The bustling city of Luthra hummed with life as merchants hollered their wares and children dashed between stalls. Despite the lively atmosphere, Avi couldn't shake the unease in his chest. He glanced down at Ellie, her vibrant hair catching the sunlight like threads of ashen mahogany. Even though the story of the "cursed" hair didn't bother him, he knew it wasn't safe to parade her distinct hair color in a city steeped in superstition. With a sigh, he pulled out a hood from his inventory and crouched to Ellie's height.
"Wear this for now, Ellie," he said gently, attempting a cheerful tone. "So no one bothers our date, okay?"
Ellie beamed, entirely unaware of the real reason. "Ellie likes this hood!" she chirped, pulling it snugly over her head. Her smile was so genuine that it twisted Avi's insides.
Innocence doesn't deserve to be met with scorn. He clenched his fist briefly but quickly softened as Ellie tugged on his sleeve. "Come on, Ellie. Let's find something tasty."
The savory aroma of grilled meat guided them like a beacon to a small stall. Skewers of glistening meat and vegetables sizzled over hot coals, and Ellie's eyes lit up like stars.
"Let's check that out, Ellie!" he said, guiding her toward the stall.
Before making a purchase, Avi activated his |Clairvoyance|, a glowing interface only visible to him lighting up as he examined the skewers. After all, the story Ellie shared about being given food that made her stomach hurt still haunted him.
[Grilled Skewered Meat - 2 Copper Coins]
Details: A combination of tender cow meat and roasted vegetables, lightly seasoned and perfectly grilled.
Reassured that the food was safe, Avi felt his shoulders relax—until he remembered something important. He didn't have the local currency.
"Figures," Avi muttered under his breath. Digging into his [Dimensional Inventory], he scrolled past scraps of wood, monster loot, and miscellaneous items, searching for something remotely valuable.
"Nothing," he groaned.
As if on cue, a bright light flashed before his eyes, accompanied by the familiar neutral tone of the system.
[Universal Currency Exchange]
1,000 SP = 1 Gold Coin
10 SP = 1 Silver Coin
1 SP = 10 Copper Coins
"Huh. Convenient," Avi thought. He quickly did some mental math. "If skewers cost two coppers each, then one silver could probably feed a small family for a day. I've got a ton of SP, so I can afford to splurge a little."
With a quick confirmation, he exchanged 30 Silver Coins and 200 Copper Coins.
[Convert 320 SP to currency?]
→ Conversion complete. Coins deposited into Dimensional Inventory.
After ensuring the coins were safely stored, Avi turned back to the vendor. Ellie was tugging on his sleeve, her wide eyes fixed on the skewers with barely contained excitement.
"How much for this, mister?" he asked the vendor, already preparing to pay.
The vendor squinted at Avi's tattered school uniform. "For you, my friend, a special deal. Ten copper coins for two skewers! Cheapest in the market!" He grinned, though his expression betrayed mischief.
Avi's |clairvoyance| skill had already exposed the lie, and his humor faded. "Nice try. Two coppers each is the normal price," he said, leveling the man with an unimpressed stare. "I'd rather not pay the foreigner tax."
The vendor hesitated under Avi's unwavering gaze before breaking into a nervous laugh. "You got me, lad! Two coppers it is."
Avi handed over the coins, purchasing three skewers each for himself and Ellie. She eagerly bit into her first one, her small hands barely wrapping around the stick.
"Is it good, Ellie?"
"Ellie loves it! Thanks, Big bro!"
The market plaza was alive with vibrant colors and scents. Stalls overflowed with fruits, grilled meats, and trinkets of all kinds. Avi and Ellie strolled through the bustling streets, her small hand clutching his as they moved from one vendor to another. Ellie's hood remained in place, shielding her hair from prying eyes, though her delighted giggles occasionally drew some attention.
Avi's |Clairvoyance| had become an indispensable tool, helping him verify the quality and safety of every item before purchasing. He had a knack for finding good deals, much to Ellie's delight as they sampled various snacks. She chewed happily on what looked like a crepe filled with sweet cream and berries, a faint streak of cream marking the corner of her mouth.
They were nearing the edge of the plaza when Avi's ears caught the raised voice of an old man. Turning toward the source, he saw someone dressed in immaculate, flowing robes embroidered with golden sigils that glimmered faintly under the sunlight. The man's silver hair spilled over his shoulders, framing a face weathered with age but alight with fervor.
Standing atop a small platform, the priest addressed the crowd, his voice filled with gravity and mysticism.
"Beware of the cursed bloodline!" he bellowed, his tone sharp enough to silence the bustling crowd nearest to him. "For they bring death and calamity, rooted in the betrayal of a knight who dared defy the gods themselves!"
The words hung in the air, heavy with an ominous weight. Avi narrowed his eyes, his gut twisting as if something about the man's speech was familiar, though he couldn't place why. Ellie, however, tugged on his sleeve.
"He's lying," she said firmly, her voice slightly muffled by the crepe she was still biting into.
Avi crouched down, his gaze softening. "What do you mean, Ellie?"
Ellie looked at him, her eyes wide and earnest. "Nana said the knight wasn't cursed. The knight was actually a hero who saved everyone. That's what Nana told Ellie." She paused, her gaze falling to the ground. "She said people told lies to hurt the knight because they were afraid. Nana also said Ellie has the same hair as the hero... Ellie thinks that's why everyone says Ellie's cursed."
Her voice wavered at the end, the joy she'd had earlier fading as sadness settled over her features. The crepe in her hands drooped slightly as her appetite waned.
