The moment he finished speaking, the three new guards broke into a fit of laughter and even the serious tall guard faintly smiled and said, "That's quite an unlucky night you had."
The guard's eyes then shifted to the old man as he turned his head to the right and asked, "Are you sure he lives in the city?"
The reason he asked directly and didn't bother to check was that he really empathized with him after hearing that story, and he just wanted the both of them to get out of here as they were stinking up the place. He was also a bit superstitious and didn't like to stay around Wendell who handled dead bodies all day long.
Just as the old man was about to say something, a new mature voice came from behind the guard and commanded, "Just let them through, I know him."
The tall guard didn't turn around understanding that the captain spoke, and continued, "Alright, on your way then."
Melvin's gaze locked onto the man with a neatly trimmed goatee, short brown hair, and thick eyebrows. He emerged from a stone chamber whose contents remained obscured. With a wink and a smile, the man caught Melvin's attention. Perplexed by the sudden interaction, Melvin returned the smile and nodded in acknowledgment.
However, the moment he did that, the man seemed shocked and he kept his gaze fixated on Melvin as the cart slowly made its way toward the tall gate.
Feeling that something was amiss, Melvin immediately averted his gaze and paid attention to the path ahead as he thought, 'What in the heck was that? From how he spoke, it seemed like he knew Jacob, but when I returned a friendly greeting it caught him off guard. Maybe they knew each other but they weren't exactly on good terms?'
Reaching that conclusion Melvin was tempted to go back and ask him for help, after all, he was still poisoned and he only had around an hour left to seek treatment.
But then again, if their relationship was at the stage where they had problems, then it was naturally somewhat deep and so he wouldn't be able to last even a couple of questions before his lie would be found out.
Still, he was contemplating just saying that he had lost his memories and be done with it, however, remembering how even the old man who seemed not that influential was aware of the words, "Dark Mage," then he was certain that the guards who dealt more with these things would be even more knowledgeable, increasing his uncertainty about asking for assistance even more.
At the same time he didn't want to spend too much time with any guard after the conclusion he reached before, the chances of him meeting someone who played a role in his death weren't that improbable.
'I'll keep this a last resort maybe?' Melvin reasoned if nothing worked then he could risk it and go back here to seek some treatment.
As they finally passed through the gates and the cart continued its melodious rhythms amidst the bustling activity of all the interesting sounds around, he turned towards the old man and asked, "Elder, suppose you were poisoned. What would you do?"
The old man had a pondering look on his face as he observed all of the different people going in and about their lives, and then he asked with some apprehension in his voice, "Don't jinx me you brat, I don't have that kind of money. But if I was then I could only borrow some money and buy those potions."
As he was speaking, to pointed towards one of the shops to his left, and spoke, "See, like from there."
Following the direction his finger was pointing at, Melvin saw a large shop situated by the sidewalk, its grand wooden sign reading "Gerrald and Sons" in bold green letters above the entrance.
Through the large glass window by the wide door, an array of glass bottles containing various colorful liquids caught his eye. The sunlight reflected off the potions, casting a mesmerizing glow within the shop.
Melvin's eyes were fixated on those bottles, and so he quickly asked, "How much do you think they are?"
The old man shook his head with a simple, "Don't know."
Melvin immediately followed, "Where are you headed, Elder?"
"The ceremony will begin shortly, so I will be going to the stables to put Breyt and give him something to eat then I will go to the Royal Plaza." The old man was quick to reply once again.
Remembering that the mentioned stables were in the place where the old man said Jacob used to frequent, the beasts' road, Melvin had a difficult expression on his face.
From what he gathered so far, Jacob was something of a troublemaker, and chances are his death was related to the people there, so going back there didn't seem like a good idea for now. Moreover, he had something else important on his mind.
With a grateful tone, he uttered, "Thank you for the, I'll get down here, I am going to go ask that shop about something."
The old man shook his head once again and laughed, "Ehh... Not sure you'll be allowed to go in smelling like that old boy."
'How could I forget that?' Melvin cursed, he knew that his nose had already adapted to the smell and it became very faint to his noise causing him to even forget about it.
As he was thinking that, the cart stopped, and the old man turned around with his arms stretched around the edge of his seat speaking, "The church of the goddess Everen is just around here and they offer free baths and clothes for the homeless, you can go there first before going back to the potion shops."
'Ehh..' Melvin gently alighted from the cart as his lower back's state seemed to worsen after the uncomfortable journey and thanked the old man, "Thank you. Have a good holiday!"
The old man had a strange expression when he heard the strange way he wished a good festival, and he nonchalantly said, "May you have feathery blessings as well..."
