Zero Langham | Celestiala | Past
The dinner eventually came to an end.
We stayed at the restaurant for another hour, continuing our conversations until the plates had been cleared and the evening had grown considerably darker. The most memorable moment of the night was Terra's recruitment into our team. Besides that, we simply enjoyed ourselves.
For once, we weren't Sorcerers on a mission.
We weren't students worrying about our next assignment.
We were simply five friends sitting around a table, enjoying a meal together.
Perhaps not Julius. He barely struck up any conversation with me. If he ever conversed with Toho, it would only be an argument. However, I still remember my vow. I will make sure Julius respects me as a leader and sees us all as comrades!
I'm sure the only reason he has been bearing with us for this long is that his and Gia's suspension was withdrawn because he was recruited to a school's special operations team. If the two of them were to leave this team, I'm sure Johan wouldn't protect them anymore and would let the school's punishment system decide their fate.
People like us, those on special teams under their school's name, get a lot more leeway.
Eventually, we wrapped up our dinner and took the train back to the Academy. Terra and Gia went to their separate dorms in the ladies' hallway, while Julius headed to his own dorm. Toho and I returned to our own room, where we spent the remainder of the night discussing absolutely nothing of importance.
***
The following morning, I suddenly jolted awake.
My chest rose and fell heavily as I stared toward the ceiling, my breathing uneven and my body covered in a thin layer of sweat. For several seconds, I didn't move. I simply remained there, trying to distinguish the room around me from the remnants of whatever nightmare I had just experienced.
I began remembering the day of the temple mission. My fight with Aldren. The moment my sword penetrated through his body, sending his limbs flying around him in a tornado.
My expression slowly tightened as the memory returned to me. His face, his voice, and the moment my own hands ended his life all resurfaced in my mind as vividly as they had when it happened. I lowered my head, wiping the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand.
That nightmare again...
No matter how much time passed, I couldn't seem to escape it. Every time I thought I had finally pushed the memory somewhere deep enough that I wouldn't have to face it again, it found its way back into my dreams.
I remained seated on the edge of my bed for another moment before a voice from across the room pulled me out of my thoughts.
"Zero, hurry up."
I looked toward Toho.
He was already dressed and standing near the doorway with his bag over his shoulder, apparently having been ready for quite some time. He glanced toward me before checking the time.
"We're supposed to be buying the fruit this morning, remember?"
I stared at him for a moment before the events of last night gradually returned to me.
"Oh. Right."
Toho sighed, shaking his head.
"You seriously forgot already?"
"I didn't forget," I muttered as I stood up from the bed. "I just had other things on my mind."
"Well, you can have other things on your mind after we get the fruit."
I glanced toward him, slightly annoyed by his impatience, although I knew he was right.
"Alright. Give me a minute."
Toho stepped aside from the doorway.
"You have two."
I scoffed as I grabbed my clothes.
I couldn't help but smile slightly as I began getting ready. We had promised Terra and Gia that we'd take care of the fruit while they prepared the letter for Johan. It was our fruit basket to represent how grateful we were for the dinner that Johan covered.
After putting on my navy blue wool sweater and cotton-knit pants, I looked half-presentable. I slipped into my sandals and began making our way to the market.
***
After leaving the Academy, Toho and I made our way toward the Mercantile District, one of the larger commercial districts within the Central Quadrant. The district was particularly popular among students because of its enormous number of markets, shops, food stalls, and merchants.
The main market was located along Bellflower Street, a long road that stretched through several blocks before connecting to the neighboring districts. It was one of the busiest streets in Central, especially in the mornings, when merchants would arrive with their carts, and farmers would bring in their latest harvests.
The reason for the abundance of markets wasn't difficult to understand.
The Central Quadrant was home to the Celestia Academy and several other schools dedicated to training Sorcerers. Thousands of students lived throughout the area, and all of them needed food, clothing, equipment, books, and other supplies. As a result, agriculture and trade had become important parts of the Quadrant's economy.
Farmers from surrounding regions regularly traveled into Central to sell their crops, while merchants from other Quadrants came to purchase or trade goods. Some preferred using Coins and Irids, while others still relied on older bartering methods.
It wasn't unusual to see a farmer exchanging a basket of vegetables for a piece of equipment, or a merchant trading several pounds of grain for another product of equal value.
Toho and I eventually reached Bellflower Street.
The moment we stepped onto the road, we were surrounded by the sounds of merchants calling out to potential customers. Wooden carts lined both sides of the street, their tables covered with fruits, vegetables, meats, spices, grains, and various other products.
"So where do we even start?" Toho asked as he looked around.
I glanced across the market.
"We need enough fruit for a basket. We could probably just buy whatever looks good."
Toho looked at me skeptically.
"That's your plan?"
"It's a fruit basket. How complicated can it be?"
"You'd be surprised."
I ignored his comment and began walking through the market.
We stopped at several stalls, looking through the different fruits available. Some were familiar to me, while others were completely foreign. After a few minutes of searching, we settled on several varieties of Dwenches.
We stopped at another stall a little farther down the street, where the merchant had several unfamiliar fruits arranged across a wooden table. Among them were Velens, small purple fruits with thin skins and a mildly tart center, and Orens, round yellow fruits that gave off a faint citrus-like aroma even before they were cut open.
Toho picked up a handful of Miras, which were covered in tiny silver speckles and had a soft, almost pear-like texture when ripe.
The merchant wrapped the more delicate fruits in thin leaves before placing them into the basket, making sure none of them would bruise while we carried them back to the Academy.
The merchant placed everything into a woven basket while Toho counted our Coins.
"Are you sure we have enough?" I asked.
"We should."
"Should?"
Toho looked at me.
"Do you want the basket or not?"
I immediately shut my mouth after adding one last comment.
"Just make sure we'll still have enough for the dorm expenses this month..."
After paying the merchant, I carried the basket while Toho walked beside me. We continued down Bellflower Street, occasionally stopping to look at other stalls. The market was considerably larger than I had expected, and I found myself enjoying the atmosphere despite the crowds.
People were constantly moving around us.
Students purchased meals before classes. Farmers argued with merchants over prices. Children ran between their parents while vendors shouted over one another. It was chaotic, but somehow it all worked.
I continued walking until something on the side of the street caught my attention.
There was a child sitting by himself. There was no parent, guardian, or anyone else nearby.
He was sitting against the wall of a building several yards away from the market, his knees pulled toward his chest. His clothes were old and noticeably worn, with several tears along the sleeves. His hair was messy, and his face was covered in dirt.
Toho noticed almost immediately.
"What? What happened?"
I didn't answer as I was deep in thought.
Something about the child seemed familiar.
I stared at him for several seconds, trying to understand why I recognized him. His face was thinner than I remembered, and his clothes were completely different, but there was something about his eyes.
Then it hit me!
The child sitting against the wall was one of the children we had rescued from Gotarum. After gathering up all the children we found, I recognized him as a part of that group.
I stared at him, unable to look away. He was supposed to be safe, yet here he was, sitting alone on the side of a street in Celestiala, looking like he had nowhere else to go.
I tightened my grip around the fruit basket.
"...That's one of them."
"One of whom?" Toho shook a response out of me.
"One of the children we rescued..."
After I answered, I found myself subconsciously walking towards the boy. I wove through the crowd, Toho close behind me curiously. Soon, I found myself towering over the kneeling boy.