Chapter 2 - 2 \

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n2 “Prank”

nRyan apologized politely to Lumian. “Forgive me, I did not expect such a situation,” he said.

nLumian chuckled.

n“Are you suggesting we need another glass of La Fée Verte?”

nWithout waiting for Ryan’s response, he changed the subject.

n“What brings foreigners like you to Cordu? Are you here to buy wool or leather?”

nMany of Cordu’s residents made their living as shepherds.

nRyan breathed a silent sigh of relief and seized the opportunity to explain their true purpose.

n“We came to visit the Eternal Blazing Sun Church’s padre, Guillaume Bénet, but he seems to be absent from both his home and the cathedral.”

nPierre, who had enjoyed Ryan’s free absinthe, kindly reminded him that there was only one church in Cordu.

nThe other locals around the bar counter were all drinking, but no one answered Ryan’s question. The name seemed to represent some kind of taboo or authority that couldn’t be openly discussed.

nLumian took a sip of drink and thought for a few seconds before offering his assistance.

n“I can roughly guess where the padre is. Do you need me to take you there?”

nLeah didn’t stand on ceremony. “If it’s not too much trouble,” she said.

nRyan nodded in agreement.

n“Once you’ve finished your drink.”

n“Alright.” Lumian raised his glass and finished the light-green alcohol.

nHe put down his glass and got to his feet.

n“Let’s go.”

n“Merci beaucoup,” Ryan expressed his gratitude and gestured for Valentine and Leah to stand up.

nLumian’s face lit up with a smile. “It’s no problem at all. You heard my story and I enjoyed a complimentary drink. That makes us friends, n’est-ce pas?”

n“Oui.” Ryan nodded.

nLumian’s grin widened, stretching from ear to ear. He opened his arms wide, beckoning the other party in for a hug.

n“Ah, it is good to meet you, my cabbages,” he exclaimed with fervor.

nRyan, who was about to be enveloped in a bear hug, froze.

n“Cabbages?”

nHis expression was a mixture of perplexity and embarrassment.

nValentine and Leah mirrored his expression.

n“It is a term of endearment we use for our friends,” Lumian explained with innocent sincerity. “Everyone in the Dariège region is aware of it. It has been a tradition for centuries, believe me, my cabbages.”

nLeah couldn’t help but glance around, producing the tinkling sounds.

nPierre and the others nodded in agreement, assuring the newcomers that Lumian’s words were true. However, the grins on their faces hinted that they were pleased to see foreigners struggling to comprehend their affectionate greetings.

nLumian stroked his chin thoughtfully.

n“Don’t you fancy it?”

n“Then I shall opt for a different option. It can also be used for friends.

n“My dear bunnies, my darling chicks, my lovely ducks, or perhaps my adorable lambs? Which one tickles your fancy?”

nBut Ryan’s expression was as stiff as a board, and Valentine’s brow furrowed in confusion.

nLeah let out a sigh, a mix of exasperation and amusement.

n“Let’s just stick with cabbage, shall we? At least it sounds normal.”

nPhew. Ryan let out a quiet sigh and gently grasped Valentine’s elbow. He gave a slight nod and remarked, “They all seem like precious treasures in the family.”

nWithout awaiting Lumian’s response, he swiveled his body and addressed the bartender, “How much will it be?”

n“Two verl d’or,” replied the bartender, eyeing the glasses lined up on the counter.

nRyan settled the bill, and Leah shifted the conversation to a different subject.

n“Lumian is an uncommon name.”

n“At least better than names like Pierre and Guillaume,” Lumian countered with a grin. “If you were to call out Pierre in this place, a third of the people would turn their heads. Call out Guillaume, and another third will respond. As for this gentleman…”

nHe gestured to the skinny middle-aged man sipping his free drink.

n“His full name is Pierre Guillaume.”

nLeah flashed a smile, skirting the topic of cabbage.

nAs they departed from the tavern, Lumian turned around and surveyed the surroundings.

n“What’s the matter?” Leah inquired with curiosity.

nLumian pondered for a moment and replied thoughtfully, “It’s not just the three of you foreigners who came to the tavern today. Another person arrived earlier, but I don’t know when they left.”

n“What did they look like?” Ryan asked with a serious expression.

nLumian took a moment to reflect.

n“A lady. Very sophisticated. You can tell she’s from the city with just one glance. I can’t describe her appearance. Why don’t I sketch her for you?”

n“Do you know how to draw?” Leah queried, aware of Lumian’s idiosyncrasies.

nLumian chortled.

n“I don’t.”

n“In that case, let’s locate the padre first,” Ryan decided, drawing the conversation to a close.

nCordu was a place devoid of street lamps at night, yet the twinkling stars above provided a faint glimmer that allowed the four of them to navigate the road. The yellowish light emanating from the windows on either side only added to the ethereal ambiance.

nAs they approached the Eternal Blazing Sun cathedral situated in the village square, the grandiose structure appeared somewhat blurry in the darkness, as if it was merging with the night.

n“We’ve been here before. There’s no one here,” Valentine grumbled with a frown.

nLumian smiled and said, “No one at the front door doesn’t mean there’s no one elsewhere.”

nHe then proceeded to lead Ryan and the others around the front of the cathedral towards the cemetery, where they found a dark brown wooden door.

