Dagel snatched his massive sword from the wooden floor in a swift motion, then slung it over his shoulder and fixed his piercing gaze on me, saying, "So… tell me, what are you doing here?"
I replied with feigned calm, as beads of sweat slowly rolled down my face: "It's none of your business."
Orfen's eyebrows furrowed strangely, and he turned to his companion, asking, "Do you know this boy, Dagel?"
Dagel glanced at Orfen out of the corner of his eye and replied coldly, "He's the same boy I told you about earlier."
At that moment, Orfen burst into a suspicious laugh that started low and then rose to a maniacal pitch as he said, "You're right… this boy is truly interesting! I was about to show him something even more exciting…" Then he ran his tongue strangely over his lips, licking away the dried blood.
Dagel turned to me again and said in a calm tone, "Are you still thinking about that offer, young man?"
The corner of my mouth curled into a smile mixed with flustered sarcasm, and I said, "As if I'd waste my time thinking about that trivial offer."
Dagel didn't give me a moment to think; in less than a second, without my noticing his movement or sensing his presence, everything around me froze. The only thing I registered was the feel of the cold, massive blade of his sword resting directly against my neck.
His other hand was still holding the full bag, and then he leaned in to whisper in a faint voice, his expression as impassive as ever: "It seems you don't value your neck enough… you child."
My blood ran cold, and I stood frozen in place, while thoughts clashed violently in my head: How did this happen?! I didn't even see him move!
Then, Dagel slowly withdrew his sword, tucked it behind his back, and turned away, leaving the place with cold indifference. Orfen followed him in complete silence, without uttering a single word, until their figures faded from view outside the restaurant.
My face tensed and my breathing quickened. I whispered to myself: If he'd wanted to end my life… he would've done it in the blink of an eye! Who on earth are these people?
Zoe grabbed the hem of my shirt and whispered softly, "Siraj… are you okay?"
I was lost in thought, so I didn't notice her. She shook my shoulder again, saying anxiously, "Siraj!"
I snapped out of my daze, turned to her, gave her a faint smile, and said, "Ah… I'm fine, don't worry."
But inside, I whispered to myself: I mustn't let Zoe and Miro worry any more… they're counting on me. But first and foremost, we have to get out of this restaurant.
The place was gradually returning to calm. Most people had dispersed and gone home, while a few who were still tipsy remained seated at their tables after the staff had rearranged them.
A man wearing loose brown pants and a plain white shirt approached me. His hair was completely white, deep wrinkles surrounding his eyes and cheeks, while two black mustaches stretched on either side of his mouth in a strange contrast to the color of his hair. He stopped in front of me, then asked in a calm tone:
"How do you know those people?"
I looked at him for a moment before replying coldly: " I don't know them… at all."
The man clasped his hands behind his back and said in a low voice: "I advise you not to get involved with them. I don't know much about them, but people say they're followers of one of the Five Witches."
My eyes widened, and I lowered my gaze to the ground. The Witches… the Five? Who is he referring to? And who are they?
I lifted my head again and asked him, "Are the five witches really that dangerous?"
He stared at me for a moment, then sighed and said, "I don't know if the story is true or not. I heard it from my grandfather a long time ago. Legend has it that five hundred years ago, there were five witches wreaking havoc across the land. After the most powerful forces of the time joined forces, they managed to seal away only two of them. As for the other three… their fate remains unknown, and no one knows anything about their whereabouts."
He paused for a moment, then added, glancing toward the restaurant door:
" As for those you saw… rumors are circulating that they are followers of one of the witches, but no one can say for certain if those rumors are true."
The man looked at me for a moment, then said calmly, "You seem like a good person. Where are you from?"
I froze for a moment—but could I really tell him the truth?
I whispered to myself: What should I say? Should I tell him I'm not from this world? He'd surely think I'd lost my mind.
I opened my mouth to answer, but the words wouldn't come easily. I began to stammer as I searched for a suitable excuse, but the man cut me off.
The man smiled slightly, then turned his back and said, "It doesn't matter where you came from, or where you belong… All that matters is what you leave behind in the hearts of those who live beside you."
He stopped at the restaurant door, then added without looking back, "Take good care of yourself, young man."
I kept watching his back as he walked away until he disappeared from view. His words kept spinning in my head for a few moments. I didn't fully understand what he meant, but something told me he was a good man.
I looked at Zoe and Miro, then sighed inwardly. It wasn't good to stay here any longer.
"Let's go."
I stepped toward the door, but before I left, I felt a hand grasp mine.
"Wait…"
I stopped and turned around, and there she was. It was the girl with the purple hair, the waitress that man had tried to hurt earlier.
She lowered her head, and a faint blush began to appear on her cheeks. She looked hesitant, as if she were trying to gather her courage before speaking.
"Thank you…"
Her voice came out softly, then she looked up at me and said, "You really helped me today… I won't forget what you did for me."
Her eyes were brimming with tears, but I didn't know what to say. I remained silent for a moment, then raised my hand and placed it on her head, gently stroking her hair as I tried to avoid looking at her.
"Don't worry… I didn't do anything special."
Her face suddenly flushed, as if she hadn't expected that gesture, and she quickly pulled my hand away.
Then, as I was leaving, I added:
"Take care of yourself."
She replied, her voice sounding much more cheerful this time:
"Okay."
Then I continued on my way toward the door, while she stayed behind me.
A few minutes later, we were walking along the stone sidewalk as carriages passed by us from time to time. The air was refreshing, and the warm rays of the sun gently bathed the area. It seemed to be nearing 10:00 a.m.
I was staring at the ground as I walked in silence, thinking about what I should do next. Behind me, Zoe and Miro were talking about something I couldn't hear clearly, and they seemed engrossed in their conversation.
As I was lost in my thoughts, I heard a voice calling my name from afar. I paused for a moment, then slowly turned toward the source of the sound.
It was her.
I saw the waitress with purple hair running toward me, until she stopped in front of me, placing her hand on her chest as she tried to catch her breath. I kept looking at her in surprise, wondering why she had come back so quickly.
After a few moments, she calmed down a little, then lifted her head, smiled nervously, and said:
"My dad… wants to see you."
I stared at her for a moment before replying, surprised:
"What?"