I looked page after page for a word that had anything to do with what they said earlier, but the more I went the more I realized something. This was not a dictionary, but something like a novel. It had scripts that seemed to indicate dialogues, which is why I knew how to indicate the genre of this book.
"It doesn't work for me," I said, shaking my head and index finger.
They both looked at each other confused. They had come to understand that this was not what I was looking for.
The man picked up the book and left it on a small table next to the door. It was at that moment that I realized that I needed to learn the language if I wanted to communicate with the agent.
My guts roared like a hungry lion. I squirmed because of the little pain that that stomach roar generated in me, bringing both hands to my belly.
The woman looked at the man and took his hands in a form of request.
— Lurirën jora serën. - Said the woman, worried and with a sweet and charming tone.
The man shook his head and answered:
— Naé lurirën jora vel doruk, naé emlirën. The man replied with uncertainty and annoyance.
The place was beginning to feel a little tense. I was beginning to get the feeling that they were arguing about something in which I must surely be involved. The two of them kept talking to each other without even paying the slightest attention to me, it's as if I had disappeared for them, as if an invisible cloak had been placed over my entire body.
I began to stagger my body, trying not to feel uncomfortable about the situation and not to feel uncomfortable about it. Even if it wasn't an argument that had the same intensity as my parents' arguments, it's true that I wasn't feeling good at all.
The man's gaze completely penetrated my thoughts, bringing me back to reality immediately.
The woman picked up an apple from a small wooden bowl and pointed at it with the index finger of her right hand.
"Melar," said the woman.
If I wasn't mistaken, he was teaching me to say apple in his language.
"Melar?" I asked, pointing to the apple.
The woman nodded, reflecting a big smile.
Apple was called "Melar".
The man, resigned, grabbed a jar of what looked like honey and pointed at it as did the woman.
— Melär — Dijo.
"Melar?" I asked back.
The woman blushed instantly and began to laugh hesitantly. She rested both hands on the man's shoulder and continued to laugh non-stop for a long time.
"What did I say?" I asked, confused and a little embarrassed in case I had said something out of place.
The man shook his head and made a gesture that could be considered obscene. Apparently, "Melár" is the name given to the sexual act.
My face turned red as a tomato. I looked away trying to cover up the embarrassment I was going through at that moment. I knew that it was not my fault, that it was a language that I did not master at all and that so far I only knew how to say "Apple", but even so I was very embarrassed.
"Melär," the man repeated.
Melar with umlaut in the a meant honey.
We stayed like this for a long time, more or less until sunset. I learned some words that could be useful for my day to day, at least with them. I also learned the names of the two of them. The woman's was Lyana while the man's was Dorian.
I was outside the house, watching the endless open field of tall grasses that moved like a melody when the wind crashed against them. The breeze hit my body, covered in the same clothes I slept in in my other bed. I kept thinking about how I could have gotten here. What surprised me most about myself is the calmness with which I have taken this curious transition to this new world. According to my new "tutors", so to speak, it measures less than 2 "Valar", which, with a little logic could measure more or less 1.65cm. That was somewhat strange, since in my original world I was 1.72cm, that is, I had lowered my height significantly, now I was a Dwarf.
A cheerful voice called to me from a distance. The voice, obstructed by the wind that was passing at that moment, did not let me hear at all what they were trying to tell me. It was Lyana, my new "Mother". He would shout something like "Jora naé, emlirën, lurën vareshen." Which, putting together some words that I had been taught such as:
Jora = Come (from jor = to come)
Naé = Here
In other words, putting both words together "Jora naé" means "Come here". With a slow step and my hands in my pocket, I walked to the small orchard located right next to the house. Lyana was plucking an entire crop of carrots, leaving them on a small wooden box next to her.
"Vareshen," he said, putting a shovel on the ground near my feet.
She apparently wanted him to help her, since "Vareshen" meant something like "support" or "Assistance".
I am grateful that Dorian taught me that same word.
I didn't feel like getting to work at all, but I had to thank them for the lunch and dinner they were willing to give me day after day, so I had no choice but to help my new mother.
