Chapter 89
“The market sure is lively today . ”
Corete craned his neck . Apparently, some group of people had brought a new product to the market . And when he looked closer, he saw that a young boy and girl were selling Soluna oranges .
“Soluna oranges, huh . They aren’t exactly rare back home, but I guess they don’t have them in the human territories . ”
He muttered as he saw the townspeople gathered around in order to buy the oranges . Then he turned to Dilon, who was standing behind a small table that displayed ornaments made of scales, and said,
“We’ve been here for three days now . I think we got all of the information that we can get . We should pack up the store now . Besides, I bet Zynis is tired of living in the forest . ”
“If anything, I bet father is enjoying being able to run around in the mountains every day . ”
Dilon said with an annoyed look . He was so lively no matter where he went .
This was his first mission in the human territories, and the special humanoid form took a lot of concentration . It was him and not Zynis who was feeling tired . However, the girls who gathered around to see the unusual accessories were very cute . And he did not mind the way they looked at his ash-colored hair with admiration . Yes . It wasn’t bad at all .
“Oh? It seems they are walking around with the oranges as well . That way, people who can’t leave their stall can also buy some . ”
Corete sounded impressed .
“But you wouldn’t be able to sell the scale accessories like that . ”
“Well, that’s true . Regardless, we already sold the unprocessed scales to a craftsman . So selling the accessories is just a way to make a little extra money and something we could use for cover . ”
It was easy to bring up the merfolk when you were selling the scales . And they were able to learn that a merman had been caught near the villa . Perhaps the rumor about ‘being wary of the mirror lake’ had something to do with this ‘captive merman . ’
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Zynis was currently looking into it during the night .
“Oh, too bad . The oranges got sold out before they reached us . ”
“You sure like fruits, Corete . Well, I’m bored of tending to the store . Maybe I’ll go scouting and buy some oranges along the way . There seem to be less customers now . ”
“Then buy some early-ripening grapes as well . ”
“Fine . Fine . ”
Dilon jumped over the table and began to slowly walk through the market . It was said that inland people were prejudiced against non-humans, but he had asked a dwarf who had come to buy some scales, and was told that such sentiments were not common . In fact, many people had stared at his unusual ash-colored hair, but he never felt anything other than curiosity in their looks .
Well, he did see annoyance on the faces of other young men . However, there was none of that now . When he looked at the market, he saw that everyone was focused on the two young men who were carrying the empty boxes . And also on the young boy and girl who sold the oranges . Even the young men were looking at them .
Well, they were traveling merchants who would only be here temporarily . There was no point in being annoyed by them . Dilon told this to himself as he stood in line to buy some oranges .
“Oh, it’s the young man with gray hair . Did you come to buy the oranges?”
An old lady who had already finished buying some started to talk to him .
“Yeah . My friend really likes them . ”
“How many do you want?”
The boy had a pretty high-pitched voice . It would probably deepen soon .
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“Uh, I’ll take three . ”
When he looked down, he saw that the boy with blonde hair and black eyes was looking up at him in surprise . No, the eyes were dark brown . Dilon was surprised as well .
“Rasche…”
“No, it’s not . ”
The girl said from the side as the boy muttered .
“R-right . Sorry . You just look like a friend . ”
“No, he doesn’t . If anything, they aren’t even the same species . ”
The girl butted in again as the boy apologized . Not the same species? Dilon wondered what she meant by that . Still, he accepted the paper bag of oranges and handed them the boy his money . The boy held Dilon’s hand and put the change in it .
Just then…
“AHHHH!”
A scream could be heard . Dilon and the boy turned around in surprise . Suddenly, there were many more young girls there from all over the town . And they were looking at them with sparkling eyes .
“Wh-what?”
“Huh?”
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The two looked around in confusion . Finally, the small girl next to the boy sighed .
“Those girls followed you here . And now you’re standing in front of the Lowland boy everyone is interested in . Also, you’re holding hands . ”
The two looked down in surprise . They had frozen while still holding the change . Perhaps it looked like they were holding hands at a distance . They frantically pulled their hands back .
“Uh, um, I look forward to tasting them . ”
“Oh, ah . We’ll probably be selling them tomorrow as well . So you should come again . ”
Their awkward conversation ended there and they turned away and walked in different directions .
Oh . This was scarier than being looked at with descrimination . That was what Dilon thought as he rushed back to his store .
“I heard a lot of noise . Did you learn anything?”
“I didn’t have time for that . Girls are scary . ”
“Selling Soluna oranges at this time of the year is very suspicious . Damn it . You really can’t do anything, can you?”
Corete glared at the still shaken Dilon . Then he looked at the two men who were selling the oranges . There was something about them that seemed familiar to him .
“Seslan? No, he should be in the beast territories . And the hair is different as well . Besides, the other one… Hey, Dilon . Look at the shorter one over there . Doesn’t he look like someone?”
Dilon was still not himself .
“The one selling the oranges? Smaller, oh, I see . The hair color is wrong, but the face and eyes look like Arthur . No, he’s too young . Edwy? Is that a wig?”
“And look at the taller one . ”
“Taller? Oh, Seslan? No, but he looks like him…”
Dilon and Corete looked at each other .
“What would Midland and Lowland royalty be doing here?”
“And in disguise . Well, one of them, anyway . Besides, this mission was due to Arthur’s request . I didn’t hear anything about a separate team . ”
“Besides, weren’t they supposed to be in the elf territory…”
Both of them folded their arms and stared at the two men selling oranges . The shorter one must have noticed this, because he looked at them and then looked away . Then an expression of surprise appeared on his face as he looked back at them . They could see his mouth shape the name ‘Dilon?’
“It’s confirmed then . That is Edwy . ”
Dilon had also played with Edwy when he was younger . Now that he thought about it, his scent had seemed familiar .
“The boy said that they would be selling oranges tomorrow as well . That means they will be staying here . Tonight, then . ”
“Yes . ”
That’s when it would happen .