8 Ch 7: Grineherd City

Lucius had just finished preparing himself and was soon to meet Connor. He had left yesterday and forgot to set the meeting place, however, he had a hunch it would have been the fountain. He wore a slightly different shade of black from yesterday's tunic vest and trousers. But he still kept his newly washed and dried ribbon, along with his boots.

On his neck was a necklace with a amber coloured jewel. It was made of silver to match with his black and white clothing. Around him, was of course, the hidden fangs. No one sensed them nor knew they were there, not even Lucius himself.

When Lucius arrived at the fountain, he found Connor waiting around the fountain. What surprised Lucius was Connor's choice of clothing. He wore a short black overalls, long socks, brown shoes, red shirt with long sleeves, and a fedora on his head. He looked like a child that had been dressed up by his mother on a regular 21st century saturday just before shopping.

'Is he really the mastermind? Or is he making me... think that he's stupid to make me look stupid! I mean, who would dress up as a child.' If someone heard Lucius' thoughts, they would have asked him if a 10 year old was an adult.

"Good morning, young master Lucius! Have you slept well?" Connor greeted Lucius. Unlike Lucius thoughts, Connor was a child through and through.

'Why? Cause you want me at ny weakest?' His inner voice was strong today. "I did. Now, lets get going shall we?" Lucius already planned their entire schedule for today. He turned plan B to C. Since he couldn't leave Laurence in Grineherd, and do plan B with Connor's 'plan',he choose to improvise. A slightly updated plan A but with Connor.

A carriage appeared in front of them and four butlers escorted them inside. They were younger than Laurence but they would have to do for Lucius schedule.

Grineherd City had a large shopping district, with merchants moving in and out, people crowded and gathered easily. Lucius' first stop was a local shop well known for it's herbal ingredients. Lucius was going to buy and personally brew a tea for Laurence that would ease his pain and help him relax.

They got off the carriage, most people stop and took a look at the dou. While others mostly continued with their own business. Nevertheless, they caught the publics attention quickly.

"Come, let's get this over quickly." Lucius walked in the shop. Connor followed right behind him along with the butlers.

When the man behind the counter heard the bell wring and saw who came in, his expression became excited. "Young Master, what can i help you today? I've reserved your usual tea like always!" His voice was slightly high pitched. His tone reminded Lucius on how homosexual men talked back on his old country. It was calming and familiar, the uneasy feeling of a customer and seller disappeared under the man's charismatic persona.

"Like usual please. However, do you have anything that numbs pain and helps with headaches." Lucius walked towards the counter. He was thankfully tall enough to have his head above it.

"I'll prepare everything, but the other one, hmm... Oh! I did receive new shipment of pain relieving herbs. The closest thing to your description is a mixture of Numbing Purity Leaves and Horax Neural Flower." The man responded while putting on clean leather gloves.

"I see. Add that as well." Lucius took a careful loon around the shop. It still fascinated him on how certain plants could grow and evolve differently depending on the environment. A reminder to how humanity reshaped genetic farming and how radiation can cause plants to mutate.

Connor was looking around while two of the butlers couldn't help but smile sadly. There was no one, except for the youngest Devinsworth, that needed actual attention. It was saddening to see how Connor acted compared to Lucius. Sometime they wished Lucius was a bot more carefree and ignorant, however, it was only their whim.

"Young master Lucius, what's a Numbing Purity Leaves and a Horax Neural Flower?" Connor had no knowledge of botany, he wondered if Lucius knew.

"Numbing Purity Leaves are plucked from the Purity Shrubs. Those Shrubs grow on areas with large and condensed concentration of oxygen and cold temperatures, typically found on mountain peaks." Lucius changed his gaze on a leaf inside a jar of water in the display case. It had blue colours with light blue veins. "When consumed directly, that person would die of hypothermia just before loosing the sense of touch and their own movement. It is suggested to pound and crush them, a drop of their essence is enough to numb out pain and even stop poisoning.".

