Chapter 203 - - We leave for Cenapar City (1/2)

In Leon's current memory, he had not really left the confines of the Institute much although he had made visits to other schools within the Institute; the outer beast taming school, the inner alchemist school and both martial arts schools... he did once end up in the Healers Hall, but that was a different story.  The only place he'd been outside of the Institute was Julip town, which could be found at the base of the Ascending Mountain Institute.

This time, they would be travelling from New Julip Town's griffin nests to a city some distance south and west.  The city was named Cenapar and according to the information that Leon had read about it, it was the second largest city in East Xulaphrey.  It majored in trade as it was at a central point of several large river routes, one of which was directly connected to the ocean and a massive port that had been erected there.  It also boasted picturesque scenery and major tourist destination and was home to several palaces belonging to the three eastern Kings and their families, though its borders were its own and it remained neutral in any regal conflict.

It was also where Sun's ancestral home was located.

Sun actually did not have much of an attachment to his home; it was the place where his shortcomings were most obvious and it was also the residence of all of his annoying relatives.  So he would have preferred to have remained at school during Winter break, had he not received a summons to return home from his father.  That had ended all thoughts of rebellion and 'there's no way I'm going back to that place! Not in a million years! Not for all the Celestial Pearl Grains in the west!

He couldn't even use his Master-Teacher Corvus and his strict, overbearing training regime as an excuse; that man had left with his own older brother Teacher Corne on some secret mission or other... actually it was far less glamorous, just hunting slime ghouls from the Cascading Fungus Swamps.  The swamps were home to numerous types of fungus, some quite odious and unpleasant, sticky and pungent and the ghouls even more so.  The ghouls weren't even a challenging type of undead, just bred like rabbits... because they often were formed of the corpses of rabbits that drowned in the murky muds!  But he wasn't about to admit this to his cute student...

So with Sun's crumbling resolve, he could only try to improve his pitiful situation and drag Jin Li and Leon with him.

”Please!”

”No.”

”Pretty please!  I'll do anything!  I don't want to go back alone!”

”This Lord has no intention of leaving one's alchemist alone in school,” Jin Li had declared.  His small lover was a walking target for rogues and thieves, no doubt he'd be bullied the moment he, Jin Li, was not in the vicinity.  He refused to give them the opportunity.  Only he was allowed to bully his lover.  His mind had wandered as he recalled the numerous times he'd tossed his alchemist to the point of tears and a satisfied expression appeared upon his face.

”Leon can come, of course Leon is invited!” With large, hopeful eyes, Sun had poured his attention upon Leon who had been watering the herbs in the courtyard at the time.  Leon's garden had somewhat become fallow, with only the hardiest herbs still lingering in the beds.  Had he stayed, he might have tried raise some common winter herbs, but at this point it had only just crossed his mind to do so.

”Huh?” Leon had chuckled nervously, his eyes flicking from Sun to Jin Li, wondering what it was he was supposed to say. ”I thought you d-didn't like m-me so m-much.”

”What are you saying?!” Sun had suddenly couldn't meet his eyes as he scratched his cheek with a finger. Actually, he'd had stupidly high expectations once arriving at the school, about adventure and heroes and said heroes' followers and harem... a little commoner like Leon had marred his previous fantastic image was all.  But that little commoner had proved that one really couldn't assume that class and image were that which made a man.  Having connections with Leon was a good thing, just as were those connections he fought for to proudly stand beside Jin Li!

Even the fact that this pairs' relationship blew away his three views was now a distant memory buried at the back of his mind.

So in the end, Sun's imitation of a puppy on its rear paws with front paws curled up in a pleading manner had softened Leon into agreeing to visit the boy's household with him.  Jin Li, therefore had no choice but to tag along.