On the same day, Canis decided to take a stroll and explore the city in the morning, alone, since Aron and Easton seemed to still be asleep. This time, he wore his dark sunglasses to hide his golden eyes. He walked aimlessly for some time, enjoying the cool morning air, then stopped in front of a clothing store. Through the glass, he noticed a sharp, well-tailored suit that caught his attention. He thought to himself, When was the last time I bought clothes? But that thought quickly faded as he reminded himself that now was not the time to be tempted by such things.
Suddenly, he felt a light touch on his back, as if someone mischievously brushed their fingers against him. Canis turned around, and there stood Lucy Mariposa, grinning widely, clearly recognizing him.
"I guessed it right, didn't I? Canis Majoris, of all people, is in this district?" Lucy's voice was teasing, but there was a warm undertone to it.
Canis raised an eyebrow, remaining unfazed. "What are you doing here?"
Lucy shrugged casually, as if the answer was obvious. "This district falls under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Army's Third Division."
Canis half-heartedly nodded, seeming uninterested. The Third Division, huh? Not that he cared about the military presence, but he wasn't exactly thrilled to run into people he knew here either.
"What are you doing here?" Lucy asked again, this time tilting her head slightly in curiosity.
"Just vacationing," Canis replied nonchalantly, his tone flat, as though it was the most ordinary answer.
Lucy seemed to hesitate, but before she could say more, she saw two familiar figures walking toward them. Aron and Easton had arrived. Easton's eyes widened upon seeing Lucy, and it was clear he was just as surprised as Canis to run into her here.
"Lucy… it's been a long time," Easton said with a warm smile, clearly astonished.
Lucy returned the smile, just as glad to see Easton after such a long time. "Easton, it really has been a while, hasn't it? How have you been?"
Easton chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "Same as always."
Then Lucy's gaze shifted between Canis and Easton, narrowing slightly. "Hmm… I thought you two weren't really just 'vacationing,' huh?"
Neither Canis nor Easton answered, but their silence was enough to say everything. Lucy smiled knowingly.
"I had a feeling," she said with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Well, no matter. Since we're all here, how about we go for a walk and chat a bit?"
Canis didn't say anything, but nodded in agreement, his indifference returning. Aron, on the other hand, seemed excited to join, his curiosity clearly piqued.
---
As they walked, the four of them engaged in light conversation, and for a moment, Canis allowed himself to relax, though a small part of his mind remained focused on the mission at hand.
They walked together, with Easton and Lucy in front, while Canis and Aron followed behind.
Lucy glanced back slightly and asked Easton, "How many years has it been since we last met?"
Easton furrowed his brow, thinking hard. "I don't even remember anymore," he answered honestly.
Lucy chuckled softly, then spoke with a nostalgic tone. "I still remember those days. We were both Tsar's students, from the same generation. We were even more senior than Canis... though in the end, he surpassed all of us."
Easton nodded slowly, a faint smile on his face. "I remember too. Among all of Tsar's students, Canis was the most talented. No one could match his learning speed."
"Exactly," Lucy replied with a laugh. "That kid overtook us in no time."
Canis, who had been listening to them talk openly about him right in front of his face, could only sigh softly, slightly irritated. "You know I can still hear you, right?"
Easton and Lucy exchanged glances, then laughed together, not feeling guilty in the slightest.
Curious, Aron then asked quietly, "Miss Lucy is also an old friend of Master, right?"
Canis answered briefly, his tone flat, "Like they said."
"Oh, right," Lucy suddenly said, turning back. "I don't really know what your actual purpose is here... But at least let me welcome you to my town. Welcome!"
Canis answered without turning, his tone flat again, "A bit late for that."
Lucy just chuckled lightly and nodded, agreeing casually. "Well, better late than never. There's a lot you can do here! We have plenty of interesting places, good food, little festivals…"
But Canis immediately cut in, "We didn't come here for things like that, Lucy."
Lucy gave him a playful, suspicious look. "But didn't you say you came here to vacation?"
Canis didn't answer. Instead, he quickened his pace, leaving the three of them behind, walking slightly ahead on his own.
At an intersection, Canis turned left without paying attention—and accidentally bumped into someone. His solid frame caused the person to stagger slightly backward, and a few pieces of bread they were holding fell to the ground.
"I'm sorry," Canis said quickly, then knelt down to help gather the scattered bread.
However, when their eyes met, both of them froze.
Their gazes locked, and then, simultaneously, with both annoyance and surprise, they both said, "You?!"
Canis and Shina Mariposa—two people who clearly didn't get along—were forced to meet in this unexpected place. They stared at each other with a tension that could be felt in the air, as if the world had stopped for a moment just to witness this uncomfortable encounter.
{Chapter 27 end}