I pulled my pants up above my knees and knelt down, standing next to Lyana and starting to dig small holes so I could get the carrots out more easily.
The soil, soft and well-kept, stained my hands as I pulled out more carrots. I had to say that the slight warmth with the help of the breeze that passed through there was a tremendous dose of relaxation.
After a few minutes, if that didn't turn into an hour, we finished growing the new carrots and picking the ones that were already planted.
The wooden box was filled to the ground, revealing the tremendous effort Lyana had put into planting.
The sweat on my forehead dried only thanks to the breeze, but that didn't make me feel dirty and in the mood for a good bath.
Through gestures, Lyana instructed me to please carry the wooden box to the horse-drawn cart that was parked by the walls outside the houses. These walls were like fences, but made of stone. If I have to be honest, it looked great.
Dorian was leaning on this fence, although well, more than supported, he was sitting.
When I got to him, I put the box on the floor and bowed a little in gratitude for letting me stay in this house.
Darian didn't make any gestures or utter any words that would give the subtle interpretation of "You're welcome." His gaze was cold, as if he was not satisfied with something, me?
He turned away from the wall, took the box, and loaded it into the horse-cart. What do you plan to do with those carrots? I thought they'd use them as an ingredient for dinner, although if I'm honest, I'm glad they get rid of that veggie, I don't like it at all.
The sun was slowly beginning to set, causing it to begin to get dark rapidly.
The day was coming to an end, and with it, dinner was approaching. After what you could say, do some hard work, Darian and Lyana made dinner.
I watched carefully as they prepared it. Darian would cut some onions and potatoes while Lyana would make what looked like a stew. They both seemed to be a happy couple, and that was something I couldn't get used to. Daily fights and endless shouting had become a habit when I arrived at my other house. I didn't dislike this environment, but I saw it as something "Paranormal" or "Illogical".
Suddenly I began to think. If demons existed in this world, did that mean that beasts and beasts also existed? Or also... Sirens and all that. For the first time in years, just like when I opened that book a few hours ago, I wanted to learn as much as possible about this new world. It was something interesting, and, being something completely new to me, it generated that morbidity to know everything it contained.
After a few minutes, Lyana placed the dishes on the table. I looked at the bowl, which was full of a broth that, why lie, looked the most splendid, and that was something to be thankful for, imagine eating something disgusting but having to swallow the urge to complain just because you are in someone else's house with people who have "adopted" you.
We all sat at the table, I was further away from the rest. Darian and Lyana sat together, side by side. I grabbed the spoon eager to try whatever this food was, but just as I was about to do it I saw how Darian and Lyana put their hands together and closed their eyes, leaving a deep silence in turn.
In effect, they were praying.
"Vyka Kiros, Emelë sister Elenor,
There is no cotton arn daruk,
Seral Arën Verisa,
Nye Lurne Cora.
Tula arën carën, seral arën ralen,
luma arën vilën.
At the end of the day,
A Poem of Poetry,
I'm not going to let you go.
Kiros, Emelë sorë,
Tuca Arn Allen's Baresh,
Rilen Arën Arën Vareshën.
Luréna kora, lunea ralen,
Seral Elenor Arën Villa."
This was the prayer they made before starting to eat. I don't know if I liked the idea of having to pray to a god, who I don't even know who he is, before eating.
With an insatiable hunger, I put the spoon in the broth and took a good amount. First I sniffed it to see if it had at least a pleasant smell. After checking, I stuffed the spoon into my mouth and filled it with strange broth. I never imagined that I would like a meal that contained some kind of piece of onion since I had a disgust that I couldn't.
I slowly finished the delicious broth that had easily become my new favorite food, but I felt like something was missing... A good beer.
I lifted my thumb and pinky, hiding the rest of my fingers. I put them in my mouth and mimicked a drink.
Lyana and Dorian didn't seem to pay me the slightest attention. They were focused on finishing their dinner and continuing with their routine life. I cleared my throat in an Esperanto of being looked at for a second. They both looked up when they heard that noise and kept their gaze fixed on me. I made that drinking gesture again and then bowed a little "Please."
