Lieren looked at his Aegis with a worried look, uncertainty bleeding from his gaze.
"Was… was she…"
"I'm not sure."
The boy furrowed his brows and knitted his brows unconsciously. There was confusion in his eyes as a deep fire ignited inside of him.
"Then... why?"
Harita, on the other hand, just stayed silent, his eyes darting from one person to another. He couldn't help but be wary of the dark city because of his previous two encounters.
He glanced at Lieren barely and moved his gaze forward, walking just a little faster, but not so much that the boy he accompanied would have trouble catching up to him. There was darkness in his feline eyes.
He muttered quietly, so low that his recipient almost missed it:
"It's because she was acting too suspicious."
He grabbed Lieren's hand roughly and held onto it tight.
"Did you not notice? That woman never once addressed me, as if I wasn't there at all. More specifically, she chose not to, probably because of her conditions. Accomplices more often than not have strict rules and heavy restrictions required to be fulfilled in order to activate their spells, both a burden and a blessing. It gives them better control over their target, as well as increase them. If not for this, then the whole world could have been under the control of one singular being with immense power by now. It's terrifying just to think about it. Gives me the creeps."
Lieren looked down and reflected on his Aegis' words. It was true that Accomplices — manipulation specialists — are both the least deadly and most complicated opponent to fight, especially in rural areas alike the city they currently find themselves in. They excelled in treacherous mind games and vile trickery in order to activate their abilities fully. Some even taking up to lifetimes just to achieve a desired effect through genius and madness.
It was a sensitive thing, requiring immense patience and vast creativity to make the proper ability suit one's needs perfectly.
Maybe one would prefer a short burst of manipulation with the most minimal of conditions. Or maybe another would rather choose a more clandestine and slow approach with the strictest of restrictions possible, taking years—possibly decades and lifetimes to achieve. Some even use their racial advantages like dwarves and elves to better suit their needs.
It was such a problem that it even caused various infightings and civil wars more than once throughout history, a true blemish in the record of existence.
Lieren took a deep breath and sped up his gait, matching his Aegis'.
"You are right. I should be careful."
Harita smiled while keeping his gaze forward, his gaze unwavering like a mighty mountain. There was a subtle glee in that expression that only Lieren could see.
Living in fear, being the most careful at every scenario there is, and never trusting anybody… that was the only way to avoid Accomplices and their dastardly powers. Such a life is… it's just…
"Isn't that just the worst?"
Harita stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes focusing to someplace else, completely detached. He looked at Lieren with an empty gaze.
"…Yeah. I guess so."
◇◆◇◆◇
Contrary to what Millie, the accused Accomplice woman, had said just a few minutes earlier, the city of New Mireton was not that bad at all. Various stalls bustled and chattered with customer and passersby, either haggling over the prices or chatting with a neighboring stall adjacent to them.
The plaza was wide and bustling with commerce, with hundreds, possibly thousands of people littering the place like a hive of Garden Bees, gravitating over the most flashy stall or the prettiest saleslady, as well as attractive vendors or talkative salesmen trapping tourists and new arrivals with their silver tongue and quick wit. It was nothing short of impressive, devious, and inspiring.
A flashy fountain gushing out clear blue water was erected in the very center, visible to all that roam the marketplace. It was flattering and easily noticeable, the epitome attraction at the very center of the city. Just looking at its gushing transparent surface was enough to fill one with ease and familiar comfort… making it easy to prey upon those affected.
For some reason, Lieren felt at home in the noisy plaza, as if he had been here before. But he wasn't. And it made him all the more confused.
Nevertheless, he let the joy and glee of a thriving market etch a smile on his young face.
Harita, however, was deeply serious, eyeing the vendors like they were a walking sludge of poison, spewing its toxins everywhere it could see. There was manic defense in his eyes that Lieren couldn't quite put together… yet.
He held the boy's hand even tighter, not wanting to let go of the frail kid ever again. Not after what happened.
"So, where are we going? An inn maybe? I don't know why, but I'm pooped."
