After Tresca had finished her dessert and her temper finally settled, the trio continued walking around the bustling commercial district.
The two ladies walked from stall to stall, sampling various street foods and pausing to inspect delicate handmade accessories. Behind them, Lucian carried all of their purchases, closely following the two ladies without a single complaint.
"Ooh, Tresca, look at this one!" Lucelle chirped, her attention instantly captured by a wooden cart laden with skewered, glazed meat grilled over glowing charcoal. The sweet and savory aroma drifted through the crowded street, making it impossible to walk past without stopping.
Tresca abandoned her lingering grudge against the butler for a moment, her eyes lighting up as she approached a vendor selling sizzling street skewers. The meat was richly charred, interspersed with thick chunks of ripe tomatoes, crisp onions, and vibrant green and red bell peppers.
The moment her gaze landed on the bright green pieces, her expression hardened as the memory of the hamburger steak rushed back, reminding her once more of the butler's mortal sins.
Without missing a beat, Tresca turned to the merchant. "Excuse me, can you take the bell peppers off these other sticks and put all of them onto one single stick?"
The vendor blinked in confusion but complied, sliding every single piece of green and red bell pepper onto one dedicated skewer while leaving the meat, tomato, and onion sticks clean.
Once handed over, Tresca marched straight up to Lucian. With a triumphant smirk, she shoved the pure bell pepper skewer directly at him.
"Here. A special meal, made exclusively for you."
Meanwhile, she handed the meat-and-vegetable skewers devoid of bell peppers to Lucelle and kept one for herself, taking a delighted bite as she watched the butler accept his punishment.
Lucian couldn't help but sigh, looking down at the densely packed skewer of vibrant red and green bell peppers in his hands.
The rich scent of charcoal and roasting meat filled the air. Tresca offered a bright, saccharine smile, her previous irritation completely vanished, replaced by the sweet taste of petty revenge.
After they had finished eating and browsing the remaining stalls, Tresca brushed off her hands and turned to Lucelle.
"I think it's time to go for the main reason why we are here," Tresca said, leading the way toward a large, multi-story bookshop situated at the corner of the plaza.
Lucelle followed closely behind with an eager nod, while Lucian adjusted his grip on the towering stack of parcels, silently trailing after them into the quiet, paper-scented interior of the shop.
Tresca unrolled a folded slip of parchment and handed it directly to the nearest shop clerk.
"Here," Tresca said, pointing to the neatly written list of subjects she and Lucian had selected. "I want every related book available for all of these subjects."
The clerk handed the paper back with an apologetic smile. "While we gather those volumes from the archives, please feel free to browse the open shelves in the back or check our current displays while you wait."
Lucian bowed his head slightly. "My lady, would you permit me to look around the shop while we wait?"
Tresca waved a dismissive hand, her eyes already scanning the shelves. "Go on, just don't get lost and make sure you're back when the clerk returns."
With permission granted, Lucian drifted off toward the philosophy archives in the quieter corner of the shop. Meanwhile, Lucelle made a beeline for the aisle marked with a prominent "Romance" signboard, her fingers tracing the spines of the colorful bound volumes.
When Tresca turned down the romance aisle, she found Lucelle already cradling a stack of five thick volumes in her arms.
"What are you planning to buy?" Tresca asked, raising an eyebrow at the sheer volume of literature.
Lucelle proudly flashed the covers, her face glowing. "Books to help a friend!"
Tresca stepped closer and peered at the front covers stacked in Lucelle's arms.
"The Stoic Butler and His Bashful Lady," she read aloud, her eyes narrowing slightly at the second. "The Handsome Butler with a Pretty Countess's Daughter... and The Sadistic Lady and Her Poor Butler."
Seeing the ridiculous nature of the first three, Tresca didn't even need to look at the remaining two to know they would be just as absurd.
Tresca fixed her friend with a flat, unamused stare. "And exactly which 'friend' are these meant to help, Lucelle?"
Lucelle beamed innocently, shifting the stack of books in her arms. "Don't be naive, Tresca. I only have two friends! It's you and Lucian."
Tresca just stared at her with a deadpan expression, her voice dropping an octave. "You think I'm sadistic?"
Lucelle flinched slightly under the glare, waving her hands in a frantic defensive gesture. "No, no, no! I just want as much reference material as possible!"
Tresca rolled her eyes and walked away from Lucelle, heading toward the quieter philosophy and history section to track down Lucian as he quietly browsed the tall wooden shelves.
Tresca stopped as she spotted Lucian standing between the philosophy stacks, holding an ominous-looking volume titled "How to Become the Perfect Shadow."
She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at the cover. "I won't buy you that."
Lucian didn't even look up, calmly thumbing through a page. "I have my own savings, My Lady."
"I won't allow it!" Lucelle declared, her eyes narrowing. "I will burn that book if I see it in the cottage."
Lucian turned the page slowly, his expression entirely deadpan. "This will help me serve you better, My Lady."
Tresca let out an exhausted breath, rubbing her temples. "No. You are already ridiculous—stop buying weird reference books."
Tresca grabbed the sleeve of Lucian's uniform and forcefully dragged him away from the shelf, marching him back toward the front of the shop.
