As the sunlight gorgeously kissed the day, the three children of the Faceless clan spiritedly climbed up the especial staircase, with the steps behind them disappearing at the pace that matched their speed. As they got closer, it gave them the impression that the ship had swelled so well in semblance and size.

All the clansmen waved their goodbyes and made their children do the same; however, the children were more interested in seeing the stars or birds like usual, though only a few stars and birds graced the skies at the moment.

"The stairs behind them are fading away. Will they be alright?" some people from the crowd were worried.

Sariyu was the first to notice that the stairs behind them were disappearing. "Look behind."

Hearing her words, Burton glanced back, and his eyes widened a little before his feet picked up the pace.

"Why is he running so fast?" Lirzod chortled, but when he glanced back and saw the stairs turn into nothing, his smile vanished. "Well... Crap."

He bolted ahead, and so did Sariyu.

The shore was one thing; however, if they were to fall in a place where the water depth would easily exceed a few dozen feet, all the sharks, pythons, and big-toothed fish that had just become a bit passive because of the unbreakable staircase would very well turn into monsters undergoing starvation.

Crabs ate flesh. Sea snakes drank the blood that leaked out of the wounds. Sharks, pythons, and even certain fish would want to bite a few chunks off them. That thought alone made the people tell them to be cautious. Sariyu and Burton only looked ahead, whereas Lirzod turned back at times and waved goodbye to his people, with a virgin’s smile tugging his lips.

Time flew by fast, and they almost closed the distance between them and the ship. To their clansmen, it appeared as if the three youngsters might go out of breath from hastily climbing what seemed like the long stairs of success.

Allda, in the meantime, vented his intestine-twitching envy by choking a snake and killing it then and there. Still, he couldn’t stop the heart pangs and seemed more disgruntled than a bald man baking in the sun.

Syam, on the other hand, sculpted a snake using a crab's scissors. The snake hissed in pain as its skin got sliced over in a serpentine fashion, but his eyes were as indifferent as that of an owl preying on reptiles.

Jermajesty made some children dance like monkeys let loose on a mango isle.

With lips curled down to the max, silent tears streamed down Duera's softened cheeks. Her arm mechanically moved to wave goodbye. Memories flashed in her mind.

"I’ve got that dream again where I'm gonna go out of our town one day and explore the whole world and become someone great by the time I come back," Little Lirzod said to Dainty Duera while clumsily nibbling on a twiggy as they strolled together on a curvy mountainous road beautified by cherry blossom trees on either side and a few deer busy grazing in the distance “someone our people will truly honor. Since this dream is coming so many times, I think I will surely bring glory to my family, to you, to Primera, to our people and clan. I can see myself doing that, you know, becoming a good example for others and leaving a sublime legacy. One day—”

"Wait! You want to go out without me?" Dainty Duera, who was about to hand him a small pouch full of nuts, hid it behind her back.

"I-I was just joking."

"That's a bad joke." Her eyes turned icy, though only on the surface like the thin sheet of ice covering a lake through the wintertime.

"Yeah, yeah, Duera. That was a bad dream,” he gave her the rest of the twiggy and persuaded her. “Why would I ever go out without Puchuk[1] by my side?”

“Mm, that’s good,” she chomped on the twiggy in three quicky bites, then said in a slightly demanding tone, “but, you know that I don’t like cold places or things, so I’d rather not choose the sea route for our journey, though I do want to travel on a boat someday.”

“Eh? No sea travel?”

“Yep. Otherwise, I’m not coming!”

“What? Who will supply me with nuts then?"

Dainty Duera’s brow jerked repeatedly. "Am I only a nut supplier in your eyes?" she barked and tossed the pouch in his face. After striking his cheek, many nuts spilled out and fell to the ground.

"Oh, no. My nuts!" Little Lirzod began to quickly collect them, which only made Duera get angrier.

“Those are mine, not yours!” she stomped on the nuts lying on the ground, making sure he didn't get to pick them up. Though he was greatly upset, she had great fun out of it. “Besides, you shouldn’t eat food spoiled by the dirt.”

