"Good evening, young travelers."
"What brings you to Antoria?"
"I'm here for the tournament."
"The sign-ups for nobles has already finished, but mayb—"
"I'm not a noble. So I am here for the commoner bracket."
He just looked at me in silence, glancing over at his co-guard, as a slight grin showed on their faces,
"A commoner really?..."
"Yes, really..."
"Are you sure you want to go with that role? You'll need to fight more."
"Uhm, yes—I know?"
"They can be murderers or even worse."
"Yes, I know..."
"And you still want to join the commoners?"
"Yes, I do."
He brought his free hand to his hand, and sighed.
"..... after all, it's just a way to legally kill."
I turned my head to Mim who already knew what to do, and whispered his words to me,
"Even the most talented among commoners won't join it."
"I know..."
"Are you crazy, or mentally ill?"
"Neither... as far as I know" I tilted my head slightly.
"Sigh... are you sure you want to join?"
"Yes, I am."
"Okay, go for it. But please don't get yourself killed."
"Thank you, but that won't happen—have a good night." I said as I passed by them.
"Have a good night." They said in unison.
"Let's see what this city looks like." The only thing we had seen of the cities were the different looking city walls.
As light began to show itself—
For a second everything seemed white, but then I regained my sight again,
"Mim... the frontier city was nothing compared to this." I said, my mouth hanging open, unable to look away from the scenery that unfolded.
"You are right." She wore the exact same look, drowning in the lights, and crowds waiting here.
Even though it was already late at night, the streets were busy—busier than anything I had ever seen.
The horse walked calmly forward—I couldn't feel its legs tremble—as Mim and I were lost in this new world we saw.
There were different looking people, unlike at the frontier this went beyond clothes—people's skin color to their hair texture itself.
Everybody was different.
"Brother, look!" She pointed at a group who made beautiful sounds—the men were using the instruments in front of them, and the women were using their voices alongside it.
"What is that?!" Her entire body leaned towards me, her mouth slightly opened.
"I think that's music..." It was the first time for either of us had heard it. I was glad that I could remember my dad's words.
"And what is that there?" She pointed at a strange man that threw burning things through the air, catching them back again.
"Uhh... I don't know—just that he is crazy!" My eyes widened as I met her eyes—turning back to her.
"Right!?" She held the same look as she nodded with me.
We just looked at each other, and burst out into laughter simultaneously.
As I gained my breath again, I said,
"Okay, I'm sure that we can eat something here..."
"So can you read something around here?"
"Uhm... brother... E-everything here has food!" She said, with drool almost escaping.
"Wait really?!" I had to wipe my hand past lips as well.
"Let's go to an inn, and then walk around all night!"
"Let's go, I'll find an inn!" She lifted both arms in the air.
We continued down the streets, and came across an entire block filled with inns, but not all of them could house a horse, and carriage—so we didn't have much choice.
As we spoke with the innkeeper he told us to pay one seal per night for two, so I handed a seal to the innkeeper.
"Uhm..., ....." He said something as he returned the coins.
I brought my face next to hers, and whispered in her ear,
"Mim help..."
"He said, that it's the wrong currency."
"What is currency?" She whispered back.
Currency? I've never heard of it...
"Currency... what is that?"
"Your coins ....."
Once again I brought my face to Mim.
"He said that we have the wrong coins."
"A single seal right?" I looked at what he held,
Look that's what I gave!" I pointed at it.
"No, no ....." He waved his hands around, and reached for his pockets.
A single look was all I had to give for her to whisper to me,
"You gave him a coin from Hanserath, that is the coin you need..."
I looked at the coin again—closer than before—and it was indeed different, from its size to the drawing on it.
"Where can I get those coins?"
"Uhm... Mim?"
She rounded her back as I asked her again,
"Sigh... we need to go to the vendor and buy them there. But Anria is quite expensive when bought with Hansea—he thinks that one Anria cost around two Hansea..."
"Thank you very much, sir, where can we find such a vendor?"
"..."
"I think we have a problem... he said that it's closed." I could see her eyes slightly tremble.
"Is it possible to sell you these coins...?" I asked, showing him the entire pouch I had.
He shook his head,
"No, sorry..."
"Is there somewhere we can pay with this?"
I saw the man move his mouth around, and Mim knew it,
"He doesn't know a place—which means that it doesn't exist... and most places here won't even be able to speak our language..."
"Damn..." My knees felt weak as I looked down at the floor.
What can we do now.... Do we have to sleep in the carriage?...
"Mim we may have to sleep and eat in th—"
A voice reached me,
"Young kids, don't be so quick to look down." I turned around unable to recognize his voice, the only thing that I met were clothes.
I lifted my head—straining my neck just to see his face.
I haven't met him before.
A man of grand stature with dark red hair that almost reached his shoulders, he towered over the innkeeper, and everything else in the establishment—even wearing a sword around his waist.
Is he going to fight in the tournament?
"Who are you, sir?"
"I am just an older man, here to help two kids."
"We don't need hel—" I stopped, as I looked over at Mim.
"Okay maybe we do... but what we can you do?!" I narrowed my eyes,
"Here this should cover for these children right?" He handed him three seals—in their currency.
Before anybody could speak he just turned back.
"Wait, stop—sir! Thank you for your help... how did you even know we were in need?"
"..." He pointed at a woman that stood on the opposite side of the street.
Could he hear us from that far? He had heard us through the closed doors, thick walls, and crowded streets?
And I couldn't even notice him entering...
Who is this man?
As I looked at the man intensely, he just smiled back.
Is he just a nice old man? I furrowed my eyebrows.
"I think it's time to leave—my wife wants to look around before the tournament starts..."
"Are you fighting in the tournament?"
"Yes, tomorrow... what about you?"
I was met with thunderous laughter as he slapped his hand on his chest,
"I don't have to, kid. Good luck!"
"Innkeepe—" I turned around, and saw the innkeeper just stare at the man's broad back as he opened the doors.
"Innkeeper, it's fine now—right?"
"D-Do you know who that man was?" He couldn't take his eyes off, as his legs trembled slightly.
"No? Is there something wrong with him?"
"No, no—it's nothing special then, just forget it."
"And yes, it's fine now. So welcome—and enjoy your stay!" He handed me the spare coin, as he turned away to the stairs.
We followed after him, as he led us to our room.
As he opened the door,
I wonder how small it is—it was cheap after all.
An even bigger room than the one in Lusd revealed itself.
How much did Karl try to swindle from me...
"Mim, we have a problem, we can't really go outside yet... so we need to do it tomorrow, okay?" I tensed my back muscles to keep it straight.
"Oh..." Her entire body folded down.
"But we still have the sandwiches Karl gave us—so let's eat those! It was amazing as well, wasn't it?" I waved the sandwiches in front of her.
"Yes..." She tried to peek sneakily at the sandwich,
"It was!" She smiled again as she grabbed the sandwich I held.
"Okay let's eat as much as we can then!" I said, raising my arms in the air, followed by Mim who did the same.
We had enough left, so we just kept eating—until our bellies were on the edge of bursting. We had decided that our day was over.
We both deserve this... I thought as my body bounced on my mattress.
As soon as my head connected with the pillow I could feel my consciousness drown away...
But even when my consciousness left me, I couldn't forget the man who had helped us.
Who was that...