Chapter Eighty: Touring The Capital

“I didn’t know there are white haired elves………….” seeing her unique appearance from the other elves, the words slipped out of my mouth.
“White………..?” she pondered before taking away her hat from me with both hands “Oh no…….!” She looked troubled all of a sudden. Instead of putting the hat on her head, she covered her nape down with it.
“Huh? Did I say something wrong?”
She looked around in a suspicious manner before answering me “No. It’s just that you shouldn’t be seeing my real appearance right now. And I went through all the trouble of learning deception magic……..”
“Deception magic!?” I shouted.
It’s the first time I met another user of the deception magic aside from Meila.
“Please don’t raise your voice. I beg of you.” still covering her front with the hat, she showed needs for secrecy.
She’s so refined. The way she talks and gestures are all very refined. With her beauty, she must really be of higher ranking.
Is it possible that she’s the princess? Sneaking out of the castle is common for people like her. That maybe the reason why she learned deception magic.
“Sorry. I was just surprised to hear you mention the deception magic. I have a friend that maxes her deception skill each chance she gets.”
“Is that so? That means you were able to see my weak deception easily. Could it be that I’m the one deceiving myself? And I was certain it worked when I left.”
She had a look of disappointment on her pretty face. Her eyebrows furrowed slowly.
“Don’t get discouraged. Magic like that doesn’t work on me that’s all. I wasn’t suspicious of you at all, I promise.”
She somewhat looked a little relieved when I said that.
“Thank you for telling me. I can’t afford to be found out today.”
That settles it. She has to be on some kind of personal mission. What I want to know is why my pendant pointed at her. There has to be a reason right?
“By the way, that tattoo………….” it seemed to me like she was trying to hide a tattoo on her chest. I caught a glance of it before she took the hat away. Her dress didn’t leave much exposed in terms of cleavage. Just centimeters from her collarbone could be seen. The tattoo looked to me like a tail.
Her expression changed immediately when I said that. She looked as though she had lost all her confidence instantly. She pressed the hat tightly on her chest then swiftly turned around running.
Did I say something I shouldn’t?
“Wait!’ I chased after her.
“I’m sorry! I just assumed you were trying to hide it so I got curious. I’m sorry I looked!”
Not long after she started running, she stopped with her back to me “You don’t know…….. what it means?” I stopped just a meter behind her myself.
“No……. I don’t…….”
Without turning around she spoke “Is that so…….? thank you for picking up my hat. You can call me Erla.” then dashed off.
What a unique and strange girl. I decided not to follow her after that.
I still don’t know the reason behind this encounter. The pendant pointed at her and I followed. Well, if there’s really something behind it, then time will explain what it is.
I only realized my situation after she left. I was lost. Before her hat got blown by the wind, I followed her for about five minutes as she took different turns. 
It would have taken a long time for me to find my way back. I’ve been taught to ask for directions whenever I got lost ever since I was a kid. I asked and was guided to the spot I left Duddul.
The fountain jar has a lot of people. So many people walked the streets everywhere I turned. Etis was still inside when returned. A bucket of water was delivered to Duddul while I was gone. He drank all the water.
With the time I spent chasing after Erla, the time we spent talking and the time it took to get back here; was all less than 20 minutes.
10 minutes later, Etis came out escorted by the family she met. An old woman, a middle aged woman and a boy about her age. They were all smiling happily.
I greeted the family just like I was supposed to. They thanked me for bringing Etis to them and gave me a flower pot as thanks. The flower inside was small with blue petals.
“It’s called the happy blue. It’s very popular around here.” 
Despite not knowing what to do with it, I thanked them nonetheless. Etis however, had a lot of presents with her. She came out with two big bags which were all full.
The family waved at us with smiling faces as we left. “Say hello to the old man for me!”
They seem nice. Or at least that’s what I want to believe. The people in this world are scary when they want to.
It seems the grandpa who adopted Etis always wanted a child. So he bragged about her to all his friends.Holding onto the bags in the city wasn’t a good idea. Etis put all of them in her Dauka.
The day was still far from over. On our way home we reached an area that was really crowded. It had a lot of shopping malls and restaurants. It was the commercial side of the city where the offices authorities are stationed. There, we took our time trying out sweets and ice creams we found on the way.
“They are really good!” she exclaimed after tasting different kinds. It was my first time eating ice cream in this world. In fact, I never thought they existed.
The time we spent was just as if we were on a date. We then continued moving anticlockwise along the sacred land until we reached an area where there weren’t any buildings at all. It was at exactly north of the sacred land.
Just like how the dwarf area in Etis’ town was, it seemed all the buildings were underground. There were a lot of adventurers going to and fro.
Holding onto me from behind, Etis explained “I heard that the guild was constructed underground but I’ve never seen it before.”
The guild? 
A very wide area of land was cleared. Aside from the vents coming from the ground, there was nothing else when it came to buildings. There seemed to be staircases leading underground where a lot of people use.
