NEW ENCOUNTERS

"Who are you?"

A manly voice trailed off Evandros from his thoughts. He slowly turned his head to the left side and saw a middle-aged man or maybe around his father's age, inclining against the outside pillar of the manor.

He fully turned towards the man, observing him from head to toe. He looked like a normal villager but didn't have a commoner's face. His skin was tan and he was handsome. Evandros remained silent. The man narrowed his eyes at the young man when he heard no response from him.

"I asked you something, young man?" The man said and stood up straight, unhurriedly strolling towards Evandros and pausing when only an arm difference was left between them.

"I'm someone related to this extinct family." Evandros declared and the man halted. His pupils enlarged and he abruptly stepped back, eyeing Evandros very keenly from head to toe.

"Y-You...you are Jasmine's son?" The man asked, making Evan shocked. How did he know, was he someone who knows his mother? The man seemed incredibly shaken for some reason.

"You are...Evandros Linya." The man uttered in sheer shock, taking Evandros by surprise. Evan was taken aback. How did this man know about him without even asking anything?

Who was he?

"Can...y-you show me your face? I-I want to see you." The man said, almost sounding frantic. Evandros slightly scowled but took off his mask anyway since the man already knew him and didn't seem to be terrified by his presence.

As if even the wind was desperate to see his face, it came surging in full force shaking the lamps as well as swaying his mask away. Making his exceedingly handsome face come into one's sight.

He noticed the man...it was as if he almost stopped respiring. Evandros knew he got looks but he didn't think an old man would react like this after seeing him. Perhaps, something was truly up here.

This man can be someone who knows something since he easily dug Evan's true identity in a matter of seconds, not even trying.

"You...look so much like that wicked scoundrel but somehow I see her in you as well." The man muttered and stared at Evandros with misty eyes.

"Took you long enough to come here. I thought you would never come." The man said, his adam's apple bobbing up and down, implying that he was controlling his sentiments.

"Who are you?" Evandros finally asked.

"I..." The man sadly chuckled.

"You will know...I have no answer to your inquiries but there is someone who will answer you. That person is waiting for you forever. If you have taken more time, you might have never found that person again." The man said and took out his pouch, shuffling through it, he took out a black ring from it.

Forwarding it towards Evandros.

He reluctantly took the ring, examining it.

"I will inform that person that you are coming. Go to Mount Honor, east side. That town is similar to this one. There is a certain house for orphaned and old people. The head of that house is a woman and that woman is your...aunt."

*******

Next day*

****MOUNT HONOR, EAST SIDE****

Evandros paused in front of the massive entrance of the town. For some reason, he was extremely anxious. His aunt was alive and these people were desperately waiting so long for him. Why didn't they approach him instead of waiting? Just who is that man? Fuck! What did he miss out on? He gulped, fixed his cloak, fixed his mask properly, and then strolled inside the town.

On the other hand, a group of birds moved into the town along with him through the gate, scattering in the sky.

Evan strolled through the market and looked around for the house. He found many tea houses, tailor shops, and small eating restaurants. Along with that many painters sat outside certain shops, sketching people. Fortune tellers sitting under the clear sky, checking people's palms and telling them about their fate, kids running here and there with candies and toys in their hands.

Evandros' gaze falls on a certain corner of the market. No one was around that stall, the owner sat on a chair, writing something on a book. There was a template hanging in front of the stall with soaps and perfumes written on it.

Soaps and perfumes?

Evandros bit his lower lip. He was meeting his aunt for the first time, and it wasn't like he was meeting her in any bad circumstance that he should be so straightforward.

He should buy something for her. Ladies like perfumes.

He followed his unconscious thought.

He slowly ambled towards that stall, pausing in front of the goods placed on the stall. He looked around, before looking at the owner of the shop. He didn't seem to notice his existence or maybe he was wearing a bamboo hat that's why he can't see him.

Nevertheless, he looked back at the soap and perfumes. What confused him was that some of the perfumes were placed in the soap category while some of the soap was placed in the perfumes category. A little messed up the presentation was, he thought, and grabbed one of the perfume bottles.

He brought the fragrance near his nose and inhaled its scent. His lips parted and pupils dilated once he sniffed the odor. What an amazing scent. How come no one is buying? He grabbed another bottle of perfume and sniffed it as well. Its odor was good but the one he held before had an amazing scent. He decided to buy the first one.

He put the perfume on the table and spoke.

"I will buy this." He said, in a low voice. The owner slowly stood up and bowed to him. He grabbed the bottle and packed it up for him, handing him the package. Evandros decided to pay double.

He put the money on the stall and the owner bowed at him, grabbing the money and putting it in his pouch. Evan arched a brow at the owner. It explains why he doesn't have many customers. His rude behavior of not looking and thanking someone for paying extra must be famous in the town.

Anyways, the perfume was promising.

He pivoted and strolled away, after questioning a few people he finally stood in front of his destination. It was a manor with a young man standing outside. He didn't look like he was patrolling the manor. Must be temporarily standing.

The boy seemed to notice him as he quickly sprinted toward Evandros. "Are you the nephew?" The boy asked, looking up at Evandros. Oh! So he was already waiting for him. Evandros silently nodded.

"Follow me, Big Brother." He said and turned around. He knocked on the door and someone from inside opened it. Evan followed behind him and when he entered he saw two young girls clinging to the door.

They respectfully bowed at Evandros and closed the door behind them. Evan looked around and saw the children playing around in the garden with some old people sitting under the veranda of the mansion. He followed the boy while looking around. The atmosphere here was so joyful. These people looked like a family together. This was probably the first time he was visiting such a place.

His heart skipped a beat when he realized he might have slaughtered some of their parents or kids for them to end up here. Sweat rolled down from his forehead and he licked his dried lips, gulping soon after.

His pace became slow as he felt his footsteps getting heavier but he still followed the boy inside the manor. The boy paused in front of a room and knocked on it.

"Grandma, your nephew is here." The young boy said and turned towards Evan. "You can go inside, big brother." The boy said and with that, he stepped aside. Some kids and old people were watching him.

He swallowed thickly and slid the door open, stepping inside.