章 23: Night Stroll.
"Wow..."
I don't know what time it is right now. But the streets is still bustling with people. The lights here in the Central Plaza are also shiny and it's amazing how there are different colors of lights in every stalls. It's like I'm attending a festival! Is it always like this every night?
"This is my first time coming here in the Central Plaza ever since I arrived in this world," I mumbled and laughs because of excitement.
Asher changed the color of my hair and eyes in order to avoid any suspicions and attentions from the crowd. He also had to change his, because blonde hair is also known to be an Odilia's trait and the Astra's Three's.
Hmm, come to think of it. I just noticed how Asher's appearance seems to be a combined version of an Odilia and Ciera, with his hair from the Odilia's and his eyes from Ciera's. Wow, isn't that amazing?
"This place has changed a lot since I last came here," I turned my head to Asher. Since he last came here, huh? He sounded like an old man just now. But he really is an old man.
"When was the last time you came here?" I asked.
"Back when Bartram was still the Emperor,"
"You're an oldie..." He glared at me with furrowed brows, and I just laughed at him. Now he's acting rude again, huh? What a mood swings.
"Don't bother with the details. Be thankful I brought you here," I chuckled.
"Aww, where's the nice Asher earlier?" I felt his hand tightened when I asked that question. Oh, yeah, he's holding my hand because he said 'It's dangerous, so stick with me for the whole time'. He can most probably locate me even if I get lost here though.
"Your memory's not functioning properly," I laughed at him and starts walking, dragging him towards the first stall I saw.
Are those barbecues? They also have barbecues here?!
"Woaaah! Is that a barbecue?" I pointed to the guy who's grilling on the left side.
"Huh? No. That's called meat skewer," Oh...wow, that's the literal name for it? Well, it is a meat...skewed with wooden sticks.
"It's called barbecue in my world," I mumbled as we continue to walk towards it.
"Asher, did you brought money with you?" I asked, he smirked at me.
"I can make money, I don't have to bring it with me," What a jerk, he's actually proud of it, huh? Are his money official though? It's made of magic, so it'll definitely disappear after a while. But, well, maybe he can make real money. Not impossible for Asher. I wonder if it's considered as counterfeits? He's going to become a criminal for sure.
"Then buy me barbecues," I said.
"It's meat skewer," I ignored his words and run towards the barbecue stall, dragging him with me. He won't let go of my hand even if I already loosen my hand from his.
"Hi, mister! Can we buy two meat skewers?" I asked the old man cheerfully. He smiled and laughed at me before he nod his head.
"Sure, little lady. Are you two with your parents? Won't you buy some for them as well?" I blinked couple of times before I turn my head to Asher. I'm not telling him to buy barbecues for Alina's father and brothers, but I do want more barbecues, not just one.
Asher stared at me with cocked brows before he sighed and look at the old man.
"Make it five, then," I prevented myself from cheering when he said that. I roamed my eyes again and saw a cart for a cotton candy. I pressed my lips together as I sigh in relief.
I'm glad the food here are similar to my home world.
"Asher! Can we also buy cotton candy?" I asked, pointing to the area where the cotton candy is. He creased his forehead at me and look at the direction I'm pointing at.
"You really have your own name of things. That's sweetmeat cloud," The fork? They even have their own name for cotton candy? For the love of God, why does the author of this book have to change even the slightest detail? And sweetmeat? That word is already so old!
"Then, please buy me some sweetmeat cloud, Almighty Magician," I said, giving him a smile. He stared at me for a moment, so I smiled widely at him, causing him to sigh again. The heck is this guy's problem? He brought me here to enjoy, but he keeps sighing at me.
"Uh, hey human," The old man that's grilling our meat skewers turned his head to Asher. What's with that strange way of calling the person?! He called him as if he's not a human himself!
Oh, maybe he really wasn't? I mean, he's an incarnation of a deity after all.
"We'll come back for these meat skewers. We're just going to look around the other stalls," Asher's voice sounds authoritative. If you're disguising yourself, then act like how you appear to people! He's naturally arrogant, isn't he? Was he created to be liek that?
...
I feel like the God of Creation is apologizing on Asher's behalf...