Hearing the peculiar words, he instantly understood why the old man had that strange reaction and he thought, 'It seems like they have a special way of expressing well wishes and goodwill in the holidays'
He was also very intrigued by this ceremony that would cause a jaded old man who worked such a job to be so excited, and the term, 'Feathery', only added to that.
Melvin's eyes kept following the gradually shrinking cart, and for some reason, the old man's presence managed to bring him some comfort. Now that he was left to his own devices, he felt slightly anxious.
Hearing rhythmic clattering behind him, he swiftly turned around and saw an exquisite black carriage adorned with golden engravings of fantastical beasts all over it.
The carriage was drawn by two massive pitch-black horses, each standing at an imposing three meters tall. Their steps were steady, exuding an undeniable aura of strength. Melvin had no doubts that they could kill him instantly. Hastily, he made his way to the safety of the sidewalk as the carriage glided past him.
Through the opened golden windows of the carriage, Melvin could discern the visage of a middle-aged man with black hair. Engrossed in conversation with someone seated before him, his hands moved animatedly to emphasize his points. Yet, it was the fire burning in his eyes and the tense set of his jaw that truly conveyed the depth of his anger and frustration. Each word dripped with venom as he spoke, his mannerisms betraying a simmering rage barely contained beneath the surface.
'Someone's having a tough day.' Melvin thought amused when he saw the sight.
Two young men to his side who wore some light green robes with hoods quietly discussed among themselves. One of them exclaimed, "Oh my god! That's the president of the adventurer's association."
"That's him? I knew it was someone rich just from those terrifying beasts, I wonder what species they were." The friend replied with excitement.
Melvin didn't pay much attention to the two after that, though he was indeed intrigued by the words, 'Adventurer's Association.'
It was then that he suddenly remembered that he needed to ask about the directions to the church, and so he mustered his most amiable smile and gently walked towards the two.
Before Melvin could even say anything, the duo scrunched up their noses in disgust and hurriedly walked back saying, "Sorry, we don't have any money to spare."
Their unexpected behavior and words caught Melvin off guard and so he just stood there awkwardly for a few seconds thinking, 'Did they think I was begging?'
But then considering how disgusting he must be smelling, it wasn't that much of a leap of logic from their point of view.
"I need to see how I look, though..." he thought, a hint of nervousness fluttering in his heart. He approached a shop to the right, its glass window offering a reflective surface. Peering into it, he observed his own visage—a face somewhat handsome, with medium-length hair framing the features of a mature teen. Confronting the reflection made him face the fact that his whole life as he knew it had already came to an end, and now a new one was laid out before him.
With a resigned sigh, he pivoted and made his way toward one of the stalls situated to his right, just in front of a closed shop with a dark blue door, worn and weathered from years of use.
At the same time he couldn't help but analyze how things operated here, more so specifically, he didn't understand how stalls were allowed to be put in front of shops.
This specific stall he was approaching was under an arched passageway, whereas the other ones mostly operated next to the sidewalk as the road seemed wide enough for them.
The moment he approached the stall and smelled the delicious aroma coming from it, his stomach grumbled as an intense pang of hunger descended as if out of nowhere. It was only now that he realized that under all of those uncomfortable issues he was carrying, hunger was also a big component.
The old man in the stall had a bald head and a white, pointed beard. Several chairs surrounded him, occupied by people enjoying bread filled with sliced hard-boiled eggs and cheese, as Melvin observed. Wooden cups of tea rested beside their feet on the ground, which they picked up occasionally to take sips from.
The old man busy making some of these sandwiches for some customers quickly noticed the incoming Melvin, and the moment he saw him his expression changed.
He put down the knife and bread in his hand and began walking towards him in the same path, Melvin seeing this turn of events was naturally puzzled and his speed slowed down anticipating the old man's motive.
When the two were but an arm's length apart, the old man stopped and said in a hushed voice, "Young man please leave, I just opened and I don't have any money to spare. I haven't even made any profits, I can't give you anything."
Melvin was stupefied as he thought, 'Do I really look that homeless?'
However, when he glanced at his dirty and shabby clothes, he fully agreed with their assessment.
"Sorry Elder, I just wanted to ask about some direction, can you help?" Melvin said with an apologetic tone, and he also realized why the man acted in the way that he did.
On one hand, he reeked and so the old man didn't want him getting too close to his customers ruining their appetite, and at the same time he probably didn't want to seem too harsh in front of the customers, hence the hushed whispers.
The old man sounded impatient as he quickly said, "Where do you want to go?"
Melvin instantly replied understanding the old man's thoughts, "Goddess Everen's church please."