“They are not spoiled but only got kissed by the ground. Don’t destroy them, please!” Little Lirzod had teary eyes while one of his hands covered his mouth.

After seeing his eyes, she withdrew her foot. Lirzod hurriedly picked up all the nuts that were still intact, another tear streaming down his scarface.

“I-I didn’t mean to make you cry,” Dainty Duera looked worried and tried to help him pick up the nuts. “I’m sorry, but these broken nuts aren’t really wasted. The deer and the squirrels will happily feast on them.”

“I know,” after taking the remaining nuts from her, Little Lirzod rubbed his eyes.

“I’m really sorry,” Dainty Duera apologized again with a deepening worry etching on her face.

“It’s okay,” Little Lirzod blankly stared at her for a moment before bringing his tongue out to tease her. Out of startlement, she didn’t move. He, however, ran away immediately.

“I knew it. That was all an act!” Dainty Duera’s expression warped with embarrassment and anger. “Wait! You… I said wait!” She chased him. “You don’t need to explore the world. When I catch you, I’m gonna kick you out of this world!”

After quite a bit of chasing that also involved a couple of intrigued fawns following them for a bit, she eventually caught up to him after he had stopped in a garden. By the time he finished plucking out a few grapes, she materialized behind him, panting audibly.

"You are here," Little Lirzod turned around and brought his hand forward, trying to offer some grapes, but she squinted her eyes. Waves of anger thrashed her stomach while her eyes scrutinized his expression. "You've expended some energy. Take them, or you will feel weak during the working hours."

"Who wants your grapes!" she tried to swat his hand away, but he pulled his hand back in time and tossed all the grapes in his mouth.

Dainty Duera was still roughly breathing. "My nose is burning. All the powder I've applied is probably gone, too. I'll have to go back home again. All this…” she almost wanted to stomp on her feet, “because of you. Do you know how long it takes to prepare all by myself?"

Just then, Lirzod noticed a butterfly, which landed atop her head.

He chuckled.

"What's so funny?" she fumed.

"Haha, nothing," he responded while his mouth was filled with grapes. He lifted his hand and gently rubbed his fingers on the wings of the butterfly.

"Are you trying to put some grapes on my head?" she swatted his hand away and searched her hair only to find nothing, for the butterfly had already flown away. However, she was convinced. "You... what did you put on my head?"

Little Lrzod then swallowed all the crushed grapes in his mouth before speaking, "You don't have to go to your home again."

"What?"

"Because you don't need to worry about your makeup."

"And why is that? Can't you see that my face and neck are covered in sweat now? I can’t attend dance classes like this. If I miss classes, I won’t ever become a master of dance."

“Don’t worry... I've got color," he lifted his hand and slid his fingers on both of her cheeks. "There... the finishing or enhancement or whatever you may call it. It's done." Her cheeks sparkled orange under sunlight, and it looked as if she was blushing a little even though she actually wasn't. "And it looks cool. You can go to work like this.” He started rubbing his nose. “Thanks to me, you can still become a master of dance one day."

“Is this another one of your silly tricks?" she pulled him closer, parted his eyelids, and used his eye as a mirror. "What did you rub on my face? I can't quite see it. Don't tell me that it's rust or something."

“I already told you. It’s the color I borrowed from someone.”

“Borrowed? How much? A pinch of it? That won’t be enough.”

“No. It looks sufficient and good.”

She paused for a bit. “Even if it does, it won’t last.”

“No,” he adamantly said, “I’ve painted your cheeks with love and care. My love isn’t light enough to be lost like ash to the wind. I’m sure it’ll stay until evening if you don’t rub your hands on your face, certainly if God is real as you always say.”

“Don’t test God. I heard an old lady saying it’s a really stupid thing.”

“Sorry, God. Aw, are you done?" Little Lirzod hurriedly said, "My eye is burning."

She let go of him and was about to rub her cheeks, but she held her hands, startling her. "Don't do that, or the butterfly will hate us."

"Butterfly? What butterfly?" Dainty Duera's eyes quickly enlarged. "Wait, don't tell me you've crushed a caterpillar and rubbed it all over my face?"