Harita fell silent for a while, pondering something. He responded:
"Yeah, sure. It's been a long journey. Some rest will do us both some good, at least."
As if response to the lean man's throes, a young lady donning a particularly revealing tunic walked up and held his arm close to her bosom, flashing Harita a gleaming smile.
However, there was something else behind it. Something… slithering.
The young lady spoke up in a cheery, almost glass-shattering voice:
"Well, well. If its an inn you want, then I've got the just the place for you! West from the central fountain is the Marigold Inn, beloved by all and hated by none. It's the perfect place to ease your muscles and rest your soul. Maybe even get a meal while you're at it, who knows."
Her very presence was oozing with radiant desire, the smile on her face expertly crafted, as if carved by a master. It was incredibly difficult to notice it… except for him.
"Not interested."
With two simple words escaping his lips, Harita disenthrall himself from the young lady's beguiling charm. He extricated himself from her soft but tight grasp.
For a brief second, he felt the barest resemblance of resistance, but it quickly vanished, almost like a fleeting dream.
Her smile did not crack in the slightest, the true mark of a professional, doing her job through thick and thin. However, that did not mean that the duo did not notice something they had not before.
It was the complete opposite.
Even Lieren could feel the deep malice emanating from her very being, frustrated and anxious… as well as fear. It was so small and buried that it could very well and not existed at all. He tugged on his Aegis' shirt.
Harit nodded, his eyes resolute. His voice, on the other hand, hesitated.
"…Sure, we'll… uh… join you. Juts don't grab me so suddenly like that. Despite my looks, I'm not that kind of person."
Indeed, Harita could very easily had been mistaken for a carefree noble or devil-may-care self-made entrepreneur with vast wealth to spree on or inherited riches and treasures to spend willy-nilly. It was his looks and overly-kept hair, currently a mess, that tricked people into doing so. Whether that be a blessing or a curse, it remains to be seen.
The young lady beamed brightly after hearing Harita's affirmation, but dejected as she put together his financial capacities. Nevertheless, she beckoned west, not bothering to cover her exposed chest and pale arms.
"Come, come. The Marigold Inn is this way. Just a few minutes walk away."
Contrary to previous observations, her voice and tone told the truth… for once.
◇◆◇◆◇
Lieren fully expected the young lady to lead them to some rickety, scarcely-swept inn with a hanging sign and bedraggled hag manning the counter with her back hunched forward. But no, it was better than that. Much better.
Sandwiched between two identical buildings, albeit a different color, was a concrete building standing three stories tall, fashioned with sets of windows to take in the view, whatever was left of it, for a little extra shell. It was bore a light shade of yellow, with lime lines outlining the sides and the window frames. A steel sign, still hanging but not dangerously so, held the image of a simple flower, lacking any kind of flashy adornments unlike the young lady's appearance. It was simple and easy to remember, perfectly easy to take note of. Nevertheless visit again.
"Welcome to the Marigold Inn!"
The young woman smiled gleefully, her face beaming with the crafted mask of a true saleslady. Each movement was controlled and measured to properly showcase both her charming personality and the product she was selling. In other words, a room at the cozy-looking inn.
Without further dilly-dally, the duo and saleslady walked over to the front entrance.
"Come on in. I promise that the owner doesn't bite."
She motioned for them to come inside, her crafted smiled frozen on her face.
Lieren muttered aloud, belligerent:
"That's not disconcerting."
"..."
The young lady just smiled as she urged for them to come inside. Both of them didn't feel like they were getting anything out of this and ultimately decided to head inside.
"Well, shall we go in then? I'm starving."
Contrary to his outside appearance, Harita was ready to summon Night Eater, his hand clutching the invisible handle of the curved blade, his nerves tense and his muscles ready to burst at any second.
A mature, older voice echoed from inside… along with the resounding crash of a destroyed table.
"Oh, Sanra coer… um… convinced some customers with her charms once again. That's the second time today, quite impressive… well, that table's ruined."
For some reason, Lieren was getting a bad feeling about this.
"Is… is that guy dead?"