Banquet of Reunions and Old Paths Chapter 1

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Banquet of Reunions and Old Paths Chapter 1

Murr: Hey hey, Heath! So where’s this place you sell your sugar at again?

Heathcliff: Turn at that corner, and it should be straight ahead. It’s called “Melitro”, and they accept the sugar for their confection making! 

Shino: Confection making? The sugary kind of craftsmanship?

Heathcliff: Mmhmm. Whenever I go there to drop off my sugar, I love to take a look at the work of the confectioners.

By the way, thank you for accompanying me, Mu—Huh? Where did he…

Murr: Hmhmhm~

Heathcliff: M-Murr!? That’s not where the shop is!

Murr: It isn’t? But I smell something delicious this way!

Shino: Yeah… the smell of yummy roasted meat…

Heathcliff: … Are you guys hungry?

Shino & Murr: Yep.

Heathcliff: Aha, I knew it. How about you two go on ahead to the marketplace? I can take the sugar to the shop myself, it’s close by. 

Shino: But…

Heathcliff: So, will you do me a favour and tell me if you find anything delicious? 

Shino: Understood. 

Let’s go, Murr. We’re gonna find something so salivating it’ll shock him.

Murr: Woohoo! Treasure hunting time!

Heathcliff: Be careful walking around, okay? I’ll see you later!

Shino & Murr: Got it!

Shino: Everywhere smells good…and all the food looks tasty. 

Murr: Where could it be…

Shino: Hey, what is it you’ve been searching for the past few minutes? 

Murr: We’re trying to find something so delicious it’ll knock the socks off of young Heath, right? So something like a singing dessert of a never-before-seen colour, or a talking and dancing pork sauté! 

Shino: Are you sure that’s even edible?

Murr: Wahaha, who knows!

???: Oink!

Shino: You hear that?

???: Oink! Oiiink!

Murr: Oh, found it! A shockingly delicious delight, right in front of our eyes!

A refreshing breeze lightly sways the leaves of trees as the birds sing their song of glee.

It was this sunny afternoon where I was taking a walk in the forest with Lennox. 

Lennox: Master Sage, are you sure coming with me to walk my sheep is how you wish to spend your rest day? 

Akira: Of course! The weather’s so nice today I was already thinking of going on a stroll!

Besides, taking a walk with your sheep is healing, so this basically is a rest activity. 

Lennox: Haha, is that so? I’m glad. 

Mithra: Haaugh…I’m jealous, Master Sage. You and these sheep have it so easy…

When I turn around, I spot a listless Mithra walking behind us. Judging from his expression, he is rather sullen from his lack of sleep. 

Lennox: Oh, I forgot to mention that he sometimes joins me when I go walk my sheep. 

Akira: F-For real!?

Mithra: Quiet down, will you? Is there something wrong with my being here? 

Akira: No, that’s not it, it’s just…a little surprising. Uhm, do you happen to like sheeps, Mithra?

Mithra: I do. I especially enjoy lamb steaks. 

Akira: Lamb… steaks…

Mithra: As well, you did tell me before that counting sheeps helps one sleep, so I figured I’d try it out while walking the sheeps whenever I’m free.

Akira: Oh, yeah I did! So, feel sleepy? 

Mithra: Can’t you see? Not even a bit. These little ones keep moving about, it makes it hard to count. 

Lennox: Trying to count them while walking must also make it harder. 

Up ahead there’s a good spot to rest. We’ll take a short break there and you can try again. 

Mithra: Wonderful. Take me there, quickly. 

Akira: (Mithra becomes somewhat compliant when talking to Lennox. Could these two get along better than I thought?) 

(Maybe it’s because Lennox’s a shepherd, or because he’s the type of guy to not quiver in front of a beast, but Lennox seems like he’s good at handling Mithra.)

After walking for a bit, we came across a sun-warmed spot in an area where the thickly leafed trees became less and spread out.

When I entered the surroundings I was hit by the warmth of the sunlight like a fine rain. Standing in it already made me feel at peace. 

Mithra: Hmm, not bad.

Lennox: The sheep also like this spot. Now, let’s take a breather. 

Mithra laid down on the tender grass, and took a breath of satisfaction. 

Mithra: …

Akira: Ah, if you’re going to sleep would you like to hold my hand?

Mithra: No thank you. I no longer feel like sleeping now.

Akira: (How whimsy…)

Mithra: Instead, I would like you to tell me a story. Something that will lift my mood. 

Akira: (And demanding…)

Hmmm, Lennox, you got anything?

Lennox: Let me tell you a story of when Rutile and Mitile were young…

Mithra: Oh, no need for those, I hear enough from Rutile already.

Lennox: Is that so? You two get along well. I hear he often gives you relaxing herbal tea. 

…But now I have nothing to talk about. 

Akira: Aha…

Wait, you used to travel the land, didn't you?

Lennox: Yes, I did.

Akira: Then how about stories from your travels? I’ve always wanted to hear them!

Mithra: I like that idea. Anything exceptionally tasty you ate? 

Lennox: Very well…

As he looked to the side a bit troubled, he suddenly brightened up, as if he thought of something. 

Except, Lennox's landwide journey was one to find Faust, and spanned hundreds of years. 

…Within those hundreds of years, he never did find him. 

That description alone is enough to know that his journey would be completely different from those that I knew.

Lennox: …

Akira: (It’s probably something that’s hard to put in summary…) 

Uhm, Lennox... if it’s difficult to talk about, we can choose something else…

Lennox: Oh no, I’m fine. It’s just that I’m a bit lost on where to start since I’ve travelled so long.

I have thought of something though, if you’d like to hear. It happened randomly in the middle of my journey, an experience most strange…

Akira: A strange experience?

 

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