Races: Online (VR Smartphone App)

Chapter 128: One's Weight In Gold

When Han arrived into the city, at least from the closest section just outside the grounds of the Academyhe'd find it hustling and bustling once more. It was a little impressive, the entire place had been in panic yesterday but now there was no evidence of it happening. Maybe it was because they were still in the unaffected area but even so it was time for him to head to the he realized something and drew up the World Map, City Map in this case and quickly located his destination.

It was the same district as where he had found the stick, the white cloth and such but now it was for a different matter. He belatedly realized that the Kraelonia Academy probably had a map as well.

Now that would have saved him some trouble.

Han coughed as he clutched the item in his hand. It was time to get himself some money!

What were the possible options that their ward would have done? It kind of stumped the young Bodyguard. He watched as his senior waved goodbye to the aunt of their ward as they left the Upper Class District of the City of Gloria.

He held onto the truth stone and ascertained that there had been no lying done in her part when they questioned her. And this was the highest grade of crystal they obtained. "Where are we going next, Gesth?" He asked once the older man drew closer.

The Bodyguard let out a sigh and rubbed his face, "She didn't return to borrow, hide or even ask help from her aunt. And so as any normal citizen would do, I am positive that she went to the Trading District to obtain money."

That made sense.

But there was still something that was bugging him. It made him feel unnerved, "And you're positive that nothing wrong had occurred to ourward?" Liam asked with a knotted brow. He could still remember it like it was yesterday.

It had been yesterday.

They had hurried into this Capital to bring herbs and medicine to her sick aunt and they had bypassed the city gates whilst they had been on carriage. Normally she shouldn't have come with them but it wasn't often that she got a chance to visit relatives according to her. It was a quick trip. A delivery even if they had stayed for lunch and snacks.

And even if there had been some disturbance within the city when they were on their way back, they were certain that they would be safe and no single harm would be laid upon them.

Until she asked for a little breath of fresh air.

Liam rubbed his face, he realized it a tad too late that they had air purification crystals inside the carriage so she hadn't even needed to open the windowor open the door.

He felt a sting of pain attack him from the back of his head as the older man slapped him, "This is why she managed to escape when you clearly are an airhead."

Liam felt his face flush at that remark, "I'm sorry! It was my first time dealing with someone of her staturewho was I to know that she wanted to leave?"

"She has enchantments and artifacts on her person, even if a stray Thief or a nasty Thug would come around, she would come out unscathed and the latter would be burned to the core." Gesth said with a frown as he walked ahead of him.

.

.

.

They were looking for jewelry, gold and precious gems to be sold off to anyone who had been willing. The duo checked shops, traders and even the more sketchy group of buyersbut there were still some other places they hadn't checked.

"It doesn't make sense that she'd pawn them." His senior said with a frown, "It would be easier to find and locate."

The older man was stubborn but Liam had a certain opinion, "I believe she would be a little more sentimental about it and would only pawn it so at a later date, she could retrieve it."

"There is no use to feeling attachment when they are but one of the many she has, but fine, let us check one of these shops you speak of."

Liam walked and ended up bumping into someone and they watched the young man fall into the ground as a necklace dropped along with him. His eyes widened for a moment as he quickly offered a hand, "Are you alright, my apologies." The young man didn't take it too fast, they were clutching their head and he instead opted to pick up the necklacelocket from them. 

It didn't look like anything she would have owned.

It was a false alarm.

The young man reached for the necklace and stood up, "Thank you for picking it up, that's"

"Not something of a men's accessory," Gesth, his senior Bodyguard narrowed their eyes on the young man just around his age. Liam tried to gesture to them that it wasn't her necklace. "Did you pickpocket that?"

"You can't go around accusing people like that!" Liam slapped a hand over his face.

The young man looked uncomfortable before he sighed and clutched it tightly in his hands, "It was my mother's until she had died and it was given to me. I enrolled into Kraelonia's Academy to fulfill her wish but unfortunately, I wasn't strong enough to enroll without tution," The young man's expression was pained as he gazed down at the locket.

Liam didn't know what to say or to feel.

A hoarse laugh sounded as the man gazed up at him, green eyes like sapphire, "I...I'm quite sorry for bothering you two"

"You shouldn't be holding such an important locket in your hand then," Gesth said. His voice held no amount of sympathy and rather it was all impatience. "If you are a student, why are you even outside now? Do you have no relatives to turn to?"

The old man was hammering questions that would have put Liam at uneasenot that it wasn't actually hard to do that but this was no time for them to be interrogating this poor young man when he was clearly distressed.

"I am but an orphanin the case that I have no known living relatives. My mother was an only child and I have never known my father." The young man coughed.

Was he sick? 

Liam felt his heart go out towards the young man, he gazed at Gesth and ran his fingers through his hair, "I am to assume that that locket of your mother's is to be pawned off for your tuition fee?" His senior didn't get that bit, did he?

What else was the reason to bring jewelry if not to pawn them?

He gave a terse nod, "Indeed. I am too low leveled and had made the wrong choice of enrolling in mixed curriculum when I had no chance of learning magic prior."

Liam sighed, "Most are allured with magic, it's not your fault. But it really would be a shame to simply pawn that off er, how much is the tuition fee nowaday?"

"...Um, twenty gold."

Now that was actually a bit pricey, he himself hadn't enrolled in the prestigious Academy but that was because he had been trained in private. He didn't actually have that much money in his pocket right now

He glanced at Gesth.

Who had taken out his small leathery belt bag. They were still glaring and scrutinizing the boy, "So you were planning to pawn that locket, do you know its worth?"

"I-I do not but my mother told me it was special and pure gold. Not that it actually looks like that," The young man had a rueful smile on his face before they eyed his companion's bag, "I-Is that a bag of holding?"

"Huh, you had one of that?" Liam glanced at Gesth. Not everyone had something like this, even Liam couldn't afford to purchase an item like thatwhich only spoke of his senior's lengthy service and experience.

Gesth frowned well he hadn't stopped frowning but stared at the boy, "How did you learn that?"

"In the Academy of course, uncovering artifacts. Sorry if I spoke out of turn."

The older Bodyguard took out a small bag and handed it to him, "Here."

Liam watched the man's arm sink for a moment as they held the bag. He gave his senior a look, how did they have that much money?

"This necklace is not for sale though," The young man tried to return it with an awkward smile. "This is too much but I cannot sell it, I plan to get it back once I earn the money."

Liam gave Gesth a lookthis young man got what he had said earlier. Sentimental value.

"I wasn't buying it, I find it detestable that you would do such a thing to that lockettake it and do not even think of pawning such an important object like that." Gesth's gaze never wavered as he sized up the young man. "Treasure the things that your parents had given you."

"I had no intention of pawning it I swear, I didn't mean to sully the gift but situations" The young man sighed and pocketed the locket and accepted the bag of money, "I will do my best to make sure that this will be put to good use, thank you."

Not too long after, the young man bid his goodbye and walked away grateful. Liam belatedly realized that he didn't get a chance to ask them for a name.

What a shame.

But he gave his senior a look and a smile, "I didn't know you had a heart of gold, Gesth. Did you get it, gold?"

The older man scoffed at him, "We have more important things to do. Let's go."