"Long time no see, you bastard." ［???］
Sinister smiles were afloat in the air and the tension got heavier all of the sudden. Two people stared into one another's eyes, smiling albeit differently. One was filled with indifference whilst the other was wiry disdain, different like heaven and earth.
As their stare off sparked lightning sparks all over the place, people gathered one after another. Some were gasping, some were mumbling, and some were smiling. A variety of reactions were unveiled from the crowd, the commotion getting louder and louder by the moment.
"Why are you so quiet? Did the cat get your tongue?"
"Hahaha. Don't talk like that. He's probably scared sh*tless!"
"Why don't you go back crying to your mommy? Hahaha!"
Vicious remarks were released one after another like growling, rabid dogs and they soon laughed with vigor like a pack of malicious hyenas. They were sneering and cracking their knuckles, acting like real thugs.
The leader was especially vicious, drawing closer and closer with irked veins popping out his head and neck one after another. A deep hatred burned within his eyes, like a hungry predator who was ready to crush everything that stands his way.
"Lester..." ［Garret］
"Haah?! Don't call my name so casually, you bastard!" ［Lester］
Garret stayed calm but the same couldn't be said for the latter. He barked back like a rabid street dog, eyes getting redder and redder with anger as he grabbed Garret by the collar. It was a face which wouldn't accept negotiations.
It was a very sudden situation, and so, Yuna patter Iris' back and signaled her to hide behind her. They didn't want to use violence unless needed, but with how things are going, it would be difficult. What a troublesome situation.
"Why aren't you answering, you bastard? Are you looking down on me?" ［Lester］
"Ah, no... It's just... I'm done acting like a hero... It's already over." ［Garret］
But rather than a fierce response like he did yesterday, Garret responded in a way no one expected. A response which only brought confusion to everyone. Especially the man before him, making his eyes widen in bewilderment.
"Eh? We're already done?" ［Lester］
"""Huh?! You're done already?!"""
"""Eh? What do you mean?"""
Three different reactions from three different parties. The gang of thugs was in shock, the gathering crowd was filled with disappointment, and Grey, Yuna, and Iris were confused as one can be, now tilting their heads sidewards.
"You should have said so earlier! What's the point of the costume then?!" ［Lester］
"That's right, Young Lord! You should have told us in advance!"
"Aww... I quite liked acting like a thug too..."
The thugs gave their opinions one after another, and slowly started taking off their rough outfits, soon changing into more casual and normal attire as they grumbled about Garret. They changed so quickly and so efficiently, it was like magic.
As for Grey, Yuna, and Iris... Well, they're more confused than ever. Question marks were afloat in their heads as they watched the absurd scene unfold. They were the only ones who stood out like a sore thumb, not understanding a single thing.
Especially Grey, he was already confused when he knew the people before them were good guys, even thinking his eyes were broken. They were even ready to brawl it out, yet things never got physical. They are at a loss of words.
"Umm... Garret... What's happening?" ［Grey］
"Ah, that's right! Everyone, let me introduce you to my friends! Theyー" ［Garret］
"Wait! Wait! Wait! Friends?! What was that just now then?!" ［Yuna］
"Ah, that... They always go along with my whims, and since I was acting hero, I asked them to act as villains. They were just acting, acting." ［Garret］
"Sorry for startling you. I hope you weren't too surprised." ［Lester］
Acting... It was all an act. Now, everything finally made sense. Grey's judgement, the reason why no one ran away, why such thugs could casually parade in the city, and so much more. The pieces perfectly fell into place.
And to think Garret's strange antics also brushed off to his friends as well. They don't know whether to laugh or cry about the situation. No, rather, they don't even have the energy to think about what is happening. They just accepted things as they were. Thinking too much will hurt their minds.
The moment the show was over, the crowd slowly dispersed and things immediately returned to normal. Some were disappointed, but rather than feel down, they simply looked forward to Garret's next "performance". It seems such events occur very often.
"By the way, everyone, let me introduce you to my friends. This here is Lester, next to him is John, then Marcus, and finally, Olsen." ［Garret］
"Nice to meet you." ［Olsen］
"A pleasure meeting 'ya!" ［John］
"Hello～." ［Marcus］
Garret soon introduced his friends from the left. There was the vice-leader of the gang, Lester, the freckled macho man, John, the chubby and cheerful Marcus, and finally, the long-haired dude whose eyes were nowhere to be seen, Olsen. Together, they make up Garret's gang of troublemakers.
It was a strange match-up, but from their interactions alone, one could see how close they were as friends. Though Garret was the lord's son, that doesn't stop them from getting close and casual. No wonder people love Garret. He's simply too charming.