Lyana smiled and tried to get up from the chair, but in that attempt, Dorian grabbed her arm and forced her to sit down again. Dorian shook his head as his cold gaze embedded itself in my corneas.
It was better not to say anything else.
My taste buds craved that good elixir that has given so much joy to millions of generations, but it was obvious that I would not find anything like it here.
At the end of dinner, we all get up from the table at the same time, as if it were the beginning of a play. We take the dishes to a hole on the countertop that could be a sink of the time.
Lyana began cleaning the dishes with a bucket of water that she took from under the sink, from a small two-door lower cupboard.
Dorian, on the other hand, picked up the book we read earlier in the hope that it was a dictionary, and began to read it carefully.
The only noise in the house right now was the water Lyana was pouring on the freshly used dishes.
I looked everywhere, scanning the house to the millimeter, trying to find something that could entertain me, but there was nothing.
The noise of the falling water ceased. I looked down at the sink, the dishes were well cleaned. Lyana wiped her hands over her clothes.
— Lurir serën, naé tula emlirën. Lyana said as she walked away from the kitchen and approached the stairs. He gave a slight yawn before starting to climb the stairs and disappear. Would he go to sleep?
I was left alone with Dorian, who passed me by in an extraordinary way. I wonder if there are competitions around here to see who is able to ignore a person more effectively, Dorian would be a clear winner.
The light began to disappear completely, causing Dorian to leave the book on the table and disappear from the kitchen for an instant and, seconds later, return with a candle.
The darkness ended up transforming the place.
"Ignis'vaelor," Dorian said. Suddenly, a small orange flame of fire appeared from his palm. My pupils shrank as I saw how much light it generated. That small flame radiated a heat similar to the hottest summer days. He brought his hand to the tip of the candle, lighting it very easily
He clenched his fist tightly, making the fire disappear as if nothing had happened. Was that MAGIC!? Didn't it hurt to have fire so close to your hand? It was something impressive, so much so that I wanted to replicate it instantly as a true ingorante.
"Ignis'vaelor!" — I screamed with all the desire and energy in the world. But nothing, the only thing I generated was spontaneous ridicule.
Dorian looked up, putting aside his deep reading for a few moments and watched as he failed to reply to his spell.
A genuine smile was generated on his face. He rested his two arms on the table so that he could rest his head on his hands.
— Naé lurën vel. He said, holding back his laughter.
He probably said something to me like "Stupid" or "failed", I'm sure.
"Shut up," I grumbled. "Maybe the best thing is for me to go to bed," I said in a way to relieve my anger.
Dorian stopped smiling and instantly read his book again.
Without saying a single word I left the place. I went upstairs and approached the first door I found and opened it.
This was not my room.
Lyana was fast asleep. It was funny since it had only been a few minutes since he had gone to bed. Maybe he's used a dream spell or one of those things in this world, though... I think sleep spells don't exist.... they were probably pills, yes, that's right.
Her curved posture under the sheet reminded me of the stray cats she used to feed - fragile until you showed weakness. I wondered if Dorian knew how lucky he was, or if he was another idiot like my father.
I closed the door carefully not to wake her or alarm Dorian. I didn't want him to misunderstand this scene. With a brisk step I reached the other door at the end of the corridor. I entered the room and closed the door behind me. I assumed this was my room from now on since this is where I magically woke up almost half a day ago.
I lay down on the bed suddenly thinking that it would be a fluffy and food, but I got a big surprise. My back suffered a hard sharp blow that caused my whole body, even my head to stagger for a moment, in addition to the straw digging into some parts of my body.
"Fucking fucking beds" I cursed inside my mind. I got up to remove the pieces of straw stuck in me and to be able to stretch a little after I had become stiffer than a stick because of how hard the bed was. Then, slowly and carefully, I lay back on the bed.
"How would I like one of those sleeping pills or spells?" I thought when I saw that I was unable to sleep.
I remember that a few days ago I saw a video where they explained military techniques to sleep in tense situations, so without having full knowledge of how to do it, I tried, falling asleep in a couple of minutes.