"Eh?" he felt a shiver run down his spine, and he immediately let go of her hands. "No, no. That's not what I did."

"No, you did just that," Dainty Duera's blood boiled, and rage set her nostrils ablaze. Just imagining what he would have used, she trembled with abhorrence. "I must set your mind straight, or—" she cracked her knuckles and clenched her fists so hard her knuckles turned white.

"No, wait! I can explain!" said Little Lirzod, but she attempted to punch in his face; however, he evaded her fists. "There are no orange caterpillars, right?"

"Actually, there are orange caterpillars!" Her sharpening gaze sent a shiver down his spine.

“Eh?” His eyes enlarged. “Wait, you can lessen one from the thousand and thirty-two kisses you owe me.”

“Not happening,” she cracked her knuckles, so he immediately tried to run away.

"Don't run," she threatened, wearing a somewhat evil smile, "unless you want to find a new nut-supplier!"

"W-What?" Little Lirzod's feet came to a halt, but when she came to punch him, he moved away.

"Don't dodge!"

"That's not fair!" he made a crying face.

"Life isn't fair, Lirzod!" she stopped herself from raining down fists on his face, but she sported a smile that could cut grass before snatching the remaining nuts in his hands and tossed them in her mouth.

“Eh? Those are mine!” he almost jumped on his toes

“Noz zennmorr,” she replied while crunching on the nuts and putting on a sassy smile.

Coming back to the present, Duera’s heart pounded irregularly, but with each time, it grew heavier. Even her mechanically waving hand was affected by it.

Though it’s only the beginning, I never thought that your bad dream would start to take a form in reality. Duera’s streaming tears only strengthened in their course. Maybe, without me around, you’ll at least learn to control your nutty appetite. She lifted her head and slightly raised her hands toward heaven and prayed. After the prayer finished, she took a deep breath, with assuaged effort. “Please watch over him, Dearest God.”

Primera curled her arm around Duera's shoulders.

A second later, Duera leaned on Primera's shoulder, and her eyes still reflected the disappearing Windy Way.

Standing a couple of feet away from those two, Trirera kept watching Burton until she glanced at Duera. "Is crying worth it?"

Primera looked at Trirera and patted her head. "It is if the relationship matters to you."

Trirera pouted a little. "Young Master Burton matters to me the most. Then why am I not getting any tears?"

"It's difficult to express how one's feeling on the inside through the face. Not everyone can do that,” Primera said. “You do it by staying silent, don't you?"

"I...” she started playing with her fingers, her head tilted down. “The feeling in my heart… it's so complex. Relationship sucks."

"Haha, at times it sucks—at times it rocks. Got it?"

"Got it?” Trirera teasingly glanced at her, although only subtly. “You got his habit as well."

"No. I didn't."

"No. I'm shore of it."

"Not shore. It's sure," Primera pulled her cheek.

"I sea. My bad."

"Did you say 'see’ or ‘sea'?"

"I said 'C.'"

"Playing word games with me, huh..." Primera twisted her cheeks. "You are ten years too early to do that, Little Arrow."

"My zeeks! V’m zwarry!"

The clouds began to rumble, and tiny droplets of rainwater greeted those standing at the shore.

“Rain?”

“Did the explosion cause this change?”

"This stupid weather, it's never good when we take a day off," most of those fishermen in the crowd, however, were disappointed and waved their hands at the clouds, telling them to leave. “Go away.”

To their surprise, the clouds drifted away as they wished, and a soothing melody came from the ship and pleased the ears and eased the hearts of whoever heard it. Even the animals weren’t an exception. The snakes, crabs, fish, starfish, and all the aquatic creatures in the vicinity whirled, twirled, swayed, shook their limbs, spun, and expressed themselves in exuberant styles, seemingly having forgotten the threat they were fleeing from just moments ago. Sharks and pythons also became passive.

“Such wonderful notes,” Primera was impressed. To be able to send the musical waves this far without compromising the quality, her control over ‘outer might’ is even more outstanding than I thought.

