Bang Bang Bang Clip Clip Clip

Saws, hammers, chisels, and many more. A cacophony of construction tools echoed loudly throughout the wide forest. There was no relaxing and lazing around to be seen, only seriousness and diligence as everyone did their best to prepare.

What were they doing, one might ask? It's simple. They are doing the final touches of the venue for Kris and Aria's wedding. It was only a couple weeks away, and so, everyone is busier than ever. With that business was also excitement, looking forward to the destined day.

It wasn't only because Aria was the village Chief's daughter that everyone was helping out. Aria was a girl naturally loved and respected by everyone. So much in fact that almost everyone was crying when she left to become an adventurer. It was quite the sight to behold.

"Waah... Everyone's so busy..." ［Yuna］

Commented Yuna as she observed everyone busying themselves with work. She has seen construction work back when he was still in her village but the one before was on another level. They were making a large and majestic wedding venue by hand from scratch.

Even Grey who has witnessed countless construction projects when he was still on Earth couldn't help but feel amazed. It was a first seeing various things used so efficiently for construction work. He has learned a lot just from watching.

It is already the third day since Grey and Yuna's arrival at the Malus village, and after yesterday's tour by Falroe, they managed to get acquainted with the villagers. Even though they were outsiders, the villagers treated them like they were their own. It was a pleasant experience.

"Oh, Grey, Yuna, good morning. Did you have a good night's rest?" ［Aria］

"Good morning too, Miss Aria." ［Yuna］

"Morning, and yes, it was a wonderful night, but... Miss Aria, do you need any help? Seems like you could use a helping hand around here..." ［Grey］

Despite Aria greeting them so casually, she was actually one of the busiest ones in the venue. Being the bride-to-be, her opinion was needed in many things and she also had to supervise that everything was going well as planned.

Originally, Aria's family and the villagers wanted to prepare everything by themselves, but with much persistence from her and Kris, they were allowed to help out. After all, no matter what they do, it would be useless if the ones to be wed don't fancy it.

"Ah, no. It's fine, please enjoyー" ［Aria］

"Little Aria, where should I put this thing?"

"Oh, please place it over the left side at the third row. After that, you can ask Dad what else to do with it." ［Aria］

"Right, the left side... Thanks, Little Aria."

Aria couldn't even finish her words. From time to time, there are a lot of people who approach her to ask of some things and clear up some confusion. At the worst, she would be crowded by a lot of people.

Thankfully, the villagers were cooperative and considerate of her. Actually, one could even say that they adore her too much. Especially the older ones, they all looked at her as if they were their own child.

"Sorry about that. Anyway, just enjoy yourselves for the day. There's no need for guests to bother themselves with such things." ［Aria］

"Butー" ［Yuna］

"No buts! You're the guests and we're the host. It's only natural that we have you enjoy your stayー" ［Aria］

Out of nowhere, Aira suddenly cut her own words. The very next moment, she looked around the venue as if looking for something or someone. Her head only stopped turning when she spotted two figures over the distance.

"Reina! Zeke! Come here for a moment!" ［Aira］

Those two figures were none other than her little siblings. Without asking many questions, the two approached them. One was very energetic while the other one was timidly approaching. Of course, the energetic one was Zeke, giving his older sister a big hug right after.

As for Reina, as shy as she was, she walked towards her older sister carefully and meekly as if she was going to get devoured. She was even holding a little hammer on her hand from helping out, not yet noticing she brought it with her.

"Reina, Zeke, why don't you take Grey and Yuna for a spin around the village? And make sure to have fun, okay?" ［Aria］

"Really?! Then I'll do my best!" ［Zeke］

"M... Me too..." ［Reina］

It didn't take too long for the two to agree and seeing them do so, Aria subconsciously patted the heads of the two. Even though they have grown up already, in her eyes, the two of them were still his sweet younger siblings.

"Miss Aria, are you really sure about this? We could finish much earlier if we helped out." ［Grey］

"Un. It feels wrong not doing anything." ［Yuna］

"Fufufu, don't worry too much about it. Like I said, just go and enjoy yourselves. We already have a lot of capable hands around here." ［Aria］

While it bothered their conscience not doing much, Grey and Yuna couldn't really deny Aria's good intentions. Especially with Zeke's excited eyes. He was more than ready to go around time and enjoy the day.

In the end, Grey and Yuna decided to give up thinking too much about it and just go with Aira's suggestion. After all, they weren't the only ones present good at magic. There was still Kris who could easily lend a hand when needed.

