Chapter 250: Chapter 250: THORNFIELD & THE CRESCENT MARKET

Chapter 250: THORNFIELD & THE CRESCENT MARKET

​The fourth day of the journey opened with a thin mist hanging lazily over the vast grasslands, like a silver veil waiting for the sun to lift it. Before dawn could truly greet the world, Dom and Adul were already busy at the makeshift stable, meticulously checking the horses’ leg joints. Orva poured boiling water into metal cups with a soothing glub-glub sound, distributing herbal tea—a lingering stash from Qaqortoq—that still carried a potent, earthy aroma. In another corner, Naya sat quietly on a rock, her hands moving rhythmically as she ran a dagger across a whetstone. Sshh... sshh... a routine that felt more like meditation than a preparation for war.

​Roland emerged from his tent looking surprisingly dapper for a wanderer. Somehow, he had managed to slick back his hair even in the middle of nowhere. Rianor was already seated near the dying embers of the campfire, a notebook with nearly exhausted pages resting on his lap.

​"Taking notes again, Brother?" Roland asked, accepting a steaming cup from Orva.

​"Temperature dropped two degrees last night. Humidity rose by five percent," Rianor replied without looking up, his fingers deftly scratching his quill against the parchment.

​"Is that actually vital for our survival?"

​"All data is information, and all information is vital."

​Roland took a sip of his tea, the steam brushing against his face. "You know, sometimes I wonder... did Elara marry you because you have answers for everything, or because you never stop asking questions?"

​Rianor paused his writing for a moment, then looked up with a flat stare. "Why not both?"

​"Because if that were the case, you’d be too perfect. And I can’t bear to live in the shadow of a perfect older brother."

​"That is not my concern; that is a matter of your own self-esteem."

​Roland nearly choked on his tea. Cough! He stared at his brother with wide eyes. "Did you... did you just make a joke? Dom, did you hear that? My brother just made a joke!"

​Dom, who was tightening a saddle, only spared a brief glance. "I heard it, Master Roland."

​"And?"

​"Master Rianor... does indeed possess a... unique sense of humor."

​Roland smirked triumphantly, while Rianor returned to his book, his ears turning a shade of pink. "You are both wrong," Rianor muttered softly, though the corner of his lip quirked up—so subtly it was nearly invisible in the dim twilight of dawn.

​Thornfield was not a grand, sprawling city. Even compared to Hikarizawa, it felt humble. However, it possessed one primary magnet: the market. Located at the intersection of two main roads, the market looked like a labyrinth of colorful fabrics—maroon, turmeric yellow, and sea blue—wafting sharp scents of spices and the low roar of haggling merchants.

​"Quite a lively market for such a quiet town," Roland remarked as their carriage slowed.

​"Perhaps it is a convergence point for new trade routes," Rianor replied. He wasn’t looking at the crowd, but rather at the architectural details of the stalls and the specific types of knots on the tents.

​They dismounted. Dom and Adul remained with the carriage, while Naya and Orva followed at a discreet distance—far enough to remain inconspicuous, yet close enough to draw steel if things turned sour.

​Roland stepped into the fray with relaxed shoulders. He loved markets; they were places where information flowed more freely than wine. Meanwhile, Rianor found himself captivated by a stone wall on the edge of the market. There, a vine with pale purple flowers flourished in the dry crevices of the rock.

​"Do you see that, Roland?"

​"What? More flowers?"

​"That plant is growing in a crack with no soil. How does it draw nutrients from mineral stone that hard?"

​"Photosynthesis?" Roland guessed half-heartedly.

​"That is not a scientific answer."

​"It’s an answer that works for me," Roland patted his brother’s shoulder. "Come on, leave the plant in peace. We have information to hunt."

​Roland stopped at a spice stall. An old man with copper-toned skin and calloused hands was arranging sacks of peppercorns.

​"These spices smell divine, old man," Roland said, picking up a black peppercorn and inhaling its pungent aroma. "From the south?"

​"Aye, traveler. Shipped via the coastal route," the old man replied in a raspy voice.

​"The coastal route? Wouldn’t the overland path cut the travel time in half?"

