Chapter 87

"We're here, Lady Luminous." Hinata opened the carriage door as Luminous stepped out. She quickly noticed the scale of the festival. She could see a variety of stalls, games, and some places she could quickly see as points of interest, the buildings that stood out from everything else in their style. She could see a cathedral, a coliseum, and a very fancy and luxurious building that would no doubt attract a variety of nobles and rich people.

"Hmm, I can already tell that some interesting things are going to happen." For once she looked normal and back to how she would usually act. Maybe there's a tiny sliver of hope for her left."Now, let's go find Artoria." Maybe not.

Hinata sighed as she heard Luminous. This would either be the fastest or shortest time she would have here. She felt like she would spend most of her time trying to keep Luminous in check.

Maybe, she can delay it? No, she would run out of things to delay her with.

"Can you really find her with all these people around?"

"That's a dumb question, Hinata. Of course I can find her, she stands out very easily."

"If you say so, Lady Luminous," Hinata said with yet another sigh. She's lost count of how many times this has happened. 

/\\//\\//\

Horse racing, check. Mounted shooting, check. Barrel racing, check. Poker tournament, check. That's going to be a good way to make people come to the casino. As for the award money? Well, when the final calculations for the money made from the casino come out, the award will money will be pennies compared to the profits. Anyway moving on. Bull riding, check. I had to find some different bulls for this. Ones that were strong enough to give our monster residents some trouble. 

I think that should be about it. 

"So, Shuna, you got the red dress ready, right?" Me and Shuna were walking together as we held hands. Occasionally, I would touch the ring on her finger, reminding myself that we were married, and it would just ignite a warm feeling inside of me.

"Yes, but are you seriously going to participate in the fights? You do know how unfair that would be, right?"

"Yeah, but, I really want to do it. Please?"

"Alright, if it's what you want."

"Thank you for being so understanding, Shuna." I wrapped an arm around her as we were walking side-by-side and kissed her on her forehead, but as I did I felt an intense glare. 'Hmm, what is that?' I thought to myself as I looked around before landing on one place or one person, a certain vampire trying to blend into a crowd. 'Oh come on, you can't be serious.'

/\\//\\//\

Luminous stood there as she watched Artoria kiss and display affection to her wife. She was trying to blend in in a crowd, but she couldn't think of how to explain her emotions.

"Lady Luminous, just let it go," Hinata said to Luminous in an almost pleading tone. She thought that after seeing something like that it would make her come to her senses.

"That should be me, Hinata. That should be me in place of that pink-haired oni. It should've been me." She said with an almost-teary expression. She wasn't mad, but it was something else. Jealously.

"If you love Artoria so much, wouldn't it be fine to see her happy and wish her happiness and luck in her relationship?" Hinata said, trying to console Luminous and trying to get her to see a sort of silver lining. 

"Today, I saw the love of my life kissing the love of her life, and she looked so content and happy. If I said I want them to be happy, I'd be lying. I have love for Artoria, but envy for that oni." Luminous clenched her fist as she kept talking. The way Artoria and the pink-haired oni walked side-by-side, holding hands, and with such happy smiles on their face, their love felt infectious to anyone around them.

"Lady Luminous, I think you should-"

"Silence, Hinata. Is there a bar around here or something? I'm going to go kiss a bottle and throw alcohol on my wounds."

"Do you want me to-"

"Do what you want, Hinata."

"Are you giving up?"

Luminous thought about it for a second, but no, she wouldn't give up. Not yet. "No, I just need a small break to gather my thoughts."

"A small break? But we just got here."

"Go find a library and get a book about the laws of this place." Luminous said before going off on her own to find somewhere that serves alcohol.

"As you wish." Just as Hinata thought, this was going to be a long time here.

/\\//\\//\

I'm just going to let Luminous do what she wants. She might go ahead and try to drink her problems or emotions away. And while some might say that alcohol isn't a solution, if we talk in chemistry terms, then alcohol is a solution. Plus, she might spend quite ab it of money. Now, is this taking advantage of her emotions for me? Maybe, but it just happened and I'm not the one in this one-sided "relationship" she has going on with me.

Anyway, I was in Shuna's workshop. Well, I say workshop, but it's just one room in our house completely dedicated to her making a bunch of magic items and whatnot. There's so much stuff in here, it looks like a wizard tower with a bunch of random trinkets and whatnot scattered around, but it is also weirdly organized. Anyway, this is where Shuna made the red dress. She fitted it perfectly for me.

"You've been a little busy haven't you?"

Shuna smiled a little. I think she was feeling a little bit proud. "Just a little bit."

As I was looking around, I noticed four staffs that seemed very familiar to me, but I couldn't put a finger on it. "Are those staffs?"

"Huh, oh, yeah, those are staffs. I made a staff of ice, a staff of fire, a staff of wind, and a staff of lighting." Shuna said off-handly as she kept walking to where the dress was.

"They look a bit mechanical, don't they? It seems like there's a lot of moving parts."

"Well, I made some things separate and then combined it all. They each have a crystal of their respective element that I made, then I made the other staff parts, and then I put it all together. The elemental crystals can be used on their own. In fact, anyone can use them. You don't need magicules to use them, so even the most average and normal human can wield them. Do you have an interest in them?"

"A little, but maybe later" I swear, those staffs look so familiar. I know I've seen them in a video game before, but I can't remember which one. Is this another one of those big coincidences? Ah, whatever, I'll just let it be. But if she can make staffs, could she make a certain staff with the help of Avalon? I'm going to shelve that thought for later.

"Look, Artoria, here's the dress you asked for. What do you think?" Shuna held out the red dress. It looked exactly like what I was envisioning. Those poofy sleeves and the imperial look to it. 

"It looks absolutely wonderful. Thank you, Shuna."

"Would you say it's perfect?" In my eyes, it is, but how should I respond? I need to start trying to get into that mindset. 

.

.

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"Umu."

Did I do that right?