Author's Note:

Hi everyone! Here's a new chapter for you to read. I know that I have been idle for a while so I wish to apologize for that. However, it might be like that for a while since I have classes starting this October. I won't be able to post as much as I could unlike before but I do hope you still stay tuned for my updates. With that, I hope you still continue supporting this story. Enjoy!

Chapter 14: Town of Fields

Chrome's Perspective:

"What a beautiful day~" I hummed happily. The sun was shining brightly through the tree line as we passed through the forest we were in. Birds are singing, flowers are blooming. On days like this, I can't help but feel very relaxed. Which is exactly why I decided to lay down on the roof of the carriage.

The spot was the perfect place to relax on. Cool wind continuously blows past me while the sun lightly shines above me, a wonderful combination that can make fall asleep in no time. Believe me, it does. Nothing beats peaceful times like this.

However, I guarantee it won't always be like this. Perhaps you could say that uneventful days like this are the calm before the storm. Why do I say such things? Well, it's because I've been through this kind of thing for as long as I've been an adventurer. And let me tell you if you've got enough experience as I do, sometimes you can tell what'll happen next.

It's not like I have the power to see the future, more like things begin to look predictable to you. Anyway, it's been almost a week since our last encounter with that old hag. Ever since then, nothing but the occasional mob attacks would occur, nothing more, nothing less. Which was was honestly good for us, less hassle to deal with.

So yeah, it's been a week and it seems we are nearing our destination. Judging from the surroundings, it won't take long before we arrive at Tilden. The route to Tilden from Wellspring is surrounded by dense forests. We have passed by the swamp already and after that was the dark oak forest which we currently are in. After that, miles and miles of flat landscape shall emerge once we exit the forest.

"Chrome? You still up there?" Xander called out to me. "Why yes I am, good sir." I replied, still laying down. "It seems there is a clearing up ahead, could that be the exit?" he asked. I sat up immediately and looked to see what he was talking about. And surely, he was right! Up ahead was the way out of the forest and we went through it.

Finally, we were out and the sight before us was quite a spectacle to see. I've seen it several times but it never gets old. Not sure what I'm talking about? Well then, allow me to elaborate. You see, Tilden is known as the biggest producer of crops in the entire Kingdom of Akricul, as well as in the entire land.

And immense crop production requires vast open fields for plantation. Therefore, the place has also been called the Town of Fields. Surely a spectacle to see don't you agree? You don't often get to see miles and miles of open fields that are made specifically for plantation. In the first place, they are the only town in the land that has these amounts of the fertile landscape to plant to anyway.

But that's enough explaining, for now, it's time I enjoy the sight for myself once more. Just then I heard a window open and saw Cupa's head peek out from it. "Wow! It looks so beautiful!" she exclaimed excitedly. I chuckled, "First time here at Tilden, little missy?" I asked her. "Yup! I've never seen a place as open as this one!" she replied. "Then burn your eyes into the scenery and make sure you never forget it." I suggested. She nodded and continued to stare at the green landscape.

Seeing someone see a wonder is truly fun, "I wonder if Xander has been here before?" I thought. So I crawled up front and got into the driver's seat where Xander was. "Hey Xander. Have you ever been to Tilden before?" I asked. "No. Not really. But I have read some articles about it..." he paused and looked around, "I'm glad that I got to see this place for myself." he added.

"You look rather happy." I teased him. "You could say that. I can't help but love open fields and meadows. Seeing such smooth looking landscape makes me feel at ease." Xander said. I smiled, "So you're into plains?" I asked. "Yeah, I guess." he answered. Hearing his response made me chuckle, "I see then. I guess it was destined to be." I told him.

Xander gave me a confused look, "What do you mean?" he asked. "Nothing~" I hummed. He sighed, "Whatever." he muttered. I gave him a good pat on the back before climbing back up on the roof. "It seems that he unconsciously likes flat girls. I guess this is what you might call fate." I thought.

Anyway, for almost an hour we continuously passed by large plantations of potatoes, carrots, wheat, and the like. We also saw several pastures filled with cows and sheep that peacefully fed on the large quantity of grass. Of course, there were some houses in the area that probably belonged to the owners and caretakers of the fields. And after the seemingly endless serenity of the open fields came the bustle of a busy town.

