The Moonlight Swordsman

The sun's warm embrace banished the shadows and heralded a new day as the night gave way to dawn. With the first light of morning, the town's natives rose from their slumber and set about their daily tasks.

The sounds of carts creaking and children laughing echoed through the streets as people went about their daily business. However, the scars of yesterday's battle remained in the town's northern region.

Broken walls and shattered buildings lay in ruins, while brave hunters worked tirelessly to clear the rubble and rebuild what they could. Injured survivors limped through the streets, searching for a new home amidst the wreckage.

Aizel awoke from his sleep as the sound of children's chatter filled the air.

He rubbed his eyes and stretched his limbs, feeling the stiffness of a restless night. He yawned as he dragged himself from the sofa and shuffled towards the bathroom.

As Aizel approached the door, his hand outstretched to grasp the handle, a sudden gust of wind caught him off guard.

The door swung open before he could react, revealing a figure cloaked in a thin, yellow cloth. Aizel's eyes widened in surprise as he recognized Daisy.

Her body was cloaked in a thin, yellow cloth that fluttered in the breeze. Aizel felt a sudden heat rising to his face as his eyes took in the sight before him. Daisy's naked figure was barely concealed by the flimsy fabric, her curves, and features hinting at what lay beneath.

He averted his gaze, feeling a sudden flush of heat rising to his cheeks.

Daisy's senses tingled as she sensed Aizel, causing her to flush with embarrassment.

She hastily clutched the thin yellow cloth around her body, struggling to contain her emotions. Without a word, she turned on her heel and hurried back towards her room.

"Damn it, how did I forget that I am not in my apartment? It'll be awkward when I have to face her." Aizel thought and headed to take a bath, trying to forget that little accident.

After his refreshing bath, Aizel made his way back to the hall, where the kids had gathered for breakfast. They were already seated at the long, wooden table, the air was heavy with the aroma of freshly baked bread and sizzling meat, and Aizel's stomach rumbled with anticipation.

Daisy placed a dish of food in front of Aizel while avoiding his eyes. He couldn't help but feel embarrassed, recalling the earlier event in the bathroom.

Lily watched them closely, sensing something. Finally, unable to contain her curiosity, she spoke up. "Did something happened?"

"Nothing happened; I didn't see anything." Aizel quickly replied.

Lily didn't understand a thing about what Aizel meant by that, while Daisy chuckled a little at his response.

"You all just finished your breakfast; we're leaving this place and heading to a big city after that."

"YEAH!" The kid's eyes sparkled with excitement as they cheered in unison, thrilled at the idea of exploring a big city.

After the meal, the group began to pack their bags with necessary goods for the long journey ahead.

Aizel watched as Daisy sold the last of her fruit stock at a discounted price, knowing that it would help her prepare for a fresh start in the city of Felgura.

He already had a good amount of gold coins and was more than happy to spend them to help her. He anticipated the adventures that awaited them on the trip to Felgura.

Aizel searched the area for Alex as the group made their way to the carriage. When he spotted him, he noticed that he had switched to a larger and more spacious carriage.

He was relieved to see Alex and the new carriage, knowing that their journey would be more comfortable.

Aizel approached Alex, bracing himself for what was about to happen.

"Haa, Aizel... I see you are here with your family again.

"Hello kids, Is your father again taking you sightseeing?" Alex asked, and the kids started giggling.

"Yeah, yeah, we wanna head towards Felgura City; how much are you gonna charge?"

As Felgura City was mentioned, Alex's eyes lit up with greed. "That'll be eight gold coins—one for each individual," he said as he rubbed his hands together.

"One gold coin is too much for the kid; shouldn't you take 50 silver coins instead?"

"You know, the path is dangerous and long, and I believe in equality."

The hefty fare caught Aizel by surprise, and he let out a heavy sigh as he paid with coins.

He made a mental note to work on his negotiation abilities before his next trip. The kids and Daisy boarded the carriage after the fare was agreed upon, while Aizel and Alex chatted outside for a few moments.

Aizel and Alex were talking when they saw a ruckus close. Two girls in light blue leather armor with a flying hawk symbol on their armor were approaching them.

One of them approached Aizel, looked him in the eyes, and asked, "Where are you going?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"You promised me that you would go out with me."

"Yeah, well, guess what that promise was made to a friend, not someone who manipulates and tries to frame others for their own crimes. I don't care for any reason why you did it.

"Leaving you both alive is the greatest gift I can give to your family, and if you try to go after me again or for the kids, I will make sure there will be no Rosewell family in the Xelgar," Aizel responded with a deep and menacing voice.

As Aizel and Alex left town, the two girls stood motionless, their gaze focused on the carriage until it disappeared.

"What are we going to do now, Leah? Should we try to stop him?"

"No, let him go; if he thinks that he can get away that easily, then he is wrong.

"Try to find out where he is headed," Leah ordered.

Alisha sighed and went back to the castle.