Another light-hearted chapter, one focused on fleshing out the characters. It has been my favorite to write so far.

Also, as a side note, I've been playing a lot Fire Emblem Three Houses recently and a certain red-haired character had caught my attention. Inspired by him, I implemented something similar here. Can you guess which character it is?

…

Chapter 15

Kokoto Village, several hours before the ball…

"Do I have to?"

"Please we insist!"

Siegfried tried his best to persuade the women around him from making him wear that godforsaken eyepiece. His fiery red hair already had enough power to cause heads to turn and he didn't need any more attention directed to himself.

"A handsome man like you could really use something like this!"

"Trust us! With this, you'll be bound to impress those snobby nobles at the ball!"

"And better yet, your wife!"

Siegfried groaned. "For the last fucking time, she's not my wife!"

The women collectively gave him an incredulous stare. They did not believe him one bit. "Honestly, with the way you two always act around each other, you're both practically husband and wife already!" remarked one of the younger women.

The older ones nodded as well. "You both shouldn't skirt around your true feelings like that. You like her and she likes you too! It's so obvious!"

"Reminds me of my younger days with my husband when- "

"Alright, that's it!" All the women gave a startled squeak at the sound of Siegfried's voice as he proceeded to usher them out of the dressing room. "Get out! All of you!"

Instead of anger, most of the women, particularly the younger ones in the group pouted as the hunter slammed the door in front of them rather rudely.

"I wonder what she sees in him…" whispered the young ladies, unfazed and giggling as they left the hunter alone in the dressing room. There was no need to intervene any further.

They'll figure it out.

Inside, Siegfried exhaled loudly, moving his hands to his vest to adjust it. He walked towards the large mirror in the room and stared at a reflection of himself. He had to admit that the three days' worth of work by the village tailors was not for nothing.

His outfit consisted of a navy-blue vest coat outfitted with yellow trimmed lapels, a yellow waistcoat on top a white dress shirt and blue breeches finished off with a pair of black tall boots and white gloves made of Nerscylla silk. Touching the clothing, one could feel the subtle but distinctive texture of a Bnahabra wing which was further cemented by the vein-like patterns around the edges of each piece of clothing.

I suppose those damn bugs are good for something in the end… Siegfried mused. Much to his relief, the women didn't find anything inherently wrong with his hairstyle, saving him the pain of sitting down on a chair for hours. A brief memory of his youth flashed into his mind and he shuddered slightly as he remembered the times when his mother or any other village woman would force him to sit down and wait as they brushed and cleaned his hair in preparation for parties and the like.

Shaking his head, Siegfried quickly smoothed out his low ponytail and was just about to leave the room when he remembered the eyepiece he placed on the table. As much as he didn't want to wear it, the thought of making the ones who had made this outfit for him unhappy filled him with guilt.

"Ah damn…" he muttered before grabbing the damned accessory and exiting the room.

…

To his confusion, a massive crowd had gathered in front of one of the houses. Adjusting the irritating eyepiece he wore on his left eye, the sharply dressed hunter approached the crowd.

"Is there something happening?" he asked the first few people he talked to.

Upon hearing his distinctive gruff voice, almost all heads turned towards him. Taken aback by the sudden surge of attention, Siegfried took a step back. "Umm, is there a problem?"

Suddenly, girlish squeals broke through the crowd. Siegfried jumped slightly when suddenly, a group of young women surrounded him.

"It's the husband!"

"Oh, my gods! He looks so handsome!"

"You'll be the first to see her!"

They grabbed him his arms and promptly dragged the bewildered man into the house before immediately shutting the door in front of the curious crowd.

"You don't have to- "

"Nonsense!" interrupted one of the women as they pulled the man to a stop in front of an opening covered by a curtain. "As her partner, you have the privilege of seeing her first before everyone else!"

"You'll love the way she looks! We guarantee you'll never find a woman as beautiful as her once you see her." And with that, the women disappeared behind the curtain.

Siegfried gulped. Eris was already beautiful enough but to hear that they made her even more beautiful? He wasn't sure his heart would be ready to take it.

He nervously adjusted his vest and ascot, steeling himself for what's about to come. He couldn't believe how nervous he was for something as trivial as this. He was the infamous Fire King for crying out loud! The man who had tackled numerous dangerous beasts alone and with a Greatsword, one of the most difficult weapons to use! Surely, he shouldn't be nervous simply because he was about to attend a ball with his partner.

"You may come in now!"

Here goes nothing…Swallowing his saliva, the hunter pushed the curtains over and entered the room.

