"All this is amazing... and the greatest thing is that all these people have seen you! You're going to be famous in no ti, my friend! Here, look! Your first fans are already approaching!" Enatsu smirked, smiling and pretending nothing, pointing to Yoichi a group of people walking in their direction.
"Hello, hello, Yoichi! I'm, I'm, I'm Kondo, the globetrotter bard!" a strange old gentleman stuttered, overtaking the others and bowing before Yoichi as if he was a mber of the imperial family.
"Er... hello!" he replied, pausing and listening to what he had to say, noting that behind his back was tied a biwa, a stringed instrunt.
Old Kondo was a weird man, of average height, very thin and with his face dug out of age and wrinkles. His few snow-white hair fluttered in the wind, as did his long bushy, ssy beard.
A deep scar totally covered his left eye, giving his sympathetic face a lancholy and sad air, despite the big smile printed on his mouth and marked by the yellow and worn teeth.
His tunic of the classic sand color typical of the cheapest fabrics was dirty with mud and earth at the bottom and highlighted the fact that that old bard did not wear shoes.
"My greatest passion is travelling and, and, in my travels, I narrate the story of singular people, of, of, of mythical beasts and sovereign tyrants! You, Yoichi! You will be the, the, the new protagonist of my stories! I will take your na north and sing about how a, a, a young blond-haired farr managed to bring an experienced warrior to his knees!" old Kondo exclaid, with his head bent forward as a mark of respect, explaining to Yoichi what kind of gift he had in mind for him.
"Thank you very much, Kondo! I... I don't know how to thank you, this is great!" Yoichi answered enthusiastically, who had never imagined he could be the subject of a bard's songs in a world populated by bizarre demons.
"I, I, I hope that your journey may continue smoothly! And rember! Only warriors without Guild can accomplish great things! I, I, I saw sothing in your eyes! You, you, you can..."
"All right, old Kondo... I think this is enough. I'm sure young Yoichi understood perfectly!" a lady in her fifties interrupted, grabbing the bard from behind and inviting him back to Ambershire. "I apologize on behalf of my father... lately, his mind is not very stable, but he liked you very much and insisted on getting to know you!" the woman smiled, bowing her head and congratulating Yoichi.
"Oh, of course! No problem, Kondo was incredibly kind, thank you again!" Yoichi repeated, greeting both of them with a hand gesture when Enatsu approached the woman and her elderly father.
"Kondo Senpai! When you sing the songs of the brave Yoichi, rember to add the na of his formidable helper! Enatsu! Enatsu, the trader! Rember this na!" the rchant affird, taking advantage of Yoichi's temporary popularity to emphasize his presence as well.
"Hahah! What a nice rchant! Co on, Dad! Goodbye, Yoichi!" the woman continued, keeping on smiling and walking away, while Yoichi couldn't stop laughing while looking at his clumsy friend.
"Hahaha! You're my helper now? I thought you were just a rchant bound for Goldhaven!" he joked, referring to Enatsu, who shrugged his shoulders.
Other people rushed to Yoichi to shake his hand and get a closer look. Between them, the gentleman with the mustache who had lent him the dagger, ca forward, approaching the two adventurers.
His big face and double chin showed off his nutritional well-being. Even his light armor, consisting of a light leather jacket and tight-fitting cloth trousers, definitely not suitable for such a corpulent man, was excellent workmanship, probably made of fine materials.
It only took one mont for Enatsu, who had rchant eyes, to realize that the man, albeit looking not so much threatening, was wealthy and decidedly more cultured than the peasants who road around Ambershire.
"So your na is Yoichi!" he exclaid, looking at the young farr with his arms crossed.
"Oh, hello! Yes, my na is Yoichi. Nice to et you! Here, this belongs to you! Thank you very much!" he replied, handing over the dagger to its rightful owner.
"Yoichi... and? Only Yoichi?" the moustached man inquired, without shaking his hand.
"Er, yes. Just Yoichi."
"Well. You can keep the dagger. I've never seen anyone use it so masterfully. You have defeated one of the most promising tars in the capital against all expectations and, even if it is not much, you deserve a prize", the man explained, maintaining a serious expression, as if he was rely reporting the reality of the facts without adding any personal consideration. "However, it seems very strange to that soone like you has never fought before. Your Nakage... is it your Oracle?"
After that question, Yoichi looked at Enatsu out of the corner of his eye. The young rchant nodded his head, trying to communicate with him and telling him that the man was probably rich and, judging by his equipnt, had all the cover and the chops to be a tar.
"Yes, Kenji is my Oracle. Why this question? Who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?" Yoichi inquired, continuing to tighten the dagger in his right hand.
"My na is Sada Takamori, the last mber of the Takamori dynasty and head of the Nightblades of Goldhaven. Pleased to et you!" the moustached man stated, extending his hand towards him to officially show up.
Enatsu's expression failed to mask his thoughts, and with a single glance, he managed to convey to Yoichi his euphoria as he shook hands with one of the most important n he could know in a place like that.
"The pleasure is mine and... thank you for the dagger," Yoichi added, sticking the weapon in his belt and accepting the gift without thinking twice, knowing that he needed a weapon, albeit a small one, that would allow him to defend himself.
Reviews
All reviews (0)