So I'm in the marketplace. A marketplace… how in the world did Merida think I would find a Sacred Power holder here? That I would just bump into them randomly? Well… that is what usually happens, now that I think about it. Either that or they try to kill me. Or they're already dead and I just happened to come across their corpse. Or that they're a cat. I should return to Davidstown someday to say hi to the mayor just so I can pet the grass-growing cat. He may be evil, but he's adorable.

I travelled from stall to stall, exploring whatever there was to see. I may be looking for a Sacred Power holder, but in this place, I doubt I could find them. So I've opted to do something more interesting: browse the market. You never know what weird and interesting things you'll find here. For example, the stall I'm currently looking through sells seashells… isn't the nearest beach in Thawnerry three countries away?

"That is quite right, young lady." I turned to the source of the voice, the old man running the stall. "I'm well-travelled, and I quite enjoy beaches. Here you'll find seashells from the beginning of the coastline from Acies to its end in Waterfall and everywhere in between, like from the Secret Beach in the Walled Forest. Feel free to buy any that pique your fancy."

"You've certainly travelled around." Acies is on the northwest end of the continent, and Waterfall is at the southeast end. The Walled Forest is in the Garwet Kingdom, where we used to live, on the northeast end. He's been to three different corners of the continent. Hamblin, my hometown, is the last corner, in the southwest. "I've noticed you've been to three corners of the world. Have you been to Hamblin as well?"

"Haha… sure you jest, young lady. No one in their right mind would go to Hamblin. I have thought of doing so to truly have travelled to every corner of the world, but between the Desert of Bones and the Chaos Storm, I fear I would've died before I even saw Hamblin in the distance."

"The desert isn't that hot, and the Chaos Storm is cute, let me tell you that much."

"Hahaha! What entertaining statements, young lady. Let me tell you a marketplace secret for being such a dear and talking with this old man."

"Ooh, I love secrets."

"Do you want to know why our country is called Sacre Pla?"

"Umm… no."

"A great wizard founded a country on these lands, whose name was Sacre Pla. He did many things, like making his castle indestructible, the rivers' water immune to pollution, and trees that attacked any approaching monsters. Do you want to know what he did for our blessed marketplace?"

"Yeah, it sounds interesting."

"He made it so that if you closed your eyes and walked whilst thinking about what you wanted, a voice would come into your head and tell you your wish is granted, taking you to the stall with what you want."

"That's so convenient," I looked around to see many people walking around with their eyes open, "why does no one else do it?"

"It's a marketplace secret, of course. Don't underestimate the power of merchants, even ones as lowly as stall owners."

"Duly noted!" I saluted the old man. "Thanks for telling me. I'll be off!"

"Have a good day, young lady."

I closed my eyes, hoping to go where I wanted. I want a Sacred Power holder… or a cat… actually, no, I could really go for some flatbread!

Your wish is my command. Walk forward towards your desire.

Huh… wait, are you taking me to a Sacred Power holder?! Wait… did I just waste my… uh… wish? I opened my eyes and found myself in front of a… a bread stall… oh well. There was no one attending… no wait, never mind, they're just crouching down behind the table. Let's get their attention.

"Hello, baker stall! I wish for flatbread! As flat as can be!"

The baker stood up, looking more like a shady drug dealer you'd find in the alleys in Hamblin than a stall owner in a respectable marketplace. The unkempt hair, the half-closed eyes, the hidden knife under the jacket… why does a baker need a knife?

"To cut bread, obviously. Now, flat as can be, huh. Come behind my stall for a bit." Eh? Did I say something? Whatever, I'll follow her. I walked behind the stall into what I assumed was where she rested, a small tent that could barely fit two people. "Welcome to Lana's secret flat zone, where I flatten anything and everything. Tell me, who told you about this place?"

"Wait… did I accidentally end up in a secret service that stall owners offer again? This always happened back in Hamblin."

"Accidentally… did you really want your flatbread as flat as can be?"

"Umm… yeah?"

She took out her knife, "Guess I'll have to kill you."

"Umm… you can't kill me."

"Who says I can't?"

"Going to be honest, I could beat you in a fight."

"Pfft… you're just a maid." I suddenly equipped two daggers, then quickly thrust them towards her, one at her head and the other at her heart, stopping before they could touch her. "Okay, I was sorely mistaken… would you like some free bread?"

I stared at her eyes, trying to gauge what she was trying to do when suddenly, a familiar blue screen appeared.

Oh… a Sacred Power holder. That was easy. I put down my daggers and stood up to leave.

"Eh… you're just leaving?"

"Yeah, I'm satisfied. I'll be taking one piece of flatbread, though."

"Sure thing, boss."

