The Sylio's avenue was bustling with commotion. Despite it being still somewhat early in the morning, the constant movement of merchants, sailors, and any and all travelers almost made a traffic jam in the small town. Everyone wanted to get their things done as soon as possible. Time is money after all.

The crowds were less heavy the more inland it got, which was to be expected. Most people were busy loading merchandise on ships, counting said merchandise, and the general sense of "keep moving" seemed to have swept all the visitors in Sylio. The locals mostly carried on with their day. Some were helping with the works for some coin, others sleepily made their way to work, or back from the heavy night of drinking. Older men enjoyed conversations on the side of the road, sitting in chairs in circles, each sipping on something. One could think that they had small taverns on their verandas, where only those who knew each other for more than 30 years could sit.

The sun was shining brightly without any obstruction from the absent clouds. Despite the atmosphere feeling like everyone was in a rush, it also gave a comforting calm of a morning by the sea. Clear, light blue sky, under which a light sea breeze swirled past Keziah's face. On days like these, it seemed like nothing could be an annoyance…

"Stop being annoying," said Keziah, without turning back.

"Wh- what? What did I do?" Annette sounded befuddled.

"No, not you. The guy who's been following us since we left the alley," explained Keziah.

Annette turned around to take a look at who Keziah was talking about. She spotted the blonde bard who was playing in the inn last evening. "The bard?" she asked Keziah.

"Yeah, the 'bard'," Keziah snickered. "I really hope we will shake him off when we get to the ship. There is not much time left."

They did, in fact, not shake him off. The five-or-so-minute walk was starting to feel almost like walking a dog. After a while of walking through the dirt road, on which was much less mud than the night before, Keziah decided to just let Scoyl walk beside them. The way he was following them was beginning to draw some raised brows. The fact that he was a bard, which entailed carrying a lute, was already attention-grabbing enough. The boy's looks didn't help either, but thankfully, most of the people currently working on the physical tasks that sailing and trading involved were male, and most probably straight, so he wasn't drawing that much attention yet.

With no sign of Sebastian following them, the group made their way to the docks proper. The business was only amplified here. Ships and boats were being loaded up or being made ready for today's hauls of fish. Many quartermasters were standing on the platforms next to their ships, counting whatever cargo they had.

Among these crowds, Keziah tried to make his way to the ship he had chartered. According to their schedule, they wouldn't be leaving for another fifteen minutes, give or take, but Keziah preferred not to take chances.

However, he was forced to.

"Leaving without so much as a goodbye?" asked a smooth, velvety voice.

Keziah turned his head around, as this was most certainly a question directed at their group. A dozen or so yards away stood Lucia, who he had forgotten about entirely. They were supposed to meet before their departure. She made it sound somewhat important back then, though Keziah couldn't imagine why. She just wanted to have a farewell, for some reason. She may have saved them from Avinea, but this much attention given to them was almost concerning.

Keziah had no idea what her game was. She could be just a friendly, decent human person, but the odds of that were low. Even lower the more power someone had, and Lucia most definitely held quite a bit of it. If she was their enemy, then why help them at all? Was she playing some kind of long-term game? This sounded even more ridiculous to Keziah. She must have something to gain from them, that is what he knew for sure. He could only hope that she would continue to try to get it by friendly means, instead of by force.

Something told him that forgetting about her mere hours after they had last seen each other wouldn't help his cause.

"Lucia! How nice to see you! We were just looking for you," he tried to maneuver his way out of being scolded.

She had her hands on her hips. Her outfit looked almost exactly the same as yesterday. The only difference is that she missed her wide-brimmed, one-side-folded hat. It allowed for her long, near snow-white hair to flow gently with the wind.

"Uh-huh, I can see how fast you were walking, trying to find me. You must be relieved to see that I've found you." She smiled a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Keziah involuntarily gulped, as if he was caught sneaking around the house during the night by his mother. "Yes, quite relieved," he answered, "but I'm afraid that our ship will soon be departing, forcing us to make our farewells quick…"

"Oh, don't worry. I won't take much of your time." She waved her hand in dismissal. "I wish you a good and safe journey, Annette, Keziah, and a new companion whose name I don't know. You are pretty good at this, aren't you?"

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"...He is not a companion, I barely even know him," said Keziah, resigned, while Scoyl smiled warmly at what Lucia had said and Annette said her goodbyes in answer.

"How long have you known little Annette here, then?" She pointed at Annie, trying to dismiss his statement about not knowing Scoyl long enough to consider him a comrade.

