…
As the slap flying to El's cheeks, he instinctually moved away.
"You pervert!?" uttered Ran while glaring at El.
"Wha – what? Why are you angry?" El said, perplexed. One more important thing for El though – is that, he didn't know what she means by pervert. 'What is pervert? Some kind of phrase when you were angry with others?'
"Hhahahaha, I like this guy already," Sill moved toward the two while laughing, then put his arm on El's shoulder. "You know, this is the first time I see Ran being flustered like that. Nice job, little guy!!?" he put his thumbs up in front of El's face, beaming happily.
Ran rolled her eyes hearing what Sill said.
"Why? Why did I do wrong?"
"… so, you don't know?" asked Sill, bewildered.
"What should I know?"
Putting his arm away from El, Sill spoke, "Hmmm, you really are not from Mirthwater, huh… the culture here in Ralrain are quite different from the other three states. It's rigid. Man can't just praise a woman out of nowhere, or you'll going to be accused as a pervert, profligate (1) or just straight as a lecher…"
"Excuse me, but what is this pervert, profligate, or lecher are?"
Just after El raise that question, everyone suddenly caught in the throngs of stillness.
Speechless, Sill inquired. "You really don't know?"
"Yes, I don't know…" El shakes his head, his eyes gleaming with that pure innocent.
"Had you ever gone to school?"
"I heard about school. It is a place for people to study, right? Then no, I never once go to school?"
"Wha… so how you live this long? I mean, there is no way. You conversate with us just fine though. You even know about Mirthwater and Ralrain…"
"Of course I knew. I read it from books. Mirthwater is one of the many cities in Ralrain. On the other hand, Ralrain is one of the four Vassal States of Ryxhaton Empire, also called, The Empire's Shield, isn't it?" El explained what he knew fluently without a pause to think it through, owing to his intelligent.
"See, this kid is a liar," Glam accused, pointing at El. "He said he never attended school, but he knew just fine knowledge that only books from high school would contain. That, doesn't even make sense."
…
"You all coming or not. Stop wasting time!? What if we're late. I'm sure the others already waiting, already," unknowingly, Ran is already ahead of the group. As she looked back, noticing that the others were currently arguing instead, she called out to them loudly – her voice echoing, bounced off the wall surrounding them. The rest of them then exchanging glances between each other, until they finally came to a single silent decision, and that was to just follow hurriedly behind Ran.
After approximately walking for around forty-five minutes, El subsequently began to hear voices drifting in from the mouth of the alleyway, growing louder as they approached their intended destination.
As Ran and the other stopped their steps in front of the abandoned building with full of debris and random spray paints, creating unpleasant graffiti, the back of El's jacket was then grasp by Sill who stopped him from going any further down the path.
"We already arrived, little bro. Where do you even want to go?" said Sill amiably. All along the rest of the way, El and Sill already spending time together, conversated in many random discussions, which in turn made them realized, the two were such a 'click' as they making jokes with each other. Though sometimes the two ended up in depressed atmosphere when unknowingly and with no purpose, touching the subject about the restaurant and what kind of execution that would be done to the workers and the owner of that restaurant.
"Meh, I just checking things up ahead. You know, precautions standard…"
"Just say you don't know the way. Why the need to use difficult words?"
"Bruh… if you knew it, what the need for you to say it…"
"It was safety measure, not precautions standard!!?" Ran interjected suddenly from the side, trying to shot her own witty remark, as she seems wanted to be part of the El's and Sill's 'jest group'.
"What!?!?" El and Sill stated that simultaneously after hearing what Ran said. As they both then exchanging glances, the two subsequently ended up chortling at Ran.
"Kekeekkekekek, that was such a dry joke. You are funny, Ran," Sill remarked.
Meanwhile, El just laugh quietly alongside him, tried to not saying more than necessary as he didn't want to hurt Ran feeling. Though while chuckling, his curved eyes was directed at Ran, who was glaring at the two of them.
"Shut up. Remember we're not here to laugh…" just as she said that, the ambience abruptly getting gloomier again. As El regained his composure, his mood took a sudden nosedive, sinking to the very depths of it. Sill at his side too, gradually adopted a more solemn demeanor.
"Tch, idiot!" Glam muttered quietly, ensuring that only El and Sill could hear him. He then walked between the two of them, deliberately using his shoulder to knock them aside as he passed, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.
"Ummmmh, what's the problem with him," El inquired to Sill.
"Sigh… don't mind him. He is actually a good guy if you know him long enough. Though I'll admit he is kinda tangy… you know what I mean?" Sill replied.
"No…"
"I figure so…"
…
"Hey, you. Come here…" Ran called out to El.
"Yes, what's up?" El could felt that Ran was still a bit angry at him from the earlier conversation. Or perhaps, the earlier jokes.
"Since you obviously don't know the rules of the underside, based on how you don't even know propriety, I tell you this just once," pausing after delivering that thick sarcasm, Ran resumed her string of words.
"Do not ever, ever – moves anything, or even touch anything you seen from this building. From the table, to the chair, to even the window curtains. And remember three more rules that was the most important to make sure you are alive and well after this. And that is, first – to not ever look through the mirror if you find one in some accident. Second, resist all the urge or sudden curiosity – to remove any cloths that was draped over something. And at last, if, by any chance, a doll or a small statue appeared before you, seemingly from out of nowhere, run away immediately to the outside of the building – while shout as loud as possible to alert the others, understood!?" Ran spoke gravely, her eyes unwaveringly fixed on El, as if the weight of her words demanded his full attention.
"Okay, I understand." El replied, his voice steady despite the gravity of her warning.
…
…
Spoiler Alert:
Just pieces of the story background.
Profligate is what Sill means as a drunkard, that is frowned upon by people lives in almost all region of Ralrain, especially the cities that adjacent to the harbors or docks. It was because in the past, there was a certain group that liked to mess around in the cities of Ralrain while being drunk, which made these very group ended up being banned. Thus, profligates are classified as equivalent to perverts and thieves. Of course, there is actually a deeper implication and reason behind all of that, which I won't spoil.