"Okay let me get this straight, first the Inn got destroyed internally, Xerxes lost half his stock and made us clean up after his messes. Now he sends us to pick up his pre-ordered batch and your telling me you have no idea where we are going?"
I spoke out a bit loudly, it was somewhat frustrating in a way.
"Nope."
Rachel answered with her arms behind her back, a smile was worn on her face and she acted like everything was alright.
I sighed softly, it was pointless going back to confirm exactly the location. We just had to find a way to pull this off.
"How can you stay so positive even in such precarious situations?"
Come to think of it, since our paths crossed she always had this smile that assured me everything was going to be just fine. I didn't know how to explain it.
"You just have to believe that everything's gonna be alright Xavier, now let's find the batch before night-time approaches. Trust me you wouldn't want to travel through that forest in the dark."
She didn't have to tell me that anyways, I was attacked by a large beast that oozed blood lust unable to control it, if it wasn't for Xerxes I'd be with my family by now.
"You don't have to tell me twice."
I walked forward with slow paces, Terre Lane was a big town with large markets, they were hunters after all. Marketing in this town is considered one the most competitive sources of income.
"So how are we going to find this batch if we don't know where we are going exactly?"
I questioned Rachel who walked beside me, She used her right index finger to stroke her chin before replying to me.
"Considering the circumstances we are going to have to check store by store, shouldn't be that hard."
My expression changed, what the hell does she mean by it won't be that hard?
"What? how many liquor stores are there exactly?"
Rachel eyes rolled up as we walked through the food stand, she tried remembering the exact number of liquor stores this town has.
"Umm I can't remember the exact figure. Asides selling of meat and food stuffs, Terre Lane is also known for their liquors, after all the forest used to produce the best liquors is right next to them. So there's a huge competitive spree when it comes to liquor."
I stopped moving, I mean...what?
"What?"
That's all I could say when I turned to face Rachel who still smiled after she clearly heard what she said with her own tongue. My eyes twitched and I questioned her a bit annoyed at the situation.
"What do you mean you can't remember? and you expect me to believe everything will turn out right?"
The tone my voice was rather loud and dark and that drew the attention of many buyers and sellers in the market square which is where we are presently. Middle-aged women and able-bodied men all stared at me.
"You should keep your voice down Xavier."
Her voice was rather different from before, it felt like she was warning me but it wasn't just a warning. It was an advice because unknown to me that the citizens Terre Lane treated womankind like some sort of god, mainly because a woman was the creator of the land they lived in.
I felt a big hand placed on my shoulder and I turned my neck to see who touched me. My head was shaking little by little as my eyes met with a huge, muscular, ripped and I mean ripped dude.
"You've got a problem with this lady?"
His voice was deep and loud, the bass alone caused my eardrums to misbehave, it was like putting my ear right next to a speaker.
"N-no I-i don't."
I stammered as I was clearly intimidated and oppressed, what happened to freedom of speech in this town?
"Good, because I have a problem with you. Gentlemen don't raise their voices at women, especially beautiful women of good value and culture."
"Eh? You talking about her?"
What he said made me muster up a little bit of courage which led me to point at Rachel the moment I questioned him.
"You little runt, I'll teach you to respect women!"
His bass voice thundered through the air and it made my body numb.
"Tch"
He didn't even raise his fist yet but I already knew it was over for me, I mean this dude was ripped. One punch from him I could end up swiftly in the intensive care unit.
Eventually he did raise his fist at me, in my eyes it felt like he held me at gunpoint with a rocket launcher, that was the force it looked like it carried.
"Please forgive his ignorance sir, it won't happen again."
Rachel pleaded with the man while bending her upper body forward to show sincerity. There was an uproar around the three of us.
"Stop screwing around! That man deserves beating!"
"Yeah he needs to learn how to respect women!"
"Let him have it!"
Multiple women yelled all around us, they wanted me beaten especially after I raised my voice at a woman, a blessed gender in their land.
"Hmm."
The man grunted as he let me go, it seemed I was at the mercy of Rachel to him.
"Fine, if you so wish it young lady. But I'll tell you this much."
He stood in front of me and looked down at me as well, he was like I'd guess 7"4 or more and I was just 6"3. To him I was short and to the other's, well a midget.
"I'll be watching you, If you so much as mistreat this lady, or any other women to be more precise. You are as good as dead, am I clear?"
I gulped while nodding, this was the opposite of what Rachel said I'd have visiting this town. Rachel's expression changed as she grabbed my hands and walked away instantly.
"What's wrong?"
I asked while being dragged by Rachel who seemed to be in a hurry to leave that area.
"Just keep walking."
Her voice wasn't what it used to be, it sounded like I should be worried for her or something because the way she spoke and walked. It was like she was trying to get away from someone or something.
In the back of a stall not far away from where I was being bullied, two men with a cigarette in their mouths gazed at us. One of them removed his cigarette from his mouth and exhaled a bit of smoke.
"That's her isn't it? That's the girl we've been searching for this whole time?"
The other man smiled and removed his own cigarette as well replying to his comrade's question.
"Yeah, gather the rest, We can't miss this opportunity."