Selina quickly recognized the child, clad in clothes with prominent sewn linings.
Although the youngster didn't seem to recall Selina, maybe due to her being concealed by her sunhat at that time. He didn't bother paying attention as he plead. "Any medicine can help..."
Darkwill inspected the child's clothing, then proceeded to return behind the counter.
Selina didn't followed, instead she remained standing on the side, holding her sunhat intertwined with her hands.
"You said severe coughing... We don't have that here." Darkwill blatantly confessed.
"Huh?" The youngster's eyes was astonished, worry creeping in.
"B-But this is a herbal store!" The child retorted.
Darkwill scorned and said. "The herb which usually the major ingredient in creating that specific medicine, the Sanctuary Root from the Feynapotter Kingdom, is rarely distributed in this city."
"Or at least, I haven't gotten a batch of it in awhile..." He added, silently wondering his producer of herbs.
"But-"
"You're persistent, want me to give you a herb that instead worsen whoever you intend to give the medicine to?" Darkwill narrowed his eyes.
Seeing all of this from the sidelines. Selina couldn't help but intervene.
She withdrew the small bottle with the liquid medicine she had concocted earlier from a compartment of her dress and approached the boy.
When she offered it, she said. "Here, it doesn't entirely cure the illness since it was severe as you described.
"However, anything could help right? It's called Spring Agent, it can probably lessen the burden of coughing."
The boy, who about to lose hope, rekindled the luster in his face. "R-Really? How much!?"
He probably referring to the price... Selina cleared her throat and said softly. "It's-"
"Twenty soli." Darkwill suddenly blurted, naming the price in Selina's behalf.
Selina turned her head to face this grease-palm shopkeeper with clear shock and disbelief. That's almost one pound!
The boy's eyes revealed frantic as he stuttered to compose a word. "W-What?"
Seeing Selina nonplussed. Darkwill scorned, reasoning his own pricing. "Those Everveil Orchid are more expensive than it appears."
"Why don't you cover the expense since you're so kind?" He added.
Selina was obviously displeased by the Darkwill's act, treading a negative impression of him within her mind.
However, she decided to dismiss it for now as it's harm and in fact was actually prartical of him.
She sighed and turned to the boy. Who's face turned paler stuttering silently. "B-But I only h-had five soli... Even then I-"
Selina interrupted. "Sigh... It's fine, don't worry."
She lowered her body to match the level of the child and took hold of the boy's right hand.
Then, after unfurling his fingers, she placed the small bottle to his palm.
"It's alright, just take it..." Selina softly added.
The boy was clearly hesitating on accepting her offer.
When withdraw herself from him, the boy shivered and said. "I-I couldn't accept this... M-Mother said free things costs the most!"
Free things... Selina was caught off-guard.
However, she softened her expression and said. "Was this for your mother? Is she sick?"
The boy backed slightly. "Y-Yes..."
This made Selina spared herself from thinking of any excuse as an exchange for the bottle.
She revealed a soft, warm smile. "Then as an exchange, take good care of her.
"Listen to her well and become a very reliable person someday. Can that be enough as an exchange from you?
"Also, keep in mind you have to make her drink a spoonful three times a day."
The boy didn't respond.
It was clear that he had experienced many interactions from adults and peers alike, from most he received negative lash those people.
Darkwill raised a brow, he obviously wasn't on board with Selina's decision.
Though her nature comes off as naivety, that trait is often times prone to being exploited.
After quite sometime, Darkwill's patience was beginning to wane as he opened his mouth and said. "The lady is already offering it! What's taking you so long just to accept?"
This startled the boy, prompting his hand to clench the small bottle.
He said bashfully. "A-Alright. Thank you."
Selina didn't add any words and simply gave a soft gleam.
The boy thanked once more, his joy wasn't showed but it was pronounced.
When he left. Darkwill dropped a parting advise for Selina dismissingly. "Be practical, you're not certain that boy genuinely had a mother with a severe illness.
"Most of these children laying about are raised in a foster home, either a beggar's pawn or a running lamb."
Selina went silent, quietly staring at Darkwill.
Darkwill furrowed his brows and explained. "What I mean is that don't be fooled easily. The world is already crazy enough as it is."
It's starting to become harder to believe a person like you could give an advise... Selina remarked inwardly before nodding regardless.
"Mr. Lawson, about the medicine's ingredients, how much did those actually cost?" She asked.
Darkwill was about to leave the counter when he heard Selina's question.
He halted midway and simply said. "I'll add it on to your mentorship, pay it by weekend."
'Alright." Selina replied.
Afterwards, she bade farewell to the shop owner, Darkwill. Then exited the store, donned her sunhat and began heading for a nearby public carriage station.
...
Gentle light still casts a lively glow over the city scape of Tingen.
The sun was slightly at an angle from the center, hinting that daylight wasn't been waned much since her lecture from Darkwill had started.
Mr. Lawson ended the mentoring quite early... How strange... Selina murmured inwardly.
Seeing that the time hadn't passed lunch yet and Darkwill dismissed her much earlier than she had anticipated.
Her destination shifted from the usual path to the carriage station to search for a nearby food stalls or restaurants.
Since the store wasn't greatly distanced from the Municipal Square, she quickly found a street crowded with mobile hawkers and opportunist merchants.
From there, she saw a street sign that she had failed to notice before.
18 Vlad Street.
So that's where Mr. Lawson's store is located... Selina murmured with interest for a moment.
However, she passed by it immediately and navigated through the street.
