Chapter 29: Chapter 29 - Reunion in the Plaza
The afternoon sun hung high in the sky as Seraphina, Lucy, Adrian, Annabeth, and Gunther made their way back to the central plaza. The sparring match had left them all invigorated and amused, though Gunther wasn't included in that.
He walked behind the group in silence, his bruised pride keeping him quiet. Seraphina was satisfied that he had finally shut up.
As she walked, aside from listening to the ramblings of Lucy, she also reflected on the match she had. In the spar, she made many errors she could improve upon, and that was something she planned to do once she returned to training.
This trip so far had been very worthwhile, not only had she gotten to see the city, but she had also made new friends and even gained some combat experience. She was glad she did it.
As they arrived at the central plaza, they spotted Davanai standing near a large fountain, speaking with a merchant. He waved them over with a warm smile when he noticed them.
"Ah, there you all are."
Davanai said as they walked closer. He glanced at the group and noticed the varying state they were all in; notable Gunther who walked with a downcasted look and Lucy who clung to Seraphina's arm.
"I trust you all had a good time exploring the city?"
"We did."
Seraphina replied with a smile.
"We visited a bakery, browsed some shops, and even had a little sparring match."
Davanai raised an eyebrow at the mention of the sparring match and finally pieced together what happened. He didn't press any further as he already had a rough idea of the cause.
"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed yourselves. I have a little surprise for all of you."
The group exchanged curious glances as Davanai motioned for them to follow him. He led them through the bustling streets of Stonefort City and into a damp alleyway. The alleyway was empty and as they went down the twisting pathways following the man, they found the crowd slowly thinning out.
Eventually, they came across a large open area with bustling people and a large, vibrant marketplace filled with colorful stalls and lively vendors. It wasn't like the main part of the city; everyone here had hoods or masks of some form to hide their faces, and all of the stalls were temporary, not permanent.
"Welcome to the underbelly of Stonefort's Market."
Davanai announced as he handed each member of the group a mask of their own. Seraphina took the mask of a fox and wore it to cover her face.
"I thought we could spend some time roaming around here, you may even find things you want that you can't find in the normal marketplace. Plus, I've heard there's a street performer here who's supposed to be quite impressive."
As the group listened to the man's words, Seraphina glanced around. She knew what this place really was, from what the man said, it was clear that this place was some sort of black market hidden inside of the city.
It was probably one that was allowed to be here by the city regulators because it was easy to keep an eye on.
She had her doubts about just roaming around the black market, as it could be dangerous, but she also wanted to see what the place had to offer. Books were her main interest.
"Is this a good idea? This place looks dangerous."
Lucy voiced her concerns as she looked at the people walking around with hoods and weapons around their bodies.
"It's fine, fighting is forbidden here so just stay out of trouble."
Davanai warned as he turned and led the group through the stalls.
It was quite the sight, a mixture of exotic spices and foods, jewelry and weapons, and even things like drugs and other illegal wares could be found lining the stalls.
As the group walked further in, Seraphina noticed a stall that had people chained up in front of it—and noticing her gaze the seller instantly tried to give her a pitch.
"Looking for a slave, Ma'am? Well you've come to the right place, we have the finest of slaves here to satisfy any of your needs. A strong worker for those hard-to-do tasks, a lovely maid girl to serve you around the house, or perhaps you're looking for something more exotic to play with in bed?"
The seller said with a hushed smile on his twisted face.
Davanai noticed the interaction and stepped forward, separating them.
"No thank you, just moving along."
The seller backed off and Seraphina resumed her walk, her eyes lingering on the slaves that were chained to the back of the stall. Beastmen, Bukis, Half-elves, humans, and even goblins.
It was quite the array, and while she found it strange, she had to remind herself that this was a world very different from her previous one. She had to adapt if she wanted to survive here.
They soon arrived at a small clearing where a crowd had gathered. In the center stood a man dressed in vibrant, colorful clothes and wore the mask of a jester.
He stood on a tightrope with flaming knives in hand; juggling them with careful precision as he walked across the rope.
The group found a spot to watch the performance, and the excitement of the crowd soon enough got them interested in the performance as well.
Reaching the edge of the rope, the jester threw the knives into the sky. As they fell back down, he opened his mouth and swallowed them one by one—eventually swallowing all ten before taking a bow.
The crowd erupted into cheer as the man bowed, and Seraphina's eyes widened at the surprising trick. That was not something a normal person could do—that was magic.
"He's incredible!"
Lucy exclaimed, her eyes wide with amazement as she joined the clapping.
"Agreed, he's quite the sight."
Annabeth added in her own amazement.
Seraphina couldn't help but agree. The performer's agility and control reminded her of the knight training she had been undergoing, but his last trick was the most impressive.
The performer's act eventually came to an end, and the crowd began to disperse, leaving the group to explore the market further. Davanai led them to a nearby stall that sold a bunch of different types of trinkets and spoke.
"Why don't we each pick something to remember this trip by?"
Davanai suggested, mainly because of Seraphina.
The group agreed and began to browse through the various items on display. Seraphina couldn't really find anything she was interested in, so she turned to Lucy.
"Why don't you pick something for me, I'm not really sure what's good."
Lucy nodded with pleasure and quickly searched for something. Finally, she decided on a delicate silver bracelet adorned with small, intricate charms. It was simple yet elegant and Lucy thought it would suit the girl.
"How about this?"
Lucy said, offering the girl the bracelet.
Seraphina took it and slid it onto her hands, smiling as she did.
"Yes, this is good."
With that, Lucy picked out a colorful scarf for herself, while Adrian chose a finely crafted quill for his studies. Annabeth found a small dagger with a carefully crafted handle, and even Gunther selected a leather-bound journal.
With their chosen souvenirs in hand, the group decided it was about time they started to head back. The night was quickly approaching and if they left too late then nightfall would meet them while on the road.
Even though it was unlikely, they didn't want to run into any bandits on the way back. With that in mind, they made their way back to the gate and boarded the carriages to return home.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone