Some time later, Petra watched as Cirsen disappeared into the distance.
After she left in the direction of the highlands, the next period of time was relatively simple.
Around once every two hours, a group of bandits from the Blue Sea Guild would emerge from the forest and ask around. From this, Petra learned that they were tracking not only Rotell, but also the other four people around her, Cirsen, Qucell, Mellia, and some old shirtless guy named Roe.
When these people approached her, she looked at the few portraits that they displayed, recognizing the two ladies that had been chased away to the highlands. This scene happened over and over again, almost as if on repeat. Petra would point them either toward the mountains or the ravine, but she intentionally avoided pointing them toward the highlands. This wasn't because she was a good person, but because she felt as if she already had some relatively negative karma with the Blue Sea Guild.
As the day slowly passed, Petra pointed what must have been the seventh group toward the mountains.
She sighed.
Petra didn't notice it before, but the Blue Sea Guild must have sent in thousands of people!
She inwardly wondered just what they wanted to achieve by doing this. She didn't believe that they only wanted to hunt down Rotell. In fact, pursuing her so aggressively was no different than what the Mercenary Alliance had done back in Imai.
Thinking of this, Petra furrowed her brows, finding it even stranger.
Was it normal for large forces to act so unrestrained?
Petra could tell those powerful forces like the Dragon Clan, the Church of Light, and the Telltera would give the Hellion Family at least a little bit of face, but why were these other large organizations so different? Also, what was their problem with Rotell?
Something just didn't add up...
Shaking her head, Petra chose to forget about it.
With a stretch, she got up and returned inside.
-
Time passed.
The past two days had been relatively profitable, and around a third of their stock had actually been sold, which could be said to be their most successful opening to date.
As for when to pack up and move on, Petra wanted to wait for Lira and Rose to return, then confirm her guesses about the three pillars. If she was correct, then the mountains should be both the quietest place and also the place with the most opportunities.
While sitting behind the counter, she rested her head in her arms and hummed and hawed.
There was an open book to her left, and a strange incense burner to her right.
Petra was extremely content, passively catching up on a variety of things that had been recently added to her inner library as she narrowed her eyes.
Suddenly, following a sound from the door, a young woman entered, causing Petra to lift her head. She adjusted her posture, sat up straight, and gave a polite smile, ready to greet the customer.
"Welcome—"
Mm…?
But to her surprise, the person who had entered actually possessed an extremely familiar face!
She had long blonde hair tied high into a ponytail, and her body was fit, athletic, and refined. Her eyes were a bright blue, and every inch of her figure just screamed tomboy. She wore light armor with a single sword at her waist. She carried two traveling bags, and her face wore a look of exhaustion. One hand was injured, and she had many broken ribs, suggesting that she had clearly just finished a fight.
Seeing her, Petra immediately recognized her as Rotell, the First Princess!
Unlike the perfunctory act from before, this time Petra actually sat up straight.
After entering, Rotell looked around, scanning the surrounding shop.
Once her gaze landed on Petra's surprised little face, her expression changed.
They had both known about each other for a long time, but this was their first time actually meeting!
The atmosphere inside the medicine shop became strangely quiet.
A faint medicinal fragrance drifted through the air, while several bright reflections cast by jars and tins swayed from the earlier movement of the door.
Petra blinked. Rotell, standing at the entrance, blinked back. Because this tiny, green-haired child running a medicine shop inside a dangerous secret realm was simply too eye-catching, she was momentarily taken aback, and for several seconds, both sides quietly stared at each other…
A strange and inexplicable aura permeated the room, and for a brief moment, a strange and indescribable sound seemed to spill out from the unseen world, like something turning.
Petra inwardly felt something, suddenly realizing that fate seemed to have come knocking.
While forcing her face not to change, she slowly examined this princess with a particular gaze.
What was it?
What was this strange feeling?
Petra couldn't tell, but she felt as if this was a meeting that was not supposed to happen…
…Interesting!
After folding first, Rotell took a deep breath, then looked around, her gaze quickly sweeping across the shop's interior. She didn't seem to feel that same strange aura that Petra had, likely because she had not awakened her sixth sense (Karma). Her expression became slightly strange. She had actually read about Poppy's Potions before, but she never thought that she would come here personally. There was not a lot of information about Petra, but nearly half of what there could be said to be related to this mobile potion shop and the strange things that came out of it.
Seeing it now, and looking around at all its wares, Petra seemed to be doing quite well!
Knowing what she knew, Rotell was a little worried that Petra was like a runaway beggar, but…
This little girl was casually doing big business! Seeing it, Rotell genuinely didn't know how to react. At the same time, Petra quietly observed the injuries on Rotell's side.
They didn't seem severe, but it was clear that many cuts could turn fatal.
If they were anything like 'those two' from earlier, they should have also been besieged en masse.
