Cecilie let him through the crowd of people who lived in the Great Hall but did not let him know where they went. Blindly following her Hildebrant kept looking all around and the more he looked more he had a feeling this place was an accumulation of years of knowledge and adaptation.

Children, teens, and adults lived side by side, talking to each other, buying, selling, or exchanging information.

The place was beautiful but also harrowing. Even the sun that illuminated the sky and the sunlight that went through the glass was weird and not right.

But maybe it was just his imagination.

"So where are we going?"

Rotating the black umbrella in her hand Cecilie looked like the lady from Everlast. Elegant, beautiful, and full of charm.

"Do you see that shop, it was built a year ago and the people around it never stopped growing in numbers."

Instead of answering him, she pointed at one of the buildings on the side and when Hildebrant looked that there was truly a big amount of people.

"Big Maul?"

He asked having a hard time reading weird language that combined Goldenia with Manticore dialect.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Hearing him trying to say it aloud but failing miserably made Cecilie chuckle.

"Yes, it is called Big Maul and it is a restaurant. Want to go in?"

Staring at it and then looking down at his blood and oil-cowered body Hildebrant shook his head. How could he go in when he didn’t even have any money and just eight gods knew what currency they used here?

"Maybe in the future."

He answered with a hopeless smile and then walked into the crowd without waiting for Cecilie who with a smile took his hand and turned him to the other side.

"This way."

She said and then navigated him through a crowd of people who made way for them without realizing it. Noticing their absentminded gazes and uncaring expressions as if nothing stood before them weird feelings started to fill Hildebrant chest forcing him to focus some of his flames into his fists.

"Don’t worry I just don’t like the attention that's why I muddled a little with their spirits."

Glancing at her with surprise and then looking at the other people he could not help but ask.

"Is it normal for you to control people?"

Then Cecilie gave him the most terrifying smile he had ever seen in his life.

"They don’t call me Mind Witch for nothing."

Then she turned her head back to the road. She held her head high the entire time and Hildebrant pondered about the nature of her powers. It was eerie similar to the truth seeker the one who came to interrogate him but also a little different and more powerful.

If she was able to be ignored, did it mean they were practically invisible? But why did they call her mind witch if she controlled spirit?

Before he could think about it more Cecilie stopped.

"Here we are."

She muttered under her breath and Hildebrant raised his gaze to stare at the old and haggard hut, big but also shabby enough for beggars to live. It had no otherworldly features other than a weirdly twisted chimney from which smoke came out.

Before they could move closer door opened on their own, welcoming them in.