The cool morning air, still carrying a hint of the night's crispness, offered little solace as Draco navigated the increasingly congested northwestern main street.
It was barely 7 AM, yet Orario was already a cacophony of life, a vibrant beast stirring awake. The sounds of vendors hawking their wares mingled with the distant chime of smithies and the general hum of a city teeming with adventurers and civilians alike.
Draco, moving with an unhurried pace, was a stark contrast to the scurrying masses around him, his destination the Guild.
As he walked, a series of large, cage-like carriages rumbled past, their heavy wheels groaning under an unseen weight.
From within these mobile enclosures emanated guttural growls, snarls, and the unsettling rattle of chains, sounds that caused nearby civilians to flinch and give the procession a wide berth. Draco's gaze, sharp and discerning, easily picked out the distinctive emblem of an elephant's head engraved on the carriages...the unmistakable insignia of the Ganesha Familia.
"They really are going all out," Draco murmured, a low, almost imperceptible sound that was lost amidst the city's din.
His heightened senses could pierce through the thick metal of the cages, identifying the monstrous occupants with ease.
"Several sword stags, bug bears, mammoth fools… even trolls."
To the average adventurer, let alone a regular civilian, these creatures were huge threats, each a potential disaster in its own right.
A single sword stag could gore a rookie adventurer, a bug bear's claws could rend steel, and trolls were infamous for their regenerative capabilities and brute strength.
Yet, to Draco, they were little more than low-tier mobs, certainly not "impressive" by his own demanding standards.
He knew their strength ratings…..most hovered between Level 1 and 2.
A faint, almost whimsical thought flitted through his mind, a fleeting image of a different kind of spectacle.
'If Shakti had asked, I might have helped capture a green dragon or two. That would definitely make the crowd grow crazy.'
A mature green dragon was a beast of an entirely different caliber, a fearsome Level 4 monster capable of laying waste to entire sections of the city if left unchecked.
He understood, however, why such a feat was beyond the Ganesha familia's current capabilities. With the average level of adventurers in Orario hovering below Level 2, monsters like the green dragon was simply too dangerous, too potent, to be safely contained without risking widespread panic and casualties.
Pulling his gaze away from the grand procession of monster-filled carriages, Draco resumed his journey towards the Guild.
The entrance was a vortex of crowded bodies, a swirling mass of adventurers and supporters. Yet, as Draco approached, a strange phenomenon occurred.
The crowd, without conscious effort, seemed to part for him, creating an almost reverential pathway.
By now, almost everyone in Orario knew of his return, and the rumors, both good and bad, had already begun their swift circulation.
Stories of his past exploits, whispers of his mysterious departure, and the unknown extent of his current power fueled the collective speculation.
What truly made other adventurers wary, however, was his undisputed strength.
Five years ago, before his enigmatic departure from Orario, it was common knowledge that he was a Level 5, the mark of a high-class adventurer.
No one knew his current level, but the anticipation was palpable.
Denatus, the gathering where the gods revealed their children's true levels, was only a few months away.
Then, the truth would undoubtedly come out.
Adding to the mystique was the fact that many members of the Bahamut Familia, his own, were confirmed Level 5s, a clear indicator of the familia's power and prestige.
Regardless of personal feelings or the whispers of envy, top-tier adventurers like Draco commanded respect everywhere in Orario.
Their existence was living proof to a familia's prosperity and the city's strength.
Most people, whether they liked him or not, subconsciously showed a form of reverence, a subtle parting of the ways, a slight dip of the head, a hushed silence in his wake.
Upon entering the sprawling main hall of the Guild, a cavernous space bustling with the clatter of weapons, the murmur of negotiations, and the rhythmic scratch of quills on parchment, Draco's eyes immediately swept the room.
He was looking for Rose, his usual Guild contact, but she was nowhere to be found.
His gaze continued to scan, searching for Eina, another familiar face, but she too was absent.
'Is today another break, or is she somehow avoiding me?' Draco wondered, a flicker of irritation crossing his stoic features.
This was the third time he had come specifically looking for Rose, and the third time she had been conspicuously absent.
It was beginning to feel less like coincidence and more like a deliberate act.
