This tall and wide building was different from all the houses and structures around it. Everything was built by stone and iron as its face was dirtied with age, its wide rusty iron gates welcomed us citizens in. It's courtyard stacked with crates upon crates of goods; wheat, barley, cabbages, and many more were loaded into horse drawn wagons. Indeed, the place was like a market within a marker of sorts. Only it was sprawling with horses tied with carriages and wagons where merchants loaded, unloaded, bought, sold, and shook hands while giving heavy bags of metallic clink.

“If you don't remember it, this here is Ronald's trade post. This is where we got your first wooden sword and clothes when you were just a tadpole.”

She gave a ruffle on my hair as she said that.

“But we'll do that next time. For now, mommy has to buy what your adventurer *guardian* said to me.”

Sour came in to mind when she mentioned guardian. Whatever Neil did, I feel like May trust and distrust Neil at the same time.

****

It was like a small mall inside when we went inside this place.

Like it had three floors with an opening in the middle where one could see three balconies.

Each floor was given a distinct place. The ground floor was a plethora of stores that men and woman haggling for a better price to the sweating barking sellers.

The second floor of this building and just above me had flags of linen that had insignias of needle, a man with with needle, etc. Mostly, I saw woman, or man, sitting near the balcony as their fingers intricately played with shuttle, strings, and loom. While some held needles and wove colours in clothes. While the third floor were sights of wooden idols, chairs, small tables and the such.

The musk of dust, business rants, and pardoning muscular men carrying out heavy loads of sacks towards our direction, greeted anyone who entered.

“So you see how busy this place Elfien, so wait here, and don't run off, ok?”

She said when we reached a bench where she gave me all the items we bought as she left. I wasn't the only one here though. It was like this bench is exclusively for us kids to hold the groceries, while our parents do all the shopping. Like, right now May was raising her hand like flag while saying: Butter! Two pounds of Butter and oil! To a busy store while raising the half silver coin I gave earlier. I put cage just besides me and the basket on my lap.

Like them, she went louder and louder as she called out her item. This is going to take a while I said myself. It wasn't just me who was holding fresh pork or any other dead livestock or food and waiting for their parents. We waited through the busy lives of these merchants and parents bartering for commodity.

I was looking around the children who was with me. A lot of then seems to didn't notice me since they were busy talking, arm wrestling, and poking a suffocating chicken for fun, at leat one kid did.

She took her time I suppose. Darting from one to store to another, I got bored and began considering poking our own suffocating chicken as well.

“Oy, look it's the captain's son. Elfien!”

I heard someone near me.

“Elfien! By her grace! It really is you!”

“Umm...”

They, as I could guess, they were the same age as Elfien. Eyeing me with astonishment, I could only say hello and that I'm sorry, I don't remember any of them. These must be Elfien's friends.

“Really? Even my name?”

“Surely the goddess would have made you remember.”

They all asked how I don't remember anything. Ignorant as they may be by saying that death is like sleeping.

“Are you sure your not pulling our legs?”

“Y-yeah. In fact I don't even remember how I died. Maybe if you tell me, then maybe I can remember your name.”

Surely... They can give me some information.

“Well that's a shame then. We don't know either. Only the captain knows how you died last cycle. But if you don't remember then. My name is John!”

He gave me a big smile and a hand to shake.

Blue eyes, golden hair, and freckles on face.

It's easier to remember if I associate them with their unique features.

“Billy!”

Brown curly hair, with button nose and a round body.

“Grayson!”

A black hair, tall guy with a sharp nose.

After their short introduction I asked them what they know before I died, maybe it will jog my memory.

“We well mate we fought! You me Billy and Gray here beat up the sobs of Bull clan in sword fights.”

Was Elfien a bully?

I asked myself as they added how Elfien was always the one who started the *Sword Fights*

“S-swords? You mean sticks right?”

“Yeah, carved by the people upstairs.”

Said John as he pointed the third floor.

“Well, not like yours, you carved your own sword!”

“Oh! Oh! Last cycle! You lot still remember last story fair game?”

The three screamed their memories that it blended well in the noisy place. I was the only one silent and waved my head when they asked if I remember the time we snuck inside a joust tournament without paying, or the time we fought the bulls for seat, and fought the bulls for a fortress, it was always fighting against this is Bull Clan.

