Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Through the cobbles and stones, moss grew and took hold of the city's paths. Every morning the honeydew glistened brightly through the streets and the hint of fresh water running through reinvigorated tired lungs with a fresh breath of life. From houses of logs, palm leaves and the likes; smoke rose high with a hint of cinnamon and freshly baked dough. Moving through those rush of such pleasant scents in canoes, Raven and his party could hear their bellies rumble.

"Want something to eat?" leaning back with her legs paddling from the side of the canoe, Mercedes pushed her head into Raven's chest and stared up into his eyes. "Then let there be cupcakes!"

As Raven gently pushed her back forward, the hysteric merchant stretched her sceptre to the edge of the canal with a lone coil of silver resting on top. Right as the canoe passed under a bridge, a woman amongst many standing above it, pursed it with a butterfly net and rushing to the other end, dropped a paper basket full of treats in the lap of the merchant.

Reaching into the basket and twirling her fingers through the sweets–mostly cupcakes and hardened candy, Mercedes worked her fairy magic and a couple of translucent pixies emerged and began carrying the sweets to everyone else. However, stopping the last of the fairy by her wing, she plucked a candy off of her hands and popped it between her lips.

Throwing the basket away, she surprised everyone for a moment, but to their surprise, a half-mermaid emerged from the waters and put the trash in a basket that she was carrying on her back.

"That's…" Turning his head back to the woman playing with the candy in her mouth, Raven almost held back on his words. "Nifty, I guess."

"You haven't seen anything," leaning back and pushing the top of her head against his chest again, she popped the red candy out of her mouth. "This town's more than just moss deep, but you have the best guide to the place so don't worry, I'll show you everything you can~"

Offering the candy to Raven, she tried to not so secretly flirt with him, but before the mage could even process that fact, Regalia reached from the sides and threw the candy into the river. Staring at the merchant with rage bubbling in her eyes, she pushed Mercedes's head away from Raven's chest and that too far more aggressively than the mage had before.

"EY!" Turning around in the canoe to complain, she was met with the reddened sights of the women sitting behind Raven. Retreating a little with a gulp and awkwardness taking over her expression, Mercedes shook her head and let the matter go for the moment. "Whatever, just enjoy the view until we get to the inn."

As she straightened her act, the most revealed of them all was the man rowing the canoe. Behind him, two more men were rowing another pair of boats, all filled with the members of the same group. Having to partition into twos, one with the merchant, Raven and Regalia, and the other two split between Erika, Mel, Aria, and Maria, on one boat and Liliyana, Amedith, Moxy, and Choux on the other–the group was traveling close yet separately and that warranted caution.

Even so, the beauty of the lush green land which was unlike anything in Athenia, the party couldn't help but marvel at the city of joys. Walled at the front of the climb by a tall mountain range that separated the city from the rest of the continent, the view was picturesque yet terrifying. A natural formation, isolated yet flourishing–there was something divine about the thought, especially since that greenery was much more subtle than Athenia as it existed in the form of well-combed moss.

Shivering even beyond death, the spirit could feel the cold and so could the rest of the party. However, the clothes from the Red Madame were making them much warmer than they otherwise would've been.

"We never traded so far, I didn't even know there were cities like these on Atlaris…" Maria whispered to the other girls on the canoe.

"You did cheat your way into the royal family so that should explain it," said Erika, her eyes flashing red for a passing moment.

Instantly glaring at the back of the priestess, Maria wanted to punch the devil in her as she knew that only Asmodia could be so insensitive about that topic–especially since she'd tried to kill herself over it.

"I would say see you in hell if I had a soul, but a fuck you have to do I guess…" Angrily rolling her eyes and looking away, Maria brought the cupcake she'd been handed by the fairy and began to eat it.

Her eyes turned to the canoe to their left, she noticed Choux staring back at her while she ate and hesitantly began eating the cake as well. At first, she was unsure because no one had touched it even though her heart wanted something sweet.

'I remember Tia being so small and hesitant.' A smile crossed her lips for a moment only to be washed away by the thought that her son didn't want her anywhere close to the rest of her family. 'That reminds me.' Read exclusive adventures at empire

Turning her attention to the front of the canoes, she looked at Raven and was reminded of a promise.

"You were gonna marry my daughter!" She yelled out of nowhere and even threw the cupcake at his back.

"What? Where did that come from?!" Quickly turning his head around, Raven was just as baffled as the rest, but now that their eyes were locked with her Maria refused to elaborate and simply looked away.

'Shit…' However, the mention of Maria's daughter, reminded Raven yet again of everyone he'd had neglected back in Athenia and without a doubt on his return…'I'm gonna get an earful, aren't I?'

Just as that thought crossed his mind, the canoes stopped and Mercedes had an announcement to make.

"We're here!" She exclaimed, but upon looking up and to the side, the only thing in front of them was a shambling building with flies.

"Not again!" Squeaked the sister elves, both tired of staying in a shambling building for an inn. Everyone felt the same, but as Mercedes, their guide, got off to the cobbles, the party knew they were about to be forced to at least check out the inn.

"Last to hop off the boats pays the bills!" Saying those words with a raised sceptre, Mercerde rushed everyone off as it was time to check-in.