Letting out a soft, frustrated sigh, Draco joined a line.
He intended to ask the only familiar face he knew amongst the current employee roster, or at least, the only one he felt comfortable approaching without attracting undue attention: Misha.
The line, a slow-moving river of eager adventurers and weary supporters, crawled sluggishly forward, each person seeking information, quests, or simply to sell magic stones.
Finally, it was Draco's turn.
"Morning, Draco-san!" Misha greeted cheerfully, her voice bright and a wide smile gracing her lips.
She even gave a small, enthusiastic wave, despite him being mere centimeters away across the counter.
"Morning… Misha," Draco returned, a hint of skepticism coloring his tone.
He was a bit taken aback by her almost impish familiarity, given that their paths had crossed only once before.
"You seem awfully cheerful," he added, genuinely curious.
"Ah, how could I not be?" Misha chirped, her eyes sparkling.
"Today is Monsterphilia!. And since I did overtime yesterday, I can get off early today, so I can enjoy the festival!"
She finished with a bright, almost infectious smile.
"Ugh, I don't get it, what is so fun about seeing monsters do tricks?" he replied, a faint frown creasing his brow.
Misha's smile faltered slightly, replaced by a look that bordered on offended.
"What do you mean… what's so fun?" she began, her tone defensive.
"It's not everyday us civilians get to see different types of monsters, only you adventurers do! And even then, you only see them in the Dungeon, not in a controlled setting where they can perform!" Misha argued, her passion for the festival evident in her raised voice.
Draco paused, considering her words.
'Thinking about it from the perspective of a civilian… monsters are indeed hard to see, much less ones that are made to do tricks. It's like a zoo or a circus to them.'
"Hmm, you make a fair point," Draco conceded, a hint of understanding dawning on him.
"I never thought of it that way."
"Ahem, anyway, how can I help you today, Draco-san?" Misha asked, her tone shifting back to professional, her eyes flicking to the steadily growing line behind Draco.
While she enjoyed their brief, unusual exchange, she was on the clock.
The last thing she wanted was her supervisor hounding her with more work and souring her day, especially with the festival so close.
She was going to enjoy it soon, and nothing was going to jeopardize that.
"Ah right, I came looking for Rose… is she not around today?" Draco inquired, getting straight to the point.
Misha took on a contemplative expression, tapping a pen against her chin as she tried to recall if Rose had clocked in for work.
"Hmm, I do recall seeing Rose-san earlier in the morning, but she is likely working at the stadium. The festival is very popular and can be quite dangerous, so several Guild employees are needed for logistics and to inspect certain aspects to ensure they are up to standard," Misha explained.
It was common for the Guild to deploy personnel to major events, ensuring safety and compliance.
"I see," Draco muttered, the information confirming his earlier suspicion that Rose was indeed busy, though not necessarily avoiding him.
Misha, on the other hand, just stared at him, her mind already concocting a rather juicy story. This was the second, or was it the third, time she had seen him come looking for Rose.
It wasn't a huge leap, in her young mind, to speculate that there was some special connection between them, like…
Misha let the thought trail off, a soft, involuntary giggle escaping her throat.
Her eyes sparkled with mischievous delight, a clear indication of the direction her thoughts had taken.
'Sigh, this silly girl,' Draco thought, a faint flicker of amusement mixed with resignation surfacing within him.
Misha's silly speculation was written all over her face, an open book of girlish fantasy.
It seemed like too much of a hassle to correct the misunderstanding, so he simply ignored her burgeoning fantasy.
"Thanks for the info," Draco finally spoke after a few seconds of silence, a patient smile playing on his lips.
He turned to leave, dismissing the crowd behind him and Misha's speculative gaze.
"Sure, come by anytime!" Misha called out cheerfully, waving him off with genuine enthusiasm as she prepared for the next adventurer in line.
Draco just shook his head, a soft chuckle escaping him, appreciative of her innocent, unbridled enthusiasm.
Now back in the bustling streets, Draco was unsure what to do.
His morning plans had revolved entirely around meeting Rose, but with her indisposed and likely swamped with work at the stadium, his itinerary had been completely derailed.
