As me and Alis moved on through the crowd of people on the streets of Evelia, I couldn't help but admire the atmosphere and the liveliness around me. This was so much different compared to the Demon Castle and the Dark Lands. Everything was so full of... Life. Compare that to the demon castle, and things become dull quickly.

I mean, everyday it's mostly patrols and military business around the castle and what not, however here in Evelia? The streets are something else. People all over the place from all sorts of different races, merchants all trying to get a sale by announcing their products, street vendors offering fruits and vegetables for sale — it was just rather majestic and... Sort of... Refreshing, especially after spending most of my time inside the Demon Castles library for the last 10 years.

However, even these merchants and street vendors were nothing compared to the real trade center in Evelia...

You see, while the average person can very easily find what they're looking for at a street vendor or a merchant that have settled down on the streets, there is a place in the Kingdom of Evelia, where it feels like you can find quite literally anything that your heart may desire. It was none other, than the Evelias famous 'Trading & Sales Center' — known more commonly as the 'Golden Square'.

Me and Alis took our first steps into the Golden Square, with Alis immediately looking around in pure shock and amazement. Pretty normal reaction for a child such as her.

The Golden Square was Evelias main trade center, however the prices here were also sky high most of the time.

And when I mean sky high, I mean literally unreasonable at times. This whole place felt like a great place to get scammed while playing the game. I remember trying to get equipment that was really good from this place and grinding hours to get the cash to be able to buy it, only to read an article which showed and explained how you could get the equipment I was trying to buy for free and way cheaper by simply forging it myself. Plus, as a bonus, it would be better than the one you could buy, since the traits of the equipment weren't randomised, so you could actually get good pieces of equipment with good traits.

.....Yeah, balancing the grind wasn't a forté of the game... It was actually a bit miserable at times just how much grinding you had to do at times just to progress in the story.

Before we headed on deeper into the Golden Square, I kneeled down before Alis, before placing my hand onto her shoulder, catching her attention as she turned to look at me.

"Stay close alright? This place is one where you can get lost in easily."

I stated. Alis simply immediately turned serious, shaking her head and taking a stoic stance, replying to my request with a confident nod. I chuckled at her military like action just now, before rising back up and beginning to march on inside the Golden Square, with Alis catching up and sticking to my side as the two of us moved in.

And just like all other things that I had experienced and seen so far — this place was far, far more impressive in person than it ever was in a 2D image. The stores looked incredible and the merchants selling all the goods around here also looked..... Well - Interesting? I suppose? — I mean, they really were just like the other merchants outside the Golden Square..... Just— a bit fancier. That was the only real difference that you would be able to spot between their attires and overall appearance. Nothing drastic.

As me and Alis moved on through the Golden Square, she kept looking all around, examining and admiring the shops all around the place — her eyes shining with sparkles as we passed by all the shops.

And while Alis was admiring the stores and shops, I was simply looking for that one shop at which one I had shopped the most while playing through the game — mainly because the prices there were actually reasonable for what was being sold there. Now, it wasn't any equipment or weapons being sold there — and even if it was, I wouldn't buy them, since I intend to have Ghurt create a sword for Alis at some point down the line.

No, what the shop I was looking for was selling.... Is something more.. interesting — let's put it like that.

Alis: "Master Valor, what exactly are we shopping for today?"

Alis suddenly asked, looking up towards me as she walked beside me. I looked down at her for a second, before continuing to look around.

"Some items that will benefit not only your training, but also allow you to rest easier at night."

I replied, with Alis tilting her head to the side after hearing the second thing, raising an eyebrow in the process.

Alis: "Easier to rest...? What does—"

"Well, you said you have had trouble sleeping these last few weeks and haven't been able to sleep normally at all — so I decided to get an item or two which can help you solve that issue."

I cut her off, explaining a bit, looking back down at Alis. Hearing my explanation, Alis gasped lightly before looking away with slight blush across her cheeks — most likely because of embarrassment. You see, ever since I became her 'Master' in the ways of a sword, she has been quite.... Sub-conscious about the things that she deems will 'embarrass' herself infront of me.

Which if you ask me, was a classic thing for all apprentices, regardless of their age. After all, basically every apprentice I have ever known or seen has always wanted to impress their mentor and make them proud — not embarrass themselves infront of them. Oh no, that is the last thing any of them have ever wanted to do.

And Alis wasn't any different I suppose.

Anyways — Alis exhaled and shook her head again a moment later, before lightly punching me in the side, most likely because of.... Actually, I've got no clue why she did that.

Alis: "I didn't ask you to do anything about my lack of sleep or trouble falling asleep."