“A send-off song just for us? Nice.” Lirzod giggled as he continued waving his hands with added enthusiasm.

“Hurry up, or you’ll fall,” Sariyu went past Lirzod, startling him.

“Wait!” he chased her, and they competed against each other as the melody picked up its tempo and entered the outro.

As they got closer and closer to the ship, Lirzod and Sariyu were busy competing with each other, whereas Burton observed the figurehead of the ship and the words carved on one leg.

“HE WHO HAS NO EGO HAS THE WORLD.”

—DEREUS GARRFINN

Upon reading the words, Burton got a bit lost in thought. The titanic figurehead was of a sculpted lady, which initially seemed to be looking down on mortals now held a different meaning after Burton got a closer look. On her head were human figures hidden in her flowing hair, and at her feet were flaming beasts and many other hideous creatures trying to devour her, and bits of her ankles and feet were missing. The word ‘Jaromare’ was written in an ancient language right below the feet. Burton’s brows knitted. “She’s probably a fictional being, but still, someone who’s extraordinarily strong is protecting the ordinary people at the risk of losing her own life. I guess that’s what makes her extraordinary. Can I ever match that?” He had no definite answer to that question at the time.

Moments later, the three youngsters stepped foot on the ancient-looking wood, and the melody stopped. The staircase, whatever was left, behind them vanished without a trace, and the ship set sail without a moment’s wait. Everybody from their clan still waved goodbye to those three, wearing bright smiles on their faces.

“I’m first.”

“No, I’m first.”

“Didn’t you see? My foot first landed.”

“No, mine did!”

Lirzod and Sariyu passionately argued with each other, and Burton had to come in between them and softly push them away to put an end to their squabble. “I’m first.” Those two words silenced the youngest two among the three.

As the three of them then took a quick look around, they saw dozens of workers dressed in blue, scattered on the open-air area of the deck called Exterior Slice. Some of the workers got the luggage off the horses while the rest stood by the trees.

As the ship distanced itself from the shore, three heads turned around, and their hands waved back at their people. Hope and worry filled the faces of the clan heads. Still, they managed to smile and wave back.

"Let's hope they come back home victorious…" Picazo said aloud, then glanced at the other two clan heads and said in a low voice, “and in oneness.”

“Yeah!” the clan members roared. Their roar reached all the way to those three before the fog in front of them thickened and blinded their view of the shore. The waters roared and sucked all the aquatic creatures at the shore back into the sea, leaving humans in each other’s company.

Silence followed as waters briefly receded.

The three clan heads, though they weren’t looking at each other, still stood in a similar posture with hands placed on their backs, and the same thoughts ran in their minds. Three souls of different ages are going on a journey with the same goal in mind. If they don’t come back as one, whether they have victories on their back or not, they probably won’t make good clan heads. Their fate and of the clan is in their hands.

Almost all the mouths of the clansmen suddenly went silent as their eyes still stared at the sea. The fog and the clouds slowly parted and drifted away, and then all the people on the shore bathed in the first soft and clear rays of sunlight, but that didn’t bring much response from them, not until the roosters far down the south crowed one after another and cast people’s stillness away. Though their departure left a bittersweet hole in some hearts, everyone still hugged each other for having successfully sent the three brightest rays of hope out on a mission.

Picazo looked up at the bluing skies. Will the three rays merge into a bright light, or will they lend their ears to the wind and go their own way like the clouds?

In the meantime, on the ship, three young faces had been staring at the fog. Both Sariyu and Burton had left their town, Helenia, many times before, but this was their first time traveling through a sea route. Moreover, this time, they were unsure of their return. They might never be able to see the faces of their parents, friends, and other clansmen again. That thought alone brought forth sadness from their hearts up into their faces.

Unlike those two who appeared a bit broken-hearted, Lirzod wore a mirthful smile on his face. Hehe, I'm finally free. I'm no longer a young master of a clan. Now, I can see for real if I got what it takes to get into a maiden’s heart with my character and not by my background. My real adventure, my real struggle for love, starts now. He resolutely clenched his fists. Father, Mother, I will not forget about our clan and its needs. Becoming a member of the Shambala Sect is also one of my top priorities now. I will do my best to help our clan gain face. "Hmm?" he glanced at the other two, who looked relatively saddened. Huhu, are these silly billies getting emotional? And here I thought I’m a pretty soft-hearted fellow.