"Sure, sir," Asher nods his head and then starts walking towards the cotton candy cart. Dragging me with him. Because of his tone of voice, the old man ended up calling him sir...
"Asher. Since you're a God's incarnation, are you not a human?" I asked. He didn't even looked at me, and just continued walking ahead of me as he drag me to the cotton candy's direction.
"I'm simply a caretaker of Creo's Empire," That didn't answer my question. He's immortal though, and he's been living for hundreds of years, or maybe a thousands of years?
"So, you're not a human? You've been living for over two-hundred years after all," I hope I'm not offending him with these questions. He stopped walking and when I lined up with him, he walks together with me.
"Hmm, Indeed, I am not. Does it matter to you," He asked. Somehow, his face looks more serious now, as if we're talking about something veeery important. What's with him?
"Nope! Asher is Asher!" I said and giggled. He scoffed---no, he smiled?
"You ne... ...nge," Huh? I didn't hear that clearly.
"Come again?" He shook his head.
"Nothing. Hi, can we buy one sweetmeat cloud?" He pretend to rummage on his pocket and I saw how his hand glints before he raise his hand in front of the guy. The guy pulled one plastic of cotton candy and handed it to me before receiving the payment.
"Thank you, sir! Uh, do you not want any, Asher?" I asked. He shook his head and then starts walking again. Dragging me towards the next stall of food stall.
I looked at the cotton candy and it's cover is already gone. Looks like Asher already removed it. I took a bite of it and I feel like I am in heaven! It's really so sweet and the way it melts in my mouth is sooo satisfying!
Oh, are these diamonds? It looks really pretty...I wonder if these are real.
We continued walking, so I just followed the diamonds with my eyes as I satisfy myself with this cotton candy in my hand.
If those are real diamonds, I can ask Asher to buy it for me and then I'll hide it as my loots when I finally escape the palace!
"Asher, are those real dia---"
"No," my shoulder fell in disbelief as I sigh. Too bad. Of course, you won't find a real diamond just anywhere. Why did I even expect it?
"Why, you want diamonds now? I can make you real diamonds, no need to waste my magic to make money and purchase those," my eyes widens as I look at him. Is he actually for real? He can make real diamonds?! Dang it, this guy really is a powerful being!
"R-really?" I asked. I don't know if I'm seeing things, but I can see sparkles all over me right now. He glanced at me and chuckled, turning his head away from me and covering his mouth. Why is he laughing at me now?
"Yeah yeah,"
"Oh, but don't let Alina's family know about, 'kay? It's my loots," I said, raising both my brows at him, I heard him snorted as he look at me with that face as if he's amused about something.
"What is that face? Are you mocking me--ouch!" I groaned in pain when someone bumped onto me. The man stopped and faced me, he's wearing a hooded robe and I can't see his face clearly.
"Apologies, Your Highness," I smiled at him and nod my head.
"It's alright, please be careful next time," I said and wave my hand at him. I looked at Asher and we started walking again, but after a few steps, I was pulled by Asher and he quickly turn his head behind again as if he's looking for someone.
"Dang it..."
"Asher? Is there any problem?" He stared at me and his expression looks disturbed. What seems to be the problem of this guy? He narrowed down his eyes towards me.
"Do you feel any strange feelings?" He asked. I tilt my head and creased my forehead. What does he mean by that?
"Huh? Not at all," I replied. He looked at the direction where the guy disappeared. I mean, he didn't really disappear out of thin air, maybe we just didn't saw where he went.
"That guy addressed you as 'Your Highness'," I covered my mouth when I realized it. That's right! We're in disguise! I was so excited about the diamonds that I didn't realized it?!
"He's definitely suspicious. I couldn't even get a glance on his face," Asher said.
"And he disappeared right away when we only took a few steps after turning around...and even if you say you don't feel anything strange, your complexion changed, and you look more paler than usual," He explained. Really? But, I don't really feel anything right now.
He sighed and clicked his tongue. He looks really frustrated and annoyed.
"Let's go get your meat skewers and go back to the Alphard Palace," I nod my head. I was about to walk but he pulled me again to his side and forced me to face him. He then raised his hand and pressed his index finger to my forehead.
