After feasting a bit, we began to head out to search for the aforementioned bazaar.
It took us only couple of minutes to finally find it since it is after all almost the epicentre of trade in the entire city. It was vast, almost a city of its own! Now, the problem we have to face is to locate the Geníse Store. Asking around seems to be hopeless, as no one was able to tell us where it is.
We headed to the area where most products are only from Farms, hoping it narrows the search down. "We should have taken the picture with us" says Aerra, heaving a sigh.
"It's okay, I can remember the face well. If only we see her." I replied, eyes scouting around as we went on walking.
A kid bump into us and scowled at me. "Sorry" I said instinctively. He has this shiny green hair and prominent black rimmed gray eyes with really thick and long eyelashes. He seems very young, less than ten I'm guessing. Maybe even far younger! But he has one stud earring on his right ear and two cuff earrings on his left.
Eriol grabs him almost immediately. "No need to be so rough!" Aerra grumbles.
Eriol just snickered. "Trust me. Been there, done that!" says he as he pulled the kid up to his eye level. "Uhnn!" The kid struggles. "Give it!" Eriol sighs, reaching an open hand over at the kid. "I said give it! The one you stole from my friend over here. I don't care about the other stuff you stole from the others. I just need what is ours and I'll let you go." He says. The kid glared anxiously at Eriol for awhile in silence, fist clenching.
"Maru!!!" A voice hollered as Eriol dodges at the exact same time a rock was thrown.
Woah!
I turned my head to the direction where it came from as Eriol focused his eyes at someone who stood behind us.
"Unhand Maru this instant!"
It was a young girl this time. The same green hair and the same black rimmed eyes and it's gray color like the young boy. But for a girl, the length of her hair dangles only pass her ears, which had huge circular earrings, too huge even for her. But I guess earrings and jewellery here are traditional even for the locals.
Such short hair though...
This might be the first time I've seen a girl with such a haircut.
They both wore an airy shirt that exposed the skin of their stomach and a harem trousers with a thin colorful sash tied around their hips.
Levi sighed and went to Eriol. He reaches a hand and started to search at the kid and spoke, "His entire shoulder and even his elbow is tilting more to this side when you ask to return it. So I'm assuming he's trying to hide something... over... here... yeah. Got it." Levi raises the familiar coin sack in front of us.
"Keep it in a safer place than your pocket, Aeron." says Levi as he hands it to me.
Eriol takes Maru down and pats his head. "Off you go kid!" The little girl came dashing across, shoving me lightly as she did, and then pulls Maru away from us and towards a corner, behind her, as if to shield him from us.
"We just need what he took from us. Well we got it so... no need to fret." Eriol assured the children. "Let's go guys"
We walk pass and away from them and began to once again search for the said store.
—————
Several minutes later, I realized we were going in circles.
"We're wasting time too much. We don't have all day." I grumbled, stopping from my tracks. The three just paused as well and turned to me.
"What's your plan then?" Aerra asks
"We split up" I replied.
"Yeah, I told you we should've done that earlier." Eriol nods, rubbing at his nape.
"I can't remember you did" I murmured,
"Me too!" Eriol sneered.
I just looked at him in a deadpan manner.
"So, how will we do this?" Levi cuts in.
I looked at Aerra as she just eyed me back calmly. This place is vast and huge, if trouble comes, she's better off with Eriol since he has the most experienced with fighting and traveling, I thought to myself. Contented with the idea, I then spoke, "Aerra you go with Eriol and I go with Levi. Search that direction and we'll search here. Let's all meet by the inn, where we ate awhile ago, before eleven o'clock." I grope at my pocket to look at my pocketwatch but to my surprise it wasn't there.
I remembered the little girl who shoved pass me. She must have taken it. But it's only a pocketwatch so it doesn't matter too much.
"Becareful out there, Aeron." says Aerra as she began to walk off the opposite direction from us, with Eriol beside her.
••▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅••
"I'm rather surprised with your choice of pairing. I was expecting I will be paired with Eriol." Says Levi as we began walking to our own path.
"Would you rather have it? We can still call out to them if you want!" I grinned at him, playfully.
"Shut up." Levi sighs and focused his eyes on the road ahead as we tried to pass through the crowded streets.
The bazaar was nothing more but a busy market with muddy roads, hordes of people scattered, stalls and noises, and varying fabrics that covered the place overhead, providing discrete amount of shade.
Up ahead I saw the little girl and the kid named as Maru. "It's them." I murmured. Levi looked at the direction I was looking at in silence.
We watch as the girl bought a bunch of bread in exchange of a pocketwatch. My pocketwatch. I just heave a sigh. Well at least it had some use to them.
"That crest engraved on the pocketwatch..." Levi murmured. "Are you sure we can just let it circulate like that? It's a royal crest nonetheless"
I nodded. "It won't mean anything. It's fine. Let's just go." I said as I went on walking once again but I watch the children walking off happily with the tote bag of bread on their arms, ahead of us.
From the shadows, a man hooded in black cloak, emerges and began to follow behind them.
I unknowingly crunch a brow at the sight.
But I kept quiet and just kept walking, just few meters behind them. I can't exactly tell for sure that they really were being followed or not so I rather not make needless actions.
Levi suddenly pulled me to a corner. "Let's ask the people over here" he says but notices my eyes stayed at the road ahead, watching the back of the man wearing black cloak. "Aeron..."
"Ah! Yes. Sorry—! S-sure, let's ask here." I replied as I called out to a vendor and asked her about Geníse store but she frowned and apologized, "I'm sorry, I never heard of it"
"Thanks anyway, miss!" We bowed our heads slightly and went back to walk the crowded streets.
"I was just thinking..." Levi says all of a sudden. "But it's just a random guess..." he puts a finger under his lower lips and pondered.
"What is it? Just go ahead"
"When they exchanged the pocketwatch..." he began. Oh, he's pertaining to the children. So he noticed it too. "Maybe the man following them thought they were bluebloods of sort. Not all bluebloods are wealthy after all. Some lives in a poor house and some came from a good family but ended up broke. Eitherway, bluebloods are of value to syndicates because of their potential to wield magic. Perfect for slave trading."
I just sighed.
Somehow that made me feel more uneasy.
"I know you have experience with such encounters but I'm sure they will realize soon enough that those two aren't what they thought they were. They will be spared so just let it be."
I'm a bit surprised how Levi is attentive.
"I suppose you're right." I uttered. "Thanks, Levi!"
Levi nodded. "Let's focus with the search, shall we?"
••▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅••
We turned into a corner and realized the streets were much narrower than from the one we just came from. "Protect your coin sack. And try to not get separated from me." says Levi.
"I know."
And so we began to squeeze through the sea of people, while minutely asking few vendors around about Geníse Store.
Few more minutes later, I noticed Levi wasn't around me anymore.
Oh no!
I sighed.
Shall I search for him first?
I shook my head.
I bet he'll just go on with the search without me anyway and just meet up with me at the inn as we all agreed.
And so I went on walking ahead. My eyes scouted around, keeping an eye out at the signs for any "Geníse Store" that might be somewhere here.
But suddenly my eyes caught a glimpse of two men on black hoods, similar to the prior guy I saw. My feet began to head to their direction as they walked further ahead.
I gazed to what was further ahead of them and saw the same little girl and Maru. My heart began to drum in an unsteady beat.
What if they were able to kidnap them and find out much later on that they're not bluebloods, how would they dispose of them? Well... it is hard to tell which are bluebloods from the commoners, after all, manifestation of powers differ for us. Some awaken their powers early and some, like me, are late. Those children looks around the ages of nine or eight rather. So if they mistakenly took them and found out much later... Surely they won't go their way to return them back here, right?
