People walked back and forth on the street. They stared at their days with empty, soulless eyes. They seemed caught in the cycle of life. Where they wake up, work, eat, go home, sleep every day. The monotony of their lives made them feel like puppets programmed to do the same thing over and over again regardless of time and age.
Among them, Micah walked alone to enjoy the cityscape. He gazed at every corner of the city with shining eyes. He looked at the atmosphere of this fantasy city like a child seeing rain for the first time.
Stone houses reminiscent of desert dwellings, palm trees near a miniature lake on the city's outskirts, uneven stone streets, and patrolling soldiers made the whole city feel like a medieval desert town. Micah was thrilled with the sight. He even forgot that he was now in enemy territory that could attack him at any moment if he let his guard down.
"Finally, after a loooong time, I can finally feel what it's like to breathe in a place like this," he said, taking a deep breath and stretching his arms.
Soon, the people around began to notice something odd about the person (Micah) nearby. They started to stare at Micah with strange looks, whispering, "His clothes are so strange," to the person next to them.
Micah's appearance, wearing black sunglasses and a hat, looked unusual to the people around him. Even if Camel or Doris were near Micah, they would still comment the same. Micah's clothing, specifically his headgear, was never seen in this world. If there were any, his hat would be a wide-brimmed cowboy hat or straw hat, and for the glasses only available for reading one.
***
On the other side, Captain Lyke, who had been wandering the city, accidentally noticed the silent stares of the townspeople.
"What's going on?"
Lyke walked up to one of the citizens and asked, "What's happening over there?"
"An outsider, sir. He's attracting a lot of attention because his clothes are unusual."
"What does he look like?!" Lyke asked, slightly forcing his tone.
"I'm sorry, sir (bowing his head). I don't know his name, but if I have to describe him. He seems to be wearing glasses, but it's black, and he's also wearing something like a hat worn by common folk in the fields, but the difference is that the hat doesn't encircle his entire head."
Lyke immediately knew who the person was being referred to. Among the five intruders before, Lyke remembered one person who had the most unique appearance among them. That must be him! thought Lyke.
"Thank you!"
Lyke left immediately. He didn't want to miss his chance. He had to inform the treachery of those rebels to the sorcerer as soon as possible.
However, in the midst of his quick steps, he gradually stopped. He began to ponder, "Is this person a friend of the rebel or the wizard?" The thought started to haunt him. What if he was wrong in informing and instead made the rebels more wary to the magic-user to not be deceived by their(Asena Faction) 'fake' statement.
Captain Lyke began to wonder whether his actions were right or wrong. He tried to help an innocent person, but on the other hand, he also tried to do something foolish at the same time. Caring for others where Duke Asena's leadership still prevailed was a foolish step.
"Darn it! Why are they staring at me like I'm stupid?!"
Suddenly, someone crouched and leaned against the wall near Lyke. He looked exhausted from being stared at by all the townsfolks.
An opportunity came just like that, that's what Lyke was thinking right now. He didn't expect the person he was looking for to be near him right now.
"Uh... What's wrong with you?" Lyke asked Micah, who was tired.
"These people! They're staring at me like I'm weird!" he exclaimed, pointing towards the bustling street.
Micah didn't recognize Lyke because of the darkness of the underground passage. Moreover, Lyke was wearing different clothes this time. Previously, he wore armor from the Kingdom of Hamud, now he was wearing his usual clothes, consisting of a t-shirt, robe, and wizard hat, completely transforming his appearance 180 degrees into a wizard.
"Of course, something on your head doesn't look normal here." (Lyke)
"Really?" hearing that statement, Micah immediately took off his glasses and hat.
"Hmm (nodding)! Now you look normal (glancing at Micah's clothes)... Just that, seeing a suit turned into a robe is still unusual, but it's okay. We've seen something like that several times in this city, so there's no need for you to take it off."
Lyke walked towards Micah. He sat down in the same pose as Micah and looked at the same wall that the boy was looking at.
"From your clothes, you don't seem to be from here," Lyke began to gently interrogate him.
"You could say that..."
"You could say?"
"Yes, actually, we're from the village far from here. Ahahaha!" Micah laughed with joy. Not because it was funny but, he realized he almost said something he shouldn't have.
The secret of where he shouldn't have mentioned it in this enemy-filled city.
"Ahhahaha..." Lyke followed his laugh quietly and reluctantly.
'Damn it, he's cautious! I have to find a way to make him say something. At least some information on whose side he's on, whether from the wizard or the rebel?!' Lyke gritted his teeth.
"Initially, I was like that too..." Lyke already knew what topic he should bring up. "... when I first came here. I got a lot of strange looks from them."
He showed his wizard's clothes to Micah. If Micah had seen this in his world, he would have thought that the person in front of him was either performing or just cosplaying.
"So being a wizard is tough. Especially a pure wizard. They are very hated in this country, especially by the rebels." Lyke tried to draw Micah into talking about Lidya.
"Do the rebels hate wizards? Why?"
Micah's reaction was not what Lyke had hoped for. He wasn't surprised or worried about it.
"It's normal. Wizards are considered shameful there. They (wizards) are seen as the owners of the blood of the goddess of death."
"The Goddess of Death?"
Lyke was surprised that Micah didn't know about it. But he tried not to appear surprised and explained it anyway. "The Goddess of Death. Or commonly known as the queen of the Totten Kryzyx Country, is an immortal woman who has lived for centuries. She watches her children grow, develop, and die at every moment. The Totten Kryzyx state is a country whose inhabitants mostly have the bloodline of the her. They live to worship the Goddess who seems to be currently living in a heavily guarded palace in that state."
"Poor thing..." (Micah)
"Definitely, seeing her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren die while she lives. It must be terribly frightening."
"Not that, I mean... It must be difficult to live forever but be lived in that kind of palace."
Lyke immediately turned to Micah with a surprised look. "What do you mean?"
"From your story earlier, instead of being worshipped, the Goddess of Death seems to be imprisoned."
Lyke raised the corner of his lips and closed his eyes with an 'I knew it' expression on his face. "You now understand why wizards are hated?"
"Is this country the reason for it?"
"No. The people in this country are just misled by fake news. While the real reason is the siblings themselves."
"The siblings, you mean Ase-?"
"Sorry, it seems my time is running out!" Lyke stood up and looked at the street. "There's not much I can tell you, but I have to tell you one thing."
Lyke didn't need to find out if Micah was Lidya's friend or not. All his ignorance in the conversation just now had answered everything.
"Beware of the rebels! Count Ingro and his followers hate wizards and sorcerers, anything related to magic. It all because of his father's death, who was also the duke's father!"
Lyke left Micah alone in the alley near the city street. He returned to the street and went to prepare to fight them whenever they appeared.
Shortly after that, Rudi and Camel appeared and managed to find Micah.
"Why are you here?" Rudi asked.
"I'm enjoying life," Micah said, standing up.
He didn't mention anything about the earlier conversation because Micah was starting to suspect the rebels. Not that he would betray, but he needed to discuss the conversation with his two friends.
On the other hand, Rudi could only breathe a sigh of relief apparently Micah didn't go to the place mentioned by Camel.