"Ziray?" Alan repeated the man's name, despite the overwhelming tension within him, he acted as usual. "Quite the unusual name."
"Haha." Ziray laughed. "I suppose so, after all, there is only one of me."
Alan again took a proper look at Ziray's attire, it was a pure black hanfu robes, something Alan had never seen.
"That is some unusual clothes you got too." Alan remarked.
The man blinked, then looked down at himself before laughing.
"Haha, I indeed do look a little out of place, huh?" Shaking his head with a smile, he asked. "But tell me, do you happen to know where the so-called royal castle is?"
"The royal castle?" Alan tilted his head, then looked towards the massive silhouette of the said castle in the distance.
Pointing to it, Alan asked. "You mean that place over there?"
Turning to look at the building, Ziray exclaimed. "Oh my, that is the castle?"
"Well... yeah, it's pretty obvious."
"Ho ho, I suppose so." The man smiled, gazing at the castle, then his voice dropped. "Tell me, what do you think of the emperor of this era?"
"What?"
"The emperor." Ziray looked straight at Alan, his swirling ember eyes staring into him. "What is your opinion on the man who sits on that throne?"
"Uh..." Alan hesitated. "I've never met the guy, so how would I know?"
"I see, I see." Ziray smiled, then turned his gaze towards the castle once more. "Allow me to give my evaluation of this man."
"Huh? I really didn't ask, though."
"Ambitious." He started, disregarding Alans words. "But in all the wrong things, seems my slumber allowed this man to indulge in pointless activities."
"Your slumber?" Alan caught a rather odd word from his sentence.
"Well, matter not." Ignoring Alan's question, he continued. "In due time, I shall deliver."
"What are you even saying."
"So that is the castle you say." Again ignoring Alan, he asked.
Alan turned to look towards the massive silhouette again, before nodding in confirmation.
"Yes."
"I see, thank you..." Ziray paused, his voice turning into a soft whisper. "...Leon."
Whoosh
Alan's head snapped to the side so fast, his head cut through the air.
But the man was already gone, just like he came without a single trace, he vanished as such.
That name, it was a name no one in this world was supposed to know, not a single person should be aware of it.
But that man knew, for the very first time since his reincarnation, Alan was shaking, in raw fear he had never felt before.
His face was pale, his hairs all stood on edge, his eyes were trembling, his heart banging inside his chest.
And for a very long time, he remained rooted there, blankly staring at the place that man once was.
...
Click
The church entrance door clicked as Lucian stepped out.
"It's done." He said to Alan, already knowing he was there, but he didn't receive a reply.
Curious, Lucian glanced towards where Alan was, immediately his brows knitted together.
Alan was there, standing stiffly in one position, staring to his side.
His body was shaking slightly, and his eyes were trembling, it was an emotion Lucian was familiar with, but an emotion he had never once seen on Alan.
"Alan...?" Lucian called out slowly.
"Ha!" Alan jolted out his trance, then looked at Lucian. "Lucian?"
"What happened." Lucian's tone was deeply serious.
"Nah..." Alan sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Nothing."
Lucian didn't ask much more, instead he walked forward, then past Alan.
"Let's go then."
"Yeah... let's go."
...
The sun completely set by the time Alan and Lucian returned to the streets, allowing for the night-life to begin.
Streetlights lit up, and numerous food stalls stood on the sides, small performances were being played here and there.
Alan took it all in with a flat expression, his initial shock from that bizarre encounter was slowly subsiding.
Everywhere Alan looked, he saw people walking the streets with smiles, laughing while holding hands, families walking together.
The peaceful environment cleared his head for a moment.
"Hah." Alan sighed. "I'm too tense for no reason."
So what if there was a strange man who knew about his past identity, it changed absolutely nothing.
There was no need to be pointlessly stressing about things he couldn't find an answer to.
Feeling slightly better, Alan smiled faintly.
"You're back to normal." Lucian said, glancing at Alan from the side.
"Yeah." Alan shrugged. "Just realised how stupid it is to worry about stuff you can't do anything about."
Alan already knew whoever that man was, he wasn't someone he could even dream about fighting currently.
Leaving behind his thoughts of Ziray, he continued wandering the streets, observing the place.
"It's annoying having to cover my eyes like this." Alan suddenly grumbled.
His violet eyes revealed his bloodline as a Zevril, which just caused unwanted attention.
Alan was currently utilising mana to make his hair cover his eyes, despite being effective, it was also annoying.
"Hmm." Lucian pondered for a moment, then pointed to a stall. "How about that?"
"That?" Alan raised a brow, then glanced over.
The stall Lucian pointed towards was an artifact stall, selling items infused with special effects.
There were rings, necklaces, bracelets and even glasses.
"Hmm." Alan nodded. "Let's check it out."
Soon they arrived at the stall, behind it sat a man wearing glasses, idly reading a book, he had a classy fedora placed on his head.
"Yo." Alan greeted him.
The man lifted his gaze from his book.
"Ah, customer." He closed his book. "What do you require."
"Hmm." Alan thought for a moment. "Got anything that can cover my eyes?"
"...This is an artifact store." The store owner tapped his chin, then glanced at the glasses on display. "Those glasses improve your vision, but isn't the greatest for covering said eyes."
"Ah." He exclaimed. "I may have something in ownership of that can help."
Snap
He snapped his fingers, the mana surrounding the air fluctuated, then an item floated into his hands.
"Here, try this." He said, tossing it towards Alan.
Alan swiftly caught the item... it was soft and silky.