Soon enough we arrived at Tilden, we managed to get by the gate without any problems and made our way to the stables. It's a good thing that I decided to sit up front or else we might have gotten into a little bit of trouble. Anyway, unlike the simple and tranquil sight of a farmland, the complex and busy state of the town can really be a major surprise, especially to those who aren't too familiar with the place.

I chuckled upon seeing the reaction of my two companions, "Didn't expect things to be like this, didn't you?" I asked them. Both of them nodded in sync which made me crack up even more. "I mean. You really wouldn't expect to see such a busy town when you pass through such a peaceful landscape." Xander said.

"I didn't expect to see this many people around. It's almost like there's no space to breathe!" Cupa exclaimed. I leaned back onto my chair comfortably, "Well what would you expect? It's also a merchants town, you know. This place has merchants from all over the land going in and out. There are also a lot of business establishments here and there." I explained.

"That sounds amazing! Hey Xander! Can we go shopping later?" Cupa asked the chubby individual. Xander sighed, "Fine. It's not like I can stop you." he said. The creeper humobs eyes brightened, "Yay! We're going shopping!" she happily exclaimed. "You've grown soft. Did you plan a date or something perhaps?" I asked Xander. "It's not like that. I just made a promise to myself to treat her to something nice when we get here." he explained.

I raised a brow to him, "Whatever helps you sleep at night." I said. "I'll hug you later as a thank you." Cupa told Xander. "How sweet~" I hummed. Xander didn't say anything back, seems like he has nothing to say in his defense. His troubled and slightly embarrassed face is truly fun to see, I would have teased him more but I'll give the guy a break. After all, he'll be needing a clear head if he's planning on taking the princess out on a date. Quite a bold move of him, I'm impressed.

Moving on to the next topic, we have arrived at the stables and are currently having our horses taken in and our carriage registered. Afterward, we went and looked for a good inn for us to stay. We are going to be here for three days so we might as well find a good one. The search didn't take too long though, with my expertise I was able to snuff out a great place to stay in.

So without a second to spare we rented ourselves some rooms. And thanks to my amazing bartering skills, we were able to rent two rooms for three days for the price of two gold coins. Believe me, if it wasn't for my skills we would have paid four gold coins instead of two. And if your curious what the inn's name is, it's "The Comfort Zone".

The place looked really comfortable let me tell you that. They had a wonderful and cozy common area where you can sit and relax near the fireplace. Their bistro was really clean and the food smelled amazing, they even serve garlic bread which is a pass in my book. The baths were huge and neat. Lastly, the rooms were fully furnished and had very, very, very, did I say very? Very soft beds. Truly one's comfort zone.

So after finally seeing the entire inn, we decided to do what we wanted to do. As usual, Xander made us a schedule so we know when to meet-up again. Anyway, it seems Xander was serious about taking Cupa out to sightsee, although to me it sounded like he was taking her on a date. And so they left the inn and went out, together. Leaving me and my precious daughter to do who knows what.

"So tired..." I muttered. Xander and Cupa had already left on their date so I decided to take a break instead. It has been a while since I have slept on a bed so I'm taking my leisure time to do so. Zoey was doing the same thing next to me, she was curled into a ball and laid comfortably on the bed. I smiled and stroked her fluffy fur until I too fell asleep.

Later in the afternoon is when I woke up. Zoey was licking my face mercilessly, covering it in a thick layer of saliva. I picked her up and placed her next to me before I sat up and wiped my face. "You really like to do that, don't you?" I told her. She just sat and tilted her head in response to what I said. "Don't you act like you don't know what you did?" I told her. Her eyes then drooped and she gave the puppy dog eyes. "And don't give me that look, young lady! You know it doesn't work on me." I said.

My daughter then jumped off the bed, walked towards the door, and began scratching repeatedly. "So you want to go out? Sure thing." I said. So I got out of bed, did a little stretching, and exited the room. Zoey followed after me and we walked out of the building together.

The two of us began walking around town, sightseeing, window shopping, snacking, basically doing what we want. We both stopped to rest at the local park and sat on an available bench. The street lights then flickered open, illuminating the place up. I looked up and saw that the sky was getting darker and that few stars have emerged. "I wonder what those two are up to..." I muttered.

The afternoon wind began to blow gently pass us, Zoey decided to curl up next to me and take a quick nap. It was surely relaxing to be just chilling in the park around dusk. I closed my eyes for a while but ended up falling asleep again. By the time I woke up, the sky was completely dark yet the stars have fully emerged from hiding. "What a starry night." I muttered.