There were still a few hours until noon, when the Monsterphilia festival officially kicked off, leaving him with an unexpected void in his schedule.
He considered going to the stadium to meet Rose, but the thought of bothering her amidst what Misha described as a hectic, logistical nightmare quickly dissuaded him.
'It wouldn't be right to intrude when she's clearly so busy,' he mused.
'Aaagh, why am I even being this considerate?' he silently chastised himself.
'It's not like we have anything remotely romantic going on between us, nor are we very close friends… so why?' Draco pondered for a while, a moment of introspection about his own motivations regarding the Guild employee.
'Sigh, maybe it's because I can't help but be curious about why she started avoiding me,' Draco concluded, finally finding a plausible reason for his persistent thoughts.
It wasn't affection, not exactly, but a desire to understand, a slight annoyance at the unexplained shift in her demeanor.
He had decided not to bother with Rose for now.
If they met, they met; if they didn't… so be it.
He didn't need to be the only one making an effort.
With his mind once again clear, his destination-less state now replaced with a vague curiosity, Draco decided to simply wander around the city.
It had been a long while since he had truly explored Orario without a specific objective, just letting his feet guide him.
...….
Wandering through the busy thoroughfares for over two hours, Draco indulged in the sights and sounds, the aromas of street food, and the colorful chaos of the pre-festival rush.
He soon found himself on the western main road, even more packed than the northern and central districts.
From the far-off western main gate, a constant stream of carriages kept flowing in, disgorging visitors from across the continent.
The various inns and taverns lining the street were already filled to the brim with guests, their boisterous laughter and excited chatter spilling out onto the cobblestones.
Monsterphilia was a festival that always drew guests from far and wide, but for some reason, this year, there were far more people than usual.
Observing the flow of traffic, Draco munched leisurely on a succulent chicken skewer he had bought several minutes earlier from a street vendor, the savory spices a welcome distraction.
As he scanned the masses, his eyes soon spotted a rather familiar face amidst the throngs.
It was a man...….no, a god...…..with long, dark blue hair that fell to his shoulders, framing striking dark blue eyes that held a peculiar blend of weariness and quiet resilience.
He wore a simple black robe, a tan-brown stole that reached down past his shoulders, and sturdy brown shoes that had clearly seen better days.
He was quite attractive, Draco mused, if one looked past his currently impoverished demeanor.
'Isn't that Miach?' Draco realized, watching the god walk down the street, a forced, almost painful smile etched onto his face as he greeted passing acquaintances.
Perhaps because he stared a bit too much, their eyes met.
Staring into Miach's eyes, which held a deep-seated sadness that even his forced smile couldn't conceal, Draco felt a tiny bit guilty.
He knew all too well about the disaster that had befallen the Miach Familia, a tragedy he had been unable to prevent due to his necessary departure from Orario.
As a direct result, Naaza, a talented alchemist and loyal member of the familia, had lost her arm in a failed expedition.
Miach, in a desperate attempt to save her, had used all the money in the familia's coffers and even borrowed a significant sum to treat her.
But that act of kindness had led to an even bigger problem.
The other members of the Miach Familia, seeing their hard-earned money used and the familia plunged into overwhelming debt for the sake of only one member, felt their patron deity had betrayed their trust.
In their eyes, it was blatant favoritism.
One by one, they quit, dissolving the familia's adventuring core.
The Miach Familia, now a mere shadow of its former self, could no longer supply the potions to the other familias with whom they had established contracts, leading to crippling penalties for breaking those agreements, further plunging them into an almost insurmountable debt.
'Well, Naaza is a very talented alchemist,' Draco pondered, his mind already spinning possibilities within that brief moment of eye contact.
'And she will soon create the double potion, a revolutionary discovery. Using Aasterinian for a joint business plan could help us both. We get priority and high-quality potions, and the Miach Familia gets a way out of debt and can rebuild. Seems like a win-win deal.'
Feeling more whimsical than pity for the Miach Familia's current plight, Draco immediately made up his mind.
He straightened his shoulders, a subtle shift in his posture, and began to approach Miach, a new objective firmly in his sights.