Legend | Celeste Academy Series BK #2

Chapter 9 ♕ Arguments

Keelan whimpered silently as his stomach roared in obvious anger. He turned his puppy-like eyes towards Valeriana, knowing she must've carried something with her. After all, he caught her preparing a few sandwiches in advance before their trip.

"Valeriana . . ."

The girl sighed. "Gosh, you're so much like my brother it's scary. Can you guys sniff out food everywhere?" She took something out from the backpack she had asked Brindon to carry for her and handed the wrapped peanut butter n' jelly to Keelan. "Here you go. Don't complain about it, okay? That's all I have."

Keelan's eyes lit up and he went for the food. "Thank you!"

Since everyone was present and the person Valeriana had wanted to see so much since a while ago was finally there, she eagerly skipped forward and walked alongside the second-ranker. Looking up at the benevolent lord, she gave him a big smile and started her consultation.

"Hey, Rowe," she heard the girl say. "I need to ask you something."

"Anything for you, Valeriana."

Keelan stared at the sandwich he had in his hands while partly listening to their conversation. It was wrapped in something soft and smooth which apparently wasn't edible. With an excited huff, he tore off the tissue and brought the food up to his nose. He sniffed it and was confronted by a strange scent.

Sure it did smell a bit strange on his part, but it also had some kind of alluring scent in it—somewhat nutty with a mix of something . . . different.

"I heard that most of the people who can hear the words of a Celestial Beast come from your home."

"That's true."

With his brows scrunched, he looked at the food weirdly.

"What's this?" He asked, examining it from all direction.

"Can I ask who are they? Do you know anything about them?" Valeriana curiously inquired, hopefully looking up at the second-ranker.

"Well, the number of people who can understand the words of Celestial Beasts have long since dwindled." Rowe answered thoughtfully. "They are now a rare sight, really. Even I'm somehow disappointed myself to admit it."

"Oh." She mumbled, feeling a pang of disappointment.

"Why the sudden interest?"

"Um . . ." She fiddled with her end of her top. "I was kind of hoping I could ask you about them . . . I mean . . . maybe you even knew one of them and I was thinking maybe I can talk to them. You know . . . ask questions, maybe?"

"Why? If you don't mind my asking." He gazed at her, his eyes glinting with curiosity as he did.

Rowe absentmindedly tugged on the collar of his tunic, feeling somewhat uncomfortable wearing the clothes he was currently dressed in. He had gotten used to wearing a cotton shirt topped with a high-collared jacket. He missed the feeling of his cravat brushing against his chest.

It wasn't that bad wearing common clothes, but he missed being donned in the fine quality of the material that the prosperous life of a noble offered.

Meanwhile, Keelan continued to stare at the strange food he was given before finally deciding to bite into it. Food was food after all. And if Valeriana gave it, it was sure to taste great—although weird. He chewed on the sandwich roughly, squeezing out the strange taste that suddenly exploded on his tongue.

He paused.

There was a sharp and fruity tang that came with a salty and nutty taste. With slight hesitance, he started chewing. Something unbearably soft then brushed against the walls of his mouth along with small bits of peanuts clashing against his teeth.