The next three years slipped through my fingers like the grains of sand from the sundial Dorian carved for Lyana. I learned the language through cracked lips and nights in vain, repeating like a possessed man the words I heard between the furrows of the garden. By the time I was able to form my first full sentence - "Carrots don't taste like shit, but almost" - my palms were full of calluses and pride was in tatters.
Lyana celebrated each new word as if she had given birth to a child. Dorian, on the other hand, looked at me with that hawkish look that always reminded me of my father, although he never raised his hand against me. It was not necessary. Their silences cut more than any knife.
"We saved you from the gallows," he told me one night as he sharpened his sickle. Sparks illuminated his rune-shaped scar. "The royal guard hangs orphans in the square as a warning. Your rags from that first day..." He spat into the fire. "You were the perfect portrait of the damned."
The story made my blood run cold. Now I understood why Lyana had dressed me in the clothes of her son who died at the second dawn. Why did the neighbors look away when they mentioned my arrival. It wasn't adoption – it was a disguise to cheat death.
The kitchen was empty. No sign of Lyana fluttering among magical herbs, or of Dorian sharpening tools with that frown that froze even wine. Just the ticking of the sundial on the wall, marking a time too early for them to have gone on the market.
I went to the window. Outside, a tall man as a pole leaned against a wagon, his beard so long that it almost reached the belt buckle. He wore a wide-brimmed hat that hid his eyes, but I noticed his fingers drumming against the horse's back, impatiently.
"Can you know what he wants?" I shouted from the door, without coming out. I learned quickly that here, what you didn't know, could kill you.
The guy turned slowly. His smile showed yellow teeth, but his hands remained visible, open. A courtesy of a merchant, not a murderer.
"Good morning, young man," he said, in a voice that sounded like stale honey. From his sleeve fell a scroll that unrolled itself, revealing an endless list of names scrawled in red ink. He ran a gnarled finger over the paper until he stopped at one.
"I'm coming for Dorian Ashford." And from what I see—" his eyes fell on my eyebrow scar, as did Lyana's, "you're part of the deal.
Part of the deal? What are you talking about...
"Kaelith! A familiar voice exclaimed from a distance. It was Dorian.
The stranger turned his head quickly and fixed his gaze on Dorian, who was coming towards us with a carefree but determined step.
— Dorian Ashford — He named the so-called "Kaelith." - Stop pretending that you don't know me. And don't scare the kid," he said laughing.
Kaelith scratched his head and smiled hesitantly.
"You know how mysterious I like to be," he said. His gaze was now fixed on me. He quickly analyzed me from top to bottom. "Is this your son?" He asked, raising an eyebrow that made his question take on an aura of intrigue.
Dorian's smile disappeared at the sound of that question. He kept a silence that said it all, but I don't know if it was due to lack of intelligence or ignorance, Kaelith did not understand that silence.
"Yes, it is," Lyana said, appearing behind me as if nothing had happened. He didn't use magic, just stealth. At the sound of his voice I was startled, and moved a short distance away from the place. My heart raced for an instant.
- I see... "Well, Dorian doesn't seem to be proud of it," he said in a serious tone.
Lyana laughed and replied calmly:
"It's just that they had a little argument a few days ago," he clarified in a sweet voice. Clearly he was lying, Dorian and I had never argued, not yet.
Kaelith opened her eyes in surprise. Is it so surprising? Dorian looked like a man who got into all the possible messes.
Kaelith turned and stared at Dorian, who was coming out of the transport wagon.
"Don't be so your son, Dorian, imagine that what happened last time happens again," he said.
Dorian and Lyana's faces were transformed into faces of distress and depression. I was confused at this very moment, I had no idea what had just happened or what Kaelith was talking about.
The atmosphere was dense, the birds chirped while the wind generated its characteristic high-pitched and relaxing sound, but the situation was uncomfortable.
"What happened wasn't my fault," he said in a dull and cold tone, with a growing anger embedded in him.
"I shouldn't have mentioned e," Kaelith couldn't finish the sentence before Lyana spoke.