"Haah... Alright, we'll do just that." ［Grey］

"Fufufu, then I'll leave my little sister and little brother in your care... And, oh right! Reina, leave the hammer before you go, okay?" ［Aria］

"A-Ah, y-yes!" ［Reina］

Aria giggling to herself, Reina handed her the hammer she was holding on to. Her reaction when she realized she was holding it was priceless. It was one which will really wake up one's protective instinct. She was just too precious.

Reina's timidness reminds Grey of Yuna when they just arrived at Galderia. Thankfully, she has grown to become more outgoing with people. Though he sometimes misses that part of her too. She had a different kind of cuteness back then.

"Then, Big Sis, we'll be going now!" ［Zeke］

"Yes. Make sure Grey and Yuna enjoy themselves, okay?" ［Aria］

"Yes!" ［Zeke］

Led by the ever so energetic Zeke, the group of four headed away from the venue and towards where the wind takes them. They had no specific place in mind, only going around the village and going around directions they fancy.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

After minutes of carefree walking, the four finally arrived at a certain location where many people fathered. It was the market where people trade and barter things rather than buying and selling using money. It was an experience neither Grey nor Yuna had before.

Compared to Galderia or Moterno, the market was much, much smaller. Even then, it doesn't make it any less livelier. In fact, with the bartering system at work, the market was quite bustling and noisy for its size as people bargained with one another, trying to outsmart the other party.

The day before, Grey and Yuna also toured around the market with Falroe leading them. Because of it, they got acquainted with a lot of people and now know where to trade for what. They especially took note of those who were trading for spices which they needed a lot of for their meals.

"Big Sis Yuna, Big Bro Grey, have you ever tried bartering before? I heard people from outside only use money!" ［Zeke］

"Un, that's right. It's our first time seeing people barter, too!" ［Yuna］

"Really?! Waah～ I wonder what the outside world looks like..." ［Zeke］

Zeke mumbled to himself as he imagined what kind of things lay beyond the great forest. Like many of the villagers in Malus village, he has yet to step foot in the outside world and was full of curiosity about what lies behind the world they knew of.

The only things Zeke knew of the world outside the forest was from what stories he heard from his parents, the traveling merchants from time to time, and things he read about in books. He was one to romanticize about what adventures and experiences lie far away from home.

"Oh, does Zeke also want to become an adventurer?" ［Yuna］

"Yes! I also want to become an adventurer when I grow up! I want to fight monsters just like Big Sis Aria does! I'm going to become famous one day!" ［Zeke］

Declared Zeke as he raised his hand triumphantly, imagining that he was holding a sword and that he had stayed a dragon. It was clear what his aspirations were and it was easy to see the flames of determination burning brightly in his eyes.

When Aria left the village, she was still 15 years old, just barely an adult. Even then, she was already at the pinnacle of D-rank at the time. She was a rare genius whom the whole village was proud of. She headed out the village to quench her thirst for adventures, and so she did.

At the time, Zeke was only 5 years old. Every year, Aria comes back to the village and stays for some time before heading out again. Every time she returned, she always told stories of her exploits, stories which fascinated Zeke the most.

Of course, compared to Aria, Zeke's talent in magic and combat was not as profound. Even then, that didn't discourage him from his dreams, rather, it made him strive even harder so that one day, he could stand toe to toe with his older sister.

"How about you, Reina?" ［Grey］

"M-Me...?!" ［Reina］

"Yes. Surely, you have some dream like Zeke, right?" ［Grey］

"Umm... That's..." ［Reina］

Grey asked politely, but Reina was having trouble answering it. She was having trouble expressing herself and all she could do was fidget. One could also see a light rosy tint on her cheeks, obviously flustered.

"Bis Sis wants to be a fashion designer!" ［Zeke］

"Hey, Zeke!" ［Reina］

Well, because Reina was taking too long, Zeke took the initiative to say it himself, making the former's face even redder. As for Grey and Yuna, they were left wondering about Reina's talent.

Unlike the others in her family, Reina has little to no interest in magic and combat. In fact, Zeke was even much stronger than her despite her being 5 years older. Whether it be the ways of the warriors or the mages, she was greatly incompatible with them.

But that doesn't make her any less talented than her siblings, it's just that her area of expertise lies somewhere else from magic. When it comes to designing and making clothes in the village, none could come close to her.

In fact, Aria's wedding dress was something Reina designed and made herself. Neither Grey nor Yuna had seen it, but judging from how Falroe gloated about it and how happy Aria was when she talked about it, it doesn't take much brainpower to tell that it was bound to be beautiful.

