Chapter 80: An Evening in Floeur d'Alene

As evening descended on Floeur d'Alene, the streets sparkled under the glow of crystal lights. Darius, in his guise as Xue Feng, strolled beside Sir Kinneman. His white hair was tied up in a tight knot, his long beard meticulously groomed, complementing his refined garb of subtle, dark fabrics that whispered of his rumored status.

Sir Kinneman, with his hair and prominent mustache neatly styled, wore a crisp suit jacket that spoke of quiet sophistication. Percy, resembling a younger, clean-shaven version of his father, with the same neatly slicked blonde hair, walked alongside them, his expression unusually subdued.

Darius's gaze shifted to a rooftop ahead, tracking a wisp of blue flames with his Arcane Gaze. 'Come down and join us. We're almost there,' he projected. At his prompt, the blue wisp paused, then gracefully descended to a stall before joining them on the street.

'Two orders, you promised!'

'No need to shout, you're literally in my head, remember?' Darius squinted at Haku, who trotted up beside them. 'When we get there, we'll have a private room. Don't worry, you'll eat your fill.'

"Will Neko be joining us? I'd be glad to accommodate anything he might want. I’m quite eager to meet him." Marcus asked.

"He’s still resting. Usually, he sleeps a lot, but today he really exerted himself assisting Haku. He likely won’t stir until tomorrow." Darius patted his disguised Codex, his mind briefly glimpsing into the void within it. The brown and green cloud of Ursie floated silently, alongside the gold and white mist where Neko rested. Now beside them, a grey, crudely shaped cloud of the newly added dust-moth Kahoon drifted nearby. His vision returning, he noticed Marcus’s slight disappointment, "I’ll make sure you’re the first to know when he’s up."

Glancing back to see Percy lagging, Darius shook his head in mild amusement, "You need to shake it off; it was just your first try. Most men stumble at the starting line."

Percy blushed at Darius's comment and kicked a pebble down the street. "Why am I so awkward around her? Father, did mother make you fumble your words?"

Marcus paused before responding with a chuckle, "Sorry, son, but I was in my sixties when i met your mother. But I don't recall ever being quite that clumsy. Did you really have to use 'broad'? Couldn't think of anything else?"

Darius couldn't help but laugh, the sound erupting freely despite his aged appearance.

Percy, his face turning as red as possible, pointed accusingly. "It's your fault! I wanted to send Ivan, but no, you insisted I go myself! Why?! Why did you do this to me, boss?"

As Percy vented, Haku bristled at his tone, and Darius erupted into even louder laughter, now being joined by Marcus. Their spectacle drew curious glances from passersby; Darius and Marcus chuckling as they walked, and Percy scowling, made them a particularly odd sight on the cobblestone street, causing people to steer clear.

Finally calming a bit, Darius wiped a tear from his eye and managed to get out, "I'm not sorry, Percy. And I still stand by what I said. The path of cultivation is a solitary one. You can't have your butler handle your responsibilities." His attempt at sounding like a wise teacher faltering. "Besides, you didn't even bring back the things I asked for. How could you get so distracted by a woman?"

"It's not my fault she was there shopping!"

Clutching his stomach, Marcus winced, "But 'broad,' son? Haven't I taught you anything?"

Haku, mimicking Percy's voice, chimed in so only they could hear, "I just wanted to say, you are looking quite broad today, Lady Clarke."

Darius and Marcus burst into fresh peals of laughter, Haku joining in as Percy’s shoulders slumped and his eyes grew distant, "I'm surprised she didn't throttle me."

"Stop!...Stop!" Darius gasped between laughs, "You're gonna kill me!"

Their laughter became infectious, Percy eventually giving in as they continued toward the restaurant. Chuckling, he shook his head with a resigned note, "well, it can't get much worse than that. Next time, I'll save everyone the embarrassment and just punch myself in the stones instead."

Regaining their composure, Marcus wiped tears from his cheeks and looked at his heir, his face still damp from laughter. "I'm truly sorry, son. I didn't mean to make light of your pain."

Percy managed a half-smile, shaking his head. "It's fine, really. After today, I doubt anything could rattle me much more. Almost feels like I'm a new man," he said, trying to muster a stoic expression.

