The midday sunlight poured down. They paused, while people around them continued moving forward. Before them stood a city that looked simple yet massive, its bustling atmosphere evident even to outsiders.
"It's better than I thought it would be..."
"Yes, it is great..." Cael smiled in agreement and slowly raised his arm, using the back of his hand to wipe the sweat that ran from his forehead to his chin.
..In the midst of the bustling city and its many people, this town had a unique and charming culture. Without a ruling government, without laws, and without authority, it was like an independent state where people looked after and helped each other. The locals were often kind and friendly, but this wasn't true for everyone; people from many other lands had come in, altering its character.
The clatter of horseshoes against the stone-paved road echoed throughout the street. Carts filled with people moved slowly through the busy atmosphere, where many people wore traditional long attire. Even after walking through the crowds and around the city for quite some time, Cael's face remained expressionless. A voice in his head surfaced:
"No slaves... no soldiers... no social classes? What does this city mean!?"
A loud noise rang out, but he was reminded of her words amidst the city's clamor, spoken when she was walking near him just a few days ago "It's a culture originating from the Rektus lands. There, people aged 15 and above live freely, seeking their own paths. It's perfectly normal to be something else while being a student."
Her words shattered his doubts into pieces, like a stone wall instantly crumbling. He looked around in a frantic state of shock. He quickly ran through the bustling crowd, nearly bumping into people, before stopping abruptly in front of a merchant who was looking at him in bewilderment.
"Huh...!?"
"I just arrived in this city for the first time... Where is the port?!" Cael quickly reached into his pocket, grabbed a handful of coins, and hastily handed them to the merchant, snatching a piece of fruit from the stall.
"Just walk another mile to the left, and you'll get there." A muscular man in simple clothes stood with his arms crossed, a willing smile on his face. He scanned Cael from head to toe, raised an eyebrow, and asked,
"But... are you sure you're a traveler?"
Cael quickly grabbed the fruit from the stall, shoved the money into the merchant's hand, and darted away immediately. "Thank you!"
The attire of the people was striking and strange compared to his own clothes. This city had no conflict of class or inequality; every life proceeded peacefully and warmly. Near the stone bridge, four young men were engaged in an animated discussion, while others simply walked along. Only a few horse-drawn carts passed by.
On the other side, Rogan had momentarily separated himself from the group. He still looked distinct and completely different from a student coming from a culturally influenced land. His journey was like a young man's search for life.
The warm sunlight of sunset streamed down, interspersed with the gentle rain—a part of the people's way of life. Rogan decided to walk away from the group because he was deeply engrossed in a Traveler's Journal. People were captivated by the spirit conveyed through that book. Learning about the lives and great deeds of historical figures made Rogan feel that he wanted to stand in the same place as them.
"A novel once said... Fall down like the rain... I think anyone would want to do that."
The once-bright smile suddenly dropped, leaving behind only a meaningless, lingering half-smile. The eyes of this new traveler were profound, as if hiding many stories. His internal emotions were a strange contradiction; they plummeted to the extreme like the deepest ocean but, at the same time, erupted violently like a giant wave on the shore.
"Just noise if the lightning doesn't strike... Hahaha..."
A group of young men quickly approached Rogan, who was sitting by the canal. Their movements looked confused and chaotic, as if they were drunk, though in reality, it was just an act for amusement. Suddenly, one of the men in the group froze when his eyes met Rogan's.
"That guy..."
The rest of the group stopped as well. They all looked at Rogan with thoughtful expressions, and then the silence was broken by a twisted, knowing smile on their faces. Only one of them confidently stepped closer. The young man stopped beside Rogan and crouched down.
"You're a traveler, aren't you? We're locals, and I can help you with anything."
Rogan glanced over briefly, revealing a face that made the young man stop short. A cold, icy gaze appeared on his face, a sharp contrast to his typically cheerful, cunning, and talkative nature. But it changed quickly; he smiled slightly.
"...Food... knowledge... um, anything is fine. I'm a laid-back person."
He sensed the group of teenagers' gaze, which felt voyeuristic and unsettling. Something suspicious was lurking; they were secretly watching their friend who was talking to Rogan, as if they were plotting something. The young man next to him relaxed and let out a smile, but his eyes held something that felt unnerving.
"I meant other cities..." Rogan stated boldly, as if he knew something the group of teenagers was about to do. In that moment of deep emotion and something overflowing in the young man's heart, he chose to be brave enough to speak and confront them.
The young man next to him barely managed to stop his smile in time. The face that had been smiling quickly dropped, leaving only a feeling of annoyance towards the bold young traveler. He slowly got up and walked back to his waiting friends, while a complicated thought echoed in his mind, hard to analyze ...Consider yourself lucky today...
In an era filled with the cruelty of war, people tried to cling to and unite in great friendships. Yet, within that greatness, a small flaw always lurked, as if affirming the truth that society never always offers us beauty.