Gold

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Stern

THUD. THUD. THUD…

The footsteps grew fainter as the thugs disappeared around a corner.

“God.” The woman before us tucked a stray strand behind her ear. “Didn’t know my name was that scary.”

A chuckle escaped her lips.

“Explain yourself.”

Her ears perked up. “Hmm?”

The noble puffed up his chest, raising his voice higher. “Do I need to repeat myself?”

“Nah.” She shook her head, walking past him.

Her boots dug into the ground. Her eyes darted around the entire alleyway, until they finally landed on me.

Our gazes locked.

Right. She probably wanted to know why we’d been searching for her.

I parted my lips, almost uttering a word.

Her eyes sharpened.

The words caught in my throat.

My foot stumbled a step back.

“Also, I found another lead on that syndicate,” she carried on, her eyes breaking away from mine.

…

Why did she—

No…

Why did I flinch?

My breath hitched. Slowly, I kept exhaling until my breathing became normal again.

I turned my head, stealing a glance from Laurel.

She wasn’t beside me.

Where had she—

“TEACH ME.” Laurel grovelled before the woman. “PLEASE, TEACH ME YOUR WAYS,” she begged, her head touching the gravel.

The lady blinked, staring at the med-student.

“What?” She tilted her head.

Great. Laurel had already lost her.

“Tch…” A tongue clicked.

The woman glimpsed towards her right.

It was Adrias.

“You were asked to be my bodyguard for my time in Stern.” He crossed his arms, head turned away.

“I know.” She flashed him a smile, completely devoid of the way she looked at me earlier.

The noble unfolded his arms as he turned his head again, his eyes directly on her. “That’s not it!” His foot tapped on the ground.

“You’re supposed to be on a break from your duties as—”

He stopped mid-sentence.

A hand ruffled his ginger hair, fingers running through it.

“It was a good lead.” She patted him on the head. “Couldn’t let it slip.”

He yanked her hand away. A pout formed on his face.

“That face doesn’t suit a noble.” The woman turned her feet as she sighed.

She knelt down, her hand rummaging through the scattered weapons on the ground. Finally, she grabbed something.

A blunt blade.

“Another case,” she groaned. “And I still have to find that jewelry thief.”

She didn’t seem like a serious person. At all.

Why did I get so worked up over the way she looked at me?

SKRAP—!

“Anyway.” The woman scraped the blade against the ground. “What's your business with me?”

She didn’t have to turn around for me to know she was talking to us.

Laurel, who was still grovelling on the ground, raised her head in an instant. “Well—”

“Judging by how capable you are,” I choked out before the med student could even mutter a phrase.

I’ve lost what little faith I had in her after today.

And I can’t have her screwing up this chance. This lady could still know a thing or two that’s useful to me.

“I believe you already know.” My eyes narrowed as the last word left my mouth.

Silence.

A beat passed.

“You’re a sharp one.” Her voice was unreadable.

CLANK!

She threw the blade on the ground, pushing herself up.

“Let’s talk somewhere else.”

-XXX-

CLATTER. CLATTER.

The soles of our shoes hit the cobblestone. Crystal lights dangled from above as we walked through the marketplace once more.

We’d already passed the fountain.

I glanced towards the sky. The sun was going to set soon. Maybe I’d get to see the listals glow again.

Adrias and that woman, Reese, were ahead of us. I could see their lips moving, but I was too far away to make out anything they said.

“No wonder you wanted to find her!” Laurel stuck beside me, her eyes sparkling. “She’s so cool,” she squealed, covering her mouth.

I let out a sigh, quickening my pace.

Finally, I slowed down just behind the other two. “So, you two know each other?"

The noble turned around, still keeping up with the woman next to him.

“Nothing of importance,” Adrias muttered. “She was just assigned to be my bodyguard.”

“ ‘cause I’m a good friend of his parents,” the lady added, a sly smile on her face.

“And because of that scene you made that caused you to be given a break from your duties.” He folded his arms as he snickered.

“C’mon Adrias.” She wrapped a hand around his shoulders. “Those guys are too dramatic.”

He slapped her hand away. “Tell that to the Captain,” he quipped, not even sparing a glance at her.

I’m missing too many details…

Then, she stopped once we reached the edge of the street.

“Reese?” the noble called out.

“Just down here.” She pointed before disappearing below.

Adrias shrugged, following after her.

