. . . We opened the door to leave and. . .
"Please, give us a word for our article."
A scribe with a wax tablet and a quill was writing down everything that was happening.
"Of course I can answer you, demon."
"Demon, me?"
"Don't listen to this girl, sir. She's crazy."
I pulled Lyra closer to me.
Who are these people?
"Please, tell us where you came from."
A chronicler with a scroll and a quill was recording every detail, even drawing our faces.
"Hey, don't push me. I know you want to meet my wife."
"Where is your wife?"
"Here she is. Are you blind?"
Dorian almost put Mortar on the chronicler's lap.
"Huh?"
Why are these people making such a fuss?
"Why was the prince carrying this Donkey on his back?"
I looked everywhere for the person who asked me that.
"Huh? Who asked that?"
"Down here."
A dwarf was taking my measurements.
"I've taken your measurements. Now I'm going to prepare the coffin."
What? Did I just hear coffin?
"Hey, Eduardo, do something. We need to get to the guild."
The longer we took to leave, the more the crowd surrounded the castle and its entrance.
"Prince Eduardo, why were you carrying a Donkey on your back?"
Eduardo began trembling at the scribe's question.
"Hmm, there was a misunderstanding. I, as the prince and current heir to the throne of this wonderful city, found these people lost in the forest."
What? What a bastard.
"Look at this girl dressed as a bunny. She was eating carrots, so I invited her to eat the finest food in the castle."
"Hey, don't make up false stories."
"As a generous prince, here, have some fruit."
Ugh, I don't want to eat that.
A woman holding a basket of fruit offered me a carrot.
Then why did I have to carry a Donkey?
Eduardo moved to the left side of the Donkey, hugged him around the neck, and said. . .
"I saw this exhausted animal pulling a cart up a mountain and. . . I'm sorry, I didn't want to cry."
Eduardo wiped his eyes.
My friends and I crossed our arms.
"My heart was moved when I saw how devoted this Donkey was to carrying his useless friends."
While Eduardo spoke, Donkey calmly breathed, simply watching everyone's movements.
The people around us didn't blink.
"As soon as this animal came down the mountain, I bowed like this. . ."
Eduardo imitated the same position he had been in when he carried Donkey on his back.
"Then I asked: 'Donkey, climb onto my back and rest.'"
What Eduardo didn't expect was. . .
"Bastard, I didn't tell you to climb on me! I was just acting!"
What an embarrassment. . .
"Clap-clap!"
The people applauded.
"Woooo, that's our prince, always helping the poor!"
"Clap-clap!"
"Yes, my love, our prince always helps everyone."
One, two, three. . .
"That's how a noble Horse should be treated."
"Huh?"
The people backed away. . .
"Did that Donkey just speak?"
The chronicler, who had just finished drawing Donkey sitting on Eduardo, dropped his quill.
"Yes."
Everyone get out of here. This Donkey is cursed.
"AAAHHHHH!"
The people scattered in panic. . .
What do you mean, the Donkey is cursed?
"Get off me, quadruped."
"How disrespectful these people have been to me, a Horse who was just appointed as a noble."
"Don't ever be sad, Donkey. We recognize you."
I certainly don't recognize this Donkey.
". . ."
As we walked through the city, I realized a mistake I had made before arriving.
It isn't a city falling apart. On the contrary, it's beautiful. The houses are impeccably constructed.
The walls are made of wattle and daub, a structure of interwoven wooden branches covered with a mixture of mud, cow dung, and straw for thermal insulation.
Other houses were built with stone, blocks of rock, and granite.
"Kaela, do you think I could open a salon here?"
Hmm. . .
"I don't know."
"There are so many hairy and sad men."
Sad? They're scared of us.
"Make way! The noble Horse is in search of power."
The people cleared a path for us.
"Thank you for letting us pass. I shall spare all of your lives, demons. I, Lyra, will remember this day."
The people were clearing the way for me and my friends, but not because they wanted to.
"Eduardo, are we almost at the guild?"
"Whistle-whistle!"
"Don't ignore me, you bastard."
After being humiliated by Donkey once again as we left the castle, Eduardo walked ahead of us. . .
"Close the shop's door!"
This is getting ridiculous. We're such normal people, right?