Curious, he looked down, it was a strip of inky black silk, it almost blended in with the darkness.
"A blindfold?" Alan asked.
"An artifact blindfold." The owner replied. "It's got some small effects, try it on."
Nodding, Alan wrapped the silk around his eyes.
"Oh, whoah." And expressed his amazement.
His vision didn't change at all, he could see everything as if he wasn't wearing anything, in fact, his vision might be better than before.
Turning his head down, Alan asked. "What are the effects?"
"Hmm." The owner thought for a moment. "First off, you can see as usual behind the fold, with a minor vision enhancement."
Alan nodded.
"Second, it lowers your presence, so it's ideal for sneaking into places you shouldn't be."
"Lowers my presence?" Alan tilted his head. "As in I appear weaker?"
"All it does is make it harder to sense you." The owner replied. "Though inexperienced awakeners might just mistake you for being weaker, those with experience can immediately tell you are suppressing your presence."
"I see, pretty useful, then." Alan nodded. "How much?"
"A hundred and twenty gold."
"Fuck..." Alan cursed, turning to Lucian, he asked. "How much do we got."
"About three hundred and thirty since that place."
That place, referring to the brothel Alan, burnt to the ground.
"Hah." Alan sighed. "Just pay it."
Lucian then pulled out a hundred and twenty gold coin out of his dimensional ring, before handing it to the stall owner.
"Pleasure doing business." The owner bowed slightly, then went back to his book.
After walking some distance, Alan asked. "How do I look?"
"Like you're blind." Lucian replied.
"Do I look cool though."
"Yeah, pretty cool."
Alan nodded with a satisfied smile, then a thought came to him. "You should be the one wearing the blindfold."
"Why would I need to?"
"Nah, you'd just look cool." Alan shrugged and kept walking.
"Oi, Lucian." After a moment of silence, he called out. "How much gold do we have now?"
"About two hundred and ten."
"Shit…" Alan cursed.
The actual price of daily usage wasn't that high.
Alan and Lucian could technically live in the capital for months on just one gold coin.
But the things they were purchasing so far were eating their money, any artifact or even enhanced weapons cost hefty, which Alan intended to buy a lot later.
"Alright, starting now, we are saving every copper."
"Understood."
…
"So we're staying here for today?" Alan asked.
The duo were now standing in front of the inn, the building was nicely lit with loud clatters inside.
It seemed more like a restaurant than an inn, but the sign said otherwise.
"Yes." Lucian replied, then walked through the entrance.
Jingle
The bell on the entrance chimed.
"Welcome!" The lady behind the counter greeted them immediately.
Then her face shifted slightly when the two reached the reception.
"What brings two nobles to this inn?"
"We're not nobles." Alan clarified.
The lady was confused hearing his words as well as seeing Alan wearing a blindfold, yet looking directly at her.
Either way, she shrugged. "I'm the innkeeper."
Alan nodded, then Lucian stepped up.
"We would like a single room." He stated.
"Eh?" The innkeeper tilted her head, then looked between the two with narrowed eyes. "So you two are like that, huh."
Alan's eyes widened behind his blindfold. "Lady, it's probably not what you are thin–"
"Yes, we are exactly like that." Lucian cut him off, nodding firmly.
"...What the fuck are you talking about?"
"Oh my~" The innkeeper giggled. "I don't judge, I won't disturb you two then, here is your keys."
"No, please listen to m–"
"What's your preference?" She asked, leaning forward, completely ignoring Alan.
"I am a bottom." Lucian confidently answered.
"Oh my~"
"Fucking hell…" Alan cursed, burying his face in his palm.
Never could he have expected his plans of teasing Lucian would backfire like this.
Ignoring the snickering innkeeper, he turned to Lucian.
"Why did you even ask for a single room." Alan asked Lucian.
"You said to save money, no?"
"Uh, well yeah… then what the hell were you saying by 'we are like that'?"
"We are friends." Lucian replied without a change in expression.
"You fucking moron."
"He is quite innocent isn't he?" The innkeeper grinned.
"…Could we just get a room with two beds or something?"
"Yes, yes." She nodded then handed them a key. "Would you two like dinner?"
"No, thank you." Alan declined, then walked up the stairs.
Step Step
Click
They entered the room.
It was fairly spacious, with a door to the bathroom and two separate beds.
Sighing, Alan approached one of the beds and collapsed on it.
"Lucian, what do we do for the next month." Alan asked.
There was still a month before the ceremony and before they left the continent.
"I've heard there's a tournament in the second district."
"Oh?" Alan raised a brow. "What's it about."
"It's for the fourth princesses age of coming ceremony."
"What?"
"The tournament is within the age bracket of 15-17." Lucian paused. "I'm pretty sure the second prince will be participating."
"Is that so." Alan nodded. "Can we participate?"
"Why should we? Victory would be practically guaranteed."
"Yea, but I'm bored so…"
"Well, I'm unsure, still, it wouldn't hurt to at least attend the tournament and just watch."
"I guess." Alan shrugged. "When is it anyway."
"In a week."
"Alright, well, it works out just fine."
Alan and Lucian had to make their way to the royal castle later anyways, meaning they would benefit in moving up the districts.
The lower the districts in number, the closer it is to the castle, and the higher the status too.
"Alright, I'm heading off." Alan said, then turned around in his bed, pulling the blanket over him.
Silently, he thought about his first day at the capital.
Visited the slums, burnt down a brothel, rescued four girls, met a strange man, purchased a cool blindfold for himself.
'Pretty eventful day.' With that silent thought, Alan fell asleep.