What is he doing? Oh, suddenly I feel very warm and light. Did he do this?
"Let's go,"
---
I slowly opened my eyes and I groaned when I felt my head aching. What the heck, this early in the morning? Was it because I slept late last night? This kid's body is really weak. Just one night of not being able to sleep on time and her head is already aching.
"Headache?" That's Asher, sitting on the couch across my bed. He's reading something--wait, is that the book I borrowed from the Imperial Library?
"Yeah...maybe because I slept late last night," He closed the book and faced me. He's staring into my eyes again. Is he trying to examine my soul?
"Yup, you still look sickly," I creased my forehead and tilt my head. What does he mean by that? Sickly? Me?
"Looks like I didn't put much magic in my spell last night," he mumbled. Come to think of it, I feel really exhausted too, my body feels weak and some of my joints hurts like hell. What the heck is happening to me?
"Come here," he beckon me over, so I crawled towards him. The couch is just close to the end of my bed after all. So I don't need to leave the bed.
"My body hurts too, and I feel very tired..." I mumbled. He nods his head slowly and then placed his hand on my forehead---literally his whole palm is covering my forehead.
"You don't have fever...that's good," Asher said. I closed my eyes and I can see the light of his magic even though I have my eyes closed. As he continue to heal...is he healing me? Well, as he continue to do that, my body's starting to feel very warm again, and my headache is starting to fade away. My body feels lighter now, and the pain in my body has slowly disappeared. That's freaking amazing.
"Is it done--"
"Nope, I'm trying to cleanse your body," Cleanse?
"Cleanse? From what?"
"Just hush," I stayed quiet after that. Letting him focus on his work.
Asher really is fulfilling his promise to Alina's mother that he would take care of her. Even though he definitely hate the idea of babysitting a five year old with an adult soul. Despite that, he's still doing his best to watch over this body's overflowing mana. I'm glad he's here, otherwise I won't be able to know about a lot of things at all. I might even become a criminal when I turned twenty without even knowing about it!
Also, Asher told me right away about the curse on the second day after we first met. It's most probably because he knew that the person within this body is not a kid, but a teenager. And it could also be because he wants to eradicate this curse right away so he won't have to babysit Alina for a long time.
"There, done. Your third brother's coming, so I'll be leaving now," I nod my head and smiled at him.
"Hm. Thank you," he just looked at me and then disappear.
Right after Asher left, I heard knocks on my door.
"Ali? Are you awake?" Looks like I woke up early because none of the servants have entered to wake me up yet. Themis always comes here to wake me up for breakfast.
Now that Asher 'cleansed' my body, I feel more energetic than usual.
"Is that Brother Dae? I'm awake!" He entered my room after hearing my voice.
"Good morning, Ali. How's your sleep?" His question reminded me of my nightmare last night, but I decided not to think about it and just forced a smile at him.
"It was great, big bro! Oh, why is Brother Dae visiting me so early? Are you not busy?" He walk towards me and when he reached my bed, he sat down on the side and smiled widely at me.
"My friend came to the Albireo Palace. Do you wish to meet her?" His friend...'her'? Hmm...
Oh, wait. Is this...the adopted daughter of the Duke Sigris of the North? What was her name again? Hmm...the Duke's name is Clovis---and he's very beautiful! But, I forgot the name of his daughter, I think it starts with K?
"A friend of Brother Dae? Woah...I want to meet her!"
He chuckled and ruffled my hair.
"Then, I'll call Themis and the others,"
Really...his smile is almost swaying this Clara's heart.
Still, I can't trust them yet. I need to remain strong, because if I get attached to these people and they later cast me away after meeting Amara, it would only hurt me in the end. The only people I can trust here are Themis, Ryna, and Ande, as well as the other maids in the Antares Palace.
Oh...maybe Asher, too.
***
クリエイターの想い 
cathcatya
cathcatya Hellooo ~ is the story progressing quickly? Sorry! I need to do it like this, because the next volume is going to be a lot longer and progresses slower because there's a lot of things that are going to happen there now, and there's going to a timeskip! Anywaysss! Thank you for reading my first book! I hope that everyone enjoys this story!
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