"I know — but what kind of mentor would I be if I didn't try my best to help my apprentice grow up as healthy as possible? I can't have you dying because of insomnia now, can I?"

I replied, explaining a bit more as we walked. Alis looked up at me with slight surprised eyes, before her expression turned into a very happy one, with a bright smile on her face. Before she could respond however, I spotted the shop I was looking for.

"Ah there it is. Come on, let's go."

I stated, before walking towards it — Alis staying behind for a bit, looking around in slight confusion, before quickly running after me and catching up, as I entered the shop.

On the outside, the shop was very old looking - like a building in 1800s England and on the inside, it was just as antique looking. But, for starters, there were clocks everywhere in this shop, alongside with dreamcatchers, that were hanging from the ceiling and on the walls. Alis walked behind me, looking around and admiring the interior with wide eyes. I suppose that was normal, considering that the interior of this shop was unlike any other shop in Evelia. All other Golden Square stores were quite 'modern' looking, although, modern being a lose term, as it was 'modern' by this worlds standards, not what I was used to.

As we moved through the shop, we began to scale up the stairs in the corner of the shop to the second floor, which was the place I wanted to get to in the first place. You see, the stuff on the first floor was for the every day folks — things that were... Well, by no means low quality, it's just that they weren't anything special — which made a lot of people, in game and outside of it, never come to the shop, since it didn't sell anything extraordinary. Just regular and boring clocks and dreamcatchers. However... If you headed to the second floor and said the right stuff to the shops owner, who was an elderly man — more specifically, a retired veteran adventurer — then you could land yourself quite the bargain at this place.

As soon as we got onto the second floor, the items quantity of dreamcatchers and clocks around the shop basically tripled, as more of them were hung all over the place on the second floor. Alis shed a slight sweat at the sight of the amount of clocks and dreamcatchers all over the place, however remained silent and stayed by my side, continuing to move after me.

We moved through the second floor, eventually reaching the other side of the room, where the aforementioned elder man was sleeping, his arms crossed and hat over his face. The man was a bit short, dressed more like a blacksmith than a clock maker and had short grey hair and a grey beard, which tangled up in itself. The man snored lightly, as we approached the desk, with Alis throwing a curious look towards the man and tilting her head to the side.

Alis: "Who is..."

"Excuse me, can I ask something?"

I cut Alis off again, speaking loudly and crossing my arms myself. The man stopped snoring, before lifting up his right arm and lightly lifting his hat off of his face, throwing a gaze over to me and Alis, seemingly examining us both, before exhaling and standing up, placing his hat back onto his head and looking up at me.

Elderly Man: "Go ahead. Ask away, my friend.'

"I was looking around your shop and couldn't help but notice how finely the clocks in here have been crafted — same goes for the dreamcatchers."

I began, seemingly disappointing the elderly man a bit at the beginning, as he let out a heavy sigh. This, I was actually expecting. Because the elderly man knows that while the clocks and dreamcatchers look finely made and high quality, in reality, they were far from it.

However, the everyday folk just couldn't notice the difference, considering that the true quality of an item would only really be recognised by someone experienced — like an adventurer or another craftsmen.

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Elderly Man: "I suppose they are finely crafted, though I don't understand what—"

"But I couldn't help but also notice how all these things aren't actually the high quality products that they look to be."

I cut off the elderly man, adding on to my previous statement and surprising him lightly. He was now seemingly listening carefully, as he leaned down onto the desk between us.

Elderly Man: "Oh really?"

"Mhm - they look really good, but aren't actually that great. However.... I believe that someone that can make low quality items look like high quality items at a high price is also capable of making actual high quality items at a reasonable price, right?"

I asked, speaking smoothly and bluntly. Alis seemingly was confused as hell by what was happening right infront of her now. I mean, I didn't blame her — to her, it probably looked like I was insulting the mans work and calling him a terrible craftsmen or something - however, the elderly man simply scratched his beard before smiling and laughing lightly, walking around the desk and up to my other side.

Elderly Man: "Oh thank you for noticing! Honestly, I thought you would be like all the other customers who had come to me before and just assume that everything here on display was good simply because it looked like it was! Glad to see that you were able to see through that facade!"

He complemented me before gesturing to me and Alis to follow him.

Elderly Man: "Come on after me — I'll lead you to the actually good stuff."

He stated, walking over to the other side of the second floor room and up to a door in the corner of the room, before opening it and heading on through, with me and Alis following right behind him. In the room behind the door, was yet another room filled to the brim with clocks and dreamcatchers, only this time — ones that were extraordinarily high in their quality.

They weren't all just looks and no function - no, these ones were actually the good stuff that you could get here at this shop. And to access them, all you need to do is have actually good knowledge and sight to spot that the items that everyone can see aren't actually that high quality.

