Xinyu could have been long gone, but Brax knew she wasn't. He felt her presence, her smile, while he strode across the rugged paths in his worn town. When he went past the pub, he heard lively chatter from within, which was odd because it was always closed in the mornings. Curiously, he creaked open the unlocked doors and saw the smiling little merchant underneath the towering barkeep, having a wonderful conversation about eastern and western liquors. Brax was shocked to see the keeper talking as much as his guests did at night. Usually, he listened listlessly to the dreary talk of drunk idiots and the cries of hopeless fathers who didn't want to beat their worthless sons anymore.
"The grapes can make wines sweet and fruity," the barkeep said. "Which is why they go so well with the saltiness of cheese."
"Oh, I never knew wine could be fruity!" Xinyu exclaimed. "Our wine is made from rice! It can be served hot or chilled. Many prefer it hot in the winter."
"Hot wine like cider? Interesting! I've not heard of hot wine before," the barkeep replied. "I'd certainly like to try some of this rice wine… it sounds interesting."
"That bottle there is a spirit made from rice!" Xinyu said, pointing to a bottle she had gifted him the evening prior, in the hopes that it would open him up. Being a connoisseur of his craft for many years, one whiff of the cork revealed how valuable and rare the good was. It told him that, despite the young woman's innocent stare, she had a keen eye for quality product.
"Ah, yes, but I would never devalue such a priceless commodity from the east," the barkeep said. "To open it so casually would dishonor it."
"That kind is quite common where I am from," Xinyu admitted.
"But here, it is a priceless treasure."
Brax was enamored by their talk and could have listened for hours. They could've kept going for hours without noticing him, too. Of course, it wasn't their talk of alcohol that intrigued him. He couldn't give a damn about the nuance of alcohol, as long as it made him forget his qualms. No, it was seeing the old man who always stood behind the bar with dark crescents beneath his eyes and tired wrinkles light up. Brax never noticed it before, but the barkeep had a smile that puffed his cheeks out and perked up his nose. The creation of happiness from desolation was beautiful. At that moment, the girl had access to all the barkeep's knowledge. She had bought it, though she hadn't a single coin to her name. It seemed the eastern merchant didn't just sell products; she sold joy as well.
"I do believe we've gone off topic," the bartender said. "Remind me, what exactly was it you wanted?"
"For you to tell me the path to the Moonless Terra," Xinyu said.
"Ah, yes. You're mad for saying something so brash," the barkeep said. "Why do you want to go to such a god-forbidden place anyway?"
"I am not certain, but it is the only lead I have in exposing the gods' secret," Xinyu said.
"Oh?" The bartender's face suddenly grew precarious as he stared down the trader with deadpan eyes. "What, precisely, is this secret?"
"I cannot say!" Xinyu said. "In the east, everyone who knew the secret died until there was only one left. I am sure the same will happen in these lands if it is revealed before the time is right."
"And what makes you think the Moonless Terra is going to help you expose this secret?" the bartender inquired.
"Kitsune told me that is the place beyond the gods, and so, that is the place I will go!" Xinyu said.
"Kitsune, huh?"
"You know of her?" Xinyu asked.
"Nope," the barkeep said as he averted his gaze to Brax. "Well, I'll tell you this. You won't be setting sail for the Moonless Terra without the cooperation of the man who pulled the legendary sword from the stone. I'm talking about Arthur, of course. You'll find him where you're heading, in Wunderdum, though you won't be able to reach him directly. You'd need other means. He is the king after all."
"I see. What other means?" Xinyu asked.
"I'm referring to the guilds that help run the kingdom," the barkeep said. "Of course, most of them would think you're crazy, which you are, and the ones that might hear you out are too insignificant to be of any assistance. There is one exception, though. Seek out the guild called 'Avalon'. Their guild ranks number one in all the kingdom, yet for some reason, they never turn away a request. They're also known for being a rambunctious bunch, so I'm sure you'll find someone to hear you out."
"Hao! I like the sound of this!" Xinyu said. "Come, Brax! We must leave immediately!"
"Huh?" Brax said. He didn't realize that she noticed him. "Me?"
"You would not be standing in this bar during the morning if you were not planning on going anywhere. It is okay, you do not need to fear, for I promise to protect you from here on out!"
"I don't need your protection…" Brax trailed off, feeling ashamed that a little girl half his age was offering to protect him.
"It is okay!" Xinyu said. "I am strong! I must be if I wish to defy the gods!"
"Young girl," the bartender said. "Do you know what it means to defy the gods?"
"An endless road to misery and suffering," Xinyu said. "You were going to say something along those lines, no?"
"Not just for you, but for everyone involved," he said. "What exactly will this secret prove? The concept of death does not apply to them, so I'm perplexed as to what your goal might be. Is it the destruction of humanity you seek?"
"Perhaps it is," Xinyu said. The bartender looked at her, but only found that funny grin smothering half her face.
"I suppose it doesn't matter much anymore," the bartender said, digging in a bin beneath the bar. "Before you go, I must give you something in exchange for the incredible treasure you've given me. Here. Take these."
"Papers?" Xinyu asked as the man handed her a stack of folded old papyrus sheets.
"Those are maps of the three lands," the bartender explained. "They're a bit old and perhaps not completely accurate, but they're detailed enough to get you where you wish to go."
"Waha! Thank you!" Xinyu said, bowing. "These are incredible! We will surely put them to good use."
"Make sure you visit again before you go anywhere too crazy," the barkeep said as Xinyu ran out those doors. Brax followed quickly after, trying to keep up with the energetic girl.
"If the world wasn't soon to be naught, that girl would've doomed us anyway," the barkeep muttered under his breath as he lovingly examined the bottle with strange symbols on it. "The Merchant of Joy, or more accurately, the herald of the end. Do you really think we can run from fate, Kitsune? What about you, Chosen One?"