…

To say that Siegfried was speechless is an understatement. It was impossible to describe the expression currently etched onto his face as he stared at the sight before him.

"I…I…"

The women giggled at the hunter's completely dumbfounded expression. They were happy that he reacted that way, otherwise, they would have slapped some sense into him. Literally.

One of the women walked over to him and teasingly nudged his arm. "Well, what do you think? Isn't she gorgeous?"

"I…I…" he stuttered like a broken machine.

Standing elegantly before him, Eris was the definition of beauty. She wore a purple-colored ball gown that perfectly accentuated both her muscular physique and prominent curves. Just like his suit, the frills of the gown were covered with vein-like patterns resembling the wings of Bnahabra. Covering her hands were silky white gloves – the same color as his own – that reached up to her elbow. Her trademark silvery hair was even braided and slung over her shoulder.

"We'll leave you two alone for a while," said one of the women, grinning as she and the others left the room. Now they were alone.

Mouth agape, he remained still on the spot as the person of interest sauntered towards him. She reached out to him and used a gloved finger to push his jaw up. At this distance, Siegfried could see that she also wore heels, slightly evening out their height difference.

He didn't need to say anything for her to figure out his train of thought.

"It's impolite to stare you know, especially for a commoner like you."

Somehow regaining his senses from her casual jab, he immediately frowned at her comment, albeit with a slight flush to his face. "And what? You'll blind me?"

"Seeing as that you're already blinded by my inherent beauty, I suppose that would be it."

He growled, quickly averting his eyes away from the beauty in front of him. "Tch."

Eris snickered, leaning forward to further gauge his reaction. Teasing him was so damn fun. Plus, it served as her way of getting back at him for all the times he flustered her speechless. Aside from punching him in the gut of course.

"So, what do you think?" she suddenly asked, hands on her hips. She looked at him expectantly.

Siegfried crossed his arms. "Do I look like I care?"

The huntress sighed. "As expected from an uncouth man like you. Don't you know its rude to say that to a lady when she had simply asked for your opinion on her looks?"

"Need I remind you that I'm not like most men, and…I think you look just fine." That was a lie. Complete utter balderdash. In truth, he had been awed at her beauty from the very start. Now here she was, dressed in the most gorgeous looking attire and coupled with her natural beauty, Siegfried struggled to maintain his calm and indifferent demeanor. But simply admitting that to her out of the question! No way in hell was he going to tell that to her, lest he suffers her relentless jabs at his ego.

Eris rolled her eyes. "Oh, gee thanks…I guess." She scanned him down from top to bottom. "What's with that outfit?"

Siegfried glared at her. "I'll have you know that this suit further drives home my dashing good looks thank you very much!" he replied in an exaggerated and offended tone.

"That eyepiece you're wearing though…"

"Huh? Oh…" His shoulders slumped. "Yeah, I know. It looks terrible. I'm only wearing this because I'd feel bad for the lady who made this." He reached for the eyepiece. "I'll take it off if- "

"No!"

The hunter abruptly stopped, giving her the most confused look. "Eris?"

The aforementioned woman felt the urge to smack her face. How could she had been so careless? "I m-meant that, it's alright. I d-don't mind you wearing that. You look fine as well." That was a lie as well. In truth, Eris could not believe this man standing before her was Siegfried. Gone was the usually unkempt appearance, instead replaced by the visage of particularly handsome man that she had the luxury of calling her partner. He even fixed that messy ponytail of his too! She refused to outright state to him that he looked really good in that suit, but she especially refused to tell him that the eyepiece he wore suited him perfectly (at least in her opinion).

"I-Is that so?" Siegfried said, somehow flustered at her reply. He quickly turned around and coughed before facing Eris. "Let's go," Siegfried said, offering his arm. He hoped Eris won't notice his embarrassment.

Eris looked at his outstretched elbow and back at her own hand. She shook her head, attempting to calm her rapidly beating heart before reaching towards him and holding onto his bicep. Together, with their heads help up high, they went out to greet the waiting villagers.

In an inn somewhere…

Rowan eyed his own reflection in the mirror. His eyebrows furrowed as he pulled slightly at the stock tie around his neck.

"I look like a washed-out noble…"

The black vest and white dress shirt he wore looked unremarkable to say the least. He and his brother weren't rich, and they didn't own any property which meant they had to keep traveling. For this occasion, they had personally requested the aid of a local tailor to make their clothing.

I wonder if she'll like it… I really hope she does cause these suits weren't cheap!

