The market district was like stepping into a medieval RPG cranked up to eleven. Cobblestone streets bustled with people of every imaginable type armored knights, robed mages, beastfolk merchants, and even a dwarf hammering away at a portable anvil right there in the middle of the street.
The shops and stalls were a chaotic blend of ordinary and extraordinary. Sure, there were the usual vendors hawking bread, fruits, and fabrics. But right next to them were merchants selling glowing crystals, enchanted weapons, and cages containing squawking, multi-colored birds that looked like they'd flown straight out of a tropical fever dream.
My jaw dropped as I took it all in. "This… this place is insane."
Lyria, walking beside me, gave me a curious glance. "Insane? It's just the market. Are you feeling all right, Kaito?"
"Yeah, it's nothing special," Mira added, smirking as she skipped ahead of us. "Don't tell me you've never seen a market before?"
Not like this, I thought, but I forced a sheepish laugh. "Uh, just… a lot to take in, I guess."
Mira rolled her eyes. "You're so weird sometimes."
We continued through the crowd until we reached a brightly painted shop with a sign shaped like a potion bottle. Inside, the air was thick with the smell of herbs and something slightly acrid, like vinegar mixed with ozone. Shelves lined every wall, filled with vials and flasks of every shape and color.
Lyria walked up to the counter, where an elderly man with a long white beard was organizing his wares. "Good morning, Master Alric," she said with a polite smile. "We're here to buy healing potions and mana crystals for our next mission."
"Ah, Lady Lyria!" the shopkeeper said warmly, his voice a deep rumble. "Of course, of course. Let me show you what I have in stock today."
He reached beneath the counter and pulled out a tray of potions. Each vial was filled with a liquid that seemed to glow faintly from within, the colors shifting as if alive. There was something mesmerizing about the way the light danced through the glass.
"What the hell is that?" I blurted before I could stop myself.
Lyria and Mira turned to me in unison, both looking equally puzzled.
"It's a healing potion," Lyria said slowly, as if explaining something to a small child.
"What did you think it was?" Mira asked, her smirk widening. "A drink for a rave?"
I ignored her and leaned closer to get a better look. "It's glowing. Why is it glowing? Is it radioactive or something?"
"Radio… what?" Lyria tilted her head, her blue eyes full of concern. "Kaito, are you sure you're feeling all right? You've seen these before. You even used one after the wyvern fight."
I scrambled to cover for my slip-up. "Oh, right. Of course. I just… forgot how cool they looked up close."
Lyria's expression softened, and she smiled. "I suppose they are beautiful, in their own way."
Mira snickered. "Beautiful? Sure. But I bet he's just scared to drink one. Don't worry, Kaito. If you're a good boy, maybe Lyria will feed it to you like she did last time."
My face burned as I tried to process that mental image while acting flustered. "That's not..I'm not..."
"Stop teasing him," Lyria said, her cheeks turning pink as well. She turned back to the shopkeeper. "We'll take four healing potions and two mana crystals, please."
Master Alric nodded and carefully packed the items into a padded satchel. The mana crystals were just as mesmerizing as the potions shards of translucent blue stone that seemed to hum faintly with energy.
I couldn't help but stare. "So… what do the crystals do?"
Lyria blinked at me, her brow furrowing. "Kaito… you know this. They replenish a mage's mana. Remember?"
"Right, right. Totally knew that," I said quickly, mentally cursing myself. Why do I keep slipping up?
Mira elbowed me lightly, grinning. "Seriously, what's up with you today? You're acting like you've never seen this stuff before."
"I'm just… tired," I muttered, looking anywhere but at them.
"Well, maybe you should take a nap," Mira said, her grin turning mischievous. "Preferably on Lyria's lap. I'm sure she wouldn't mind."
Lyria gasped, her face turning a deeper shade of pink. "Mira!"
"What? I'm just saying what everyone's thinking."
I buried my face in my hands, wishing I could disappear. This is my life now, huh? Constant embarrassment and barely keeping my secrets intact.
After we left the potion shop, the teasing didn't let up.
"Do you think Kaito gets this weird around swords, too?" Mira asked, nudging Reina as we regrouped.
Reina gave me a long, assessing look before shaking her head. "He's fine. Probably just distracted."
"Distracted by what?" Dalia asked, grinning. "Let me guess he got lost in Lyria's eyes again."
I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Can we just focus on the mission, please?"
"Sure, sure," Mira said, waving a hand dismissively. "But seriously, Kaito, you're like a whole new person today."
If only you knew.
As we made our way toward the town gates, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was one misstep away from exposing myself. But hey, at least I'd gotten through shopping without too much trouble. Now all I had to do was survive a bandit attack.
How hard could it be?