Chapter 143: Horns and Fangs (1/2)

”What's going on?”

Arthur asked as he looked at the group standing around a table. It was a disharmonious sight as every member had a different appearance from the other with no similarity except how intimidating they were. Standing around a table filled with cakes and alcohol, they looked nothing like the monsters they were.

”A surprise party,” Ivy shook her head, clicking her tongue. ”You need to work on your observation skills, newbie.” Sarcasm was dripping.

”I can see that,” Arthur's eyebrows twitched. ”But why are you guys throwing me a party.”

”Allow me to answer!” Reece stepped forward, throwing his hands forward. ”My humble self has seen it all. How our youngest junior ran around the place to achieve his goal and secure us the infamous fortress! He was cool, hardworking, and most importantly! He was handso~”

”Shut the hell up, weirdo!” Zas kicked Reece from behind making him fall to his knees before he could finish. ”This is your welcome party.” He explained briefly making Arthur sigh in relief that it wasn't because of his medal.

”Of course, it's also to celebrate our hero.” Hua grinned as she threw Arthur a flirtatious glare. Arthur started to feel mentally drained.

”Okay, stop teasing him.” Si laughed and clapped his hands. ”We didn't have the time to throw you a welcome party, so here it is. Sadly, Li and William had to stay in the fortress.”

”That muscle-head, Li, was fawning over the chambers.” Ivy shook her head. ”I bet he's training as we speak.”

”How did you guys get here?” Arthur asked with confusion. After all, it was a long distance from the fortress. Traveling here had surely taken some time, especially without being found out by the kingdom.

He still remembered how he had traveled relentlessly using his Teleport rune when he went back to Kera. His runes mana were always minute, especially the ones that required no mana to keep them active.

As for the border, he used the terrain of the surrounding wilderness to slip unnoticed. However, he enjoyed the privilege of using a rune with a reality gate, connecting to nature directly. So, unless Zas transported them all the way here, they had to find another way.

”We had Idris smuggle a teleportation artifact. It was a one-time artifact; we're still thinking about how to travel there without the hassle.” Si answered before pulling a chair and sitting. ”Enough of that, come here and cut the cake.”

The cake, to Arthur's dismay, was decorated in a dancing hall fashion with two figures intertwined in the middle. The reference was obvious and Arthur had no energy but to sigh as he sat down as well.

”I just hope whoever made this didn't ask questions.” He grabbed the knife as the group eagerly waited for him. It wasn't even his birthday, but he dreaded that they might sing him something. There was no greater torture than sitting awkwardly as a group sang you happy birthday.

”Oh, that would be Ivy.” Zas snickered and Arthur paused when he heard this. He couldn't help but turn his head toward the tomboyish woman who unexpectedly turned out to have such hidden skills.

”Wow, thank you, Ivy.” He didn't know what to say and Ivy grinned back at him.

”Yeah, yeah. I take payments with artifacts.” The group laughed and spent the rest of the time drinking, eating cakes, and singing.

Despite being unaccustomed to such gatherings, Arthur enjoyed his time. He was always a sweet-tooth but he didn't have the money to enjoy them until now. Ivy's bakery skills left him amazed and he even thought it wasn't a bad deal to have her make him pastries all the time.

Before he realized it, the alcohol kicked in and he had to stabilize himself with a stamina rune. The others turned out to be quite the drinkers as Hua and Idris competed with the young foreign woman winning in the end.

After that, the room was cleared by some of Idris's trustworthy subordinates. The group sat alone lazily in their chairs as Si went on to the next event.

”While Ivy, Lie, Zas, and Arthur went to the Runes Cup, we managed to infiltrate the royal palace with Master Ronin's help while the war was underway. They came back with more than a few spoils and evaded being caught thanks to Master Ronin's prophecies. One of the spoils is this.”

He took out a box from his storage artifact and presented it to Arthur.

”This is your welcome gift, newbie.” Ivy smiled as Arthur took the box with a complicated gaze. How would he tell them that he didn't need it anymore?

”This mana condensing agent is called the Maiden's Tear, taken from a myth-tier monster, the sirens.”