"And everyone, let me introduce you to our guests! You won't believe this, but listen closely, they areー" ［Garret］
"Garret, we still have a tour, right? Why don't we continue with that first?" ［Grey］
Garret was about to slip up and introduce Grey, Yuna, and Iris, but thankfully, Grey was able to stop him just barely. They have already experienced their identities one too many times, and they don't want to experience such troublesome things again.
"Eh? But the introductionsー" ［Garret］
"Let's not fret too much about that. We can do that any other time." ［Grey］
"Un! And didn't you say you still have a lot of amazing sights to show us? We're really looking forward to it!" ［Yuna］
"Ohh! Of course! You can count on me!" ［Garret］
Fortunately, Garret was quite easy to distract. A simple request from them and he quickly forgot about the introductions. Though his reverence for them was a little troubling, it is also useful at times. And such was this time.
Though they feel bad about his friends, there wasn't too much to worry about. With Garret fully convinced, they also quickly forgot about the flow of events. It seems like Garret is influencing them in ways more than one. Thank God they're also idiots.
"Oh, right! Speaking of which, Lester, is your shop still open?" ［Garret］
"Our shop? Of course, it's always open. Why?" ［Lester］
"Great! Then let's head there this instant!" ［Garret］
There was no hesitation in his voice as Garret gave such a declaration. With him and Lester on the lead, they then headed on the Latter's shop, chatting ever so cheerfully as they headed towards the place, a light atmosphere about them.
Of course, as they headed there, Garret and the gang also kept asking them about their names, but thankfully, they were able to distract them by changing the topic. They also tried to get Garret to not reveal their identities, but their gestures always fly over his head. He was hopeless.
Before long, they finally arrived at their destination. It was a shop not too big but not too small either, beautiful flowers decorating the outside and a number of wonderful jewelry displayed on the inside, each beautiful to their own.
"We've arrived, everyone. Welcome to Dolly's Accessory Shop!" ［Garret］
And for some reason, Garret quickly changed the tone of his voice and started acting like a tour guide once again. He happily and politely opened the doors for everyone, soft chimes dancing in the air as they entered.
It was even more beautiful inside, gems and precious metals sparkling brightly like stars in the midnight sky. From rings to necklace, there were all sorts of things present, each one uniquely designed with intricate carvings.
Rubies, garnets, topazes, pearls, diamonds, gold, silver, and a lot more. Colors filled their view as they looked left and right. It was as to be expected in the City of Colors. Even the presentation of the products was magnificent, things neatly arranged to showcase their true beauty.
"Mom～! I'm backー Kugh!" ［Lester］
"Lester, you brat! You finally came back!" ［Dolly］
Lester couldn't even finish his words when, out of the blue, a wooden ladle came flying straight towards him, hitting him magnificently in the forehead and leaving a red mark. It made quite the sound too. It must have hurt a lot.
But there was no time to worry about the pain. Just as he got up from being struck, he was already grabbed by the collar and shook wildly by his angry mother. He them received a lengthy and furious scolding for skipping his chores like usual. He's really is Garret's friend, alright.
"You have even finished the dishes! Why youー Ah! Young Lord!" ［Dolly］
"Good morning, Missus Dolly. How have you been?" ［Garret］
"Haah... I've been well, Young Lord. But as you can see, a certain child of mine keeps causing me trouble. I hope he hasn't inconvenienced you." ［Dolly］
"No, no, not at all. Rather, he's been helping me every time. I'm very thankful to him for everything he's done. He's a great friend." ［Garret］
"I see... Then, I'll let him off the hook just this once. Maybe I've been a little bit too harsh on this child." ［Dolly］
And like friends would, Garret quickly came to the rescue the moment Lester got into trouble. Though there weren't any lies in his words, Lester wasn't really helping him in something useful. They simply messed around and role played day after day.
"Ah, right. I almost forgot. I'm touring our quests right now. Would it be alright if we take a look around the shop?" ［Garret］
"Of course! You can take a look around as much as you want!" ［Dolly］
"Hahaha. Thank you very much, Missus Dolly." ［Garret］
It was as easy as that. As soon as Dolly gave her approval, everyone then took a look around the shop to see if there was anything they fancied. They walked here and there, peering through the glass cases with excited, sparkling eyes.
Iris was especially excited. Though she had picked jewelry for herself before, those accessories were only for formal events such as tea parties and grand balls. She had never picked one for her own enjoyment, and now that she could, she was so happy, she couldn't even hide her smile even if she wanted to.
