Capítulo 34: Preparation (6)
July 2, 1437.
Raphael Earhart
— What are you doing? — a familiar voice called out from behind me.
I turned around, only to be smothered by a mass of pink hair. It covered my face, getting in my eyes, nose, and when I tried to inhale, even my mouth was full of it.
— Ack! Harumi, back off! I'm choking here!
After finally untangling myself from the pink cloud, I stepped back, glaring at my fox in her human form.
— Hehe, don't lie. You love my hair, — Harumi teased, stroking her pink strands with such care you'd think they were her most prized possession.
She caressed them with so much affection that it made me feel a strange mixture of embarrassment and second-hand shame.
— What are you even doing?
Her eyes shifted from her hair to my face with a look of surprise, as if the answer should have been obvious.
— I'm brushing my hair. Want to touch it?
— I'll pass, thanks.
— Ugh, you're so rude, — she pouted, pretending to be offended.
— Yeah, yeah, — I brushed off her flirting, not in the mood for her antics.
Distracting myself from Harumi's odd behavior, I reached for a container on the shelf, about a kilo in weight, and placed it on the table. Inside were small, ruby-colored berries, covered in a thin layer of ice I had conjured to keep them fresh.
With everything that had happened at the castle recently, I hadn't had the time to ask Kazimir to gather the necessary ingredients for the mana-circulation pills. Now, I'd have to head to the market in Sibris to get them myself.
Not that it was a huge deal, I was planning to take a walk around the city with Erin and Harumi anyway. Plus, I needed to stop by the grimoire shop.
But despite all that, the overwhelming laziness crept in, weighing down on me like a heavy blanket.
Why do I have to do all this?
— So, what exactly are you up to? — Harumi's voice cut into my thoughts again, reminding me of her earlier question.
— Just thinking about when we'll go for a walk in the city, — I replied, eyes still fixed on the container as if it held the answers to all my problems.
— Oh! A walk? Are you going to buy me something to eat?
Her voice suddenly became excited. I knew exactly what she was looking forward to—food, not the actual walk.
— Yeah, yeah, I'll get you something. Just don't bankrupt me with your appetite.
— Hey!
Harumi suddenly jumped at me, grabbing my cheeks and tugging them so hard it felt like she was trying to pull them off.
Honestly, she's a sadist.
— You know it's rude to tell a girl she eats too much, right?!
— You're not just a girl, — I mumbled, suppressing a smirk. — You're a weapon of mass consumption.
Harumi's face turned bright red, almost the same shade as the berries in the container.
She looks pretty cute when she's angry.
— What did you just say?! Apologize right now, or I'll strangle you!
Her eyes sparkled with tears, but I couldn't tell if it was from anger or offense. Deciding not to push my luck, I relented.
— Alright, alright, I'm sorry. You're not a weapon of destruction... You're an efficient processor of nutrients.
— You little...!
She was about to resort to more extreme measures when the door suddenly opened. Both of us turned at the same time.
— What are you two doing?
Erin stood in the doorway, a puzzled look on her face. She was already dressed for the outing: a white shirt, beige-and-blue windbreaker, loose gray pants, and white sneakers. Simple and practical.
— Oh, you know, just Harumi trying to kill me again.
— Ah, got it, — she responded with a flat tone, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
— Hey! Don't lie! — Harumi huffed, puffing out her cheeks like a child.
She finally let go of me, and I felt both guilt and satisfaction at having successfully teased her.
I reached into my pocket, pulled out two lollipops, and handed one to Harumi and the other to Erin.
— Alright, stop pouting. Go turn into a fox, I need to change.
I walked over to the wardrobe and grabbed a light yellow shirt, a white T-shirt, and beige pants with matching sneakers. As I started pulling my shirt off over my head, I heard a flustered voice from Erin.
— W-What are you doing?! Give me a moment to at least turn around!
Her face was red, and she was struggling to find the right words.
She's embarrassed by my body? Sure, I'm in good shape, but I didn't think I'd get this kind of reaction. What is this, a rom-com?
I glanced from Erin to Harumi, whose face was also flushed but for entirely different reasons.
— Wow, nice abs... Maybe we should skip the walk and just stay home, — Harumi suggested, raising her eyebrows seductively.
I rolled my eyes, used to her constant flirting by now. Her teasing was so regular that it no longer made me feel anything beyond mild irritation and embarrassment. Not that it was unpleasant—it's just that I never knew how to properly respond.
— Harumi! Stop trying to seduce Raphael! — Erin's voice cut through the room like a knife, though even that had started sounding normal.
— What do you mean, sweetie?
Harumi, flipping her pink hair over her shoulder, feigned innocence. Her violet eyes sparkled with mischief, and a slight smirk curled her lips.
— Don't you get all hot and bothered seeing him like that? I, for one, admire those abs.
— D-Don't say that! — Erin stammered, her face turning crimson as if she had been caught doing something embarrassing.
Honestly, the situation was more amusing than irritating. Erin looked like an offended kitten trying to hide her emotions, but failing miserably. I had grown tired of their bickering after the third day of their meeting, but moments like these almost made me want to laugh.
I sighed, choosing not to engage in their pointless chatter, and finished getting dressed. Too much to do, not enough time. Babysitting these two constantly bickering girls wasn't part of today's agenda.
