In the next days, Belinda and the others visited the parks, playgrounds, and other interesting places around the Smith District.

Today, they climbed a hill and watched the city.

„Wow! It’s so big! I can’t see the other side of the city!” Belinda was surprised. While they walked around, she already noticed this place was too big.

„Some old books mention that all the districts were originally villages. Slowly they became bigger and ended up as a whole.” Bertold sighed. The flying buses went higher than the hill they were on, but the inner city’s buildings were too high. They couldn’t see as much as they saw now.

 „... We visited all the districts that Szelim mentioned before, but this place so much bigger than that. Sal! There are other districts too, right?”

Sal stood some meters away from them. He hugged Lucia and whispered into her hears. Sometimes he pointed at some places and Lucia watched it with interest.

Belinda’s face darkened. She forgot about their guide’s bad habit. He barely told anything to them, just cared about Lucia.

„Sal!” Belinda called his name and patiently waited because she knew he heard her question.

Sal finished his monologue and turned to them. „There are, but too far. One day not enough to go there and come back... And those places not that interesting.”

„What’s there?”

Sal didn’t want to answer, but feeling Bertold’s gaze, he sighed. „Gardens, stables... I don’t know exactly. Master never took me there and I’m too lazy to go that far.”

Belinda nodded. She believed Sal’s laziness. „... I heard there’s a place where they sell beasts and pets. Can I see it from here?”

„No. That’s on the other side of the city. Even if you use the flying bus, you need 3 days to come back.”

Belinda remembered about the beasts she saw around the auction’s house and shook her head. „No, I don’t want to go there. I just asked.”

They spent some hours looking around on the hill then went back.

After walking into the house, Belinda knitted her brows. It was too quiet. „Where’re the others?”

„Oh. The auction started today. Szelim wanted to buy some things, so he left early.” Sal suddenly remembered. „Your teacher had an appointment with someone in the inner city, so they went together.”

Belinda was speechless. Usually, they went out without speaking with them. She didn’t noticed they weren’t here.

„When will the auction ends?”

„After 3 days.”

Belinda nodded and went into her room. They only stayed because Horác wanted something from the auction. He asked Szelim to buy it and they needed to wait until he would get it. If she remembered right, the transportation array would be activated 5 days later. If everything goes well, they could leave at that time.

Sal didn’t intend to go out anymore, so Belinda was refining candies every day. These days she saw a lot of good things and their high price. She realized, she needed to work harder if she wanted to buy anything.

Horác didn’t come back until the 3rd day’s night. The others were in their room. He didn’t want to disturb their rest, so he didn’t let them know. He sat in the living room and drank a cut of tea.

The night slowly ended and the sun rose. Horác felt bored, but he still waited patiently. After half an hour, the front door was opened.

Szelim walked in. He felt so tired. Some kids and old geezers were crazy to get the things they wanted and bid without thinking. If not, he could come back before dinner...

„Good morning!” Horác greeted him, but he didn’t put down his tea.

The vein on Szelim’s forehead jumped. „Good the hell! Next time if you want something, go and ask for a ticket!”

„... Someone won against you?”

Szelim sighed. „Not long before, someone found a new type of ore. I wanted to try it out, but it extremely hard to get. Now there was a big one, enough for a sword, but those bastards with their shitty skills fought for it! And they have more money than me! Why?! I really can’t understand those who buy their scrap weapons!”

Horác drank another cup of tea and waited patiently. He knew Szelim would calm down after he cursed enough.

After a while, Szelim sighed and dropped himself on the couch. He poured tea into a cup, but he stopped before he drank it. „... What kind of tea is it?”

Horác eyes lit up. „Oh, this one I accidentally developed a year ago. It can cause your brain to tingle and...”

„Enough!” Szelim slammed the cup on the table. He took out a box and placed it next to it. „I got the sword you wanted. You were right, its price stayed low.”

Horác opened the box and took out the sword. He played with it in his hands. „Can you fix it?”

„You asked the right person! If you go to someone else you can say goodbye to it!” he said proudly. „But I don’t understand. You never use any weapons, why the hell do you collect them?”

„I can’t?” Horác was confused. There were a lot of collectors. Why couldn’t he?

„... It’s your money.” Szelim sighed and took out another box. „But this one. I really don’t know why you asked me suddenly to get it. I checked its condition. It’s hopeless. You can only use it as raw material. Even those crazy spenders didn’t care for it. There were only 2 bids before I got it.”

Horác put the box on his legs and opened it. He didn’t say anything.

„It is really precious, but I don’t know how to save it. Sorry, but with this one, I can’t help.” he stood up and went into his workshop.

Horác closed the box and sighed. „I didn’t thought it would be in such a bad condition... Let’s give it a try!”

Szelim heard him and came out. His face was full of disbelief. „Do you have an idea about how to save it?! YOU?!”