Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 96 - 92 You Are My Verlet

Passing the road sign that marked Naranya, the world outside the window changed into a different color.

If Cassandra was the amalgamation of dusk, towers, and contemplators.

Then Naranya was a world of flowers, exquisite handicrafts, and merry dancers.

Unknown white spherical flowers bloomed alongside the road; their unattended disarray scattered one’s thoughts into a kaleidoscope of colors. Azure-headed sparrows flew overhead with a chirp, then perched upon the curved spires of the slanted-roofed houses, surveying this carriage of strangers along with the weathervanes at the very top.

Before Lyle’s toes could touch the tender grass, the aroma of flowers mingled with the earthiness hit him like a heavy punch, sending the weariness of the journey flying away.

It was nearing dusk now, and storefronts along the street were removing those interesting stone-carved trinkets from their shelves. Humming a tune, their bodies swaying to the rustic melody, the shopkeepers strolled into their cottages. A gardener was watering clusters of lavender, taking a spoon-like ladle to pour water down the delicate stems into the smooth stone basins. Under such impact, the violet blooms at the tips swayed side to side as though frolicking for the droplets.

The cheerful atmosphere around him quickly infected the travel-weary Lyle. He stretched, deeply inhaling the sweetness, and lifted Karen, who had been dazzled by the colors and had stayed on the carriage steps for quite some time, starting from her very first glimpse of the beauties of Naranya. She was so entranced that it was almost Lyle guiding her off the carriage—if it hadn’t been for Lyle’s timely reminder to the coachman, her sacred light secret weapon would have been forgotten onboard.

Naranya was almost the earthly paradise in Lyle’s mind, a charm capable of intoxicating nearly everyone within it.

Almost.

"Achoo!"

Like a saw cutting through a musical concert, a sneeze brought the enchantment crashing down to earth, and the prism of colors that Naranya emanated under the setting sun vanished into nothingness. Lyle turned toward the culprit.

Ralph rubbed his nose with a handkerchief. His boots tapped on the ground, and with Dragon’s Kiss slung over his shoulder, he tilted his head like a rascal and stuffed the used handkerchief into his right chest pocket.

"Damn pollen, damn Naranya."

Indeed, there was such a man who could tint his surroundings with his own color.

Ralph’s brows, almost knitted into one, the frost on his face and the disdain in his eyes, perfectly echoed on the locals’ faces. The thud of wooden doors hitting their frames reverberated as the women with colorful headscarves spat in his direction before shutting their doors.

Ralph was like a harbinger of the plague; everyone turned away from him. Lyle had no doubt that he was the most detested man in Naranya.

Ralph rubbed his own nephew’s forehead with a finger. "What are you looking at me for? The quality of the residents here is still as low as ever."

"Naranya welcomes all guests, except for troublemakers and dogs, and Ralph, as it happens, you are both."

It was a tall woman, and Lyle only reached up to her shoulder. Even Ralph’s height barely matched her. Her large frame didn’t make her look rough but rather complemented her fine features, which resembled an over-sized doll. Her wine-red hair was coiled at the back of her head, necessitating a slanted cap due to the bulk, and her law enforcement uniform was filled out by her body, highlighting her exquisite curves, especially in the right places.

The woman stood brazenly in the middle of the road with her boots about a foot apart, the setting sun blocked behind her. She wore a smile, but that odd grin looked all too familiar, filled with thick disdain and challenge—a quintessential Ralph-style smirk.

"Long time no see, Verlet."

Ralph’s cold face met with a Ralph-style grin.

"Two years and six months, old dog."

She was like a blooming man-eater flower. Surprisingly to Lyle, his Demon King uncle didn’t respond with a retort. Ralph patted Lyle’s shoulder, "This is my new subordinate, Ms. Karen Pembai from church aid, and Mr. Lyle Butler."

The woman arched an eyebrow, bending over and resting her arms on her knees with a benevolent smile for Karen, like a blossoming Dragon’s Kiss rose, "Thank you for your assistance, little Karen. I am Sharan Bennett, but just like Ralph, you can call me Verlet. I am the Chief Inspector of Law Enforcement in Naranya. Welcome to our town."