The venue was flocked by a variety of pedestrians, wearing either a mundane working clothes or a contrast of layered clothing added with a head piece.
Throughout her trip, she kept her hand within the compartment of her dress, where her wallet is placed.
However, she halted first, darting her eyes from one cart to another.
I wonder which food stall should I try...?
At this moment, a whiff of a smoky, meat aroma drifted pass her.
It came from what seems to be a barbecue stand!
Hmm... Alright, I guess it's decided!
When she had finally chose a food stall that gave off an appetizing aroma. Selina didn't waste any time and made her way towards the cart.
The scent of littered horse feces, intermingled sweat and tempting food fragrance made an environment of both nauseating but lively atmosphere.
Selina placed quite a hope on her chosen food stall as she gracefully maneuvered the passing pedestrians.
One hand anchoring her sunhat, the other pressed to guard her dress and wallet. She walked briskly then suddenly halted midway.
At this moment, for an inexplicable reason. Selina stopped without any thought.
What?
She stood there for awhile, yet nothing happened.
Her gaze hovered from one pedestrian to another. However, everything remained at a standard normalcy.
A quiet fear and paranoia was slowly blooming in her heart. W-What is that? Why did I stop?
The venue remained the same, the pedestrians still continued their own daily lives.
At that moment, strong gusts of winds suddenly blew from the east.
Her loose hand that was anchoring her sunhat quickly took hold of the head garment.
The wind caressed her dress, enabling them to flow according to its movement.
When it slowly receded, Selina sighed a quick breath. So it was just nothing... Sigh.
Securing her sunhat and wallet. She began to resume her way toward the barbecue stand.
...
20 Sailor Street. Haldein Province. Southern Continent. Inside of the White Rose Corp establishment.
Isabelle was seated on a long, mahogany table.
Stacks of papers littered the table's surface, accompanied by books surrounding the early era of Roselle Gustav, venturing into the fog sea.
These books seemed to have already been read by her and her company, Camille.
The two are absorbed by their reading that they both hadn't touched the cup of Southville Coffee laid on their side.
Throughout this silence, surrounded by bookshelves. Camille was first to put down her book and said. "I still couldn't find anything related to the compass... Any luck?"
Isabelle was startled by the lady's inquiry. However, unlike before, she can now maintain a proper conversation. "No, I'm actually reading something else..."
"Hmm? What is it?" Camille asked out of interest.
"It's uh... About a certain tale."
Camille wasn't satisfied with her answer, so she tried to scrutinized the book's cover.
"Legend of the Giant's Court..."
!
Isabelle quickly closed the book and pressed the title cover onto the table.
Camille couldn't help but let out a laugh. "So you're actually much more interested with that legend?"
Isabelle felt her face burn as she nodded.
"Hmm... The Giant's Court. You know... It actually spokes of a name of a wine, distributed from the Intis Republic."
"The Aurmir wine. Derived from an ancient name." Camille playfully disclosed.
"Though this name was only referred in the story as a wine of fermented grapes. I think it actually holds much more meaning than what it seems."
Isabelle, composed herself. Though she didn't intend on saying anything, because of this lady's genuine interest in the history.
She decided to say. "It's actually the name of the Giant King... King Aurmir of the Giant's Court..."
Suddenly, Camille froze upon hearing this from Isabelle. "Huh? What led you to conclude that?"
"I-... I-It was one of the things I've discovered." Isabelle tried her best to cover her words.
This was an information, a knowledge circulated among her peers within the Rose School of Thought.
"Really?" Camille kindled her eyes with curiosity. "What more have you discovered?"
Isabelle paused momentarily, then added. "King Aurmir had a wife... Her name was lost in the fog of history. However, her traces might still remain, such as her title.
"The two union to birth the God of Combat. Unfortunately, I don't have any more discoveries beyond that."
Camille listened attentively, then sparked with awe. "Wow, King Aurmir had a wife? And the God of Combat was their son?
"Wait... I believe I've heard of this before. Old records tells a Giant King whose wife which aligns with your discovery, had a connection with the concept of nurture."
Her eyes lit with excitement. "Do you think the Earth Mother was actually that wife of King Aurmir?"
Isabelle backed slightly. She wanted to decline her theory, but it would only exposed herself.
Instead, she nodded briefly and replied. "Maybe..."
Camille then returned to her previous poise, she said. "But we're getting off track here... We're supposed to find any leads regarding the Lost Compass."
Realizing this, Isabelle thought for a moment then asked. "Can I take a look?"
Camille took the compass from her side of the table. "Sure."
When Isabelle felt the smooth, rigidly cold surface of the compass. She weighted it with her hand, deducing that it was about twenty-eight gram, nothing stands out from a normal kind.
Without anything to see out of normalcy. Isabelle tried to lift the compass above her head.
Seeing this, Camille mused. "Are you trying to beseech a god to try and inspect the compass?"
Isabelle turned with furrowed brows.
Afterwards she lowered it to her level and saw that it remained unresponsive during her act.
Camille stopped with her teasing and said softly. "It's fine, we've tried multiple methods before, but it would only risk the compass from breaking."
Upon doing a few more tests, Isabelle ultimately chose to surrender the compass back to Camille.
Seeing her company was starting to grow exhausted. Camille stood from her chair and said. "The coffees became cold now. Why don't we go fetch new ones? Well, this time, we'll drink them with a Haldein Pie."
Isabelle nodded and left her seat as well.
They both left the table and the compass, nestled among the papers and old printed-pressed books.