"I didn't know that only a hundred kilos of luggage were allowed," Sariyu sighed with some level of disappointment packed in her face. "More than ninety percent of it was left behind."

"You were worried about that?" Lirzod was startled. "Just what kind of things did you store in them?"

"You shouldn't question a woman in that regard," Sariyu put her index finger on her mouth.

“Okay. What kind of things did the bags let you store in them?” Lirzod asked, jerking his brows up and down.

“Inmi. Oumi. Fumi.” Sariyu showed three of her fingers. “Choose the type of pain you want to be put through.”

“None,” Lirzod shook his head, blocking the space between them with his hands. “Besides, you aren’t capable of using—”

"You three! Enough chattering, and get going!" one of the workers standing nearby the horses put his husky throat to work. With his unblinking stare and semi-opened mouth, he always looked like someone who just woke up from a nightmare. "You shouldn't stay here for long."

"Huh?" Lirzod turned to the fat man with gray hair who just spoke. “Why is that? Do those horses’ farts and poop smell so bad that we won’t survive if we stay here for long?”

"Don't ask questions, and just go," the fat man—with an oily face, the cheeks of a pig, and a stomach that always had multiple meals at a time—ignored Lirzod’s words and looked at a few other men and nodded before looking back at Lirzod. "These three will bring you to your rooms. You can ask them anything regarding the trip."

"Okay, but what do you mean we can’t ask questions?" Lirzod raised his eyebrows. "You think you're my father? Or, are you the captain of this ship?” he asked, but there was no reply. “Why aren't you saying anything, man? Is this ship some kind of prison?" he looked around, and tens of varieties of trees caught his eyes. “Those are some strange trees. Some have beautiful curves, but some look just like your face.”

“What?”

“Yeah, you and some of these trees have a striking similarity. You also look like someone who mainly eats food to stay alive,” Lirzod said, causing the fat man to grit his teeth. “Am I wrong?”

"Lirzod!" Sariyu twisted his ear and pulled his head closer. "Stop running your drainage of a mouth. We are not in our town anymore, so keep that in mind!"

"Y-Yes," Lirzod hurriedly said, and only then, she let go of his ear.

Sariyu then slightly bowed and also pushed Lirzod’s head down as well, as they faced the fat man. “Please don’t mind him, sir. Sometimes he talks with his foot in his mouth. I apologize in his stead.”

The fat man indifferently snorted.

"I’m sorry if I was rude,” Lirzod raised his head and so did Sariyu, “but still, telling us to not ask questions without giving an explanation is silly.” He looked in the fat man's direction and sniffed once. "Also, you smell strange, mister. Are you hiding a dead rat in your dress or something?"

"If you don't like how I smell, then that's your problem, and you have to bear with it, just like how I bear the fact that most lasses don’t give me a second glance, but I’m still looking forward to marrying one anyway," the fat man sharply blew air through his nose while briefly looking at Sariyu. His gaze soon shifted back to Lirzod. "I’ve seen countless idiotic children more unruly than my hair straight out of bed, so don’t you dare talk to me that way again.” A second of silence followed. “Anyway, once the ship has started sailing, you can’t stay here, in this Exterior Slice, for more than one fiif[2]. So get going quickly, or I’ll be forced to escort your sorry asses, dingleberries.” He paused for a moment while putting up a poker face. “Now, if you excuse me, my work here is done." He then walked away as if nothing happened. I bought a ragron only yesterday but had to waste time receiving people like these instead of improvising it. Curse my luck. As he was leaving, he glanced back over his shoulder at Lirzod and his two clan members. These fools boarded the ship only today, yet they think they are hot stuff? I can’t wait to see them get clubbed in the coming days, especially that wild lad. I hope he crosses paths with Geragorn.