The only works of Reina Grey and Yuna saw were the ones displayed in the living room and were still a work in progress. Even Grey and Yuna who are not knowledgeable when it came to fashion could tell they were very well made.

"Well, if it's fashion, I'm sure Reina can do just fine." ［Grey］

"Un! Reina's dresses are very beautiful! I'm sure you'll become a famous fashion designer one day!" ［Yuna］

"Th-Thank you! I-I'll do my best!" ［Reina］

Reina's heart racing in happiness, the four continued walking around the market and looked around for interesting things to buy. There were all kinds of raw ingredients available but none which were already cooked.

The reason for such was simple. It was because of Malus' bartering system. It was hard to provide services when it came to bartering. The best they could do was trade a raw item for another raw item. It was also the reason why many of the people in the village are knowledgeable about cooking.

"Oh?" ［Grey］

Abruptly, Grey stopped on his tracks. In the corner of her eyes, he saw a certain stall which was full of fruits which would be hard to find around any other market. It also had a fruit which he hasn't seen since his past life.

That fruit was none other than jackfruit! While Grey doesn't know many dishes he could make with it, just eating it alone was already delicious. Just seeing it brings back childhood memories when he wolfed them down like they were nothing.

"Good morning, Mister. May I have some of these?" ［Grey］

"Oh! The kid from before! You want some jackfruit?" ［Vendor］

"Yes. Would you be alright with some turkey for it?" ［Grey］

"Oh, turkey! Sure, sure, I'm more than happy to do so! Come, come, get as much as you want!" ［Vendor］

The vendor was more than accommodating towards Grey. The bartering went smoothly and Grey received 5 whole jackfruits in exchange for a whole turkey. It was an exchange where both sides were happy.

Since the jackfruits were quite large, about the same size as a young child, Grey stored most of them and only cut out a small portion which Grey cut up swiftly with a knife. A familiar sweet scent wafted through his nose as soon as he did so.

"Here, take some, everyone." ［Grey］

"Thank you, Big Bro Grey." ［Zeke］

"Th-Thank you..." ［Reina］

At Grey's invitation, Zeke and Reina quickly partook his offer and quickly took a bite, smiles floating on their faces as a rush of sweetness filled their mouths. The only one who didn't immediately take some was Yuna. She was still staring at the jackfruit with eyes full of curiosity.

It was the first time Yuna had seen such a fruit. Not only the peculiar shape of it, she was also amazed by its size. She had never seen such humongous fruit before. Just two of it stacked vertically could go as tall as her. She was astonished.

"Here, Yuna, Ahh～!" ［Grey］

Yuna couldn't even say no to him. Before she even noticed it, Grey already fed her a piece of jackfruit. While she was flustered, it was only for a short while. Her flustered expression was quickly replaced with happiness, accompanied by a smile, as she experienced the jackfruit's full glory.

"So Sweet! And juicy!" ［Yuna］

"Right? Here, have some more." ［Grey］

"Un!" ［Yuna］

Happiness overflowing inside her heart, Yuna cheerfully indulged in Grey's offer. It wasn't only her, Reina and Zeke also ate some more jackfruits. Of course, Grey also had his fair share of it.

It didn't take long for the piece of jackfruit to be finished. And since everyone enjoyed it, Grey took out some more for them to enjoy. They had a fun time exploring the market afterwards, bartering for some things which managed to catch their attention.

After the market, the group of four continued their little adventure around the village. Just like before, they walked around without any direction in mind, just heading towards where their feet take them.

Soon enough, they arrived at one of the village's vineyards. It was one owned by a family with close ties to Farloe and so, there weren't much problems when they stepped foot inside. Rather, the people working there were very welcoming.

Well, rather than a close family to Falroe, it would be better to say that the wife of the owner of the farm, Rozelia, was Valka's one and only older sister. In simpler terms, they were related to one another. There wouldn't be any issues even if they come and go as they please.

"Oh, Little Zeke, Little Reina, you've come to visit." ［Rozelia］

"Good morning, Aunt Lia!" ［Zeke］

"Good morning." ［Reina］

"Hohoho, good morning as well. Did your father send you on an errand?" ［Rozelia］

"No... Big Sis Aria told us to tour around the town with Big Bro Grey and Big Sis Yuna! We're just having fun!" ［Zeke］

At Zeke's words, Rozelia's eyes fell towards Grey and Yuna's direction. There was a hint of curiosity inside them, but after realizing who they were, a gentle and warm smile soon appeared on her face.

"You must be children Valka talked about yesterday. I've heard a lot of things about you from Aria, dear Heroes of Alfrione." ［Rozelia］

A teasing smile was visibly plastered on Rozelia's face as giggled softly to herself. Grey and Yuna on the receiving end of such a greeting couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed at such a title.

