I looked at Malanda and asked her about a magic circle, I heard other people were talking about it. She told me that a group of guards found a magic circle in the woods not too far from our town. She continued 'The new captain is leading the investigation on it.’ Her hand went to her chin and rubbed it for a moment ’Ow, and people say he is rather slow. Since some townsfolk saw red twinkling particles rise into the sky long before he took action, that’s all I know.'

I made a nervous movement with my hand through my hair 'I see' I said.

On that night the guard I didn't recognize and gave the others a bag must have been the new captain, I wonder what was in it, maybe it was the reason for his late response. We must have had an extraordinary amount of luck that day. Well... At least at that part. We walked over the market passing some green-robed figures and more guards than usual, in general, it seemed more crowded than it normally would. The question popped up and I decided to ask her ‘Malanda why are there so many guards and greens here?’

She was busy looking at the vegetables of a market stall, Malanda and I come here regularly and the owner of the stall answered my question instead, A scruffy voice sounded: 'Jacob, wasn't it?'

I didn’t expect him to know my name 'Yes mister.' The words left my mouth a little too quickly.

'Well, they say there has been trouble in the west, not really anyone knows about it too much, but word and goods come slow. That must be the reason why there are more people here, including the Greens.'

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'Okay, hope they won't make believers out of us, haha.’ This made it a little awkward, but the man simple replied 'I'm sure they won't, eternal life doesn't sound too good to me anyway’

Malanda broke in on our conversation. 'Otto, I would like these, these, and those. Also the remains of the carrots over there.' Otto barely managed to follow her finger as she pointed at everything she wanted. he packed it up for her and gave it, he seemed to become a little softer for her and said 'Well thank you, I'll give you a little discount because it's you.' Malanda was obviously not good with these kinds of things and rather didn’t have people spare her in any way. Trying to dismiss it with 'Awh Otto, you really don't have to.' He almost looked offended after she said this, but quickly said something which made Malanda more eager to accept 'No, no, it's my pleasure, just give my regards to your master. I'm still very thankful for his help with me youngest one.'

If it was to thank master Malanda would never refuse in his stead, 'Okay, I'll make sure to do that when he comes back from his trip.' The man seemed surprised as she ended her sentence, a question must have sprouted in his mind and seemed to find it way through his mouth, 'He left? I thought he just came back.' Malanda let out a sigh 'What can I say, he's a busy man Otto.'

He went on a bit about Master and how thankful he was for the help with his daughter after that we had to go to another stall for some thread she needed for her embroidery. On the way she asked 'Are you okay Jacob I can carry some of it as well?'

I was carrying everything she just bought in a basket. Normally it would have been a challenge, but now It was light. 'It's completely fine, don’t worry about it Malanda.' And I smiled at her. my newfound strength came in handy for these sorts of things.