CHAPTER 31
In the next moment, the golden knight vanished into sparks of golden light, and immediately after, Gekka appeared.
He staggered back, a bit taken by surprise by her sudden appearance, but he quickly regained his composure, looking at the sorceress with a slightly perplexed expression.
He hadn't been able to sense her presence throughout his fight with the golden knight. He assumed that she had disappeared, but that couldn't have been the case.
Gekka furrowed her brow upon noticing his strange expression.
"What's wrong?"
Megumi quickly threw a smile at her, waving his hand to signify that she had nothing to worry about.
Upon seeing his gesture, she smiled as well, patting him slightly on the head as usual.
"You've done well. Let's take a breather."
Instantly, he was engulfed by a hue of blue lightning, and before he could even blink his eyes, they vanished.
******
Soon, he was strolling the streets of the Fujiboma residence with Gekka by his side, and further to the sides were multiple stalls with many goods on tables and people standing behind them.
There were Sakura-shaped lanterns swinging above stalls, lining the cool grey marble floor, and along with them were vendors offering steaming bowls of ramen and other delicate meals.
What caught his attention, though, was the wafting scent of incense, which guided him to rare jade carvings and hand-painted kenshi.
He had a popsicle in his hand, looking around at the bustling clan market with his trusty backpack neatly strapped on. By his side, Gekka was also holding a popsicle while carrying one of the sakura-shaped lanterns.
The frozen fruit juice was quickly melting, forcing him into a slightly awkward state as he tried to lick it as fast as he could. He finished the popsicle in a few minutes, tossed the stick into a nearby disposal bin, and then turned his attention to Gekka.
"So where are we going?"
She smiled at him and pointed toward a stall in the distance.
"I'll grab a quick bite, and then we can go see Yuki. You can grab a gift or something for her in the meantime."
She turned, tilting her head slightly to the side as she gazed at the multiple stalls around them.
"You said you wanted to get her something, right?"
Megumi quickly turned away, his face a bit flushed. He looked around the stalls and then spotted something that caught his attention.
He quickly ran off.
"I'll be right back."
*******
He soon arrived in front of one of the stalls, staring intently at the jade carvings that were laid bare on the table. There were sculptures of different animals to the side as well, and behind the stall, a young lady knelt on a tatami mat, writing on a sheet of paper.
The paper was a creamy-white color that looked smooth and seemed to have a subtle texture. Her hand slowly moved in line along the sheet of paper, the ink brush dancing in rhythm to create rather stunning characters.
She wasn't simply writing; she was weaving every character with a technique, crafting a stunning art that had him drawn in the moment he set eyes on it.
He looked around the stall once more, admiring the different pieces of work carved from beautiful jade, and the clay sculptures were just as grand. The different animals that lay on the table, along with those of different people, told tales of a history long forgotten.
They were something he knew that a certain someone would definitely love to see.
'I'm sure Yuki will definitely love these.'
He quickly turned his gaze back to the lady, who was now staring at him with a warm smile on her face. She slowly stood up and approached him.
She was dressed in a lavender kimono designed with pink petals, and her brown hair was tied back in a simple bun. She clearly wasn't the best he had seen in terms of looks, but she was still stunning either way.
"How may I help…?"
She suddenly paused, her eyes slightly widening while her mouth was left agape. She quickly covered her mouth and moved back slightly in shock.
She was quick to get a hold of herself, though, and gently she stretched out her hands, her kimono sleeves flowing as her knees went to the floor, and then she placed her palms together on the floor and bowed her head.
"I humbly greet you, young lord."
Her voice was soft and polite. She remained on the floor even after greeting him.
Megumi flinched, a bit surprised by her sudden actions. But then a smile gently crept up on his face as he waved his hand.
"Please rise."
"Thank you very much."
She said as she gracefully rose from the floor.
Then, Megumi swiftly pointed toward the numerous artworks that lay on the table, his eyes darting between every piece.
"These are quite fascinating works of art. Did you craft all of them yourself?"
The lady nodded; the bright, warm smile she had earlier quickly returned to her face as she responded.
"Yes, I carved every piece myself with the jade that can be found here in Inazuma. I could show you how it's done if you'd like."
Megumi's eyes gleamed as he looked up at her, contemplating how fascinating it would be to learn sculpting, but his enthusiasm quickly waned after he remembered what he had come here for.
"I'll consider your offer one day, ma'am, but I'm here today as nothing but a customer."
Then his eyes slowly trailed back to the sculptures on the table.
"How much are you willing to take for everything that's on the table? … No, not that. I want every piece of jade you have to offer, and I'll pay double for it."
Her eyes widened, and instantly, she knelt down on the floor and bowed her head once again. She spoke, her voice sounding surprised and pleased.
"Young lord… Double payment is too generous. I'll offer a respectful price for everything, two Lunari gold coins… If it pleases you."
Megumi humphed, paying little attention to what she had to say. He took off his backpack and slowly stretched his hand inside it.
Then, he slowly pulled out his hand and quickly emptied whatever he had onto the table. A generous amount of gold coins with a moon carved into their sides.
"That's all I have."
Once again, the young lady was struck by a pleasant surprise, her eyes widening as she slowly got up from the floor. But before she could say anything, the young lad had already packed everything she had for sale into his backpack.
She gasped, staring at the coins that lay on her table in fascinated shock, but she tried her best to appear humble.
"You're far too kind, young lord."
However, Megumi still wasn't inclined to listen to her, as his eyes were fixated on the unfinished hand-painted Kenshin she had sitting behind the stall.
She quickly noticed his gaze and turned around. Her gaze landed on the work of art she had been doing before he arrived, and then she turned around politely.
"I'm sorry, young lord, but I'm afraid it is still unfini…"
Before she could finish talking, he pointed toward the Kenshin and said calmly,
"I'll take it."
The young woman sighed and then went to the painting and brought it back. She handed it to him with a polite bow and watched as he ran off in haste.
Her gaze then shifted to the pile of coins on the table, her heart racing as she slowly reached for one of them. Her finger trailed the circumference of the gold coin, and after confirming that it was authentic, she fell to her knees and bowed once more.
After mumbling a few words, she got up with joyful tears rolling down her cheeks and quickly began packing the coins.
"I'll be sure to thank our gods… I can finally pay off all my debts and maybe buy a house. It doesn't matter what happens; I'll never be broke again!"
*******
Meanwhile, Megumi quickly returned to Gekka, where she was seated, staring blankly at the sky. There was a paper bag by her side.
She quickly stood up, turning toward him. Her gaze quickly went to the piece of unfinished art he was holding, a sly smile slowly curving up her face.
"You sure know Yukine well."
Megumi raised an eyebrow, sparing her any comment as he turned away, but she wasn't done talking.
"Oh, come on, kid, I was only teasing you."
She sighed and placed her hand on his shoulder, and in the next second, they vanished, leaving nothing but a hue of blue lightning behind.