It was a two-story wooden cottage. The outer appearance of the building was made of Tritham brown wood, giving a unique ambiance from the surrounding along with an unpolished gla.s.s window.

"Here we are Kiro, welcome to the training lounge. We will be staying from this place for at least a month." Alyva said. "Well since we"re here, you guys should wait outside while Me and Alina will be washing ourselves first." After she said that, the two women walked inside the cottage.

"Haah~ what the heck, she wasn"t the only one who is disgusted by this sticky feeling you know," Aldin said while looking at Alyva"s back. "Kiro, our room located on the first floor or you can just select a room for your own, there is plenty of s.p.a.ce in that place anyway."

"Okay, then I will choose to have my own room," Kiro said. "Oh right, I almost forgot since when did the training course start? It seems like you already know each other for quite a while now."

"Hmm, about that, we only started our training two days ago, there was a seminar first before we could finally start to attend the training course," Aldin said. "Did you perhaps not take part in the lecture?"

"What lecture? It was my first time hearing it." Kiro asked in bewilderment. "For real? The lecturer is Ms. Rosie, the topic is about the fundamental values of the Adventurers."

"Really? How come Miss. Rosie hasn"t told me a thing after applying from the course." Kiro said in confusion, he did not know why Rosie would hide something for him.

"I guess, Ms. Rosie just forgot to mention it to you Kiro," Aldin said. "Being a receptionist wasn"t an easy job, you can just ask her for a new lecture if you meet her in the Guild."

"That might be it, thanks for informing me Aldin," Kiro said. "Nah, It was nothing, you saved me from those hideous ground worms, it was me who should say thank you." He said while taking a slight bow.

"It is alright, we are now a companion in this training course, I am only applying the teachings of Instructor Ralph."

"Even so, let me say my thanks, or else I may not get a peaceful sleep."

"Haa~ okay then, just treat us for a lunch. How about that? At the same time, it will help me to know you guys more." Kiro said. "Okay deal." He said while giving Kiro, smile of appreciation.

***

Inside the cottage.

Alina was busy gathering water in the well using the pulley methodology.

"Hey, Alina where did you meet Kiro?" Alyva asked while looking at her curiously.

"I met Kiro at the Wooden Hatch Pub, It is the Inn that I was temporarily employed with, that is the reason why Alina sometimes cannot attend the training course for a day, because of work Alina has to sacrifice a single day for training." She said. "But my employment will end in the upcoming week, and then Alina can now fully pay my debt in the Guild."

"So, It was like that," Alyva said, and she finally understood why Alina was being so polite to Kiro upon their meeting, as for her working at the Inn it was her first time hearing it.

"No wonder Alina sometimes took leave, so the reason behind it was because you are working at the Inn right?" She said. "Why did you not mention it before? We could have lent you some money, Aldin and I have been working since then, we earn a quite sum of money."

"I appreciate your kindness Alyva, but I wanted to earn for myself, that is the main reason why I wanted to be an adventurer in the first place. Not only will I learn how to defend myself, at the same time, Alina can also earn money for living." She said. While she asked a question to change the topic.

"So how"s the progress between the two of you? Didn"t Aldin for the first time disobeyed his parents just to follow Alyva?"

"Haah~ last time uncle came to me while begging, he wanted me to stop Aldin, but with his stubborn personality, no matter what I said he won"t listen," Alyva said while giving a soft sigh.

"It was me who wanted to be an Adventurer, Aldin could have just inherited his family business, he could live a blissful life being a merchant, but he chooses to follow me. Of course, I"m touched by his sincerity, but I don"t understand my feelings for him yet."

"Well, forget about me. Hehe~ how about you Alina, didn"t you find Kiro attractive?" Alyva said teasingly. "Kiro? I don"t know like Alina said we are just acquaintances."

"Haa~ why did I ask something so obvious, you wouldn"t be Alina if you are not like that, anyway, let"s wash ourself up, they might get mad if we took long enough, I bet those guys were dying from the stickiness too."