"... Point taken," he gave up trying to argue with Lucia. "It's nice of you to see us off. I extend unto you my deepest thanks, and felicitations regarding your blessing on our travels."

"Heavens, you don't need to be so formal." She chuckled a friendly laugh, which left Keziah slightly embarrassed. He instinctively went into his 'noble' mode due to Lucia exerting a similar aura. "Go, before your ship leaves without you."

Keziah, Annette, and Scoyl all nodded in appreciation and waved their goodbyes to Lucia. Keziah pointed to the group that the ship they will be getting on was now in sight. Blue seagull, painted on a white sail was the recognizing sign. Both Annette and Scoyl fastened their steps, apparently excited about the newfound sense of sea adventure. Keziah suspected that Annie might have never been on a ship before, but Scoyl, considering his field of work, or even works, must have traveled by sea before. Keziah couldn't quite understand the boy's, well, practically a man, excitement over a simple ship ride. He might be annoying, and an assassin, but who was Keziah to deny him — or even judge him — whatever fun he might find?

As the two almost made their way to the gangway, Keziah felt a touch on his shoulder. He didn't immediately turn around in panic, as it was very light, almost a tap on his shoulder. He slowly turned around and saw… Lucia once more.

"...Yes?" he asked in confusion.

"You remember how I told you that you are in my debt and, one day, I would want that debt paid?"

"Yes…"

"Well, that day is now," she said, smiling brightly.

"Of course it is…" Keziah grumbled in dissatisfaction. He now hoped he had just gone ahead with Annie and Scoyl, and just ignored the tap on his shoulder. Sure, she managed to sneak up on him swiftly and silently, and he suspected that she could do much more than "tap" his shoulder, but in his desire to keep as few headache-inducing people around him as possible, he would try.

"So, what will it be?" he asked straightforwardly.

"Oh? You're not going to argue about it first?"

"Why would I argue? I owe you one, so I will keep my word and do as you ask," he stated matter-of-factly. "Within the limits of what's fair and what's possible, of course."

"Huh, I for sure would have taken you for the type that always seeks to make fun of things and poke the bear."

"Only if what's in the bear's cave is worth taking, or if the bear is just a pig in a coat."

"Hm, that would require a good amount of knowledge to ascertain." Lucia played into the metaphor. "To know whether it is a bear or a pig. Many died because they assumed one was another."

"True and true," Keziah agreed, "thankfully I know how to poke to make it roar or squeal."

Lucia smiled even brighter upon hearing the answer, for reasons Keziah did not know. It looked to him as if she was testing him, for what, he again did not know. It wasn't uncommon for high-ranking adventures to take in students, disciples, and whole parties of them even. Maybe she was really trying to take him under her wing, but then again, he was an experienced warrior and adventurer. He would learn little from her about fighting or surviving, and she must have known that too.

If not training, then the next thing on his guess list was a job. A specific job that requires specific talents. And it must be important too, otherwise, she wouldn't use her standing as an S-ranked adventurer to throw the Royal Guards off their tails. The rank was mostly honorary when it comes to politics in times of peace, and only respected by the nation leaders when they were needed, meaning, during wartime. Nevertheless, Lucia saved them, and it was clear to Keziah that it wasn't just luck, despite her trying to make it seem so.

"Sir! We are about to leave port! The captain said to hurry up!" shouted Scoyl from the deck of the ship, waving his hand for Keziah to notice him.

"I won't hold you longer," said Lucia. "Listen carefully, what I want you to do is never separate from Annette."

Keziah raised an eyebrow at that. "That's it? A rather strange request, Lady."

"Strange or not, you will do it. Give me your word that you will do it."

Keziah studied Lucia's serious face, which was previously painted with mischief. This request was yet another piece of the puzzle that he didn't know the whole picture of. Lucia clearly knew it all, knew things about him that even he didn't know. It was like she was setting him up for something, guiding his string of fate, but he didn't know whether it was good or not.

"I give you my word. I won't leave Annette," stated Keziah. "Didn't plan on it anyway."

The seriousness on Lucia's face vanished as soon as he made his promise. Replaced once again by a cheeky smile that strangely suited her, as if she was missing it on her face. "It's nice of you to finally come to terms with who you are."

Keziah snickered. "You speak as if you know me. Ever since we met you."

"Sir! Um, the captain is getting slowly angry! Could you please hurry up!" shouted Scoyl from the ship once again. Keziah turned in his direction to wave him off and assure him that he was coming. He was about to excuse himself from Lucia when he heard something that made his blood run cold.

"I do know you, Keziah Summanus, do I not?"

When he snapped his head around, she was no longer there.