To the Depth of Abyss

Chapter 120: Preparation for the Festival

La and Li are two healthy, energetic twin sisters. 

In the Church, they wish to be a good 'Sister'. So their daily life is busier than the students.

They have to get up very early before everyone gets up. After washing their face with cold water, they helped the older sisters to prepare morning breakfast. 

Before taking breakfast, everyone in the church should pray the morning prayer first. Together with other sisters, La and Li were at the forefront of the prayer hall.

"We pray for the Great Abyssal Lord; please bless our lives in this temporal world, and protect us from the hollow darkness that perverse. Amen." 

"Amen!"

The one who leads the prayer is none other than the Mother of the Church, Maria Christina. 

La and Li sisters wish to be like their foster mother. However, because of their appearance, many people are against their dreams. Even they who became sisters like now are looked strange to the eyes of the people, somehow.

But of course, that's not going to stop them to become their best. 

By the way, the [Ring Our Bell] festival is getting near. 

Everyone is looking forward to the festival so much that the town is full of visitors from other regions. 

Many merchants sell festival accessories and merchandise.

The bearer of one of [Seven Colour Weapon], Green Sky Shield, one of the seven Diamond Hunter, come to enjoy the festival.

However, because the city is no longer sufficient to accommodate residents, visitors from other regions set up tents as temporary accommodation in the outpost area, or empty areas inside the safe territory.

'Isn't that dangerous?'

Well, no one going to mess with thousands of hunters that gathered in one territory. Even if a Catastrophe strikes, two Diamond Hunter will take care of that. 

Back to La and Li sister. 

When the day comes, that mean night of glorious moment will bless the land once more. 

Unlike the town, the church has no particular event to be held. So everyone went about their usual busy life, but not today because the day is the weekend.

But not with the twin sisters. 

"Let's go, La!"

"Wait, you are going to fast!"

They about to head to the Indoor Practical Room #3. 

'Why there?'

Because they have been searching for their missing best friend since morning. 

The best friend is the maiden who got chosen to be the [Vigorous Maiden] for this year. 

That is a surprised request from their foster mother herself. So their best friend must bear the burden and try her best to not disappointed everyone's expectation. 

But they know, their best friend is not the kind of person who wants to be the center of attention. 

Being the cast of [Vigorous Maiden] means you will be watching by thousands of people and got broadcast to other region. 

Just thinking about that made all the maidens in the church are super nervous. So that is a relief when they are not being chosen to be the one.

But for La and Li, and their best friend, that is not good. 

Their best friend had training for about 2 months a half and has not reached the desired expectations. 

That is why Li, monitored by La, practice in hiding. The purpose; is to prepare for the worse possibilities.

The result can be said to be better than what their best friend has achieved.

That may be will hurt their best friend's feeling. But they don't want to see their best friend to receive shame and disappointment from people's expectation.

But of course, they will be the one who got all the negative things instead, replace their best friend.

"Come, on!"

"Wait-!"

But that is okay. Because they are used to all negative stares and mumble of everyone. Adding thousands of that will not give any different effect.

They arrived at the objective building. But when they want to touch the door handle. 

"Calm yourself. Build confidence. Set intention. That are three things you need to do before mastering a lesson."

They heard a man's voice talking to someone. 

"Isn't that voice...?"

That was so unexpected. 

They look at each other and nodded. 

The man's voice is so familiar they don't know why they get used to hearing it. But if the man really inside the room with their best friend, it was the most surprising thing they saw this year.

They take a peek at one window, and right, their best friend, along with the most handsome male teacher of the church, is inside the building. With their best friend practicing her dance, and the handsome teacher watching their best friend. 

That is so unexpected. That might be a scandal for the male teacher. But he is just monitoring their best friend with the training, So maybe that is okay, though still cannot be called safe or not.

One thing unexpected too is, their best friend's dancing is improving. 

When yesterday her movement is still stiff, now her movements became more flexible, like she had been practicing for like half a year. 

"She becomes " "So beautiful."

They fascinated with the dance practice performance. 

Their best friend is still improving her dance. Although the promised day is very near, but with her pace now, she might be 100% ready for the incoming festival. 

Without them realizing, the dance was over. That means their best friend will come out of the room. They cannot be in there, peeking over her practice like a pervert does. 

So they immediately run towards one certain point . 

Meanwhile, inside the practical room. 

"Huuuufff~"

Elisa took a deep breath as she finally can do the dance properly this time. That was so unexpected. She just blends in with the atmosphere and lets her brain move the body.

She pictured all the movement her dance teacher does inside her head. Then let her body do the job as her result of 2 full months of training.

"Hey, thank - "

She wants to thank her beloved one. But he already gone.

That is so annoying. He came as he wants, made Elisa cry, then left when he felt bored.

But that's still made Elisa happy. 

If that's not because of him, Elisa might not be who she is today. She who believes the power of love will make her stronger.

"My-my." "Isn't that is our beloved grandchild?"

Unexpectedly, La and Li are waiting for her on the way home to the girl's dorm. They seemed to have thought that Elisa would walk back that way and acted like twin grandmothers waiting for their beloved grandchild to return from her dance training.

"Um, what's wrong with the acting?"

"Oh, nothing, sweetheart." "We just thought, did you do good with your training today?"

That is unexpectedly weird. They seem to know that Elisa is in a very good mood and is doing really well in her training.

"Um, yes."

"My-my." "As expected from our [Vigorous Maiden]."

They already know the answer somehow. But still asking to make a topic about it. 

'Did they watch my training?' asked Elisa in her heart.

But they are not there when Elisa is being locked up in the room.

"You two start to scare me a little."

"My-my, don't be afraid." "Let's celebrate this beautiful day with the cookies we have bought for you."

Elisa may not have been free from her nervousness. But at the very least, with what the three people she loved gave her, she would do the best she could.

"Um, okay..."

_____________

Shield Town Health Center / 

In a certain patient room / 

Harry and Henry, with Kane, are walking out from the room.

"Okay, we will go first."

"Great Sire!" "Thank you very much!"

The three of them giving their savior last respect for the day before leaving. 

"Became strong and always move forwards. Young knights."

Dustin responding to their respect with proud. 

What the three of them give to Dustin meant a lot to him.

After that, they get out of the room, leaving Dustin with the last young knight, who still got something to talk with him. 

Aiden sits in his chair while holding [Flemish], their Saviour's sword. 

The flame sword, of course, is inside the scabbard.

With great respect, Aiden wants to pass the sword to the original owner. But somehow the original owner refuses to take it. 

"Hold it. I gave up the sword when Master Arsen saved my life. So you don't have to give it back to me again."

Aiden expected Dustin would say that. But he still hesitated to wield the [+2] sword.

The [+] mark on a weapon means the weapon got enhanced successfully twice. That gives the sword additional stat. The cost of the process is so expensive that Aiden will not able to provide with his current state.

"Did Master Arsen entrust that sword to you?"

"Yes."

"Then that means you have to take it and use it with pride."

Dustin leaned back and took a deep breath. Then he continues.

"I lost my left hand, and damaged my right lung. I can't force myself to be back to Hunter world if I want to live a longer life. But if the situation forces, I will rise again with my pride shield."

That statement made Aiden sobbing. 

There Dustin tap the young man's shoulder. 

"Don't think too much about it, young knight. Life is not just about ourselves. It's also about people and those who you want to protect. Then in the end, we are getting old, and passed the age to the young generation."