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The moment he finished speaking, the three new guards broke into a fit of laughter and even the serious tall guard faintly smiled and said, "That's quite an unlucky night you had."
The guard's eyes then shifted to the old man as he turned his head to the right and asked, "Are you sure he lives in the city?"
The reason he asked directly and didn't bother to check was that he really empathized with him after hearing that story, and he just wanted the both of them to get out of here as they were stinking up the place. He was also a bit superstitious and didn't like to stay around Wendell who handled dead bodies all day long.
Just as the old man was about to say something, a new mature voice came from behind the guard and commanded, "Just let them through, I know him."
The tall guard didn't turn around understanding that the captain spoke, and continued, "Alright, on your way then."
Melvin's gaze locked onto the man with a neatly trimmed goatee, short brown hair, and thick eyebrows. He emerged from a stone chamber whose contents remained obscured. With a wink and a smile, the man caught Melvin's attention. Perplexed by the sudden interaction, Melvin returned the smile and nodded in acknowledgment.
However, the moment he did that, the man seemed shocked and he kept his gaze fixated on Melvin as the cart slowly made its way toward the tall gate.
Feeling that something was amiss, Melvin immediately averted his gaze and paid attention to the path ahead as he thought, 'What in the heck was that? From how he spoke, it seemed like he knew Jacob, but when I returned a friendly greeting it caught him off guard. Maybe they knew each other but they weren't exactly on good terms?'
Reaching that conclusion Melvin was tempted to go back and ask him for help, after all, he was still poisoned and he only had around an hour left to seek treatment.
But then again, if their relationship was at the stage where they had problems, then it was naturally somewhat deep and so he wouldn't be able to last even a couple of questions before his lie would be found out.
Still, he was contemplating just saying that he had lost his memories and be done with it, however, remembering how even the old man who seemed not that influential was aware of the words, "Dark Mage," then he was certain that the guards who dealt more with these things would be even more knowledgeable, increasing his uncertainty about asking for assistance even more.
At the same time he didn't want to spend too much time with any guard after the conclusion he reached before, the chances of him meeting someone who played a role in his death weren't that improbable.
'I'll keep this a last resort maybe?' Melvin reasoned if nothing worked then he could risk it and go back here to seek some treatment.
As they finally passed through the gates and the cart continued its melodious rhythms amidst the bustling activity of all the interesting sounds around, he turned towards the old man and asked, "Elder, suppose you were poisoned. What would you do?"
The old man had a pondering look on his face as he observed all of the different people going in and about their lives, and then he asked with some apprehension in his voice, "Don't jinx me you brat, I don't have that kind of money. But if I was then I could only borrow some money and buy those potions."
As he was speaking, to pointed towards one of the shops to his left, and spoke, "See, like from there."
Following the direction his finger was pointing at, Melvin saw a large shop situated by the sidewalk, its grand wooden sign reading "Gerrald and Sons" in bold green letters above the entrance.
Through the large glass window by the wide door, an array of glass bottles containing various colorful liquids caught his eye. The sunlight reflected off the potions, casting a mesmerizing glow within the shop.
Melvin's eyes were fixated on those bottles, and so he quickly asked, "How much do you think they are?"
The old man shook his head with a simple, "Don't know."
Melvin immediately followed, "Where are you headed, Elder?"
"The ceremony will begin shortly, so I will be going to the stables to put Breyt and give him something to eat then I will go to the Royal Plaza." The old man was quick to reply once again.
Remembering that the mentioned stables were in the place where the old man said Jacob used to frequent, the beasts' road, Melvin had a difficult expression on his face.
From what he gathered so far, Jacob was something of a troublemaker, and chances are his death was related to the people there, so going back there didn't seem like a good idea for now. Moreover, he had something else important on his mind.
With a grateful tone, he uttered, "Thank you for the, I'll get down here, I am going to go ask that shop about something."
The old man shook his head once again and laughed, "Ehh... Not sure you'll be allowed to go in smelling like that old boy."
'How could I forget that?' Melvin cursed, he knew that his nose had already adapted to the smell and it became very faint to his noise causing him to even forget about it.
As he was thinking that, the cart stopped, and the old man turned around with his arms stretched around the edge of his seat speaking, "The church of the goddess Everen is just around here and they offer free baths and clothes for the homeless, you can go there first before going back to the potion shops."
'Ehh..' Melvin gently alighted from the cart as his lower back's state seemed to worsen after the uncomfortable journey and thanked the old man, "Thank you. Have a good holiday!"
The old man had a strange expression when he heard the strange way he wished a good festival, and he nonchalantly said, "May you have feathery blessings as well..."