What am I so worked up for! I shouldn't put my nose to where it doesn't belong.
Amidst what I told myself, my feet marched to follow them anyway.
I'm honestly bothered and worried for those two.
The three must be searching hard to locate the Geníse store already... In that case, I'll just have to make sure those two children would be safe. It won't hurt to follow them for awhile, I argued to myself.
"Aeron!"
A hand grabs hold of my wirst all of a sudden and yanks at it, making me stop to turn and look at him. "Finally I found you, you idiot! Where did you suddenly set off to! This road leads to the harbor already!" Says Levi, with one hand on his knee while he stoops down for a bit while catching his breath. Was he running? He pauses and then took a moment to take a deep breath. He then stood up straight and runs his fingers through his hair. Shaking his head as he did, "I genuinely thought you got kidnapped the second time around. You idiot..."
Wow, did he search for me all this time?
"Are you okay?" He added, his eyes scans mine kindly, as if checking if I'm crying.
"—!" Why is he treating me like a kid all of a sudden?! I'm not a lost child who's gonna cry just because I got separated.
"O-of course!!!" I answered, my voice peaked a little higher than I expected.
Levi sighs. "Stay close to me next time." He releases my hand and pats my head. "If you can't do that, at least make sure to stay where I can see you."
What the heck!?
"D-don't talk like that! I'm not Aerra!"
He chuckled. "Of course I know." He crosses his arms and just looked at me impassively like he usually does. "But still... I rather not fess up with paperworks and documents again just to cross another continent with warships."
"...! St-stop it! I'm not gonna get myself kidnap again!" I cleared my throat. "Anyway! Digressing, did you found any leads?"
He shook his head. "None. Let's head back to the main roads. This road will only get us to exit the bazaar."
"Okay" I replied but I can't help but look to where the men in black hooded cloaks were.
I still see them from a distance.
Now, they're almost out of sight...
Suddenly, another man in black cloak pops out further ahead that blocked the children's path. The little girl grabbed Maru close to her. I can see the other two men from behind of them closing in, countering them in in a triangular formation.
With tons and tons of people in the crowd surrounding them, no one bothers to pay attention to what was happening to those two children?!?
Why—?
The memory I had two years ago
flashes in my mind.
Well, I was in a city too when we got taken. Aerra surely ran out to the streets and people would have seen her. Yet no body came to our aid.
No one ever did.
We escaped by helping each other, thanks to Nora and Eriol.
But what's the chance there would be someone like that as well for those two if they get kidnapped...
Just like Ouboros, those men surely be part of another syndicate.
"Sorry, Levi. But I'm taking this road after all." I told him and began to walk away.
"Wait!" He hollered. "Aeron, are you sure you want to get involved?"
I turned to look at Levi over my shoulders, "If I don't, no one will."
"You may be able to use an element but remember that your true power hasn't awaken yet!"
"Don't worry, I can fight still!"
He shook his head, "Are you planning on killing them then?"
Kill?
I turned to face Levi, "Of course not!!!"
"Then if you go there right now, you will surely get Greenrun involved with that syndicate. If they are part of an underground organization, they will mark this day if you keep them alive. I mean look at you. You bear the features of a pureblood. It won't be too hard for them to tract your roots." Levi eyes' narrowed. "So if you plan to save those children, make sure to kill the men and then clean up. Can you do that?"
I shuddered at the thought.
How can Levi talk about killing and manage to say it in a straight face?
But what he say is right.
I can't ask him to get involve either.
Right here, right now. I need to make a choice.
I turned to look ahead to where I last saw the men and the children. But there were no children in sight any longer. Just the three men and a huge traveling sack on their shoulders.
"...!"
The children—!
How is that even possible?! —with that crowd...!
Yet...
"I'm sorry, Levi! I just can't turn a blind eye on this!" I said as I turned about face and was ready to set off when suddenly, Levi pulls my hand. "You don't need to act as a hero, Aeron. What if you get caught up in this? To the least, think about your twin sister if you can't think about your people!"
