Morning light filtered through Elisa's room window at the Silver Crown Hotel, soft golden threads stretching across the walls and bed.
She moved slowly… She opened her eyes.
She blinked several times, as if trying to grasp where she was, then sat quietly on the bed. A short silence followed… before she remembered what had happened yesterday.
Then she shook her head slightly, to dismiss the thought.
"Today is an important day for me."
Today was one of the three days a week she was allowed to go to the town market, and she was very excited because she would get to meet lots of people and discover new things every day. Since it was her last day before going to the academy, she wanted to make the most of it, so she was eager to go out.
She stood up and went towards the window. I opened it a little, and the cool morning air entered, carrying the sounds of the city that was beginning to wake up.
She took a deep breath, then turned around to prepare to go out.
"What should I wear?"
Elisa decided to wear simple but elegant clothes, suitable for going out to the market in the morning without attracting too much attention.
She wore a relatively short light blue dress just below the knees, made of a lightweight fabric that allowed her to move easily. The dress was decorated with thin white stripes at the edges, giving it a soft understated touch.
Over it, she wore a light, off-white gray jacket, open at the front, to protect her from the morning chill, and its edges moved lightly with every step.
She tied her long brown hair back in a simple and practical ponytail, with some strands left loose around her face, giving her a natural and spontaneous look.
As for her feet, they were in light leather shoes suitable for long walks in the market, more practical than decorative.
With her right hand she carried a small cloth bag containing money and some belongings, while her other hand was free.
She paused in front of the mirror for a second.
She looked at herself…
Then she quickly smoothed her hair.
"Good."
She went to the door, opened it, and stepped out into the corridor to find the maid who always accompanied her to the market waiting for her, along with two guards.
When they saw Elisa, they lowered their heads and greeted her.
"Good morning, young lady."
Elisa responded with a bright smile
"Good morning, let's go so we can come back early today."
The hotel was still quiet, some servants moving quietly, and distant sounds from the hall.
She descended the stairs with light steps and exited through the main door.
Outside—she was greeted by the vibrant market life of Terak.
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Elisa entered the Thirak market with quiet steps, followed by the maid and the two guards.
There was activity everywhere—vendors calling out, children running about, and the sounds of haggling filled the air.
The colors of the fabrics, the aromas of spices, and the sunlight reflecting off everything… made the place incredibly vibrant.
She began walking between the stalls, looking at the merchandise, touching some of the fabrics, and smiling slightly.
Salespeople were always urging her to buy, knowing she was the daughter of the owner of the best and largest hotel in the city.
The hotel that bought its goods from the best shops and the best merchants
Since her father and mother didn't go out much, If she's the one buying from them, it gives a good impression of their goods and stores, and it also brings them customers.
But despite that, she had a lot of fun seeing and touching the many new goods that came to the city every day.
But—
In a far corner, three men stood. Their eyes on her.
One of them said calmly,
"There she is."
The second replied,
"She seems to have three people with her."
The third was watching.
"Wait... not yet."
They were masked with expressionless black masks…
With a long eye-shaped slit in the center, like an old wound that hadn't healed…
Elisa continued walking, stopped at a fruit vendor, then moved on to another stall.
And the moment I entered a narrower passage between the stalls—
The first one said,
"Now."
They moved quickly… without attracting attention. Then one of the kidnappers took out a small black ball… squeezed it and broke it.
Suddenly—
Dark, thick smoke rose and filled the place