"I'm not your boss."

"Got it." And back to the castle, I went.

Character profile: Lana

Sacred power: Flatten

Dream job: Necromancer

Description: The baker stall owner who has a secret service. The following message is an advertisement for Lana's Secret Flat Zone: Hi, I'm Lana, owner of Lana's Secret Flat Zone. What do we offer? A wide variety of services. Have some rubbish you can't seem to properly dispose of anywhere because of its size? I'll flatten it. Have a neighbour whose house is the object of your ire? I'll flatten it. Have a rival in love whose breasts are bigger than yours and are stupidly seducing the dumbass you fell in love with? I'll flatten it. I'll flatten it so fucking much. FUCK YOU ABI- This advertisement has been interrupted due to technical difficulties.

Chapter namesake: Flat Zone from Super Smash Bros. Melee

pojlk

So the next release day just so happens to fall on my birthday, and honestly, I don't feel like writing on my birthday, so the next chapter will be in 4 days instead of the usual 2 days. In the meantime, there will be a poll down below where you can vote for a side story I'll write. Why am I writing a side story for Side Note? I just felt like it. The side story will be posted alongside chapter 80, which should be around two weeks from now if I know how to math. There will be ten options, you can pick the two you like the most, but only one can win. Whichever one wins after a week will be the one I'll write. Now, here's an explanation for each of them:

1. Killer Queen (Queen song): Rio Verdeux had died twice on the same day as a result of her Sacred Power, 1up. However, 1up's true form is revealed. She is sent back to the beginning of the day upon her second death, forced to continue this 'level'.
2. Magic Sword (Electronic band): Satdrul Smithking has been given an impossible task: Create a blade for Wulfric Break that will not break. He intends to use the best material possible, and so makes a perilous journey alongside his Christie to the Chaos Storm at the Edge, where the impossible happens.
3. Eye of Sorrow (Zero Two theme arrangement from Harmony of Heroes): Mira recalls one of her more favourite memories: The day her mother introduced her to Mendass, and gave her a special ability, explaining each one to her.
4. Chaos King (Song from Deltarune): A day in the life of Sally Cordozar, Vandar Gray, Makos and Citri, the folks who happily live in the Chaos Storm at the Edge.
5. Intro (bo en song): Myka happily lives with her 15 siblings, despite being the only one without a Sacred Power, however one day she hears a dark voice inside her. A voice that claims to come from the future, hoping to be free after learning her backstory was created. Thus started the fall of the Jaspers.
6. Unseen Entities (Song from Under Night In-Birth): Graduates from the Maid School are constantly shadowed by the enemies of Moira Vusser, who is almost as feared as the Seer. This is the story of Madeleine's watcher, who miraculously hangs on.
7. Alphabet Soup (The Losing Score song): Alexis Lentil, the Queen of Combat and mentor of Merida Sicht, had fallen in love once, but the man she fell for had passed away without realising his dream. Alexis decides to quit her adventurer job to fulfil his dream for him, and alongside her apprentice, acquire the ingredients for the fabled Alphabet Soup.
8. Just Good Friends (Michael Jackson song): Mare Lauf is the Bandit Lord for the Garwet Kingdom, and thus has a huge target on her back. This is the story of how she met an odd elf, her betrayal by the few she placed her trust in, and her rescue by the odd elf.
9. The World Is Mine (Song from Batman: The Brave and The Bold): Scorzar the Eternal Hoarder has nearly everything in the world. Vast amounts of wealth, secret caves all around the world, treasures that are one of a kind and even a device used by the Creator themself. Yet he is unable to obtain one thing.
10. Love, Love, Love (Avalanche City song): Bel Heal is a priestess who heals using the powers of those above in Heaven. Chern Kuno is a ninja trained in the dark arts and lurks like those from below. Kori Land is a farmer who works hard on the ground on Earth. These three unlikely people have ended up in a relationship with each other. This is just a casual day in their life.

So yeah, that's all of them. Vote for whichever one you want the most. As you can tell, these are a bit more serious compared to the typical Side Note tone, which is because I felt like writing something on the more serious side. I won't be surprised if they end up nonsensical somehow, since that's something I'd do on a whim.

"Okay, this Myka stuff is supposed to be heavy."
"But like, what if it was not?"
"Good idea, pojlk."

Something like that. Since we're on the topic of side stories, any characters y'all wanna see get a side story that isn't in any of the options? The only character you can't choose for side stories is Madeleine because her side story is Side Note. Man, that'd be funny, wouldn't it? Side Note was a side story all along. Unfortunately, that isn't the case... or is it? Seriously though, I'm joking. I think. 

Sorry about the long author's note, by the way. I got carried away.