He reached into the pocket of his vest to check if the handkerchief was there. Basic handkerchief for those who need it. Check. He eyed the gloves resting on the table. Gloves check. All that's left to do now is-

He was alerted by the sound of the bathroom door opening. He briefly glanced back to find Romero stepping out of the bathroom in nothing but his undergarments. He had been taking a quick shower after all.

"Hey, brother? What do you think?" Rowan asked him.

Romero's gaze trailed from feet up to his face. He held his chin with one hand before grinning proudly, his eyes flashing appreciatively. "You look great! I'm sure she'll love it."

"You sure? I mean, we practically just bought these yesterday…"

"Nonsense! I'm positive that Hilda isn't the type of person to judge a person by their looks."

"I'm more worried about what those nobles would say…"

At his words, Romero grew quiet for a brief moment before the smile rapidly came back. "Don't worry about what those rich bastards think! What's important is what Hilda thinks and let me tell you, she's gonna appreciate the fine specimen before her!"

"You flatter me. But I appreciate the advise."

Rowan yelped when his brother got him in a headlock and gave him a noogie on his head. "That's the spirit!" he said proudly. "I'm happy for you, brother."

"Thanks…" Rowan replied, smiling uncomfortably. "Also, don't do that."

Romero quickly let go of him, scratching the back of his neck but the grin never left. "Haha sorry! Couldn't help it."

Rowan waved him off. "It's fine…" Romero failed to catch the devious smirk on Rowan's face. "Because I get to do this!" And with that, he retaliated with his own noogie to his brother's head, both laughing loudly as if they were still kids.

"Okay, okay! I yield! I'm sorry!"

"You better be!"

Romero then pulled his brother into a hug. "Just focus on the ball okay? Forget about me and think about Hilda from now on. Plus, I'd hate for the Beraja family line to end with us."

Rowan blushed. "I think you're thinking too far ahead brother."

He grinned, patting him on the back. "Trust me, it will all work out in the end."

"If you say so…"

Somewhere in Bherna…

"But why?" whined the Palico, attempting his best at what people called "puppy eyes". Unfortunately – aside from him being a cat – it did little to persuade the elegantly dressed huntress currently placing items within a small purse.

"Sorry, Pip. Felynes aren't usually allowed in events like this. Luca has already given you permission to stay the night here until we return."

"I promise I'll behave!"

"Don't believe a thing he says Hilda," added the bespectacled man sitting on the nearby sofa. He was dressed in a rather sharp-looking suit, complete with a bowtie. "Remember when we took him to that masquerade party?"

"Ah, I remember. It made the headlines for a while, right? It was certainly a cat-astrophe."

Pip glared at his leader. "Not funny meowster…"

Luca shook his head. "Remind us to never again allow you to go to the toilet drunk."

"I couldn't help it alright! Plus, those really pretty ladies were- "

"Our decision is final Pip." Hanzo's deep voice immediately silenced the poor Palico as the large hunter stepped out of one of the rooms, fully dressed as well. For some reason, his helmet comically remained. "We are not taking you to the ball. Understood?"

Pip's ears drooped and he meowed sadly. "I understand…" Eyes downcast, the Palico slowly meandered away towards the large kitchen, intent on eating away his sorrows.

"You're going to have to pay for all that food you know!" Luca called out, causing Pip's mood to dampen even more.

"Cut him some slack Luca," Hilda said as she combed her shoulder-length hair.

Luca frowned. "Need I remind you that this is my home? Thus, everyone has to follow my house rules. Teammates included."

Hilda shrugged. "True." She looked up at the tall ceiling, the elaborate lights and the expensive-looking interior. "Though, I'm still in awe that you own this sort of place."

"My family is made up of well-known scientists and researchers. It's only fair that the Guild had rewarded them for their exceptional service," Luca answered, reaching towards the coffee table to grab a random book.

"Yet unlike your family, you decided to become a hunter. I half expected your family to disown you or something."

The bespectacled man grinned proudly and pushed up his glasses. "What can I say? When a man and woman find out their son has surpassed them in both knowledge and strength, disowning him would have been a terribly idiotic move. They did try though, at one point."

Hilda smirked. "Are you sure they didn't try to disown you because of your unhealthy obsession with a certain Diva?"

Luca dropped his book and his face immediately turned beet red. "W-What?" He quickly looked at Hanzo, who was simply standing there admiring the flowers. Luca's enhanced hearing, however, quickly picked up on the man's faint chuckling underneath his helmet.

The huntress held her chin in thought. "I must say, I didn't expect you to have…interesting taste."

