The sunlight filtered through the window and reflected on Basil's seated body. He was inspecting his face in the mirror while grooming himself. The light bothered him, so he quietly ordered,
—Paul, close the curtains... —He changed his mind at the last second—. Wait, forget it. The violets need lighting.
Paul only looked at him in silence while drying his face with a towel. He glanced sideways at Castian, who was also getting ready with his usual indifferent expression.
To think that serious Castian cares even a little about his appearance.
His thoughts were interrupted by a soft *knock knock* coming from the door. The three men turned in unison, and Basil gave permission to enter.
—Good morning, Mr. Basil. —Ferned entered and bowed with an outstanding formality—. We have come to escort you for your outing today.
Behind him were Fauste and Auryn. The young man's expression tried to radiate confidence, but Basil felt it crumbling when their eyes met. Meanwhile, Auryn seemed to be competing with Castian in who appeared more indifferent to life. Basil believed she was winning.
—Mr. Ferned, it's good to have you here. —A dry laugh accompanied him—. I put my life in your hands.
Mr. Wiry nodded and stepped aside naturally. Auryn and Fauste followed suit with movements that Basil found mechanical. He paid little attention to them, finished getting ready, and left the room alongside Castian and Paul.
—Mr. Basil, I ask you to put this on. —Ferned handed Basil a necklace with a small pouch, which he received with some doubt.
Oh my... a dull gray... Is there anyone here with good taste?
—May I ask what it's for? —Basil held it in his right hand with exaggerated distaste.
—It will help us know your location. —Ferned replied without hesitation.
Another chain...
Basil fell silent and began to reflect on the necklace.
This must be an order from Merlian. Despite being powerless, she has realized that my outings may pose a threat. It serves to make me feel safe and comfortable, but it's also a message about the control they have over me.
»Those guys following me must be quite powerful for someone so arrogant to plan so far ahead.
Basil concluded and put on the necklace in less than a second. A calm smile accompanied him as if he had never felt distaste. Ferned looked at him and said nothing, while Fauste appeared uncomfortable.
—Alright, let's go.
They exited the hotel and were greeted by a wonderful view. The streets that usually boasted their wealth were at their peak; decorations of all colors and shapes hung from house to house. A crowd of well-dressed people walked excitedly toward the shopping street.
—Today is a special day; it commemorates the anniversary of the Prosperous Fountain. —Basil explained calmly to Fauste, who seemed surprised.
The boy was about to thank him but instantly avoided it, leaving an awkward silence in the air.
—You seem quite informed, Mr. Basil. —Ferned spoke after a pause.
—Hm, I wanted to come for this moment. —He lied naturally—. Besides, today is special because it's Sunday; Celei's church takes advantage of it to hold beautiful masses.
Ferned's gaze deepened, and he said nothing more. Basil also did not mention his change of attitude; he just continued walking in silence while marveling at the beautiful decorations.
The group arrived at the shopping street, which was much livelier than usual. Vendors were doing everything possible to attract attention, shouting low prices and exotic products with the unique charisma that profession requires. Bards also wanted to draw in the crowd, so different melodies could be heard every certain distance apart.
Basil's group was tacitly ignored. The vendors felt some suspicion toward several people whose identities were unknown. If it had just been Basil, he might have gone unnoticed; however, Paul and Castian also shared his sense of fashion that day.
He didn't like the idea of going out in a cloak in twenty-five-degree weather, but Merlian insisted that their identities should remain as concealed as possible.
—Excuse me, how much for these? —Basil approached a cramped shop and asked about a ceremonial dagger.
—One silver sun, sir. —The clerk tried to appear professional, but her lips trembled. She was close enough to see part of Basil's scorched face.
Ferned noticed this and quickly intervened between them.
—Sir, let us handle the purchases.
Basil could only step back in front of Ferned's unyielding stance.
—In that case, buy that dagger and that beautiful silk handkerchief.
The clerk noted that Basil was requesting ritualistic materials but said nothing more. They were part of an outdated Hexian custom; she would rarely have another chance to sell them.
With that purchase, the attitude of nearby vendors changed. If they had previously looked at them warily, now they barely paid them any attention. Most of their products were aimed at Celeinos; a Hex believer wouldn't be very willing to pay for them. And certainly, Basil wasn't.
However, he didn't forget to order some cards and board games. He had a terrible feeling that this escort mission would last quite a while, so he couldn't just stay in his room staring at the wall or watching Paul complain about anything. At that rate, boredom would kill him before any of those demigods did.
The group passed through without delay until they reached the Prosperous Fountain where the crowd had already gathered; however, unlike last time, they had left space in front of the fountain. The nobles had moved even further away, watching from a distance as Celei's pastor spoke before the crowd.
—Brothers and sisters, the beautiful sun covers us with its majestic mantle. —His voice resonated throughout the square; the artifact in front of his mouth amplified it—. The Great Celei blesses his fountain once more.
—Hm, I can barely see. —Paul complained quietly as he stood on tiptoe but still couldn't see through so many people.
—Don't worry, just listening is enough for us. —Basil whispered as if comforting a child, which irritated Paul even more—. Anyway, I only came out of curiosity; I don't think I'll stay long.
The silhouette of the pastor shone in the sunlight. The reflections in the water sparkled, giving the fountain what Basil considered a "holy light."
