Tales of Revenants

Chapter 20 – Feast and Gratitude

The exhausted group has now lastly arrived at the Grayfrost Village after conquering the Frostsiege Valley's treacherous Nightbeast, a Dark Entity.

It took them just as the night is about to come. The battle and the distance's time without a carriage for faster transportation might have made them finish the quest faster if they have one.

The sedulous wife of the chief, Zarah, is patiently waiting at the bench outside of the guildhall again.

Zarah's at the peak of her hope. Thinking she might have killed another adventurer by sending Laken's party on a dangerous quest. It all changed when she peeked something on the lifeless street. She heard the footsteps of a familiar group.

“Hey, we're back,” Laken informs.

 Everyone came back safely. What made Zarah teary is when she glimpses her husband in perfect shape. Not bothered by the winter cold anymore. She came running towards her husband, holding him like there's no tomorrow.

“Dunkan... you came back...!” She cried and cried under his embrace, “I'm back now, cry it all out, I'm never leaving your side again.” Dunkan passionately told. He reciprocated his wife's embrace.

They gave them a moment of peace. Zarah couldn't express how glad she was. There's nothing to feel guilt for, is what she thought.

“You fulfilled your promise young man... I don't know what to say... I'm just glad your party came back safe.” Zarah spoke what she felt.

“Well, I promise these brave adventurers to treat them a feast. Let's head inside the guildhall, shall we?” The old man Dunkan beckoned them to come inside.

The day is going to call the dusk. Just as Dunkan promised them the feast they deserve.

Their victory dinner. The old man prepped and cooked all the food that is still in stock on the guildhall together with the help of his wife, Zarah, to express thanks and appreciation of saving the imminent downfall of Grayfrost Village.

The party eagerly awaits at one of the tables in the guildhall. There are no other adventurers or whatsoever. The lounge's still lively as it seems thanks to the loud group that saved the day.

“Hmm... are you saying you tried eating soil in the past?!” Laken exclaimed.

“I tried it. No doubt, and I regret it to the point I forced myself to hibernate.” Xenon's somewhat proud of a thing that should not be.

Eirisse and Luciella chuckled. They almost spit the milk they're drinking out of laughing as they wait for food to be prepared.

“You did that Xenon? That's news to me.” Eirisse blurted out.

“Xenon's a bit weird.” Luciella had in mind but she didn't mean to say it in words, “I-I'm sorry Xenon!” She always apologizes to what she says. They all tittered and Luciella felt embarrassed.

“I actually consider myself as strange. There's nothing to feel bad Luciella.” Xenon poked Luciella's back.

Eirisse chugs her milk without wasting a single drop. She promptly stands and left the wooden mug on the table, “I'm going out for a while, I'll be back immediately.” Eirisse informed them. She went to go outside.

“Make sure you don't scare any natives,” Laken told before she totally went out of the guildhall. Eirisse gestured back to make sure she heard the reminder.

“Where's she going?” Luciella asked wondering, “Let her be, the night is about to fall and Eirisse doesn't want to be seen entering her Metamorphosis.” Xenon explained chugging down bottles of mana potions.

It's not even a minute before she was gone and she came back already. Just as Xenon said, her scarlet hair extended longer up to her waist. Her lip's red as an apple. Nails painted in black and her skin's much pale than before.

To top it off with her voluptuous gauge, what's giving her a more attractive feature is the rounded eyeglasses she had as she fixes the bridge of it.

She's like a damsel that just escaped from something dangerous and she had no choice but to dress as a mage. The witch garment is also pointing out to her curvature.

Luciella thought she cannot avert her eyes just how beautiful of a vampire she is, “You're so beautiful Eirisse...” Luciella murmured to herself gazing onto her.

Later as they chitchat with each other. Luciella sniffs something luscious. She heightened her ears remembering the scent of the roasted venison she ate on the cavern given by the old man Dunkan.

“I think our reward's here. Had not they prepared a feast on us they might have a missing villager.” Eirisse told just for fun.

The clanking metals on Xenon's chest geared up, “Changing attribute: glutton.” Eirisse kneed his side, “That's cheating!” She complains.