“Oh, come on. We banded together in many games, fought side by side and dreamt of Manchet together!”

Snorted out the round brown haired Billy.

“And then the tournament came! Oh yes! The last cycle's tournament! ”

A glaze of excitement filled John as he mentioned that.

“Yeah, I was always pike,”

Interjected tall black haired Grayson.

“John here the runner, you and Billy were sword and buckler.”

After which I asked how did I, or Elfien, performed.

“You fought head on that's for sure!”

Punched John at me with a laugh.

“You went head on without us, you're a good fighter but you always get yourself surrounded!”

“But because of that we were able to catch them off guard!”

Joined Grayson.

“Cuz you were so stubborn to be taken down that we beat the heck out of them like this! Argh!”

Billy smacked his hands and grinded it as his teeth gnashed.

“Did we won!?”

I was on the edge of my seat as dust of flour snowed from the second floor.

“Nah, *Achoo!* Oh, crikey, ugh. The captain stopped the fight when she found out you escaped the barracks that day. She even broke the sword you carved.”

John wiped the green mucus with his sleeve.

“Shame, you could have got a second flower from the lord's daughter.”

Snorted Billy.

“Yeah, it was unfair that you didn't get any white rose from the lady after that whole incident.”

“You mean I won a fight? But

didn't you say the innkeeper stopped the fight?”

“Innkeeper? You mean your mum? Well, she only reached the team melee. She didn't reach the singles.”

“Yeah, it was a sight when you fought on the singles, as if you we're aiming for the Lord's daughter for her hand when you fought on the mud and arena.”

After that it soon trailed off to some of Elfien's misadventures – Gang alley fights(With the Bulls again) chasing and running away from dogs on butcher street, and then something about eating slices of cheat at May's inn when monsters invade.

“Ey, why's you here anyway?”

Said Grayson as his head went around.

“The innkeeper... I mean mom's”

Then I looked around and my ears then found her telling the owner to scrape the damn thing or she'll scrape his mustache off.

“Being Mom.”

I pointed out. Indeed, my mother back then would have said the same thing if things didn't go for her.

After that they forced me in a huddle. I felt like I was huddled up by manure residents. The odour they emit reminded me about my hygiene and how the street boys back home were cleaner.

“Story fair is a coming this month,”

John lips grew to scheming smile.

“Merchants coming from every corner of the land will come! Giant tents, food, and coins will be all around and most of all Lord Magnus is letting lady Julianna give the white flower again.”

“Oh, lady Julianna's white rose, they say you can trade that rose with a loaf of Manchet back at the manor!”

After Billy said that the three had hunger written in their eyes as mouth somewhat drooled.

“Elfien! For old times sake man. Let's band up again this week. Don't you want some Manchet too!?”

All of them looked at me with puppy eyes.

I don't even know what's a Manchet. Either way.

“I don't think,

mom will let me off in the games.”

I broke loose their huddle to breathe some... Less chicken dung scent.

“Just like what you told me. Maybe she won't let me again.”

“Yeah, but don't worry, this time, hear me out hear boys, we're going to wear masks!”

Said John as he covered his face with both of his hands.

“Oh, blimey! You're sure is smart John!”

Croaked Grayson in excitement.

“Yeah, yeah! Her holiness allowed the use of monstrous masks this cycle, for the row dance of the second hero!”

Billy joiner in hiding his face with both of his hands.

Row dance?

I asked my self before asking...

“Are you sure wearing masks on a fight a good idea?”

“Elfien, what you lot scheming there?”

“Son-of-a-monster lover!”

One of us yelped when we heard her voice.

Our items flipped up and down on our lap when we all acted innocent. I don't know why I got all jumpy by this but to hear my mother's identical voice while I made some shady deals. Reminds me when Neil tried to give me some questionable videos which I got caught.

“Don't do that! The pork and eggs almost fell! What's that all about anyway?”

Crossed armed and in an inquisitive tone. I told her,

“Just some friends telling some jokes.”

She told me I can play with my friends later. She gave a green vial large as a regular coke can to be added in the basket. She began to haul all of her new bought items and told me to pick up the chickens and basket full of veggies and eggs.

“Let's go home. If things will be successful tonight, maybe I'll warm you a hot bath.”

A chuckle escaped me when she said that. She asked what's funny, and I replied:

“You should go first.”