"That fatty..." Lirzod twitched. “I hope he hits his foot and falls flat on his face. A bump on the head or a broken nose would be a bonus.”

"Why are you getting worked up when you were the one in the wrong?" Burton snorted.

"I wasn’t, Big Brother," Lirzod snorted back as well.

"I've had enough suffocation for the day," Sariyu put her palm over the forehead. "I need to go and get some sleep first." She was about to step forward.

A woosh followed by a soft sound came from behind, causing those three to turn back. Their eyes enlarged in bafflement as they lay on the figure that stood in front of them. Their daze deepened when that loose-limbed person pulled the white hood back, exposing her face in full.

Without a worry, Lirzod witnessed her grandeur, his mouth agape in incredulity.

Beauty didn't only come in shiny looks. It came in many ways, from how one showed compassion and kindness toward those that deserved it or not, from how one used their intelligence to achieve great things, from how one used their elegance to handle the hurdles to how one used their confidence to walk through the hurdles they faced.

If a girl didn't just have an external beauty, but also many other aspects like the ones mentioned above, then her beauty would also multiply with her. Such was the case with the woman those three had their eyes set on.

Those slender eyebrows of simplicity, velvety eyelashes of appeal, ebony-black hair of haleness, rapture-blue eyes of rightness, dainty nose of deer, rubescent bow-like lips, nitid oyster-white teeth, non-sculptable nymphic ears, swan's neck, and the imp-thin yet shapely body under the seemingly speckless cloth—transmuted Lirzod's mind into thinking he was born just for this moment, just for watching an admirable wonder.

Nothing he ever saw was as abstruse as the look of this woman. He had seen some magic shows, but all the tricks of those magicians paled in front of her subtle smile—which seemed slier than a fox's, yet veritable like that of a mother—an immeasurable wealth. The raw effervescence that oozed out of her countenance before she even spoke a word was too much for Lirzod's wee-little heart to bear. His eyes didn't miss a single gesture made by her—be it the motion of her braid whose spools plunged her picturesque visage, the movements of her pupils, the flight of her hands, or the sparkles on her skin—every single one of those filled his chest and brought redness onto his face. All of it made him want to go mad, but he didn't dare look away, fearing that he'd come out of the spell that her God-given prettiness and self-earned beauty put on him. All in all, he was thoroughly satisfied—madly even, for that willowy woman was, without a doubt, nothing short in greatness than the woman of his dreams.

W-What is this scent? It’s so strong, yet I can’t fully grasp it. It’s as if she’s a mixture of things. Lirzod stepped back in astonishment—not just from how she smelled but much more. And what cuteness! Knowing many wonders of the world, marked by life or not, is one of the main reasons for my journey, but I didn't think my wish of meeting a living wonder would be fulfilled so soon. Lirzod was in so much joy that he put up the expression of a blissful baboon. Mother, Father... If she’s an attentive soul, I might have found my life's goal. I might have found your daughter-in-law!

"You must be Sariyu," the blue-eyed woman looked at Sariyu. Her voice was so pleasant to Lirzod’s ears like the sound of cashews falling in a fruit juice. The waves of her voice traveled smoother than the ripples produced in the fruit juice. It gave an eargasm to the innocent little boy.

"Yes, I am. And you are..."

"I'm Stussy. Stussy Junksman." She said and then glanced at Lirzod. "You must be Burton."

It took Lirzod a couple of seconds to force his throat into gulping all the air gathered in his mouth. "Yes, yes," Lirzod nodded in haste.

"Hey," Burton weirdly stared at Lirzod.

Lirzod, who was smiling brightly, suddenly was startled. "Che, what? No! I'm not Burton. I'm Lirzod. Fourteen years old. I’m good at eating nuts and any food with nut toppings. I can do mimicry a little bit. I can sing and dance, too, though I’m still learning. And—these two are my followers."

“Uh…” Stussy didn’t know what to say.

“We are your followers?” Sariyu snorted and folded her arms. “Stop dreaming.” Afterward, she murmured. “And drooling as well.”

