After eating breakfast, Zei Ryu asked Hélèna when the King would summon him.
"Hmm I'd say around afternoon as he's pretty busy with his northern affairs."
North ?
"Northern affairs ?"
"Oh that's right I forgot you've only been here since yesterday. The north is at war with the demons at the moment, and over there it snows so heavily that a fog can decimate a town like ours, but they have a system of magic to counteract that."
"As reports reach our King, he must do his job and order instructions to prevent it's destruction."
"I don't know many details about their situation, but I hope the residents are safe," she sighs.
After a few seconds, he said "I hope so too."
Looking out of the window, she could see the city's main streets colorful with all kinds of entertainment, it was Magnus Stone's day of celebration today, and she suddenly had an idea at the sight of it all.
Hélèna turned her head towards the young man in front of her.
"Let's change the subject and have some fun, shall we ?"
Zei Ryu had followed the priestess's gaze and knew what she was talking about.
"Please be my guide again then."
______________________________________________
The street was colored in all sorts of bright colors, balloons were flying everywhere, you could hear the cries of joy from the children having fun, snow was everywhere giving the party a festive feel, trees were standing up right and left, and you could hear the rustle of leaves.
Zei Ryu was standing at the entrance to the street, which had already become very busy, and in front of him was the beautiful priestess who had already crossed the entrance, telling him to come over.
Today he had to discover the place and familiarize himself with it before being summoned by the King.
At least, that's what Hélèna suggested.
Although he'd only been here for a day, he'd already adapted to the surface of this world. When he was alive on Earth, he traveled a lot, discovering many different cultures and populations along the way, this world wasn't all that different, apart from the supernatural powers of magic.
As he passed the entrance guards, he saw stores on either side, all different from each other.
Some sold accessory items, party snacks and bric-a-brac, while others offered magic lessons, told stories and played games he'd never heard of.
Zei Ryu had received money from the priestess on behalf of the King before going there, if he was interested in anything.
For the moment, nothing tempted him to spend the money.
The alley was long, very wide too, if the kingdom is a circle, then the street would be the radius of that circle, from here he could see the entrance as well as the other way round.
This party must have been really extraordinary for so many people to come...
Not farther on, near a fountain, several people gathered in a semicircle before a man who appeared to be a storyteller.
He was old and wore a cape, and on his face was a scar running from his lower right jaw to his left eye, giving him a terrifying look.
Approaching the square, Hélèna said to him.
"This is Mr. Abba, he's a very good storyteller, so good that every year he wins the prize for best storyteller of the festival, if you want to know more about this world just sit back and listen."
Zei Ryu listened and sat down.
After a few more people joined in, the old man began his dialogue.
"Back in time immemorial, magic was the first and most primal source of power among beings, just as it is today. However, compared to that era, we have progressed, making magic several advanced techniques. The reason I mention this is that in those days, magic was so destructive that it could topple an entire kingdom, shaping it like a person's shadow."
"Then, five centuries later, we come to the memorial age. This is when Magnus Stone was born. One day, while out for a walk, he came across a strange being. There were no words to describe him, except that he was special. That day, he was wounded. Noticing his wounds, Magnus Stone rushed to treat him. However, his wounds wouldn't close and the blood continued to flow. The special being then asked him"
"I'm dying, there's nothing you can do for me, so everything you do is pointless. Why do you persist ?"
When he noticed the strange being talking to him, he replied
"It's because I want to save you, in my heart I can't let anyone die, no matter who they are"
"Even if they have bad intentions towards you ?"
"Even if they have bad intentions"
Then, with a sigh, the being continued to speak.
"You're so naive, well, I'll make you a deal that might help you save me from death's door. Will you listen to me ?"
"I'll listen as long as it helps you survive"
"My name is -------- and yours, young man ?"
Magnus Stone.
"And so she became his teacher and his wife."
"She taught him magic and enabled him to soar into the sky. He became the first human to know how to use magic."