"Wait... Night? Sh*t! I'm supposed to meet up with those two at the inn." I exclaimed, quickly standing up just to immediately sit back down. "Is what I'm supposed to say but I could care less..." I muttered. I looked around and the park was completely empty, the place looked kind of spooky? Or was it mystical? Nevertheless, I was alone in a quiet place.

Zoey was still curled up next to me, sleeping. So I decided to let her be for a little while longer. Just then the wind blew pretty strongly and a gray-colored hat dropped in front of me. "What do we have here?" I said while picking it up. "Must have been blown off its owners head after that strong gust of wind." I muttered while inspecting the hat.

The hat was definitely gray and had a skeleton face in front of it for a design, "Must have belonged to a humob." I muttered, "I mean only humobs wear clothes that determine what mob they originated from." I added. I decided to hold on to it so I can hand it offers to the town halls lost and found section. But just as I was about to stash it in my inventory, a female voice caught my attention.

"My hat!" she exclaimed, very excitedly, "You caught it! I'm so relieved." she added. The girl then ran towards me until we were only a few feet apart. She had silver hair, fair skin, a slender body, and was well endowed. A smile appeared on my face when I was able to see her completion. I greatly appreciate your-" she paused and looked at me. "Pardon me for my question but have we met before?" she asked.

I tilted my head in response to her question, "Have we?" I returned the question with a smile. "Don't return the question! It's bad manners to ask someone a question after they asked you a question." she told me. I chuckled, "Oh dear me! I'm so sorry for my rudeness, princess." I told her.

Her eyes suddenly widened as if she had uncovered the mystery of the universe. "YOU!" she exclaimed, "How come I didn't recognize you sooner?!" she added. I chuckled once more, "Maybe you should get your eyes checked, princess." I suggested. She glared at me, "For your information, Mr. Donovan. I have perfect eyesight and memory." she boasted.

"Then why didn't you recognize me?" I asked. "That's!" she paused, "Different." she added after a few seconds of silence. I ended up laughing my ass off again which made her flustered. I then placed her hat back on her head, "How cute." I told her. "Take your hands off me! It's unruly of you to do that." she stated, crossing her arms. "My bad." I apologized, "How about I treat you to dinner as an apology?" I asked her.

She glared at me, "I rather not. I have no idea what goes on in your tiny, little brain. Who knows what you're planning?!" she replied. After that, her stomach growled like a hungry tiger. There was a moment of pause before she spoke once more. "Don't get any funny ideas! I'm not that hungry. My belly is just being rebellious." she explained.

I raised a brow towards her, "Oh really? So I guess you wouldn't mind if I ate a wonderful, tender, juicy, grilled steak with savory sauce by myself, now would you?" I said aloud. Hearing this, her stomach growled even more which made her face red as an apple. I chuckled upon hearing it, "So? Care to join me? It will be my treat." I told her.

She hesitated for a while but ended up accepting my offer, "F-fine! Just this once, okay?!" she told me. I smiled and held out my hand, "Then would you mind if I held your hand and escorted you there?" I asked her. Her face burned bright red first before she stomped on ahead, "I'm fine walking by myself. Let's just go already." she insisted. I chuckled, "You're as lively as ever, Stella!" I said. With those words, she looked at me and turned away with a "Hmph!" and continued walking. "Truly a Tsundere~," I thought as I quickly caught up and showed her the way.

(People of the Land: Stella Aracia is a princess of the Undead Kingdom of Lycoris. Other than that, she is known to be a skilled archer and a great adventurer. Like Chrome, she is a popular A-Class adventurer and was nicknamed the Deathsight Archer. She is said to be a strong-willed lady with steadfast confidence which makes her a wonderful ally to have. She is respectful, kind, and generous to those who treat her kindly. However, to those who do the opposite, she treats them coldly and in some cases like trash. Although, there is one person where she exhibits a tsundere personality to. Moving on, this young lady has long, silver-colored hair which is tied into a neat ponytail. Her eyes are also of the same color. She has fair skin, a curvaceous body, and an eye-catching chest. As an adventurer, she normally wears a grey colored hat that has a skeleton face design, she wears a gray, short-sleeved, turtleneck parka over a black, tank top and gray shorts. She also wears a pair of black gloves, gray leggings, and black shoes. Her weapons of choice are, of course, a bow and arrow.)

