8 "Finding the Runaway Servant-1"

Hearing only the clopping sounds of the horses as they walked the cobblestone, Ivory noticed the big difference between Omegalion City from her hometown. As soon as they entered the arch with the city's rock signage, there were only a few people walking around, from women wearing court dresses with frills and fancy hats to men wearing tailored suits paired with high top hats.

Most people were riding horse-drawn carriages. She also spotted some stables and horse traders in which carriage sets were sold together with the horses, wondering if Lucius had bought his' here. Aside from that, Ivory also saw some bookstores and pocket watch factories, indicating that Omegalion City is a place where the Scholars and Educators might frequently visit.

However, after asking around, it seemed like there was no sign of Sigmund anywhere.

They went off to Alpharion City, which is the favorite place of the merchants. Since it is the central city and is near the Academy, the area was always lively even at night. Different types of people stroll on the wide sidewalk, from commoners to nobles.

Ivory saw the numerous eateries, which had tables and chairs arranged on the sidewalks as if inviting the passersby to dine. The bakeries, jewelry shops, and other interesting stores tempted her, but she did her best not to get swayed and go there.

She continued to ask around while Ebleu was guarding the carriage, and when she conversed with a clothing shop owner, she received a clue of Sigmund's whereabouts.

"Ah, that man..." the owner furrowed his eyebrows as she recalled what happened, "He's the rude man who kept on trying clothes, but it appeared that he didn't have money. He just dirtied my products, and I washed them clean all night!"

"Do you have any idea where he might go? Did he mention anything?"

"Well, after all the ruckus, a red-haired man with a thick beard dragged him out. He paid for his new clothes and told me to throw his old ones."

"Do you still have his old clothes? I would like to see if he's really the one I've been searching for."

The clothing shop owner went to the backdoor and took Sigmund's old clothes from a pile of dirty laundry, "Here you go."

When Ivory saw the tattered and burned war clothes of her Servant, she had confirmed it to be the clothes that he wore when he was summoned.

The owner remembered something and added, "I heard the man told him that they are going to have a good time at Betania City. He was bringing a lute with him, so I think he's a bard."

"I see… We'll look for him there, then-"

"Wait! Most of the taverns and pubs are closed at this time. I suggest that you go there at night… although you need to be extra careful of drunkards."

"I see... Thank you for your help," Ivory waved goodbye to the kind owner and went back to the carriage.

"Where should we go now, Miss Ivory?" asked Ebleu after seeing her carry some dirty clothes.

"Let's go back to Qawiun Academy."

And so, they went back. Educator Alphonse's class had ended, and Ivory was just in time to see him step out of the classroom.

"Miss Ivory Sprucemint," the Educator greeted her as he stroked the head of his cat, "Did you find him?"

"I'm sorry," she said with a sad expression whilst lifting up her Servant's old clothes, "I only got this, but a clothing shop owner saw him and told me that he went with a bard to Betania City… And because the taverns and pubs there are closed at this time, I might have to search for him at nighttime."

Educator Alphonse glanced at what she showed and nodded at her explanation. Still seeing droplets of sweat on her forehead, he was convinced that the student had worked hard to find her lost Servant.

"Don't worry, I marked you present at the attendance today for your efforts. You did well," he said with a smile. "I'll explain your situation to Educator Rosanna."

"Thank you so much, Educator Alphonse!" Ivory bowed to him, expressing her gratitude before he left. As Ivory returned to her assigned seat, the murmurs of her classmates loudened as they talked about her again.

"As expected, she didn't find her Servant."

"Of course, what do you expect? Why did she even return?"

"What a loser…"

"She's an eyesore. I wish she would return to her small town right away."

Ivory sat on her seat which was beside the open window. The touch of the gentle cold breeze made her forget how exhausted she was. She closed her eyes and listened to the rustling sound of the trees and the chirping of birds as if they were creating music -- hearing such beautiful sounds from nature was better than hearing the nonsense talks of her annoying classmates.

"Ivory, have you brought your lunch?" Lucius asked her, and Ivory shook her head. "Why? Do you prefer dining at the academy's eatery? I'll go with you."

"Lucius, I really can't thank you enough for your kindness... and for pitying me..." a long sigh was heard from her.

Lucius stared at her for a while, thinking of what he would say next and being careful not to offend her. It's in his nature to help, but it was also true that he pitied his classmate. Ever since they met, it seems that bad luck became her twin, from being late in the opening ceremony to the rejection of her Servant.

"It's okay, Lucius. You don't have to be too kind to me because of pity. I know your father's the General here in the Land of Olivea, but it doesn't mean that you should help me too much… I'm afraid that I might get used to it."

He sighed, seeing her smile at him weakly. Ivory was not yet in her best condition which was evident in her pale lips, but she struggled to go to the Academy and also look for her Servant the whole morning. She shouldn't be there; she should have rested at home to generate her lost mana.

"Ivory, don't worry about anything. I'm offering you my help because even though we have only met for a short while, I feel at ease when I'm with you. I already consider you as a friend."

Ivory couldn't help but shed tears. Out of all the negative things that she was hearing from the people around her, a warm statement from Lucius made her feel better. She could hear the envious girls bad-mouthing her from across the room, and they always glared at her for always being with him. But at the end of the day, they were all irrelevant, and what mattered most was that she found someone to trust and rely on.