Chapter 4
"An Encounter"
Adrian, who was trying to figure out what was going on, only by then went back to his bed with a dazed face. He believed this was only a dream, however, it's not. He attempted to think in a reasonable way, only then accepted his fate.
Adrian then glanced at the door of his room, he then realized that his room was as fancy and majestic as a room for the royal family. He drew his hands out and placed them on his lap, thus he played with his fingers and also touched his thighs gently. He sighed, confused by the scene, before uttering words to himself…
"I think… It's time to pretend.
"To pretend to be someone I never knew."
After he muttered the words, unexpectedly, a sudden headache pierced his head and it was so painful. He tried to comfort himself by placing his right hand on his head, the pain became more aching than before. A few memories passed through his mind, a memory from the body he had inhabited now.
"Shit! Why is it so painful!"
As the discomfort became to abate and smooth, Adrian tried to manage the soreness as it became more smooth and eventually gone. Adrian recalled a few memories after the painful, agonizing headache. He saw a few moments where Cadeyrn fell to the ground surprisingly, a few moments where he gazed at a King that must be his father.
After a few seconds, he was able to relax and breathe properly. With a sigh, Adrian then stood and went to the door of his room in an attempt to explore the place. He gently turned the door's handle, before he was faced by a dazzling hallway. He took a few steps forward, he saw a corridor painted in white color. A few lanterns attached to the walls, a red carpet that stretched in the corridor, stylized with golden patterns.
He then saw a few doors beside his resplendent room, two rooms gapped his room in the middle. He also noticed that there were signs on the two rooms and also his own, on the right side the sign read, "Rosey Helbert." While on the left side the sign read, "Ludwig Helbert."
However, he also found that there were more rooms after Rosey's room, perhaps for his father and mother? He saw a door on the left side, near Ludwig's room. Two doors, one that faced the corridor, and one that wasn't; it was facing south. Adrian with curiosity then walked toward the room that faced toward the south, he gently opened the door…
He gazed at a hallway, the same color as before and a few lanterns too. From afar, there was a door and a giant space in the middle which had stairs that must lead someone to the ground floor. Without hesitation, Adrian went to the stairs with a confused face. Yet, his steps were stopped for a moment, he gazed at the door's sign which was attached in the upper side of the door which read, "Library."
He then went down to the ground floor, as each of his steps echoed. Before him, there was a door which was guarded by two knights from outside. A resilient knight. Before he could react, a sudden call was heard from behind…
"Cadeyrn! Where are you going!" A feminine voice pierced toward Adrian's ears.
Adrian immediately fixed to the voice, and so… he saw Rosey. The charismatic woman stood while she was placing both of her hands on her waist, her gaze was uneasy.
"I have told you to stay in your room, and you denied my words," Rosey spoke as she slowly took a few steps forward.
Adrian then tried to be Cadeyrn, a naughty boy.
"I-I'm alright, Rosey. You don't have to worry about me," Adrian uttered gently, though he was trying to be Cadeyrn.
Rosey with a vexed face but gentle voice then replied, "You can't go, you must stay in your room, I'm worried for you…"
Adrian in a pleading manner then kneeled before Rosey, he tried to adjust his voice tone in a begging way.
"Please… j-just give me another chance…."
"Huh… okay then. But you must return before sunset, promise?" Rosey said, followed by her pointing her little finger toward Adrian.
With a full of hope, Adrian gazed at Rosey and excitedly answered, "I promise!"
Adrian then hooked his little finger toward Rosey's finger, with a cheerful face he then stood up.
With a faint smile etched on his face, Adrian then walked toward the door which he had been waiting for. He slowly opened the door, and so fresh air pierced his nose. Adrian took a few steps forward, passed the two knights whose eyes locked on Adrian.
From afar, he saw a giant water fountain in the middle, there was a single road before the water fountain which split into two roads. But before he could continue his walking, Rosey suddenly shouted from behind.
The tender woman approached Adrian again, before she gave Adrian two Tolth Coins in fifty denominations; Adrian received one hundred in total. The Tolth Coin is a currency used by the Afflueth Kingdom, made from Afolt steel—a rare material. One Tolth Coin converted to dollar currency would be worth two dollars. The Tolth Coin came with a few denominations from one, to ten, to fifty, and eventually to one hundred.
With a smile, Adrian then replied, "Thank you!"
Rosey then commanded the two knights to guard Adrian through his journey, with Adrian slowly walking toward the gate, he landed a smile on Rosey before he began his exploration.
…
Through the masses of the Afflueth Kingdom's people, the clunking sound which sourced from the two knights who guarded Adrian. Each step resounding through the road caught the attention of many people.
Clip!
Clop!
Clip!
Clop!
Adrian's eyes were fixed on a few wagons, and stores that sell many varieties of food and fruits! However… a few people and merchants tattled with each other about the naughty boy, Cadeyrn. Adrian didn't realize any of this, his gaze only fixed on the new things.
Cadeyrn was truly known as an annoying kid, a prideful kid. Some people were annoyed by Cadeyrn, and few even hated Cadeyrn. The reputation of Cadeyrn was so bad.