​The merchant snorted and spat on the ground. "Pah! The overland route is fast, sure, but it’s riddled with fear now. Many roads are closed because of those ’voices.’ Some say ghosts, some say curses. I don’t believe in superstitions, but I’d rather deal with a leviathan on the coast than something I can’t hit with a stick."

​"Leviathan?"

​"A few days ago, a massive sea creature washed up on the southern shore. Big as a warship, they say. The fishermen are still in an uproar about it."

​Roland tucked that information away. A behemoth washing ashore amidst mana phenomena? It could be a coincidence, or a harbinger. He bought a handful of pepper as a fee for the intel, then went to find his brother.

​In a quieter corner, Rianor found his own treasure at a dusty antique stall. A circular device made of black metal caught his eye. The needle in the center didn’t point north; instead, it spun wildly before halting toward the southeast.

​"An ancient Mana Compass," said the one-eyed merchant at the stall. "Supposedly from the old ruins. No one knows how to use it."

​Rianor didn’t answer. He knew exactly what this was. The needle moved according to energy density. And right now, it was pointing southeast... toward Luminara.

​"How much?"

​"Three silver." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

​Rianor paid without haggling, slipping the compass into his coat pocket, his hand trembling slightly with scientific fervor.

​The Crescent Market, Khanate Border

​If Thornfield felt warm and rustic, the Crescent Market at the border of the Beast-kin Khanate felt wild. Leather tents adorned with crescent moon carvings dominated the view. The air was thick with the scent of cumin and roasted bison meat, mingled with the distinct smell of animal fur and prairie dust.

​Rhea walked gracefully through the crowd. Ana was asleep in her carrier, while Arvid walked beside her, carrying a shopping basket. Ren and Mira trailed behind.

​"So many people... I’ve never seen this many Beast-kin in one place," Arvid whispered.

​A small child with long, upright rabbit ears suddenly appeared in front of them. He stared at Ana with wide, round eyes. "A human baby? So tiny..." he whispered in awe.

​Rhea stopped. She looked at the child—not with the icy glare she reserved for enemies, but with a rare, soft gaze. She lowered her carrier slightly so the rabbit-child could see Ana’s sleeping face.

​"She will grow up to be big, just like you," Rhea said softly.

​The child beamed, showing his rabbit teeth, and ran back to his mother, who looked at Rhea with a glimmer of gratitude.

​The tension spiked when they stopped at a fur blanket stall.

​"How much?" Rhea asked, touching a soft, cream-colored blanket.

​"Five silver, My Lady. This is an import from the south," the female merchant with yellow wolf-eyes said, testing her luck, thinking they were naive, wealthy tourists.

​Rhea remained silent for a moment. She examined the fibers. "This is locally-made synthetic. And the edge stitching is coarse. The actual price couldn’t possibly be that high."

​"Uh... but the shipping costs..." the merchant began to stammer.

​Suddenly, the temperature around the stall seemed to drop several degrees. The air pressure turned heavy. A thin wisp of red aura—Scarlet—leaked slightly from Rhea’s body, creating a harrowing sensation that made the merchant’s hair stand on end. Behind her, Ren and Mira instinctively rested their hands on their weapons, sensing the awakening ferocity.

​"Two silver. Or I shall consider this an attempted robbery," Rhea said in a flat, ice-cold voice.

​The merchant swallowed hard, her hands trembling as she accepted the coins. "Y-yes, My Lady. Two silver it is."

​Once they were out of earshot, Arvid let out a long breath. "You didn’t need to release your aura for a blanket, Rhea. You terrified that poor woman."

​"I do not tolerate being cheated. It’s a matter of principle," Rhea replied, adjusting Ana’s blanket as if nothing had happened.

​Arvid looked at his wife, then smiled faintly. "I used to run in terror at that look. Now... I just feel sorry for anyone who tries to lie to you."

​Rhea turned, meeting Arvid’s gaze for a moment, and a small, truly genuine smile appeared on her face. It was gone in a heartbeat, replaced by her usual stoic mask. But for Arvid, it was more than enough.

​"That was... terrifying," Mira whispered to Ren in the back.

​"Don’t ask questions. Just make sure we don’t do anything to piss her off," Ren replied, his face pale.

​The sun began to dip toward the west, casting long shadows across the endless grasslands.