Chapter 41: The god’s fury
It took them an entire day to return to the city since they weren't in too much of a hurry. The two men were preoccupied with their own thoughts as they rode on their horses, not realizing they were thinking about the same thing: each other.
Only when they reached the residential areas did Hael pay attention to his surroundings. The palace was located in the heart of the capital—Vaales, where everything from residences to markets was located. Orderly rows of houses for the common folk and some for more wealthy commoners lined the streets, with broad streets paving the way for merchants and travelers on chariots or caravans to do their business. Vaales was a hub for trade and marketing, and anyone who wished to make a profit by selling their goods would crowd the area, gaining the attention of pedestrians. Since the roads were so vast, there was plenty of space for those who didn't own their means of transportation to travel on foot, leaving a good amount of space for those traveling on wheels.
Despite it being so early in the morning, the streets were already buzzing with people. Hael was glad Anemone had equipped them with conspicuous clothing to blend in with the crowd and not stand out too much, though they still received a few looks as the horses they were riding on were of good breed. Despite his mind being plagued with uncertainties, the young man still found himself smiling as he watched the little children going to and from the public bathing complexes that were typically located near gymnasiums or other social gathering spots—small temples, courtyards, gardens, and meeting halls. Hael learned from his little lessons from Anthanasia that it was common for people to take their morning baths in public bathing areas since they were accessible to the general public. They were separated into four sections: men and women and hot and cold regions. Bathing complexes were maintained by city authorities or by merchant guilds.
The young man found the idea of bathing in public amongst other people quite strange. He was always used to bathing alone in the forest, where most animals did not require personal upkeep. They were divine animals and didn't need much maintenance, though sometimes they would wash themselves in the Sanatio Lake to cleanse themselves of impurities. The concept of public bathing, despite having heard of it, was a stark contrast to his solitary forest routine. It was a completely different feeling to experience it firsthand or at least witness it.
They were greeted back into the royal district (where the palace was located) by a panicked Anemone, her voice trembling as he kept asking them where they had been.
Ceremus felt a headache as he listened to his advisor's inane mumblings.
"Enough of your nagging Anemone. Send someone to the Aphthonia Forest to fetch what we left behind." He hissed. "Ah, speaking of Aphthonia. I'm making it a rule, effective immediately, that no one is permitted to hunt there from now on." Ceremus then left the confused advisor behind, Hael following suit, the abruptness of the new rule hanging in the air.
After the royal knights went to "fetch" the "thing" the King and his guard had left behind, it was discovered that said "thing" was the corpse of a rare demon-type monster called Kakoethes. Since they were so unusual, their corpses fetched a reasonable price in the exotic markets. The Kakoethes were handed to some well-known merchants who would put them up in an auction. Since this was such a fantastic feat, a banquet was held to celebrate their accomplishment, as well as the monsters and diving beasts that had caused harm to the villages in the country.
The King surprised everyone by inviting the villagers and common folk to the celebratory banquet. The extended invitation shocked everyone, even scaring a few who wondered if this was an excuse for the King to cause trouble again. But despite their fears and doubts, they were still in attendance since it was such a rare occurrence to be able to attend a grand gathering at the palace.