05: The Future?

After leaving the wall it was possible to see that there were few caravans in the area, but many people helping to organize the area, they placed wooden poles with lanterns.

"Good morning Balk, how is the organization of the area?"

The man leading the other organizers turned when he heard Secilia's voice and cracked a smile when he saw her, the man was bald with a long black beard that hid his neck.

"Hello Secilia! What are you doing here today?"

The man now noticed the girls behind her and then waved at them with a smile on his face.

"They came to check how the montage was going, right? Don't worry, everything is going well, we received one of Paratia's recent inventions, lanterns powered by magic."

Secilia just smiled without having time to answer, since the man answered by himself and was already starting to explain everything, so the girl preferred to walk to one of the lamps, when she extended her hand, it lit up immediately.

"Oh, that's brighter than Cyclops's internal fire."

The man looked at the lamp with a smile on his face.

"Well, well, it seems that our lady also has some magical affinity, to use this one needs one of these."

He took from his pocket a ring with a small white stone and pointed it at another lamp making the same go out.

"This ring allows those with low mana to activate these types of objects, the artificers called this new invention…"

The man stopped to remember the name used by them, but before he could continue he heard the answer coming from someone behind him.

"Hex-opfindelse, or just Hexop."

Behind the man was a girl unknown to Secilia and the group, she had long blonde hair and vivid purple eyes, wore a white overcoat with a black shirt and pants.

"This is Ayla, one of the craftsmen of Paratia, she who brought the lamps for demonstration and as far as I know she also brought other devices that are being developed."

The woman walked up to Secilia and extended her hand to the girl with a wide smile on her face.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Laffrey, I see you have some magical gifts, wouldn't you like to join the academy?" Maybe learn to use magic!"

The woman spoke excitedly, almost throwing herself on the young woman who backed away slightly, but she kept the smile on her face and answered the girl

"I'm sorry, I have obligations as a Laffrey...

Rosaria, who was behind, made a sound in her throat as if she was coughing, causing Ayla to back off.

"What do you think about taking a look at the things we've brought?"

Secilia heard the proposal getting excited, but she soon changed her expression, becoming more erect and would be for a moment

"I'd love to, but I have to finish the survey and then return home, maybe during the festival."

Ayla sighed in agreement.

Soon after that, the group continued walking further towards some of the caravans that were already being organized.

It was possible to see a caravan with traditional clothes from the five islands, there was a man sitting at a table dressed in a white hanfu with purple corners and gray cloud designs on the lower edge of the clothing, in front of him was a woman in a red kimono with purple lines and faint designs of orange flames splattered across it. When passing close to them, the couple looked at the girl and nodded, returning to what they were doing.

Further ahead were two dwarves arranging an area with various objects for a mobile workshop including a different equipment that resembled a forge, Secilia smiled at the thought that this would probably be one of the new tools of the artisans.

After walking through a few more regional caravans and from other kingdoms, Secilia's group reached the end, the girl stopped, sighing.

"It looks like everything is almost ready, there's nothing to help here."

The girl said turning to her companions, Alina looked tired and Rosaria stood firm and with a serene expression.

"Let's go back, my parents must already be waiting for me."

The girl took a step forward when she felt something grab the hem of her dress and before turning around she heard a lady's voice

"My dear, can you help me take my things apart? My son got sick and can't help me…"

The girl instinctively turned around with a smile and responded with an immediate affirmation. Alina noticed a change in Rosaria's expression, which was now more serious and attentive to the lady.

After a few minutes the girls had already set up a small tent with a game table, Alina went to some sealed wooden boxes but the lady stopped her holding her hand which caught Rosaria's attention making her put her right hand on the side of your maid outfit.

"You don't need to dismantle this, young lady, they are only rewards for the winners, it would spoil the surprise, don't you think?"

Alina backed away a little scared for not noticing the lady, but she agreed with a little fear and after the woman released her hand the girl approached Rosaria.

"We're leaving now."

Said Rosaria seriously, lowering her hand again, Secilia was next to the small wagon and seeing that Rosaria was clearly suspicious she joined her maid, made a small bow towards the woman as a sign of farewell and without saying anything turned around. to leave with their companions

"Oh, before you go, accept this as a thank you."

The girls turned to look and noticed a small box in the woman's hand, Rosaria on impulse walked towards it, taking it and opening it in front of the woman.

For Secilia that was unnecessary, but she also trusted Rosaria's instincts so she didn't say anything, she just watched the woman look at the contents of the box for a moment and then close it, she turned her back to the lady and joined the group delivering the box to Secilia

"Good night, ma'am."

He said goodbye to the woman before taking the lead on the walk, which made the girls look at each other strangely, which made them respond in the same way to the gentleman who just smiled waving his hand as they followed the maid without even looking at the cashier.

There was silence in Duke Laffrey's office, on his desk were several letters and parchments with requests, from exporting wines to participating in events and for the kronblade of the following year, but what left the room silent was a parchment with the seal of Valandor, he informed them that the King and Prince had participated in the kronblade and that they would be in the city in time for the pilgrimage.

Standing in front of the table was Helena with a heavy expression.

"Why did he have to come so soon this year…?"

Questions Helena stands with an anguished face and with her right hand on her chin.

"He is directly related to this Helena, it was inevitable that there would be a repercussion, maybe we should tell Secilia so…"

Before Andino Laffrey could finish his sentence, the office door creaked with the opening making both their eyes turn to the door where Secilia appeared.

"Sorry to disturb…"

Secilia said, a little uncomfortable for intruding on their conversation, her father took a deep breath for a moment and indicated for her to continue, her mother making room for the Duke to clearly see her daughter.

"May I see the records of the caravans that have joined? I want to pass on the information."

Helena had a smile on her face when she heard her request, while her father had a clear expression of surprise.

" Can I Know the reason?"

Secilia lifted her face looking at her father who was with both elbows on the table making an arch with his hands that covered her face.

"I want to check the organization of the caravans and their places of origin."

The duke watched Secilia's expression and sighed, then he called with a snap of his fingers for his personal butler who was standing in the corner by the door.

"Corvan, take these documents to my daughter's room and make her and me a coffee with Besua beans."

He responded by putting away the parchment with royal seal and taking a sealed letter from the pile beside it, Secilia bowed and left the place with Corvan close behind carrying the books and closing the door on her way out.

"We shouldn't tell her yet, let's wait until after the Ceremony, during the tournament winner's speech."

The Duke stood up and walked to the window behind him, looking through it, having a view of part of the great mountain rest of the hero, being silent for a while.

"Alright, let's wait…"

Helena nodded in agreement and left the office leaving the Duke alone watching the night sky.

After arriving in her room, Secilia would sit in front of her desk and Corvan would place the requisition letters on the counter and leave, leaning against the door.

After he left, Secilia took the box out of her pocket and placed it on the table, calmly analyzing it. A carved wooden box with vines intertwined throughout the box and on the top a tree symbol.

Secilia opened the box and inside it was a necklace with a serpentine sword made of emerald, the girl smiled analyzing it, the rope was tied around the emerald preventing it from falling, but the laces gave the impression of simulating vines as in the Cashier.

The girl placed the string inside the box and left it open on the corner of the table while looking through the cards for two in particular: A lady with her son and the craftsmen

After some time she finally found both, the lady's was written on papyrus and the artifices' on 4 separate pages describing the request to take the equipment, the girl preferred not to read it so as not to spoil the surprise, so she decided to read the da lady where she described that it was just a card game stall and that she had come with her son, nothing out of the ordinary, except that Secilia noticed a detail in the "utforske" games, the girl had already seen it in an old children's book.

A game of wishes, a bet on the way to your dream.