Fast forward a few minutes later and we arrived at one of my favorite restaurants in the entire town of Tilden, "Polaris Palette". Stella stopped in front of the shop and took a good look at its exterior. She turned to me and raised an eyebrow, "I presume this is the restaurant you speak of?" She asked me. I smiled, "Why yes, your highness! This is truly an exquisite place to dine." I replied.

"Drop the act already, Mr. Donovan. I find it rather insulting that you address me in such tone." Stella told me. "Oh? Well, apologize then. So you wouldn't mind if I casually talk to you?" I asked. "Please do. You sound better and more believable when you speak in that barbaric tone of yours." She said. "Does that mean you like me better like this?" I asked with a hint of mischievousness. The princess turned away, "However, it doesn't change the fact that you are a terrible human being." She explained.

"Oh dear me! If I was such a terrible human being then I wouldn't be treating you to such fine dining." I said, "Perhaps, I should reconsider the offer instead." I added. Stella didn't say anything but it seemed like she was having an inner struggle. I couldn't help but grin, it is really fun teasing her. Then just as she was about to speak I cut her off.

"Jokes aside. I do intend to speak to you formally. I have...several things to verify." I told her seriously. She looked at me, "I see. Shall we go in then?" Stella asked. I nodded, "Sure thing. After you, princess." I said, gesturing her to walk in first. She paid no heed to it and went inside as I followed through.

The interior of the restaurant was decorated beautifully and furnished nicely. Numerous tables were neatly furnished with utensils and condiments. Other than the decorations and furniture, the restaurant prides itself on its unique way of lighting the makes the place seem bright and dim at the same time. Lastly, there was a stage at the back end of the place where a bunch of musicians would play instrumental music. It gave off a calm and relaxing atmosphere to dine in.

I've seen this place several times so it looked the same as always to me. However, it seems Stella was mesmerized by the place, I can't blame her, I was to at first. You could say that she was star struck by it. I smiled, "First time here?" I asked. She responded only with a singular nod. I chuckled and took her by the wrist which surprised her. "C'mon. I'll lead you through." I told her. She didn't protest.

We then walked toward the receptionist where we were asked how many people wished to dine in. I replied, "Table for two, please." And the receptionist led us to our table, we were then given the menu and were told to call us were ready to order. When the receptionist left, Stella opened up the menu and began scanning for tasty eats. I did the same thing but in a less, how should I put this, frantic way.

After a few minutes, we had our orders taken and were asked to wait. We were then asked what appetizer shall we have. Stella asked for a Caesar Salad while I asked for some soup paired with heaven's bounty, Garlic Bread. Yes, my friends, I chose this place because it has exceptional, top of the line, marvelous, mouth-watering, addicting, high-quality garlic bread. And no, I am not over exaggerating.

Sooner than later, we were served our appetizers. I took a good whiff of the soup before taking a sip and it was delightful, but not as delightful as the garlic bread. I savored every bite of the wonderful delicacy. I was then snapped back to reality when Stella spoke. "So? Are you just going to continue eating? Or do you have plans to talk?" She asked with a fork full of salad.

I swallowed what was in my mouth and replied, "Sure thing. If that's what you want." before putting down my spoon. "Good. Now get to it." Stella ordered. I leaned back on my chair and sighed, "Way to order around someone. However, I suppose I should get to it." I said. "First things first. Is it still in your possession?" I asked. Stella nodded, "It is. We've got it under tight security and complicated protective spells." she replied.

"Good. I presume you received a report a few days ago. Am I right?" I asked. Stella took out a tiny envelope from her satchel and presented it to me. "I've read the contents already. I don't like where this is going." she muttered. "Neither do I. Nevertheless, we have to do it. The others are busy with different matters concerning this. So it's just you and I on this one." I said.

"Just the two of us?" Stella asked. "Indeed. Why? Is there a problem?" I asked. For a moment her eyes looked gloomy but it faded as quickly as it showed. She shook her head, "Nothing really. Just thinking that this is such a hassle." she said. I raised an eyebrow, "Is that so? Okay then." I said. However, I have my suspicions that she's hiding something.