***

It took for a while before the two women finally left the cottage and let Kiro and Aldin to wash for themselves. After gathering enough water, Kiro decided that he will use the storage room on the first floor for his personal use, placing the two big buckets of water on the ground, Kiro started to wash his body.

He did not forget to wash the clothes that were given by chief Geoffrey. He suddenly remembered the small black wooden box that was hidden beneath his clothes.

"Haah~ good thing the wooden box didn"t go missing, or I don"t know how I will face the old chief if I were to lose it." He said. "Looks like I need to buy a new pair of clothes," Kiro said while looking at the damped clothes hanging on the wall. While Kiro was mumbling, he heard a knocking sound.

"Knock, Knock, Knock"

"Kiro, are you there? It"s me, Alina."

"Oh, Alina do you need something?" Kiro asked. "Nothing, there is just something I want to tell you, can I come inside?"

"Mn? Okay." After voicing out his thoughts Kiro finally realized he was only wearing his trunks right now. "Alina wai-" but before he could finish he words, Alina already entered the room.

Alina was surprised after seeing Kiro charging towards her while being half-naked, her face couldn"t help to turn pitch red from embarra.s.sment.

"Hehe... It is not what you think Ali-" Kiro tried to explain himself, but Alina suddenly rushes out from the room while slamming the door.

"Bang!"

"Haah~" Kiro could only helplessly sigh, he did not know how to face Alina after this event. Throwing himself on the crude wooden bed.

It was already evening after Kiro got up from the bed.

***

Waking up from his bed, Kiro heads out of his room, while searching for the others, finally, he sees them sitting at the circular table in the dining area.

"Hey, Kiro, what took you so long, you even skipped lunch. How can you last like that if you don"t treat your body well?" Alyva reprimands him.

"Ah... Sorry about that Alyva, I was just too tired a while ago and I did not notice I fell asleep." Kiro said. "But again, you guys are something you still have an appet.i.te to eat after experiencing that scene." He said with a teasing voice.

"W-what? Stop bringing that "thing" up, we already erased that from our memories, you should do the same." Alyva said, while her face turns pale after remembering the sight at the underground sewer.

"Hehe, sorry about that," Kiro said while glancing at Alina who keeps being quiet all this time. "Good evening Alina." He looked at her apologetically. "Mm, Good evening." She said with a slight nod, while not looking at Kiro"s direction.

Noticing the awkward atmosphere between the two, Alyva destroyed the silence in the room.

"Come on now, you forgot to eat lunch so you better eat more for dinner." She said while pa.s.sing the wooden tray to Kiro.

"Thank you, Alyva." He said taking the empty seat from the table.

The food Alyva"s serve was a bowl of chicken broth with mixed vegetables in it and a single slice of brown bread.

"Thanks for the meal," Kiro mumbles. While everyone looked at him oddly for his gesture, but after they recalled he was from the eastern empire, they ignored the cultural differences.

"So how is the food?"Alyva asked in antic.i.p.ation, It was rare for her to cook a meal, but she knew her cooking skill was good enough to serve others.

"Mm, It is tasty, the chicken broth was boiled enough while the vegetables weren"t that mushy, it was perfect." Kiro praised. He rarely ate something decent nowadays.

After eating, the group retired to bed early.

***

Early in the morning, Kiro and co arrive at the training ground. Glancing at the platform, they saw the familiar figure, but Instructor"s Ralph wasn"t alone, he was talking cheerfully at the elderly person next to him.

""Good morning Instructor Ralph."" They said in unison.

"Oh, you guys have come at the right time," He said. "Come here you guys are in luck, my Instructor back in the days came here to see if there is a good seedling worthy of his attention."

Now everyone looked at the Instructor with confusion.

"Nice to meet you. I am Kyros, you guys can call me Old Kyros."