He turned to another jar bot with a flower inside instead of a leaf. It was a magnificent and beautiful. Lucius was reminded of a rose, however, it had a white body with red coloured petals. Red veins were on imprinted on the white body. "Horax Neural Flower, a flower that grows only on fresh brains. It's extremely rare and farming these flowers are illegal due to it's reproductive nature of needing a corpse. It's effects are more than useful. Due to it's nature of growth inside the brain similar to a tumor, it's effect relieve the brain of stress and pain. Nobles are fond of these flowers for it's effects. A single drop from this and the Numbing Purity Leaved should be all that i need." Lucius turned and saw the man taking off his gloves.

The butlers handled the payment and the knights escorting the carriage took care of the crate. Lucius and Connor returned to the carriage, unfortunately for Lucius, Connor was hyperactive on how the other herbal plants worked.

Their next stop was a cafe well known for it pastries. Lucius wanted to try the rumoured 'mini-cake' which from the descriptions he heard, was a cupcake. Connor was enjoying his time looking through the windows and identifying all multiple shops and carts. He had never seen a large number variety between fruit, vegetables, items, livestock, weapons, and jewelry within one area.

While Lucius checked his pocket watch and kept them in their schedule. Often checking glances on Connor making sure to keep himself ready when an attack would breakout. 'Smile as much as you can, you ain't tricking me!'.

*****

Their day became long and tiring. Just as Lucius was wary and tense mentally, Connor was hyper and energetic. They had long become tired way before the sun had set. However, Lucius and Connor did enjoy exploring around the city. It was large and exciting city, Lucius being able to tell and guide Connor around made the butler smile. Lucius finally had a proper friend.

And, of course, their last stop was the delivery center, an institution that was founded by a 'hero' from another world. Lucius, had already connect the dots and figured that the 'hero' was from earth or possibly a different variation of earth. He once searched for answers on his rebirth with the summoning as a his guide but found nothing on rebirth.

The front gates were heavily guarded, they had to go through multiple security checks. It was time consuming given that Lucius only needed to retrieve his package, but then again, his package was of high value. It was a quick in and out.

They were finally returning back home, which alarmed Lucius' intuition. It was going too smoothly. His eyes were glued to Connor thinking that he would attack at any moment.

"Young master Lucius, where is our next stop?" Connor asked with a confused face. He was currently looking through the window.

"The mansion." Lucius said.

"I haven't seen this route before..."

When Lucius checked where they were, he hated himself. He was right, something was happening. They were on the city slums, which are near the outer district of the city rather than the middle. This area are home to most people, and a portion of those people were terrorists. A few people fighting and stealing to create and turn the slums for a better place.

Of course, they were extremists that would use Lucius. He would know, it had already happened twice.

"Stop the carriage!" Lucius ordered. The butlers began to inspect the outside only to find the terrorists surrounding the carriage.

Lucius didn't forgoet the hooded figures with red claw mark symbols on each shoulder. They were slowly walking towards the carriage. Connor and the butlers believed that the knights would protect them, however, Lucius knew they were either replaced or spies inside the Devinsworth Household. It was times like these that he hated being popular.

"The beastclaw, i thought they gave up after the last massacre." Lucius snapped his finger and the fangs knocked out every terrorist within view under five seconds. The last time he had been here was when he was trying out a new bakery just around the corner of where the carriage is, and of course, he was nearly abducted that time.

The fangs were quick and efficient. Lucius had always used the same technique on them since his second abduction. He got out the carriage to inspect the aggressors, but he was suddenly grabbed by one of the fangs and placed a meter away.

*Thud*

A harpoon was shot from the rooftop by multiple 'shadow's. The five elder fangs tried to catch them but they were outnumbered. However, they were also skilled. Five against 12, two of the free shadows rushed straight towards Lucius whist the others fought.

"Run! Young master, we can't hold them off!" An elderly voice spoke. It was one of the hooded figure that rushed back to Lucius and deflected the unforseen strike.