Magi: The Adventure to the Southeast [REMASTERED]

✩7. A Spark of Rivalry

The crowd slowly dispersed as the villagers decided to resume their activities.

Ardhi cleared his throat. "I was just thinking about serving our guests Qadar's specialty! What do you think, Eve?" He said to Eve while gesturing at the Sindrians.

Eve stared at him with her emerald eyes. "Why? You could cook better than me." she smiled teasingly at him.

"Please?" Ardhi gave her his best smile.

Eve giggled. "Fine. In the meantime, bring our guests along to take a bath with you. You smell like the sun." She frowned as she placed her hands on her hips. Ardhi nervously rubbed the back of his head, then he could felt Eve suddenly pecked his cheek. As his face lit up with a shade of red, Eve turned to Sinbad and Ja'far.

"Sin-san and Ja'far-san, wasn't it? Please enjoy your stay at Qadar." she smiled at them before waving them a goodbye. The three of them smiled back as she left.

"Say Ardhi, how old are you?"

Ardhi blinked and turned to look at Sinbad. "Twenty five. Why?"

Sinbad slowly looked down. "I see, so you are indeed younger than me..." He muttered to himself. "...then starting from now, you will have to call me Sin-san!" He suddenly pointed at Ardhi then quickly turned and walked away.

Ardhi just stared dumbfoundedly at Sinbad's back. "Huh? What does that mean? Hey Sin, where are you going!" He called Sinbad. He then turned to Ja'far who was standing behind him. "Sorry Ja'far-kun, but could you park the caravan beside those date trees over there? We'll be back later, thanks!" Without waiting for a response Ardhi quickly turned and ran after Sinbad.

"...sure, I'll do that." Ja'far slowly said as Ardhi ran away in hurry. After he had lost sight of Ardhi, he did as what he was told, bidding a small goodbye to Shafa before she left him.

While waiting for Sinbad and Ardhi's return, Ja'far carefully observed his surroundings. He noticed all of the houses there were made from white brick and shaped like a dome, except one big house that stood firmly just a few meters away from the place he stood. That house was shaped like a block, though it had a big blue dome on the center of its roof. It had also blue four smaller domes on each corner of the flat roof, and they each had a golden star ornament atop of them. The biggest dome had a large brilliant silver crescent moon ornament on it. From the looks of it, Ja'far guessed it had to be the chief's residence, meaning Ardhi's house.

"Ja'far-san? Are Nii and Sinbad-san not here yet?" A familiar female voice called him. Ja'far turned and found Shafa was staring at him. She was bringing along a plaited basket with her.

"Yes," he curtly replied with a shrug. "It's been quite some time but they still haven't showed up."

"I see, they will probably return a few minutes again."

Ja'far looked at her and returned her smile. "Yeah, I hope you're right."

Shafa looked a little flustered by his warm gesture. "Well then Ja'far-san, I will be going ahead, then."

"Yes, take care." Ja'far said, watching as Shafa bowed and walked away.

"Hey, Ja'far-kun." another voice called him from his back.

He turned and saw Ardhi was standing there. "Ardhi-san, you are back. Where is Sin?" He looked around for any sign of the violet-haired man.

Ardhi blinked. "Huh? He isn't here?"

"But I thought you were going after him!"

Ardhi laughed in response. "Easy, Ja'far-kun. I was just messing with you," he gave the younger man a small smile. "Thanks, by the way. Now come with me." He said before turning back. Ja'far slowly nodded and walked beside Ardhi without saying anything.