223. Meet Us at The Griffin Inn

The cobblestone street within the walls of Borealis Castle buzzed with a cheerful crowd, their exuberant chuckles mingling with the festive tunes of a band of bards to fill the air. On many a lamp post, Borealis flags, depicting a roaring griffin with dark wings on golden fabric, fluttered majestically in the breeze.

"Whoa! Look at that! There are so many shops and stuff!" Cubie exclaimed, her mood already lifted by the vibrant atmosphere. It had that effect on her, unlike Zetius. His brows remained creased, distorting his otherwise perfect visage.

"What is that?" Cubie floated over to a stall selling skewers of sugar-coated strawberries, her light glowing with ecstasy.

"That's… some fine import! I've got the recipe from Longyuan," the rotund shop owner said, wiping sweat from his brow with a towel hanging from his belt. "Would you like one?"

"I… I can't eat," Cubie said, her voice small. "I don't have a mouth or taste buds…"

"Oh… you're right…" The man scratched his head, his face falling with sympathy.

"Cubie, don't torture the man. Now he feels sorry for you," Zetius spoke up in his husky tone.

"Do you want one?" Cubie spun towards him.

"Not really." Zetius shrugged.

"Then, thank you for your kind offer, Mister," Cubie said to the owner before drifting back to settle on Zetius's square shoulder.

"That's new of you," Zetius pondered aloud, rubbing his chin.

"What?"

"You've developed a craving for food. That's new," Zetius nodded, closing his eyes in deep contemplation.

"Is it wrong?" Cubie questioned innocently, her light dimming and slowing its rhythm.

"Not at all. It's just…" Zetius murmured, an image of her humanoid form flashing through his mind. "In the Dreamless Realm, you were a full adult, remember?"

"Y~yes! I do!" Cubie blurted. "So?"

"I just wonder if you can have your true form in the Earthly Realm too," Zetius mused as he started up the stairs, moving past the crowds. "Wouldn't that be cool?"

"Um! It'd be very cool! And I'll have a ten-course meal that rivals even Sister Frain's hearty appetite!" Cubie chirped. Even Zetius found himself chuckling at that.

"Please tell me it's as tasty as it looks. The food, I mean," Cubie giggled.

"They most definitely are. Don't you worry about that," Zetius smiled adoringly.

Soon, they arrived at the Griffin Inn. It was one of many across the island, but the charming Lunarius of all people had specified this particular inn as their rendezvous. The ample building had a distinct medieval touch, with a grey stonewall for the ground floor and cream stucco with exposed wooden frames on the second. A massive chimney rose from its pitched roof, and an old-fashioned sign hung over the entrance.

The upbeat music of a bard, accompanied by the chatter of customers, spilled out from within.

"Heyyy! Look who it is!" Willhelm's voice echoed from behind. Zetius spun by reflex. The elven mage had gone with his classic aesthetic, with a trademark brown cloak and a wide-brimmed hat.

"Lunarius Willhelm," Zetius greeted with a soft smile and a gentle nod. He returned the gesture.

"How are you enjoying the festival so far?" Willhelm asked, flashing his perfect white teeth. As a group of ladies walked past, he paused, and ever the charmer, offered a small wave. Their reward was a shared giggle as they strutted away.

"Not bad!" Cubie interjected.

"And Ziyue? Is she here?" Willhelm probed, his emerald eyes scanning the area.

Zetius shook his head. "She's still tangled up with her missions."

"Too bad, then. Can't even have a break at a time like this," Willhelm said, massaging the bridge of his nose.

"To be honest, this festival… it doesn't hit the same when the world is upside down," Zetius confessed, his gaze fixated on the joyful crowds. It felt surreal, like a fever dream.

Swinging an arm across Zetius's shoulders, Willhelm assured him, "People need something to look forward to. Even in the darkest days, they need a great distraction. Besides, we just won the war! It means something…" He gestured to the crowds, "To them."

Zetius only responded with a grunt.

"Come on! It'll be fun!" Willhelm slapped Zetius's shoulder encouragingly.

"I guess you're right… Sorry for being such a downer." Zetius tilted his head back, lifting his fringe from his eyes. "My first impression of this place wasn't great."

"Yeah… a rude guard and that rude woman didn't help," Cubie added with an agreeing nod.

"Leave those thoughts at the front door. Come on, they're already here," Willhelm grinned.

A bell chimed as the large oak door swung open, revealing a large chamber filled with round wooden tables, nearly all of them occupied by people of all races.

Near the stage where the bards performed, the red-headed princess, her tall elven guardian, and a goat Wildren sat at one such table. Noticing his silver head, Aurelia raised her hand high, waving frantically.

"Come, have some food!" she invited, flashing a sweet smile. A feast of pizza, garlic bread, and various platters of meat was already laid across the table.

"And some salad." Lampi chirped, smiling while her eyes swept, slightly vexed by the loud noise.

"And some ginger ale," Friederich added, raising his wooden mug.

"Greetings, everyone." Zetius arched a brow at his friend. "You, drinking this early?" He couldn't help but let out a foolish grin.

"Well, it's only slightly alcoholic. And it's a special day," Friederich rationalised in his cool tone.

