After an exhausting training session with Calvin and Casia, we returned to the dining room for lunch. Master, as usual, sat with an air of calm detachment, sipping his tea without a care in the world.
Breaking the comfortable silence, he casually announced, "I'm going to taking a walk around the city after this."
Hearing that, I immediately perked up, my interest piqued, "Can I come with you?" I asked, hoping for a chance to explore freely and to escape from shopping.
Before Master could respond, my Mom's voice cut in like a sharp blade, "Good," she said, eyeing me sternly, "Now, Rayon, finish your food. We're going shopping."
I nearly choked on my drink, "Shopping? Now?!"
Glancing at Master, I silently pleaded for an excuse, a lifeline—anything to avoid being dragged along. He merely smirked and shrugged, as if to say, 'You're on your own, kid.'
'Useless old man,' I thought bitterly, stabbing at my food with more force than necessary.
....
....
Despite my protests, I soon found myself standing in the middle of the bustling streets of the capital, surrounded by my Mom, my little sister Elvina, and Calvin, and Casia with their Mom. There was no escape.
Elvina, my two-and-a-half-year-old sister, clutched my sleeve as she skipped beside me, practically vibrating with excitement. She had inherited our Mom's sleek black hair and bright amber eyes, her innocent face radiating joy and curiosity.
"Big brother, are we getting sweets too?" she asked, tilting her head up at me, her wide eyes sparkling with anticipation.
I let out a small sigh and ruffled her soft hair, "Of course."
Elvina cheered immediately, tugging at Mom's hand, "Mom! Brother said we're getting sweets!"
Mom sighed in exasperation, "After we finish shopping for clothes."
Elvina pouted, "Clothes are boring."
'I agree,' I thought.
The capital's marketplace was a sight to behold. The streets were alive with movement and sound—vendors shouting their prices, noblewomen chatting in laughter-filled clusters, and the air thick with the scent of freshly baked bread and roasted meats. Shops displayed their finest goods—luxurious silks, enchanted trinkets, rare jewels—each glistening in the midday sun, a testament to the wealth that flowed through the city.
Casia walked beside Calvin, her gaze occasionally lingering on an ornate jewelry stall. However, every now and then, I noticed her stealing glances at me.
Calvin, on the other hand, wore the same pained expression as I did, clearly not thrilled about this shopping trip either. He was also glancing toward me at small break
Aurora's voice rang in my mind, amused, 'What's with these two siblings?'
Forgetting that she could hear my thoughts, I muttered internally, 'Calvin keeps looking at me every other second. Is he... gay or something?'
Aurora paused, 'Huh? What does that mean?'
I quickly shook my head, 'It's nothing. Just focus on walking.'
Calvin leaned in closer and muttered under his breath, "Why do we always get dragged into this?"
I sighed, sharing his pain, "Just accept your fate."
Then it hit me, 'Oh! That's why he kept glancing at me earlier. He was silently asking for help!'
...
...
As we continued making our way through the crowded streets, a commotion near the central plaza caught my attention. The noise of raised voices and a gathering crowd piqued my curiosity.
Everyone else was preoccupied with shopping for the prince's upcoming birthday celebration. Calvin and I exchanged a glance, silently communicating the same thought, 'This is our chance to escape.'
Taking advantage of the distraction, we slipped away unnoticed and made our way toward the disturbance.
A group of young noble boys—probably between ten to twelve years old—were gathered in a circle near the side of the street. In the center of their ring, a boy stood trembling, his face pale with fear.
It didn't take long to realize what was happening. They were fighting.
A brown-haired boy, his fists clenched in fury, swung a wild punch at another kid with dark blue hair. The blue-haired boy barely managed to dodge, stumbling backward in fear.
"You think you're better than me just because your Dad's a Viscount?!" the brown-haired kid spat, his voice filled with anger.
The blue-haired boy clutched his arm and stammered, "Tch. I—I don't… Why are you beating me?" His voice cracked as he spoke, clearly on the verge of tears.
The brown-haired boy sneered. "You dare to question a son of an Earl?" His prideful tone was almost laughable.
I rolled my eyes. 'Another pointless noble fight.' Before things could escalate any further, I stepped forward. "That's enough." The kids froze in place, turning toward me. Confusion flickered across their faces as they took in my appearance. The brown-haired boy frowned. "Who are you to stop me?" I let out a slow breath. 'Why do nobles always act tough?'
"I don't care about your little rivalry," I said evenly, my voice carrying authority. "But fighting like this in public? You're embarrassing yourselves." The brown-haired boy scoffed. "Stay out of this, commoner."Calvin's expression darkened, his fists tightening at his sides, but I raised a hand to stop him. There was no need for him to step in.
Meeting the nobleboy's gaze, I let a fraction of my aura seep out, pressing down on him like an invisible force.
Instantly, he stiffened. Even a noble's child, no matter how arrogant, could instinctively recognize the difference between a lion and a cub. His face paled.
I smirked. "Still want to continue?"
The boy swallowed hard, taking a hesitant step back. Then another. The fight had ended before it had even truly begun.
The gathered children dispersed, whispering among themselves, their eyes darting toward me in both awe and fear.
However, four children remained—two standing behind the brown-haired boy while the blue-haired boy remained seated on the ground, still processing what had just happened.
One of the standing nobles took a bold step forward and sneered. "Hey, this isn't your business. Get lost."
I sighed, raising one hand. With barely a thought, I lifted the two nobles beside the brown-haired boy slightly off the ground before casually releasing them. They landed roughly on the dirt road, scrambling back to their feet with flustered expressions.
The brown-haired noble's face twisted in fury. "You're going to pay for that!"
Before he could do anything foolish, Calvin suddenly stepped in, his voice firm. "That's enough." He squared his shoulders. "I am Calvin Ronhard. I will not stand by and allow my guest to be insulted like this."
The brown-haired noble's eyes widened in pure shock. "A—A Marquess?!"
He stammered, suddenly losing all his bravado. "S-Sorry, my lord! I was just playing around!"
Without another word, the three noble boys turned tail and ran, their previous arrogance completely shattered.
I turned toward the blue-haired boy, extending a hand. "It's okay now."
He hesitated before taking my hand and standing up. "Thank you. I'm Saheir Eter."
I gave a nod. "I'm Rayon Krator."
He repeated, more earnestly this time, "Thank you."
Calvin grinned, crossing his arms. "You really enjoy scaring kids, don't you?"
I shrugged. "It's efficient."
From the sidelines, my Mom and Canya had been watching the entire ordeal.
Mom sighed deeply. "Rayon, let's go before you intimidate the entire capital."
Elvina, still clutching my hand, giggled. "Big brother's scary!"
I smirked, squeezing her small hand. "Only when I need to be."
As we walked away from the market, I couldn't shake a lingering thought—this city was full of arrogance. After completing the shopping we returned to Manor.