—It has been 440 years since the famous sculptor Hamil Gem received inspiration from our Lord and made this beautiful fountain. —He didn't seem to care about the radiant situation; he continued speaking with a powerful voice—. His work was so perfect that it has been considered by many important people as a wonder of this kingdom.
»With the fountain before you, could you deny it? I, for my part, could never do so. —He turned slightly to see the fountain, and his eyes returned to the crowd in less than a second—. We have seen it all our lives, and it never loses its charm. Not just us; our parents and their parents have seen it with the same admiration we have today.
»Celei has also seen us through this fountain. His will is in every inch, every engraving, every drop of water that comes from those beautiful angels. —He lifted his gaze to the statue at the top—. Above all, it is in that beautiful statue. Watching us. Bestowing His blessings on our trade.
The families listening hugged each other, their gazes filled with limitless appreciation. Some took out the Sulom and held it against their chests, hoping Celei would embrace them through the book.
»He has witnessed generation after generation of this city. He has seen life's farewells and its resurgence. 440 years! The Prosperous Fountain has survived five wars and has never been destroyed. Do you know why? I will tell you the answer. —His hand pointed to that beautiful statue that shone like the sun—. Because the will of Celei gives us prosperity! As long as we love and take care of this fountain, we will never be forsaken!
—May Celei be dignified! —Those words spread among the crowd, moving from mouth to mouth like a wave.
—May Celei be dignified!
—May Celei be dignified!
From children to elders, everyone shared that emotion. The pastor tried to hide his feelings, but a smile appeared on his face without him realizing it.
—For another year with Celei protecting us!
The crowd erupted in applause as Basil and the others stepped aside.
—Don't you want to stay for the whole service? —Paul asked.
—I've seen what I wanted to see. —Basil's face was slightly flushed with emotion—. The rest will be quoting verses from the Sulom while saying how interesting they are and uh-huh. If I'm going to do that, I prefer to go to mass at Hex's church.
»Besides... —Basil turned to Ferned—. It seems my bodyguard doesn't get along well with Celei's church.
Paul turned around curiously and found a surprising scene. That man known for his good demeanor had vanished; his green eyes held deep contained rage. Paul instinctively looked away.
—Mr. Ferned... —Fauste tried to approach but felt it was inappropriate.
—...My apologies, Mr. Basil. —The elder dragged out his words while clenching his fists—. Don't let my attitude hold you back; I ask you to ignore me.
Basil said nothing more, and the group continued moving forward. Ferned returned to normal once they had moved far enough away.
After a detour, Basil planned to approach the nearest person to ask for directions, but Ferned stepped in and did it for him.
—Excuse me, sir.—The elder addressed a well-dressed gentleman—. Do you know where I can find a Hex church?
The gentleman was about to respond courteously, but Ferned's words surprised him. He gave him a rude look and muttered.
—Hexian... —His tone gained strength—. Asking for that on a holy day like this; what audacity.
With nothing more to say, that man walked away. Ferned anticipated this would happen yet still tried asking other people. Unfortunately for him, he received only similar responses.
Basil reflected on such behavior. From what he knew, until a few years ago, both churches maintained harmony. It was only twenty years ago that hatred between both religions began to rise sharply. Although it hadn't reached the level of the Era of Lamentation, segregation could be quite noticeable in cities like Caleh where religion was deeply rooted.
—Sir, you won't get anywhere asking that today.—A boy with newspapers approached Ferned.—I can tell you about the nearest Hex church for a price.
Ferned looked at him for a few seconds and offered him a kind smile.
—I appreciate your kindness toward this old man, young one.—He took out the bag Basil had given him.—How much do you want?
Everyone could notice that Ferned had a weakness for children.
—Two silver suns! —It seemed the boy noticed it too, as he demanded a high payment.
Ferned took out a gold coin and handed it to the boy, who couldn't hide his surprise at seeing so much money.
—Keep the change, young man.
—Uh... Uh... I'll take it right away, sir! —The boy tightly clenched the coin and put it in a small pouch. Then, he began to guide the group through the streets.
That... was my gold coin...
Basil could only lament. He vowed to ask that young man, Fauste, to bring the money next time.
—If you turn left at the next corner, you'll see a café. I usually sell newspapers to the men sitting outside. —The boy pointed in another direction—. And if you go straight down there, you'll find a park. I play there with my friends!
The boy knew that a gold coin was too much for simple directions, so he tried to make the trip more fun.
Ferned just gave him a kind smile with some silent laughter. Fauste also caught the cheerful feeling. For his part, the rest of the group felt out of place. Basil had that smile that made one doubt whether he was truly smiling, Paul seemed lost in his thoughts, and the couple of zombies lived up to their nickname.
After a few minutes, they arrived in front of the church. The neighborhood they were in was middle class, with little to praise except for some decorations for the anniversary.
—Well, that would be all. —The boy bowed and said goodbye—. Thank you for everything.
—Thank you, young man.
The boy looked at Ferned for a moment and smiled.
—May Celei bless you!
With those innocent words, he left. The atmosphere quickly cooled down; Basil turned to the elder with curiosity. He wanted to see if he would witness that unusual anger in Ferned's eyes but found something different instead. Ferned looked bitterly at the boy walking away. His eyes held a sadness difficult to discern.
Then there was silence in the group as Basil entered.