Caela was still in shock looking at the man beside him. She shook her head slightly.
"It's nothing," said Caela.
"Hmm… your expression is quite something. This is the first time someone's looked at me like that," the man rested his chin on the table and looked at Caela with a sly smile.
"Sorry, you reminded me of someone," Caela tried to look forward and avoid eye contact with him.
"Really? Usually, women who see me for the first time blush and get all nervous," he replied.
Caela just sighed, not wanting to respond to the man she assumed was flirting.
"Hey, Lord Fae, what will it be today?" the bartender asked, clearly familiar with the man.
"The usual," he said.
"Got it!" the bartender replied.
Caela secretly observed the man's every move. The bartender had called him "Lord," which made her think he must be someone important, even though he dressed like an ordinary person—black pants, black shoes, and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His arms were covered in unusual tattoos with neat patterns. Caela studied him suspiciously.
"Fae…" she muttered.
"Yes, that's me," said the man, smiling toward the bartender.
Caela turned her gaze back to him, still observing. "Where are you from?"
"Are you flirting with me?" Fae teased.
"No, I'm just asking," Caela replied curtly.
Fae laughed sarcastically. There was a brief pause in their conversation. Caela's eyes remained fixed on Fae with suspicion—the same crimson eyes as Rieva's, making her even more curious. Her gaze didn't falter even when the bartender placed a glass in front of Fae. Fae noticed Caela's intense stare, sighed slightly, rested his chin again, and looked at her.
"Why do you want to know?"asked Fae.
"None of your business, I just want to know where you're from," Caela said.
Fae shrugged, still smiling. He took a sip of his drink, then glanced at Caela again. "You're an interesting woman. I know you're into me, just admit it~" Fae teased.
Caela was annoyed and turned her face away. They stayed silent for about five minutes. Fae enjoyed his drink, then exhaled contentedly and looked at Caela again.
"Still curious about where I'm from?" he asked.
Caela only stared at him sharply.
Fae chuckled. "But I wasn't lying when I said you're elegant," he added.
Caela remained silent and turned away again, thinking this was a waste of time.
"An elegant woman with a stubborn streak," Fae teased again.
"Whatever…" Caela muttered.
"What's your name?" Fae asked.
Caela stayed silent.
"Oh, playing hard to get, huh?" Fae mocked.
Caela is still silent, though clearly irritated.
Fae extended his hand to Caela and smiled. "Alright, let's do this properly. I'm Fae, from the city of Stonebridge."
Caela turned to him, scanning him from head to toe. Stonebridge? A nearby city. If she remembered correctly, it was where the Temple of the Earth God originated. And the bartender had called him "Lord."
"Caela," she answered shortly, and didn't reply to his hand shake.
"Caela, what a sweet name. Where are you from?" he asked.
"Tevira."
"Tevira?" Fae raised an eyebrow.
"It's a village."
Fae nodded, still smiling. "I know, but you don't seem like a village girl."
"... Well, I live in Riverbend now," Caela added, suddenly feeling a little nervous.
"Hmm… Riverbend… What do you do in Riverbend?"
Caela paused for a moment and looked away. "I'm a Host."
Fae's eyes widened in surprise. "Seriously?"
Caela nodded, then looked away again.
Fae grinned and leaned toward her, unbothered by invading her personal space. "Amazing. So I've met the Host of the Water God, Varuna, here downing a sea salt mocktail in one gulp."
Caela looked at him, surprised. She moved away a bit. She didn't want to be too close to this man and furrowed her brow. "Could you back up a little?"
Fae kept smiling and spoke in a softer tone. "Do you believe in the old myths?" he asked.
Caela looked at him in confusion. Once again, she had to act clueless, as if she wasn't a true Host—a belief now considered heretical. Her nerves started to build, unsure if it was because of Fae's proximity or the question itself.
"W-What myth…?" Caela asked, her voice slightly trembling.
Fae slowly leaned in to whisper in her ear, "... The tide has changed. But the storm has yet to come. Let the storm come… Then the gods will return to the universe."
Caela's eyes widened. Suddenly, she remembered—that was the voice of the gods, the one that had echoed in her mind and haunted her dreams for the whole time
***.