"Shut up," he snapped, "You'd better not talk."
Dorian walked over to Kaelith and rested his hand on her shoulder. Dorian's face said it all. He was.
"I told you never to bring up the subject again," he said, "And you have." Suddenly, a light that pierced through the thin layers of human skin began to appear from Dorian's hand. Kaeltih slipped away, frightened and sweat dripping from his forehead.
"P-sorry," he apologized, bowing. "It doesn't take long to go to those extremes." His nervousness and fear were palpable to the naked eye. Dorian seemed to be a feared man around here.
He had apparently used Ignis'vaelor's spell to deal damage to Kaelith. How did I know? A small hole in the affected area was enough to tell. The clothes were burned in that area and a small trail of smoke began to come out. Kaelith hit that area several times in order to shoot the smoke and possible microflames from the area.
— Good. Let's leave the topic and start this new journey as soon as possible — Kaelith said.
"Yes, it will be for the best," Dorian replied, carrying the last box of carrots we had.
My curiosity grew as I watched Dorian carry the boxes of carrots.
"Where are you going, Dor-?" I cleared my throat and thought for a second — Dad?
Dorian got back into the carriage and turning his back on me, he answered.
"Where are we going, you will say," he said.
Let's go? Him and me?
"Am I going to go with you somewhere?" I asked, hiding my excitement at traveling to a place outside of this house.
— Yes. We're going to the big city," he said, cheerful and hopeful.
Kaelith got on the horse and prepared things so that he could leave.
"When you're ready we'll go," Kaelith said, taking the reins of the horse.
I got into the carriage next to Dorian and sat down in the only space there was. Boxes of carrots dominated the entire carriage.
"Have a good trip!" Lyana exclaimed with joy and happiness. It's as if she's delighted to lose sight of us.
The sun was slowly rising above the horizon as the wagon began to move. The rattle of wheels on the dirt road set the pace of the journey, and the creaking of wood accompanied the slow sound of horses' hooves. Kaelith, with his usual carefree air, whistled a tune as he led the wagon, occasionally casting fleeting glances at the landscape before us.
I was sitting in the back, among the sacks of carrots, watching Dorian curiously. As always, his expression was impenetrable, his gaze fixed on the horizon, as if each step of the journey brought him closer to something inevitable. I couldn't contain myself anymore.
"So... are you going to sell carrots?" I asked, breaking the silence.
Dorian looked away from me, and after a moment's hesitation, sighed.
"It's a good deal," he said in a deep voice. Druunor has a stable market and people need to eat. It may not be the most glorious, but it's enough to live on.
I couldn't help but let out a short laugh.
"Carrot merchant?" I would never have imagined it.
Dorian raised an eyebrow, but he didn't seem bothered by my mocking tone.
—When you have a family to feed, you learn to value any job that gives you stability. And now that you're here, I thought you should know something beyond the house and the countryside.
I was silent, digesting his words. Did he take me with him just to learn something about the world? To make it useful to me? I didn't dislike the idea, but something in his tone made me think that there was more behind all this.
The trail continued for several hours, passing through hills covered with tall grass and lush forests where light barely filtered through the leaves. The air smelled of damp earth and fresh wood, and the singing of birds filled the silence. I glanced at Dorian out of the corner of my eye. It was time to ask what was really on my mind.
"Dorian," I said slowly. You had a child before, right?
He stood still. His jaw tensed and his gaze hardened. Kaelith, who until then seemed oblivious to our conversation, stopped whistling and turned his head just a little, attentive.
"Yes," he finally answered, his voice deeper than before.
I swallowed hard. I felt like I was treading on dangerous ground, but I couldn't help but want to know more.
"What... What happened to him?
Dorian slowly turned his head to look at me. His gaze was intense, as if he were evaluating whether he deserved to know the truth. Then, he looked back at the road and clenched his fists on his knees.
"It's not something I like to talk about," he said in a tone that made it clear that the conversation had to end there.
But I wasn't going to give up so easily.
"Dorian... I want to know. If I'm going to be here, if I'm going to be a part of this, I need to understand it.
