A walk through part of Cleras...

* * *

Arthur Ishviel POV...

Me and Gram are currently jogging around the neighborhood. A nice way to stay fit and check out our new area. It was Clara's idea in the first place though.

"So..." Gram says, looking forward as we keep a brisk pace. He's not always a nervous wreck around me anymore, only half the time. "Fire magic, huh? You must be pretty happy, right?"

"Eh, it's cool, but..." I pause, looking forward as well. With breakfast still on our stomachs, we have plenty of energy. "I would've rather had air magic or something..."

"Air magic?" Gram asks, looking forward as we go. We pass a few vendor stalls as we jog, the food smelling good... although not as good as breakfast. "I mean, it's alright... I just think fire looks cooler... way cooler than water magic."

"I mean, maybe..." I say with a shrug, not disagreeing with his opinionated point. I'm nowhere close to an expert on the subject and neither is he. "But if you base everything on what looks cooler, one day you'll just be a quick flash that burns out fast."

We jog in silence after that. I don't look over at him, rather keeping my gaze forward. I don't think what I said was all that profound, but he seemed to have found some meaning in it. We've jogged around 4 miles at this point, no biggie. We stop for a second to take a break and drink some water.

Looking around, we're in a sort of plaza with tall buildings all around us. There's a nice tree in the center of the square, real decorative place. I take a sip from my bottle, my hands on my hips.

"Wanna get some food before we start again?" I ask, looking over at Gram. It wouldn't be a good stay if we never took the time to try the authentic street food, would it?

"Oh, uh... sure." He says with a nod. He drinks from his bottle again before letting it be at rest.

He probably wasn't paying attention when Clara gave me my first allowance... he kinda zoned out after the mana type spell, actually.

"Alright then. Let's just look around for a while until we find something that looks good," I say, hands to my side. We begin walking, going in circles before settling on a stall.

I feel like a bit of a tourist as I walk up, but I get over the feeling when I talk to the man in the stall.

"Excuse me sir, may we get 2 servings of..." I blank, unable to put a name to the food before me. It looks delicious and familiar, but I kinda forgot what it is.

"Shawarma, you want 2 shawarma? 1 for your buddy, 1 for you right?" The man asks, seeming to go for a hyperfast approach. He seems friendly, albeit a bit fast. "Don't worry my friend, special first time discount, only 1 gold for 2 shawarma."

"..." I turn to look at Gram and then back at the man. I squint at him, putting my coin purse away before turning around. 14 gold should be enough for a months worth according to Clara, but this man just tried to say that 2 shawarma was worth 1 gold! That's an insane rip-off!!!

"Wait! Wait, my friends!" The man says, not wanting to lose out on a sale. "I was only joking! It is just jokes, my friends! I will sell 2 Shawarma for 5 copper!"

I turn around at this, waiting a moment to ensure interest. The conversion rate is fairly simple 1 gold is 10 silver, 1 silver is ten copper. One copper has about the value of a dollar from my old world, if I compared prices correctly.

"No. 2 chicken shawarma for 3 copper, at least, and then we have a deal," I say, playing the haggler while Gram just sulks behind me. He would've immediately fallen for this, I bet.

The man seems hesitant at first, but eventually bends, turning around and preparing 2 chicken shawarma. I set out 3 copper on the counter, waiting patiently.

Gram doesn't say anything, but he seems to be embarrassed being seen in public with me, all because I did a little haggling. He probably thinks that...

* * *

Gram POV...

I can't believe Arthur just scammed this poor man out of his hard-earned money! He's probably just trying to feed his kids!

"Here you go, my friends. 2 chicken shawarma," The man says, handing over the wrapped food and taking the copper off the counter.

"Thank you sir," I say, giving a quick bow before leaving. Arthur does nothing of the sort, simply taking the shawarma and leaving.

I walk in silence by Arthur's side, taking a bite of the ill-gotten shawarma... it's delicious.

My mother would've never approved of me haggling like Arthur did... but maybe that's a bad thing. I keep chewing on my bite despite already haven chewed enough for the food to be tasteless. I should probably swallow it now.

I can see the Academy building in the distance, the biggest building in Cleras by far. Clara is signing us up... or at least, signing Arthur up. I think I'll still have to take the entrance exam.

There's that weird feeling again... it's not coming from Arthur this time, I think it's from somewhere up ahead. We walk forward and through the alley before spotting... that weird girl in yellow again. She's complaining to a stall vendor right now.

She's wearing a slightly more modest dress, but still yellow, white and frilly. She has an angry expression, even more so than her simple resting face.

[System alert: Emergency mission.]

[Prevent Galatine from being pickpocketed.]

[Rewards: 3 free stat points.]

[Punishment for failure: Loss of inventory access for 1 week.]

Damn, that's a serious mission. I guess that girl's name is... Galatine? What the hell kind of name is that? I bite my nails lightly, knowing that I really like the convenience of my inventory.

"Arthur..." I say, turning to look at him for a second. I'm not gonna explain it well at all, if any. "We need food from that specific stall."

I point at the stall in question as if nothing about it is weird. Galatine is the only one in line, everyone around her having been scared off by her yelling.

"Uhh... you sure?" He asks, narrowing his eyes at the stall. It seems like he recognizes the girl as well, although he seems surprised by my sudden insistence on doing something.

"Yeah," I say, leading the walk for once and getting in line behind the girl. "I'm just extra hungry, is all..."

"Whatever you say, man..." Arthur says with a shrug. 

A minute passes and the girl is still arguing with the man, although I notice something strange. There's this kid walking up to the side of the stand, maybe around 7 years old, the thin and spindly type.

The kid lurks around a little, looking up at the man and at Galatine. The boy waits until a moment where she seems particularly infuriated to make a reach for his purse.

I reach towards the boys wrist to stop him only to find Arthur's hand already securely fastened onto the boy, his eyes beaming down at the boy.

"Scurry off," Arthur says, pulling the boy away from the line and lightly tossing him. 

Weird. I could've sworn Arthur's eyes were staring forward the entire time... surely Arthur isn't a pervert-

"Why are you looking at me like that?" He says, an inquisitive look on his face. "He was about to steal? Or would you say he was just trying to make a living?"

I'm baffled, but give up and shrug. I get a system notification, but don't pay attention to it. I turn my head back forward, waiting for the girl to quit complaining.

"This is bullshit! There's no way you can sell such shitty food for so much!!!" She shouts before angrily turning around to stomp away. She stops when she sees me and Arthur, likely recognizing us from the train. 

An odd, silent tension overtakes the 3 of us. The air is electric and heavy, as if a single disturbance would shatter my concentration. Even though none of us have prior grievances, the air feels like it. It makes me way nervous...

* * *

Galatine POV...

I stare at them. Why do these weirdos keep showing up? That strange feeling is still here, only I'm absolutely pissed on the side. I attempt to keep my temper internal since they aren't the ones that I was arguing with.

"Move," I utter, not intending to make conversation. I have no reason to make friends with them just because they're my age.

I don't even wait for compliance, simply walking through them. The one to my right was practically shaking, but the one on the left looked more ready.

I don't look behind me as I leave and they don't follow, everything as it should be. I can't afford any more annoyance... I knew I should've requested a maid come with me. No way in hell am I trying to buy any of this dirty street food ever again!

But... that means I have to either learn to cook (elite difficulty) or go eat at a restaurant every day... or eat the dreaded school food. WHY DID I HAVE TO GO TO THIS DAMN ACADEMY?!?