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Chapter Twenty-Nine: Before Blood Floods

"Someone made a guild call po. You answered po nang hindi niyo alam kung sino tumawag?"

"Pusa, you answer anyone's call? That's not advisable."

"Aba! Eh paano kung nagchange number lang tapos hindi ko sinagot? O di kaya naaksidente kaya tumawag sa ibang number tapos hindi ko sinagot?"

"E'di hindi mo sinagot."

"Hoy, ama ni Cerberus, hindi ko hinihingi opinyon mo."

"Binigay ko ba?"

"Aba't! Ang batang 'to! Eh kani-"

"What's better?... This or this?..."

"Kuya, naubos na po pera ko sa pag-upgrade. Nagugutom na po ako."

"Batang kalasag, kailan ka lang ba hindi nagutom?"

"Wala na akong pera... Sandali lang, sino ba ang tumawag?!"

I rolled my eyes. Finally, someone asked. "Ako."

"Oh?! Sol?! Andito ka?"

I decided to ignore Feyre's senseless question. "Nasaan kayo?"

"I'm hunting for money. Minerva and Feyre's at the tailor shop. Ang tatlo naman ay nasa kay Aeron." sagot ni Hex.

Tumango ako kahit na hindi nila nakikita. "I see. I'll head over towards Vesta's group. Ano gusto mong kainin Priamos?"

And they started to list the foods they want to eat. Kahit ang mga hindi ko tinanong. May gana pa silang magorder ng madami kaysa kay Priamos.

Napailing na lang ako at pinatay ang guild call. Napakaingay talaga nila, at ang lider ay si Feyre. Minsan hindi na ako nagsasalita dahil parang nakakahiya naman sa mga pinaguusapan nilang walang punto. Hex even started to tune them out. Mukhang lutang na soro na lang itong naglalakad kasama namin.

I peacefully walked my way to Aeron's shop. It's been a long time since I came there. Siguro noong tinapos ko ang first quest. I should see if he can upgrade my sword as well. For tonight's fight.

"Pst. Pst," may sumisitsit habang naglalakad ako. I looked up and saw Feyre comfortably sitting on a tree branch. Kumakain siya ng mansanas habang nakatingin sa'kin. "Doesn't this remind you of our first meeting?"

I raised a brow. "You were on the rocks on our first meeting. Not up on the tree branch."

"Then should I change it to the first time we became a party?"

Umiling ako. "The first time we became party members was on the first quest. With the guy who I forgot the name."

Tumalon siya pababa. "Same. I also forgot his name. Actually, I forgot all their names. Or, I really didn't try to know their name."

"I bet my life it's the last."

Ngumisi siya. She held the apple towards me. "Doesn't this remind you of our first journey on the Vanadey Forest?"

"Oh, the day you poisoned me."

"You might look like you came from some fairytale, but I'm no witch. It was you who bewitched me."

I continued walking. Sumunod naman siya sa'kin. Tiningnan ko ang mansanas na bigay niya. It's been a long time since I saw her eat one. She's been munching on different types of food when we got out of the forest.

"You're back to apples?" tanong ko.

She sighed. "Well, I don't really have a choice, you know? My money's all spent from potions and upgrades. Voldmir uses his money for summoning crystals and books. Vesta is crazy about guns. Priamos' money always goes to his shield and sword. Minerva, that brat, is wasting her money on her guitar. And our bank's all dried up."