"Thanks to her, Magnus Stone was born, and of these legends"
"So today, what we know about magic comes from Magnus Stone, and thanks to him, we've perfected magic."
"Many techniques and arts have been achieved thanks to many of his skills and knowledge, and some subjects are still being studied today."
"But what you need to know is that thanks to one man, our world has totally changed !"
Shortly afterwards there was a round of applause.
Then magical snow began to fall, prompting several people to exclaim.
Zei Ryu caught one of the snowflakes that fell onto his palm, it glowed immaculately white and then dissipated like an essence of mana.
"Do you find it beautiful, Mr. Zei Ryu ?"
He soon replied.
"Yes and yet fascinating."
The story may seem touching between the relationship of these two, but the question is, who was she ? And why had she helped him ? What was her purpose ? Was it love ? But there was no answer.
If she was able to teach him magic, then she must have been more than just a strange person, if not on the level of a very powerful being.
But the meeting between these two was more than a coincidence.
There must be more to the story, but for now Zei Ryu had to walk around and enjoy himself.
"Mr. Zei Ryu, follow me !" And off she went into the disappearing crowd.
Noticing her disappearance, he followed shortly after her.
As he made his way through the crowd with Hélèna, he spotted a little girl in distress, being beaten by a banal man, and continued on as if the crowd were nothing but ghosts, her head turned from right to left, asking passers-by for help.
However, no one wanted to help her, instead they continued walking as if this were an ordinary scene.
Some people looked on with pity, others with encouragement for the girl.
How rude.
"I-I'm sorry !"
"You thought you could escape ?! Your mother is already doomed ! Be a good girl and keep obeying me ! Like the slave you are !"
With his whip he continued, leaving cuts and bruises on her body.
Tears streamed down her face, imprinted with earth and snow, silently suffering each of these blows.
Beside him, Hélèna had her firm fist ready to beat him, but she hesitated as if something was making her realize the consequences of her actions.
She wanted to, but couldn't.
A hand came to touch her shoulder, she saw Zei Ryu, and spoke.
"I can do it for you, but in return you owe me a favor."
She retracted her hand and replied, "Go on, help her."
______________________________________________
It hurts, it hurts a lot, when will it end ?
I want to find my mother, she's still alive, I have faith in her.
Your mother is already dead, do you hear ?! You're just deluding yourself !
No ! I don't believe you, let me look for her !
But like an electric shock, the whip continued to reprimand her.
I want to get out of here, I miss my mother, where is she ?
Please someone help me.
"Huff... Huff... you leave me no choice, too bad for your pretty face but I'll have to mess it up a bit."
"Who will messed up her face ?"
Then one person stepped forward, emerging like a hero from the shadows.
"Or am I going to mess up your face ?"
The girl opened her eyes to see an ordinary young man, but to her he was no longer ordinary.
Then the man turned to look at the young man and snarled, "What do you want, you piece of shit ? Get out of here, it's none of your business."
"It is, so let's cut to the chase and fuck off !"
Then a fist slammed into the man's abdomen, delivering a devastating blow.
"Argh ! You son of a bitch, what was that fist ?!"
The sound of coins was heard on the palm of the young man's hand, a bag of coins.
"How was it, it hurt, didn't it ?"
"You used a bag of coins to hit me ?! You piece of shit !"
The man lunged at the young man, ready to charge at him like a raging bull.
Suddenly, through bad luck, he tripped over a deteriorated slab and fell head-first onto the floor, falling unconscious.
The man was then defeated.
The girl couldn't believe her eyes, this young man had only defeated her with a single punch, and luckily the adversary stumbled over a flagstone, emerging unscathed and triumphant.
"How can this be ?" says the girl in her head.
The young man turned back to the distressed girl, ignoring his opponent that he had just inflicted on him.
He crouched down in front of her.
"Tell me, what are you looking for ?"
She remained silent for a few seconds, then spoke.
"...I'm looking for my mother"
With a sigh, he asked.
"Do you have any trace of your mother ? When did you last saw her ?"