Luca felt the heat rise up his face as he angrily stood up and stomped towards Hanzo, who was discretely inching away ever second. "You bastard…"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," the larger man replied in his usual calm voice, feigning ignorance. Then he suddenly broke into a sprint, with Luca promptly giving chase as they ran down the hallway, disappearing around the corner.

"Get back here you- "

Hilda laughed as her team strategist chased after her guardian and team bruiser all across the mansion. She opened her pocket mirror and proceeded to apply makeup, smiling occasionally upon hearing her normally polite glasses-wearing teammate cursing loudly, followed by the deep bellowing laughter of their helmeted stoic strongman.

Somewhere in Dundorma…

She took a quick glance around her area to make sure she wasn't being followed. Her enhanced hearing – despite not being as potent – enabled her to listen from a distance a normal human wouldn't have been able. Once she made sure of that, she raised the hood over her head and quietly sneaked into an alleyway. After confirming again that nobody was following her, she took out a piece of paper from her pocket.

"Cat's Paw huh…" She quickly looked left and right before tucking the paper into her pocket and exiting from the other side of the alley.

Taking care not to accidentally bump into passing civilians and soldiers, she navigated her way through the bustling market. Soon, she passed the market but nonetheless continued to walk…until she reached a seemingly empty part of the town. Aside from the few shops scattered about, the area was definitely not as busy as the market. And sitting perfectly clear out in the open between a few buildings, was a completely inconspicuous looking building. The big bold words etched onto a broken sign was all the answer she needed.

As if mimicking a certain former Guild Knight's initial thought, the woman sneered in disgust at the place before her. I already hate it already… As much as she wanted to barge in there and boldly proclaim herself, she, unfortunately, did not have the jurisdiction nor the right to do so. She steeled herself and calmly walked towards the building. Just as she reached out to push the door open-

"AAAGH!"

The door bursts open, startling her and causing her to jump back. She watched as two large armored men threw a person out of the building and onto the cold concrete floor.

"And stay out!" one of the men shouted out before they both re-entered the building, slamming the door close. The man currently lying on the ground groaned, holding his forehead before shakily standing up. Somehow not noticing the bewildered woman standing nearby, the man shouted out a couple of obscene words before letting out a loud burp. The woman watched as he slowly stumbled away, disappearing around the corner of the building.

The hell was that?! The woman clenched her fists angrily. I swear once this whole ordeal is over, I would be personally dealing with this crap sack of a place!

Her murderous thoughts were interrupted by the sound of vigorous whispering. She looked around, finding a similarly hooded figure standing near an alleyway beside the tavern, beckoning her to come closer. She spared a quick glance left and right before approaching the other hooded figure.

"There you are," the figure said, pulling the hood over to reveal a tall black-haired man. The rest of the group followed suit.

"Did you see that place, Ed? I can't believe such a place exists!"

Edmond nodded in agreement, pointing at the building's direction with a prosthetic thumb. "Yeah, I'm with you Cat. But I can't deny how useful that place is for obtaining information and remaining discrete."

Catherine teasingly nudged Edmond with her elbow. "Perhaps after we clear your name, you and I can go there and kick some ass? Just like old times."

"I'm looking forward to that," the former Guild Knight replied with a dashing smile that caused the Border Watch commander's heart to flutter.

"You can flirt and screw each other senseless later, but right now we have more pressing matters to discuss…" interrupted Jason. He and his sister were more than eager to know the results. "Did it work?"

Catherine huffed, crossing her arms under her chest and leaned against the wall. "It did. You're all "officially" instated into the Border Watch. For all your sakes, however, I've managed to convince the Elders to allow you three to join my squad. That way, I get to keep a close eye on you lot."

Ignoring the fact that she had referred to them with a derogatory term, Amber let out a sigh of relief. "I'm glad that's over…All that's left to do is attend that damn ball and hope we find what we're looking for."

Jason let out an angry growl. "And hopefully, find that asshole too so I can punch him in his fucking face! Aargh!"

"You're not the only one who's pissed…" Amber added, gritting her teeth at the thought of him.

Soon, the siblings bid the two farewell to prepare for the ball, leaving Edmond and Catherine alone in the alleyway. Even then, the Border Watch commander didn't have the luxury of time.

"I guess I'll leave now."

"Take care then."

She pointed a finger at him. "I'll be putting my trust in you, Ed. I'll never forgive you if you lie to me."

"Rest assured Cat, it's not a lie. But in the event that it becomes a lie…" He pulled out a large knife – a carving knife wielded by hunters and Knights alike. Despite its namesake, the weapon has proven itself capable of being used in direct combat, thanks to its absurdly sharp blade capable of tearing through any and all kinds of monsters.