When they arrived, the clerk was already standing behind the counter again. Lucelle was already there, proudly setting her towering stack of romance novels onto the wooden surface alongside their main order.
The clerk nodded with a polite smile, pulling out a ledger and dipping her quill in ink. "Of course, madam. We can arrange for a secure delivery to your doorstep. I just need the name of your estate and the address for the registry."
Tresca provided the estate's details while Lucian finalized the delivery arrangements, and once the transaction was complete, the three of them stepped out of the bookshop.
Tresca provided the estate details while Lucian finalized the delivery arrangements. Once the transaction was complete, the three of them stepped out of the bookshop and resumed their walk down the bustling street.
They hadn't gone far before a peculiar, dark fabric tent caught their eye, tucked away in a narrow alley between two stone buildings.
Intrigued, Lucelle pointed straight at it. "I want to check that out."
Tresca wrinkled her nose, staring suspiciously at the dark, poorly stitched canvas. "That looks entirely untrustworthy. We shouldn't be poking around places like—"
Before she could finish, Lucelle was already marching straight toward the entrance flap. Realizing she couldn't leave the reckless noblewoman unattended, Tresca let out a resigned sigh and grabbed Lucian's sleeve, pulling him along behind her as she followed Lucelle into the dim interior.
Before Tresca could step past the threshold, a figure blocked her path with an outstretched arm.
"Customers can only go one by one," a rasped voice said.
Tresca stopped, glancing back at Lucian.
After waiting a few tense minutes, the tent flap finally parted, and Lucelle stepped back out into the light, looking thoroughly pleased with herself.
"Did you get scammed?" Tresca asked, crossing her arms.
Lucelle beamed at them, clasping her hands together. "No! It's a fate-reading booth!"
"And what did it say?" Tresca asked, raising an eyebrow.
Lucelle shook her head vigorously. "No, I can't tell you, or it won't come true!"
Lucelle grabbed Tresca's hand, pulling her toward the entrance flap. "You have to try it, Tresca! It's actually fascinating!"
Tresca sighed, heavily resigning herself to her fate, and stepped past the tent flap into the dim interior.
After a brief moment inside, Tresca emerged from the tent with a similarly satisfied look on her face.
Lucelle, noticing the sudden change in Tresca's demeanor, turned her gaze towards Lucian. She pointed a finger toward the dark canvas flap and insisted, "Your turn, Lucian. Go in."
As the tent flap fell shut behind Lucian, Lucelle leaned in closer to Tresca, a knowing smirk spreading across her face. "Well? Did you have your romance read?"
Tresca was taken aback, her cheeks flushing slightly as she averted her gaze. "I can't tell you."
Then, whispering softly to herself, she added, "Or it won't come true."
...
The moment Lucian stepped past the canvas flap, the ambient noise of the street vanished. The interior of the tent plunged into a deep shadow, the air thick with the scent of burning wax and dried herbs.
The only source of illumination was a cluster of flickering candles resting on a low wooden table in the center of the room.
From the shadows across the table, a rasped voice broke the silence. "How would you like your fate read?"
Lucian did not hesitate. "Card Reading"
The fortune-teller reached across the table, picking up a thick stack of worn cards and shuffling them with practiced, rhythmic precision. When she finished, she placed the deck down and gestured for Lucian to choose three.
Lucian picked three cards, and the fortune-teller arranged them in a row face down on the wood.
Slowly, she reached out and flipped the first card over.
"Your past is deep and rich, yet largely forgotten," the figure rasped, their voice echoing slightly in the confined space. "As you continue your journey, the pieces you lost will slowly return to you."
She reached out again, her fingers tracing the edge of the second face-down card before flipping it over to reveal the image.
"The path ahead is obstructed by a heavy burden," she rasped, her eyes reflecting the flickering candlelight. "A past conflict or unresolved choice still weighs upon your steps. To move forward freely, you must face what you left behind."
She touched the final face-down card, turning it over to face them.
"A great change approaches far in the future," she said, her voice dropping lower. "You must use the history you have forgotten if you wish to protect the present you hold dear, so that it may remain with you in the years to come."
Lucian frowned in the dim light, his mind immediately sorting through his early years. He remembered his childhood in precise detail—every face, every street, and that great incident. Whatever rich history the cards hinted at, it had to lie far beyond the simple memories of his youth.
Lucian frowned in the dim light, his mind immediately sorting through his early years. He remembered his childhood in precise detail—every face, every street, and that great incident. Whatever rich history the cards hinted at, it had to lie far beyond the simple memories of his youth.
"How will I gain that pieceof historyback " Lucian asked.
The mysterious fortune-teller replied, "As I said before, just continue walking down your path; it will come to you gradually."
Lucian felt a flicker of dissatisfaction at the vague reply, but he kept his thoughts to himself. He composed his expression, pushed past the canvas flap, and stepped back out into the light as if nothing had happened.
As the three of them walked away from the site, a sudden, violent gust of wind swept through the street.
Lucian glanced back over his shoulder. Where the shady tent had stood just moments before, there was only empty space.