old friend

"Hey, what's going on...?" I said as I opened the way to see the thief.

Elerona also looked at the crowd with the same curiosity I felt.

People around started explaining the situation to us.

"He has been wreaking havoc on the market for the past few days!" said one of the traders, pointing to a small child standing in the middle of the crowd.

"We are fed up with her actions. Something has to be done!" shouted a woman who seemed to be one of the victims of the child stealing action.

The people around looked angry and frustrated because the little girl's actions had disrupted their lives at the market.

The two of us watched as the little girl lay limp on the ground, apparently dragged down by pressure and fear.

Elerona looked at him with an expression mixed between disappointment and pity.

[Kratia, try to find out whether she has potential power or not]

That voice, appeared again… gods.

I nodded, "Residents... please don't use violence, I'll take care of it," I grabbed the child's hand and took her away.

Elerona followed me behind, with a smile.

I took the child to a secluded corridor in the market, where we could talk without interruption from the angry crowd. Carefully, I sat near her, trying to create a comfortable atmosphere.

"Listen, what's your name?" I asked gently, trying to approach him without making him feel threatened.

The little girl looked at me with eyes full of fear, but she didn't answer. Her face looked exhausted and hungry, hinting that perhaps she had been in a difficult situation for a long time.

 "Hey, you still remember me?" said Elerona immediately.

Elerona walked and approached the little girl, the little girl was surprised because she didn't know Elerona.

"Are you the daughter of, Regina?"

Instantly the child was shocked, "H-How do you know my mother...?"

Elerona… do you really know this child…?

I looked at the two of them who were trying to communicate.

Elerona nodded with a smile, "I know your mother, how is she?"

"…" the little boy fell silent.

I'm sure that with the little boy not answering, something must have happened to Regina.

"What is it?" Elerona asked while stroking the little girl shoulder.

"Mother... she is sick, her whole body has turned white, even her hair has turned white," said the little girl in a sad tone.

Elerona placed her hand on the little boy's shoulder. "You don't need to worry, I am Regina's close friend, I will help," he said softly.

"Princess… how does princess know mother?" asked the little girl, her face still filled with worry.

Elerona looked down at the sky for a moment, trying to remember her past. "Ah! Your mother was the first person who wasn't afraid to talk to me."

I looked at Elerona in awe as she talked to the child. Elerona is so popular, even as a princess. I was curious, did Elerona's biological father also have the same characteristics as this?

"How? Can you take me to your mother?" Elerona asked with a sweet smile.

The little girl raised her head and looked at Elerona who was smiling, then she nodded, "Eh? Of course," answered the little girl, looking relieved to get Elerona's offer.

 The three of us then walked together, following the little girl towards her house. We walked out of the narrow alley, leaving the crowds of the market behind us. The evening light began to fade, giving the sky a warm orange color towards evening. On the busy main road, the steps of Elerona and the little child seemed to be the center of attention, inviting looks of surprise and amazement from passing market visitors.

"Look, that kid is with the princess. Is there any problem?" said a resident.

` "Yes, I heard she stole on market again she will definitely be sentenced to death," added another resident.

The little girl lowered her head in shame, but Elerona gently patted his shoulder for support.

They stepped towards a direction that was a little darker and shabbier than the surrounding area. The buildings they passed were increasingly simple, with cracked walls and fragile windows. The street lights started to come on, providing some bright light around them, but there were still dark corners that inspired fear.

Elerona looked strong even though she was in a different environment from her luxurious castle. His gaze was full of empathy and concern for the little boy, who continued to lead them through narrow alleys filled with the various smells and sounds of the city.

"Hey, Kratia..." called Elerona immediately

"What's wrong, Elerona?"

"In your opinion, if I become queen... will I be able to make my own people prosperous?" he asked

Queen…?

I tilted my head in confusion, "Are you going to lead this kingdom?"

Elerona nodded, "Hopefully..."

 The little girl directed us to a house located at the end of the alley. Even though the house looks shabby, it is still well maintained and habitable. This was the house where the little girl was, the place where Regina lived.

"That's… my house, sorry if it's ugly…." he said embarrassedly

We stopped in front of the door, and silence enveloped us. Elerona looked at the house with a mixed expression of concern and curiosity. He must be thinking about the condition of Regina, the mother of the small child in front of us.

The little girl opened the door of the house and invited us in. We walked down a narrow, dark hallway to a simple living room. There, Regina, the little boy's mother, sat limply on a wooden chair.

Huh!? But… wait, what is she?

I stared in disbelief at this woman, her skin was white like canvas, her hair was very white, not only her hair but her eyelashes too and her eyes were white.

"Regina!?" Elerona shouted

"Kiddo!?" Regina shouted, surprised to see Elerona

There was silence for a moment, the atmosphere in the room felt tense. I felt confusion and worry pass between us. What really happened to Regina? Why does his appearance look so strange?

