It was beginning to turn nightfall, I had with me an enormous black coat that made me look like some sort of criminal or something. I would take a few steps and then suddenly feel something crawl up my chest.
I was startled and let out a high pitch yelp which gained some unwanted attention. Oh no.
Am I going to be caught? Will they notice that I'm sneaking an animal into the inn that doesn't allow pets?
What will happen if I were caught, would I be sent to prison and forced to live the rest of my life as a lowlife type person?
Nooooooooooo….
While I was freaking out for breaking the rules I suddenly heard a voice behind me.
"Hey, you there! Stop!"
My legs turned stiff and I felt all the blood drain from my face. I slowly turned around, I was fully in tears already of course.
"I-I-I'm s-sss-sor- eh?"
Suddenly a man ran past and bumped into me, he was also wearing the clothes of some shady type character.
"Stoooooop himmm!!!" D:<
I put my foot out by accident, I was trying to get away but my body moved the opposite way and somehow my foot went right into the shady man's path.
He tripped, landing in an artistically sprawled out position on the ground.
Oopsies, did I do that?
The next moment the guy who was yelling caught up and searched the other man. He found in his pocket a tube of some sort of ointment or something or other.
Eh? I'm so confused. What's even happening?
"Trying to get my goods without paying huh? This is premium stuff, healing ointment. This costs 5 gold pieces yaknow?"
It seems the one who yelled was a shop owner and the one I tripped is a shop lifter. Ohhhh. I'm starting to grasp the situation. Hmmm.
"I know! I can't afford it!"
"So you decided to steal it then?"
"Ah- well, uh- I know someone who's hurt, I have to help her!"
"So then take her to a doctor dumbass!"
"That will cost an arm and a leg, we're both broke!"
"Whatever, tell it to the judge. Guards!"
That was when two armored royal guards came marching in with a shuffling sound. They took the criminal into custody, I could see the frustration in his eyes. He looked like he could be a human, in this prejudiced world that meant he would get the worst possible punishment for his crime.
He'll probably become a slave, or worse.
There does exist a possibility that this man could be executed for his petty crime just now. Thinking this, I gulped and felt something knotting up inside my stomach.
"Wait a second, excuse me sir?"
I called out to the man that was the shop owner. He looked at me in surprise.
"Yes? Oh yes, thank you for your help in catching that man!"
He bowed to me, I suppose he thinks that I'm just looking for praise or something. Well, that's not the case here.
"Um- well, you see about that…I was wondering if maybe you can let him go, I mean he didn't hurt anyone and I'm sure he's just trying to help his friend in need."
"Huh? No way. If I let him go now then he'll just try again!"
Well, that is a good point. Hmmmm.
"Well sir, will you try to steal from this man again?"
"No way, never again I promise! I'll figure out how to scrape up the money to buy it."
The criminal bowed respectfully, wow look at that, a low life with manners. You see that Mr. Shop keeper! Even you have to have a heart somewhere.
"And if he does then you can always just arrest him at that time, so whadda ya say?"
I sound so cool right now, I'm talking a little bit like Mr. Shirone. Totally cool.
"Hmmmm. Okay, fine then. Go ahead and let him go this time. I won't press any charges."
Now that's the spirit! The guards reluctantly let the man go, now that I look I can see some long pointy ears. So then he must be an elf? They're the race closest to humans on Jigoku, therefore they do end up getting mistreated in their place sometimes.
Well, I don't know if that's the actual case or not in reality. Honestly, I just read all of that in a book titled Crimes In Jigoku. So it's not like I can really say first hand what's what.
"Thanks for your help miss. You don't know how much I appreciate it."
"It's fine, I couldn't forgive myself if they had ordered your execution."
His face turned white, I guess he hadn't thought about the possibility of being executed.
Well, the chances of that were probably pretty low anyways.
"Thank you once again, I have to go help my friend now but if there's ever anything I can help you with then come the Moth Head and ask for Drago."
Moth Head huh? Come to think of it there was some sort of tavern by that name further in town wasn't there?
I had saw it one night when I was feeling restless. I had went on a walk for some fresh air and ended up walking pretty far into town. The Moth Head had caught my interest because there seemed to be a lot of commotion going on.
There were lots of people hanging outside and it looked like even more inside. Some what loud music was playing, though I could only hear the muffled bass tones through the walls.
Regardless, a live band is a rare thing to see here in Treaven at least. I was definitely curious to go inside and check it out for myself. Unfortunately, there were a great number of sketchy looking characters around the building.
I might not be the smartest muffin in the batch, but I at least could tell that trouble with those guys would be pretty bad news.
Yeaaaah. I'll pass on going there then.
Oh right, come to think of it…
"You said your friend was hurt? May I ask the situation?"
"Ehhaahh- well…I suppose so, sure."
My eyes squinted at his reluctance, to be honest I myself don't know what I'm trying to do.
Well actually, this is a good chance to check something out for my self. No, not the band, though I'm interested in that too. Well, that's that and this is this.
But no, actually I can recall a recipe that was inside a book I read in the royal castle, Herbs & Medicine Of Jigoku. It was the ointment used to heal the burns, with the main ingredient being pedals of a Flaria flower.
I believe if I'm not mistaken that ointment this man had attempted to steal was a watered down version, I mean 5 gold coins is a lot but not if a Flaria is involved in the equation.
Either way, I need to see how bad this person in question is really hurt. There is a chance that ointment would have been too weak in the first place after all.
"You can tell me on the way."
"Eh-? Ah, okay."
Looks like he's confused, but he's accepted the situation.
Poe had crawled up and had spread himself across my shoulders as I walked. His tail is so long and wicked looking, so cool.