"Take this and execute me; I'm a criminal after all. At the very least, I'll be punished for all the sins I've committed throughout my life. After that, tell the other knights that they are free to take whatever they want from my home."

Catherine stared at him, nonplussed, and looked down at the knife he held out to her. She shook her head and pushed the knife back. "You know I can't do that."

"Then what can I do? I'm a failure of a Knight and even bigger failure of a friend. Surely a person such as I deserves to be punished?"

Catherine closed her eyes in thought, before stepping forward and grabbing Edmond by his prosthetic hand. He raised an eyebrow.

"Then…I'll be the one to decide your punishment." She gently rubbed her fingers across the palm of his hand. "After all this is done, I want…I want you to be with me."

Edmond blinked. "I don't understand?"

A blush crept onto her cheeks, but she didn't back away. "Do I have to spell it out for you? Didn't that kiss tell you anything?"

"I…" It wasn't that Edmond was oblivious. Ever since she had kissed him that day, something awoke within him. But he knew relationships like this won't work out in the end. He had suppressed feelings like this for a long time now. On that day, he told himself that he wouldn't accept her feelings.

"Fine! I'll tell you." Her voice snapped him out of his reverie. She stepped towards him and straightened her back, staring right at his face. Years and years repressed feelings manifested in her next words. "Edmond Curtis. I am in love with you. I have been for ten years, ever since our time in the Academy. I love everything about you, your stubbornness, your determination, and your strong sense of justice. And if the time comes, I wish to be yours forever. I dream about you often – about being in your arms, about kissing your handsome face senseless…about starting a family with you. You have no idea how much I love you. That is why I'm asking permission to court you. Will you…give me that honor?"

Stunned by her lengthy confession, the former Guild Knight was left speechless. His heart began to beat faster as he felt the heat rise up his face. He began to back away, but Catherine wouldn't let him go. He quickly found himself backed into a wall.

Edmond gulped. "…We can't do this…"

"And why not?" she said as she advanced towards him.

"I'm not who you think I am."

"I know, and I'll love you just the same."

"…I'm a sinful person."

"Aren't we all?"

Edmond felt her hands rest on his chest. His arms were left powerless by the side of his body. "I'm stubborn, selfish, and blind to my surroundings."

She inched her face closer. "With someone to stay by your side, anyone can change."

Weakly, he attempted to push her away, but she effortlessly pushed his hand back, interlocking his fingers with her own. "…I'll put my duty as a Knight above you. I'll do anything to accomplish my goals."

"And I'll be with you to support you through all of it."

"You…You'll regret this you know…" Edmond spoke, trembling as he felt her breath against his face. He had no more words to say.

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that…"

"Cat- "

The moment her lips connected with his, all sense of reason vanished. The fire within him burned intensely, waiting to be released. Unable to suppress it anymore, he mentally shrugged, completely forgetting about the promise he made to himself. Eh, why not. He shut his eyes and kissed back, wrapping his arms around her, hugging her against him tightly, while her own coiled around his neck. His metallic hand felt cold against her skin, but she didn't care. Almost as if it were instinct, he soon deepened the kiss, raising a hand to caress her now neck length teal colored hair. She had cut it short to ease the use of a helmet.

Not long after that, he felt a familiar pair of hands snake themselves underneath his shirt, feeling his muscles and causing him to shudder under her touch.

"Your squadmates would be suspicious," he whispered, parting briefly.

"Let them be. None of them dare to question me anyway," she replied, pulling him back for another round.

With that monstrous strength of yours despite not being a hunter? Not surprising.

He sighed into her mouth. He would have to apologize to Jason and Amber later on for being late.

Later that night…

The ship's captain fidgeted nervously as the three groups stared at each other, bewildered. This can't be good…

The passersby all turned their attention to the sharply dressed group of people standing by the port. A few women swooned at the handsome men before them while the male bystanders all couldn't help but stare at the only two beautiful women accompanying the men. Despite that, everyone could feel the growing tension between the groups. And then-

"Why are you here?!" shouted each of them simultaneously, startling the crowd.

"You're invited?!" Hilda choked as she felt her anger rise at the sight of her most hated person before her.

Eris glared at her, aghast. "Of course, I am! But you? Why you?!"

"Hilda-" Hanzo attempted to calm her down before she immediately interrupted him.

"I am the leader of the Fated Four! Damn well, I was invited!"

Siegfried placed a hand on Eris's shoulder, attempting to diffuse the situation. "Eris-"

She promptly swatted his hand away. "I can't believe the hosts invited someone like you to a formal event…" The two sized up each other, glaring daggers.