I walked near the edge. There was a stone staircase that led below.

BRR—!

A blur of black hair passed me, her foot caught onto the ledge.

“WOAH—” Laurel began to dip forward.

I sighed, grabbing her hand. With a sharp tug, I pulled her back.

She regained her balance, glancing towards me.

“Thanks!” she squealed. “You’re so nice, Scar—”

I stepped down, the sole of my shoe hitting the stone staircase.

The floorboards creaked as I finally descended.

All I could see was an endless stretch of the sea. Just past the horizons was the half-lidded sun casting a golden hue.

It was the town port.

Can’t believe I almost got robbed like ten minutes ago.

Laurel stepped onto the docks too, running along the wooden planks until she reached the very edge of the port. Her lips began to move.

“It’s so pretty!” was probably what she was saying.

A sigh tugged my lips. The sight was fine.

Nothing beats the view you get from a stranded island anyway.

Shhh…

The waves rolled beneath the deck.

For a second, I was reminded of the North Port.

Drenched gloves.

Salty boots.

Loulin complaining the entire morning.

A knife missing my face by inches.

Footsteps.

I turned around.

Adrias stood beside me.

“I’m surprised someone like you is friends with her,” he muttered, his eyes staring past the horizons.

“Never said friends.”

He tapped a finger against his cheek. “That’s true.”

Then he walked further ahead, his footsteps fading as he stopped near the edge of the docks just like Laurel.

The med student had noticed him. In an instant, she stood up. Her eyes were glowing.

Whatever she was saying, I was too far away to understand.

Not like any conversation with her was going to be important anyway. I scoffed.

A cold wind blew past me.

And for a while… things felt peaceful.

“Do you like this world?”

My head turned in a snap.

I was face to face with a pair of crimson eyes, cold and calculating. There was nothing warm in them.

A finger pressed on the rim of her glasses.

My breath hitched.

I hadn’t even realized when she got here.

“Do you?” she asked once more, leaning back slightly.

I paused. My gaze drifted forward.

Laurel dipped her hands in the water, splashing around.

Adrias backed away, a scrunched up look on his face.

They were too far away to hear us.

My eyes moved once more, staring right at the woman before me.

“It’s fine.”

“Just fine?” She tilted her head.

I slowly nodded.

“I think it’s great.” A hum tugged her lips, her gaze never once straying from mine.

My teeth gritted.

It’s gonna take a lot more than just that to intimidate me.

As if I could throw weeks of effort away. Then I would’ve been better off dead.

“Who are you?” The words left my mouth. Sharp.

Her eyes narrowed.

“Cutting straight.” She clasped her hands together. “That’s no fun.”

“Are you going to answer?”

She paused.

Then her lips curved into a smile.

Her hand slipped beneath her coat again. Her fingers gripped something dark and leathery.

The sunlight finally caught it.

A white dolphin. Wearing a sailor hat.

My eyes widened.

Like the one on that poster.

She placed it on her head, turning the hat to its front side.

“Vice Captain of the Royal Vanguard.” A grin smeared across her face as she uttered the final word.

“At your service.”

The air gushed past us.

It sounded like a howl.

Her gaze met mine again. Sharp enough to pierce my skull. “Let’s skip the Goddess talk.”

“Then what do you expect to talk about?”

Her head raised, hand still gripping onto the hat.

“The necklace.”

…

A cold wind tore through the air.

Her coat swayed to the right.

The silence was deafening.

…

Someone knows.

My hand slowly covered my mouth.

Someone knows.

“You-”

“I won’t ask why you want it,” she clarified. “Nor do I expect you to ask me the same.”

“How did you know—”

She stopped, her eyes still locked onto mine.

“You’re stuck in a new world, yet you don’t seem lost or confused,” she stated.

The way she said it. Her voice was flat, monotone. Like she’d been observing me for a long time.

“So, I’ve got a proposition.” Her hands clenched tighter, fingers interlocking with each other.

She stepped closer. A soft hum escaped her lips.

“Join the Overseas Vanguard.”

…

I stared at her.

…

“It’ll take a lot more convincing than just that.” I mumbled.

A sigh tugged her lips.

“Should’ve known,” she muttered.

“A stable job, income and a legal way to be on the seas and search for the necklace.” She adjusted her glasses, her gaze drifting toward the ocean. “There’s no reason you shouldn't."

I scoffed. “You don’t seem to be having much luck yourself.”

