Ariel opened the mansion's door, the door creaked. He looked around.
No one's guarding the entrance, It should be dinner time.
He moved deeper, His family paintings were hung across the corridor, with white columns in between each piece. The path split into four before him, one left, one right, detailed double stairs going up and a single stair going down. He went downstairs.
The scent of rust and mold hit his lungs. The cellar wasn't lit. Ariel stopped for a moment, his legs refused to move further.
The metallic scent of the blood almost hit his nose.
Shaking his head, Ariel continued. He put his hand on the wall and ran his mana through it. Torches caught fire.
A few paces later a statue stood beside him with a label on top that read "The First Sun." He glanced at it. It was an old man in armor, nothing more, nothing less.
He kept walking, countless statues passed by his side, each one was moldier than one before. He reached the end after a minute. On his right stood a casket and flowers. The casket had a small tag that read "Reinhard Sun."
Ariel stared at the casket for a while, he grazed his hand on the wooden box. The dust stuck to his fingers and the wood had worn down. He closed his eyes, reminiscing the time where they were doing drills. For a moment he was in his memories.
Breathing heavily, he tried to get up. His brother lent a hand, then spoke with his soothing voice.
"You always talk about becoming..." Static, for the life of him, Ariel couldn't remember what that word was.
His brother smiled to him. "I trust in you, even if they don't."
Ariel smiled.
He grabbed a brush nearby and dusted off the casket.
I should've brought those white flowers, these ones rotted already.
He grabbed the rotten flowers and headed back. The sun's rays hit his face. Ariel stared at the rotten flower for a moment, then at the trash bin nearby. He opened his backpack; the golden, locket necklace gleamed inside.
Opening the locket, Ariel saw the face of his brother Reinhard stood in it. Ripping the only good petal left, he put it near the painting of his brother, inside the locket. Then he threw the rest of the flower away.
"Ariel, it has been a long time huh?"
Ariel turned right, where the voice came from. It was a man in imperial clothes, oversized and layered clothes with the Varsian flag on the chest. the guy was at most two years younger than him.
"It has, Louis."
"Hey, tell me. Are you still after your little dream?" Louis said sarcastically.
Ariel narrowed his eyes. "I warn you for the last time. Don't."
"Or what will you do, lose again?" Louis leaned in closer, with a smile.
Ariel gripped onto his halberd.
"Stop!"
Both Ariel and Louis turned. A young man, between the ages of ten and sixteen walked closer with everyday clothes.
"Don't intervene Wilhelm, it is between the house heads." Louis spoke.
Ariel pointed his halberd at Louis. "When were you the house head?"
Louis raised his hands. "You know what I am talking about."
"Only if the laws..." Ariel sighed and sheeted his weapon back, then turned at Wilhelm.
"What is he talking about?" Ariel softened his tone.
"Ah... Our father decided that Louis will be the next house head if you disappoint him one more time..." Wilhelm's voice trailed off.
Great. Really great.
Ariel walked towards the cooking headquarters, passing by Louis.
"Running again? Expected of you." Louis laughed, making sure that Ariel heard him.
The smell of vanilla and other spices got sharper as Ariel reached the cooking headquarters. He pushed the double doors. The servants' eyes snapped at the entrance.
They bowed down towards the door. "Lord Ariel, welcome!"
Ariel looked around. "It feels like it's been years."
Seven counters were lined in parallel with two-person wide space in between. The counters were made of blue-ish stone, on top of the counters fruits, spices, legumes and grains from all over the kingdom.
"Where is Arthur?" He asked.
"Head chef is currently resting at the servants' lounge, Lord Ariel."
"Sorry for interrupting and thanks for the help." Ariel gave a small bow then walked towards the servants' lounge.
A few paces later he opened lounge's door. An old man with burns and cuts all over his forearms laid down at the couch, snorting like there's no tomorrow.
Ariel chuckled a little and walked closer.
"Head chef Arthur." Ariel roared.
"Huh..." Arthur scratched his belly, his eyes flutter opened.
"Ariel... Ariel?"
A small scream escaped from him by the time he realized that he slammed to the ground. He quickly got on his legs and gave a bow.
"What would be your request, Lord Ariel?"
"When did we grow cold?"
"Ah, right sorry, I don't know. I didn't expect you to call me 'head chef.' " Arthur scratched his head.
"I was going to ask the recipe of that dessert you used to make."
"Which one?" Arthur blinked.
"Oh that one with the pherax." He looked around, spotting a pen and paper he wrote down the dessert. Then he handed Ariel the paper.
"Why did you want that? I can make it anytime y'know." Arthur struggled to keep his eyes open.
"I'll be staying at the Palace for a moment, then request them to make this dessert."
"You really don't trust them, huh?"
Ariel stopped for a beat.
"Yeah, see you later."
He walked out of the mansion's door. Colorful ornament hung from the windows of the houses.
Just twenty days, I wish the summer lasted longer. Ariel sighed.
He walked throughout the city, watching people rush to complete the festival preparations. Ladders going up and down with a sweet enthusiasm.
"Put the ropes there." An old man talked.
"Then it isn't symmetric." A young man talked back.
"When did everything had to be perfect?!"
"Talking you is like talking to a wall old man. Decors are only good when they are symmetric."
I've heard the same conversation last festival. Some things never change huh?
Moving on, he saw artisans and peasants arguing.
"It was three coppers a week ago! What changed?" peasant roared.
"Demand, that changed." Artisan sighed.
"Then do more."
"Why do I have to go through this every festival," the artisan muttered.
"I can't just 'do more,'" he added.
Ariel's eyes shifted to another stand. The stand had a dummy wielding a sword, an old man sat on a chair next to it. He walked towards it.
"How much?" Ariel asked.
"A copper," the old man answered.
Reaching for his coin bag, Ariel pulled a copper and handed it to the old man. Then he grabbed the wooden sword nearby. He stared at the sword for a while.
Reinhard used to play this every festival, I never understood why.
Grabbing the sword with both hands, he smacked the head of the dummy with full force, The wood in his hand nearly cracked. The head of the dummy wobbled then fell back into place.
"Sorry kid, better luck next time."
Ariel sighed and put the sword where he found it. He glanced at the sky, it had already grown dark. The lanterns around him were lit.
He turned towards the palace and started walking.