"Just what are you insinuating?"

"Alright break it up you two!" Rowan declared, stepping in between the two of them. He was met with two terrifying glares that would have made a regular man piss his pants. Rowan could feel the killing intent from their expressions but nonetheless maintained his calm demeanor. "This is not the time for a petty fight. You both are adults for crying out loud."

"And whose side do you think you're on?" Hilda said, giving the hunter a disapproving look.

As much as Rowan liked her and wanted to make up to her, he could not tolerate such behavior. He plastered on a stern expression and spoke, "My own. And I believe that you two should either apologize or ignore each other. Either way, no more fighting!"

"Tch. Let's go, Siegfried," Eris growled as she pulled her partner by the arm and towards the ship. She took out her invitation and presented it to the captain.

"My apologies, but we are still waiting for another group."

"Huh?"

Clink! Clink!

As if on cue, all heads turned towards the source of the sound. The crowds of people gasped and quickly scattered to make way for a squad of armored individuals marching towards them.

The person leading the squad, a tall armored woman took off her helmet and bowed. "My name is Catherine and I'm the commander of the Border Watch. At your service…" The soldiers behind her all bowed as well.

The captain clapped his hands. "Great, you're all here now. If you didn't know, my client told me that he hired the Border Watch to act as security for the ball. Now with that out of the way, I'll allow them to board first and settle down in the rooms we've provided. Please make yourselves comfortable."

Catherine thanked the man and ushered her squad towards the ship as both bystanders and invitees watched with incredulous looks on their faces. But as the Watch marched past them, Siegfried and Eris noticed three of the helmeted soldiers turn their heads briefly towards the two. Their faces were hidden, and the two hunters blinked quizzically at the odd gesture.

"What was that about?" Eris watched the soldiers enter the ship's cabin, presumably to the barracks.

Siegfried shook his head. "Beats me…"

"Alright, you may now present your invitations," the captain told the group as the boarding commenced.

…

Even as they all settled comfortably in the large ship's main hall, tensions were still present between the three groups…especially between the only two huntresses present. Thus, the atmosphere was quiet, neither group willing to open their mouths.

"Damn hussy…always finding a way to piss me off…" Hilda muttered angrily, hands tightly gripping the fork and spoon to the point where the metal nearly bent. The delicious-looking food in front of her did little to quench her anger and frustration.

"I think you need to calm down Hilda," Luca said, quietly munching on a fancy looking steak. "This whole feud between the two of you is honestly ridiculous."

Hilda clicked her tongue. "Ughh, whatever."

Some tables away, isolated near the corner a similarly frustrated huntress grumbled under her breath as she lightly swirled her glass of wine.

"I thought you said you don't drink alcohol," commented Siegfried, popping a piece of cake into his mouth. Damn is this what rich people eat? How expensive is this shit?!

Eris let out a tired sigh. "There are special occasions where I do. Besides, our enhanced bodies render us almost immune to the effects of alcohol. It doesn't change the fact that it can and will interfere with our senses."

"Good to know." As he wiped his mouth with a napkin, he took note of Eris's unfinished plate. "Not going to finish that?"

"Not hungry." Suddenly, she gave him a somewhat disgusted look. "What, you're gonna offer to eat my food? How boorish."

Siegfried scowled at her. "Look, just because I wasn't raised in a mansion doesn't mean I don't know basic table manners."

She smiled, her sour mood dissipating. "You could do to learn some basic courtesy, however."

"Hey!"

Not far from their table, sitting near the windows, a certain pair of twins leaned back against their chairs, satisfied.

"Oh man, I'm stuffed," Romero remarked happily, patting his stomach after finishing his fifth helping.

Sitting in front of him, Rowan nodded in agreement. "Tell me about it. I've never seen nor eaten food like this."

As the two relaxed onto their seats, they lazily glanced around the hall, eyeing the décor and the well-dressed servers patiently waiting by the corners. However, their eyes soon landed on a certain duo sitting by one of the far tables, engrossed in a conversation.

"Y'know, I'm surprised those two actually got invited," Romero commented quietly, scratching his back.

His brother glanced at them as well, "What makes you think so?"

"I mean…" He reached for his glass. "Aren't they supposedly criminals?"

"Oh, you haven't heard? Apparently, those two saved a whole village from a powerful monster. After that, the Guild erased their criminal records. Just like that."

