"I assume some adjustments are to be considered when making the coat, right?"
"Yes. The enhancements will be done by me. Can I expect it to be finished this evening?"
"Consider it done."
Aelfryn and Farz conversed about the finishing touches to Coy's uniform. The measurements were already done in a heartbeat with a device of magical nature. Coy was curious about its origin when the process was going under way.
Looking at Farz's daughter, Layla, Coy asked with a warm smile, "Miss Layla, do you perhaps know where that gadget is from?" pointing at a circular object with cerulean features. It looked metallic but didn't seem to be made of any metal Coy knew of.
Layla, who was putting puzzles together while furrowing her forehead, heard her name being mentioned and glanced at the boy with crimson eyes. 'Woah, beautiful eyes,' she thought.
"What gadget?" She asked before following Coy's finger, which pointed at a certain object.
A look of clarity graced her brown eyes. She eagerly jumped from her chair behind the counter and walked towards the gadget sitting over what sort of looked like a mat. Coy followed her.
As she arrived, she began to explain while placing her small hands on her hips. "Ahem, this thing is made by my mother and is called a measurement artifact! It measures your body… And uh, I think I forgot what else it does, hehe."
Placing her hand on the back of her head due to the embarrassing actions she just took, Layla giggled.
{What a cute kid. Oi, why did you not marry a woman on earth? You missed spoiling a cute child like this one.} Chóros, who had been silent with his research concerning the ether in Coy's abdomen, chipped in.
Coy simply decided not to entertain him and asked Layla, "Ohh, it sounds amazing." To which Layla nodded proudly at his praise.
'Of course it's amazing! Mother made it.' She thought.
"Your mother must be more amazing to make such an artifact, right? I would love to meet her."
Coy, who then expected her to brag about her mother, saw her look down at the ground as her eyes started to moisten around the ends.
With a pout, she said, "M- mother has been embraced by the Ancient One, as told by father."
I see… Coy guessed from Layla's words that her mother had unfortunately passed away. He patted her head with a sad smile.
'May her soul rest in peace.' He silently thought to himself before he was pulled by Chóros's absentminded voice. {The Ancient One, huh…}
{What do you know about the Ancient One?} Coy asked.
{The Ancient One blessed Mundus upon 'her' death. By fusing with Mundus' wet soil, 'she' became one with it. That's why whenever someone dies in this world, it's customary to say; 'May you find your place besides the Ancient One.'}
Chóros became silent afterwards. His voice contained traces of sadness which Coy did not miss.
Coy pondered over his words. 'So the Ancient One was a 'she'? Or is it addressed as such due to symbolic reasons?'
Layla, who witnessed Coy's taking on a lost face, asked, "Mister, are you alright?"
Seeing her concern about him, Coy smiled and said, "I was wondering how proud your mother must be to have a smart child like you."
"But you're also a child, even though you look pretty tall!"
'True. Just in body though.' Not minding her words, he just patted her before he was called by Aelfryn.
"Coy! We can go now." Aelfryn had already settled the price for the uniform and was just chatting with Farz.
Coy bid Layla farewell and went along with Aelfryn, who headed for the door.
***
In the commoner's marketplace, the pavements were crowded. The morning has just gone by, and midday has arrived.
The city was usually not this crowded; however, with the addition of many noble scions, sons, and daughters of wealthy merchants and officials, black horses with shining talents when it came to the art of magic or sword, things were not as usual.
All came to enroll in the most prestigious academy in the world.
Today was the last day to join the academy before it could be reopened until next year, around this time.
Walking among such people were Coy and Aelfryn.
"So you are saying that the students themselves are divided into factions?" Coy asked.
Aelfryn, who took a bite of the meat on the skewer he bought from a nearby stall, nodded. He said, "Indeed. To be precise, four factions. The Royalties, the High Beings, the Pacifists, and lastly, the United. Each of them has different beliefs and agendas."
Coy pursed his lips in amusement and said, "For an academy named The Union, that was something I didn't expect."
Alelfryn tried to laugh but almost choked on a morsel. He coughed to clear his throat before replying to Coy. "In the past, at a time when blood was as common as water, the situation forced us to cooperate peacefully and united. Nowadays, the academy seems to have lost its essence due to the tranquility going on."
"I see… What does the headmistress think of this situation?"
Putting on a thoughtful expression, Aelfryn answered, "Master said to me before that this would not last. The diversity will once again collapse, and the academy will retain its true identity, which it was first established in… Though I don't know when that will happen, hopefully it occurs while I'm still in the academy."
{Hoh, that woman is sharp, yes…} Coy picked up on Chóros's cryptic words.
He asked, {What do you mean by that?}
As if waiting for Coy to ask such a question, Chóros answered with fanfare, {The current trends of the world are changing. Times of hardship are coming; this, without a doubt, is a fact.}
Aelfryn, who walked beside Coy, didn't mind his silence and thought he was just thinking about what he said.
Coy, still with unanswered questions, asked, {How do you know that? You haven't left my side at all.}
{ …It's because I'm back!}
Coy's eye twitched in response to Chóros's words. What level of narcissism is this.
At that moment, a kid with matching orange fox ears and tail was running beside Coy when he accidentally tripped and fell. With high agility, Coy supported the falling kid who looked to be a Fox-kin with his arm.
"Are you alright?" Coy asked.
The Fox-kin, who was lowering their head, profusely apologised and immediately headed off to a distance, disappearing from the pair's view. The sounds of inaudible chains trailing behind them.
Confused by such actions, Coy commented, "What an odd kid."
He glanced at Aelfryn, who appeared to be holding back his laughter, and asked, "And what's with you now?"
Aelfryn simply pointed at Coy's waist, at which he looked to confirm Aelfryn's unusual behaviour.
Above his right pocket, where a silver chain was supposed to be dangling from his belt's hook, there was nothing.
Immediately understanding the situation, Coy sighed in disappointment. 'How did I not notice such thievery? I have become dull.'
Noticing his thoughts, Aleryn comforted him, saying, "Don't be down. Fox-kins are known for their tricks. Should we chase them ourselves or call the law enforcers?"
Coy considered it for a second and shook his head, "It's alright, it was just a pocket watch, nothing special."
He had seen the Fox-kins' worn-out clothes and believed it would be better off with him. Also, the kid had managed to one-up him and made him learn a lesson. Perhaps the pocket watch could count the fee for such a brief lesson?
***
In a shaded, quiet alley in the commoner's district. A Fox-kin was carefully holding a silver pocket watch with beautiful designs carved to it.
This was going to last him for a month's worth of food expenses; he had to be extra cautious with it or else—Suddenly a kick arrived and hit him right on his shoulder, knocking him down to the cold ground along with the pocket watch. His head collided with the concrete floor.
A hateful voice echoed in the Fox-kin's ears, whose mind was disoriented from the kick: "You thought you could try to fetch something for yourself while being under our territory? Not even paying tribute? You bastard fox!"