Honō Hantā

It was the seventh month of the Aether year 1308. It was a warm morning in the city of Echilia at the Sterling manor on gear street, when Honō Hantā got out of his bed and prepared for the day by getting dressed in his usual attire of a white long sleeved shirt, black trousers, coat with short sleeves that only reach his elbows and a black belt with a silver buckle that’s covered by his shirt.

Once he was dressed, he walked over to his bed side locker and picked up his gold star shaped pendant which his late parents gave him before their passing. After placing the gold pendant around his neck, he walked to the window that looked over the front garden of the manor and pulled open the curtains that covered it.

Swoooshhh

When Honō pulled the curtains open the bright sunlight began to flood the room causing him to close his bright blue eyes in response to the sudden light. After leaving his room Honō began to make the journey to the manor’s kitchen and dining room which were interconnected with each other.

………

Once he arrived at the kitchen, he saw his good friend and current owner of the Manor Klein Sterling, who was sitting at the dining room table reading the Echilia Times newspaper as he ate his breakfast of toasted brown bread with butter and avocado spread across it.

Klein being the owner of the manor and Honō’s good friend had been letting Honō stay in the manor for the time being till he was able to buy his own house. As Honō looked at Klein saw he was wearing black trousers and a white shirt with a black waistcoat covered in gold flower like accents befitting for a member of a noble family like the Sterlings.

“Morning Klein” waved Honō as he walked over to the countertop of the kitchen side of the large open room.

“Oh, morning Honō. You sleep well?” Asked Klein as he lowered his newspaper before picking up his toast with avocado spread and taking a bite out of the corner of it.

“I slept good how come you ask?” Yawned Honō while filling the electronic kettle with water from the tap.

“I ask because you still look like you’re asleep which is unlike you” chuckled the young noble after swallowing his bite of toast and avocado.

“Ya, sure you know yourself how much more work we have at the guild with the increase of Aether beast attacks coming from the great forest at the Mithhar border” answered Honō as he boiled the electric kettle and began taking out two cups and silver spoons from the press under the countertop.

“Fair point all the extra missions we’ve been having sure do wear a person out” exclaimed Klein as he folded up his newspaper.

“I assumed you wanted coffee” spoke Honō as he made his way to the dining table and placed the second cup of coffee he had made down beside where Klein was sitting before sitting down himself across from his noble friend.

“Thanks, your coffees surpass any I’ve ever tasted” praised Klein as he picked up the cup of coffee and took a sip, savouring every drop of the divine liquid.

“What can I say, you can learn a thing or two from watching the great butler of the Sterling family. Where is James anyway?” Questioned Honō as he placed his own cup of coffee down in front of himself.

“James? He on vacation this week remember” replied Klein confused to how Honō had only noticed Jame’s absence.

“Really? The late nights must be getting to me” exclaimed Honō as he ran his hand through his messy black hair.

After a moment, the two men began to laugh before continuing their coffees in silence for a few minutes before Klein’s phone got a notification.

… BEEPP

Once the notification rang out, Klein took out the phone from his black trousers rear right pocket and stared at the screen reading the notification banner before bursting out laughing

“Honō, Kaitlyn is after texting me to let us know our good friend Midas is after gambling all his wages away again and Sue is now eating his ear of for it in the middle of the reception of the guild”

“When will Midas learn his lesson?"Asked Honō rhetorically as he sighed before drinking the rest of his coffee and asking Klein a question.

“So how are things going between you and Kaitlyn anyway?”

“Huh … uh good, I guess? Unusual for you to ask me how my relationships are” replied Klein a bit took back by the sudden question.

“So how come you’re so interested in my relationship now you finally think you found someone?”

“Me? No, no one yet I have no time for that kind of stuff like you do sure” returned Honō dismissing Klein’s question.

“Really what about Witz? Sure, you don’t gotta shot there?” Joked Klein before sipping and savouring more of his coffee.

“You well? you know better than anyone else Klein that I see Witz as a little sister” exclaimed Honō annoyed at even the thought of it.

“Ya, ya I know. How about Sue then?” Suggested Klein as he placed his coffee back down on the table.

“And be yelled at like Midas? No thanks” replied Honō in low chuckle.

“I need to get a house for myself first before I can get a girl, you know Klein?”

“Fair point I won’t argue with that but how is that house hunting even going?” Klein asked genuinely curious on how it was going.

“It’s going ok there’s a nice two-story Tudor style house I’m looking at, at the end of cog wheel road” announced Honō happy with the now changed topic of conversation.

“Huh Cog wheel road that’s only ten minutes from here and roughly half an hour from the guild so it’s convenient enough for you anyway” spoke Klein deep in thought.

“Yes, and it’s in a quiet part of the road as well” agreed Honō proud of the gem of a house he had discovered.

“Nice job finding it how much is it going for?” Asked Klein now thinking this house could be too good to be true for Honō.

“It’s uhh …. 350 gold” revealed Honō in a low voice as Klein took another sip of his coffee.

“350 gold! Honō that is nearly 100 gold over what you said you were looking for” exclaimed Klein in shock almost spitting out the coffee he had just sipped.

“I know, I know but I have 200 gold saved up already plus we are all currently on an increase pay due to the increasing amount of missions we’ve been going on recently I would only need another year to save up the money” explained Honō trying to convince Klein of the house.

“You really expect the current number of aether beast attacks to stay this high? Once we get back to the norm our increased pay ends meaning it would take roughly a year and a half with minimal spending” argued Klein bringing reason into the discussion.

“Well, you could ask Midas to make you the remaining gold with his aether”

“No way, using gold made by Midas is too fraudulent and scammy for my tastes” joked Honō waving his hand at Klein to dismiss the idea.

The two men continued to talk between each other about trivial matters until Honō received a notification on his own phone.

… BEEPP

After receiving the notification, Honō took out his old phone of 7 years and read the notification banner. It was from Polly Mer the deputy leader of the Meka guild in which both Honō and Klein worked at.

“Sigh … it’s seeming like I have another mission and need to head in for the mission brief at 10” Honō sighed again before standing up.

“It’s nine thirty now so I may head if I want to be at the mission brief on time”

“Fair enough but will you do me a favour while you’re at the guild?” Asked the noble with a smile.

“Would you drop this rose into Kaitlyn when you go through the reception”

As Klein made his request, he made a rose using his aether. It was a beautiful red vibrant rose with a singular green leaf on its long thorny stem.

“Sure, I’ll text you if Midas survived his sister's wrath” joked Honō as he walked over to Klein and took the rose from Klein.

“Thanks” laughed Klein as Honō walked out of the room.