"Well, that's something…"

…

About a few hours had passed since the ship left the docks. After finishing dinner, the hunters were told to move to the ship's atrium as they waited for the ship to arrive at their destination. The tension that had mostly disappeared during the later parts of dinner quickly resurfaced due to the close proximity of the hunters towards each other.

"Hmmph!" Hilda huffed as she and her team settled themselves on one of the sofas and couches. Eris and Siegfried similarly made themselves comfortable in the ones directly in front of Hilda. The only thing separating the two groups was a coffee table. A server approached the group, carrying a tray with a bowl on top.

"Please, help yourselves…" the server said as they placed a bowl of crunchy snacks on the table. But even with the food on the table, nothing had changed.

This doesn't look good… Romero thought as he and his brother situated themselves on a couch adjacent to the groups.

None of them spoke – or for a better word – didn't want to. The brothers fidgeted uncomfortably, aware that fight could break out at any moment, courtesy of the two women in the vicinity. All it would take is one insult for everything to go wrong. Unable to cope with it any longer, Rowan reached for the snacks placed on the table and silently began to eat, hoping the tense mood would disappear. However, his brother was a different story.

Sensing the need to lighten the mood, Romero plastered on his best smile. "You know, I still can't believe it. Our little group from before is back together again. Coincidence? Or perhaps it was fate?"

He was met with silence. Undeterred, he tried again.

"What a fun group this is. We have…you, a grumpy guy who looks like he's the submissive in the relationship, an ice-cold lady who so happens to be the dominating one in the said relationship-" He momentarily froze when the hunters in questioned glared at him silently. "-and then we have the others. An uptight lady who's just a massive tsundere-"

Rowan smacked his forehead the moment his brother used that eastern word. I never should have taken him drinking with that Argosy Captain…

"-a four-eyed hunting nerd and a man who-" He stopped short when he felt Hanzo stare at him underneath that helmet. Despite not being able to see his expression, the fact that the large man had just crushed one of the snacks into pieces just with two fingers was enough to tell Romero that he didn't appreciate his words. Fearing for his life, the man shut his mouth and pulled on his bowtie nervously. That one definitely didn't work out. But as he sat there thinking, one final idea flashed into his mind.

This time, he nudged Rowan who had been silently eating the entire time. "Hey brother, want to hear my latest pick up line that is a hundred percent guaranteed to work?"

Oh, bother… He rolled his eyes and decided to entertain him this once. "Yes, I would like to know."

Romero grinned and spared a quick, discrete glance at Hilda before turning towards his brother. "Hey, girl are you religious? Cause you're the answer to all my prayers!" I learned that from a fellow drinking buddy of mine! He finished off that line with a big hearty grin.

Rowan was speechless. He didn't know whether or not to slap himself or his brother. I'm done… I'm fucking done!

Once again, he was met with silence…until a collective groan from virtually everyone else in the area broke the silence.

"Really? That was terrible!" Siegfried suddenly exclaimed, almost on the verge of falling off the sofa. "If I were to say that to someone, I would have rather get farted on by a Congalala than do that!"

Next to him, Eris snickered. "I'm looking forward to that." Her partner frowned. "But yes, that was terrible. If anyone would have said that to me, they'll be lucky they get away with their pride intact."

Nearby, the Fated Four also expressed their displeasure at Romero's terrible line. "You're the worst…" Hilda said, groaning and leaning against her arm, but a hint of a smile formed near the edges of her mouth. Rowan noted that she had a very pretty smile.

"Pip would have loved that line," Luca remarked, fixing his glasses after they had fallen off when he collapsed onto the coffee table after hearing Romero's line. "But everyone else? Not in a million years."

It was difficult to tell what Hanzo felt due to his helmet, but Romero could hear the faint sounds of chuckling underneath.

Even the staff shook their heads, the men especially with a few suppressing the urge to bump their heads against the wall.

Both shocked and impressed by Romero's ability to simultaneously improve and ruin the mood, Rowan laughed and looped an arm around his brother's shoulder. "I really want to punch you for that terrible line but…you did good brother."

Romero scratched his cheek, "Hehe, I aim to please." He reached for one of the snacks and popped a piece into his mouth. "Damn this is good. What is this stuff?"

"It's crispy fried cheese crackers. A local specialty from Bherna," Luca answered, smiling contentedly as he munched on his favorite hometown snack.

Romero hummed happily as he savored the flavor. "Remind me again to visit that place! If this is the kind of food they have there, I'm sold!"

Rowan shook his head with a smile, having been eating the treats since before. He spared a quick fleeting look at Hilda and feeling bold, he spoke, "You should try some Hilda."