Because when Xenon sets up to change his attribute to a glutton. He puts a shame on any place that has eating or drinking contests and even leaves a devastation trauma to pubs that had an eat-all-you-can menu.

The party eagerly hold their shoes as Dunkan and Zarah serve them a feast of the night. A lot of mouth-watering roasted venison, a hotpot, different delicacies, and much more to satisfy their hunger.

“Don't hold yourselves back. If you want second servings, feel free to come to the kitchen,” Zarah smiled brightly and her gloomy aura is gone.

“By the way here's the deer's blood you wanted lady.” Dunkan gave her a handful of five bottles.

The crimson eyes of Eirisse's all sparkle. She unhesitantly grabbed the bottles containing the kind of liquor she wanted.

“No wonder your wife cares so much about you, old man. You never forget your words.” Eirisse observed the sincere bond between the couple considering her eyes see what's in the heart of a person.

“Aha!” Dunkan couldn't help but laugh, “Don't make this old man embarrassed.” Dunkan tousled his hair. He's still puzzled about why her personality changes drastically.

“Oh well, we'd prepare other stuff and be back after a while,” Dunkan told. “Thanks again for treating us.” Laken thanked them. Aside from his stern personality, he still sounded sincere.

What got the attention of Luciella was the shaved ice with different fruits. The best delicacy in the Grayfrost Valley. “Sweet!” Luciella gleefully couldn't expect the sweetness of the ice shave's quivering cold taste.

Xenon's just openly grinding all things in his mouth. Even the mug that contains wine was shredded to his jaws.

Laken gave him a head chop for him to calm down, “Here you said could taste things, but you're devouring the venison together with the plate you jackass!” Laken told him off.

“I can't help it! These things are too delicious!” Xenon replied. He actually calmed down when Laken's preparing another head-chopping.

Laken seems to have taken a liking to the roasted venison. Luciella's just picking all the sweets and delicacies on the table. The way Luciella brightly smiles the moment she savors what she picks is enough for Laken to feel relaxed.

Meanwhile, the drunkard Eirisse's chugging down the ale after her beloved blood, all five of bottles went empty. She threw the containers to the counter.

“Give me something to drink! More!” Eirisse's already drunk she had no idea what's she doing.

Xenon has to make sure she won't go to the street randomly sucking the neck of the villagers.

The group really appreciated and enjoyed the feast given by the guild chief. It's almost about time to go back to the inn. They fixed the mess first before departing in the guildhall.

“Thanks for the feast!” Everyone thanked Dunkan and Zarah once again.

“No problem. Before we forget, here's the reward for the quest,” Dunkan opened the treasure chest and it has ten gold pouches, “Every golden pouch had one hundred thousand gold coins so that you won't have to carry the chest too.” Dunkan explained for the convenience.

“Perfect,” Laken grinned.

He grabbed one of the golden pouches and told them, “A million gold is too much. Take the rest and re-establish your relationship to the villagers as well as to bring back the cheer to the Grayfrost Village.” Laken gracefully stated. They're now departing from the guildhall.

Dunkan was about to catch up to them and to formally know their names but her wife, Zarah halted her husband and she gave her the wanted poster when she shook her head, “You already knew, my wife?” Dunkan couldn't believe the face of the man in the parchment.

“Maybe he had a reason. I wish for them to stay more.  I have especially taken a liking to the half-elf lady.” Zarah even distinguished Luciella as a half-elf. She must have paid attention to them.

Dunkan crumpled the wanted poster. He also went on the counter and to the quest request wall to find the remaining notice about the Bloodless Revenant.

It's the least Dunkan could do to show his gratitude. Without their party, maybe he's still wandering in the snowstorm all alone.

Now the group has managed to secure resources. They are now heading back to the inn to plan out their next objective.

Laken and his party walk to the streets. He still couldn't believe that a Dark Entity appeared, assuming it has a connection about Nightbeasts appearing during the daytime.

He clasped Luciella closer to him unconsciously. He remembers a fragment of his memory from the past.