The silence that followed was long, heavy. Kaelith cleared his throat, uncomfortable, but said nothing. Finally, Dorian spoke, his voice barely a murmur.
"It was the fault of the Oni Tribe.
A chill ran down my spine. There was something about the way he spoke those words that made me feel like he wasn't just talking about a group of bandits or mercenaries. There was hatred in his tone, a grudge so deep that it seemed to have taken root in his own soul.
"Who are they?" I asked in a whisper.
Dorian closed his eyes for a moment, then shook his head.
"Not now. Not here.
I gritted my teeth, frustrated by the lack of answers, but something in his expression made me understand that insisting would be of no use. Whatever had happened, it had marked him in a way that words could not express.
Kaelith, who had been silent until then, clicked his tongue and shook his head.
"Well, what a conversation for such a long trip," he said, trying to lighten the atmosphere. Better save those questions for when we have a good drink in our hand.
Dorian did not answer. I looked at the landscape, feeling like I had just opened a door that maybe I should never have knocked.
The journey continued in silence.
It became eternal for me. Dorian did not speak to me again from that conversation, he simply limited himself to looking at the landscape, repetitive but beautiful.
It was when it occurred to me to look through the small space in the cloth that covered the carriage that I saw huge walls of refined stone, perfected and beautiful, covering an entire city, present themselves before my view.
The entrance to the great city was flooded with carriages identical to ours. That gave me something to think about, were we in harvest season? I hadn't noticed it, even seeing the number of carrots we were carrying. The queue to get in looked like it was going to take us forever. At first I thought of entertaining myself with the phone, but of course, it didn't come with me when I got here.
"Damn," I said in thought.
"How long do you think this will take?" Dorian asked. He was leaning against a corner of the carriage, with his eyes closed and his legs crossed.
"Looking at the panorama... I would say about half an hour," Kaelith said doubtfully.
Dorian sighed and continued relaxed and without speaking to me. For my part, I stared at a fixed point, thinking about what the city would be like inside. The first thing that came to my mind was a typical medieval city with huge castles and stone houses, but on the other hand, taking into account that magic existed, I thought of some modern houses, obviously not like the ones in my world, but something that is not normal to see in other places around here.
Suddenly voices from outside seemed to require our attention.
"Sir, we would like to talk to you about something important," said an effeminate voice from outside the carriage. Dorian seemed not to have noticed anything, so I pulled aside the fabric of the carriage and shared my gaze with that woman.
When I saw her, my heart spontaneously raced. It was the first time I had exchanged words with a stranger other than Kaelith, to whom, for some reason, I was not afraid to speak. Social anxiety has always been something that has dominated every part of my body. When I went to parties I never used to talk to anyone unless my friends decided to attend, I just went so I could drink some beer completely free.
The woman was of average height, one could say about 1.68, almost the height of my height at this moment. I was surprised to see how this one had poorly cared for cat ears. Their clothes left much to be desired, they were torn and worn, as if it were the only garment they lived with on a daily basis. Its tail had a better cared for fur than its ears, but quite messy and what appeared to be dirty. Next to him was a small child, who was surely his son. He didn't look great either.
Without a doubt, they were poor.
"What's going on?" I asked, trying to sound friendly.
"You'll ask me if you had a minute to talk to him about something," he said with a forced smile.
I looked up at the stone road. There was still a long way to go until we reached the entrance.
"Sure, tell me," I said.
The woman's eyes seemed to take on a genuine glow, as if it were the first time anyone had agreed to listen to whatever she was going to tell me.
"Thank you very much, really," he said, bowing. With both of his hands, he took mine and kissed them. "Really, I appreciate you sharing your valuable time to listen to me.
I have to admit that it did make me blush, at the same time that it made me twice as nervous as I already was.
"Don't worry, there's time," I said kindly while covering my face to hide my notorious blush.
The woman cleared her throat and grabbed her son's hand tightly.
"Have you hated talking about the Religion of Kiros?" He asked with a heavy breath.
