The moon lit up the dark night sky as it shone upon the city. Clouds could be seen gathering but there wasn't any rain nor thunder.
Within these cities, two teenagers who would still be considered kids, wondered the populated and highly active streets on their own.
"..."
Serena continued to walk behind John, staring at his back without saying anything.
John could feel her eyes on his back, but did his best to ignore it, he wasn't sure how to confront it after all.
"..."
The silence between the two grew bigger and bigger as the sound of footsteps and people chattering resounded around them.
There were a few food stalls still open around them, but they weren't in the mood to eat, as they had already eaten.
"..."
"...John."
Serena was the one to break the silence by being the first to call out to John.
"Yes?" John asked as he continued to walk without turning back
"Is there something you're not tel-"
Serena was interrupted by a passing couple who suddenly bumped into her while they were walking.
"Ah, sorry!" Said the girl as she suddenly bowed before being pulled away by her boyfriend
"Ignore it." Said the guy as he walked away
Without saying anything, Serena continued to slowly walk as she thought back on the couple. A human boy and girl who seemed to be a few years older than her.
She hadn't thought about it before but, after taking a good look around, she couldn't see any people of different races together.
Noticing this, she thought back on when she used to wonder if it was rare for people of different races to be together in a romantic relationship, if it was something common.
She had never tried finding out as she had always been told that the situation regarding her parents was a rare and stupid case.
Despite being told that however, after living as an adventurer and travelling with her master. She got to witness the truth. It didn't matter if one was an elf, a human, a lizardfolk, a draconian. As long as what the two had was genuine, it'd be fine.
It'd be fine but, for starters, humans couldn't live long so whatever relationship they'd have with any other race which wouldn't be able to live for as long as them, would eventually end up in sadness.
Especially in the case of elves, they could live for hundreds of years without aging after their body reached their prime.
This was just one of the reasons why dating a human was stupid, there were many other weighty reasons, but right now, that was all Serena was thinking about after she saw how flirty the couple was acting.
"Why am I thinking about this now...?" She muttered as she facepalmed herself
She then looked at John before she placed her hand on her chest as she grabbed and clenched her cloak.
[He hasn't said anything...]
"J... Jo..."
Serena's eyes then widened before she suddenly slammed both hands simultaneously at her face
*Clap*
The sound was loud, so loud that it caused John to quickly turn to check on anything, and right as he did. Serena walked past him as she grabbed onto his hand.
"Let's hurry, something's wrong with Ariel and Ms Sylvia, right?" Serena asked
John's eyes widened for a moment before he closed it as he muttered.
"Was it that easy to tell?"
"Not really, but you've been quiet and also..."
[You only get distracted when you're thinking deeply about something and I can tell that it's not about that...] Serena thought to herself
"Also...?"
"E-Eitherway, you've been quiet, also why are you walking so slowly? Shouldn't we be rushing?"
Hearing this, John avoided eye contact and lowered his head as he stared at the ground before he muttered
"Yeah..."
Serena didn't like John's half-hearted reply at all, she could easily tell that there was something he wasn't telling her, and that only annoyed her more as they were supposed to be able to trust each other. Not only that but it was Ariel and Ms Sylvia they were talking about.
"Oi... Why can't you just tell me what's wrong...? Are you being threatened?"
John slowly shook his head and the two stopped walking.
"Then why...?" Serena asked
"..."
John didn't reply, he couldn't tell her. He didn't want to ruin what the four of them had built up, on top of that, he had no guarantee that it was true.
"Argh... You can be so annoying at times you know..."
John thought for sure Serena was about to get annoyed at him or something, but for some reason she only let out a sigh before she began to walk again, pulling him along with her.
John let himself be pulled with a surprised look, she didn't look mad but tired, even though she had every right to be mad.
"You're not mad?" John asked
"I am... But if you're not telling us, then I'll just put my trust in you, just for now..." Serena muttered
John remained quiet for a moment as he tightened his grasp over Serena's hand
"Thanks..."
Without saying anything, Serena nodded before john suddenly walked to her side
"Also, let me lead us since you don't know the way."
"Wha- I do know the way to the inn."
"That's not where we're going."
***
"Are you sure John is going to come back with Serena...?" Ariel asked with a worried look
"They're on their way." Said Master Sylvia as she took a sip of the tea she had ordered
"What makes you so sure?" Ariel asked
"I can feel it, you should learn how to soon, you possess the same power as us, after all."
Suddenly, one of the servants which were on duty, walked up to their table before asking.
"Um excuse me, ma'am, are you sure tea is all you want?"
The two were inside of a restaurant, rather classy In fact. To only order tea would most likely be seen as a waste of table space for them unless the other appeared to be a rich noble or merchant.
"We'll be leaving soon." Said Master Sylvia as she nodded
"V-Very well..." Said the servant as he backed away
Right after, Ariel nervously looked around. She felt uncomfortable but decided to bear with it.
"Our time in this city has ended. We'll be heading back to xoleria, tomorrow after we pack our things."
"Eh? Already? Is it because things aren't safe?" Ariel asked
Sylvia gave off a casual nod before saying "Took you long enough." as she turned to the entrance of the restaurant.
There stood both John and Serena. As Ariel saw this, she quickly got up before quietly walking towards Serena.
Serena who saw this, got a bit worried as John was acting strangely. Maybe he had kept another thing from her, on top of that Ariel didn't look too happy, and looked rather serious.
As Ariel got closer and closer, Serena got more and more nervous. And when she finally reached Serena, Serena closed her eyes unsure about how to face Ariel.
Contrary to what she was expecting, Ariel ended up giving Serena a big tight hug as she said "I'm so glad you're safe..." tears streamed down Ariel's eyes as she continued to hug Serena, her nose getting redder and redder by each second.
John left the two to each other as he walked past them, heading straight to Master Sylvia.
With his attention focused solely on her, he took a seat on the seat where Ariel was sitting before staring straight at her.
Master Sylvia with a smile stared straight back as if waiting for John to ask whatever he had stuck on the tip of his tongue.
The tension around John continued to rise as he opened his mouth to ask it.
[Just ask her... It's easy... What are you hesitating for?!] John asked himself
"Hey... Master Sylvia, can I really tru-"
John was interrupted by another servant who showed up, he wore glasses and had a posh air around him as he asked
"How may I help you? You can't just come in here and sit whenever you like it. You need to make a book or an order or-"
The man suddenly stopped talking as John pulled out two gold coins and slid it towards him.
"Can I have a drink?" John asked as he accidentally glared at the man
The man took the two gold coins with shaking hands and widened eyes as he said "R-r-r-right away, s-s-sir..." Before bowing and leaving.
He was annoyed for having been interrupted, but after he realised how rude that was, he felt bad.
Master Sylvia then gave John a head pat with a smile before asking
"You were saying?"
"Can the three of us really tru... tr... Train any harder? A-as in, can we reach a stronger point?"
That wasn't John's actual question, or rather, it was far from it. But no matter how hard he tried, he was afraid to let it out, and even more than that, he was was afraid to hear the answer.
"You're far from the level you can reach." Said Master Sylvia as she nodded
[What?]
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