NoGift 171 AN HOUR AGO

Aurum and Clay was sitting on the open area of a cafe near the plaza, observing the surroundings.  The plaza and the nearby area were full of people.  The make-shift stage at the center of the plaza was surrounded by people.  If not for the knights around, they might really just go and rush towards the stage.  It's not because of the talents performing on the stage per se.  But what they represented - the Temple of Gaia.  What great fanaticism.

Half of the talents chosen by the Temple already performed.  The sixth one was currently performing.   It was a young man who had the look of a scholar.  He was sitting with a canvas in front of him, painting silently.  Unlike the other talents who performed before him - most of whom sang, played a musical instrument, and danced some sort of ritual dance - his performance was undoubtedly very dull.  But none of the audience showed any sign of disinterest.

Each talents were given a maximum of one hour to showcase their artistic ability.  The young man on the stage was just at the beginning of his performance.  Too bad he probably wouldn't be able to finish whatever it was he's planning to paint.  Because soon, chaos would fill this plaza.

Aurum felt a sudden throbbing in her head.  She raised her hand and massaged her forehead.  She's already feeling the effect of using too much Mana.    

The first thing she did when she first arrived here earlier was to enter the Holy Temple.   Because it was the day of the festival, there weren't that many people inside.  Which was really convenient for her.  She had to use her Gift to put suggestions in the minds of the priests staying inside the Holy Temple.  After that, she also had to do the same to the knights stationed near the church.  Not only the knights but also some of the people at the plaza.  Now her Mana was almost drained.

Truthfully speaking, they could just go to the easier route and don't bother with these people.  But letting these people die was never an option.  Even if some of them did deserve it.  Aurum couldn't just let her brother carry that kind of burden.  Carrying that kind of guilt was not something her brother should bear.  

So, here she was.  Scrambling around, exhausting herself and making sure these people wouldn't die.

But she still overestimated herself.  Just after a few hours of using her Gift, she almost fainted.  Clay had to threaten to drag her out of here if she didn't stop and rest for awhile.  Aurum reluctantly relented.  And that's why they were currently sitting in the open area of this cafe.

A plate of chocolate mousse was pushed towards her.  She raised her head and saw Clay picking up a tea pot and poured tea on her tea cup.  "Eat.  It might make you feel better."

Aurum raised one of her brows.  "Why?  Because sweets can make you feel happy?"

"Doesn't it?  It certainly has that effect on me," Clay said, biting on the slice of strawberry cake he ordered.

"I never thought you have a sweet tooth," she teased.  But now that she thought more about it, whenever they ate together, Clay always ordered some kind of dessert.

"My only guilty pleasure.  It's one of the things I missed when I and my sister were brought to that village.  The moment I got out, I decided to eat all the desserts I could," he said finishing eating the strawberry cake.  "My mother makes a mean chocolate cake," he added with a faraway look on his face.  "Sadly, I could never taste it now."

Clay's voice was normal but Aurum could see the deep sadness in his dark brown eyes.  She felt like her heart was being squeezed seeing him like that.  Although she didn't have her father by her side growing up, it never really felt like she's missing something in her life.  But Clay, he saw his parents murdered.   That must have been truly heartbreaking.

Aurum never really thought much about it when she first heard about Clay's past.  Although he left a deep impression on her, she only thought of Clay as a passing stranger back then.  Someone that she probably would never interact again.  But now, she could no longer turn a blindeye to his pain.

She pushed the plate of chocolate mousse on him.  "Then you can have this."

Clay frowned.  "No, you eat it.  You need it more."

"How about you eat half and I eat the other?"  As she said that, she sliced the chocolate mousse in half.

He looked at the mousse, looking all tangled.  Then at the end, he said, "Okay.  If you really insist."

Aurum couldn't help but laugh seeing him with a look that he didn't want to eat but still ate it faster than her.  Suddenly, all her tiredness disappeared.  She couldn't even feel the headache that was just plaguing her earlier.

"Once we're done here, how about I make you a chocolate cake?"

Clay stopped and then looked at Aurum as if he wasn't sure he heard her right.  "You can cook?"

"Hey, don't just assume that I couldn't just because I'm a genuine noble lady.  I've been making meals for my brother for years now.  So of course I can cook," she said indignantly.  "My chocolate cake may not be as good as your mother's, but I assure you that you will definitely love it."

Clay stared at this proud and sometimes infuriating, other times stubborn, but always beautiful noble lady.  And he couldn't help the smile that crossed his face.  "Then I'll eagerly await for this chocolate cake of yours, milady."

Seeing this sudden smile, Aurum felt like her heartbeat just went crazy.  She gazed down and just drank her tea to hide her flushed face.  

After a few more minutes, when she made sure that she's already feeling better, they paid for what they ordered and planned to continue what they're supposed to do.

"Are you sure you can continue?" Clay asked with worry in his voice.

"Yes.  We don't have much time anymore."

"I haven't told you this, but your brother is really kind of crazy for thinking of this plan."

Aurum punched Clay's arm.  "Hey, don't talk about my brother like that."

"I'm not saying it's bad.  I actually kind of like it."  If not, he would absolutely not help them.

Aurum was about to say something more when she saw a familiar figure standing outside the crowd.  "Wait here for a bit."

"Why?"

"I just saw one of our collaborators.  I'll talk to him for awhile."

"Then I'll go with you.  You shouldn't be walking alone here no matter what."

Aurum just helplessly smiled because by the tone of his voice, she knew she wouldn't be able to convince Clay to just stay here.  "Fine."

She walked towards that blue haired figure with Clay by her side.  Once she was behind him, she called, "Popsicle."

Winter was a bit startled suddenly hearing this familiar voice.  He turned around expecting to see a golden haired girl but he didn't see that familiar face.  Instead, he saw a girl with black hair and a pair of black eyes.  But that voice, not to mention the name she called him, it could only be one person.  

"Lady Aurum?"

Instead of confirming, Aurum said, "Is everything ready on your part?"

Hearing that question, it already convinced Winter that this girl in front of him was really Aurum Blackbourne.  "Yes."  All his guards, as well as Aspen, were already scattered near the Holy Temple.  They only needed to wait for that time to move.  He glanced at the man standing near Aurum.  He thought at first that this might be Argent in disguise.  But he immediately refuted that idea.  Because this man didn't give him the same feeling that Argent usually did.  "Your brother?" he asked Aurum.

"Busy," Aurum answered.  "Once this whole thing ends, your name will be known throughout the world.  So you better not screw this up."

"I know and I won't," Winter simply said.  Then he suddenly thought of something.  "May I ask why Argent decided to do something like this?"

Aurum only grinned darkly at him.  "Because the Temple pissed off my brother and me."  She looked at the Holy Temple.  "It's only proper that they accept our wrath."

Chapter end