While Aurelia was busy chatting with Cubie and Friederich, Willhelm pulled Zetius aside, his eyes narrowed with mischief.

"I've heard it's a special ginger ale… We don't want to miss this," he said, his expression excited.

"Lunarius, you know alcohol doesn't get me drunk," Zetius sighed. "It'd be a waste on me."

"Do you drink, Lampi?" Willhelm pointed with a finger gun.

"No…" Lampi shook her head, showing him the over-the-top mocktail.

"No trouble at all." Willhelm nodded vigorously. "Anyway, the whole thing is free! Come, Zetius, this way," As they approached the bar, a fully stocked liquor wall greeted them with nearly ten crew members serving thirsty customers.

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"Hm, then I don't mind if I order some." While Zetius was still contemplating the selection, a small voice called out from below.

"Dude… Don't cut the queue."

Zetius looked down to spot a small child with a large, single blonde braid, her hands planted firmly on her hips.

"Um… The juice bar is that way," Zetius said, pointing to a station across the room.

The girl crossed her arms, her long bunny ears twitching in irritation. Zetius's gaze fell from her annoyed face to her attire — a navy-blue tube top, shorts, and white thigh-highs tucked into arc boots. It was an outfit far too mature for a child.

"Oh, Gaia! My deepest apologies!" Willhelm blurted, slipping his body protectively in front of Zetius. "This is Lunarius Rhealin of Leo," he introduced with reverence.

Confused, Zetius side-eyed Willhelm. She was so small, perhaps 130 centimetres tall, including her long ears.

"Yeah, who is this ignorant fool?" Rhealin groaned, pointing at him with a thick, furry thumb. Her two front teeth and light-yellow fur were the giveaway; she wasn't a child, but a fully grown bunny Animori. But unlike Canis, she chose to stay in her bunny form for an unknown reason.

"My deepest apology!" Zetius bowed low. "I~I…" he stammered, ashamed.

Waving him off, Rhealin stated, "Whatever, dude. I get that a lot. You aren't the first, either." She held up three fingers. Her round eyes blinked, their pupils a vibrant shade of pink.

"Please, go ahead, Lunarius," Willhelm gestured, bending his frame to her level.

"Yeah, thanks." She stepped into the queue, the long ribbons stemming from the heart-shaped Arcanite harnesser at her tummy swirling around her.

Embarrassed, Zetius shielded his mouth and whispered to Willhelm, "Th~thanks… I've never seen a small Animori before."

"Yeah. Well, I wouldn't blame you for that," Willhelm let out a relieved sigh.

Suddenly, a flash of silver hair caught Zetius's eye. The beautiful strands fluttered as she walked over and cut in front of him. The bunny ears were unmistakable.

Lupus…

His heart thumped like a drum against his ribcage. Before he knew it, his fingers had found their way to the woman's upper arm. The firm bicep felt strange to his touch.

The lady spun around. "Who?"

Zetius snatched his hand back. His face lost a shade of colour. Unfortunately, he had mistaken someone else for Lupus. The woman before him might have had similar hair, but she had horse-like ears and uneven bangs. Her brown eyes stared back at him, wide with confusion.

"My bad… I thought you were someone I knew," Zetius snapped his head away, cupping his lips. Three metres away, Willhelm covered his face to hide his secondhand embarrassment, pretending not to know him for a moment.

The horse lady tilted her head, casually chewing on a sugar-coated fruit skewer. "Do I look like another woman, Rhea?" she spoke in a draggy voice, glancing down at the Animori Lunarius.

"I don't know, Pree. I think he just wanted to talk to you. A classic flirtation technique," Rhea winked, lifting an index finger adorned with a golden Lunarius ring.

A crooked smile appeared on the lady called 'Pree' almost instantly. "Is that so? You're not half-bad yourself." Her narrow eyes scanned him up and down, and her gaze lingered on his midsection.

Heat rose on his face. "N~nothing like that." Zetius spun for support, but Willhelm was already far behind in the queue, both hands covering his puffed-up cheeks, barely containing his laughter.

"The name's Prima Vel Rigellion. Remember it well," she said, straightening her frame with grace. She stood almost the same height as Zetius, but despite her mouthful of a name, she was far from regal or lady-like.

"Thanks, I guess? It was an honest mistake, I didn't—"

"And your name?" she cut him off, her jaw working from side to side as she chewed aloud.

"Zetius… Zel Celerius," he mumbled in defeat.

"Nice to meet you then. Tip for next time. Try harder. Confidence is the essence, you hear?" Pree left him with her words of advice, sending Zetius rolling his eyes internally.

Their turn arrived, and after placing their orders, the pair departed with their drinks — Pree with a giddy trot and Rhea with a cheerful hop.

"What a bunch of goofballs," Zetius muttered under his breath.

Willhelm reappeared soundlessly at his side, speaking in a hushed tone. "So… how did it go?"

Zetius exhaled deeply. "Worse. She rejected me."

When Zetius and Willhelm returned with their drinks, new members had already joined their party.

