Chapter 56

Mari and Lennix looked around in wonder as they walked through a bustling part of Treasurehold. Apart from elves, practically every other race was represented here, going about their business. Hawkers had their wares on full display, and the buildings exuded an air of wealth. The citizens of Treasurehold looked well-off; while not everyone wore expensive clothing or jewelry, none of them appeared impoverished either. The city also had a modern feel to it, though not on the scale of Ironhelm. There were no automatons doing work or assisting people, but there were vehicles, parking spots, lampposts, and other signs of modernization.

"Oh, oh, Uncle Lennix, can we have that?" Mari asked excitedly, pointing at a colorful stall where a mother and father were buying a treat for their child before strolling away.

"Of course we can, Mari! Let's go!" Lennix replied, matching Mari's excitement as they made their way to the stall.

As they approached the stall, a chilly breeze greeted them. "Ah, more customers! This is a brand new record for me!" exclaimed the man behind the stall, pumping his fist in excitement. While Mari looked up at the man with amazement in her eyes, Lennix couldn't help but feel weirded out by his appearance. The man had multi-colored hair that was a mix of pink, green, and pastel blue. His clothing was equally peculiar; instead of the usual muted colors associated with suits, he wore a bright yellow suit that stood out in the crowd. Lennix shook his head, putting the man's odd appearance aside for the moment as he examined what was being sold.

"Are those sticks?" Lennix muttered, observing the small, flat sticks that were only about four inches long.

"Yes, sir, those are indeed sticks," replied the man behind the counter with a smile.

"Eh, but that's not what you gave the people earlier?" Mari said, scratching her head. She had to stand on her toes to properly look at the sticks.

"Well, actually, half of what I sold them were these sticks. The other half is something I have to make," the man said, putting a hand to his chest.

"You make? How do you make whatever that pink thing was?" asked Lennix, intrigued. The man smirked and picked up one of the sticks before bringing his other hand to the tip, slowly gliding down the stick (The author originally wrote shaft; be glad that I edit stuff like that out). Lennix's eyes widened slightly as ice formed on the stick. The man then brought the newly formed icy stick under the stall, and Lennix heard a wet plop. When the man brought the icy stick back up, it was now pink in color and emitted a sweet fragrance.

"Tada! This is my own invention! I call it Sweet Ice Stick!" the man exclaimed, while Mari looked at it with excitement. Lennix couldn't help but think, *Seriously? There wasn't a better name for it?* (I agree)

The man then presented the sweet ice stick to Mari. "This is yours!" he said cheerfully, handing it to her. Mari's face lit up with a grateful smile as she accepted it. "Thank you!" she exclaimed with excitement. Gripping the stick at its base, she licked the sweet ice and let out a delighted squeal as its flavor burst on her tongue. "So tasty!" she exclaimed, savoring every lick.

Lennix couldn't help but smile at Mari's happiness. He then reached into his suit to give the man his pay. "So, how much is that?" Lennix asked.

The man smiled and asked, "Do you not want one, sir?" Lennix shook his head. "Nah, just for her," he said. It's not like he could really eat it anyway. While he could taste it, he would most likely vomit it out later as his vampiric stomach wouldn't agree with such sweets.

The man held up his hand towards Lennix's face. "Do not worry about pay. I always give children a free sweet ice stick," he said. Lennix wasn't going to argue. If he could get something for free, then by goddess, he was going to take it.

"Thanks, man," Lennix expressed his gratitude as he held onto Mari's hand. "No need for thanks. Also, my name is Dahvender," the man behind the stall introduced himself, waving as they walked away. Lennix and Mari reciprocated the wave, pondering their next destination.

"I wonder if there's a park around here somewhere?" Lennix mused aloud, prompting Mari's curiosity. "Oh, a park in a city like this has to be really pretty, right?" she chimed in with enthusiasm. Lennix nodded in agreement, saying, "That's why I want us to go to one, Mari."

Deciding to seek directions, Lennix retraced his steps back to Dahvender. "Hey, man, can you tell me where the nearest park is?" he inquired. Dahvender pointed down a road and provided guidance. "Walk up that road for about ten-ish minutes, and you'll get there," he instructed. Lennix thanked him once more before he and Mari set off on their way to explore the park.

As Lennix and Mari made their way to the park, walking on the sidewalk with Mari finishing her sweet ice stick, Lennix reminded her, "If you're finished, you should throw away that stick, Mari." Mari shook her head, holding onto the stick firmly. "I can't litter, Uncle Lennix. I'll throw it away when we find a garbage can," she replied earnestly. Lennix shrugged as he usually just throws trash wherever. (God, can this be any more of a himbo?)

Suddenly, both of them heard the sound of hooves clopping on stone. They, along with many other citizens, turned around to see a group of five people on horses riding through the road. The group consisted of two women and three men. One of the women was a demi-human, as were two of the men. They all wore some sort of armor or practical clothing suited to combat, along with badges on their clothing.

"Who are they?" asked Mari with curiosity. "They're adventurers," Lennix answered, examining them closely. He had encountered many adventurers in his long unlife, and even fought some, being the battle-hungry maniac that he was. *They don't look that high-ranked,* he thought to himself. While they had relatively strong-looking gear, by Lennix's estimate, they still didn't seem very experienced. *Most likely been at it for a couple of months,* he concluded.

Then, he noticed one of the people in the group, a demi-human lizardman who appeared to be the leader, staring right at him.

*Why is he looking at me?* Lennix thought to himself, slightly concerned, as the lizardman's gaze bore into him. Suddenly, without warning, the lizardman leaped from his horse, causing it to let out a surprised neigh. The lizardman landed right in front of Lennix, shocking not only Lennix but also everyone in the vicinity, including the lizardman's own party members.

"Your a vam-" the lizardman's words were cut off mid-sentence as Lennix, out of pure instinct, punched him in the face, sending him flying across the road. He landed with a thud on the opposite sidewalk. Lennix, realizing what he had done, could only mutter one thing, "Oh bugger."