Hearing the peculiar words, he instantly understood why the old man had that strange reaction and he thought, 'It seems like they have a special way of expressing well wishes and goodwill in the holidays'
He was also very intrigued by this ceremony that would cause a jaded old man who worked such a job to be so excited, and the term, 'Feathery', only added to that.
Melvin's eyes kept following the gradually shrinking cart, and for some reason, the old man's presence managed to bring him some comfort. Now that he was left to his own devices, he felt slightly anxious.
Hearing rhythmic clattering behind him, he swiftly turned around and saw an exquisite black carriage adorned with golden engravings of fantastical beasts all over it.
The carriage was drawn by two massive pitch-black horses, each standing at an imposing three meters tall. Their steps were steady, exuding an undeniable aura of strength. Melvin had no doubts that they could kill him instantly. Hastily, he made his way to the safety of the sidewalk as the carriage glided past him.
Through the opened golden windows of the carriage, Melvin could discern the visage of a middle-aged man with black hair. Engrossed in conversation with someone seated before him, his hands moved animatedly to emphasize his points. Yet, it was the fire burning in his eyes and the tense set of his jaw that truly conveyed the depth of his anger and frustration. Each word dripped with venom as he spoke, his mannerisms betraying a simmering rage barely contained beneath the surface.
'Someone's having a tough day.' Melvin thought amused when he saw the sight.
Two young men to his side who wore some light green robes with hoods quietly discussed among themselves. One of them exclaimed, "Oh my god! That's the president of the adventurer's association."
"That's him? I knew it was someone rich just from those terrifying beasts, I wonder what species they were." The friend replied with excitement.
Melvin didn't pay much attention to the two after that, though he was indeed intrigued by the words, 'Adventurer's Association.'
It was then that he suddenly remembered that he needed to ask about the directions to the church, and so he mustered his most amiable smile and gently walked towards the two.
Before Melvin could even say anything, the duo scrunched up their noses in disgust and hurriedly walked back saying, "Sorry, we don't have any money to spare."
Their unexpected behavior and words caught Melvin off guard and so he just stood there awkwardly for a few seconds thinking, 'Did they think I was begging?'
But then considering how disgusting he must be smelling, it wasn't that much of a leap of logic from their point of view.
"I need to see how I look, though..." he thought, a hint of nervousness fluttering in his heart. He approached a shop to the right, its glass window offering a reflective surface. Peering into it, he observed his own visage—a face somewhat handsome, with medium-length hair framing the features of a mature teen. Confronting the reflection made him face the fact that his whole life as he knew it had already came to an end, and now a new one was laid out before him.
With a resigned sigh, he pivoted and made his way toward one of the stalls situated to his right, just in front of a closed shop with a dark blue door, worn and weathered from years of use.
At the same time he couldn't help but analyze how things operated here, more so specifically, he didn't understand how stalls were allowed to be put in front of shops.
This specific stall he was approaching was under an arched passageway, whereas the other ones mostly operated next to the sidewalk as the road seemed wide enough for them.
The moment he approached the stall and smelled the delicious aroma coming from it, his stomach grumbled as an intense pang of hunger descended as if out of nowhere. It was only now that he realized that under all of those uncomfortable issues he was carrying, hunger was also a big component.
The old man in the stall had a bald head and a white, pointed beard. Several chairs surrounded him, occupied by people enjoying bread filled with sliced hard-boiled eggs and cheese, as Melvin observed. Wooden cups of tea rested beside their feet on the ground, which they picked up occasionally to take sips from.
The old man busy making some of these sandwiches for some customers quickly noticed the incoming Melvin, and the moment he saw him his expression changed.
He put down the knife and bread in his hand and began walking towards him in the same path, Melvin seeing this turn of events was naturally puzzled and his speed slowed down anticipating the old man's motive.
When the two were but an arm's length apart, the old man stopped and said in a hushed voice, "Young man please leave, I just opened and I don't have any money to spare. I haven't even made any profits, I can't give you anything."
Melvin was stupefied as he thought, 'Do I really look that homeless?'
However, when he glanced at his dirty and shabby clothes, he fully agreed with their assessment.
"Sorry Elder, I just wanted to ask about some direction, can you help?" Melvin said with an apologetic tone, and he also realized why the man acted in the way that he did.
On one hand, he reeked and so the old man didn't want him getting too close to his customers ruining their appetite, and at the same time he probably didn't want to seem too harsh in front of the customers, hence the hushed whispers.
The old man sounded impatient as he quickly said, "Where do you want to go?"
Melvin instantly replied understanding the old man's thoughts, "Goddess Everen's church please."
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