"Anyway, we are to make our way to the capital city of the Kingdom of Stanton, Iden." Stella told me. I nodded, "Lucky me. It seems our mission and my escort will be passing there." I said. Her eyes widened, "Wait! You're currently on an escort mission?!" she exclaimed. "Why yes. It just so happens that I am on one." I said.

Stella's facepalmed, "Then why-?!" she exclaimed. I cut her off, "Why did I choose to take on this other mission? Ever heard of hitting two birds with one stone?" I said. "You do know this could hinder the operation, right?" she asked. I shook my head, "It wouldn't. Trust me. The ones I'm escorting could prove to be formidable allies." I told her. "Also, this escort mission is as important as the one we're about to do." I added.

"Really now?" Stella asked. I nodded, "It is. After we finish eating, why not tag along with me and see for yourself? You might find this quite surprising." I suggested. She stared at me for a while, trying to understand my intentions. She then sighed, "I presume this isn't one of your pranks or jokes?" she asked. I smiled, "Of course not. I would never." I reassured her.

Stella nodded, "Good! Because if you were..." she paused. "I'll fire an arrow straight into your heart." she added menacingly. Her threat would have been terrifying if it weren't me she was threatening. I chuckled, "Awww~ How sweet of you." I told her. She sighed and dropped her stare, "Let's eat for now. All this talk is making me hungry." she said. I nodded, "I agree. Also, our food should be here any minute. I suggest we finish our appetizers first. I wouldn't want to have this garlic bread go to waste." I said. She chuckled, "You're as weird as ever..." she muttered.

As I said previously, our food did arrive as I expected. It was a delightful meal, to be honest. I'm going to skip the part where we are our meal just so your readers won't start drooling. Seriously, it was one amazing meal. All I would say is that their special steak is divine.

Anyway, moving on from the talk about food. By the time we exited the restaurant, it was already pretty late. The street lights were all on, most stores were now close, and only a few people walked the streets. "So? What now?" I asked my tsundere companion. "I'll be heading back to the inn I'm staying at." Stella replied. "Really? I guess I'll tag along with you." I told her. "Huh? Why?" she asked. "It's common sense for a gentleman to accompany a fair lady at night." I explained. "You're no gentleman." she said. "Do you want to find out?" I joked. Her face turned red before she stomped away and said, "Tag along with if you must. But NO funny business! or else..." as I followed her.

The entire time we were walking, no words were said. It was just a quiet little walk beneath the moonlit sky. Some people might have said that sounded romantic but let me tell you something, it wasn't. Why? Well, there was nothing romantic about walking alongside a girl that had a menacing aura surrounding her. Don't even get me started on her death threats. I'm serious. Do not dare her, I got an arrow to the knee the last time I did. Nevertheless, Stella is a nice girl, she just finds it hard to open up to others.

With that being said, I accompanied her back to the inn she was talking about. About several minutes of walking later, she stopped and said, "This is where I'll be staying the night." before facing me. I stopped walking as well and looked at the establishment and was I surprised. "Thanks for accompanying me and treating me to dinner, I guess. Well, I guess I'll turn in now." she said as she walked towards the entrance.

"Hold it, Stella." I said. She stopped walking and looked at me, "What is it now?" she asked. With a smile, I asked her, "Are you sure this is where you're staying?" as I approached her. "Huh? The inn's name is 'The Comfort Zone'. Why do you ask?" she asked me? I then placed my hand on her shoulder, "Because this is also the place where I'm checked in." I told her. And then Stella made the funniest shocked expression I've ever seen.

Cupa's Perspective:

It was a cold, early morning when I woke up. The sun shone through the windows and straight into my eyes, the main reason why I got up. Seriously, ever experience someone shining a light on your face when you still sleeping? It will wake you up. Thanks to that, I could no longer sleep anymore and had to get out of bed.

I groggily got out of bed feeling a little bit pissed that I couldn't sleep any longer than I could. After that, I went and cleaned myself up before putting on my usual attire. And by the time I was ready, I felt oddly good. I guess washing your face in the morning helps get rid of sleepiness and irritation as well.

Anyway, I was pretty much ready to head on out and explore the town once more when I remembered something. The thing that I remembered was nicely placed on my bedside table, it was a necklace with a clover-shaped, silver pendant attached to it. I gently took it and put it on before checking how it looks in front of a mirror.