She especially liked the pearl necklace which shined like the burning sunset, red as one can be. She couldn't take her eyes off it, even imagining herself wearing it on her neck. So much so, she didn't notice Yuna approaching her.
"Do you like that one, Iris?" ［Yuna］
"W-Waah! E-Elder Sister Yunー Ah! Sorry!" ［Iris］
"Fufufu! It's alright. Everyone's busy so no one can hear us." ［Yuna］
Iris quickly covered her mouth as soon as she realized she was about to say Yuna's name out loud. Thankfully, everyone was so busy looking at the displays that they didn't really hear her. It was a close call.
"So... Do you like this pearl necklace?" ［Yuna］
"Yes... I think it looks beautiful..." ［Iris］
"Fufufu! If that's the case, let's buy it then. This will be my gift to you." ［Yuna］
"E-Eh?! N-No, I can buy it myself! I still have some money! You don't have to trouble yourself with that, Elder Sister!" ［Iris］
"No, that won't do. I'll be buying this as a gift for you, and that's final." ［Yuna］
Yuna wanted to give the necklace as a gift to Iris, but the princess, being as shy as she is, quickly rejected her offer. Unfortunately for the princess, Yuna is quite stubborn when it comes to such things. She didn't back down a little bit.
Yuna tried her best to convince Iris, but the young princess doesn't want to budge an inch either. They were in deadlock for a few minutes already. And though she really doesn't want to use it, Iris left Yuna with no other choice.
"Listen, Iris... Your birthday is a month after Liz's, isn't it? Me and Grey didn't really get the chance to attend, so I thought maybe with this, I can at least give you a present even though it's already so late." ［Yuna］
"Elder Sister..." ［Iris］
"But it looks like you really want to buy this... I'll just go find another one..." ［Yuna］
"... Okay... I'll accept it as a gift..." ［Iris］
It was super effective! Though Yuna is usually the cheerful and innocent type, having been with Grey and Julius, she now knew a trick or two. Using pity to gain the upper hand is such a simple trick. Iris didn't stand a chance.
Though he may be checking out the merchandise, Grey couldn't help but overhear Yuna and Iris' conversation. He can't say he's shocked, but he's a little surprised how sly his girlfriend had become. Oh, how he regrets having corrupted her.
"Hm? Is there something on my face?" ［Yuna］
"Nah, nothing... I was just lost in thought for a second..." ［Grey］
Still in disbelief, Grey continued with whatever he was doing and so did Yuna and Iris. Having picked a necklace for Iris, they then went around the place to see if there was anything else they'd like, eyes brimming with brilliance.
As for Grey, he scoured the display quick as lightning, eyes zooming left and right as he scoured through them. Their design, the size, the gemstones, he scrutinized each and every detail of the items, leaning closely as he inspected them.
'How beautiful... I wonder if Yuna would like this...' ［Grey］
Of course, the items were none other than rings. After all, Grey had already decided to propose to Yuna, and though he had been practicing how to make the best ring in his spare time, there was no harm in taking inspiration.
He didn't plan to visit an accessory shop today, but it was lucky that they did. With this, he could directly ask the person herself of her preference and make the best engagement ring there is. It was a little nerve-wracking, to be honest.
"Yuna, can you come with me for a second?" ［Grey］
"Hm?" ［Yuna］
But there was no time to chicken out. As confidently as he could, Grey strode towards her and whispered softly to her ears. The latter really didn't understand what was happening, but she simply followed, a bright smile on her face.
"Yuna, what do you think of this?" ［Grey］
"Hm, this necklace...? I think it's beautiful, though it's a little too grand...?" ［Yuna］
"Then, how about this one? Don't you think this is too plain?" ［Grey］
"No, I actually like this one better. It's simple but still beautiful." ［Yuna］
Of course, Grey didn't just ask about the rings like an idiot. He first started with the necklaces, soon moving to earrings, and so one and so forth, listening closely to her remarks in order to spark a bit of passion and creativity in his heart.
And finally, they arrived at the rings section of the shop. They looked like a lovely couple picking out an engagement ring, but Yuna was simply too focused to notice. She simply answered Grey's questions, having fun as she spent time with him.
"By the way, Grey, why are you asking these questions?" ［Yuna］
"Nothing, really. It's just that I might use this later someday, so I'm taking notes.mWe could use this as gifts for everyone then." ［Grey］
"I see... As expected of my boyfriend! So thoughtful!" ［Yuna］
Except that he's not. Though he might give them like the one he gave to Violet just recently, he's mostly doing everything he can now to know what kind of design Yuna would like for her engagement ring. It was a selfish desire, but there was no need to say it out loud.