"Frain!" Zetius called out, his voice filled with delight. His gaze automatically swept for Lupus but found no one. Next to Frain was his old friend, Canis Wolfgang, dressed in a loose white chiton and pleated trousers that highlighted his scrawny but lengthy frame.

Frain paused mid-chew and swiftly gave him a warm hug. "Zetius! I've missed you so!"

"Me too. You look… amazing," Zetius praised, noticing her toned physique. The soft belly he remembered was now defined with abdominal muscles.

"Sister Frain has been training hard too!" Cubie added in glee.

In a graceful motion, Canis stood to offer a firm handshake. "Zetius. The event has brought us together again. That is its true essence."

Taking his hand, Zetius returned the sentiment. "Lunarius Canis, I'm starting to see that now… Nice haircut."

"Right? I think I have rarely seen you, um… what's the word?" Lampi thought for a moment, "Well-groomed?"

Canis chuckled, running a hand through his perfectly slicked-back hair. "I'd say so myself." He raised his glass to his disciple, Lampi.

As they settled into their seats, exchanging words amongst friends, time flew by in the blink of an eye. Noticing that only Astrid and Lupus were absent, Zetius couldn't help but ask.

"The new Lunarius must undergo a series of rituals with the Empress before tomorrow's ceremony," Aurelia replied, dabbing her lips with a handkerchief.

"Rituals?" Zetius's lips parted slightly.

"It's nothing weird like that. There's Go, calligraphy, a grand dinner, and stuff. More like a series of social events to bond with the Astral Empress," Canis added, sipping from his cup.

"Whoa! That's kinda awesome, I wonder what the Astral Empress is like in person!" Lampi lilted, cupping her cheeks in excitement.

On the contrary, Aurelia and Friederich could only exchange a dreadful grace. They had seen unspeakable things from the strongest arcanist in the history of mortal races.

"Ahem! Speaking of which, Canis and I were designated the Lunarius title on the same coronation day, about a hundred years ago," Willhelm stated, finishing his mug.

"Exactly ninety-seven years ago," Canis nodded and cleared his throat, and Lampi nodded frantically, having told this story before.

Willhelm turned to the crowd, his eyes glinting. "Right. On the vast steppes of Mongalian… Canis slayed the legendary beast—"

"It was juvenile," Canis interrupted.

"Arachne!" Willhelm exclaimed as everyone turned to listen to his tale. Zetius and Frain moved closer to the circle, curiosity written over their faces.

"Arachneling would be a more fitting term," Canis corrected, his voice lilted.

"What kind of monster is it?" Frain asked, tapping her boots with eagerness.

"It's a gigantic spider, with a head the size of Canis's wolf form. It had these giant claws, each with three tiny claws on it. Its exoskeleton was like steel. And for some reason, it shot golden silks," Willhelm narrated firmly.

"And incredibly hairy, its spiky hair was coarse and the size of my finger!" Lampi added, rising her index finger horizontally.

"And the worst part," Canis grinned, "its long tongue was shaped like a female humanoid."

"Whoa…" Aurelia gasped, touching her lips, while Frain stared in awe, unblinking.

"That's how it managed to lure men to their demise," Canis continued. "Then it would use its fangs and venom to incapacitate them and regurgitate digestive enzymes to turn its victims into a liquefied broth…"

"That's really nasty," Zetius remarked and grimaced.

"So how did you manage to kill it?" Friederich asked, crossing his arms.

"It wasn't just us." Canis pointed to the bunny Animori dancing with her tall horse-lady friend. "Lunarius Rhealin also helped us with Geothron."

"The Arachneling is elusive. It can dig a hole incredibly fast with its eight limbs," Willhelm explained.

"After Rhea blocked its escape route with her rock spell, I offered myself as bait until Canis managed to trap it in a steel structure employing Domoklasis," Willhelm wrapped up. "Then we pressure-cooked it for twenty-four hours straight with Empyrion."

Canis chuckled in a deeply sophisticated fashion. "The good old cauldron." And the party let out a soft chuckle in unison.

"That's fascinating," Zetius murmured, inspired by the perfect synergy between Rhealin, Canis, and Willhelm. On top of that, Willhelm had managed to prolong his spellcasting for a full day. The Lunarius class was indeed in a different league, even amongst themselves.

"That threat would have been a real disaster if left unchecked. I wonder if the Arachne would be as catastrophic as Ventiff," Aurelia pondered aloud.

"I don't think an Arachne would come close in terms of destruction," Willhelm argued, "but we'll never know."

The world had never felt larger, constantly under some sort of threat even before the rise of competing empires. To a seasoned Lunarius, the rise of damned souls threatening the peace was nothing new.

"Now that's a classic adventure," Willhelm rose, his eyes drifting back to the bar counter. The crowd there had thinned now that most had had their fill. "Another round, everyone?" he winked, his grin widening as cheers answered him.

As Willhelm departed, Zetius leaned back in his chair, a rare, genuine smile touching his lips. Surrounded by the warmth and boisterous energy of his comrades, the heavy weight on his shoulders felt a fraction lighter. Their tales of past glories and their easy camaraderie were a world away from the cold conflicts he had grown accustomed to.

The afternoon was still bright, holding the promise of more celebration as the main events of the festival drew nearer.

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