The pendant dangled around my neck as it reflected a bit of light from the sun. I smiled happily and touched it. "To think Xander would go out of his way to buy this for me. How nice of him." I happily thought. Coincidentally, I heard a knock on my door as Xander called out to me. "Cupa! Are you up already? It's time for breakfast." he said. I chuckled, "Yes, I am! Give me a few~" I hummed.

True to my word, I was out of my room after a few seconds. Xander greeted me with a "Good morning!" and so did I. Both of us then headed cafeteria downstairs where a surprise was waiting right for me. Of course, at that time I didn't know about it. "So? Did Chrome arrive last night?" I asked. He sighed, "He did. However, he arrived very late." he said.

"At least he arrived safe and sound, right?" I asked. Xander nodded, "Yup. He even looked like he had a blast. Seriously where did he go to last night? When he entered the room, he had this delighted look on his face. Almost like he accomplished something amazing. Anyhow, he woke up the same time as me this morning and asked me to bring you along for breakfast. I don't know why but I was planning to do that anyway..." he ranted. "In other words, you're glad he's back, right?" I asked. He let out an exasperated sigh and nodded. I smiled, "Good! Now let's get some food in our tummies!" I exclaimed.

We then arrived at the cafeteria, grabbed ourselves each a platter, and some food. This was my first morning here at the inn and let me tell you that the food choices here are immense. It's almost like a mini buffet, almost. They do limit you to two servings per meal but it's fine.

Anyway, the two of us filled up our platter with as much food as we can before finding a place to sit. We scanned the room for a place to sit until Xander nudged me, "Let's sit over there." he suggested. I looked over to the table he was talking about and saw Chrome sitting there. I nodded, "Sure thing." I agreed. So we walked towards where Chrome was seated and joined him for breakfast.

"Glad you two could make it. I thought I might finish my food before both of you got here." Chrome told us. The two of us placed our platters on the table and then we took a seat. "You could go back for another serving, right?" Xander asked. "I'm not like you, you know." he replied. "Are you saying I'm a glutton?" Xander asked. Chrome just shrugged and took a spoonful of mashed potato into his mouth.

"Shall we eat then?" Xander asked me. I nodded, "Yup! I'm pretty much starving." I told him. Now as I was about to take a bite out of the juicy bacon I had chosen, I noticed that there was another platter full of food next to Chrome. I guessed Xander didn't notice but I sure did. Out of curiosity, I asked, "Chrome? Is that yours?" as I pointed the platter next to him.

Chrome looked at me and smiled, "Oh! I forgot to tell you that we're sharing this table with someone." he said. "Oh? Is it someone you know?" Xander asked. "You could say that..." he replied. "This sounds exciting!" I stated. "Oh it is~" he hummed. "You look like you're enjoying yourself..." I told him. "Am I now? Well, I guess you could say that." he replied. "Why is that?" Xander asked. "Just you wait. I'm sure Cupa will be surprised and so will she..." Chrome said.

"So it's a she? Might I speculate that this person you speak of is also an adventurer?" Xander guessed. Chrome nodded, "Yup. She'll be back soon." he said. As if on cue, someone arrived at our table, someone I was very surprised to see. "I assume you didn't touch my food?" Stella asked. "Of course not! That would mean an indirect kiss. And for a lady such as yourself, that would be...how should I phrase this? Very lewd of me." Chrome replied.

"You are-" Stella was supposed to say until she noticed me staring at her. "Cupa? Is that you?" she asked. I quickly stood up and gave her a big hug, "You're damn right it's me!" I said as my face pressed onto her chest. It is quite soft if you mad lads are wondering. "It's been so long since I last saw you!" I happily exclaimed. "C-Cupa?! What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I knew you were going to ask that. Wasn't I right? Weren't you surprised?" Chrome said. Stella looked away, "I guess you were..." she muttered. "Anyway, you two should take a seat if details are to be properly explained." he stated. And so, Stella and I both took our seats together. However, I was still pretty excited to see her, I mean it's been quite a while since I saw a familiar face. I couldn't stop smiling.

Stella must have noticed me gazing at her, "You seem to be in a good mood, Cupa." she said. "Of course I am! I haven't seen you in ages! I'm glad that you haven't changed much." I told her. She smiled, "I'm flattered to hear that from a friend." she said. "Also..." I paused. "Also what?" she asked. "You're boobs are as soft as ever." I added. Her face then turned red, "Cupa! What are you saying?!" she exclaimed.

