Chapter 18: Party
"It's still evening… Lily might still be working. I should probably get something for her…" Leo thought, changing direction toward the market, completely unfazed by the bloodshed he had left behind just a while ago.
He sent Shyra back into the Beast Summoning space.
"I wonder where beasts actually go when they enter the Beast Master's body…"
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Meanwhile, at a restaurant…
A woman in her mid-thirties, with black braided hair, stood by the grill, expertly cooking some food. After a moment, her gaze shifted to a young girl with pink hair.
"Lily, you should head home early today," she said. "I heard that your brother was seriously hurt, and you even asked James for some medicines."
Sera, the restaurant owner James' wife, spoke gently.
Lily, who had been slicing the meat with a sleek knife, looked up in surprise.
Yesterday, she had noticed that Leo was trying to hide his internal injuries from her, probably because he didn't want her to worry.
Still being concerned, she decided to ask James for some medicine, who, after hearing her story, gave her a pill that eased pain and boosted internal healing.
It was already nearing late evening; the moon had risen above the horizon. Normally, leaving this early wouldn't have been a problem, but today was a special day.
It was the day of the Awakening Trials.
The restaurant had been packed all day; people who failed to awaken came to drink and share their sorrows, while those who awakened came to celebrate. And now, the grand event: the celebration of Baron's son's awakening.
James' restaurant and Sera's Culinary, might not have been the most luxurious place, but it was among the top restaurants when it came to taste and service. And just earlier that evening, they received the news—
Zolton's awakening celebration would be held in their restaurant.
They had even received fresh orc meat from the messenger so that they could prepare it for the celebration. When James asked who had hunted the orc, the messenger simply said—
A high-level Beast Master had taken it down single-handedly.
James knew exactly why Zolton had chosen their restaurant for his celebration.
Lily.
That was the reason why he instructed Sera to send Lily home early—no one knew what might happen once the celebration began.
"Be careful on your way back, and don't take shortcuts," Sera warned as she saw Lily out of the restaurant. "I heard three people died while fighting each other, and some unknown culprit looted their bodies… and also disfigured their faces."
Most of the preparations inside were already completed, and now they were simply waiting for the guests to arrive.
Lily just nodded silently and headed off.
As Lily's figure disappeared into the crowd, James stepped up behind Sera.
"She's a hard worker and a good girl," he said in a relaxed tone.
"Yeah… she is." Sera's voice sharpened. "It's just her bad luck that Baron's eyes caught sight of her family, especially that scum son of his. And now that human waste has even awakened… tsk. It's going to be more difficult to deal with them now."
"Hm. It's indeed bad… if only I hadn't been injured when my Bull died…" James' voice trailed off.
Sera turned and wrapped an arm around him from the side. The other workers noticed them but simply got busy with their own work. They were used to their boss's lovey-dovey nature and even appreciated it.
"It's not your fault, so don't blame yourself for it," Sera said softly. "Everyone knows that the Baron set that up to kill you. Be thankful that you survived… I know I am thankful." She looked into his eyes, her voice much gentler now.
James only let out a quiet sigh.
"Well… anyway, I heard today was her brother's awakening trail. I hope he succeeded."
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Lily already knew why Sera had sent her home early.
"Zolton…" she muttered, her voice laced with disgust.
She still clearly remembered the day when he had stumbled into the restaurant, completely wasted, his lust-filled eyes crawling all over her body. If it wasn't for James, she wouldn't have escaped the situation so easily. But since that day, he continued to bother her, going as far as to even send men to follow her home to know where she lived. Thankfully, she had managed to evade them every time.
But she wasn't worried about herself. With her rare-ranked soul, she was stronger than most normal people and also knew some basic self-defense techniques. She had even been saving some money to buy a sword so she could become a hunter and earn more.
Her only worry was Leo.
He was her only family, and she cherished him dearly. Even if Leo wasn't her real brother, she had never felt uncomfortable around him. He always tried his best to act like a gentleman around her, often making her laugh. Even yesterday, despite being injured, he tried to act tough and even refused to let her help him bathe.
"Hehe… I wonder if he will sleep with me again…" A faint pink blush touched her cheeks before it quickly faded.
"Tomorrow, I will ask Master James to employ Leo as a waiter; that will be for the best. Even if I have to beg, I will make sure Leo works in a safe environment."
With a steeled resolve, Lily reached home—only to find that the door was locked.
"Hm? Has he not returned yet? Maybe he's upset about the trial results…" she murmured, unlocking the door. "I guess I should give him some space…"
Her thoughts drifted as she stepped into the house.
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Meanwhile, Leo was walking down the street, carrying a few bags in his hand.
He had visited various shops on the way, buying things for Lily, himself, and a few items for a small celebration.
The total cost had come near 1 silver coin, but he didn't regret it.
"New clothes for both of us, some candles, boar meat, bathing soap…" he muttered, then glanced over his shoulder.
"And firewood… phew. Guess I won't have to sleep next to her again."
He exhaled as if a huge burden had been lifted off his chest.
"It's not that I don't want a girl to hug me, not to mention a pink baddie… it's just that I don't trust myself. Not when things between us are still unclear."
When he reached home, he noticed that the door was already open.
"Looks like she got back early… And that's even better."
Humming a song from Earth, he stepped inside.