Alexis could not reign his growing curiosity anymore so he decided to let it out through his mouth.

“Um, what is that Miss Ellena?”

He pointed at Ellena's hands the wagon maybe a little dim but occasional light from outside shown him that there was something there.

That something was akin to darkness that gathering together making anyone looking towards her only be able to see her pale hands.

Even Kyrille looked at her with eager eyes, as the one with the Witch the longest she's already curious about her actions even before Alexis joined them.

“Secret weapon.” she spoke succinctly.

The two gotten more intrigue due to her answer but before they could inquire her for more the wagon they are riding became slower with some signs of stopping, concerned about it they couldn't help but look outside.

Then there beyond the partition they saw a the city.

Alexis for the first time have to strain his neck as he scale the wall made of stones with his eyes.

Old Man who's the coachman saw the two of them especially their gleaming eyes so he introduced it to them.

“We've arrived, Norcois City.”

“Norcois City...”

Alexis muttered the name of the first city he laid his eyes on with awe, his hands holding the curtain couldn't help but tightened showing his excitement.

It took them three days of travelling from the nameless town where the group met a bandits and massacred them until where they are now Norcois City. In those days they could only sleep outside as there were no village or town on their way and not only just that they also suffered from the lack of different varieties of food.

“Finally I could drink!”

Situated on the front Damian cheered like a proper adult would after their long work was over.

Lance leave him alone and let his horse move towards the line, “Let's find an inn first then sell the weapons.”

“Right! The weapons! We need to hide it or else they'll get confiscated!” Ezekiel turned his head towards the back in panic.

“Do not worry I've been given a something of a proof by His Majesty for this purpose.”

It didn't took a long time for their caravan to be the next one but when Lance took out a badge with the insignia of royal army carved into it they hurriedly saluted and opened the path for them without even an inspecting there bags.

Of course it warranted attention from others but the group did not react in any way except for Damian who eyed the badge with a smirk in his lips.

When the group passed the wide gate they were not met with any weapon aimed towards their direction nor any signs of battle that could be seen in the streets, all they saw was busy street full of people, wagons, carriages, horses, and their dungs, it looked peaceful as it could be.

Alexis took his seat next to Old Man as he watched their wagon traversed the smooth stone road and buildings that were also made from the same materials. Even though his vision was a little blurry, he enjoyed watching the passing colorful sceneries without minding the gazes thrown at him.

They drove their caravan straight from the gate until they are near the central plaza there they found the inn just next to the main street, maybe it is due to the badge that the soldier recommended them with a rather huge inn equipped with necessary rooms.

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Lance dismounted his horse leaving the group out there it took just a little bit of time before he went out carrying with him a total of ten keys.

“Here pick your rooms then bring the horses at the stable at the back of the inn.”

He tossed nine of the keys after he took his towards Damian.

Damian pick one of them casually before passing the rest to Ezekiel then from him towards the rest.

“Are you sure about this?” Damian asked as he shook the copper key.

Lance was walking towards the wagon when he heard that and he threw back a question of his own, “Then do you want to share a room with him?”

Damian glanced where his chin was pointing and saw Ezekiel gave him an innocent smile.

“Haha, I am just asking.”

He then let his horse moved towards the back of the inn, those who also rode horses followed him too and the last one to leave was Lance's horse that was now on the hands of Old Man after they exchanged.

Just as Alexis dismount the wagon to follow Kyrille he was stopped by Lance.

“Follow me for a while.”

Although he was anticipating about his own room he still nodded and was about to go inside but he heard him tapped the sit next to him.

Alexis was nervous the whole ride towards the Merchant Union where Lance planned to sell their goods.

It didn't helped that Lance didn't talked at all after that and that he finally notices that he was being gawk at by many people.

Thankfully halfway their journey Lance took something out of his pocket and passed it to Alexis.

“Can you read?”

“...Yes.” Alexis nodded before looking at a white envelope in his hands.

“Read what's inside.”

He glanced at him suspiciously before carefully opening the envelope, inside was a letter also written in a white soft piece of paper.

Alexis read the letter quietly, some words were hard for him to understand but his knowledge were enough for him to read what's on it and by the end both sides of the paper had crumpled by his tightened hands.

“We will leave this city not that long, what about you?” Lance suddenly asked as his eyes glanced at him.

“I don't know.”

Alexis face was hidden in cloth and black coal-like skin so his expression couldn't be seen but his voiced showed nothing but lost as he answered that.

“I see.”

Alexis then put back the crumpled letter back to the enveloped.

“I am sorry sir Lance.”

Lance took back the letter as he shook his head, “Its alright.”

The hooves of the horses and the rickety of the wagon's tire replace their conversation it took a while for another sound added to the mix.

“What should I do Sir Lance?”

A guidance or anything he just wanted to know what is his opinion.

He recently just became an adult and yet even before he could learn things tragedy befell on him, all the decisions that had been made for him was by his parents so who else could a child like him gained something like that other than the man that was closest to the definition of an adult?

“Its not up to me to decide your fate, you are free to do what you want.”

’That's the same as saying nothing.'

Lance did not gave him an answer instead a suggestion that seemed to be more of an offer.

“—But if you really want me to, its best you follow us.”

“Follow? But I am not that strong compared to any of you.” Alexis was shocked that he reflexively said.

“Yes you are right but surely you thought about it after you read it from the letter don't you?”

Alexis looked down at his fist when he heard that before he nodded.

“I am sure you would after knowing how that it might seemed connected to each other.”

That's right the content of the letter told them that there was a total of twenty more towns and village that was destroyed by dragon-like creatures.

“But I am powerless.”

“That’s right and I am not planning to bring a burden with me.”

“Then...”

“Then find your strength, a child your age would not be like you right now, someone who are rational enough to know that he’s weak and contain your impulsive nature.”

Alexis raised his head and looked towards him his eyes seemed to shone a little before dimming back to normal as he asked.

“Do I really have one?”

He glanced back down to his still bandage arms trying to find those strength Lance said in it.

“I don't know, but I am sure you gained something after what you suffered, I said it before to Damian; you survived that tragedy with either your own strength, luck, or a miracle it could be even all of them combined, and after experiencing a tragedy of that scale you did not lose your mind due to despair nor be led by your hatred to curse everything, either you are already special or you became special after that.”

It was the first time Alexis saw Lance talked like this but as someone who offered a help to him he fully trusted his words.

“I am special...”

He couldn't help but feel the same happiness he felt when he was praised by his parents by learning how to write.

“That's why for the time we are here in the city either find what you want to do or find your own strength.”

Their wagon travelled the road as a young man's fate also started to move.