-Charm's POV-
"Wow! There's so many pretty bracelets that could be found here!"
Aurora's eyes almost sparkled as we passed by a street with so many jewelry shops placed right next to each other. Several shiny jewelries can be found at their display windows that seem to lure us to visit their respective shops.
Sadly though, we have a strict budget to follow so... no thanks. And I'm also not like any other ladies who are too fond of such things.
"You know we can't afford to buy one, right? All we need to think first, for now, is to look for a place that we can rent for the meantime." Baal commented, which shattered all of Aurora's hopes of purchasing one bracelet.
With an unspeakable dark aura surrounding her, she looked at the guardian animal, whom she turned into a puppy earlier, with lips pressed together. Afterwards, her hopeful eyes swiftly shifted on me, like a child who's silently asking for her mom to buy her a new toy.
"B-Baal is right. W-we should find a cheap place to rent first and buy us some supplies for our journey..." I said as I looked away from her, with my hand rubbing the back of my neck unconsciously.
I heard Aurora sigh. "Fine. Let's find that cheap place to rent as soon as possible."
"Did I hear that right? Are you looking for a place to rent that won't cost you much? Then today is your lucky day since I've got the thing that you've been looking for!"
Our heads moved in perfect synchrony towards a tall-looking lad, who greeted us with his lopsided smile that somehow reached to his ears and who seems to be the same age as ours.
As I scrutinize the lad in front of us, I can't help but to notice his tousled reddish hair, which is looking thick and lustrous. His mesmerizing pair of chestnut almond round eyes are also looking back at us while his thin lips are still curving into his lopsided grin. He emits this friendly aura, yet I also find him mysterious at the same time.
"You're both adventurers, right?" he asked, that makes me snap out of my thoughts.
"Well, you're lucky indeed that our paths have crossed today! Since I do have a heart for adventurers like you, I will offer you to stay in my house for free! However, of course, the food is on you. So... what do you say?"
His smile got even wider as he waited patiently for our response. Instead of feeling relieved by what he just said, I somehow find this act so suspicious.
Who the heck gives away a free place to stay to strangers, right? And who on earth would accept such an obvious fake generous offer? I looked at Baal over here and he, too, is having doubts over this one.
Before I could even reject his offer...
"Uwaah?! Really? Are you sure about that?!"
My jaw literally dropped as we saw Aurora instantly dashed forward towards this guy. What on earth is she doing?!
"Of course! It's all... free." the guy responded.
"Well, we have a deal then!"
What. The. Hell?!
Before she had a chance to shake hands with this guy, who just appeared out of nowhere, adrenaline seemed to kick in on my body system and hastily grabbed Aurora away from this guy.
"Excuse us for a bit... there's something I need to discuss with my friend over here." A fake smile was plastered on my face as I looked at the guy before dragging my friend away from him to some place where he can't easily hear us.
When I'm quite satisfied with the distance we have from the guy, I immediately stopped dragging Aurora and narrowed my eyes at her.
"Don't you find his offer suspicious? Like, who the heck will let a stranger stay at his place for free?" I said, almost in a preaching tone. I saw the guardian animal nod his head to every word I'm saying.
"Come on guys, you're just being too paranoid. Perhaps, he really has a pure heart. Just like... Mang Kanor... right?" she defended, letting out a nervous smile.
I almost rolled my eyes when she included Mang Kanor here all of a sudden.
"Still, we can't trust a mortal that easily!" I am still not convinced that guy has a pure heart! Jade warned us to be vigilant to our surroundings, so that's what I'm exactly doing right now.
"That guy's offer can somehow spare us from spending gold coins for rent and maybe... we can spend it for other things."
"Uhuh... you mean, like having money for buying bracelets?" My eyes are still squinted at her, in which she answered with a nervous laugh.
"What? No, no, no, that's not what I mean! Like, having enough coins to spend on food." she beamed.
After that brief discussion with her, I conceded my defeat and ended up accepting that guy's offer as well. If there's one correct thing that Aurora had mentioned, that would be about sparing us for spending on rent and instead spending it for food... and other supplies that we need for our journey.
However, that doesn't mean that I won't keep an eye on him.