Kiros... Kiros... OF COURSE. If I remember correctly, that is the religion to which Lyana and Dorian belong. They gave me a little book where they explored the motives of religion and its beliefs, but if I'm honest, it went over the subject entirely. Does anyone else find murky what can move within these religions?
"Sure, I've heard of it," I said. "In fact, my parents are believers in it.
The woman smiled contentedly and asked:
"And you, young man?"
I? He didn't believe in any god. Pure atheist, come on.
"I'm sorry, but I don't believe in those things..." I said cautiously, as if it was a bad thing not to believe in such things.
The woman lowered her gaze, and with it, her ears. It was like a sad cat asking for forgiveness, well, that's what it is after all.
With his eyes still down and without raising it, he asked:
"Could you ask him one more thing?" If it's not too much...
It was then that the mother let go of the child's hand and he approached the carriage, being a few centimeters from it. I look up and we cross these same ones for the first time in all this time. He had deep, brown eyes that seemed to have great suffering and a dark undertone. They didn't have the characteristic glow of a child, just an emptiness of something I didn't know it was.
"Do you have anything to eat?" The boy asked in a sweet, worn voice. Perhaps he was repeating this since the city gates were opened in every carriage that arrived at the place.
For a moment I thought, "Should I give them something?" If I were in that same situation, surely... Na, whom I want to deceive. I would give up five minutes after seeing that no one gives food. But, I feel like I should give them something. Of course, it didn't have anything more delicious or appetizing than a few simple carrots. I looked at Dorian for a moment, wondering what would happen if he caught me giving away a carrot. I don't think it was that bad, that's why, stealthily and careful not to get caught digging into the carrots, I grabbed a couple and gave them to the little guy.
"This is the only thing we have on us right now, I hope it helps you," I said, starting to feel a pressure in my chest for some reason.
The cat woman looked on excitedly, grateful that she was at least so humble as to give food without asking for anything in return. Moreover, the boy was not satisfied, he seemed to be even hungrier than he had been a moment ago.
"Of course it works for us," she said delightedly, "All food is welcome for us."
Those words made the small pressure I began to feel fade. I must have felt bad thinking about what their reactions would be like when they gave them two sad carrots.
"G-thanks..." murmured the boy, almost inaudible. It was clear that he was not at all satisfied with the result of his proposal.
"I'm glad to see that you make friends, but we have to move," Kaelith said riding the horse. Apparently, he had found out about everything he was doing.
Suddenly, the carriage began to move. That caused me to almost lose my balance and shut on my side.
I looked towards the two individuals. They were saying goodbye to me with kindness and serenity.
— Thank you very much for everything! The woman exclaimed. "May Kiros give you everything you are looking for!" Long live Kiros!
Slowly I began to lose sight of them until I couldn't see them completely. It was the first time in three years that I felt something like living at home. After all, this world retains many of the customs of my other world. From poverty to religions... Will there be more?
I sat in the same corner as the one I was sitting in during the trip, again, I started to look at the boring landscape, this time, a little more interesting.
On the outskirts of the big city were farmers toiling under the bright, slightly scorching rays of sunshine. They dug and planted while some sang beautiful melodies that enlivened the work atmosphere.
"Those people are nothing but slaves to the hierarchy," Dorian blurted out of nowhere. He was still lying in the corner, with his eyes closed, but with a clear mind. His legs stopped being crossed, passing that pose to his spleens, now yes, being like his legs before.
— They work day in and day out trying to keep their family afloat, for what?, so that later they arrive to sell their products, made with hard work, at a shitty price. He was angry, you could tell, surely he was once one of them, that's why he understood their pain.
"Isn't that what you want to do with the carrots?" I asked with a strong curiosity.
Dorian nodded.
"Yes, that's right. The only difference is that I don't work for anyone. I do it for the love of art and to earn a little extra money," he said.
That didn't clear up my doubts. If products are supposed to sell at a much lower price than what is on the market, why would he sell something that he can use himself?
"But you won't gain anything," I said confidently, based on what he had told me a few moments ago.
"Unlike the farmers in the state, I work on my own and sell my products in clandestine guilds," he clarified, "What you mean is that I earn much more than those farmers.
