"Have you seen a girl with dark skin and long hair?"
I had spent the past two days searching for Elodie. Easier said than done.
Her magic used to teleport herself was nearly untraceable. If not for the news of her being seen by the palace, I would still be far from finding her. She crossed paths with the Third prince. She must be looking for something. Perhaps another paper weight?
"Eh?" The innkeeper thought for a moment, his silence causing me to feel antsy. "I believe... there was one guest. She was accompanied by a young man."
"Man? A young man?"
'Could that possibly be the prince? No... that can't be.' I thought deeply.
Taking a sigh, I rubbed my face. Suddenly, there was laughter from one of the tables. I looked over to see a group of big men, with even larger mustaches and beards.
"Ah, that group of men did pass by a girl who fits your description. How about you check with them?" He said, pointing over to the group. I placed a gold coin on the counter, to which the innkeeper quickly grabbed, facing me with a shocked smile. "Ah- thank you sir! Thank you!"
I walked up to the table, the men didn't notice my presence.
"Excuse me, sir. Do you-"
"Eh? Go away! Can't you see we are busy here?" The men had poker pieces set out on the wooden table.
"Have you seen a lady with dark skin and long hair? If you know her, her name should be-"
"Ey, I think his talking about that noble girl you fancied boss."
"Quiet!"
The biggest man of them all slammed his fist.
"Listen," he glanced at me with unpleasantness. "She left here with some sissy and a fighter. Don't bother us anymore!"
"A-sissy? And a fighter? But-"
"Hey, what did he just say? No more questions!"
I was running out of time. Anymore out here and the military would surely find her first. "Forgive me." The words left my lips with a clenched jaw.
I pulled out my sword, placing it by the throat of the biggest man. His men quickly stood up. The guests in the inn gasped, quickly moving away.
"Boss!!" The men yelled in unison.
"I need a detailed description of all three of them. If not..." I pushed my sword closer.
"Alright! Alright! T-The girl your looking for is a- Lady Victoria? Right? Men!! T-That was her name, right?"
"Yes! Yes" the men quickly nodded, one of them looked up at me. " The man's name was Sir Shane. He is a frequent face around here. We see him a lot."
"Really? Where were they headed?"
"That's... we don't-"
"W-Wait!" The boss quickly scrunched away as my sword got closer. "Tell him something you idiots! Quickly!!"
They looked between one another. No one speaking up. The inn keeper suddenly rushed up to the table, bowing.
"G-Good sir! Good sir!" He bowed again, quickly speaking. "The girl you look for, yes? The three of them went this way! Sir Shane said he would walk them, that's,"
"Where is he, then?"
"He never came back! Sir... please.. put the sword down."
My lips narrowed into a hard line as I thought.
'Where is she?'
I thought back to the paper weight we had found. Is she looking for what it unlocks?
"..."
That had to be the only possibility, it would explain why she allowed herself to be found by the third prince.
"To question him." I quickly pieced together her plan.
"Heh?" The inn keeper looked at me strange hearing my words.
I sheathed my sword, pulling out a bag of coins. "For your troubles. I'll take my leave first."
"W-What??" The innkeeper was shocked fkr some reason. But, I didn't bother paying attention to him.
I left the inn, pulling myself up onto my horse before turning it around the other way. "Perhaps if I'm fast enough, I'll see her along the trail."
With another sigh, I noticed the sky's orange glow. My nerves rose. "Be careful, Elodie."
๏๏๏ꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉ๏๏๏
"Achoo!"
Daniel turned to look at me, shocked. "Ah- Bless you!"
I sighed, shaking my head. "I never had winter allergies before. Someone must be cursing my name again!"
".... Are you supposed to be so casual about-"
"There. I think we've arrived." I cut Daniel off, pointing at something in front of the forest pathway.
"Huh? This is it?"
We were standing in front of a wooden gate with little structure. It looked as if it was crafted by children and could come tumbling down with the smallest gust of wind.
I pushed open the small wood door. It creaked, drawing the attention of the few people in the front of the wooden house.
"!!" Upon seeing me, they touched their waists.
I waved my hand. "Enough. You all work for the third prince, right?"
"!" A man tried to move, but he were stuck in place. They all were.
"E-Evil Witch!!" Another yelled, their faces began to whiten.
"Calm down. I'm here for something that looks like this-" with a wave of my hand the pink paper weight appeared. "-if you know it, speak. If you don't, well, you will be killed."
"W-We don't know! We know nothing!"
I raised a brow. Their dedication was impressive. "Really? You don't know? In that case, you would rather die?"
"E-Elodie!" Daniel grabbed my arm. "We shouldn't kill them so easily. The royal family will have a reason to come after you if-"
"Quiet. Daniel, do you always talk this much?" As I waved my hand away from him I spoke in a lowered voice. "No one will actually be killed. But I need to know where this second key is hiding."
"H-Huh?"
I looked back at the several people scattered across the lawn. When I clutched my hand tighter, they all moved into a straight line in front of me.
"I'm in a bad mood. You know. A really bad mood..."
They all were silent as I scanned over each one of them. One of their eyes scurried to glance at the wooden house.
