"So, uh, where should we go? " Julie asked Samantha in her childish voice while her eyes darted around the city. Her small fingers fidgeted nervously as she looked at the people around.
No… at the Mutants.
There were all kinds of mutants; some looked like normal humans with scales covering their bodies, some had bulky builds with four arms coming out of their sides, and some even looked like Minecraft characters with their bodies made up of squares and rectangles.
It was just such a bizarre scene. Not even in my wildest imagination could I ever depict the view before my eyes.
Samantha pinched her delicate chin, contemplating for a short moment.
"Let's go find an inn first. I need to take a bath and clean myself. What do you think, Julie? Do you want to join me in Bath? "
I, the ever-mob, was forgotten by the two ladies as they marched forward without even glancing my way.
Dammit! That's not how it is supposed to be.
Nevertheless, I soon followed after them, keeping a few steps of distance.
The two talked about all sorts of things with excitement clear in their voices.
'Do you think they will have hot water? '
'Of course, they even have a shower with hot water.'
'Wow.'
While I observed the city, in the corner of my vision, there seemed to be a suspicious silhouette following us the moment we stepped into the city. As if they knew we were going to come.
That's why I pretended not to have caught them while enjoying the view.
'Damn! That looks like Four Arms, and that one like Hawks.'
The mutant city truly lived up to its reputation, as there was such a wide variety of them that it was just crazy.
But…
"Haa… what a pity."
There was a part of me that felt sad.
So very sad.
They must have suffered a lot. Always being reminded whenever they see their reflection that they, too, could have explored the vast world instead of being caged in this home that they call Liora.
If they weren't hated, they might have been able to live harmoniously with other humans. But it was hard to remove a preconception that had been sown like a seed into people's minds.
It would take a lot of time, yet the most difficult part would be…
"…Interacting with humans again."
I knew it would be hard.
Extremely hard.
Because they too have their bias, they might even be disgusted by humans who once discarded their ancestors, yet there is none that has been wrong.
Humans did what they did because mutants were corrupted, their minds no longer capable of thinking rationally.
"… I don't even know how they got their sanity back."
And…
They hate humans because even after gaining what they lost, they couldn't just erase the fear that they had caused, and people fear the unknown, which they were.
'What a miserable rac—'
Before my thoughts could run any longer, I was snapped out of it as I hit Samantha's back with my face.
"Ugh…"
"Hehe…"
I soon smiled foolishly as I noticed where I had hit. While Samantha gave me a weird look, shaking her head, she turned to look at the signboard where 'Grey Light Inn' was written.
"Follow me."
Without a word, Julie and I followed her inside the inn that looked like a tree from the outside, but…
'Holy moly.'
The interior was completely different. A sofa was at the corner for rest, crystals were embedded on the ceiling to illuminate, and beautiful flowers and paintings were hanging over the side walls.
While a wooden receptionist desk with intricate designs stood in the opposite corner of where the sofas were, a woman with yellow skin and white hair tied in a bun stood with a business smile behind the desk.
Her smile grew as she noticed us walking toward her. Samantha wore a smile of her own.
"Hello, miss, how can I help? " The receptionist slightly bowed her head.
'They really are professional.'
I was really amazed by how modern the place looked despite the mutants being isolated from the outside world.
My sight wandered the interior, my mood happy, yet…
'Damn, did they really follow us here? '
It quickly soured as I noticed the same guy who followed us from the moment we stepped inside the city. He was quietly sitting on the sofa while reading a newspaper with one hand and drinking tea with the other.
"Come, let's go on the second floor."
I moved behind Samantha, whereas Julie walked by her side, talking. My sight was still on the man when we reached the stairs; he swiftly put the cup and the paper down, going for the receptionist.
'Should I kill him? '
The question lingered in my head, but I quickly discarded it because I had plans of my own. I was going to use the man to take Samantha to her lovely home while I went sightseeing.
Then, like a hero, I will come in and save her at the last moment.
'Hehehe.'
While such plans were brewing in Liam's head, Samantha and Julie had no idea that they would be used as a sacrifice as they continued their girl talk, going inside the room.
***
Samantha felt a wave of discomfort wash over her as she stepped into the city. She felt suffocated just by being there. She hated it.
She hated being in the city that deemed her a traitor.
She hated the people who blindly accepted that she was a traitor despite knowing her nature.
She hated the most the one responsible for all of it.
The one who took everything from her.
The one who killed her mother and made her people view her as a traitor.
She endured the discomfort and suffocation, not letting it show on her face.
Yet…
'I need to find a place.'
The uneasiness she felt grew more. It was as if she was being…
'Monitored.'
She quickened her pace, her eyes darting around to find an inn.
'Phew'
She felt relieved when she found an inn and rented a room for a night, but the unease in her chest didn't go away.
She tried to take a hot bath with Julie to calm her nerves.
And…
"…I feel much better." She quietly mumbled to herself as the bath comforted her unease.
'I guess it was all my imagination.'
"I will be going."
Snapping her out of it, she flicked her head at Julie, who was wearing cloth and readying herself to go back to the room.
Julie glanced her way with her tiny yet large eyes to get an answer.
"You go; I will come later." Samantha waved her hand, and Julie soon left her alone.
Feeling the warm water touching her skin, she leaned back her head and closed her eyes.
"…the fatigue must have made me feel paranoid."
She softly mumbled to herself as she soaked herself in warm water.
*
"Haaa…"
Drip… Drip…
Samantha came out of the bath after nearly half an hour. Her hair was still wet as the water dripped down her face.
She scanned the room: two beds positioned near each other with a bit of space in between, two small boards beside them, and a window at one of the walls with thin curtains folded. The soft glow of the moon seeped through it, gently illuminating the room.
Seated on one of the beds was a small girl, her head turned in the direction of the moon behind the window, and her auburn hair fluttered as a small breeze came through.
"Where is Liam? " Samantha asked after seeing that Liam was nowhere to be seen in the room.
Turning her head, the small girl looked Samantha in the eye before sighing.
"…He went out saying, 'I want to sightsee.'"
Similarly, letting out a sigh, Samantha dried her hair before sitting beside the small girl.
"We should sleep now."
"Okay, but…"
"What about Liam? "
As if reading Julie's thoughts, Samantha completed her sentence, continuing.
"He will come back soon, so we should rest first."
Julie wanted to rebuke, but Samantha assured her by saying,
"He is weak and a coward, so he won't do anything dangerous."
Julie wanted to refute, but unknowingly found herself nodding. And when she thought about it. Liam was always at the back of the group, even when a small animal passed by them.
'He has a stoic expression that makes him unfazed, but he did say that his facial muscles don't move that well.'
The more Julie thought about it, the more she found herself being convinced by Samantha's reasoning.
All the while, Samantha did say that to reassure Julie, but…
Liam is extremely strong. He only acts weak and pathetic to not draw attention to himself.'
Deep down, she also knew how strong he was and that he was merely putting on a façade to fool others. She still didn't know how he was able to hide his strength, but…
'It doesn't matter.'
Shrugging her shoulders, she went to lie on her bed with Julie. After a moment, her breathing became rhythmic as she fell asleep.