Starting tomorrow, it seemed like he could afford to be a bit more relaxed. He hadn’t expected himself to think that way, but he wasn’t the kind of person to be completely ungrateful.
With that thought, Banteon emerged wearing a fluffy bathrobe. A sweet aroma wafted in from the food that had been prepared outside.
Warm bathwater and a hearty meal—nothing made people more generous.
***
Having made up for all the sleep he’d missed, Banteon didn’t come to his senses until well past 3 p.m. He’d skipped breakfast and slept for over twelve hours straight.
As soon as the two of them woke up, they headed to the local branch of the Center in the middle of the village. The moment Delroz and Banteon stepped through the entrance, the receptionist at the front desk let out a loud gasp and stared at them wide-eyed.
One after another, staff members gathered, all wearing horrified expressions.
An SS-Rank Esper and an Esrante, both missing. Practically every Esper-related organization had issued an informal—but effectively mandatory—search notice.
After the branch descended into chaos and a report was made to the Center headquarters, the response that eventually came back wasn’t particularly welcome.
“It’s taking longer than expected.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just… this place is so remote…”
“No need to apologize. If that’s the best you can do, then so be it.”
Naturally, the Center reacted swiftly to their survival report. They said they would dispatch a private airship immediately, but distance was the issue. The map they had bought from the hunter village didn’t include the entire kingdom—only the surrounding area. They had simply picked the nearest village that had a branch, only to realize it happened to be the furthest possible one from the capital.
Honestly, they should just be thankful there was a branch of the Esper Center here at all. Even with the airship traveling at top speed, it wouldn’t arrive until late tonight—or tomorrow morning at the earliest. Banteon tapped the table lightly with his fingers.
He didn’t mind the wait. They’d found a satisfying place to stay, and his mind had finally settled. All he needed to do now was enjoy the free time.
At the edge of his gaze, he saw Delroz sitting across from him with a sour look. That same grim face had been there ever since last night, for reasons unknown.
He’d resolved to get along with him better from now on, but just looking at that stormy expression was enough to make him abandon the thought entirely.
Even after their business was done, several employees lingered around them, casting curious glances. It wasn’t every day an Esrante and an SS-Rank Esper showed up—people sparkled with anticipation, looking for an opportunity to speak even a word more.
“Would you like a guide for the village? Or perhaps we could prepare a place for you to rest…?”
“No need. We’ve already booked a room. But thank you for the offer.”
“Haha, no worries at all! We never imagined we’d meet you in a place like this. It’s truly an honor.”
“Remote or not, every place has its worth.”
With a practiced smile, Banteon responded smoothly to the staff lingering around them. As soon as his ‘professional’ smile emerged, Delroz’s expression subtly shifted.
Unaware of the change, the staff kept circling the two of them, still looking for a moment to engage. Banteon was used to being the center of attention—it had always been that way. Still, even he couldn’t help feeling drained by this much unwanted attention.
He picked out a random staff member and asked:
“This is our first time in this town, so we’re thinking of looking around a bit. Anywhere you’d recommend?”
“Oh! Actually, there’s a festival going on right now. The opening ceremony was yesterday, so today will probably be the liveliest. Would you like a pamphlet?”
“Yes, please.”
The staff member quickly handed over a flimsy flyer that looked hastily put together. When Banteon unfolded the trifold paper, it displayed images of the city and promotional blurbs for various events.
The contents were predictable. The main event was a fireworks show, along with a night market and a circus performance. Compared to the capital, this small provincial festival had very little to offer.
Honestly, heading back to the hotel to rest sounded like a much better use of his time.
Just as he was about to get up and return to the hotel, Delroz—sitting across from him—caught his eye. Arms crossed and scowling like someone thoroughly pissed off, he sat motionless. People nearby lowered their heads and slowly edged away.
Even the curious ones who had initially approached, drawn by the SS-Rank Esper title, now kept their distance.
Why the hell is that big guy acting like this?
Banteon, who was about to ignore him and leave, stopped himself.
Right. He owed him a lot. Might as well make an effort to acknowledge him.
“So, what now?”
“Dunno. I guess we wait.”
Though his words sounded indifferent, his face clearly said he wasn’t in the mood. Banteon carelessly tossed the unfolded flyer in front of him. Unlike Banteon, who treated the hotel like a second home, Delroz probably found it boring as hell.
He really didn’t want to do this. But fine. He’d humor him.
“Thinking of checking out the festival. You coming?”
