Heisen's Eye

Chapter 91

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Etsu's POV
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A week ago

As I slowed my horse to a trot, I began to relax as the wooden walls that surrounded Greif came into view. It certainly wasn't enough protection to stop a group of bandits, but it was enough to prevent beasts and monsters from the plains around from entering.

It took a few seconds of waiting in front of the gate for me to be recognised, and when I am, a shout could be heard from the other side before the doors to the village slowly begin to open.

It wasn't a particularly pretty town, but it had its own charm. The wooden buildings brought about that feeling of a comfortable home, rather than one that was intricate for the sake of being egotistical.

It couldn't be compared to a town like Alzibria. The people here don't have enough of a wealth gap to separate the rich from the poor. They don't have enough freedom in work to spend days off enjoying themselves, but they seemed to anyway.

Riding down the road, the people that didn't stare at me with curious gazes were all smiling, laughing along with the people besides them. Some held babies in their arms who slept peacefully, unknowing of anything that could go wrong.

While passing by a few of the houses, I could see the silhouettes of men and women inside having drinks, laughing with each other. 

It's a very peaceful town, and it also seemed extremely uneventful.

When I reached a crossroad at the end of the path I had been walking, a young man beckoned me to follow on my horse, eventually leading me to a stable.

"Thanks for the help, I probably would have turned the wrong way." (Etsu)

"Oh, don't worry about it. It's our job as villagers to help travellers who enter, especially knights like you." (Young Man)

He beckons down to my belt where I keep my sword sheathed as he talks.

"Well, there are a few villages who don't offer that courtesy, so I appreciate it." (Etsu)

"Like I said, don't worry about it. I'm Zion, Zion Frien. You?" (Zion Frien)

He offers his hand to me, to which I take firmly.

"Etsu Waine. Vice-Captain of the Laplace Squad." (Etsu)

"Oh, a King's Squad Knight. That's a surprise." (Zion Frien)

"Well, there aren't many of us. But anyway, you said your name is Zion Frien?" (Etsu)

"Yup, that's me." (Zion Frien)

"Do you, by any chance, know a small boy, 12 years old, by the name Ryu?" (Etsu)

"Ryu? Black hair, blue eyes, kinda small? I know him." (Zion Frien)

"Then, have you been receiving letters from him?" (Etsu)

"I have. Why do you ask?" (Zion Frien)

"Well, some things happened at the Palace, and we suspected a letter he was trying to send you was in fact a letter meant for other means." (Etsu)