I took the hand that held me and pulled it off me. "You may have seen a lot of things on this surface world, Levi. But you know nothing about being held captive. Not knowing if you will ever be saved and be returned to your family or not, worse— be sliced like meat the next day to be sold out as a collector's item."
Levi's brows furrowed as I stared intently in his eyes. "I'm not trying to become a hero but I can't simply watch something like that and pretend it's okay." I told him.
"Then kill and clean up. They won't ever stop if you step in there now and get away by just knocking them out to sleep." He insisted.
"No. As much as I can, I don't need to take a life to save someone else's. You told me to think about Aerra, right? Well she would say the same if she's here!"
Levi just sighed in defeat.
He then nodded in silence.
I smiled at him and quickly and without looking back. I sprinted off and headed to where the men were. I caught a glimpse of them but they're already too far to catch up.
I look up and scouted my eyes around as I ran off, while carefully trying to not run into someone. Maybe I should use the roof of some stores here so I can get ahead of them?
"Aeron, wait!" Levi shouted, catching up to ran at my pace. "Why did you suddenly ran off like that?" He asks, as he went on running incessantly by my side.
"What do you mean? I'm trying to get to those children! I thought we already agreed on th—!"
"Idiot!!! Of course I will come with you!" His hands sways pass my head and it hits me in a sharp pain.
"Aw! What was that for!?"
"If you suddenly got outmatched and kidnapped again, who do you think will be bothered to search overseas?!"
"I won't lose! I can fight!"
"Don't be too cocky! If you ever summon Eriol out right now to fight them, Aerra will be left alone in the middle of the city instead!"
Oh. He's right.
"Fine, help me then."
Levi grunts. "So, what's the plan?"
I looked ahead and realized the men stopped and began to talk amongst themselves, making our distances shorter as we ran towards them.
Soon, we will surely reach them at this rate.
I need to think fast.
Levi is right. I can't have them take a good look out of me since my features are too distinct and unique. They will be able to tract me down if they want.
I took a sharp corner just to evade a person from the crowd as I went on running. The muddy grounds splashed at him and the man complains. "Sorry!" I shouted, without stopping in my tracks.
Mud?
I looked at the ground around us.
It dirty as it is muddy.
That's it!
"Levi! Take off your shirt now!" I told him as he ran a little behind me. I began to unbotton my own blue shirt, leaving only my white tunic underneath.
Without questions, Levi does the same.
We're about to reach the end of the road, exactly to where the men stood talking.
I can see the ocean and the harbors behind them.
"Tell me your plan" Levi demanded, as I suddenly stomp my one feet down to cease from running.
Levi does the same but slides a bit before coming into a halt. I wonder how he did that maneuver and manage to still look cool.
"Quickly, cover yourself with mud all over! Completely and utterly covered! Leave not a skin in sight!" I stated, leaving my blue shirt to the nearest surface and cups mud to both my hands.
I saw Levi glare at me, appalled.
"Quickly! Before they get away!" I insisted, covering my hair and face with layers and layers of this mud that seemed like clay.
"I'm going to kill you for this later..." Levi grumbles but puts it on anyway. He left his red coat-like shirt beside mine and manages to cover his entire head up to his shoulder, staining the remaining white tunic that he wore.
"Pfft—! I can barely recognize its you! If only Aerra sees you like that now though..." I chuckled, trying to hold on the laughter.
The highly esteemed prodigy, Levi of House Morlock, soon to become Emperor to Osteell empire and heir to the title of Warden of the East, is now covered in mud and dirt. All thanks to yours truly.
I wish I can capture this moment, really!
"This..." he uttered hoarsely. He then sights. "But good thinking. I can't even recognize your face too, nor the color of your hair."
I nodded. "So, shall we?"
"Right behind you, you foolish Hero."
I grinned greatly at him as he just smiled and off we went to the men.