Rotell suddenly spoke, "I've heard that this is a medicine shop… Do you have—"
Clap!
Petra clapped her hands happily, cutting her off. "Correct! Petra's Poison Pavilion, Poppy's Potions temporary Secret Realm branch! Medicines, poisons, fresh herbs, emergency treatment, custom toxins, beast materials, food, and freaky powder! We don't only sell what you see; if you can think of it, we can make it! All is available~!"
Rotell, after a brief pause, nodded slowly.
Rotell didn't ask again; she just looked around, her mind spinning.
Seeing Petra for the first time, there were actually a lot of things she wanted to ask. Many of her questions were about her origins and intentions, especially because she had also been influenced by Arthur, but she also wanted to know about Elena as well.
After looking around for a while, she picked a few things, then brought them to the counter to pay.
While doing this, she couldn't hold herself back and asked, "I heard that you're Elena's adopted sister. Do you know what she's been doing lately?"
Petra hummed, then looked up. "I haven't seen my sister in quite a long time. Actually, it's been over a year. From what I've read, she's been hard at work, working for you, right?"
Rotell pursed her lips.
Looking down at the innocent and somewhat naive face, she couldn't help but feel incredulous.
Could this really be the same green-haired demon that rampaged through the Azurefell Families' estate a few days ago? Looking at her now, it was hard to believe.
Rotell had no idea how terrifying Petra could be. Even now, there were at least seven different poisons lingering around her in an unseen spiral, just ready to attack. If not for Petra's presence, then Rotell, like all those that enter this place, would likely never leave if not allowed.
It was similar to all places Petra patrolled, the poison was permanent, and only Petra could pull it back.
It was the ultimate version of an anti-theft system!
Mm, kinda…
The two of them made some more idle chitchat, but Rotell began to question herself. From their conversation, Petra didn't seem much different from a run-of-the-mill, regular little girl, which made her feel as if something was off. She couldn't see any acting on Petra's face, but all the information told her that this should be a facade. But if this was truly a facade, then Rotell couldn't imagine just how frightening this small child's ability to change faces actually was
If it were true, then she would be no different than an old monster in the skin of a child.
Just thinking of it caused her hand to tremble—an action that Petra didn't miss. Her big black eyes turned up, and she opened her mouth. "Big sister, is something wrong?"
While saying this, she didn't notice the small actions that Petra made towards her body. As for why Petra had done this, it was a natural impulse, wanting to know more about this princess.
Rotell shook her head a few times. "No, no, nothing's wrong." She quickly changed the subject, feeling a faint chill. "These are very high-quality herbs. Can I ask how you preserved them?"
Petra smiled like the sun. "There's no need to preserve them! These are all things that can be found in the secret realm! Hehe, I just had a few servants run out and pick a few~!"
Rotell's eyes widened. If that was true, then not only did it mean that Petra had already scouted a large area, but she could also collect on a wide scale. This was not something a practitioner at her level should be able to do, especially because she already seemed a step ahead of the others who had entered. Her eyes swept past the frog in the shop and concluded that this contracted beast could not do it either.
Actually, there was a lot of misinformation regarding Petra's contracted beasts. Some claimed that it was a wolf, others a frog, some said a snake, and others said a centipede. In the end, because it was impossible under normal circumstances to have so many beasts, this part of Petra's personal information became chaotic and was in constant question.
Seeing the frog, Rotell felt as if one mystery had finally been solved.
With a smile, she picked up the packaged goods, then packed them away in one of her bags. Soon, Petra waved, and Rotell waved back, signifying a good end to their first meeting.
-
Petra watched her leave. After the door closed, a strange expression appeared on her face.
"What's wrong?" a voice came from the side.
Petra turned to find Mell appearing from the top of the stairs. Petra didn't know how to answer. She felt as if nothing was wrong, but at the same time, she felt as if a lot was wrong.
One had to know that Petra had felt at least three different curses on Rotell, and that was only the curses. There was also an extremely hidden poison that even she didn't recognize, a Gu hidden in her heart, and some inexplicable power that seemed to almost shroud her figure. If not for Rotell's status, then it would have been impossible for her to leave through those doors today, that was just how Petra felt about such an interesting subject.
Petra pursed her lips.
She didn't know what to say, but she felt as if Rotell was definitely a main character in the long plot of Pillomal. What bothered Petra now was not Rotell's condition, but an innate desire to get closer to her. Petra felt as if she both wanted to befriend her, but at the same time, avoid her. This contradictory feeling should have been caused by two of the three curses.
Her eyes turned, momentarily not knowing how to answer Mell.
She had only seen this kind of aura on a few people before, and although she didn't know it, many of these people just so happened to land on a certain list that Elena had given the Captain of the City Guard not too long ago.
"No… It's nothing…" She muttered.
Mell nodded, not doubting her…
* * *