Light was drowning in awkwardness.
He stood in a dimly lit auction house room, facing a small red-haired girl who had yet to utter a single word. From the moment he first laid eyes on her, she had been completely still—no greetings, no gestures, nothing. Just silent and motionless, like a doll waiting to be placed somewhere.
Regret gnawed at him.
'Oh god, what have I gotten myself into?
I know this girl is special, but what am I supposed to do with her? Sure, I followed the captain's advice, but… how am I going to take care of her now?'
He sighed internally.
Well, first things first—he needed to get out of here and meet up with Captain Sangiff.
Summoning the most casual tone he could muster, he finally broke the unbearable silence.
"Uh… what should I call you?"
The moment the words left his mouth, he wanted to crawl into a hole. Why was this so awkward?
Maybe it's because she's not much younger than me…
The blind girl responded with a small shake of her head.
'She's really not making this any easier.'
There was no point in staying here any longer. It was clear he wouldn't get any answers from her right now. He needed to get moving.
"Let's get out of here. Just follow me until we're outside—I need to meet up with someone."
Wasting no more time, he reached for her hand and started walking toward the exit the chubby man had pointed out earlier.
She didn't resist. She simply followed, light as a feather in his grasp. Not surprising, considering how thin and fragile she looked—skin and bones, really.
***
Stepping out of the auction house, Light found himself in a narrow alleyway. The air was crisp with the evening chill, the sun casting long shadows across the worn cobblestones.
Luckily for him, Captain Sangiff was already waiting at the far end of the alley, arms crossed, his ever-watchful gaze fixed on them.
Light adjusted his pace, careful not to trip the blind girl as they made their way forward. Though she offered no resistance, her frail frame made it clear just how little strength she had.
When they reached the captain, Light let out a small breath and spoke.
"Captain, I'm here. Thanks for waiting."
Sangiff's sharp eyes flickered toward the cloaked figure beside him. For a moment, he studied her before exhaling through his nose and shaking his head. Whatever thoughts ran through his mind, he chose not to voice them—at least, not now.
Instead, he turned back to Light.
"It's already evening, kid. Let's find an inn. I imagine you have a lot to think about."
With that, he pivoted on his heel and strode toward the main road, his movements steady and assured. He knew these streets well—too well.
Light tilted his head up, watching as the sky deepened into dusk.
He's right. I need somewhere to rest… and figure out what the hell I'm doing next.
Without a better plan, he simply followed.
As he trailed after his captain, carefully guiding the girl beside him, a quiet realization settled in his mind.
Captain Sangiff really is a good guy… he's even walking slower than usual to match my pace.
A small, fleeting sense of gratitude stirred within him. Whatever came next, at least he wasn't facing it alone.
**
Without much trouble they were soon in front of a small wooden doorway. Without stopping to look at his surroundings his captain opened the door and entered. He followed right behind, still dragging the girl with him.
As soon as he stepped into the inn, a wave of warmth and noise engulfed him. The scent of roasting meat, spiced wine, and freshly baked bread filled the air. Laughter and conversation could be heard in every direction, accompanied by the occasional clatter of wooden tankards and the creak of floorboards under hurried steps.
Before he could take another step forward, a cheerful voice called out to his group.
"Ah, if it isn't Old Sangiff ! Welcome back you old fox! A cold drink, a hot meal, or a warm bed—what'll it be?"
The speaker was a stout, ruddy-faced man with sleeves rolled to his elbows and a welcoming grin. He wiped his hands on his apron before motioning with his hands to come forward, already eyeing them with the knowing gaze of someone who has seen all kinds of people pass through these doors.
With an equally energetic response his captain greeted the man that had just welcomed them in.
"Master Merric, you're still alive? Get me all three and help my friends here. They are new, so be nice to them." While laughing, he greeted the innkeeper whose name was Merric and gave the man a quick hug.
'It seems they are good friends'
After a few minutes, he finally heard the voice of Master Merric. His captain was nowhere to be found, it seemed he disappeared to enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of the inn.
"Hey kid, that old fox tells me this is your first time in the city. Lucky for you, I have a small discount for new customers. Welcome. So, what will it be? A room for two with meals included, is four small copper coins?" Master Merric said while eying him and the hooded girl that was standing next to him unmoving.
'I can barely afford this, and that's with the discount Master Merric is giving me.'
He was seriously regretting his choices today, he had made a small fortune just to lose it all in the same day.
With gritted teeth he responded to the innkeeper that was waiting for an answer.
"Yes, that will be fine, thank you. Can our meals be delivered to our rooms?"
"Sure, no problem. Food will be ready in thirty minutes. Feel free to stay in the common area or go to your room right away."
Saying that, Light handed the innkeeper four copper coins, and soon after he received keys with a tag with the numbers nine engraved on it.
The living quarters in the inn were on the second floor.
After quickly locating the stairs, he guided the small girl towards the second floor. There he saw room number nine was located towards the back of the second-floor space.
Arriving in front of his room, he inserted the metal key and turned the knob. Opening the wooden door, he guided the small girl inside. She had yet to utter a single word. He quickly followed behind and closed the door behind.
**
Pacing around the small inn room, Light was at a loss for words. It had been ten minutes since him and the slave girl had settled inside. And for ten minutes they both had said nothing.
He was feeling awkward while the red-haired girl kept her cold expression.
She was currently sitting in the middle of the room on her knees, almost as if she was about to bow at any second.
'This is going nowhere; I need to figure out what to do with her. I rushed too quickly, and now I'm in a tricky situation. I'll figure out her name and go from there.' stopping on his tracks, he walked towards the small bed and sat down.
Responding to his weight, the soft bed readjusted and soon settled.
Looking at the girl who was still as a statue, he took a deep sigh. He needed to know more about her, time was running out. He had to depart back to his hometown tomorrow after all.
"My name is TwiLight, but everyone calls me Light. Feel free to call me that too."
The short girl simply stood unmoving as she had been since the beginning. Not a single sound came out from her.
"What is your name?" changing his approach he asked. He didn't want to rush things, but they had limited time. It was crucial he got some information from her.
As motionless as ever, the girl finally responded with a cold and indifferent, yet feminine voice.
"I don't know" she said while still looking at the empty space ahead. Her voice, that of a young kid.
'My god, she really is as young as me. This world isn't fair. Not one bit. She's had it worse than me." clenching his fist he continued talking.
"What town do you come from? Who are your parents? Do you know?"
Like a statue the small girl had fast and emotionless replies, as if she was avoiding wasting energy with useless conversation.
"I don't know"
"Are you aware that you possess a blessing?"