— And why don't they do the same? I asked incredulously. The logic didn't add up for me.
"Because if they were caught, they would be executed."
I turned completely pale. The city's farmers seemed to be under a lifetime contract in which they staked their souls and tied themselves to their work.
Apparently this city was not under a fair hierarchy for all. Some lived a full life while others prayed that forced labor would not be offered to them.
- Did it happen to you? I asked full of curiosity. I wanted to dig as deep as I could, but I knew there were boundaries to respect.
"Yes, they did," he said. He settled his head and gave a long sigh, one filled with rage and hatred.
"Did you know what they were offering you?"
— A close relative went through the same thing... He accepted the contract and was publicly executed for breaking it years later. That's when I knew I shouldn't accept.
After those statements the sound of the wheels colliding and rolling on the stone floors invaded the environment. It was clear that Dorian did not want to continue the conversation. I decided to give it its space.
The car stopped abruptly, causing me to be unable to keep my balance this time and I fell to the ground, hitting me in the head.
"Oh... Fuck, what a hurt" I groaned quietly.
Kaelith's voice began to be heard in a distorted way, I wasn't able to discover that they were talking. Metal footsteps began to be heard louder and louder as they approached our position. Suddenly, the fabric that covered us from the sun and gave us that "Privacy" disappeared when it was suddenly pushed aside.
The sunlight instantly entered my corneas, causing me to cover my eyes with my arm involuntarily. After a while I tried to focus my eyes, but I saw everything with too intense a brightness. It was a few seconds later that I got used to the natural light.
"Carrots?" The royal guard asked with almost a shout.
"Indeed," Kaelith shouted from afar.
The guard inspected the entire car for a few seconds. His gaze gave him away, he was checking everything to check that nothing more valuable than a few simple carrots passed into the big city. Even if they didn't make it clear, they already knew what we were coming for. They knew we wouldn't sell in the global market.
"Is there anyone else with you?" The guard asked with absolute seriousness.
"Surnen?" No, there's no one else," Dorian said very calmly.
The guard took one last look at the car and said goodbye:
"Vyka Druunor!" The guard exclaimed before covering the cart again and returning to his post.
The car started to start again.
"Dorian," I looked at Dorian, he was still lying down, but this time with his eyes wide open.
"What happens now?" He asked without looking at me.
"What does "Surnen" mean? I asked curiously. Even though I had been learning the language here for 3 years, I still didn't know how to say certain words or expressions.
"You tell someone that they hide to go unnoticed and sneak into private places," he explained
"Infiltrated?" I asked
Dorian rolled his eyes and sighed.
"Of course, it will be that," he said.
The car began to wobble exaggeratedly, so much so that I was forced to lift the cloth and see what would happen. As I did so, I saw exorbitant amounts of people walking around the city, talking, laughing... there were even some people who sang for a living.
The entrance to the city was beautiful. It was full of shops with food that he had never seen before, crafts that even those at least interested in it would love to buy. Each stall with its full clientele. The murmurs of the people filled the atmosphere. In front of everything were the houses, the urban area, but seeing the direction Kaelith was taking, we were not going there.
"I see you like the big city," Dorian said, standing next to me.
"It's a magnificent thing, but terrifying at the same time," I said. I didn't like the number of people in the streets at all. Imagine being out there in the middle, you would be run over.
"I know... I was scared the first time I came with my father," he said in a sorry tone.
It was better not to get into more browns.
"I'd go explore this place," I said with a lustful tone.
Obviously he instilled what he wanted was to look for a good tavern. This place must be full of all that.
"Welcome to Druunor, Zaydir. Dorian patted me on the back and, with an encouraging gesture, invited me to get out of the car. "We'll see you here at dusk, don't be late or Kaelith will leave without you."
My smile was genuine. Even though I was afraid of getting lost in this city, I loved the confidence Dorian was giving me right now.
Or maybe they were just trying to get rid of me somehow.
Quickly and tremendously, I got out of the car and landed perfectly on the ground. I felt like in a movie where now they usually say something like "A new adventure begins"