Celine nudged Moon forward, observing her surroundings.
The area outside the main city of Red Kite was not a desolate wasteland. A vast expanse extending from the city walls was already filled with various merchant towns, temporary markets, and warehouses.
The closer she got to the main city, the more crowded the roads became. Long-horned beasts carrying ore, wagons filled with wine barrels, and mercenaries wearing foreign motifs were all squeezed onto the same path.
Celine even saw a few stout dwarves arguing until they were red in the face over a piece of ore, while nearby, beast-eared vendors squatted on the ground hawking dried meat strips.
Different races and accents mixed together; no one seemed out of place.
“Top-quality Northland snow fox fur! Entire pelt undamaged, only twelve gold coins!”
“Amulets of protection, blessed by the temple! They can turn danger into safety!”
“Fresh cranberry wine! Have a cup to make a friend, have two and the friend won't leave!”
“Young lady, take a look at this map! All one hundred and thirty-seven streets inside and outside Red Kite are drawn clearly!”
Celine had just passed the first stall when three people surrounded her at once. One tried to sell her a map of Red Kite, while another asked if Moon was for sale.
The last one was even more direct, claiming he knew the best inn in the city and could help her avoid all the dishonest shops for just one silver coin.
Celine rejected the map; that parchment didn't look like quality goods. Seeing this, the vendor immediately halved the price.
She ignored him and continued forward, but the man didn't give up. He kept jogging alongside her, talking incessantly, making her brow furrow tighter and tighter.
The scene reminded her of the sidewalk salesmen from her past life who tried to get people to sign up for cards. If your eyes met theirs for even a second, they would chase you down half the street with a smile, cramming their prepared pitch into your ears in one breath.
Another vendor, seeing she had no interest, turned his gaze to Moon.
“This black horse has a wonderful coat. Miss, is it for sale?”
“Not for sale.”
“Renting is fine too. I have a caravan that’s short a lead horse.”
Moon slowly turned its head and snorted a blast of hot breath at him. The vendor locked eyes with the horse for a moment and, for some reason, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
“Pardon me.” He stepped back two paces and quickly turned to stop another person riding past.
Celine spent the rest of the way dodging vendors hawking potions, jewelry, equipment, and lodging vouchers before finally escaping the dense crowd.
She led Moon into a relatively quiet side path. This area was far from the main market, with most of the buildings on either side being warehouses for temporary lease by caravans. The shouts of hawkers were blocked out by thick walls, and finally, no one was chasing her to push products.
She stopped under a lush, leafy old tree, planning to confirm her direction into the city first.
Just then, a melodious sound of a lyre drifted from ahead. The music was light, mixed with the fine rustle of wind blowing through leaves, sounding exceptionally clear in the noisy merchant town.
Celine looked up and saw a young woman sitting on a low wall not far away. She had striking red hair, with slightly curled ends hanging behind her shoulders, and a pair of long, pointed ears peeked out from between a few stray locks.
She wore a beautifully tailored short green jacket with a fresh little flower pinned to her collar. A soft hat filled with quite a few coins sat on the wall beside her.
A small lyre lay across her knees, and several children were gathered beneath the wall. They wore old clothes that were clearly ill-fitting, their soles covered in mud, and the smallest one was holding half a piece of hardened black bread.
The red-haired elf looked down at them, her fingers lightly plucking the strings as her clear voice drifted with the wind.
“Spring winds swirl through the old streets,”
“Secretly tucking seeds into the mortar's cracks.”
“When the first morning light strikes the broken pane,”
“Even the tips of old shoes can carry a floral scent.”
As the last note fell, she raised her hand and lightly tapped her finger against the wall.
The sparse, yellowing grass by the low wall suddenly unfurled. Tender green shoots broke through the soil, and one small flower after another bloomed along the children's feet, spreading into a small, soft floral carpet in the blink of an eye.
The children were stunned at first, then immediately broke into cheers. The smallest girl crouched down carefully and reached out to touch one of the white flowers.
The flower stem swayed gently, leaning toward her fingertip of its own accord.
“It’s saying hello to me!”
“Of course,” the red-haired elf said with a smile and a nod. “It says you’re very cute today, but that bread doesn’t look very tasty.”
The girl immediately hid the black bread behind her back, causing the other children to burst into laughter.
The red-haired elf laughed along with them, then took several gold coins out of her soft hat. She glanced at them first, then let out a sigh as if she were reluctant to part with them.
“Farewell, my beautiful new cloak.”
Despite her words, she still tossed the gold coins into the hands of the three oldest children below.
“Take these back to your families. You can buy food or find a reliable apothecary. Just make sure you don't use them for gambling. Studying fate through gambling isn't something everyone can master.”
The children looked down at the gold coins in their palms, clearly not having processed it yet.
The oldest boy suddenly looked up. “Is... is this really for us?”
“The gold is already in your hands. Do you expect it to grow legs and run back on its own?” The red-haired elf plucked a string casually. “Go on back. Remember to walk where there are plenty of people, and hide your gifts well.”
The children nodded repeatedly. Before leaving, one little girl handed her the white flower she had just picked.
The red-haired elf paused, then smiled as she took it and pinned it back onto her collar.
Three inconspicuous green leaves quietly landed on their shoulders, following the children as they moved through the alleys.
Celine stood under the tree, taking in the entire scene. She hadn't encountered many elves before, but whether from rumors or what she had seen in her past life, most were close to nature, proud by nature, and not particularly keen on human money or power.
Although this red-haired elf dressed flamboyantly, she didn't seem much different from the elves in her impression. At the very least, she was willing to give several gold coins to a few poor children she had no relation to.
Just then, the red-haired elf seemed to sense her gaze. She suddenly turned her head, and their eyes met through the sparse shadows of the trees.
The elf's gaze lingered on Celine for a moment, and a string on her lyre suddenly missed a note.
At the same time, the white flower on her collar, which had been blooming just a moment ago, silently curled a petal.
The red-haired elf glanced down, and when she looked up again, the smile on her face had returned to normal.
She stuffed the coins into her pocket, put on her vibrant soft hat, and hopped down from the low wall. Slinging the lyre behind her back, she walked up to Celine in a few steps.
“Charming lady from afar.” The red-haired elf took off her soft hat and leaned a bit closer to her. “The wind tells me that you will encounter a world of trouble today.”
Celine looked at her suspiciously. “What else did the wind say?”
The red-haired elf looked up, her smile exceptionally bright. “It also said that as long as you treat me to a luxurious lunch, it will allow me to tell you.”
Moon’s chewing of the sweet fruit came to a halt. It slowly turned its head to look at this unreliable elf who had just appeared and was already looking for a free meal.
Rate on N.U.