The still frowning huntress slightly craned her head to his direction and froze upon seeing the boyish smile on his face. She felt the heat against her cheek but quickly composed herself.

"No thank you," she replied after mustering all her willpower to not stutter. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Hanzo.

"Come on Hilda! Try it! It's really good!" Hilda watched as he opened his mouth plate and energetically popped a few pieces into his mouth. Still hesitant, she set her gaze upfront, where she noticed her and Siegfried also eating the snacks. They too appeared to be enjoying it.

Eventually, she relented and grabbed a fistful of the snacks.

"Umm, Hilda I don't think you should-" She heeded Rowan's words too late as the huntress immediately gobbled down the entire thing.

"ACK!" As expected, she nearly choked on it as Hanzo immediately began patting her back. A server quickly ran into the kitchen and returned with a glass of water. But as soon as she recovered…

All eyes turned towards the other huntress, currently looking away from them, a hand covering her mouth in a futile attempt to muffle her laughter. Beside her, Siegfried did even not attempt to hide his own laughter.

"What the fuck was that face hahaha!" Siegfried loudly cackled, drawing everyone's attention.

The two brothers gulped. Uh oh… Fearing for the worst, they slowly looked at Hilda, expecting her to get angry. Sure enough, she had a fierce expression on her face. Romero immediately racked his brain for jokes while Rowan frantically looked left and right to try to find a way to quell her anger. Crap, crap, crap-

Hilda shot upwards from her seat. "Listen here you-"

Just as the brothers braced for a fight…more laughter. They turned towards the source, their eyes widening in surprise.

"Luca?" Hilda quietly said, confused as to why the bespectacled man had begun laughing.

The man took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "Apologies…but when I remembered the face you made when you choked it reminded me of…" He snorted. "…an inflated Zamtrios."

The huntress was not pleased. "Luca you-" She stopped again upon hearing more laughter, this time coming right from beside her. She couldn't believe it.

"Hanzo?! Not you too!"

The hunter raised a hand and gestured to her apologetically. "I'm so sorry Hilda…When Luca mentioned Zamtrios, I couldn't help it!" He continued to laugh, alongside Luca, Eris, and Siegfried.

Her anger quickly dissipated, and she pouted, furiously shaking Hanzo by the shoulders. "Stop it!" She gaped at the rest, her face turning red from embarrassment. "Stop it all of you!" Hilda turned to Rowann and gave him a pleading look, who simply smiled.

"I think you look rather cute that way," he said, lightly chuckling. Romero on the other hand had quickly succumbed to laughter despite not knowing why he did so.

At his response, she blushed furiously and sat back down, covering her swiftly reddening face. Oh god, end my suffering…

With the mood significantly improved, the staff members waiting nearby nodded approvingly.

It's gonna be smooth sailing from here on out.

Somewhere in an undisclosed location, a sharply dressed man could be seen standing patiently on a platform. It was still dark, with the only source of light being the torches placed around the area. Slightly frustrated, he checked the time on his pocket watch.

"Just a couple more hours till it begins…Hope that they're not late."

Suddenly, he heard a loud roar. He looked up to see the familiar shape of a Wyvern hovering above him. Even against the night sky, he could make out the distinct red-colored shell of the creature, a trademark of the King of the Skies. He had killed many of their kind after all. Deep down, a part of him had come to regret it. And so, he calmly watched as the Wyvern descended down onto him, landing right in front of the man.

"Good you're not late," the man said as he walked closer to the large Wyvern. The Wyvern growled but made no move to attack as the man rubbed its snout, his hand ghosting over the metallic plating around its neck and snout.

"Careful there. He might not kill you, but Lio won't hesitate to bite your arm off if you irritate him." An armored figure jumped off the Wyvern's back and gave the Wyvern a small piece of meat. "How is the situation on your side?"

"It's going very smoothly. My men have already prepped themselves with the appropriate weapons and my guests will be arriving in just a few hours. How about you?"

The figure nodded. "My squadron is ready as well. They'll be here shortly."

"Splendid. Once they're here, go hide yourselves in the special place I told you about. You know the rest of the plan."

"Right." The figure affectionately rubbed the Wyvern's snout before jumping onto its back and harness. "I'll be going now. Good luck and don't fail. You know how he acts when presented with failure."

The man laughed. "Don't worry. Everything is under control here."

"I'll take your word for it." And with that, the Wyvern let out a roar and leaped towards the sky, quickly ascending before both rider and creature vanished behind the tall trees.

As the cool wind blew against his face, the man closed his eyes. Soon, our time will come. He grinned as he walked back into the large structure behind him. It won't be long now…

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