Two figures could be seen walking down the street. One was dressed in brown pants and a tunic and boots. He had red hair and green eyes, while the other was dressed in a robe and pants, standing beside him.
"Fuck's sake, these clothes are quite tight… but at least they're better than all those clothes in the closet," James said as he adjusted the sleeves and sides of the clothes he was wearing.
After several deliberations in the closet, he had decided to wear one of the hunting wears that Lior had gotten. It was the one he had since he was fourteen years old and that was because it was the last time he hunted, albeit forcibly.
"The clothes in your closet are what you've always loved to wear, even when we told you otherwise. Now, why would you wear this that will make them mock you…" Sid pouted as he spoke behind James.
James turned to face him and said with a raised brow, "You mean they'll mock me because I finally dress as a man should, rather than in short tops and flashy dresses?"
"No." Sid shook his head. Then, with a lick of his lips, said, "It's just that it's sticking to your body and it's so faded that they'll say your family is declining, hence the need to wear this."
"Then let them talk," James said as he looked around.
The city was more amazing than he had thought. It was colorful, with different people moving all about. Horses, carriages, and stalls were all around the place.
"What did you call here again?" James asked as he walked towards a fruit stall on the street.
"This place is called the Red Street—for the business, and because there's a pleasure house located here. It's called the Red Stag. Well, speaking of pleasure houses, would you like to also go there today?"
"A pleasure house? Why would I want to go? Isn't that where prostitutes are?" James asked, his hands picking up some fruits and checking them out.
Sid looked at him with a knowing smile and nudged James' shoulder. James looked at him as the apple he was examining dropped from his hand, shock evident. "Are you okay?"
Sid got closer to him and whispered, "Are you playing ignorant now, or are you afraid that the same thing will happen if you go again?"
"Huh?" Confusion masked James' face as he just stared at Sid with utter irritation. "Well, take your face off me and tell me plainly what you're talking about."
"Hmmm… you…" Sid muttered as he stared at James. He folded his hands as he pouted, "You are very confusing. Why would you even forget the pleasure house? You got injured just right after leaving there."
"So, Lior isn't that innocent after all? Pleasure house?"
"Lior is okay..." Sid refuted, then, as realization dawned on him, shook his head and added, "Seriously, why do you still keep referring to yourself by name rather than saying 'I'? Well, you are okay. If it wasn't for Lord Lucan, I'm sure you might not have been trampled. But then we can't say anything about it because you don't want your sisters to know you went to a pleasure house."
"Hmmm…" James mumbled. He folded his hands as he turned to properly face Sid, no fruit in sight. "So, if I'm understanding you, you mean that I followed a certain lord to the pleasure house, and when I was leaving, I got pushed into the road and then the accident happened. Right?"
And Sid nodded with a smile. James then asked, "Why did I follow him to the pleasure house in the first place?"
Sid smiled at the question, then came closer to James and said in a whisper, "That's because you wanted to learn how to impress Lady Liliane through one of the ladies at the pleasure house. Lord Lucan told you that you need to first be manly before you can get her, and to do that, you needed to get your…"
"My what?" James looked utterly confused as he stared at Sid, and Sid suddenly stopped. "So, just like me, this body also died because of a lady… shit…"
He said again, his voice low, "Your virginity. Lord Lucan said that if you go to the pleasure house, you can meet the famous lady and get your virginity taken. He said that you'll be stronger and more masculine when that happens."
"Woah… are you sure this lord of yours is a friend of mine?" James questioned as his eyes darted to the corner where Sid had pointed—the direction of the pleasure house.
Sid shook his head as he sighed, "No, and I was trying to tell you that, but you wouldn't listen. I mean, why would Lord Lucan try to assist you? And then he took you to the pleasure house, and now you got injured and almost died."
"So Lucan tried to kill me then?" Understanding clicked in James' head as he asked a follow-up, "I mean, if he invited me to a pleasure house and I died afterwards."
"No, I don't think Lord Lucan would be that obvious with it. And without questioning, we can't know who did it." Sid said with a pout as he shook his head.
James' hand graced his chin for a while longer before he turned to the fruit seller. The man was dressed in a basic top and pants, dull in color, and they were made of historical material. He looked at the fresh fruit and asked, "How much for a basket of apples?"
"Why do you want to buy a basket of apples?" Sid asked, scratching his head as he looked at the fruits.
"Because I want to," James affirmed.
"You don't even like apples…" Sid chuckled.
"It's 50 copper coins. An apple costs 2 copper coins, and there are 25 apples in a basket, as you requested," the man said.
"Sid, pay him and carry it," James said, turning around.
"Oh..." Sid paid for the apples, and James proceeded walking but this time, Sid wasn't leading James; rather, James was.
James kept his attention sharp as he tried to identify where his predecessor was murdered. Since he wasn't sure what to do in the world, how about playing detective? That was what played in James' mind until Sid broke it with his foul mouth.
"Why are you walking to the end part of the road?"
James turned back to look at him and coughed lightly. He straightened his back, and Sid asked with his eyes fluttering, "Aren't you going to the pleasure house? It isn't here."
"Oh..." James said, scratching his head. "Well, lead me there."
Sid shook his head and didn't say anything afterward as he led James as instructed—or, I mean, Lior.