nLumian didn’t wait for Ryan to knock. Instead, he reached over and fiddled with the keyhole before opening the side door with a creak.

n“That’s not very nice, is it?” Ryan frowned.

nLeah nodded in agreement, her bells tinkling.

n“We’re here to visit the padre, not to fight him.”

n“Alright,” Lumian acquiesced.

nHe closed the wooden door and knocked lightly.

n“Hey, is anyone there? I’ll come in if you don’t answer,” he muttered in a low voice that was barely audible in the night.

nThere was no response from inside the cathedral.

nWithout hesitation, Lumian pushed open the door and gestured inside.

n“Go on in.”

nRyan hesitated. He looked at the darkness behind the door and glanced at his companions.

n“Okay.” He took a step forward, slow but firm.

nLeah and Valentine followed closely behind.

nThe four silvery bells adorning Leah’s boots and veil were eerily silent.

nThe environment was dim and eerie as the four of them made their way forward.

nOut of nowhere, Ryan came to a halt and muttered in a low voice, “What’s that noise?”

n“Yes, I heard it too,” Lumian agreed.

nWithout wasting any time, he forcefully pushed the door aside, and it opened with a loud clang, revealing what lay beyond.

nThe dimly lit space resembled a confessional. A beam of starlight shone through, revealing a naked man in his prime, lying atop a fair-skinned woman.

nThe scene stunned everyone, including the man and the woman.

nSuddenly, the man sat up and bellowed at Ryan and his team, “Sacrebleu! You’ve ruined the holy church’s plans!”

nAmidst the reverberating roar, Lumian, who had quietly approached behind the group, waved his hand and spoke quickly, “Ah, it seems we have discovered our padre. Au revoir, my cabbages!”

nBefore anyone could react, Lumian dashed towards the side door, leaving his words to drift away in the wind.

nAs the team stood in shock, Leah, Ryan, and Valentine couldn’t shake the words of the middle-aged man, Pierre Guillaume, from their minds: “…you should steer clear of this one. He’s the most mischievous bloke in the whole village.”

n…

nLumian sauntered down the country road, hands tucked in his pockets while whistling a tune under the stars.

n“As expected, the padre is having an affair with Madame Pualis.”

n“Mon dieu, these foreigners exude an air of prestige. The padre would never dream of crossing them. He must pay an exorbitant sum to keep his sordid dalliances under wraps and preserve his standing within the cathedral.”

n“Hmph, he only has himself to blame for lusting after Aurore. I have been biding my time for this chance…”

nAs Lumian muttered to himself, he returned to his abode on the outskirts of the hamlet.

nThe structure he called home was a peculiar semi-subterranean two-story affair. The ground floor doubled as both a kitchen and a lounge. A hefty oven and a grandiose stove dominated the room.

n“Aurore! Aurore!” Lumian hollered as he trudged up the stairs.

nNo reply.

nThe upper storey was divided into three chambers and a lavatory, all the doors stood open.

nLumian peeped into each room but couldn’t find his sister.

nHe mulled it over for a moment, then marched to the end of the corridor and clambered up the ladder that led to the roof.

nThe roof was a fiery orange, painted by the twilight sky. In the center sat a figure, holding their knees and staring contemplatively at the sparkling stars.

nThis was an exquisite woman, exceptionally so. Her long and thick locks were a shade of gold, her eyes a pale blue, and her facial features were intricate and refined.

nHer gaze was fixated on the cosmos, her countenance serene, akin to that of a statue.

nLumian remained silent. He shifted to her side and sat next to her.

nHe lifted his head, gazing at the dense forest in the distance, absorbing the susurrus of the wind blowing through the trees.

nAfter a while, the woman raised her arms and stretched, paying no heed to her appearance.

n“Aurore, I don’t understand why you come up here so often. What’s so interesting about this view?” Lumian commented.

n“Call me Grande Soeur!” Aurore scolded playfully, tapping Lumian’s head with her finger.

nAurore sighed and thought to herself, “A philosopher once said that there are only two things worth revering in this world. One is the morality in one’s heart, and the other is the cosmos above one’s head.”

nLumian noticed his sister’s slightly melancholic expression and flashed a grin.

n“I know the answer to this question. Emperor Roselle said so!”

n“Pfft…” Aurore laughed.

nShe took a sniff and raised her beautiful golden eyebrows.

n“You’ve been drinking again!”

n“This is called socializing.” Lumian took the opportunity to recount what had just happened. “I met three foreigners…”

nAurore could not help but laugh.

n“I’m really afraid that the padre will have a heart attack.”

nHer expression then turned serious. “Lumian, don’t provoke the padre anymore. It’ll be troublesome if we get a new one.”

n“But I can’t stand his face…” Lumian complained before Aurore stood up.

nShe looked down at her brother and smiled.

n“Alright, it’s bedtime, my inebriated brother,” Aurore said with a smile as she threw out some silver dust.

nAurore flew down from the roof like a bird and entered the window on the second floor, leaving Lumian behind.

nLumian watched this quietly and shouted anxiously, “What about me?”

n“Climb down yourself!” Aurore replied mercilessly.

nLumian pursed his lips, his smile fading bit by bit.

nHe watched the silver specks of light disappear in the night sky, sighed softly, and muttered to himself, “I wonder when I’ll be able to possess such extraordinary powers…”

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