".... Alright. I'll find it myself."
I waved my hand. They were all thrown the the side, falling dramatically.
"E-Elodie!" Daniel's blue eyes were frantic in worry. "What did you do?!"
"Their not dead for goodness sake." I sighed. "Watch over each one. Don't let them follow me. If you do- you die."
"W-Why are you saying that so casually!?!?"
I jerked my hand in front of me. The house door opened. "....hmph."
Walking inside, the house looked empty. I glanced to the side, on the table sat pieces of bread. One of them had a small bite taken out of it.
"Tsk." I waved my hand again. Someone fell out of the rooms small storage space, falling beside the empty wooden shelf.
"Argh!" The person hiding groaned. I rolled my eyes.
"Why have a shelve with no books in it? Other than to hide things, yes?"
I turned around, facing the scrawny person who was lying on the floor. I paused, looking over them.
"My... are you?"
They looked up, horrified. "P-Please! Please don't kill me!!"
The man that quite possibly weighed less than a toddler was nimble. He quickly back away, the bones of his arms and hands still evident with the skin covering them.
"You're... a cripple? Regardless... Whoever you are doesn't matter." I waved my hand, the pink colored flower paperweight appeared. He looked at it, quickly gulping down. It was obvious he'd recognized it. "I'm assuming you have something similar, no?"
He shook his head. "I-I don't know. I really don't know anything!"
My smile froze, turning to a frown. "I hate being lied to. So quickly, tell the truth."
He only shook his head again, daring not to respond. I took a deep sigh, sitting down in a chair.
My eyes couldn't help but fall to the sight of his legs. "Are you uncomfortable like that?"
"W-What?"
"Here."
My hands moved quickly. I preformed a technique with my eyes closed. The energy swirled around me, rushing what felt like wind around and around my bloodstream.
"P-Please, Don't!!"
I shot my hands out towards the crippled man. He shut his eyes tightly, not paying attention to the fact that his joints had reconnected themselves, or that blood started rushing down his body.
I finished the technique, but his eyes were still closed. A scoff left my lips. "How ungrateful. Open your eyes will you?"
He slowly blinked, looking around. "W-What did you do?"
I looked at him, silent. He pulled forward, daring to yell at me. "I asked what did you-!!"
He stopped once he realized something.
When he leaned forward, his knees bucked inwards with him. His legs were moving.
It took him another several seconds before trying something else. He wiggled his toes.
The man looked up at me, disbelieving. "My legs!"
"Yes yes lovely isn't it? Where is the paperweight?"
"You.. you healed me? But how?!? How is that possible?? Even the royal physician said that-"
"You weren't sick. You were cursed." I said standing up, offering a hand. "But such magic... could it possibly be..."
'The magic of a scarlet witch? Isabella?' I finished my own thought.
But I was still confused. "Answer me, boy. When did you fall sick?"
"W-What? It was... years ago. Three years ago."
"After the new tax policy?"
"W-What? That's..." he thought for a moment, suddenly nodding. "Yes. It was."
"...hm. Alright then."
"E-Evil witch, what does that mean? Did you... curse me?"
"... I beg your pardon? My this is- ha!" I stood up, walking around the room. "This is how my act of kindness gets repaid? How brilliant! Good!"
He only stared at me, half confused.
"...boy. If I was the one who cursed you, why would I bother healing you now? Huh? And did you think that- I wasn't even alive when you were crippled?"
"... but, still..."
"Still? Still?" I scoffed. "What else can you imbeciles blame me for??"
"The death of the Queen!!" The boys yell caused me to freeze. "You killed the Queen of Solaria! You assassinated-"
Against better judgement my fingers curled. "I did not!"
Thunder struck a near by tree, shaking the entire wooden house. The boy stared at me wide eyed. I clenched down my jaw.
"Where is the paper weight?" A green glow circled my hands. "This is your last chance to tell me. Or I'll find it myself!"
Another crack of thunder was heard. The boy subconsciously shrunk. "It's in the house..."
"Be specific." I said with a cold voice. "Where?"
He didn't say anything. I lifted my hand towards him, the action alone causing him to quickly speak up. "I-In the wall!"
"In the wall?" My brows furrowed. "Explain."
"I-I don't have magic energy to open it- but- it's the wall upstairs... with the book casings... the Third Prince, keeps everything-"
I waved my hand, teleporting myself upstairs. There was indeed a bookshelf with minimal books actually on it. "How do I know you are telling the truth?" I spoke while easing my hands to examine the bookshelf.
"Well... all of us here are too poor to know how to read."
I paused, nodding my head in approval. "Wait outside with the others."
"A-Alright." He scampered to his feet, tumbling as he regained control over them. Once he left the house I quickly placed a magical barrier around it.
The boy seemed to be right about one thing, though. The secret room could only be unlocked with magical energy.
I lifted my hand, hovering it over the entire bookshelf, encasing it in green magical energy.
I heard a creek. The bookshelf slowly opened like a door, welcoming me into a small room.
"Oh?" I raised a brow. In the center of the room sat a blue orb paperweight. A smile lifted on my face. "Took long enough."