The Grounds Keeper

Chapter 18 - A Night of Love and Regret

Chapter 18 - A Night of Love and Regret:

They sighed in awe, watching tiny birds of luminous light flutter through the air, casting a soft glow over the campus grounds that stretched for miles around the main square. Eathon recognized the place from his first day—the site of Tomaj's attack. It felt like a lifetime ago, even though it had only been a month. He smiled as he took in Tatzurie's flushed cheeks and her joyful grin as she gazed at other couples lighting Chinese paper lanterns on the water's edge. Laughter bubbled up as they watched the lanterns drift lazily on the warm currents, rising high into the starry sky.

Various stalls and activities were bustling with both green and red class students. There was a stand selling chocolate cream-filled doughnuts and another offering gelato, but they decided to pass, their stomachs already full to bursting. They paused at a station where an enterprising student had set up a pull-up bar, recording the longest hang times on a large blackboard. A white-knuckled green class student grimaced in effort as another cheered him on.

Their next stop was a traditional hammer strength test. Contestants wielded a heavy wood and leather mallet to strike a pad, sending an iron puck up a column in a bid to ring a bell several meters above. The previous contestant sagged in disbelief, muttering, "This is rigged! No way I only got a third of the way up; I felt the hammer's handle bend on impact!" The stall owner shrugged, pointing at Eathon with a long walking stick. "Listen, buddy, it's a metal puck and a bell. If it ain't ringing, you lost. Pay another 10 credits or step aside for the next guy. What about you, big guy? Up for trying your brawn against my hammer tower?"

Eathon stepped forward, intrigued. After all, how hard could it be? He'd swung hammers all his life in the boatyards and felt confident he could do it. "What does the winner get?" he asked, rolling up his sleeves to reveal his thickly muscled forearms. The stall owner shoved the previous contestant aside and pulled out a small, familiar item—a vintage Walkman. Eathon chuckled. "An old Walkman with no CDs? Who would want that?" The stall owner grinned slyly. "Not just a Walkman but a genuine treasure! An enchanted Walkman that plays any song you desire. It runs on your own mana reserves, so no batteries required—a taste of human musical culture!"

Tatzurie's eyes sparkled with excitement as she grabbed Eathon's arm, bouncing up and down. "PLEASE WIN IT! I CAN LISTEN TO METHOD MAN—METHOD MAN, EATHON!" He couldn't help but laugh at her sudden burst of energy. She was so bubbly and happy, and he wanted nothing more than to win it for her—not just as a birthday gift, but as something that would bring her joy in the future. Eathon pulled out his card and scanned the student's wrist, depositing 10 credits before stepping up to the platform. He could hear Tatzurie cheering him on from behind as he hoisted the heavy hammer above his head. With a monstrous grunt, he felt his muscles strain as he slammed the hammer into the pad with immense force. The entire platform shook beneath him, and the tower's glass began to crack at the corners. The bell shot up but barely made it halfway.

Eathon frowned, bewildered. He had swung with all his might; he nearly shattered the tower. How could he not have rung the bell?

Turning with an embarrassed smile as other students laughed at him, he locked eyes with Tatzurie. Her frown made his heart sink, and he jumped down, scratching the back of his head. "I think this thing's rigged. There's no way that strike wasn't powerful enough; he's up to something."

Tatzurie approached with determination. "I want a go." The stall owner hesitated but eventually nodded. "Head on up, no charge for you, lovely." With a subtle flick of her wrist, she snapped the anti-mana field within her robe pocket and activated her power, tapping the pad with a sly grin. She realized the truth: the bastard had placed an enchanted kinetic shock absorber into the pad. You could drop an elephant on it and not generate enough force to ring the bell. But all that energy had to go somewhere.

With a laugh, she hoisted the heavy hammer awkwardly over her head. Grinning cunningly at Eathon, she simply dropped the hammer, relying on gravity with little added force. The result was an explosion as the iron puck shot out of the top of the tower, taking the bell—and a good chunk of the column—along with it, sending it soaring into the air. Somewhere in the distant forest, a large oak tree erupted in a shower of splinters and wood chips.

Eathon's jaw dropped, along with the jaws of several other spectators, including the stall owner, who shook in disbelief and shock.

Tatzurie strolled down the steps, casually extending her hand to the man while raising an eyebrow. "I'll be taking my Walkman. And if I catch you pulling this little scam again, what happened to your toy will seem gentle compared to what I'll do to you. Understood?" He nodded, the colour draining from his face in fear.

As she approached, a wide grin spread across her face, her head bobbing to the music. Eathon pointed to the remnants of the stall. "Care to explain?" Tatzurie pulled her headphones off, wrapping the long cord around her player before waving her hand in the air. A bag materialized, and she placed the player inside, making the bag vanish with another casual gesture. "What? I'm just tougher than I look," she said, looking quite pleased with herself as she playfully punched him in the arm. "You better not mess with me again, or I'll really give you a beating."

She then took his arm and began to walk, leaving him momentarily dumbfounded. They strolled through the grounds, chatting aimlessly as time flew by. Soon, the stalls began to close, and Eathon and Tatzurie found themselves alone on the edge of a large bridge, dangling their feet above the rapids leading to a tall waterfall below. The final flaming lanterns swayed gently in the air, casting a warm glow over the stunning scenery.