Evan slowly walked towards the Soe section, which was actually outside on campus compared to being within the main building with the rest of the booths. He'd left the unused classroom feeling lighter than ever, having given himself time to just relax and focus on what's important, enjoying the time he has now as a student before he's thrown onto an international playing field as a 'hero' of sorts. That's something Evan really isn't excited about.
As he passes through the many, many hallways, Evan finally finds himself outside. The weather is warm and sunny, leaving it to be the perfect atmosphere to visit outdoor booths. Had it been raining, Evan would have been less inclined to visit Soe's section as he doesn't have any spells to prevent himself from getting utterly drenched.
Those running the booths are locals from around the city surrounding the campus, full of life and laughter. He could understand why as Soe has yet to be in any major conflict since its declaration as neutral grounds. Many of the citizens are self-producing so the continent doesn't need to overly worry about being unable to feed their citizens or provide necessities. It's a far cry from Astoria's situation, which he heard more about when he passed by some students. One amazing benefit to having the hearing of a fox is having a wider range, it really helps with catching important information that he'd otherwise struggle to get.
Stretching out his limbs for a second, Evan inhales and exhales deeply, just taking in the peaceful atmosphere. Unlike the other sections, Soe doesn't show any extremely beautiful flowers, nor amazing inventions, but the happiness from the locals is infectious. Just being around them makes Evan feel like his tiny ball of depression is compressing for the moment.
Walking around, Evan notes that most of the goods being sold are food-related or handmade crafts such as clothing. Despite the fact that the items are less luxurious per say compared to the other sections, Evan finds himself far more interested. Whether its a byproduct of the old Evan or simply the way he was raised, he enjoys the smaller joys in life.
School has been stressful because his time is leading up to an adventure to save the world, which is something he really doesn't have much of an interest in doing. Yes, he has his friends and times of joy, but the reality is that his time in school now may be the last bit of normalcy he'll have for some time.
The concept frightens him still because in his old life, he prepared for the real world, such as getting a job and being independent. Nothing can truly prepare him for the trials to come as anything could really happen.
Shaking his head, Evan decides to just get something to eat to take his mind off of things. One second he's all peaceful and the next, his mind starts revolving around his fears and doubts.
He stops by a booth with a child running the show. The brown short haired child seems to be selling a dessert of sorts, similar to that of a cupcake yet he doesn't recognize the sweets on top. The chocolate-looking cupcakes comes paired with maybe vanilla icing and tiny round beans. Not jelly beans, but well, what he believes is beans.
A bit confused by the creation yet intrigued, Evan pays the 3 copper coin asking price before walking away with his new treat. Giving the treat a quick sniff, Evan finds that he can't even recognize the treat by smell either and wonders if he should be worried. He wants to give it the benefit of the doubt, but he keeps equating the bean things on top to actual beans and that combination just sounds horrid.
Evan shivers just thinking about it, before he just decides to hell with it. Carefully unwrapping the pink wrapping paper, Evan cautiously takes a bite and almost throws it right back up. Mildly sweating, Evan powers through the bite and quickly swallows it, still having the aftertaste in his mouth.
It was disgustingly bitter and spicy, yet disguised as a dessert. Evan feels kind of lied to, though it's his fault for not asking what exactly the treat was. The beans at the top tasted more like nuts, so all he feels is confusion. He can't help but constantly compare things to those on Earth and yet, he still gets disappointed by the differences. He shouldn't be lingering on that anymore, but it's just so hard.
There's no manual out there that explains how to cope with losing your family and waking up in another world. Yes, he knows of those transmigration stories and isekai-type mangas, but even then, those were all fiction. Now he wonders if someone actually experienced that idea and somehow came back to Earth, publishing a story that seems fiction but actually isn't.
Evan passes by a trash bin and throws the treat out, vowing to avoid its existence at all costs. Many of the booths are set up by locals and their businesses, meaning the treat he had is most likely sold around the area as a delicacy. He truly does not understand how it can be tasty at all.
He scours the other booths for something that will rid his taste buds of that horrid taste, deciding on a soup bowl that should hopefully do the trick. Giving the vegetable soup bowl a sip, Evan is relieved that it doesn't taste like crap. So many meals in this world have truly been hits or misses, making it difficult to really understand what exactly he likes. That's not even including how sometimes, his tastebuds aren't entirely accustomed to his own tastes rather than the old Evan's.
Eventually, Evan finds himself seated by the main fountain, playing around with his glowing pin. His mind wanders to the male he met in the forest, wondering how he is. It's weird to once again think about him, especially after the annoying first-impression the guy made, but after some time, he wants to know more about him. How did he end up in the forest? Why did he end up in the forest? If people were after him, is his family at risk simply because of the location of their home?
All these thoughts swirl around in his mind, as Evan looks up towards the sky. If he ever meets the guy again, he'll punch him first for harassment and then maybe get to know him, just as a friend or something.