Once I was dressed, I turned around to find Harumi and Erin sitting on opposite ends of my bed in silence, each sulking in her own corner. It was as if there had never been any argument at all. Yet, there was still something that bothered me.
Why are they sitting on my bed when there's a perfectly good couch right next to it?
— Why did you decide to sprawl out on my bed? — I asked, moving to the cabinet to put the container of berries into my spatial ring.
Neither of them bothered to answer. Which, honestly, was even more irritating.
Great, they've decided to sulk silently. Perfect.
— If you're done sulking, let's get moving, — I threw over my shoulder as I made my way to the door.
— Yes! — they replied in unison.
As we left the room, Harumi shifted into her fox form and leapt onto my shoulder, while Erin walked beside me, her eyes fixed on the floor. Her usual confidence and calm demeanor had vanished, and her head was hanging low.
— Is something wrong? — I asked, trying to figure out what was going on.
— Huh? — she hesitated, as though she hadn't expected the question.
— You're walking with your head down. Something bothering you?
— N-no... everything's fine, — Erin replied, turning away as a blush crept up her cheeks. She avoided looking at me, which immediately gave her away.
Got it. She's not upset—she's embarrassed from the argument with Harumi.
As we walked down the long marble hallway with its high ceilings, we approached a large oak door where a few servants stood at attention. When they saw us, the old butler hurried over.
— Master, are you heading into the city?
— Yeah. — I adjusted my shirt, not bothering to look at him. — Just want to take a walk and pick up a few things.
The old man froze for a second, clearly taken aback by my casual response.
— Very well, — he stammered. — I will arrange a carriage and security detail.
— No need, — I waved him off, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
The butler gave me a surprised look, as though I'd just suggested deserting my duties in full view of the entire estate.
— Eh? But why? — His confusion was almost amusing, but I didn't feel like going into a long explanation.
A showy carriage and a squad of guards in gleaming armor? That would only attract unwanted attention, especially when I looked like a spoiled ten-year-old brat. Especially here, in Hafelto, where the ruling Earhart family was still the subject of endless gossip.
Prestige is bullshit. If I wanted to become more than just a symbol of authority, I needed to be closer to the people. Closer to those who would one day become my foundation. They needed to see me not as an heir who got lucky by being born into the right family, but as someone who could become a true leader.
— I'd rather not attract too much attention, — I explained to the butler, keeping it simple.
He frowned but sighed in resignation.
— At least wear a mask, Master, — he said, offering me a plain white medical mask that would cover half my face. — And use the back entrance if you wish to avoid being seen.
— Fine, — I replied with a smirk.
The old man's caution wasn't unwarranted. After recent events, my face had become far too recognizable. For now, I'd have to hide behind a mask.
We exited the estate through the back entrance and soon found ourselves in the central square. Just yesterday, we had passed through this place in a carriage, but today it felt entirely different. Servants bustled about, knights stood guard by the estate's gates, but most notable was the crowd of onlookers gathered by the fence. They hovered like crows, whispering and casting glances toward the manor.
— So, where are we headed? — Erin asked, breaking into my thoughts.
— First stop is the apothecary. I need to pick up a few ingredients.
— And where's that?
— Just follow me, — I said curtly.
Thanks to the knowledge from my past life, I knew this city inside out. Its streets, shops, even its alleys. We turned onto a livelier street that felt like a festival—stalls, attractions, vendors shouting for passersby to check out their goods. The air was filled with the sounds of music and children's laughter.
As we walked past countless merchants, I was ready to ignore them, but Harumi, perched on my shoulder, started tugging on my ear, begging for sweets. Even Erin, usually so composed, was stopping by shop windows, curiously eyeing souvenirs and treats she'd never seen before.
It was amusing, considering how serious she usually was. I understood that all of this was new for her—after years of rigorous training at the castle with little exposure to the outside world, this outing felt like a celebration.
Sometimes, you need to let yourself—and others—breathe.
After all, this was why I brought them along.
We stopped at nearly every stall: to grab snacks, to look at trinkets. By the time we finally reached the apothecary I had in mind, nestled in one of the darker alleyways, we were weighed down with bags, looking like circus runaways.
— Here we are, — I announced, drawing their attention to the small, grim shop.
At first glance, it looked so shady that you'd expect something illegal to be happening inside.
— You sure about this? — Erin's voice carried a note of concern. She was eyeing the worn sign and peeling walls with obvious unease.
— Don't worry, — I reassured her as I pushed the door open.
The door creaked in a way that sent chills down my spine. Even Harumi, the shameless fox, clung tighter to me, and Erin grabbed my shirt nervously. I was the first to step inside.
But as soon as we crossed the threshold, the silence was shattered by the sound of a gun being cocked.
— Get down! — I barked, pulling both girls to the floor with me.
A split second later, a shotgun fired, and the spray of bullets whizzed over our heads, slamming into the wall and leaving deep gouges in the wood.
I raised my head to see who had "greeted" us. At the counter stood a man with a cigar clamped between his teeth and a nasty grin on his face.
— Oops, my bad. I was aiming for your legs, — he said, as if that were the most normal way to say hello.
— Haha… — I let out a dry laugh, pushing myself up off the floor.
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