***
That lad later introduced himself to us as Lucas as he guided both me and Aurora towards his place. I admit that I was astonished the moment I saw his two-storey house that was well-built made of fine wood.
As we entered inside, his house was welcoming from the open door to the wide hallway. Upon the walls, you can tell that this guy has a taste for paintings set in the Renaissance period. I can't help but be amazed as I scan these paintings one by one.
The floor was an old-fashioned parquet with a blend of deep homely browns and the walls were the greens of summer gardens meeting a bold white baseboard. The banister was a twirl of a branch, tamed by the carpenter's hand, it's grain flowing as water might, in waves of comforting woodland hues. Under the lamp-shine it was nature's art, something that soothed right to the soul.
I became more astonished as he led us to the second floor of his house, to which, he said, can our room be located. Upon opening the beautifully carved door made of fine wood as well, I instantly gaped at what greeted us from the inside.
The room is not that big, yet not that small either, just the perfect for two people. Its surroundings were painted in blue with beautiful murals on the wall, hand painted by someone who knew what they were doing. It only has one window curtained with a square of starched white cotton cloth that is drawn over the panes by means of a white cord on which it was run at the top.
In the middle of it is a queen size bed, where I thought me and Aurora can share with ease. As we drew closer to it, I reverently rubbed my fingers along the silken mattress, then pressed my cheek to the cool, velvet pillows. The comforter was thick and irresistibly soft, like a billowing cloud. I toppled into it, relieved to rest my weary feet.
I was so amazed by what I just saw that I almost forgot I have acquaintances over here with me. As I stood up from the bed once again, I saw Aurora narrowed her eyes at me in a teasing manner.
"What?" I said nonchalantly as I straightened up myself.
"Make yourselves at home guys. If you want to cook, there's also a mini-kitchen at the end of the hallway." we heard Lucas speak again which made us turn to look at him.
Is he really sure he'd let us stay in this awesome place, for free?
"So... I better get going since I have things to take care of." When he didn't hear any response from us, Lucas here decides to fill in the silence.
"If you want to go out as well, just make sure to close the door at all times."
"Alrighty! Take care Lucas!" Aurora beamed as she waved her right hand enthusiastically.
I was startled for a bit when I saw his pair of chestnut eyes shifted to meet my gaze all of a sudden. A pang of anxiousness hit me as he continued to stare at me for a few more seconds before finally looking away and turned his back on us.
O...kay? What the heck is that for?
***
After we arranged our things inside this room, we immediately planned on the things that we need to do next. It was then decided that Baal and Aurora will be the ones assigned to buy for the supplies that we'll need, while me and Trash will go straight to Deity Ishmael's temple.
If it weren't for Aurora's carefree attitude, I would love to take Baal with me to the temple instead.
Before parting ways, Baal gave me certain directions for me to reach the temple in no time. Thanks to my sharp memory, I was able to memorize all of it, and by the time we finally parted ways, it was possible for me to locate the temple with ease... which is by the way located at the far end corner of the city, going west.
"Pyu pyu?" I heard the doll muttering which is currently seated on my shoulder.
"Yes, Trash, we're finally here." I responded, as if understanding what Trash said a while ago while looking at the temple's entrance.
Before I could even step my foot forward, I suddenly heard a deep voice rumble like a storm that caused me to be frozen instantly to where I'm currently standing.
"Who dares to go inside my master's temple?" said by that deep, booming voice that's powerful enough to send chills through my entire body.
I gathered all my courage first before responding to this... creature... that I think is silently lurking inside the temple.
"My name is Charm, the chosen one sent by the supreme deities to revive their springs." I said in a formal manner.
After I had spoken those words, I saw the creature slowly went forward, until the light finally shone and revealed its magnificent form.
In front of me is an enormous creature who has three heads like that of a wolf- or also known as the Cerberus. As I scan him completely, I was then surprised to see a chimpanzee riding behind the Cerberus.
Once they'd finally shown themselves to me, I saw the chimpanzee swiftly move until it reached the top of the Cerberus' head located in the middle to face me, before opening up his mouth.
"Welcome, chosen one."