In order to enter the guild, one must provide an identity card to do so. There is no way they’ll allow me to enter. As such, I turned my back at everything I saw even though I was interested to no ends. 
After the guild was a ‘teleport gate’ as was written on a stone. At about 50 square feet in size, the spot was made with shiny concrete stones. It was elevated over a meter in height. Four stairs lead to the top.
“It’s supposed to teleport you to wherever you want. There is a control at the center where you input the destination. Although it can only transport a few people at a time.”
“Wow Etis. I didn’t know you were knowledgeable about these things.”
“It’s not that I’m knowledgeable. Everyone knows the stories that are told about the capital. There are things you can only find here.”
So it is the talk of the continent? That’s the capital for you.
Still, I wonder why the heroes party had to go through the trouble of going to the gate town in order to teleport. They should have used this one even if it meant sending few people at a time. It would have saved them the trouble of going to the gate town. Maybe it was just politics.
From the beginning of the guild to the end of the teleport gate was about two kilometers. The whole area was plain without buildings or trees.
We found ourselves close to the merchant market a while later. Seeing that reminded me of Figlo.
“The big day is almost hear.” is what he said when we met last. I still haven’t told him that I have no plans on becoming a merchant.
I decided to take the route I took back then on the coach when Figlo was subconscious. The route also leads to the barn Liek and I went to that day. We can make a straight line home without having to return towards the dungeon. The only problem is that the grounds there are filled with rocks.
I saw the carriage we bought parked in front of the house Figlo lives. Receiving permission from Etis to stop by, I had some kids call him for me. He came out much quicker than I expected.
His eyes showing lack of sleep “My friend……..” he said before pausing. 
I got off Duddul while Etis stayed on him. His eyes fixed on her he asked in a whisper “Who is that girl? Your girlfriend?” 
Even though he’s older than me, our friendship has progressed really well in the short time we’ve known each other.
Thinking I should make him jealous, I got carried away with the flow “Yes she is. What do you think?”
“she’s so hot. don’t tell me you guys have been going around on the same dragon. There’s no way she wont be pressing up against you right?”
“Well, what can’t be helped cant be helped.”
“Why you…………” he held my head in his elbow while pulling my ear.
After we were done talking, he walked close to Etis and said hi. I figured she was tired from all the moving when I finished what I was doing quickly.
“We should meet up tomorrow to finish packing. The big day is the day after tomorrow. We are finally going to become merchants.”
“We? Or right. I forgot to tell you, I don’t………… think I can go with you. See you tomorrow then.”
I sprinted away with Duddul while he remained dumbstruck.
Sigh….. I should have told him sooner that I wont be going. He was just so excited about it all that I missed my chance. We did everything together up till now so it’s only natural to assume I was going too.
From what he told me, the merchant season starts at the same time all over the continent. At first I thought that they were going to use the gates to get to their location but it seemed they are going to risk their lives by leaving the protection of the capital and venturing outside.
I tried to persuade him of how dangerous it is but he was determined to chase his dreams so I stopped. The reason it’s called the merchant season is because most monsters attack less during this time of the year.
All he has to do is follow the experienced merchants and he’ll be fine.
We sped after meeting Figlo. There weren’t many people in the are so it was alright. At the intersection leading to the barn, I surprised Etis by my ability to flight.
“Duddul fly!”
His wings opened up energetically. He replied “Rnn!!” as he took to the skies.
“Wha-what!!??” she almost freaked out.
She held onto me real tight with all her strength.
“We are flying!!?? how is that possible!!??”
“What do you think? Surprised?”
“I’m more than surprised!”
“I’m scared!” she kept on shouting. I told her that she would get used to it after a little while.
The barn Liek took me to was below us. It had a lot of life unlike the last time I was there.
I assumed that she wouldn’t be there when I saw a black haired girl sitting under a tree by her lonesome. She was dressed decently in a long dress. I almost couldn’t believe it was Liek because of the way she was dressed but her ears confirmed it was her.
What is she doing there all alone. She looked as though all the worries in the world were on her shoulders.
I couldn’t get down to her because of Etis. And I doubted whether she’ll be friendly with me just like last time.
The sun was about to set in the direction we were going “The landscape is beautiful.” Etis commented.
She seemed to have gotten a little accustomed to flying. We moved very slow so that she wouldn’t be too scared.
The red sky complimented the fantasy like landscape below us. But Etis and I enjoyed the view as we moved.
Arriving at our neighborhood, we landed safely in our backyard. The people there have already been brainwashed by Meila. Nothing we do will seem suspicious to them. After their indecency a while back, I kinda lost respect for them.
Who would have thought that they’d all leave their houses in heat when I brought back the cocoon? But still, it wasn’t their fault. They were just affected.
“Welcome back…….” Meila greeted us from the backdoor.
“We are back.