while taking out a list of materials I needed for one of my plans. We headed to a famous blacksmith shop, but the materials I was targeting were not available. I even tried substituting common materials to cover up most of the lacking ones, but the three main materials couldn't be solved that way because their other substitutes weren't available either.

What a pain.

We tried other shops, but the result was still the same. But even though the results were unsatisfying, Luciada still enjoyed herself. Yeah, I know bringing a girl to a blacksmith shop during a date isn't recommended, but as long as she enjoys it, nothing matters. So, f*ck off. I understood her way better than those f*cking date guidelines ever could.

A few hours later.

The sun was about to set. Only three materials left to find. We decided to call it a day, but before that, I brought Luciada to a certain area of the city in the southern district where the massive forest park and the slum areas are located. This was the final destination of our date.

In the forest park, there is a small lake that isn't popular with the locals. This lake looks way too normal for a tourist spot, making it less known. I accidentally stumbled upon this place with my magic sense.

Under the serene cloak of night, the small lake glistens softly under the moonlight. Its calm, crystal-clear waters reflect the star-studded sky, creating a mesmerizing display of twinkling lights. In the middle of the lake stands a solitary tree, its silhouette dark against the luminous surface. The gentle rustling of its leaves is the only sound in the quiet night, adding to the tranquil and enchanting atmosphere. The scene feels like a hidden, magical world, untouched by time.

On the lakeside, John sat comfortably along with Luciada.

"Why are we here?" Luciada asked.

" I know that lake looks too simple, but wait a moment, and you'll experience one of the most remarkable moments in your life," I answered her.

Luciada covered her chest with her hand while looking at me with vigilance. "Just to let you know, I wouldn't give my virginity that easily."

I rolled my eyes and said, "You know that wouldn't work."

Luciada stuck out her tongue mischievously.

We exchanged some playful banter before we stopped, deciding to enjoy the tranquility of the place.

Soon the awaited moment arrived.

In Luciada's eyes, fireflies began to gather around the tree, their tiny lights flickering like stars brought down to earth. As more and more fireflies joined, the tree became enveloped in a shimmering, golden glow. The gentle rustling of its leaves and the soft hum of the fireflies were the only sounds in the quiet night, adding to the tranquil and enchanting atmosphere.

"Wow, it looks beautiful," Luciada said with surprise and an appreciative look.

I smiled, seeing her reaction.

"Here, this is my gift for you," I said, giving her a well-arranged branch.

"A branch?" Luciada was confused; her face said it all.

"Just wait. You'll see one of the most gorgeous flowers your eyes have ever laid on," I replied mysteriously.

Luciada's interest peaked, so she waited.

A few seconds later, some of the fireflies on the small tree started to fly towards us. To be exact, the fireflies were flying towards the branch in Luciada's hands.

In no time, the fireflies swarmed the branch, forming an illusion of a glowing flower reflecting the gentle light of the moon.

"This is otherworldly," Luciada said while mesmerized by the scene.

With a bright smile, Luciada gave a peck on my cheek before saying sincerely, "Thank you, John, for this day. I enjoyed it till the last moment."

"You're welcome, and I enjoyed it too."

"Let's do it again in the future," Luciada said.

Luciada nodded in agreement.

We watched the glowing tree, appreciating its beauty.