At the same time when Alex entered the deserted alley, at The Moonlight Inn, in the kitchen Gracier was wearing a tablier, hair tied in French braids style, she was helping Ms. Lana cook.
On the other side, Lea was busy serving with another waitress.
''Thank you Gracier and sorry to ask you to help me out when you must be tired after your training. Sigh! Still hasn't come back yet your big brother? I hope he's doing fine.'' Ms. Lana said worriedly.
Waving her hands, Gracier told her not to worry.
''Big brother is fine. He's already coming back. He said he has something to take care of, that he is going to be late.''
Indeed Alex had informed her of his tardiness.
''That's good to know. You should take a break.'' Ms. Lana said before getting back to work.
Gracier nodded her head and went outside through the backyard.
The starry night above was beautiful as usual. There were lighter patches, clusters of faint and bold light, the constellations altered according to the time of year. These were the same stars that greeted the ancients, the same ones that would be there in millions of years like the guardians of time. Gracier sat back against the cool wood of the bench outside and slowly got lost in thought as she admired the stars twinkling in the night sky.
She was remembering what happened in those three days, about her so said training.
Talking about training, well more like subjugation, Gracier couldn't help but smile thinking about how it's happened.
*Flashback
It happened the day Alex left, after her Big brother left Gracier also went to the Guild. Exchanging few jokes with Leena who by the way noticed Gracier started to call her directly by her name, she did not mind because she had guessed the reason why Gracier was doing this. She also noticed the subtle change in Gracier's body, others may have not noticed it, but she was different, she did notice it and it was not hard to guess that it was somehow related to Alex.
She would confirm her guess once seeing Alex. Talking about the boy, it seems he went on some errands alone, probably to use the Wyvern's heart, Leena couldn't wait and see what changes he will go through. What surprise he would bring because the boy was full of surprise.
Suddenly, Leena was brought out of her stupor by Gracier.
''I'm going to take a request to slain goblins to train. So, I'll be going, see you soon Leena, and don't worry I'll let you Big brother know that you ask how he is doing.'' Gracier stood up after taking a goblins subjugation request.
''Okay, be prudent. Don't overdo it.'' Leena advised her.
''Roger.''
Gracier said before leaving the Guild, once outside she spotted Eleonora, that plain looking girl that like to harass her Big brother. The corners of her mouth lifted into a smile as she came up with a plan.
After enacting the said plan in her mind, she took another direction, and coincidentally the direction she took crossed with the one the girl was taking, so undoubtedly they would cross paths.
Indeed they did, Gracier acted surprised.
''Sorry, do excuse me to have bumped into you. Oh? Isn't Big sister Eleonora?'' Gracier asked after apologizing.
'Big sister? Since when did I become your Big sister?' Eleonora thought however she did not show it on her face.
Smiling Eleonora asked, ''Isn't it Alex's sister?''
''Indeed, it's me.''
''I see and where is your, Big brother? Usually, you two are together.'' Eleonora asked after not noticing that Gracier was all alone, without her Big brother in the vicinity.
''Oh? Big brother. He went running some errands. As for me, I decided to tour the city.''
Gracier explained and continued walking beside Eleonora.
''That good. I'm going to accomplish a request. See you around.'' Eleonora said before going in another direction.
''See you,'' Gracier said before going in another direction.
However, soon coincidentally she encounters Eleonora again, and even if the latter was a nitwit she would have known that something was amiss.
Eleonora stayed silent and continued walking with Gracier beside her, they continued walking for few streets until she was forced to ask.
''I thought you said you were going on a city tour?''
''I do.''
''Then why are you following me?''
''I dunno what you're talking about,'' Gracier says, acting innocently.
Eleonora's lips twitched, she stopped and asked, ''Forget it. Say, what do you want?
Gracier beamed before explaining she wants to follow her to kill some monsters and while at the same time hones her skills.
Eleonora considered it for a moment before deciding to take Gracier with her. Like this, she would takes advantage of the girl to obtain some information on her Big brother in whom she was interested and besides it will only be today, tomorrow she can concentrate on her original goal. She thought.
''Okay, I accept. Let's go.''
''Thanks, Big sister Eleonora.''
''No need for thanks. I'm only helping you today.'' Eleonora made it known she was only planning to help her only for today.
Gracier only smiled, Eleonora mistook it for her agreeing to her condition.
Oh! How wrong she was.
And soon she will come to learn this fact.
The next day, Eleonora once again coincidentally meet with Gracier. The latter innocently forced her to help her. Sighing Eleonora helped Gracier because yesterday she did not manage to gain anything from the little girl. Maybe today was going to be different. She thought.
Unfortunately, she still did not manage to get anything useful except for Gracier all the time praising how wonderful and exceptional her Big brother was without telling her what he had done to be so exceptional in the girl's eyes.
At the end of the second day, Eleonora thought it would be the end, however, the next day she still coincidentally encounters Gracier.
''Hello, Big sister Eleonora. What a coincidence.'' Gracier said with an innocent smile.
'Coincidence my foot. You were clearly waiting for me here. I have even changed route, yet I still coincidentally meet you and you are saying it's coincidental, if it's then I'm the reincarnated Goddess of Demon.' Eleonora thought inwardly while outwardly she maintains her smiling face, however, those who knew her would have seen that her smile was forced.
Even Gracier took notice of this, however, she acted as if she had not seen anything.
'Big brother said your face must be thicker than anything when you are taking advantage of someone more than you should.' Gracier thought.
Eleonora heaved a sigh before deciding to help the little girl farm some XP. After three days she comes to learn that the girl was not innocent, nor she's naïve as she tried to portray. She was really shameless and cunning.
At the end of the third day just before Alex came back and encounter Sera, the two decided to stop.
And before separating Gracier sightly bowed her head to thank Eleonora who smiled happily hearing the first words, however, Gracier's last words made her lips twitch.
''Thank you for the help today as well. You've been a lifesaver. I can't thank you enough. Well, good evening, and who knows we may coincidentally meet tomorrow as well.''
'No more. This girl is too shameless.' Eleonora thought before disappeared as if running away, leaving a dumbfounded Gracier behind.
Shaking her head Gracier murmured, ''To think Big sister Eleonora is this shy.''
She smiled, her gain in these three was not small, her Big brother will proud of her achievement. She thought.
Meanwhile, in another dimension entirely made of flame a beautiful woman was watching all days along what happened, and hearing Gracier's words she smiled, ''My child is sure interesting.''
End of Flashback*
Back to the current world, Gracier's location.
After remembering what happened, Gracier smile widened and she said a little bit dejected.
''Sigh! Big brother said he's coming back today. What a shame. If not I would have encountered Big sister Eleonora accidentally again and generous as she is, she would have helped me train, helped me gain few levels.''
[Shameless] Ignia who was in her dimension made of flame couldn't help but blurt out after hearing Gracier innocently say this.
If Sera and Silveria were here and learned what happened, they would have smiled bitterly while thinking,
'Indeed, shamelessness is in the blood.'