After all, she’s still here. In this world.

“Maybe…” she paused, her eyes glancing towards me as her grip on the hat faltered, “...you could change that.”

A hand reached out.

“Because if there’s anything strange in the sea,” a chilling breeze blew past her face, “we’re the first ones to find it.”

Sunlight fell on her face.

Her lips curved into a smile.

As if this was a golden opporunity.

…

My gaze remained stuck to her hand.

It was a tempting offer.

But despite that…

“I appreciate the offer,” My eyes broke away from her hand. “But I decline.”

In an instant, the smile dropped, her arm limped downwards. Whatever act she was playing died that moment.

“May I know why?” Her voice was cold.

“I…” My eyes darted around, Laurel was at the edge of the docks alongside that noble.

Still too far away to hear anything.

“Judging from everything you’ve said.” I cleared my throat. “You don’t have as much freedom in the Vanguard as much as you make it out to be.”

She stood still, just listening.

I continued.

“I’m better off saving up enough money to get a boat for myself and search.” 

I’d just be risking my life for no reason if I joined.

She clasped her hands together. “I won’t say you're wrong.” Her grip tightened. “Not at all.”

Guess that entire search was just a waste of time then. A shame.

I turned around, my foot pressing into the wooden planks.

“Before you leave.”

I stopped.

“What was that about getting your own boat?” The lady behind me asked in a cold unnerving voice.

A sigh escaped my lips.

“I made myself pretty clear,” I muttered.

Silence.

…

“You don’t know?”

…

Don’t know what?

I didn’t move.

Slowly, I turned my head.

My eyes widened.

She was already standing right behind me.

“Scarlett Ernest.”

My name.

I never told her that.

“How—”

CLINK.

Something metallic clicked around my wrist. My gaze fell down.

A handcuff.

“You’re under arrest.”

I stared at her.

“You’re going to arrest me?” My jaw clenched. “Are you really going to abuse your authority ‘cause I didn’t accept your offer?”

She clicked her tongue. “I’m just arresting a criminal.”

And yet, there was not a single trace of guilt in her voice.

Damn her.

My fists clenched. “I haven’t even spent 3 months in this world, how the hell could I get a criminal record?”

“Impressive.”

I blinked.

“Wha—”

“You’re under suspicion of poaching and trespassing the kingdom’s territories.” Her hand gripped the chains of the handcuffs.

When the hell did I do all of that—

Wait… don’t tell me it was…

“Is this about the fishing?”

“You don’t even know the history of the kingdom you're in,” she muttered.

“Hell,” I seethed, “Of course I don’t.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Let me give you a basic rundown…” Her grip on the chains loosened, just slightly.

“There once was a small group of travellers that settled near the coast.” Her eyes were still locked onto me, watching every move I made.

“What they didn’t know was the place they decided to make their home,” she raised the chains higher, “belonged to beasts that lived nowhere else in the world.”

CLANG—!

She yanked the chains of the cuffs, hard. Jerking me forward as my foot dug into the floorboards.

I lifted my head up, her face inches away from mine.

I couldn’t move a muscle. No matter how much I tried.

It was suffocating. Even when I knew I had full control of my body.

“Over centuries, the small group of travellers grew into what we have today.” She placed her other hand on her cheek. “The Kingdom of Valemere.”

Her tongue clicked. “The name of the man that tamed the beasts that roamed here long, long ago.”

Her gaze sharpened further.

“Potions are an integral part of the kingdom,” she stated. “Wanna know what they’re made up of?”

That’s when my stomach dropped.

My blood ran cold.

“Animals.”

Her grip finally loosened entirely on the metal chains.

“That’s why we can’t have people slaughtering them left and right.”

I stumbled back.

“What you’ve done is enough to mark you as a traitor.” She stepped closer and closer.

Till her mouth was only inches from my ear. “And your friend.”

“Loulin Biene.” She whispered.

My throat ran dry.

And for the first time, I had no words.

She backed away, only a few steps. “But… I can save you.” A hand reached out, once more.

“Join. And I’ll act like this never happened.”

My eyes stayed on the hand.

Every answer I had led to the same place.

…

The sun had already sunk below the horizon.

I had no choice anyway.

~Gold~

Characters:

Scarlett Ernest (MC, and the POV)

Laurel Ains (The fake med student)

Adrias Vale (The Vale heir)

Reese Myers (The Vice Captain)

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