I was overcome with a wave of nostalgia as the scents and sounds of ages past swamped me. The crowded, richly decorated carriage skittered along the paved road through the market grounds, where the smell of flowers and spices and happiness would soon pour from the stalls and into the air.

I shook my nostalgia off and once again paid attention to the people in the carriage, they seemed to be extremely interested in my expressions for some odd reason. Sensing their scrutiny, I acted as if I were suddenly struck by a thought. As I raised my hand to my forehead to scratch an itch, I noticed something odd about the parents -- scars here, callouses there -- it made it perfectly clear what they've done in the past.

"It is true that you have both seen quite a lot of excitement in your life, correct?" My question hung in the air, its answer evident on their faces. I wanted to keep them engaged and pleasantly distracted. "Let us hear some interesting tales!"

"Why yes we have! Even had our own little adventuring group going on." Melissa said, "I was the resident sorceress, and he was our little dunderheaded paladin."

Arthur and Alice leaned in close as their parents recounted stories of their adventures.

"Remember the time we faced off against a giant two-headed hydra?" Phillipe smirked, "You almost burnt me in your rush to defeat the thing."

"You weren't much better, I'll have you know!" Melissa retorted, "Remember the time at that underwater temple, the sharks?"

Their parents grinned at each other with nostalgia, before continuing their bragging.

"Ah yes! We wandered through tundras so cold you could barely breathe, deserts so hot that your skin felt like it was burning alive, and cities so old that you felt like you had stepped back in time..."

The siblings listened intently as they heard tales of titanic beasts locked away beneath forgotten oceans and wise men who guarded secrets only those deemed worthy could learn. Every story brought forth new imagery in their minds, sparking wonderment and excitement within them.

It threatened to bring me back into my nostalgia, daydreaming back to good times with Cassiopeia, but I resisted, slipping out of the recently parked carriage while the family was otherwise distracted. We had stopped in front of their home it seemed.

A manor, built on the fringes of a large garden and training area that spread out behind it. Wrought iron gates opened up to the surrounding woods. An elderly gentleman, his hair peppered with white strands, was sitting on a nearby bench with a clipboard in hand. A small delicacy, wrapped in paper, rested on the bench beside him. I mused whether or not I would go and speak with him before I heard someone calling out my name.

Aren stood from his seat atop a well-fed horse and waved me over enthusiastically as he pointed towards some food – what looked like a sandwich with ham, lettuce, tomato and mustard. "You hafta try summa this food, man. My wife made a bit too much for me."

My mouth practically watered as I brought the sandwich to my lips. Taking a bite, I was met with a succulent mix of tender ham, crunchy lettuce, and juicy tomatoes that melted in my mouth like butter. As I devoured the sandwich, the coachman raised an eyebrow with approval.

"Woah there, grandpa, s'like you haven't eaten in centuries," Aren said, an approving grin splitting his face, "I'll make sure to tell the wifey that you liked it so much."

As I savored the last bite of the succulent meal, I couldn't help but let out a contented chuckle. Though my stomach wasn't entirely full, I was happy with the spread before me. Looking around at Aren and the carriage, I decided that this trip had been more than worth it, and that I should find some way to repay their kindness.

I closed my eyes, stretched out my arms and felt the faint hum of mana in the air. Taking a deep breath, I slowly exhaled and focused on drawing the mana towards me, as if I was pulling it by an invisible string. My palms started to tingle and I opened them, revealing a soft, blue light that glowed between them. With one final push of my will, the light solidified into a sphere of crystallized mana.

I waved my hand, calling forth a second wave of energy that began to coalesce in the air. It slowly took shape, forming into a smaller sphere of crystallized mana. I could feel it thrumming in my hands as I held it out, its weight heavy yet comforting. These should be enough of a payment for what they did. The thought crossed my mind that I may have overpaid a bit but that hardly mattered; I enjoyed myself.

As I released my breath, a tingle of joy spread through me when I saw Aren's eyes widen in surprise. He slowly stepped closer and I opened my hand to reveal the small ball. "My payment for the ride," I said with a sly smile. The thrill of seeing someone shocked never seemed to fade away.

I stretched out my arm and waved it, making the larger ball fly into the carriage where I had been sitting earlier. It seemed that nobody had yet noticed my disappearance, as I heard more than one scream about me becoming an orb. A satisfied smirk spread across my face as I glanced one last time at Aren who was still frozen in shock.

I gave him a knowing nod before turning away and strolling back to the city. Vaguely, I recalled us passing by a small street stall with the most heavenly aroma coming from within.

As I walked through the bustling streets of the city, my newly-crafted sandals already showed signs of wear and tear.

The air was still alive at this late hour, with merchants setting up their stalls and hawking their wares. I crouched down to inspect the various vegetables, fruits, and trinkets on display; showing a faux confidence as I handled each item and studied them closely.

It was then that I noticed the coins circulating around. A golden material glinted in my hands, bearing an unfamiliar figure—the current king of these lands, or perhaps an old one? I wanted to get my hands on some of those coins, it wasn't exactly practical to keep on using such expensive material as crystallized mana for payment.

I looked around the street—it was remarkably clean for such a large city. Not even a lost piece of debris out of place, let alone any beggars in sight. Hours spent wandering the city hadn't yielded a single soul asking for spare change.

I heard a loud thud as the stall was overturned, and saw two city police officers dressed in heavy armour and leather garments bearing the city's crest. One of them had their massive arms wrapped around a man wearing bloody leather armour, who was struggling to break free. The other officer spoke quietly to the stall owner, who grabbed his things before bowing quickly and making a beeline for some unknown purpose.

"Please move along!" The policeman barked, his face hidden behind a bronze helmet. "This area is off-limits for a few hours."

The crowd dispersed as I stepped closer to take a better look at the criminal. Through my divine sight I noticed a tiny tattoo on his neck: The Ratways.

I had a feeling that the criminal before me was more than just a petty thief. As I watched, several more officers joined the scene and I noticed that one in particular had full plate armor—the captain, perhaps. Consciously, I drew on my divine energy to listen in on their conversation.

"We're so close to draining them out," he said, "A few more days and we'll be able to catch all of them."

"Nice," came the response from another officer, "Can't believe it took so little time after he came into power."

"No politics while working, Clarissa," the captain replied sternly.

"Oh come on," another officer argued, "is it even politics if he's universally liked?"

"Clearly he's not," another officer pointed out to the criminal.

At this point the criminal seemed to realize his fate and his mouth clamped shut as poison coursed through his body. “What the fuck?” the captain exclaimed in horror, “They’re using suicide pills now?” The rest of the police began talking about plans for the dead man, and in a blink of an eye, I released my divine power.

It seemed that my suspicions were true—there was an underground crime organization operating in the city, but it appeared that the police could handle it without my help. Or maybe...maybe I could explore below, do some sightseeing, kill some of the criminals myself and be done with it within a few minutes?

Decisions, decisions.