Lumian glanced toward the narrow alley the woman had pointed to—a dark slit between two shops that seemed to promise danger. Her message still echoed in his head, sharp and threatening: "We meet there. Do not try to run."
No. I can't go there.
His instincts screamed in refusal. Bringing Eva to a place like that was foolishness. Yet, refusing their summons was equally risky. They were undoubtedly watching him from somewhere.
He turned and met Eva's gaze, still filled with anxiety.
"Brother, are you really okay?" she asked again, her voice small and doubtful.
I can't take her there. His resolve hardened. I have to protect Eva no matter what
He let out a slow breath, trying to calm his racing heart before speaking. "You know?" he said, stretching his body and forcing a relaxed tone. "My head is still a bit dizzy. Maybe you were right, Eva. I need to walk around a bit to clear my mind." I have to convince her, he added in his heart.
Eva furrowed her brow, doubt still clear in her grey eyes. "But, Brother—"
"Look," Lumian interjected with a thin smile, his hand pointing toward the increasingly dense crowd. However, his eyes immediately deftly scanned every corner of the market, looking for something suspicious or someone watching him. "Blackbourne Market isn't usually this crowded. It seems there's a special festival or celebration going on."
"Really?" Eva was swayed into following her brother's gaze, looking at the crowd with budding curiosity.
I don't know either, Lumian thought. "I don't know. Should we go find out?" he said, trying to make his voice sound enthusiastic.
"Yes..." Eva replied, though still perplexed.
Lumian gripped Eva's small hand tightly and guided them along the edge of the crowd, moving further and further away from the threatening alley. "Sorry I went still for so long earlier," he said, trying to rebuild the connection severed by the strange incident.
"Does Brother often... get like that?" asked Eva, her voice a whisper.
Lumian nodded, guilt stabbing his heart. "Yes... sometimes, when I'm tired. And I think I should be more relaxed now." It was half the truth. The other half was the terror still frozen in his bones.
Eva nodded slowly, though the girl's instincts still sensed strangeness in her brother's demeanor. But if that's what Lumian needed, she would comply.
If I go home now, they could find out where we live, Lumian thought bitterly, his jaw tightening unconsciously as he kept walking.
His mind raced, analyzing the threat. It was impossible for an organization like that to just let him go. There must be someone tailing them from within the crowd, watching their every move. His gaze swept behind them discreetly, trying to catch any suspicious movements. Though he saw nothing definite, his vigilance didn't subside.
Lumian touched his own shoulder, giving it a light massage. He felt his body was very weak. Is this because of the Illusion World draining my spiritual energy?
Then a question crossed his mind. What if they use the Illusion World again and pull me in?
The idea made him want to vomit. But he quickly dismissed it. No. If she could, she would have done it already. Why did she dismiss that dimension? She could have interrogated me there. That means she needs time to recover her energy.
For now, what I need to be wary of are the people following me. I may not see it, but I won't be fooled. Who would let go of an unwitting witness to their secret battle?
I have to use this crowd to buy time and make a plan.
Then, his eyes caught a bakery with a clear glass window next to them. It was an opportunity. With a subtle movement, he pulled Eva closer, pretending to be interested in the bread on display.
"Are we buying more bread?" asked Eva, confused.
"No," Lumian answered briefly, moving closer to the glass as if examining the bread more closely.
With a deliberately relaxed motion, he raised his hand and combed through his black hair. In the reflection of the glass, his eyes quickly scanned the crowd behind them. And there, tucked among the shoppers, was the reflection of a figure in a black robe, standing out clearly among the market's bright colors.
—One!
Then he moved to comb the right side of his hair and adjusted his clothes. His movements were slow, calm. His eyes caught another reflection—another person, taller, standing near a fabric merchant.
—Two!
His heart beat faster. Then, just before he stopped pretending, he caught a third reflection—a shorter figure, almost hidden behind a post.
—Three!
Three people!From their builds, all three were clearly men. Where is the woman?!
He straightened up once he was sure, trying to normalize his breathing again.
"I don't think you need to do that. Brother is already handsome," Eva said, trying to cheer him up.
Lumian responded with a thin smile that felt stiff on his face. "Let's continue," he said, gripping Eva's hand once more, this time tighter.
I need a diversion, he thought, glancing at Eva who looked enthusiastic watching the bustle. But I have to do it without making her suspicious. Lumian let out a slow breath.
This will be difficult…
His gaze was suddenly drawn to an old wooden cart full of support poles and stage curtains. On its side was a striking painting: the face of a man with an unnaturally wide smile, his cheeks covered in bright red and blue streaks. The cart rumbled as it turned right at the intersection ahead.
There must be a celebration over there! His mind saw an opportunity. Quickly, he pulled Eva along. "Come on, this way is faster," he said, heading into an alley shortcut to their right. But after just a few steps in, his feet seemed to freeze. The alley was quiet, silent, and dark with the shadows of tall buildings.
Too risky.
He immediately turned around, pulling Eva back onto the sunlit main road. "Wrong turn. Better to take the main road," he whispered briefly to Eva, who glanced at him with a questioning look.
