The Laughing Swordsman

This was the hour that most woke up. As Apollo and the others walked, they would frequently see people leaving their houses.

The streets were not that crowded, but the group was having a little bit of trouble proceeding forward.

Overall, there seemed to be more traffic heading in the opposite of their direction. Most people seemed excited about something, often bumping into their shoulders as they hastily passed.

Other than a few glances in their direction due to their oddities, they were left alone.

Willow furrowed her brows.

...It seemed that everyone wanted to check out this 'grand battle'. Why were they so excited?

She sighed.

How do they care so little about the sudden winter? It's clear they can't grow anything with their frozen farmland. And she doubted they actually had enough food stored for the entire winter...

Willow shook her head.

She was confident she would find out the reason sooner or later.

Suddenly, Layla pointed in a direction with a big smile on her face.

"Two friends! Look over there!"

There was a kid playing around in the snow. He had created a small snowman that was roughly his height.

Apollo tilted his head to the side.

"But I only see one person!"

Layla giggled.

"Silly, watch!"

She pointed towards the little kid.

"One friend!"

Then towards the snowman.

"Two friends!"

Apollo blinked a few times.

"That's a person?"

Layla nodded confidently.

"Of course!"

Apollo nodded with understanding.

"I see, I see."

Willow's face twitched.

"We still have places to go, Apollo and Layla!"

Layla hummed with dissatisfaction.

"Just a little bit of playing with other friends!"

She skipped over to the snowman and kid.

Apollo looked at Willow awkwardly. It was as though he was saying, 'I don't know'.

Willow sighed.

"We can spend a tiny bit of time... I suppose."

Apollo scratched the side of his head before smiling.

"Ok!"

He ran after Layla, while Willow reluctantly walked over as well.

Layla waved.

"Hiiii~ Want to be friends?"

The little boy jumped in surprise. He turned to Layla with a curious expression.

"You want to be friends with me?"

Layla giggled.

"You and him too!"

She pointed towards the snowman.

The little boy laughed.

"Mm... we can be friends! I don't think you can be friends with him though..."

He was referring to the snowman.

Layla blinked a few times in curiosity.

"Why can't I be friends with him?"

The little boy tilted his head to the side.

"He can't talk..."

Layla put her hands on her cheeks in surprise.

"Oh no! Why can't he talk?"

The little boy pressed his lips together.

"Because... if we say the wrong thing..."

His eyes glazed over.

"They will take us away, making us disappear."

Layla pressed a finger against her chin.

"Eh?"

Apollo had caught up at this point. He had overheard their conversation. After all, they weren't trying to be quiet.

He was panting, but collected himself seconds later.

"Eh? I don't want to disappear! What is the right thing to say?"

The little boy scratched his side.

"Mm... well first-"

"Son? Who are you talking to?"

A middle-aged man stepped out of a house next to the group. He looked at them without hostility, but curiosity.

The little boy turned around.

"Oh! I think they want to be friends?"

The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow, but did not question it.

"Ah. Hello there, I haven't seen you before."

Layla waved enthusiastically.

"Hello! I haven't seen you either!"

Apollo nodded.

"Me too!"

Willow had reached the group by this time. She waved awkwardly to the middle-aged man.

"Sorry, they're my children. They are a little unruly."

The middle-aged man laughed.

"Ah, no problem. They hardly did anything wrong."

He blinked a few times.

"Say, I haven't seen you guys here. Do you live on another side of the empire?"

Willow nodded with a smile.

"Yes. We visited the place where the grand fight occurred earlier and were on our way back after checking it out."

The middle-aged man chuckled.

"Ah, makes sense. Honestly, I wanted to go as well. However, my son wishes to stay."

He sighed.

"I don't plan on leaving my son alone, so it seems like I'm staying here too."

Layla was looking at the middle-aged man, then turned to the little boy.

"Why don't you want to go? It sounded so cool!"

The little boy frowned.

"...I don't trust them."

Apollo scratched the side of his head.

"Trust who?"

The little boy opened his mouth, but before another word could come out, his father covered his mouth.

The middle-aged man laughed awkwardly.

"Sorry, uh... we have to go back into the house."

He proceeded to walk his son back over into the house. The little boy did not resist. Instead, he muttered a thank you to his father.

Willow sighed.

"Well... I suppose we should go. If only we could've asked where the nearest tavern was."

Apollo nodded.

"Mm..."

Layla pouted.

"Why did friend leave so fast?"

She turned to the snowman.

"And friend here won't even talk!"

Layla stormed off angrily back towards the path while Willow and Apollo followed from behind.

Willow sighed as she walked down the cobblestone path.

Where were the taverns?

...It probably wouldn't be too suspicious if she asked, right?

Willow waved towards a nearby passerby, a young man.

"Hey, do you know where the taverns are?"

The young man turned to look at Willow, blinking a few times.

"A what?"

Willow cleared her throat.

"A tavern."

The young man raised an eyebrow.

"...I don't know what you're talking about."

Willow furrowed her brows.

Did he mishear?

What was going on?

She cleared her throat, deciding to slip in a question within another one.

"Ah, are there no taverns here? There are a few on my side of the empire."

The young man shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't think there are any on this side."

He furrowed his brows.

"Though.... I have been around most of the empire. Are you sure there are things called taverns?"