Within the town of Kuroyuri, the yearly harvest festival was in full swing. A tradition that was originally conceived by the ancient settlers of Mistral to keep their morale up during their times when they used to hide within cliffs to survive against the Grimm and natural calamities.
In those days, people used to see the harvest season as a blessing of the gods due to the dire circumstances of their people. However, nowadays, it is a more relaxing occasion where people forget about their daily lives and enjoy themselves.
Letting go of their worries with the floating lanterns with family and friends. That was the very essence of this festival.
That was why An Ren, her husband Li Ren, and their one-year-old son, Lie Ren, were leisurely walking along the paths of the Main Island, watching the bustling markets and celebrating people.
Despite being regular humans without any Huntsmen training and without Aura, the family still drew attention due to their attractive looks.
An Ren, with her beautiful pink hair and eyes, similar to the famous 'Sakura' trees of Mistral, and warm expressions, was the envy of women all around, while Li Ren had once been the most sought-after bachelor of Kuroyuri growing up.
It was because of these physical traits that the Ren family was used to this kind of attention wherever they went.
Thankfully, due to the festivities going on around them, they did not have to worry too much about all of this since people were too busy either enjoying themselves or were distracted by the sights around them.
As they continued walking, An Ren had her head on a swivel, searching the crowds for the person she had been waiting for.
Seeing her actions, Li Ren simply raised and eyebrow as he guessed who she was looking for.
"Are you looking for your new friend?"
"Yes! Alex said that she will be here for the festival with her husband when I called her yesterday, but I can't find her anywhere!"
Seeing his wife's anxious behaviour, Li Ren simply smiled.
"Maybe they are lost in the crowd somewhere?"
An Ren shook her head in denial.
"That's impossible. Alex and her husband are impossible to miss, no matter where they are."
Li Ren raised an eyebrow at those words as he thought to himself internally.
'Impossible to miss? Are they people with exotic looks? Or maybe someone with distinctive traits like the Schnees?'
However, he was soon distracted from his thoughts when he saw a commotion ahead of them, making him frown a little.
"Is someone causing trouble over there?"
Li shook his head at his wife's words.
"If there was any trouble, the guards would have crushed the incident by now already. Let's go."
Soon, the Ren family arrived at the source of the commotion, the crowd parting to allow one of their most respected and capable hunters' entry.
And what they saw stunned them.
Steve, wearing a cyan colored traditional Tang suit, was watching with an amused grin with crossed arms. His suit barely managing to contain his powerful and well-defined physique. An attractive olive tone combined with bright blue eyes glinting in the dark and brown hair, which gave him an exotic look to the natives.
On the other hand, Alex was wearing traditional clothing as well. Her forest green Hanfu's sleeves pulled back to allow her freedom of movement as she held a toy rifle in her hands. Her perfectly shaped pale face was enhanced further by those lively and mischievous green eyes, as her auburn hair was tied up in a traditional bun.
There was nothing special about what they were doing, except for the fact that Alex was landing every single shot that she aimed for. A perfectly normal couple taking part in the festivities.
Yet, it was their very presence that exuded a type of charm that caused the people around them to stop what they were doing and watch the couple with a mesmerized look.
It was not just their physical appearance, but the way warmth just rolled off of Steve as he stared fondly at his wife, making countless women swoon, while Alex's mischievous grin made many a man's heart flutter with her liveliness.
An and Li looked at each other before sighing together as the same thought passed through their minds.
'Looks like many a man and woman are going to get their hearts broken tonight.'
Taking pity on the single people around them, An called out to her friend, bringing the couple out of their private world where they had lost themselves.
"Alex! Over here!"
Instantly, that strange aura around the couple broke as Alex's head snapped toward An, her expression brightening considerably.
"An! Finally!"
The two women hugged happily while Li Ren and Steve just shook hands, introducing themselves.
"I am Steve. Alex's husband. Thanks for taking care of her while I was gone."
Li Ren shook his head with a smile.
"Li Ren. And I should be the one thanking you and your wife. An does not have many friends in the town, and it's surprising how quickly she hit it off with your wife."
Li then showed his son to Steve, who was staring at the Builder with wide, innocent eyes.
"This is Lie Ren, our son."
For a split second, a shadow passed Steve's eyes before his smile became much warmer as he bent down to Lie's level.
"Hello there."
The baby just babbled happily, making Steve laugh a little.
Looking at the surrounding crowd and their gazes, Li gestured at the couple.
"Shall we?"
"Sure."
With a nod, Steve and Li started walking as their wives walked behind them, lost in their own conversation.
"I hear that you two are from the frontiers beyond the kingdoms. Is that true?"
Steve nodded his head at those words.
"Yes. We are from a remote town that does not exist on any currently existing maps. We wanted to see what the world had to offer, so we left that place and came here."
"Oh? Is that why you two are so skilled?"
Steve just smiled at those words, impressed with the hunter's observing skills.
"Is it that obvious?"
Li shook his head.
"I only guessed it because I have seen many Huntsmen in the past, and your moments are similar to theirs. You and your wife hold yourselves like seasoned warriors, with a quiet footfall and alert body language despite your relaxed demeanors. Not to mention that you have the same feel around you as what I experienced before with Huntsmen, which means that you two have your Aura unlocked."
"True. Where we come from, we are all expected to be able to fight. If not, we would not survive."
"Logical. Life is difficult for people like us who do not live within the walls of the Kingdoms proper."
Steve just chuckled at those words.
"Indeed. However, I think there is beauty in living like this. Away from all the politics and social expectations. Away from all the responsibilities and reasoning that bind us to the positions we are born in."
"....You speak like a noble born. Are you from a legacy?"
Legacy was the term used to describe families that were once nobility and high-borns of the Kingdoms before the Monarchy was abolished. Originally, they were simply called the old nobility. However, after the Monarchy was abolished, these old nobility still tried to cling to their power and authority, forcing the newly formed councils to ban the use of that title and create the title of Legacy, as a small gesture to placate the Noble families.
In modern times, the word Legacy holds no power or authority. But it still shows that the bloodline of a person belonging to such families is old and enduring, which is a form of respect on its own.
Steve, knowing this detail thanks to his thorough research into this world in the last few days, hesitatingly nodded his head.
"While they are not that known outside our home, I did come from an influential and wealthy family with a long history. That being said, I never wanted any of that. That is why I am glad that I got to get away from all that."
Then, his smile became much warmer as he glanced behind him.
"Besides, if we were still back home, I would never have met Alex, and even if I did, we would never have been allowed to marry."
Li Ren nodded as he understood where Steve came from. After all, he too had experienced something similar.
Soon, the two couples arrived at the town square, where hundreds of people gathered to light their lanterns.
Alex grinned with An as they took out their lanterns and dragged their husbands forward.
Steve just laughed at Alex's antics while Li just smiled with amusement as An dragged him forward.
"Come on! Steve! An says couples are supposed to light the lanterns together!"
"Don't be lazy! Li! Come help me!"
The husbands looked into each other's eyes with exasperation and fondness for their wives clear, sharing a moment of brotherhood as they were dragged by their excitable wives.
As the lanters soon filled the sky, a friendship that would last a lifetime formed between the two couples.
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