Episode 22.
Reunion (1)
“Exactly! We live in the same space, so you should at least make some effort too! Like I do!!! Look at me! Today, I was rolling around in the dirt fighting with that weird plant just to match your schedule! Don’t you see what I look like right now?!”
Indeed… Temia looked just like a ragged old cleaning cloth. She seemed thoroughly exhausted. She probably hadn’t even had the time or energy to check a mirror. As usual, the man’s eyes briefly scanned her disheveled appearance—her hair a tangled mess, her clothes and hands grimy and stained. And when his gaze reached her face, smudged with dirt and dust, he couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh.
Infuriated by his reaction, Temia’s voice rose even louder as she shouted at him.
“Fine, go ahead and sulk, but if you’re going to need other people’s consideration while doing it, then at least share what’s going on with you! If it’s something serious, say something!”
She stopped herself just before blurting out that he should at least reveal some of the secrets he was hiding… But still, trying to tiptoe around someone without knowing what’s going on was frustrating. She stared at him hard, not caring one bit about his reaction.
“Hm… That important, huh? Temia, you really have a strange sense of priorities.”
He muttered calmly, his voice indifferent. But at least he didn’t seem interested in arguing further. That gave Temia a chance to cool down. She decided to switch topics—there was no benefit in dragging things on.
“Oh, and! I noticed we’re running low on this batch of ingredients. Could you check?”
She handed him a piece of paper listing the remaining stock. It was a well-organized inventory of materials currently in the workshop. With everything being delayed because she’d been walking on eggshells around him, she was feeling a bit rushed.
Lowell, who had been looking over the paper with a slight smile, followed her finger as she pointed.
“Oh, you’re right. I’ve been so distracted lately that I didn’t even notice these were almost gone.”
Clicking his tongue lightly, he tapped the table with a finger.
“Usually, the merchant guild delivers these directly, so I’ve stopped paying much attention to them… But we can’t wait. Some of those are needed for a reservation tomorrow.”
“Then what should we do? Should we postpone the reservation?”
“No, that’s not necessary. Temia, you’re not busy right now, are you? Even if you are, make time.”
“Shouldn’t you at least tell me what we’re doing first?”
“We’re going to get the ingredients ourselves.”
—
Their destination was the market, about twenty minutes from the workshop. With the store left unattended, Lerry offered to stay behind and watch over it.
So, only the two of them went out together.
Without Lerry as a buffer, things felt a bit awkward. Though it seemed Temia was the only one feeling that way—Lowell looked completely unbothered. Still, this wasn’t a usual opportunity. It was a chance to close the distance between them. She was almost thankful the guild had delayed the delivery.
She took a deep breath and carefully watched for an opening, but her words froze up the moment she tried to speak. What did she normally talk about with people?
What she hadn’t realized until now was that most conversations she’d had were initiated by others, which meant her own conversation skills were nearly nonexistent.
After much hesitation, she finally brought up a work-related topic.
“Come to think of it, this is unusual. The merchant guild has never been late before.”
“Sometimes delays happen when they’re on the road. But Rush & Gold is known for being reliable—that’s why I keep dealing with them.”
“So this kind of thing doesn’t happen often?”
“Maybe once or twice a year? Anyway, I brought you to the market today partly so you’d know what to do next time this happens…”
Lowell trailed off mid-sentence. His tone shifted slightly, and Temia tilted her head, sensing something strange.
“…Also?”
“Here, take this.”
Lowell handed the paper back to Temia and continued.
“I’ll take the left street, and you go to the right. Most of the shops on the right side have the items on this list.”
“Wait, what? I’ve never even been to this place before!”
“This is your first time in this market, not your first day out in the world, right? You’re not a kid. I have my own errands to run on the other side. Let’s go—time’s ticking.”
“Hey!”
“Good luck.”
Whoosh. Three minutes after arriving at the market, Temia was left alone.
So much for getting closer. She felt like an idiot for trying to connect with someone who’d just abandon her in a completely unfamiliar place.
Frustrated, she kicked at a nearby rock. Then she looked at the paper again—thankfully, she’d written it herself, so she was familiar with the contents.
Still, a strange hollowness began to settle in her chest. That emptiness felt oddly similar to loneliness, making her feel like a stranger to herself.
Trying to shake off the feeling, Temia decided to focus on something else.
Now that she had calmed down, the scenery finally came into focus. The lively booths and bustling people filled the market with energy and stirred a subtle sense of excitement.
A market… Come to think of it, she had never once been to a market before.
She had always lived a life where she could just ask for what she needed and it would appear. Whether it was back home as a child or at the academy, it had always been the same.
With a spring in her step, Temia entered the market square, her heart pounding with unexpected anticipation.
As she was scanning goods and filling her basket, a voice called out:
“Hey, young lady, over here!”
Startled, Temia looked around and saw a man waving enthusiastically at her from a black tent. She had no idea what he was selling.
“Young lady, interested in fortune-telling? We’re really accurate! Come give it a try!”
He must’ve taken their eye contact as a good sign, because he stepped forward eagerly.
“Ah, no… I’m not really interested in that stuff…”
“Once you’re inside, you might change your mind! Lots of girls your age come here!”
She glanced in the direction he was pointing and saw someone in a dark robe sitting inside. Judging by the size of their hand on the table, they looked to be about her age.
“Thanks, but I really don’t think—”
“C’mon, you looked like you had something on your mind. A fortune can cure that! Or just take a peek—maybe you’ll get curious?”
“Well… I suppose…”
“People only fear what they’ve never experienced. And just for today, we’re offering a special low rate for first-timers. Knowing your fate is a small price to pay!”
With a confident smile, he asked her to wait briefly and then disappeared into the crowd to draw in other customers.
Do all merchants have to be this smooth-talking?
Caught off guard by his charm, Temia found herself sitting on a bench in front of the tent.
Was this okay? Should she really be wasting time?
Still, it didn’t seem like it would take long. Besides, the man who ditched her had disappeared without saying when he’d be back, so what was the harm?
She sighed and tried to accept the situation. Just a quick look—then back to business.
She peeked into the tent.
‘Is this really supposed to be fun? I don’t get it at all…’
She was already skeptical about fortune-telling. And of all people, she knew miracles weren’t to be trusted.
Inside, a robed figure sat with eyes closed, whispering to a glowing crystal orb.
It was oddly unnerving, but what really caught her attention was the person seated across from the fortune-teller. They looked incredibly focused.
The sight made her uneasy, but the smooth-talking man’s words came back to her.
“People only fear what they haven’t experienced.”
Holding her breath, Temia looked again.
The fortune-teller was still mumbling while asking questions, and the person responded with silent nods before placing several coins on the table.
Wait. Were those silver coins?
He said it’d be cheap, but silver coins?
Before she could react, the fortune-teller swept the money away. And just before the customer pulled their hand back into their robe, Temia saw something.
A glint on the wrist—something oddly familiar.
And the hand gesture, the whispering voice…
Temia froze in shock. A wave of realization hit her like lightning.