Then Sharan’s gaze shifted to Lyle as she crossed her arms in front of her chest, accentuating her imposing figure even more.

"So you are the up-and-coming law star, Little Butler. You and your uncle sure are different. I didn’t expect the young wolf of Cassandra to be a vegetarian," Sharan looked from Lyle to Ralph with a grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. "So, our shining new law enforcement star, what’s the real deal? Instructor?"

Ralph stroked his chin, his gaze focusing on Lyle.

Feigning profundity.

"One in ten thousand, a decathlete, truly worthy to be my man."

Madam Sharan also flashed a big smile at Lyle, her bright eyes sparkling, revealing a set of pearly whites, but Lyle couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something chilling about that whiteness.

"Then let us look forward to Mr. Butler’s performance."

Lady Sharan led the way to the front, "You’ll be staying at the inn tonight, and tomorrow we’ll go meet the lord of Naranya together. Yes, together. Rest well, and as for the local cuisine, I recommend the rose cakes and honey juice."

Karen was instantly captivated, following Sharan like a little tail.

The two men walked behind.

"Seems like Ms. Sharan doesn’t quite like me."

"I once gave her some training as a sheriff for a while."

"What’s that? How come I’ve never had that?"

"So you can know more and then go looking for death everywhere like in Lafillin? Just talking about it makes me want to beat you up again."

"Go on, please, continue."

"You know, I am pretty good at encouraging rookies, so I did some, simple comparisons."

"What kind of comparisons?"

Sharan seemed to have heard their conversation and, imitating Ralph’s indifferent tone, she chimed in.

"Did you know, Sharan, that even my nephew, Mr. Little Butler, still in medical school, could master these simple moves in five days? In another light, you are truly, uniquely gifted. Thank you, old dog, for your strenuous teaching. Your most outstanding apprentice, me, Sharan Bennett, has now become Naranya’s Inspector. Shouldn’t you address me as your superior? At the annual summary conference, I’ve heard Mr. Gareth complaining about his ’Evil Wolf’ more than once in the complaint letters about threats and intimidation."

"You’re really something, Sister Sharan, a woman becoming an Inspector, you must be very capable." Karen wholeheartedly joined in with the other side.

"Thank you, Karen, when you can whip those dissenting men into chanting their father’s full name, you will be just as outstanding as me. Plus, having a dominant merchant for a father in the merchants’ union helps. While I’m happy to be called ’sister’, I’m still more accustomed to being called Verlet."

"Why? That name doesn’t seem to have anything to do with you, Sister Sharan, does it?"

Sharan’s eyes turned nostalgic, "It was during my naïve days, a compliment from someone I thought to be a mortal enemy. I never thought any good words could come from his dog mouth. This name \reminds me that things always get better."

Lyle looked at Ralph, whose expression hadn’t changed, and asked with uncertainty,

"You gave it to her?"

"Yes, Verlet, quite fitting."

"What’s Verlet?"

"The Flower Goddess in Naranyan lore."

Lyle looked at Ms. Sharan walking ahead with a smile.

"You never told me you had an old flame in the neighboring province."

"Which eye of yours saw me getting along with Sharan?"

"You indulge her so much, isn’t it because you like her?"

Ralph slowed his pace, the two ahead unwittingly widening the gap.

"That was two years ago. Gareth gave me a commission, a hot-headed heiress from a wealthy Naranyan family, who one day whimsically decided to become a sheriff. The rich merchant searched throughout the kingdom’s law enforcement for the most vile instructor to make his foolish daughter back down."

"You also know about your uncle’s remarkable skills. At the time, we agreed on five days of intensive training, one thousand Yule, it was like making money in one’s sleep."

"I spent five days making that big-busted airhead heiress aware of the harshness of society."

"On the last day, thinking it might be our forever farewell, I decided to give her a parting gift."

"We stepped into a craft shop, where a small statue of a goddess caught my eye. I asked the price, as if possessed by a ghost."

"One thousand Yule."

"Sharan, you are my Verlet (a grand)."