As they neared their destination, the warm glow of the Country Forge lit up the path ahead. Beside Darius, Haku, though invisible, couldn't hide his excitement; the scent of food had him practically drooling.

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Approaching the entrance, the waiter quickly recognized them and greeted with a nod, "Sir Kinneman, Sir Feng," his eyes briefly acknowledging Percy before returning to Darius and Marcus, "Please, follow me. We have your table ready."

Marcus, scanning the lively dining area, interjected smoothly, "We'd prefer a private room, if one's available."

"Of course," the waiter replied with a polite smile, leading them up the stairs. As they navigated through the restaurant to a secluded door at the back of the second floor, Darius noted the familiar setting. He stifled a smile, his thoughts briefly revisiting the chaos of their last visit here, when one of the monkey's had charged through this very door in a blaze. 'Might be time to summon them again soon; I still owe that one.'

The private room was modestly adorned, lined with freshly varnished pine panels and minimal decorations. At its center stood a new oak table, surrounded by three sturdy chairs that appeared as they entered the room, their cushions firm and neatly tucked. Overhead, oil lamps started to cast a warm glow, their light reflecting softly off the clean, simple lines of the furniture.

Marcus, Darius, and Percy each took a seat, settling into the crisp ambiance. The room, though unfamiliar to them, offered a sense of secluded comfort away from the bustling energy of the restaurant. Darius, taking note of the surroundings, observed silently that everything in the room seemed recently purchased or refurbished.

On the floor beside Darius, Haku's form hovered with an invisible frown, 'Am I supposed to eat on the floor?'

With a roll of his eyes, Darius spoke up, "Could we get another chair and a setting, please?"

"Of course, sir," the waiter responded, pausing for a moment. "Will your party be adding another guest?"

Trying to maintain a solemn tone, Darius gestured towards Marcus, "No, it's just that my friend and I," he paused, "lost a dear comrade on this day, thirty years ago. We always set a place for him to honor his memory."

Percy struggled to suppress a smirk as Marcus adopted a suitably somber expression. The waiter nodded respectfully, "My apologies for your loss. I will bring another chair and setting immediately." He swiftly exited the room.

Once the door closed, Percy couldn't hold back any longer, erupting in laughter. "That was brilliant! I almost started tearing up."

Quickly returning with an additional chair and tableware, the group ordered their meals—cave-boar ribs for all, a recent favorite of Darius's—and a bottle of warmed Fleet wine for each.

Just as he was about to leave, the waiter looked apologetic. "There might be a slight delay with your order tonight. We're hosting a large event on the third floor."

Curious, Marcus arched an eyebrow. "Oh? What’s the occasion?"

With a proud smile, the waiter replied, "The Brundy family is holding their engagement party here, so our staff is spread a bit thin."

Marcus nodded in understanding, adding a caution for privacy, "Please knock before re-entering; we’ll be discussing sensitive business matters."

Once the waiter departed to retrieve their wine, Haku leapt onto the newly added chair, now fully visible, sporting a broad grin. "Much better."

As he settled in, Marcus leaned back, intrigued, "So, Haku, how do you find our city so far?"

Darius settled into his chair, content to observe as the conversation ebbed and flowed around the table. He chimed in now and then, but his focus was on giving Haku space to interact. Haku seemed to take a particular liking to Marcus, engaging him with a noticeable enthusiasm in his voice, his responses thoughtful and extended. In comparison, his replies to Percy were markedly brief, almost clipped.

A knock at the door made Haku vanish into his ghost-form just as the waiter entered. "Your Fleet wine, sirs. Also, the chef asked if these cups meet your approval—they were finished just yesterday." He presented a saucer to Darius, its edges delicately adorned with a floral motif.

"They're perfect," Darius assured him, inspecting the saucer.

The waiter beamed. "Wonderful! The chef also wanted me to extend a courtesy—anything ordered in remembrance of your friend tonight will be on the house."

Both Marcus and Darius nodded appreciatively, asking the waiter to relay their thanks to the chef. Once alone again, Haku reappeared, puzzled. "What's 'on the house'? Do I have to eat on the roof?"

