Chapter 76 – Quiet Streets, Quiet Storms

The day was brighter than I wanted it to be. The sun poured generously over the cobblestone streets of this sleepy town near the capital, and despite my attempts to keep my expression neutral, I could feel a growing irritation simmering beneath my skin. I wasn’t the kind of guy who liked forced smiles and forced fun. Yet here I was, playing reluctant tour guide, with Narissa and Sylvie tagging along like two overly enthusiastic shadows.


"I’m the heir to one of the most powerful noble houses," I muttered under my breath, hands shoved deep in my coat pockets, "and I’m stuck in a flower festival town playing tourist in the middle of nowhere."


Narissa, ever the picture of composed amusement, glanced back at me with a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.


"You're the one who agreed to this 'calm inspection visit' near the capital, remember? Or did your big brain forget that part?"


I rolled my eyes so hard I thought I’d see the back of my skull. "I agreed under the impression there’d be no flower tea involved. That was false advertising."


Sylvie, in her usual bubble of boundless curiosity, skipped ahead and tugged at Narissa’s sleeve. "Teacher Narissa, look! They have blue tulip bread! Can we get some?" Her eyes sparkled with genuine delight, and I couldn’t help but soften for a brief moment.


Narissa’s lips twitched as she glanced at me. "Sure. You too, Aren?"


I let out a dry laugh. "If I eat another bread shaped like a flower, I’ll vomit petals."


The town smelled like fresh bread, roasted chestnuts, and the faint herbal tang of merchants selling medicinal salves and dried flowers. Children ran between stalls, laughing, shouting, waving colorful ribbons. I caught a stray dog trailing behind me for a while, clearly drawn by the smoky scent of my earlier meal. I didn’t have the energy to shoo it away.


A kindly old woman spotted us and, with a warm smile, pressed a freshly woven flower garland into Sylvie’s small hands. The girl’s face lit up with happiness, and even I had to suppress a faint smirk.


The vendor at a nearby stall called out to us with a teasing grin. "You three ain't from around here, huh? You’ve got that noble-kid-shiny-face aura!"


"Is that a compliment or an insult?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.


Narissa laughed lightly. "Take it as both. You could use some humility."


I bit my lip to keep from snapping back. But inside, part of me appreciated their presence—their teasing, their easy companionship. Sylvie tugged my sleeve, pulling me toward a stall selling bright blue tulip bread again. How could anyone resist a seven-year-old’s enthusiasm?


---


[ Flashback — How This Mess Started ]


A few days ago, Narissa had casually suggested, "You promised we’d go on a trip sometime. Let’s go this week."


I should’ve said no. I really should’ve. But a part of me saw this as a chance—to explore, to test my control away from the estate’s suffocating walls, and maybe even train the other kids I’d brought along. So I agreed, mostly without protest.


My mother, Selene, immediately perked up at the news.


"Ooo~ finally! I’ll pack my things too!" she’d said with a laugh.


I had to awkwardly remind her, "Uhh… only kids this time, Mother."


She mock-pouted. "Abandoned! By my own son! Fine, I’ll go with your father instead. He needs a leash anyway."


I escaped quietly, grateful for the temporary reprieve.


Instrumentor, the grinning old man who oversaw my training, gave me a knowing look. "Enjoy. I’ll finally enjoy my tea without worrying about you destroying the training hall. Don’t worry—I’ll finish the other task before you return."


The ride here had been long, three to five hours on horseback, and Sylvie had bounced around in her seat the entire time, asking endless questions about the world beyond the estate. I silently regretted agreeing to this trip more than once during the journey.


---


Back in the present, I took a slow breath and tried to shake off the lingering frustration. The market was noisy and colorful, filled with vendors shouting prices and children darting between carts. Sylvie, wide-eyed, was already sampling a bright green candy that immediately caused her to make a face.


"This better be worth the stomachache," I muttered under my breath.


Narissa paused, scanning the crowd with narrowed eyes.


"Wait… that kid looks lost."


We all turned toward a small boy sitting by a stall, anxiously scanning the crowd. His clothes were ragged and damp from the mist, his small hands clenched tight in his lap.