Thankfully, there weren't any formalities or anything of the sort. Rozelia was an easy-going woman and just treated the two like how Valka did. She looked at them as if they were just some adorable little children. She and Valka really were sisters.

"By the way, Aunt Lia, what are you doing right now?" ［Zeke］

"Oh, nothing much, just harvesting the grapes. We've got a good yield this year. I'm sure we can make a lot of delicious wine with it!" ［Rozelia］

"Really?!" ［Zeke］

"Hohoho, just you wait, Little Zeke. Auntie's gonna show you the best sweet wine I have once we finish!" ［Rozelia］

The glow in Zeke's eyes were even brighter than the son as soon as he heard his Aunt's words. While he isn't allowed to drink alcoholic wine, if it is just simple sweet wine, he is permitted to.

On top of that, Rozelia was the best in the village at making it. Even adults who don't like sweet things that much like to drink her wine. It was one often drunk during celebrations and one the village is very proud of.

"Oh, right... Kids, would you like to join us in picking some grapes? We could help some hands around here." ［Rozelia］

"Can we really? We don't have much experience, you see." ［Grey］

"Hohoho, there's no need to worry too much. We can teach you along the way. And even if we do waste some, we could just eat them afterwards!" ［Rozelia］

A ball of joy and enthusiasm. Such a description would fit Rozelia perfectly. She doesn't even mind if a lot of the grapes are wasted. What was most important for her was for everyone to have fun.

While Grey and Yuna had picked a lot of grapes in the forests they have been in, they don't have any real experience like professionals. Because of it, they were excitedly looking forward to what things they will learn for the day. Of course, they also looked forward to eating some.

Led by Rozelia, the four of them headed deeper towards the large vineyard. From left and right, one could only see two colors dominating the place. There was green of the leaves and vines and the violet of the grapes hanging plumply below them.

Slowly and surely, Rozelia taught Grey and Yuna how to properly pick grapes. Not only that, she also taught them what fruits to pick and what to avoid. It was quite a valuable lesson.

"Look, Grey! I picked so many!" ［Yuna］

"Hahaha, but you picked a shriveled one right here." ［Grey］

"Oh, right!" ［Yuna］

Yuna's excitement was through the roof as she continued to pick grapes. She had some mistakes here and there but that doesn't stop her from enjoying her time with Grey and the others. She was having a blast.

It went without saying that Grey was also enjoying his time with her. But rather than the novel experiences in the vineyard, what he enjoyed the most was Yuna's expressions. He especially enjoyed her sweet smile when her eyes sparkled brightly with excitement.

"Okay, everyone! It's almost time for lunch! Let's have a little break first and don't forget to wash your hands, okay?" ［Rozelia］

Time passed and the sun was almost at its zenith. With Rozelia's suggestion, everyone in the vineyard stopped working and had the rest they all deserved, under the shade of the resting sheds nearby.

Drinking the cold, gushing water from the water fountain and relieving themselves from the heat of the sun, Grey and Yuna couldn't feel any more refreshed. It wasn't only them, the other workers also felt the same as they rinsed their hands.

"That was quite tiring, wasn't it?" ［Grey］

"Un! But it was also a lot of fun! I want to pick some grapes again in the afternoon. I want to pick more and more!" ［Yuna］

"You say that, but you just want to eat some more grapes, don't you?" ［Grey］

"Grey!" ［Yuna］

Laughter resounded in the air as Grey continued to tease Yuna, the latter pounded her shoulders lightly in retaliation, her face pouting ever so cutely as she tried to look mad towards Grey. Unfortunately for her, it only made Grey want to tease her more.

Well, Grey's didn't last very long. When he closed his eyes for a short moment, a splashing sound rang throughout the air. What was splashed, one might ask? Well, it was none other than Grey's face. It was now completely drenched with cold water.

"Hehehe, that's payback～!" ［Yuna］

The cause was none other than his naughty girlfriend, Yuna. She was now giggling to herself from the success of splashing Grey's face with water. She was just like a child who just got her revenge.

"Alright, now you've done it...!" ［Grey］

"No～! Grey, stop it～!" ［Yuna］

Grey didn't just sit still either. In response to Yuna's little prank, he gathered a little bit of water with magic and splashed back some at her. And so, a silly little water splash game started before they knew it.

Giggles and chuckles filled the air as water splashed around here and there. Time passed and the fun continued as the two lovers played around like little children under the summer sky. It was a silly yet unforgettable memory.

CHAPTER 140 END