Wels Town

While travelling, Ashley and Mary were chatting while gazing at the beautiful scenery they passed until they saw the town in the distance.

"Ashley, Look! Look! It's the Wels town." Mary exclaimed, pointing outside the window.

Wels was a prosperous town known for its bountiful harvest, exquisite cooking and hospitable people. The Wels town itself looked luxurious. With its copper rooftops, cypress wood walls and fields of farmland, Wels has a fascinating atmosphere.

"Wow!" Ashley gasped to see a town after all these years. Upon arriving, Ashley and Mary chose to walk instead of using the carriage to explore while Grandpa Elon rested in the carriage station.

"It's so amazing, right? They said it is a bigger town than the next one." Mary explained.

There are two towns on the east side from the Count's Mansion to the Capital: Wels town and Leve Town, while Port town was the only town on the west side. But Ashley felt sad again, knowing she couldn't go to the Port town she had wished for.

Mary noticed it, so she cheered her up. "Hey! It's a festival here, not a mourning ceremony. Let's enjoy this day, shall we?!" then gave her a big grin.

Upon hearing Mary's words, Ashley's mood improved. "You are right. It's been so long since I have experienced this kind of event. Let's go!"

"Oh! By the way, open your palm." Ashley tilted her head so Mary lifted her hands and put a purse on it. "Mr Carl handed this to me. It's your allowance for today."

Ashley looked at the purse in her hand, and when she opened it, gold coins sparkled inside. "Gold?!" She exclaimed.

"Yes! And I have my share too. See?" She showed her a small pouch that contained gold coins too. "Same as these two." She pointed the two knights with them.

"So let's have fun with these!" Then, Mary grabbed Ashley's arms and walked happily. They strolled around the town's streets and the busy, noisy marketplace. They saw many stalls with different goods such as vegetables, fruits and other ingredients needed for cooking. There were stalls, too, selling food you could eat while walking. There were also stalls selling accessories, flowers, and more things.

As they walked through the town, Ashley could feel the gaze of people. 'Do they know me? Or Mary?' Ashley mumbled to herself.

"Ash! Do you remember the bread I brought you after going to the town? It was this store that was making it." Mary pointed to the store in front of her.

"Um, Mary…I could feel people staring at us." Ashley tugged Mary's sleeves. Mary looked around them and noticed it too.

"Now that you mention it. People are staring at us. But why?" She followed their stares and saw the two handsome knights behind them stand out.

"Well, don't mind them. Let's go inside and buy food." When they entered the bakery, Mary faced the two knights with a scary smile. "No need to follow us inside. Just stay here outside."

The two knights looked at each other when Mary slammed the store's door, leaving them outside.

The inside of the store smelled sweet and tasty scents. A tall man with big arms and a body came out from the kitchen with a tray of freshly baked bread. "Welcome-Oh! Look who's here?!"

"Good Day, Thomas!" Mary greeted him. "I'll have the usual, please."

"Hmmm… Smells sweet." Ashley walked towards Thomas while her eyes closed, which made the man laugh.

"And who is this lady with you? I've never seen you here before together with Mary."

"Ah! S-she is my friend. She is just visiting here, so that was why you never saw her. Yes, that's it. Hahaha."

"Is that so? Then as a welcome gift, I'll make you try this new creation of mine." Thomas handed her a round bread from the tray he carried out. It had a darker colour that looked like a burned one.

"Hey, Thomas! This bread got burned." Mary complained, but Thomas just laughed. "No, it's not! Here is yours, Mary. Just try it and tell me what you think."

The round bread is black, but it's softer than regular bread. Mary and Ashley both took a bite of the black bread.

"So good!" They both exclaimed.

"Is that so?! I'm glad to hear that!" Thomas loudly laughed.

"What is this? When did you make something good like this?!" Mary asked.

Ashley nodded, "Mister Thomas! Your bread that Mary usually brings me is so tasty, but this is my first time tasting like this."

The man blushed so much because of the praise when an older man came out from the kitchen. "Don't praise him too much, Mary. It will get on his head."

White-haired, with wrinkles and stubble on his face, he may look old, but he still had a toned body like Thomas's. The only thing that caught Ashley's eye was the scar from his forehead to his eye. On his hand is a tray of newly baked bread too.

"Uncle Franklin!" Mary called out upon seeing him. "Don't worry. Your bread tasted better than his."

"Shut up, old man! And Mary, didn't you say it was good just a moment ago!" Thomas complained.

Ashley was still staring at Franklin's face, which made him notice her gaze.

"I know I still have my charm, but I'm sorry. I already have my wife, and I love her so much."

That awakened Ashley from her trance. She realized what she had done, so she apologized. "I-I'm sorry. I was only thinking about your…' scar'." She couldn't bring it to say the last word.

The old guy seemed to understand what she was trying to say, so he laughed. "I thought you were looking at me because of my charm." Then he laughed again.