The questions continued and so did their tour around the shop. Soon, they bought all the items they fancied, even giving some to Garret and the gang for their hard work. A gift was so happy to receive, he declared he'll make it the family heirloom.
But the excitement simply didn't stop there. After the accessory shop, they then went around and headed to Marcus' place. His family also runs quite a successful business which is known throughout the whole of Edea.
"Waah～! So beautiful!" ［Yuna］
"So many bees... And flowers too..." ［Iris］
That business is none other than a honey farm. Where there are flowers, there would be bees, and where there would be bees, there would be honey. With Erdea's fields populated by a myriad of both, honey is also a very popular product from them.
And Marcus' family is one of the most prominent honey producers in the whole city. Their honey products are so well-known, even the surrounding territories have heard of it, always in high demand, people buzzing all over it.
Well, why wouldn't it be? After all, not only is there honey super sweet and delicious, it also comes in different varieties with different sweetness, consistency, and even different aftertastes. The product of several generations of cultivating honey.
"Is this alright?" ［Grey］
"Oh, if you're talking about the bees, they're completely docile. Even if you try to harm them, they'll simply run away." ［Marcus］
"Interesting... How much work would it take to do that?" ［Grey］
"Huhuhu. It's all because of the ingenuity of my ancestors." ［Marcus］
Said Marcus with a proud smile on his face. Though he is a part of Garret's gang, he is actually the most normal of the bunch, able to comprehend common sense and know when to cross the lines. Such an admirable young man.
And that very same young man now started heading towards the beehives, checking the contents of the hives, a smile floating on his face as he saw that honey was almost ready to be harvested yet again.
"Marcus, can we harvest honey yet?" ［Garret］
"No, not yet... Though it should be ready in a couple days." ［Marcus］
"Well, that's unfortunate..." ［Garret］
"Huhuhu. No need to be so sad now. We can still eat honey, you know?" ［Marcus］
Garret was a little disappointed, but as soon as he heard Marcus' words, his eyes immediately lit up. Well, not just his. The other members of the gang and Yuna got just as excited as well, bright smiles blooming on their faces.
And before long, they headed inside their house where hundreds upon hundreds of honey bottles were lined up one after another. They were all different tones of gold and amber, inviting as one can be, glimmering so brightly.
There was one with some sliced lemons inside of it, one which was almost reddish in color, and even ones where the honey had already started to crystalize. They were all fascinating to look at, adorably sealed in little jars.
"Sorry, we only have bread right now. Are you all alright with that?" ［Marcus］
"No. No problems here." ［Garret］
"Same here～." ［Yuna］
There was no time to waste. With everyone already so excited, Marcus then opened a couple jars of honey and with a spreading knife from God-knows-where, he swiftly and evenly spread the honey on top of the sliced bread.
The sliced bread already looked so amazing, but with the honey on top, it shined even brighter. Everyone's eyes were on the pieces of sliced bread, happily accepting them with gratitude and enthusiasm.
"""Thank you for the food!"""
Everyone took a bite and everyone was surprised with delight. The sweet and sticky honey caressed their tongues gently as rich flavors exploded in their mouths. It was only a single bite yet they already felt like heaven.
"So good! Is honey usually this delicious!" ［Yuna］
"Mmn～! This is bliss!" ［Iris］
"I knew it! Your honey really is the best, Marcus!" ［Garret］
Everyone sang praises of the delicious bread with honey and enjoyed it to the fullest. Of course, a single slice wasn't enough. They all grabbed a spreading knife for themselves and started making such treats for themselves, happy as one can be.
And whilst such a warm atmosphere brewed over them, a sudden thought suddenly crossed Grey's mind. He then grabbed a few fruits from his "Inventory", sliced them up, and placed them atop his bread, creating a fruity, honey sandwich.
"Yup! That's much better, alright." ［Grey］
The sweet honey on bread was already delicious, but combined with the natural sweetness and sourness of fruits, the treat became even more delicious. He felt bliss and peace even when such a chaotic bunch was around him.
"Boss! That's unfair! Please give me some fruits, too!" ［Garret］
"Elder Brother... I also want to have some as well..." ［Iris］
"Master! Me too!" ［John］
"I would also love some too, My Lord!" ［Olsen］
Well, he was soon noticed by the chaotic bunch and his peace was quickly broken. And for some reason, everyone else in the gang suddenly started addressing him formally as if he was some sort of Messiah. It was total chaos.
The sun continued to climb in the horizon and the bees continued to buzz around, hopping from flower to flower. The silent breeze blew and a sweet fragrance was adrift in the air, dancing ever so gracefully. What a memorable day.
CHAPTER 266 END