CHAPTER 12 Part 1: Ineffective The grey walls that surround the kingdom reached for the skies, made from the same materials the kingdom of LouwenDale’s walls had. Guards stood by the entrance keeping a watchful eye to those who enter, they wore identical iron armors with spears in hand. Banners decorated the walls with a design of a Naga, a human snake hybrid, crossing 2 daggers. “Welcome dear guest! You are just in time for the festival!” an armored guard approached us before we could enter, his enthusiasm showed even underneath his helmet. “What are you guys celebrating?” Luke asked, smiling excitedly “We are celebrating our king’s birth! Would you care to join us? There are a lot of events in stored!” “Oh no thank you. We’re already tired from our long journey… would you recommend an affordable inn and can you direct us to the Adventurer’s Guild?” “There are a lot of Inns to choose from located in the business district just follow the middle road and you’ll eventually get there, as for the Adventurer’s Guild it’s right at the outskirts of the kingdom, it’s a big structure you can’t miss it when you follow the that path!” Still enthusiastic the guard pointed at a narrower path compared to the road in the middle. “Thank you so much! We’ll be going in then” we continued inside following the wide road leading further inside the kingdom in search for a place to stay. “You could’ve told us that there was a festival going on” I said facing Frod “Hey where’s the fun in that! If I told you guys, you won’t be able to show me those kinds of faces.” Frod said laughing at our excited faces but it changed abruptly “but behind those inviting smiles are scared merchants, they knew of LouwenDale’s destruction but choose to smile, not letting their worries get to their customers.” He continued in a whisper, so only I could hear. “There was a saying where I came from ‘the saddest people smile the brightest.’ And seeing those merchants smile, that saying couldn’t quite capture the feeling I’m having now.” I whispered back “What an accurate quote….” “Everywhere you look there’s some kind of festive decorations! Its so beautiful! Look at those discounted prices, what a steal!” Yuna’s eyes sparkled even brighter than yesterday, her smile almost reaching the tall walls. The citizens of different color and races occupied the busy street but even then, two carts could easily pass through the wide road, store fronts displayed their best merchandise which varied from clothes, fruits, vegetables, meats, antics, magic tools to weapons, enthusiastic vendors called out to customers, flashing placards of discounted prices. “…fresh fruits!…” “…Clothes for the k…” “…fresh veggi…” “…Meats! Fres….” “Hello sir may I introduce to you….” “Sorry we’re in a hurry” “Apples for only 1 copper coin each!” “1 copper?! We have to buy those!” Yuna immediately jumped down and rushed to the pot bellied man. “10 apples please~” she raised 10 fingers to the merchant. “I can pay for that, you know~” from behind her Luke followed, scrutinizing the quality of the product “Hehe~ I wanted to use my allowance this time and share it with you guys” “Here you go missy, have fun with the festival!” the merchant gave Yuna a smile with a paper bag full of apples “Sure will! Thanks mister~” “Luke just said we were in a hurry right?” I said to my ashen haired friend who handed to me the full paper bag “I know but it’s so cheap I can’t help myself~” she said as she climb back up the wagon, me and Luke helped her from both sides “Thanks~” she grinned as soon as she got up the wagon she passed apples for each of us, even Frod got one “No prob and thanks for the snack!” “…Magic Candles from LouwenDale…” “Magic pens! Magic erasers!…” “m LouwenDale! Magic…” “Good afternoon sir, are you interested in a legendary sword?” “Oh… *munch* don’t worry *gulp* I already have a long sword right here” Frod jokingly whispered to me, gesturing to his ‘long sword’ “Frod…” I looked at him disappointingly “What? Hehe~” he laughed mischievously “I may be a prince but I at least have character!” “Nobody *gulp* wanted to hear that brat *crunch*” Luke spoke from the front not bothering to look back. “You heard that?! HAHAHA I see those ears of yours were not just for show, sir!” “Of course *munch* they aren’t.” “…Bananas! Fre…” “Hehe~ would you care for a taste of my… Fronana~ HAHAHA” “Ok… *munch* that was good” I said as I chuckled My aunt seemed to suppress a laughter as Luke looked at her, judging her for even reacting at Frod’s joke. Her body trembling trying not to burst out laughing and avoiding Luke’s gaze. Even Frod got a reaction from Yuna, who also suppress her laughter, faking a choke. “What? Don’t you think it’s funny cause a child said it?” Tiff asked Luke “I guess when you put it that way…” Luke glanced at us then smiled as he scanned Frod from head to… I won’t even say it. “hehe~” *** We arrived at a district where different inns were built, from wooden to marble buildings, from affordable to expensive looking inns occupied our vision. Pictures of a bearded white man dressed in red decorated some buildings. “This place looks good enough, what do you guys think?” “I think this is fine…” “Can you ask them if they have one of those hot open air bath? I really want to experience one of those dad!” “Of course honey, I’ll ask” Luke grinned at Yuna as he climb down the wagon “Don’t get your hopes up kiddo, these kinds of inns rarely have those.” My aunt Tiff spoke from the front, already on the ground. “It’s fine if they don’t, I just wanted to take a bath at one of those.” “I can arrange something better for you guys if you want, we don’t have one of those open air baths but we do have inns that has bathtubs” “REALLY!!” Yuna rushed to Frod with eyes twinkling “…” Perplexed by her sudden change of character Frod can only awkwardly look at Yuna “…*Cough* I mean… sure thanks…” “Haha but that will take a while so you should try this inn for the time being” we went inside the wooden building, different customers were around the lobby. Sofa made out of leather placed neatly on the corner where customers would lounge around, animal glass figurines decorated the table by the entrance, porcelain tableware placed on top of a wooden tea table conveniently near the sofa where the visitors and customers used it. “I’m actually pretty confused… I recalled you said yesterday that people were panicking when they discovered LouwenDale was destroyed and yet here we are, people smiling to the heavens, celebrating their king’s birth, and there are even events held by the citizens of Niru… why is that?” we walked casually amongst the many customers inside, humans were not the only ones present, Dwarves talking loudly as they passed, a fox like Demi-Human looked suspicious as she quietly scanned her surroundings as she walked towards the exit, a couple of hooded tall figures walked in silence, their aura a complete opposite from the rowdy Dwarves that came before. “Ow that… yesterday I said ‘people within the castle were panicking’ that doesn’t mean we should inform our people about that immediately and cause panic to the whole kingdom… we inform them subtly during events like these” The reception was beautiful, a statue of the bearded man was placed in the middle, a expensive looking chandelier shining above our heads, Yuna’s eyes seemed more focused on our surroundings, her jaw dropped the whole time. “I don’t think doing things that way is effective, some people will see it as a joke or something not important…” Aunt Tiff said not bothering to look behind. “That’s how we do things… I don’t really have a say in it, I also think it is ineffective” "Excuse me, how much for one night?” “Good afternoon sir! A stay at the Wolf’s Den Inn is 30 copper coins a night, breakfast included. If you want the deluxe room which is not available right now that would be 50 copper coins” “That’s good enough I guess…” “We’ll stay for 3 nights on the regular rate… oh and we’ll stay in 2 different rooms please” “That would be 180 copper coins sir, thank you very much!” ***