The Elderly man walked to the back of the room, which was more like a workshop corner, before leaning down onto a table, which was covered by chips of wood and dust.

Henry Mapone: "You can call me Henry Mapone, I am the owner of this shop and the one who will hook you up with the best deals when it comes to clocks and dreamcatchers."

He stated, winking towards us at the end. I nodded in response, walking up to him, while Alis lacked behind, simply looking all over the place in amazement at how different the clocks and dreamcatchers in this room were compared to the rest of them in the shop.

As soon as she caught up to me and took her stance next to my side again, I looked at Henry, who gave me a joyful expression.

Henry: "Now tell me my friend — what can Old Henry do for ya?"

"Well, I am looking for a dreamcatcher for my apprentice here,"

I pushed Alis forward a bit with my hand.

"She has been having trouble sleeping recently, so I was hoping you could give us a dreamcatcher that could help with falling asleep better at night."

I explained the thing I was searching for, while Alis simply rubbed her left arm in slight embarrassment, while Henry listened on carefully, scratching his beard lightly, before exhaling and leaning back.

Henry: "A dreamcatcher that can help with falling asleep huh..? Hm.... Let me see what I can find."

He replied, before walking across the room and beginning to rummage through cupboards that were filled to the brim with dreamcatchers, each stacked ontop of one another inside the cupboards.

While Henry searched for the thing I had asked, I decided to take a seat on the chair by the desk, before exhaling lightly. Alis meanwhile was keeping her arms behind her back, standing next to me with seemingly stress coursing through her body. Noticing this, I laughed lightly, before reaching my left hand up and patting her lightly on the head.

"No need to be so embarrassed or stressed. Remember, I should care about the wellbeing of my own student. But, if you feel embarrassed that I have to help you like this, then how about you consider this dreamcatcher as a gift from a friend, not a teacher?"

I stated, as Alis stopped and looked at me with shining eyes before smiling and nodding lightly.

Alis: "Alright... I suppose I can consider it as a gift from a friend."

She replied before exhaling and lightly hitting her cheeks, before brimming up with a determined expression. I already knew that expression very well — it was her serious expression that she would put on whenever we were training.

Aka, it was an expression she had whenever she tried to make me impressed or proud.

A short bit passed before Henry finally came back to us, with a dark purple and pink coloured dreamcatchers in his arms. I got up from the seat and moved back infront of the desk, as Henry placed the dreamcatcher onto the desk. Alis moved to my side quickly, looking and examining it with sparkling eyes.

Henry: "This one should do the trick. It's a special scented dreamcatcher with lavender and cherry blossoms used in its construction. When kept above the bed, it should make it easier to fall asleep at night with these two scents."

Henry explained, keeping a smile on his face, before looking up at me with a proud expression. I looked down at examined the Dreamcatcher with a careful gaze. It most certainly was extraordinarily high quality — which wasn't surprising I suppose.

And yes, cherry blossoms exist in this world. As I understand, they're a rare tree that only grows around the uninhabited lands of the world, which were known as 'The Twilight Land' — the only place in this world that wasn't owned by any kingdom or country and more importantly I suppose - the only place in which the Demon King of Sins is unable to take a step inside of.

Why? Well, that's a story for another day.

I picked up the dreamcatcher, bringing it closer to my face and examining it closer, before nodding and placing it back down onto the desk and exhaling lightly.

"Alright, we'll take this one then."

Henry chuckled, his face curved into a wide grin.

Henry: "Fantastic! I'll package it up for you."

"And how much will it be from me?"

I asked, taking out a pouch of money, opening it up and surprising Alis lightly before she panicked, almost like she didn't want me to pay for the dreamcatcher.

Henry: "It will be four diodes."

Henry replied, before picking up the dreamcatcher and placing it inside of a small wooden box, closing it up and wrapping around a small red stripe over it, tying it up into a neat knot.

Diodes is the currency of this world and it is overall a universal one — with only really the Dragon Kingdom not taking it and requiring you to exchange Diodes for their own currency. As for its value... 1 Diode was equal to exactly 100 yen, which made it equal around 1 dollar in the west. Which, with that context, meant that the dreamcatcher that Henry was about to sell me was around 400 yen or 4 dollars — which was actually quite cheap. I mean, it was cheap comparing how much the cheapest dreamcatcher outside this room was, which was around 25 diodes.

Yeah, the price is difference is actually insane. Anyway, I reached into the money pouch and took out exactly 4 diode coins, before handing them to the man, who took them and slid them into his pockets, before sliding the wooden box with the dreamcatcher inside towards me.

Henry: "Here you go — pleasure doing business."