“I’m not dreaming. I’m living! L-I-V-I-N-G. Living.” Lirzod’s words were like mud oozing out of a hot spring. “And I will not fall until I meet a billion beauties from a million places! Hahaha, there’s no such thing as a coincidence in the world. So this meeting may very well have some significance in speeding up in fulfilling my fate. Still, I must say I didn’t think I’d meet a solid soul, who can take my hand in marriage, with the first one itself. Ahem, I should calm down.” He turned to Stussy and put his hand forward, "N-Nice to meet you, Ms. Stussy." As he was looking at her, his face was filled with happiness. She’s as pretty as Primera as far as looks are concerned. I wonder how Primera would have reacted if she were here.

"So you are Lirzod," Stussy glanced at his hand and smiled before turning to Burton, "then, you must be Burton."

"Yes," Burton said and glanced sideways, not wanting to make prolonged eye contact with her.

"You two seem to be fine, but.." she turned her head back to Lirzod. "You look a bit young, younger than the number you’ve mentioned."

Lirzod forgot to answer her and ended up losing his senses thanks to staring into her eyes, but a snap of her finger brought him back to the world. "W-What's wrong?" Lirzod looked around, readying himself to fight. "Did someone dared to tease you? Where's that fool? Let me face him."

Stussy furrowed her brows. Does he have a screw loose in the head?

Sariyu sighed and lowered her head in embarrassment.

"No one's teasing anybody," Stussy calmly replied, sporting a faint smile. "I just asked if you feel old enough to take the sect test."

"O-Oh, so no one's teasing you?" Lirzod was startled. So that was a dream just now. "Thank goodness. But if anybody teases you, just call me, okay?" he excitedly said.

Stussy just stared at him with a blank face.

That Idiot should stop having his head in the clouds. Burton somewhat frowned. He should at least be able to tell by her voice that she's the one who spoke to us from the ship while we were at the shore. Was it too hard for him to recognize that? Right now, she’s handling him with kid gloves, but if he keeps this puppy love up, she’ll drop the gloves, and he'll get himself slapped silly. Having said that, in a way, I’d also want to see how long he’ll manage to stand his ground against her. My prediction would be that he’ll fall in a second or maybe two.

"Why don't you just answer my question?" Stussy said, stressing her words a little bit, but her expression showed not a sliver of hostility. “Do you feel old enough to take the sect test?”

"I didn't answer your question? My bad,” Lirzod blinked a few times. “How can I not answer a question asked by the first person I met on this journey?"

Sariyu murmured with a not-so-surprised look, “He just erased that stout person from his mind.”

Lirzod took a deep breath and made his chest as big as he could. "I’m glad that you’re worried about me. I wasn’t testing the waters or anything, but you are a good woman. The answer to Ms. Stussy’s question is—a man may be safe at home, but that's not what he's born for."

"So, you consider yourself a man,” she squinted her eyes a little. “Then what about women? What do you think they are born for?"

All the air in Lirzod's chest escaped out ten times as fast as it entered before. "Um, w-well... I’m not a woman, but why not? Women, too, if they feel like it."

Stussy stepped in, raising her brows a little. "I was expecting a lecture. Can’t say I’m not surprised."

"I..." Lirzod was unable to think straight as her scent forced its way into his nostrils and jolted awake all of the nerve cells in his brain. “Are you married?”

Stussy narrowed her eyes upon sensing the expectancy in his voice. Such an unreserved youth. She replied in a neutral tone, "Do you think someone with not even a hair grown over their lips to show for a mustache can commit themselves to married life?”

Sariyu signaled Lirzod from the side to shake his head.

"Maybe?" Lirzod hesitantly glanced at Stussy. “Are you talking about me, or you?”

Stussy narrowed her eyes further and stepped forward, leaving only a couple of feet between them.

Lirzod suddenly started hearing his own heartbeat, for his love muscle throbbed wilder than it ever did in recent times. I-Is she coming for a kiss?

...........................................

[1] Puchuk: A nickname Lirzod used for Duera, especially when they both were kids because she had often used this word.

[2] Fiif: A span of five minutes.