Narissa approached him gently, her voice soft and patient. "Are you okay? Where are your parents?"


The boy’s lips trembled. "I... I don’t know. I lost them..."


Something in his voice, fragile and fearful, made the air around us feel colder.




---


I hated feeling useless. I hated how the familiar stirrings of responsibility tightened my chest whenever a kid like this showed up in front of me, eyes wide with confusion and fear. Here, in this quiet town far from the estates, the politics, the power plays—I was just a kid, too.


But unlike him, I had control. I had resources. Still ,instead of saying,What did he have?
I'll prefer saying, What will he do ?


Narissa knelt beside the boy, pulling a small handkerchief from her pocket. "Let’s get you warm first."


Sylvie instinctively offered her scarf, eyes wide with concern.


"I’m Aren," I said, stepping forward despite my usual reticence. "What’s your name?"


The boy looked up, his eyes bright pools of uncertainty. "Ian."


---


The market noise dimmed as I let my focus sharpen.


Lost kids weren’t unusual. But this felt different. Like a pebble dropped in still water—the ripples stretched far beyond this street.


The town, the festival, the laughter—it was all a fragile mask.


I crouched, eye-level with Ian, forcing myself to keep my voice calm, steady. "Ian, can you tell me what you remember? Where you last saw your parents?"


His lower lip quivered. "At the bakery… but then everything got busy. I think… I think I ran the wrong way."


Sylvie stepped closer, brushing a hand gently across his back. "Don’t worry. We’ll find them."


Narissa scanned the crowd. "We need to check the central square. And send a message to the local guards."


I glanced at the narrow alleys that spread like veins through the town. Somewhere in that maze were answers.




---


I hated that I was already calculating.


Where’s the danger?


Is this just a kid who wandered off? Or something else?


Sylvie tugged my sleeve. "Teacher, can I help?"


I gave her a brief nod. "Stick close. No wandering."


Narissa pulled her cloak tighter, eyes scanning every face.


"Let’s move. Carefully."


---


We moved through the crowd, the weight of unseen eyes pressing on me. Every smile here seemed a little too forced, every laugh a little too loud. I could feel the undercurrent of fear beneath the festivities, the unspoken dread twisting in whispers.


It was easy to hide behind flower stalls and bread carts—but I wasn’t fooled.




---


The small boy looked up at me, eyes wide with fear and confusion.


I gave him a steady look, holding out a rough map of the town’s main streets and alleys, along with a simple satchel containing water, some bread, a small knife, and a faintly glowing crystal.


“Here,” I said flatly, “this is everything you’ll need. The map shows where people gather, where you can find help if you get stuck.”


Ian blinked, clutching the satchel awkwardly.


Narissa’s voice rose, hesitant and worried. “Aren, are you sure? He’s just a kid.”


Sylvie’s face scrunched up, eyes pleading. “Can’t we at least stay with him?”


I shook my head.


“No,” I said firmly. “If I stay, he won’t learn. He needs to move. Alone. That’s how he grows stronger.”


Narissa’s lips pressed into a thin line, clearly frustrated.


“Leaving a lost child alone in an unfamiliar town is reckless.”


I didn’t argue.


“I’m not doing this because it’s safe or easy,” I said, voice low and hard. “I’m doing it because it’s necessary.”


Sylvie’s small hand found mine, gripping it tightly.


“Isn’t there another way?”


I looked down at her and softened for a moment.


“No. Sometimes, the only way is through the hard part.”


Ian shifted, looking between us.


“I… I don’t want to be alone.”


“Good,” I said, voice almost a whisper. “That fear is your guide. Use it.”


He nodded slowly, biting his lip.


I crouched and placed a hand on his shoulder.


“Go find your parents. Follow the map. Use the crystal if you get truly lost.”


Ian took a deep breath, adjusted the satchel on his back, and started down the street.


Narissa exhaled sharply, then turned to me.


“You’re impossible.”


I shrugged.


“I’m honest.”


Sylvie whispered softly, “I hope he’s okay.”


I didn’t answer.


Because I didn’t know.


To be continued