Kapitel 53: Chapter 53: Greenleaf Tournament

The whole shop became silent. After both of us didn't make a single move, even the others also stopped at what they were doing. It's been years since I saw him, I don't know if I'll be glad to meet him again.

"Uhh…" I heard Dalary's voice beside me so I lost my attention at him and looked at my friend. Her brow was raised as she stared at me with wide eyes, "you guys know each other?"

I couldn't be able to answer her question, as I don't know how to explain it to her. She had never known my childhood fully, so she, too, was confused.

"It's… a…" Nilo tried to explain, but even he doesn't know where to start. The tension inside the room rose every time no one intended to speak.

We decided to sit at a table and discuss the issue. I expected that my life won't be easy once my magic will be revealed, but I never thought that I would be encountering this kind of thing. It was much worse.

"So you and Meria know each other, huh?" Dalary continued to be curious about our relationship. Then, after asking that to our other companion, she took a peek at me and raised another eyebrow. "I never knew."

I avoided her gaze, as cold sweat dripped from my head. She might be trying to build up my guilt because I didn't say anything about it. The memory of that time was still fresh, but I never intended to say it to anyone else.

"R-Really…?" Nilo said, then lowered his head. One can see the grief in his eyes despite covering it with a wide smile.

"She was–" He stopped at the start of his sentence as he locked his eyes on me. I don't know but I was waiting for his answer at that time. Come to think of it, we just knew each other, but there wasn't any relationship between us. "I-I've known her since we were kids."

"But… we had to move to Astraen because of... unexpected events…" He added, now averting his eyes away from me. After hearing that, I couldn't help but to avert mine as well. "I thought I would never see her again after that…"

Those statements lead to another silence inside the room. He, too, didn't expect me to encounter here in Astraen. I'm sure he tried his best to get away from me, and I also did the same, but it seems like fate didn't want us to succeed.

"By the way, can I know what brings you here?" He asked us, now giving us the tension. I don't know if I should tell him or not, especially there are many people that were chasing me. But if I tell him, then maybe he could help us.

"We–"

"We came here to find a dude named Heron."

As I was about to say something about the whole kingdom knowing that I can use magic, Dalary interrupted me. It seems like she didn't want to tell everything to him. She was careful and never trust anyone. But if we decline every single person, then we could seek help to none.

"We have to search for him in order to help us." She explained further but never slipped anything that would give a clue about my true identity. I tried my best to keep a poker face but my cold sweats were giving it away.

"I-I see…" Nilo answered which made my eyebrow raised. Somehow, that stutter he just made had a meaning. I don't know how but I could feel it. Just like us, he was hiding something.

"If you're looking for him, then you're in tough luck."

Then, Vison's voice inserted in our conversation, who was still standing at the counter staring at our unexpected reunion. We turned our attention to him, as he crossed his arms once more.

"But if you want to meet him, then there's one place that you could try searching." He added. I couldn't help but put all of my ears eager to hear what he was about to say. If this is our only chance to see Heron, then we must grab it.

"The Greenleaf Tournament," He said.

"The what?"

Almost all of us raised an eyebrow as we never heard of that tournament before. Sure, I memorized every Deravon lord's name but that's the limit of my knowledge. The library at the kingdom was only my limit. I never knew about life inside of the other places.

"The Greenleaf Tournament is an event for fighters to worship the harvest months. It's where fighters and adventurers kick each other's butts out in order to win." He explained as he turned his back to us, grabbing an arrow on the wall where other trajectory bullets were being displayed.

"Heron… rumored to be someone of a warrior, would be interested to join in." He added, caressing the soft sharp blade, "Either to watch or to participate."

I never thought that what we were looking for was a warrior. But since I've been meeting various people, in different places and races, then he could be anything. And it seems like the Elder really trusted him.

"Then, we have to–"

"I wouldn't speak here if I were you all."

Cainne was about to say something that would help us in finding him, but he was being interrupted by Vison in the middle of his sentence. What he said caught our attention too, and soon, I started moving my vision in any direction.

"You can use the ground at the back." He added with a hand gesture that was pointing at the door on the right side, different from the door where Nilo came from.

Without any choice, we decided to follow him and entered the door. At first, Dalary resisted passively, but soon, I convinced her that there was nothing to worry about.

On the other side of the door, a wide field of dust and grass greeted us, surrounded by high stone brick walls as fences. The sun on top hit my skin and I never thought that I would meet with the heat sooner.

Two trees were planted and they may not be big, but they're taller than the walls. A small pond can be seen from the corner, with a bamboo pump breaking the silence. The fire pit covered almost a quarter of the outdoor backyard which was surrounded by long benches made of stone.

I didn't expect for a blacksmith to have a wide yard at the back of his shop. I thought that there was a training area for his apprentices to practice the art of crafting, but this place was more like training for future fighters.

We all sat down on the benches forming a circle and continued the unfinished meeting. Now that we had a clue where Heron could possibly be, then we should find a way to meet him.

Vison also gave us additional information. They only accept the abilities of the four elements. That means if I use my magic as a participant, then I would be disqualified. I never thought that they would think so much about it.

"So here's the plan," Cainne said.

"Wait a minute." Dalary interrupted him right away, never letting him go further. After hearing that, I had a hunch that a fight started to form in front of us. I could stop them but as long as they wouldn't get worse, then it's best to hear them out.

"Why do you have to decide everything?" She asked with furrowed brows.

"Because I have more experience than any of us here," Cainne answered in a matter-of-fact tone. Indeed, he had been a knight at Lamician and became an adventurer, so he had more experience.

"I was also a traveler," Dalary said, putting her palm on her chest. Come to think of it, before we found her in our town, she said she traveled from kingdoms to towns in order to find work.

"Was." The encantor fought back. Kandani and I couldn't help but be worried about this conversation, while Pholly just didn't care at the corner.

"But that doesn't mean we have to follow you." My tendrin said, now with crossed arms on her chest like she just proved a point. Then, they both stared at each other with intense eyes. It didn't last that long, but every second made the atmosphere heavier.

"Okay, okay." Cainne stopped the tension between them, giving up in the staring contest. I heard him sigh in between his breath. "But hear my plan."

"There will be two groups." He started explaining, gesturing with his hands. If he knew what he was doing, then we have to listen to what he had to say. "One will search in the audience, and one will participate."

"What? Why do we have to be participants?" Dalary once again complained, but unlike earlier, she was calmer now. I sighed in relief as she also tried her best to not cause a conflict.

"We can't check everything if not any of us will be contestants." He answered with the same low tension as Dalary. It seemed like the fight earlier was completely gone now. "There are other places restricted to civilians."

The group had finally been arranged. Since they might be a chance that the Deravon army will come back with stronger forces, then Kandani was assigned to be the lookout outside the Astrid Arena. I was in-charge to find Heron at the bleachers along with Cainne to not get so much attention.

Dalary was assigned to be one of the participants to check further. Pholly didn't want to part away from her sister, so she also was a participant but was restricted to use her linguistic ability. At first, she resisted, but thankfully, I convinced her.

The tournament will be happening in two days which means, we still have time to prepare for the search or for those who will chase us. Somehow, I was getting nervous. If I released my magic in front of a hundred audiences, then our plan will fail.

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