“You?”
Delroz shot back.
“Didn’t expect you to be into weird stuff like that.”
Still, despite the comment, Delroz rose from his seat. No reply, but that was answer enough. He’d go along. Banteon decided to treat him like a huge, unsocialized panther—just something to drag around without expecting conversation.
As they left the branch office, they were met by bustling crowds that filled the streets in true festival fashion. The sun had already begun its slow descent, casting a warm red glow across the road.
Trailing behind him, Delroz looked noticeably brighter than before.
***
The air on the streets was rich with the scent of all kinds of food, and children ran around in a frenzy of excitement. Vendors selling balloons and flowers bustled about, trying to entice passersby. The whole city felt alive—buzzing with energy and joy.
Surprisingly, walking through the festival with Delroz wasn’t as awkward as he’d expected. With Delroz trailing slightly behind and occasionally stepping beside him, they wandered around, exchanging a few words whenever something unfamiliar caught their attention.
There wasn’t much conversation, but that didn’t make it uncomfortable. Neither of them were particularly talkative to begin with. In fact, the quiet suited them. If Delroz had been loud and overexcited in the middle of this noisy festival, it would’ve been completely overwhelming.
After finishing a meal at the high-end restaurant recommended by the hotel, they stepped back out into the night. The sun had fully set, revealing a black sky, now illuminated by vibrant, colorful lights glowing brightly all around them.
The real night of the festival had begun. No matter which street they entered, music filled the air, and couples walked arm in arm, whispering sweet nothings to one another.
It seemed like Banteon and Delroz were the only two men wandering around together. He noticed people glancing at them as they passed. A few of the same young women kept walking by repeatedly, clearly lingering nearby out of interest.
From one side, quiet whispers reached his ears.
“They’re really handsome.”
“Must be outsiders, right?”
“Of course. No one in this town looks like that.”
Getting complimented on his appearance was nothing new. Even at the Center—where only the most exceptional gathered—Banteon always stood out.
But “handsome guys,” huh?
Banteon casually turned his head upward. Delroz’s face, motionless as ever, came into view—completely unaffected despite clearly being one of the ones praised.
Well, to be fair, when his mouth’s shut, he is decent-looking. Not Banteon’s type, but to some village girl, he’d probably look like a fairy-tale prince. Even if, beneath the surface, he was all rough edges and a mess.
Banteon perched himself on the stone edge of the central plaza fountain, where water gently sprayed upward in rhythmic pulses. A little ways off, he spotted Delroz, who had drifted away from his side. The guy who usually stuck so close—why the sudden distance?
A quick scan of the area made it obvious. Sure enough, two young women were glued to his side.
‘So that’s why he’s taking so long—he got caught.’
He couldn’t hear the conversation over the festival noise, but it wasn’t hard to guess. Young men and women at a festival—what else would they talk about? One of the many who had been watching Delroz all night must’ve finally worked up the courage to make a move.
Banteon watched them with a tilted expression. After days stuck with a guy he didn’t even like, being approached by pretty girls must’ve made it hard to say no. He chose to be generous and understanding.
One of the women boldly clung to Delroz’s arm as he tried to move. With her small frame, he couldn’t quite shake her off, so he paused again. Her friend stood across from him, enthusiastically talking and trying to engage him.
At first, Delroz seemed to brush them off. But then, whatever they were saying must’ve gotten through—his attention gradually turned toward them. As Delroz turned his head to focus on the two women, Banteon could no longer see his face.
Not that he needed to. It was obvious. Delroz was probably smiling in a way he never did when he was with Banteon.
Leaning back, Banteon relaxed his body against the edge of the fountain. The sound of water splashing nearby filled the air like cool music.
“All alone?”
A young man’s voice spoke up from behind.
Banteon turned his head at the unexpected call. Standing there was someone he didn’t expect to see—a tall man, rare for this city, smiling with a laid-back, playful look on his face. His shimmering, golden-blond hair caught the festival lights, gleaming as it framed a face that tugged at Banteon’s memory.
There was something oddly familiar about him. He dug through his past, and then—his memory flashed, pinpointing the moment.
“You’re that guy.”
“Back again from Yasen, huh?”
It was the same man from Yasen—someone he’d met while passing through on a night excursion. A persistent bastard who’d begged to spend just one night with him.
“How about tonight? Change your mind yet?”
Just like before, he was pestering Banteon while he was alone—though the last time, he ended up getting thrown to the ground.