Elerona moved closer to Regina with mixed feelings on her face. "Regina, what happened to you? Why do you look like this?"

Regina looked at Elerona with eyes still full of astonishment. "Little brat- I mean Elerona... Princess... what are you doing here?" Her voice trembled, reflecting the same confusion that was visible on her face.

The little girl, who had disappeared from our attention for a moment, was standing in the doorway with a worried look. "Mother, this is Princess Elerona. He came to help you," he said quietly, trying to calm the anxiety radiating from the situation.

Regina looked at the little boy, then back at Elerona. "Princess Elerona, what are you doing here? This is not a safe place for you." His voice was filled with a mixture of confusion and worry.

"Come on! Sis Regina, if I need help you will definitely come! Correct!?" she shouted happily and excitedly, happy to meet her old friend, Regina.

 Regina was silent for a moment, her eyes searching for the truth behind Elerona's words. She still looked confused, but little by little her worried expression began to fade.

"Princess, I don't know what to say, I don't want you to get involved in my problems," said Regina in a voice full of regret.

Elerona smiled gently. "Sis Regina, we are friends. I will always be there for you, just like you did for me in the past."

The little girl, who had been silent before, nodded in agreement. "Mother, I believe in Princess Elerona. He will help us."

"Correct! Elerona will help you!" Elerona pointed at herself arrogantly, but her expression turned anxious when she heard Regina's explanation. "What's going on? Why are you suddenly all white?"

"This, I don't know but the doctor said this is Vitiligo, my whole skin has turned white." Regina explained in a sad tone, wrapping her arms around her body anxiously, as if seeking protection from the astonished gazes.

Elerona looked at Regina empathetically. "Sister Regina, I will help you find the right treatment. We will get through this together."

"But the doctor said there is no cure for now," added Regina in a voice full of despair.

Elerona fell silent, moved by the despair radiating from Regina's words.

"By the way, that guy..." Regina looked at me

Elerona looked back to look at me, "Ah, he is my Butler."

I nodded to greet her; Regina answered my greeting by nodding back.

The little girl, who was previously silent, now smiled gently. "Princess Elerona, can you have dinner together?" Invite him with hope.

Elerona smiled gently, "Of course, we can have dinner together. Thank you for the invitation."

 Regina, despite looking hesitant, finally nodded gently. "Sure, that would be fun."

"No need to worry, Regina! I'll go buy the food for you. I will make sure you guys eat delicious food today!"

Then, Elerona looked at my face, "Kratia! Help me buy delicious food at the market!"

I nodded, "Okay."

"Let's go!" Elerona ran to the door and stepped out.

I followed her steps from behind, down the streets filled with rundown houses. We passed through narrow alleys filled with the sounds of the market and fast footsteps. The atmosphere in the market is increasingly lively with the aroma of spices and tempting food. I tried to stay close to Elerona, following her brisk steps while looking for delicious food for tonight.

"It's almost evening but the market is still busy?" I asked, surprised by the activity that was still going on.

"Yes, because there will be a shift change between the morning and evening markets, and that will cause very drastic changes!" Elerona answered, explaining the reason behind the crowd that was still felt in the market at dusk.

"What is going on? Tonight, there will be rides and games," she added, her smile reflecting her enthusiasm for the market atmosphere which will become livelier at night.

We passed the market which was increasingly crowded with people busy with their activities. The lights began to illuminate the narrow alleys between the buildings, creating a different atmosphere from the bright daylight.

Elerona, always energetic, walked excitedly, her eyes sparkling at the various vendors and merchandise available along the street. Meanwhile, I followed his steps carefully, watching his every move.

"What are we looking for, exactly?" I asked Elerona, who continued walking with enthusiasm.

Elerona smiled, her eyes glancing around the increasingly crowded market. "We're looking for delicious food, of course! I want to give the best to Regina and her child."

In the same spirit, I followed Elerona on our mission to find delicious food amidst the bustle of a lively night market.

***

Alan sat back in front of the monitor screen without a definite goal in his life. His eyes were glued to the novel text displayed on the screen.

"Date night?" he muttered, interested in the story about the night market revealed in the novel's text.

"He could be interesting. Maybe there's more to his story than I thought," he said, taking a ciki from the table and chewing it with growing enthusiasm.

Alan continued reading the text of the novel. Stories about the night market and the possibility of a night out brought him into the world of his imagination. While reading, he began to imagine the atmosphere of a night market, with flashing lights, tempting food aromas, and crowds of people enjoying the night.

"What will happen next?" Alan muttered, getting more and more immersed in the increasingly interesting storyline. Attracted by the atmosphere described in the novel, he felt as if he were there with the characters in the story.

After being lost in imagination for a moment, Alan returned his attention to the text of the novel. This story became a source of inspiration for him, perhaps bringing change to his monotonous life.

Clank! Clank! Alan's cell phone notification

[Message from PT Dhaniel]

< Chapter 23 > To Be Continued.