Darius chuckled at the confusion and began to explain, but his laughter was cut short as a sudden rush coursed through him—his Arcane Talisman Technique had activated on its own.

Percy felt a dense, pressing aura emanating from Darius, while Haku and Marcus, though appearing unbothered, looked on with concern. "Big brother, you feeling alright? You look pale."

Darius activated his Arcane Gaze, his eyes piercing through the ceiling to the room above. Amid a gathering of auras, a vibrant, five-colored aura outshone the others, overwhelming Darius’s senses and forcing him to squint against its intensity. "Haku! Shift to your Ghost-form and head upstairs. There's something there... something emitting all five elements."

Without hesitation, Haku stood, his expression alarmed, and vanished from sight. "Open the door."

Percy obeyed, standing to crack open the door just long enough for Haku's unseen form to slip through, then shut it promptly as Darius confirmed, "He's gone." Percy resettled into his chair, eyes wide with confusion. "What's happening?"

Darius, meanwhile, was examining his body, seeing the wild surge of his fire mana tearing through his meridians, passing through his tattoos, bones vibrating with a force that seemed both foreign and familiar. "I'm not sure," he admitted, his voice distant. "But I think there's something I need upstairs."

After a brief pause, Haku’s thoughts reached Darius, 'Brother, it's a necklace—a fat man is placing it on a woman. Someone mentioned it's called Gaia's Heart.'

Eyes widening, Darius tensed, 'good job. Return now.' Struggling to maintain his composure, he glanced from Marcus to Percy as he inhaled deeply. 'If we were anywhere but this city...'

Marcus caught the subtle shift in Darius's demeanor. "What is it? Did he find the source?"

"Yes, it's a Gaia's Heart Diamond."

Percy gasped, "You're kidding?! How big is it? I remember a tiny one sold for a fortune during my training. Wait... couldn’t that help with your bottleneck issue?"

Marcus intervened swiftly, "Let's not be hasty, Darius. Nothing drastic inside the city."

Smiling faintly, Darius reassured, "Don’t worry, I have no intention of storming upstairs to seize it. We're still awaiting updates from your contacts; consider this a potential fallback option."

At a soft scratch on the door, Haku slipped inside and jumped onto his chair. Once the door closed, he materialized, excitement in his voice, "You won’t believe this. It’s that mage—the one who helped you fight Ramman—he’s actually upstairs!"

Playing with his beard, Darius nodded, "I already knew he was here in the city, that fire mage beside him must be his master, Solomon."

"Solomon?" Marcus’s expression changed as he caught on, "So he did come."

Darius’s gaze sharpened as he scanned the aura signatures upstairs, catching sight of Crelos and a vibrant deep red aura beside him—presumably Brundy. At the table's end, a large man radiated the gentle pulsing aura of a steel water knight—likely Akleman.

Their conversation halted as the waiter knocked and entered, bringing their dinner. He carefully placed each plate on the table, with a final set of ribs respectfully positioned before the empty chair.

As they enjoyed their meal, Darius shared details about Solomon's involvement in his knight's test years ago, and his connections to his apprentice, Crelos.

Meanwhile, Haku, unabashedly delighted with his ribs, devoured them with a gusto that drew curious glances from Percy. His appetite seemed to wane as he watched the beast, his expression fluctuating between amusement and slight revulsion at the messy spectacle.

The evening unfolded without further interruptions, the group relishing more ribs and additional rounds of wine. With each order, the waiter's eyebrows climbed higher, his gaze lingering on the empty chair where plates piled up and wine disappeared.

Darius, though part of the jovial scene, couldn't keep his eyes from straying towards the ceiling. His mind kept drifting to the Gaia's Heart Diamond above, his feet tapping an uneven rhythm under the table.

When the time came to settle the bill, Marcus insisted on covering the entire cost, including their 'deceased' friend's share. He left a generous tip, likely as compensation for the chaos at the empty chair and the considerable work it would take to tidy up.

As they prepared to leave, Darius led the way across the second floor. As he approached the stairs leading down from the third, a teenager in fine red robes descended towards him. The youth halted abruptly upon spotting Darius, his eyes locking onto the elder’s disguised form, a flicker of recognition—or perhaps confusion—crossing his face.