Avi's chest tightened. He reached out, gently patting her head over the hood. "Hey, that doesn't sound like a curse to me. If you have the same hair as a hero, that just makes you special, doesn't it?"
Ellie looked up at him, her lips curving into a small, hesitant smile. "Ellie thinks so too."
Avi nodded, standing back up. Despite his calm demeanor, the priest's words still lingered in his mind, tugging at something he couldn't quite remember. But now wasn't the time to dwell on it—he couldn't risk making Ellie more upset.
"Come on," he said with forced cheerfulness, "let's grab a few more snacks before heading back. I'm sure everyone back at the guild would love something tasty."
Ellie perked up at that and followed him to another stall. Avi made sure to buy an assortment of treats, paying at normal prices with |Clairvoyance| ensuring he wasn't being swindled.
They were just about to leave the plaza when a shadow fell over them. Avi turned to see the same priest from earlier standing mere feet away, his expression twisted with disdain.
"You," the priest hissed, his voice carrying an unnatural edge that seemed to cut through the lively hum of the market square. It was venomous, sharp, and filled with a malice that caused some of the nearby chatter to falter. His narrowed eyes locked onto Ellie like a hawk sighting prey. "Why are you with this cursed child? I demand that you hand her over to me, or face the wrath of the gods!"
Avi stepped forward instinctively, positioning himself between the priest and Ellie. His movements were precise and deliberate, shielding her small frame with his own. Ellie peeked around his arm, clutching the edge of his shirt, her earlier joy draining into quiet apprehension. Avi felt her fingers tighten against him, and his lips curled into a smirk as he leveled the priest with a mocking glare.
"Wrath of what now?" Avi replied, his voice dripping with sarcastic disinterest. His casual tone seemed to ignite the priest's rage, which only encouraged him further. "Sorry, I must have missed the memo where spooky old men in robes started issuing godly mandates."
The priest's face twisted, veins bulging against his temples. His posture straightened, and he puffed out his chest as if to draw strength from some unseen force. "You dare mock me? I am a priest who serves the true faith, one that appeases the great Demon God!" His proclamation rang out, drawing gasps and murmurs from the gathering crowd.
Avi quirked an eyebrow. "Oh, so you are in a cult," he shot back, his tone deadpan. He gestured vaguely at the priest's elaborate robes and his overly theatrical stance. "Honestly, that tracks. And now you're trying to kidnap a kid in broad daylight? Yeah, that's suspicious as hell."
The priest's face contorted, his features warping with unbridled fury. He raised his arms dramatically, his hands trembling as guttural words began spilling from his mouth in an otherworldly language.
"Fazar'z eth ardar Xarath—malen vir khan—"
A chill swept through the air, and the market square seemed to grow quieter, as though the very space recoiled from the malevolent energy building between the priest's palms. Dark red sparks crackled like miniature lightning bolts, illuminating the intricate lines of runes forming in the air around him. The oppressive weight of the incantation pressed against Avi's senses, setting every instinct in his body on edge. He could feel Ellie trembling behind him, and his mind raced.
This guy's really going to throw down here? Fine, then.
Avi didn't hesitate. He stepped forward with deliberate speed, closing the gap between them before the priest could finish his spell. With a fluid motion, he raised his hand and delivered a sharp smack to the side of the priest's head.
The sound was strangely anticlimactic—a simple thud, almost disappointing in its mundanity compared to the priest's grandiose display. The chanting stopped abruptly, replaced by a strangled gasp as the priest's eyes rolled back. The energy surrounding his hands fizzled out like a dying ember, and he crumpled to the ground in an unceremonious heap, his robes pooling around him.
For a moment, there was complete silence.
Avi turned to the crowd, raising both hands in mock innocence, his expression one of exaggerated bewilderment. "Everyone saw that was self-defense, right?"
The onlookers stared at him, their faces a mixture of shock, awe, and barely suppressed laughter. Some exchanged uncertain glances, while others muttered among themselves. A few bold voices started chuckling, breaking the tense atmosphere.
The silence was broken by a deep, hearty laugh from behind Avi. He turned to see Thalor, the guildmaster, striding toward him. His broad shoulders seemed to block out the sunlight, and his ever-present grin was as infectious as it was intimidating. His weathered leather armor and scarred knuckles hinted at countless battles, but his eyes gleamed with mischief.
"Yeah, that was definitely self-defense," Thalor said, clapping a massive hand on Avi's shoulder. The force of it nearly made him stumble, but Avi held his ground. "Kid, you've got a way of handling situations that's… unconventional. I'm starting to like you."
Avi gave him a sidelong glance, his lips quirking into a smirk. "Unconventional's just a fancy way of saying effective."
Thalor's laughter boomed, drawing more attention as the crowd began to disperse, their curiosity sated. Some lingered, casting wary glances at the unconscious priest before moving along.
Ellie tugged on Avi's sleeve, her voice small but steady. "Big bro… was he really bad?"
Avi crouched down, meeting her wide, worried eyes. "Bad enough to try and take you," he said softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. His expression softened. "But he's not going to bother you again, okay?"
Ellie nodded, her lips curving into a small smile as her earlier confidence returned. "Ellie knew big brother will protect Ellie."
"Always," Avi replied, standing back up and ruffling her hood.
Thalor chuckled again, gesturing toward the street leading back to the guild. "Come on, you two. Let's head back before this 'cultist' decides to wake up and make things even more annoying."
Avi cast one last glance at the unconscious priest before following Thalor, Ellie's small hand clasped firmly in his. Whatever the priest had been trying to do, Avi couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't the last time he'd hear about this "Demon God." For now, they just need to get back to the guild and check on everyone.