I nodded, before closing up my pouch and placing it back inside my coats pocket, before looking at Alis.

"Here, take it."

I stated, pushing the wooden box towards Alis. Alis looked a bit nervous about taking it, even hesitant as she looked at me and then the box. Henry kept a kind hearted smile on his face, as Alis looked towards him last and then back to the box, gulping. Then, she reached up and picked up the box, and looked at it with slight admiration.

Upon Alis taking it Henry chuckled lightly, before scratching his beard and crossing his arms.

Henry: "Don't be shy little miss — my created dreamcatchers will work no matter the situation. Just hang it above your bed and you should have absolutely no trouble falling asleep."

He stated, with Alis looking at him with a expression of amazement and confusion, before looking at the box again and smiling, shedding slight tears before drying them off immediately.

Alis: "Thank you mister!"

Alis stated with a wide, bright smile before clenching the box into her arms. I smiled myself, before laughing lightly and patting her lightly towards the exit.

Henry saw ous out of the store and encouraged us to come by again if we ever need anything else, even saying that he'd be willing to give discounts to his already incredibly cheap prices. We gave our farewell to the man before moving further on through the shops. After the dreamcatcher shop, we moved towards one where jewels, artifacts and relics could be bought. In the game, jewels, artifacts and relics were used to increase the stats of the main character, increasing her attacking power, defensive power and agility.

These were crucial in the gameplay, as without them you were basically guaranteeing yourself a death sentence in the game, as all enemies would be basically impossible to kill.

In this shop, I bought Alis a necklace that increased her overall Stamina, which was part of the Agility and a relic called 'Bronze Cup of Tara' which mainly increased her physical strength, which would definitely come in useful for her in the future.

After that, we visited a couple more shops, as the sun began to set and the amount of people on the streets drastically dropped. It wasn't long until there were very few people walking around the streets — most of them being just drunkards from nearby bars and taverns waltzing about. I was currently leading Alis back home, as I couldn't exactly let a child go all alone in the city at this hour of the evening - especially at this time. As we were walking, Alis was gripping tightly the wooden box with the dreamcatcher inside, smiling to herself, while I kept my hand on the hilt of the sword on my belt. There was this awkward silence between us, which I didn't know how to exactly break.

Alis: "Hey, Master Valor?"

Alis suddenly asked, causing me to turn my attention down to her, with a curious gaze.

"Yes?"

Alis: "....Thank you for today. I had a lot of fun with you while out shopping."

She stated, looking up to me with an innocent smile, which could only belong to a 10 year old such as herself. I didn't know quite how to respond to her sudden gratitude and remained silent for a bit, hefore stopping and looking down to the ground.

....Today was fun.

I suppose — I couldn't actually feel anything at all. I wasn't able to feel a thing, not enjoyment nor any kind of dopamine rush - mainly because of the nature that was the Demon King of Sins. However, at the same time — despite the inability to feel anything..... I strangely believed that I did have fun.

Believed... Not felt. I believed that I had fun... But why believe? What was this strange... Sensation inside of my heart and mind?

....Please don't tell me—

No- no, no, no— get your mind out of the gutter Avis. You would never fall for a freaking child, that's just straight up illegal. I shook my head lightly, while Alis tugged lightly on my coat.

"Hm?"

Alis: "Are you okay Master Valor...?"

She asked, with a concerned expression on her face. I didn't reply at first, before sighing a second or two later and nodding lightly.

"I am. Say — you can get to home quickly from her on your own, right?"

I asked. Alis looked a bit surprised, letting go of my coat and looking forward, seemingly examining the road before looking back at me with a smile and nodding in response.

Alis: "Mhm! I can!"

"That's good. Then go ahead — run along. I will meet you next week for your training."

I stated, rubbing the top of her head lightly, as Alis nodded and smiled. She then ran forward a bit, before turning around and waving me a goodbye, before turning back around and continuing to run back home, a smile on her face.

I watched her run off, before exhaling lightly and turning around and beginning my march on towards the kingdoms gates. It was about time I headed back to the Dark Lands as well — today had been a long day after all. I had managed to set up the protagonist quite decently for her rapidly approaching beginning of the school year by buying the dreamcatcher and then the necklace and goblet for her. As long as those three items remain with her, she will be easily able to make it through to the first year of her studies and even further than that.

Now.... As for her other equipment — primarily, her outfit and weapon... Now was the time to get in contact with Ghurt and pitch my idea to him. Let's see if I can convince him shall we?

I exhaled lightly, before looking up towards the sky, as the shine of the sunset painted the sky with a golden colour gradient. It looked like it was going to be a peaceful night... At least, I hope so.

• Next Time •

[ (12.) Almost the Start. ]