Stella turned to face Chrome, "Please tell me you didn't hear that?!" she asked him. "Huh? Hear what? The fact that your boobs are soft? Wasn't that obvious?" he replied nonchalantly. Her face then turned bright red as she began to punch Chrome...unsuccessfully. "Her reaction is so priceless, typical Stella." I thought.

I turned to face Xander who didn't seem to bother about the conversation. "You seem uninterested." I said. "Not really. What you said was surely intriguing to most guys, but not me." he said, continuously eating his meal. So by the time Stella calmed down, Xander had finished his meal and I supposed we were ready to start talking.

"Okay. I guess I'll start first. Hello, I am Chrome Donovan. Nice to meet you." he said. "Are we really doing introductions?" Stella asked. "Nah! Not really. I was just joking." he said. "Really? I thought we were actually doing it." I said. "I even thought of a little speech to do." I added. "Maybe some other time, Cupa." Xander told me. I pouted, "Fine." I said.

"Anyway, I guess the only ones that don't know each other are Stella and Xander so... Xander, this is Stella, a fellow A-Class adventurer, and a real-life tsundere." Chrome said. "Inserting your own opinion is rude, you know." Stella told him. Chrome just looked at her then continued, "Stella, this is Xander, a top-tier guard of Wellspring Town and is Cupa's knight in shining armor." he said.

Hearing that made me blush a bit, "It's nothing like that..." I muttered. "Chrome. I've told you before. It's just part of my job. Nothing more, nothing less." Xander said sternly. Hearing Xander say that made me feel a bit sad. I looked at Xander then at Stella, "Like Xander said. It's nothing like that." I told her. She didn't say anything but raise her eyebrow.

Now after the simple introductions, Chrome and Xander went and explained things to Stella. All the details from the start-up 'till now. "Wait. Why are we telling this to her?" I asked. "It's because I'll be accompanying you back home." Stella told me. "Huh? Why? This isn't something you were told to do." I asked. "Indeed, it is not. I decided to do this." she said.

"I just finished up a quest. I currently have nothing else to do so when I met Chrome and saw you today. I decided that I shall tag along with you. It is...for the best." Stella explained. "I see...for the best. It would be rude of me to decline you anyway. So let's enjoy this journey home together." I said as gleefully as I could. "A-anyway! Let's continue, shall we?" I asked. Everyone nodded and our discussion continued. However, I did wish it hadn't begun in the first place.

I mean, it was a discussion regarding my return home, which I still didn't like. Nevertheless, it was the only option left for me to do. The only option I know that could change my fate. So after the little meeting, Chrome went back to his room, Stella had to check up on her horse in the stables, and Xander...he stayed behind. I'm glad he did.

"Still don't like the idea of home, right?" Xander asked. I gave him a cold smile, "It's not like I have a choice. Running away just means I'm avoiding the problem and... I don't want that. I'm prepared to face it head-on." I told him. "How though? When we arrive, I'm pretty sure your dad won't make the same mistake of allowing you to escape." he said. I clenched my fist, "There is one other option. However, it ain't going to be pretty." I muttered.

"It certainly doesn't look pretty." Xander said. I looked at him, "What do you mean by that?" I asked. He placed a hand on my head, "That grim look on your face says it all." he replied. "Care to tell me your plan?" he added. I shook my head, "This I have to do myself. I appreciate your help but this is a personal matter now. I wasn't thinking much back then..." I said. "Neither do you now." he joked. I punched him lightly on the arm, "And what does that mean?" I asked. His answer was just a chuckle.

"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have considered this option. So, thank you, and sorry." I told him. Xander smiled warmly at me, "I'm glad you found your conviction." he said. I looked at him, his smile was as warm as his words but his eyes seemed cold to me. I stood up and spread my arms wide open, "Hug?" I asked with a smile. He sighed, "Sure. Why not? It's not like I can stop you..." he replied, accepting my embrace. At that moment, I truly felt warm.

Afterward, we decided to head to town, again. Time to explore once again, that is after Xander does his business. "So what shop are we looking for, Xander?" I asked him as we walk through the busy streets of Tilden. "I'm looking for a place where I can sell some of the strings that I got from killing spiders. I managed to sell all of the rotten flesh and bones yesterday so we're pretty much stacked." he explained.

