The town of Aranor sprang into life with the first rays of the morning sun as the priests from the shrine of Ishani blew the sacred conch shell to signal the start of the festivities on the first day of Ishtara. Traveling merchants, traders, and sellers of various baubles and knickknacks set up their shops and stalls in the middle of the town square, displaying bright signs and posters to advertise their products. The whole town donned festive colors with brightly colored dahlias and tulips decorating the cottages and huts. Children played in the streets while women flocked to the shrine to offer their prayers to the Goddess. The open field behind the shrine of Ishani was transformed into a fairground with jugglers, magicians, and fire breathers setting up shop in designated locations. Meanwhile, the bards and mimes performed on stage, inviting both humans and non-humans alike to enjoy their show. Following in the footsteps of ancient familial tradition, Lord Sebastian went down to

What followed next was a whole minute of tense silence as this familial rivalry threatened to spiral out of control. Aurelia was furious to hear their conversation. She could no longer stand and watch her brother being insulted and ridiculed by the two rival families. “You forget that Cecilia is already betrothed to Ezra. What kind of mother would allow her own daughter to be a part of such a wager?” Aurelia asked, glaring at Lady Lillian. “I thought I had made it amply clear that my daughter was no longer interested in your crippled brother. But it seems like you want me to air out our private affairs in front of everyone,” Lady Lillian sneered. She then turned to Count Gressil and continued, “We are an honorable family, Your Excellency, but that does not mean I will ruin my daughter’s future with my own hands. As her mother, I must always keep her best interests in mind.” “I understand completely, my Lady,” Count Gressil replied reassuringly. Aurelia could not believe how the C

While the others were busy enjoying the festivities in Aranor, Ezra rode out of the north gate leading out of Aranor and soon arrived at Gimli's staue. He knew the only place he would be left alone at was Glenn’s abandoned hut. The blood mage had already moved to another cottage, deep in the woods, and his old house was completely empty. Ezra unlocked the door with the key Glenn had given him and headed straight inside. Once he was alone, he locked the door from the inside and walked up to the wooden table at the other end of the room. “That damn Jasenki just doesn’t know how to shut up!” he shouted, slamming his fists on the table. “And then there’s that bitch…Lady Lillian!” “You mustn’t let your emotions get the best of you, my dear Lord,” Marlin whispered into Ezra's ear. “That proud braggart will learn his lesson tomorrow. But for that, you need to prepare yourself first!” "I will humiliate him and his pathetic family after I win the hunt tomorrow. It will give him somethin

Gunther aimed for the Behemoth’s head and fired with deadly precision. But the abomination shielded its face with its bulky arms, deflecting the iron pellets. “It looks like you have a tough hide.” Realizing that normal rounds were never going to be able to penetrate the Behemoth’s thick skin, Gunther reloaded his gun with magic bullets. The rifle went off with a loud bang as the coachman fired again. This time his shots hit the Behemoth in its bloated belly, squishing one of the eyeless faces growing under its navel. The Behemoth shrieked and stumbled back. Inside the carriage, the priestess was trying her best to get the chambermaid to follow her, but she was too terrified to step outside. “I don’t want to be eaten alive. We can’t go out there…That monster will see us!” the chambermaid quivered, trembling from head to toe. “Let’s pray to the Goddess. I know she will save us.” The priestess grabbed the chambermaid’s hand and tried to pull her from her seat. “Listen to me, child

Out of all the fights Ezra had been in, this had to be the most challenging one. Few Gunners had ever encountered a Behemoth, and even fewer could boast of slaying one. The abomination would have continued slaughtering every person it could find on the highway and eventually reached the gates of Aranor if it hadn’t been stopped. Ezra had not only slain the Behemoth, but done so just in time to save Tanya. And what sweetened this deal was the added reward of unlocking a Gunner’s most useful skill: Bulletproof Armor. But before checking his skills and items, Ezra decided to help the girl he had just saved. He walked up to Tanya while she was still shivering on the ground and offered his hand. Judging by her fine silk gown and delicate features, Ezra realized that she belonged to one of the noble families. But he still had no idea that this was the Count’s daughter he had just saved. “Come on. It’s over now. The Behemoth’s dead,” Ezra said, offering his hand to Tanya. The knight ly