–All of them stared at a marginally different status board than what Alice saw.

It made her confused and left questioning inside why the status board she sees and the one displayed in public is different… it made her look weaker.

“Alice is talented in wind and water magic, both essential in many areas. Not to mention, swordsmanship would allow her to become a fighter, but more than that, she has a rare talent for being a merchant!” Ahendaro was in awe.  Her daughter was talented… but it also made him and Rosalinda worried.

Rosalinda frowned upon her daughter’s status. It showed that she has the talent to become an adventurer, but even more, showed talent to become a merchant. She initially prayed for her to become a merchant only, but with these statuses, it’d be impossible to restrain her to be one.

“Dear child, what path do you want to chase?” Luclentus looked into Alice’s eyes, “You are talented enough to become a merchant, an adventurer, a royal knight, and even an elementalist, but what do you solely want to become?”

“An adventurer!” Alice answered without hesitation, “I want to become like those people in books, defeating monsters and saving people from evil monsters, meeting new friends, and uncovering mysteries!”

“Even so, becoming an adventurer is an occupation full of risks and hardship. You’ll meet bad people, and risk the chance of dying. Do you still want to become an adventurer?” Luclentus asked.

Alice showed a face of determination, “I will still be an adventurer! I don’t want to spend my time locked up in a room negotiating with people like Papa and Mama, I want to explore the world!”

Ahendaro and Rosalinda who heard her answer felt inclined to follow her wishes. Indeed, their occupations made them more closely limited to their areas, they do travel sometimes, but as the heads of a  massive merchant group, they tend to be stuck inside.

‘It’s natural for her to hate being a merchant…’ Rosalinda sighed. 

“I understand, dear child. May the World Tree bless you so that your path to becoming who you wish to be will be smooth,” Luclentus smiled before standing up, reaching his hand out to Alice before the two walked back to Rosalinda and Ahendaro.

Luclentus then released Alice before whispering to Rosalinda and Ahendaro, “Although it may be worrying to hear your daughter become an adventurer. I believe that she will shine the most when she follows what she loves.”

“If ever you two need someone to teach her the ways, I can recommend a boy her age who knows adventuring more than anyone else and can guarantee her safety.”

Rosalinda and Ahendaro both nodded with a smile, with the former replying, “Thank you, your holiness. We’d like to think more about this and discuss it with Alice. I’ll keep your words in mind.”

The three soon exchanged some more words before Alice and company left the temple. Alice, in particular, was still questioning why her status board looked different earlier, but soon, she forgot all about it.

“Mhhhmmmm! Nothing beats the heat other than ice candies!” Alice cried in joy, munching on an ice candy with delight, “I thank whoever invented this amazing creation for allowing me to taste such delicacy every day!”

“Now, now, don’t eat too fast otherwise you’ll  get a brain fr—” Before Sissina could continue, Alice froze in place and frowned, she  immediately understood that Alice had gotten a brain freeze and sighed, “I told you not to eat cold stuff too fast…”

“You told me too late!” Alice refuted in anger, “Besides, I want to eat more of this… we only have ten minutes before Mama and Papa come back!”

As Alice and Sissina were walking down the trade market, the former noticed a boy and frowned. She remembers the badge that she left in her pocket, her eyes focused on the hair, and wondered whether she was seeing purple or black, but it wasn’t until she saw the hood that she recognized the person.

“I’ll be back…” Alice said as she ran in the direction of the boy.

Sissina looked surprised and screamed, “Eeeh!? Alice, come back here!”, but it was already too late as  the distance between the two widened with people passing left and right.

Alice chased after the hooded boy with a determined face, she evaded the people whilst saying, “Excuse me, passing through, excuse me…” as she ran and ran, but as she reached the area where she saw the boy, he wasn’t there anymore.

She looked confused and spun around several times, looking for him, but she found not a trace of him. Her confusion grew as she walked up to one of the vendors and asked, “Excuse me, did you see a boy around my age with purple hair and a hood?”

“I don’t remember everyone who passes by, young lass. Get going if you ain’t buying anythin’,” the vendor answered.

Alice frowned before moving to the other vendor—and another—and another—but all of them either didn’t remember or didn’t see any hooded boy at all. She looked more and more confused, but let it go as she hears the voice of Sissina from the distance,  “Alice! Come back here!”

She stayed still waiting for Sissina to catch up, when all of a sudden, a handkerchief covered her mouth and nose. A distinct, disgusting smell assaulted her nostrils as her vision started to fade, she immediately knew what was happening and tried to resist.

“Mhmofomfogf—” she tried to scream for help, but there was no use. Her vision was fading even more to black and her strength was leaving her, she knew she had messed up… she knew she shouldn’t have run after the boy.

Her strength slowly dissipated as her body was dragged into one of the alleyways, not to be seen by anyone else.

—Sissina looked around worried, she saw Alice in this area not too long ago, but she seemed to have  vanished which made her even more worried. She walked to one of the vendors and asked, “Have you seen a golden-haired girl around?”

“I don’t remember everyone who passes by, young lass. Get going if you ain’t buying anythin’,” the vendor answered.

Sissina looked into the eyes of the vendor, he didn’t seem to lie. She looked around several times, “Where in the world did she go?”

After several times of looking around, she proceeded to ask more and more vendors, but all of them replied either they didn’t see anyone or didn’t remember. It was growing suspicious for her and she decided that she can’t look for her alone and ran back to the master and missus.