"If we're pretty stacked already, why bother selling those?" I asked. "Why shouldn't I? I'd be a waste not to. Plus, spider silk sells for a lot, don't you know?" Xander replied. "No, I don't know. Couldn't you just hold onto it instead?" I asked. "Nah. I don't really like it when my inventory is super full." he replied. "Anyway, I think I'll go look over there. Stay right here, okay?" he added before approaching a nearby bulletin board.

"Seriously, why is he so persistent on getting money?" I muttered while watching him do his thing. A couple of minutes later, he came back with the information he needed. "Let's go!" Xander told me. I then followed him through the busy crowd and we soon arrived at a local tailoring store.

The place was lively and busy, people were going in and out of the shop. "Wow!" was all I could muster to say. Unlike the shops I've been to back at home, this one looked rather modest and simple, something I liked a lot. I never really appreciated wearing those frilly dresses and tight outfits, I feel very restrained in them. So seeing this was nice. Although, the shop was still a two-story building.

From the outside of the building, I could see some tailors working through the window of the second floor. I'm guessing that's where the manual labor goes. Following through, both of us entered the building. Inside, there was a modest number of clothes on display, some for boys, some for girls. Xander approaches one of the women behind the desk and asked how was in charge of buying materials.

The one he talked to told him to wait for a while and so he did. And while he did that, I went to check some of the clothes on display. You see, I've never been to a shop like this on my own, so I guess it wouldn't be surprising for me to be startled by one of the sales clerks talking to me. Seriously, they surprised me.

"May I help you, miss?" a sales lady asked me. I'm not gonna lie, I kind of panicked a little before I could answer. "I...u-ummm, well- D-do you have any hoodies?" I asked. Despite my wonderful manner of speech, she smiled and replied "We do have some. Follow me and I'll show our assortment of hoodies." before walking away. I followed her and was showed a variety of hoodies, ones that I have not yet seen.

So for the time being while Xander was busy, I decided to try out some of the ones that caught my attention. I tried on numerous kinds, short-sleeved, long-sleeved, sleeveless, thin-layered, thick layered, detachable hoods, and an onesie. I also tried wearing a different outfit that I found nice yet it was expensive. Time must have flown by really fast because when I was done changing, Xander called out to me.

I told him to wait for a while as I have decided to buy one of the sleeveless hoods I tried on. The sales clerk accompanied me to the register with my hoodie of choice in hand. I handed the clerk at the register the item and paid. The clerk then put the hoodie in a paper bag and gave it to me along with the change. I then walked to where Xander was.

"What did you buy?" Xander asked me. I smiled, "Something I found nice to wear." I told him. "Is that so? And here I thought you were going to buy everything you wore." he said. I looked at him in shock, "You were watching?!" I exclaimed, feeling a bit embarrassed. He then looked away, "Well, I was getting a bit bored and happen to catch a glimpse of you dressing up. You looked like you were having fun so..." he explained before trailing off.

Suddenly, I felt extremely embarrassed. I can't believe someone saw me like that, I mean it's true that I was having fun since I wasn't really able to experience something like that. It would have been less embarrassing if someone else saw me, but it was Xander of all people! Thinking about it made me feel even more embarrassed. "Pervert..." were the only words that left my mouth.

"W-wait! That's not it okay? There were no malicious thoughts whatsoever in my head when I was looking at you. I swear!" Xander pledged. Seeing his reaction made me laugh, "Why are you in such a panic?" I asked. "Huh? What do you mean?" he asked. "Are you really afraid of being called a pervert?" I asked him. He let out a small laugh, "Well, I...you see... It's not like that." he replied.

Suddenly, all my embarrassment disappeared it was replaced with a fit of laughter. Xander who was confused soon gave in and sighed. Afterward, we continued our tour of the town. "Just to make it clear. I really didn't think anything wrongly of you when I said I was staring at you." he reassured me. I chuckled, "I get it already. You're not a pervert. You were just simply admiring me, right?" I told him. He sighed out of relief, "I guess that's what you would call it. Admiring you was the term." he agreed. "I guess it couldn't be helped..." I chimed happily as we continued our stroll.

Author's Note:

Thank you once again everyone for reading this chapter! Please continue to support the story. And don't forget to leave a review if you liked the story since those are what really get me going. It can be anything from jokes, opinions, suggestions, or straight up criticism. With that said, I hope you have a wonderful day/night! Thank you as always! Take care and God bless! :)