Chapter 5: The Trial
Chapter 5 (EDITED)
Hearing Leo's words, Lily's face dropped instantly, and he could tell something was wrong.
Huh? What's…
"Leo… I am sorry, but I used the last of our firewood to heat the water for your wounds and to warm the food…"
S-shittt. I don't like where this is going.
Then, as if a sudden idea had struck her, Lily spoke again.
"Come and sleep on my bed first. I have an idea to keep you warm."
Before he could react, she grabbed his arm and practically pulled him into her room and made him lie down.
Leo, having no defensive arguments left to resist, could only go along with it.
"So? What's the plan to keep me warm—Ahhh!"
Suddenly, he yelped.
Before he could even finish his sentence, Lily climbed onto the bed and slipped under the blanket, pressing herself close against him.
"What are you shouting for? We used to sleep like this all the time when we were kids. And don't your injuries need warmth to heal faster? I will sleep with you so you don't feel cold. You even have your trial tomorrow, so you need a proper rest and to be in good shape."
Lily said and shifted even closer.
Meanwhile, Leo was having a breakdown.
Ahhhhhhhhh. Fuckkkk. How am I supposed to have a proper rest like this? Does this girl not want me to sleep the entire night? Eh? What's this soft sensation over my shoulder—
AaaaAAAaaaa. No, wait. These things are actually this soft?!
AaaaAAAaaaa. What the hell am I even thinking?!
"Lily, that was when we were kids! Now we're grown-ups. And your body… body—"
His eyes drifted to the two soft heavenly mounds that were dangerously close to his face, and he stopped mid-sentence.
Lily noticed exactly where his gaze landed and stiffened.
"S-shut up, you idiot, and just sleep! I don't mind sleeping with you!"
That sounded very wrong. Leo thought.
In her fluster, she suddenly pulled Leo's face closer to her chest, practically burying it against her mounds.
Her face flushed red at the sudden sensation, but she quickly forced herself to calm down.
"Just sleep like this… it will keep you warm," she muttered and closed her eyes.
Leo, with his face buried, lost all ability to reason and strangely felt very calm.
Well… there's nothing I can do now… and honestly… this really feels nice. I wonder if this was the reason that Max kept blabbering about his wife all the time?
His gaze lifted up slightly, and he saw Lily already drifting to her sleep, her face completely peaceful.
She sure is very precious...
His eyes, however, drifted again and landed on the pillows that were practically touching his cheeks.
Ahhh! Fuck it. If this is the way, then I will take everything I can!
He stirred a bit and then slid one arm behind her waist from below, then pulled her closer.
Lily let out a small yelp at the sudden locked position she found herself in but soon relaxed since it felt more comfortable.
While Leo thought there was no way he would be able to sleep properly that night, he suddenly felt a strange sense of calm wash over him.
And with his body and mind exhausted, he eventually drifted off to sleep.
_____
The next day, the morning light illuminated the entire room Leo and Lily had been sleeping in.
Leo sat up straight and looked around. Lily had woken up long ago, leaving him alone on the bed.
"She probably went to the restaurant. It opens early…"
While looking around, he found a leather pouch beside him. Inside it were three bronze coins.
"Looks like she left them here for me… but three bronze coins? That's basically all her savings."
Leo smiled faintly and picked up the pouch.
On the table was a simple meal of bread and soup. He ate quietly, then grabbed the trial pass from the shelf.
Clenching his fist, he muttered to himself,
"This is the only way. For me… for Lily… I have to become strong."
His eyes gleamed with determination.
_____
He stepped out of the house and made his way toward the trial grounds.
Along the way, he spotted a man heading in the same direction; it was obvious that he was going to the trail as well since he held the pass openly as if he wanted others to see it.
Leo, however, was more cautious. He slowed his pace and made sure to look like he was just strolling. He occasionally stopped near a few shops, pretending to check something out, making it look like he had nothing to do with the trial. He knew very well that people were always eager to snatch an opportunity, especially when it came at someone else's expense.
And sure enough, he later spotted the same man being beaten in an alleyway for his trial pass. Many preferred stealing their way into the trial instead of buying it by themselves.
Eventually, Leo arrived at a massive door engraved with intricate designs. Without hesitation, he got his pass checked, and after registering his entry, stepped inside.
After walking through a long, open stretch for a while, he found himself among nearly a thousand people. And every one of them had gathered for the awakening trial.
Even though Kendru wasn't particularly a large city, more than a thousand people had managed to afford an entry into this once-a-year opportunity.
He could see guards stationed all around, each accompanied by vigilant beasts. And at the center of the crowd were two empty spaces. Leo recognised them immediately since he had already heard of them.
One held a crystal that determined a person's Soul Rank, while the other contained an array used to awaken the Beast Taming talent—if one possessed it.
The minimum Soul Rank required was Common, which was indicated by a white glow when a person placed their hand over the Soul Rank crystal.
If anyone failed to even have a Common ranked soul, which was the case for most of the population, there was no point in checking whether they possessed the talent of Beast Taming, because even if someone had it, attempting to contract a beast with a weak soul would lead to an instant death.
"So this is it… there is where my fate will be decided…"
Leo muttered, his expression grim as he started anticipating what might happen to him and Lily if he failed to awaken a talent.
"NO. I will awaken the Beast Taming talent. I have to."