Until Adrian's gaze was fixed on a wagon which sold many varieties of fruits that were unknown to him. He slowly approached the seller with his two guards, his terrifying reputation made the seller chilled.
Adrian grabbed a red-colored fruit that looked like an apple, the scent was like a strawberry with a few sugars!
"How much is this?" Adrian asked the seller.
Afraid his wagon would be annoyed, the seller gently replied, "Sir Cadeyrn! This Petrioth fruit is worth two Tolths each! A generous price only for you."
"I think I'll give it a shot, give me three Petrioth fruits. One for me, and the others two for my guards," Adrian answered while he was pointing at the two knights.
The seller then grabbed three Petrioth fruits and handed them to Adrian and the rest to his guards, before he said,
"Okay, the total was six Tolths, Sir Cadeyrn."
Adrian with a faint smile then handed a Tolth Coin to the seller, Adrian then received four Tolths with denominations of ten and four Tolths with denominations of one as change.
With a careful gaze, Adrian then observed the fruit he was grabbing before eventually taking a bit of it. With an astonished face, Adrian was puzzled by the taste.
I-it's sweet! There's a taste of watermelon, but the scent is like strawberry. How odd….
After fully eating the fruit with a satisfied feeling, Adrian then continued his adventure through the kingdom. The two guards felt puzzled by his kindness, however, they wished for Cadeyrn to become a better person, a better boy.
Cadeyrn and his guards journeyed through Eriyorh Road, amidst the crowds who were doing their activities. Talking, trading, and eating. While Adrian was amazed by how beautiful, and prosperous the kingdom was, someone suddenly ran toward him…
A mysterious and unknown girl accidentally ran toward Adrian while she was playing with her friends, Adrian and the girl landing on the ground with a baffled face. All people's attention was locked to the both of them, the girl truly felt embarrassed. And so, she immediately stood up and before ran away the girl gently uttered,
"S-sorry!"
Adrian could only look at the girl who was slowly getting far, until his gaze was suddenly fixed on two Tolth Coins on the ground—with the denominations of ten each. He asked himself, were the coins dropped by the girl? With a kind heart, Adrian immediately commanded his guards to return to the palace and not have to worry about him.
"Return now, I'm going to chase that girl before she gets really far."
With a confused look, one of the guards suddenly asked, "It's dangerous, Sir Cadeyrn, you will chase that girl all alone?"
"I don't have time!" Adrian replied loudly, followed by him immediately running to chase the girl.
The two knights could only see Cadeyrn go while looking at each other in confusion.
…
Adrian, with a caring heart, loudly shouted at the girl who was running, "Hey! You dropped your money!"
The girl carefully looked back in panic, as Adrian chased her steadily. She loudly replied to Adrian, "J-just take it! Stop following me!"
As the crowds paid attention to the both of them, a few people thought that Cadeyrn was teasing a girl and viewed it as a bully.
The frightened girl suddenly turned left and went into an alley, followed by Adrian from behind. The girl once again turned, but this time she turned right before she was truly doomed… It led her to a dead end.
With a terrified face both nervous, she slowly looked back at Adrian. Anxiously, she tried to utter words but she was too scared at this point, before she was able to speak to Adrian, "I-I've said just take it!"
"Why are you so afraid of me? I'm not a bad person, you know?" Adrian replied solemnly, placing his left hand on his chest.
As the girl slowly got calm, Adrian slowly and gently drew his right hand out and shown the two Tolths Coins she had dropped on his palm.
"Here, take it, I just want to give back your money." A smile plastered over his face, a pure smile delivered by Adrian.
The girl hesitated for a moment, she was looking at Adrian before she fully understood that Adrian was no harm. The shy girl then spoke in a low tone, she murmured, "T-thank you."
Silence fell between them, an awkward situation among Adrian and the girl, before Adrian tried to encourage himself and asked the girl, "Um… may I know your name?"
Faced by the question, the sheepish girl murmured to Adrian while she was playing with her hands in a nervous way, before she answered the question, "M-my name is… Allie."
Adrian with a smile and excited feeling then gently responded, "Wow! A cool name! Well, my name is Adrian- I-I mean Cadeyrn!"
Allie nervously tried to encourage herself to answer Adrian's reply, "I-I've known your name, y-you're famous."
Well… that's quite true, I think? Adrian can only smile after hearing her answer.
Allie then slowly glanced at the sky that slowly turned to orange. Allie's chase turned out to have taken Adrian's journey time. With an uneasy feeling, Allie gently whispered, "I think I must return to my home, I'm afraid my parents will search for me."
Adrian, who didn't realize that, was surprised. With a faint smile he landed on Allie, he replied in a low tone, "Okay then, I'm going home too!"
As Allie passed by Adrian and returned home, Adrian sighed and felt something he never felt. He felt so alive. As he went to the Eriyorh Road again, he found his two guards approaching him in concern.
"Are you alright, Sir Cadeyrn?" The guard asked in a worried tone.
"I'm alright… well then, let's go back home," Adrian replied the guard while he was trying to clean his clothes from dust.
With Adrian and his guards in way of returning to home, Adrian murmured to himself,
I've never felt so alive.