"You're too old now, old man. You are not handsome anymore." Thomas disagreed with him.

He stopped laughing and then smirked at Thomas. "At least I had a lovely wife when I was your age. What about you, cheeky bastard?!"

Thomas couldn't answer. He only looked away and pouted. Ashley and Mary watched the two men argue while finishing their bread. Then Franklin noticed Ashley silently eating her bread while still looking at him.

"Are you bothered with my scar, young lady?"

Mary explained to him. "Uncle! Please forgive my friend here. She was just concerned whenever someone was hurt."

"Is that so? Don't worry. This scar was from a long time ago when I was still a knight. They said I was a fool for choosing death instead of running. But if I were to return to that time, I would still choose to do it." He smiled with satisfaction while he touched his scar. "This scar always reminded me how brave I am when I chose to fight instead of running. It was my pride and honour. And because of this scar, I met this brat's mother. So I must say, it was also a blessing in disguise." Then he laughed again.

Ashley was in awe as she listened to Franklin's story. She could feel that anytime her eyes would water. Mary looked at her, smiled, and patted her shoulder.

"T-that… You are awesome, Mister Franklin. Thank you for telling me your story." Ashley thanked him with a smile.

"No worries. And I'm half boasting about it, so it's fine." Franklin said while Thomas imitated him. Franklin grabbed Thomas by the neck and tried to strangle him. The two ladies laughed at the sight of the father and son. Then they talked again about the bread that Thomas made. After they finished paying for the bread they bought, Mary asked Franklin a favour. "Can we exit through your backdoor?"

"The backdoor? Sure, but why?" Franklin asked.

"Just a shortcut to the marketplace." Mary smiled.

As they exited the store, Ashley asked, "What about Sir Carl and Sir Gil?"

"Shhh…They are drawing attention, so let's leave them there for a while."

"Come back again!" Franklin said beside Thomas to the ladies.

"We will!" Mary and Ashley waved as they walked away.

Franklin looked at his son and jabbed him in his side. "You silly, boy. Confessed already, or you might regret it."

Thomas's face became so red that he looked like a tomato. "W-what are you talking about, you old man?!" While his old man laughed.

Meanwhile, Ashley and Mary strolled through town. They looked in the different shops and stalls. Then they saw one stall in the middle of town. It was selling trinkets and various kinds of accessories.

"Ah! Look at this, Ashley! This wristlet's design has the same colour as your hair." Mary exclaimed as she pointed to one of the wristlets.

"And this one has the same as your eyes." Ashley pointed to the wristlets next to it.

"Let's buy this for each other as a sign of our friendship." Ashley nodded to Mary's idea and bought the two wristlets.

"It's not rare for friends to buy accessories for each other. What is rare is the choices they made as they chose for it. May your friendship last forever." The old lady smiled at both of them as they bought it. When Ashley handed the payment, the old lady suddenly grabbed her hand.

"What are you doing, old lady?" Mary asked her as Ashley struggled.

The old lady was so fixated on Ashley's hand when she stated. "Happiness will be impossible. You were already on the death's door the day you were born." She looked at Ashley with bulging eyes that made Ashley tremble more, and then she continued. "Danger and suffering will always come after you."

At last, Ashley got her hand back. Mary hugged Ashley before hiding her behind. Then she faced the old lady. "What is wrong with you, old lady? Are you crazy?"

"Her fate has already been set. It all showed in her hand."

It seemed like they got the attention of the people nearby, so Mary chose to leave with Ashley, who was still silent.

"You will just bring them nothing but trouble." The old lady shouted as hard as she could.

"Another reading of the old woman. She's crazy." Said one man in the crowd.

"Blubbering nonsense again." A woman replied.

"That poor woman. She must have been terrified." Another woman said.

They walked away from the crowd and the old lady's stall. The noise eventually settled down. They ended up on the main street, often used by travelling carriages.

Mary faced Ashley, who had been silent after they walked away. "Are you alright, Ash? Where does it hurt?"

"I'm not-" She mumbled.

"Goodness! What's the deal with that old lady? Maybe she was crazy like the people have said." She looked at Ashley again. "I'm sorry. If we didn't leave Sir Carl and Gil, you wouldn't have to experience that."

Ashley remained silent.

Mary thought that Ashley was terrified to speak, so she assured her.

"Don't worry. We won't meet that old lady again."

"What if…it is true?" Ashley mumbled again.

"True? The old lady's words? No, she was only prattling non-"

"No! They were all true. And you have to leave me. Get away from me. I will bring you misery. I will only bring you harm." Ashley slapped Mary's hand and ran towards the road where a carriage was coming.

"Ashley!" Mary shouted.

'Ah! The old lady was right. The danger is always with me. Mary, sorry for slapping your hands.'

Ashley closed her eyes, ready to accept her fate.