He decided to follow the cart's route, but stayed on the busy road. When they reached the intersection, the crowd grew denser and noisier. In the distance, colorful ribbons fluttered among newly erected tents. People were streaming toward one place.
After they turned the corner, the square came into view—a vast space with a magnificent fountain and a statue of a king in the center. Every side was lined with merchants in a circular formation, while some workers busily assembled a stage.
It seems I was right…
"Wow, you were right, Brother!" Eva exclaimed, her grey eyes shining with admiration. "There really is a festival!" All her anxiety seemed to evaporate, swallowed by a wave of excitement.
They entered the square. A large banner hung with red painted letters:
'New Year Festival - January 1, 554 - Julianus Calendar'
Suddenly, the sound of music filled the air.
An opportunity!
Lumian immediately pulled Eva toward the source of the sound. They weaved through the crowd and stopped among the people enjoying the performance.
All around, royal guards patrolled diligently, watching the commotion. Deliberately, Lumian positioned them in an open, well-guarded area—the place least likely to be attacked.
The music sounded foreign to their ears, very different from the music in Aethelgard.
"Wow, so this is the typical music of the Kingdom of Valenor? It's very different from Aethelgard," Eva said in amazement.
Lumian nodded, pretending to enjoy it while his fingers incessantly tapped the shopping bag. He had looked back too many times—it would look suspicious.
He let out a slow breath, his hand reaching into his robe pocket. Stay calm… He let his coins fall.
He bent down to pick them up, his sharp eyes quickly sweeping the surroundings. Then he glanced from the corner of his eye.
Just as I thought, they're still following, he mused wearily as he stood up straight.
…
The weather began to cloud over, a grey sky hanging above the square. The atmosphere changed as the crowd of music listeners dispersed—the performance was over. One by one, people scattered, leaving Lumian and Eva increasingly exposed in the open space. The shield of the crowd that had protected them was slowly fading, leaving a piercing sense of vulnerability.
What other diversion can I use?
He looked at Eva, trying to sound calm even though his chest felt tight. "Alright... it's over, let's walk."
Eva nodded innocently. Their steps fell in sync again, but Lumian's mind was filled with unease. His body was tense like a string about to snap, his breath occasionally catching. Every passerby seemed to move in slow motion, every blank stare felt like a knife slicing his skin.
How? How do we get out of here?
Suddenly, Eva stopped. Lumian turned—a man in a multi-colored conical hat, his face covered in streaks of white, red, and blue paint, was offering a white flower to Eva. His clothes were garish and foreign, layered with a large ruffled collar and long, curved shoes.
"For you, Young Miss," the person said to Eva in a feigned, shrill voice.
Lumian reflexively pulled Eva behind him, his body tensing again, ready for a threat.
"Easy there, Sir. I am but a 'Clown' from the Southern Continent..." he said amiably, showing his empty hands.
A Clown? Lumian didn't lower his guard toward this frightening-looking stranger, his eyes scanning the man's every move.
The Clown then performed simple tricks: a flower disappearing behind an ear, a red handkerchief turning blue, and a purple ribbon appearing from thin air. A few children gathered, giggling.
Is that magic? Lumian thought, then denied it, No… I don't feel any spiritual energy waves at all, it's just sleight of hand.
The simple magic successfully recaptured the attention of the dispersing crowd. Some adults stopped and gathered again, smiling at the Clown's antics.
Then he focused his attention on Eva, pulling a silver coin from behind her ear and transforming it into a shiny piece of candy, which he offered to the girl. Eva was mesmerized,her eyes sparkling as she accepted the candy.
"Alright, now for a more amazing trick!" the Clown exclaimed, hopping onto his small wooden stage. "But I need a volunteer." His white-gloved hand reached out directly toward Eva. "Will you be the star of my show, Pretty Miss?"
Eva immediately jumped forward without hesitation. Lumian tried to hold her back but failed. "Eva!" he called out softly, his heart pounding wildly. Cold sweat dampened his temples.
This is getting worse…
Lumian couldn't take his eyes off Eva, who innocently followed the Clown's every move. Her beaming, beautiful face became the center of attention, which only made Lumian's chest tighten with anxiety. Every pair of eyes on his sister felt like a threat.
His instincts screamed to grab Eva and flee this place. But his feet were frozen in place, the surrounding noise seemed to fade away, leaving only the turmoil in his own heart, filled with terrifying images of what could happen.
I have to stop this...
His mind raced frantically. The Clown kept performing his tricks—raising an empty hand then suddenly pulling out a bunch of colorful ribbons from the air.
Lumian's eyes widened instantly.
Wait... sleight of hand... crowd... Eva…
A crazy idea began to form, a faint smile spreading across his face.
The perfect bait…
Lumian's fingers moved deftly behind the folds of his robe, arranging an invisible formation of spiritual energy. His eyes remained fixed on the Clown's movements, waiting for the right moment.
Just as the Clown raised his hand high to begin his next trick, Lumian's fingers completed the final formation.
Whoosh!
A blue circle suddenly formed in the air, right above the Clown's palm. The circle spun rapidly, emitting a dazzling bluish light—far brighter and more magical than any previous trick, instantly capturing the entire crowd's attention.
"Huh?" The Clown stopped abruptly, his hand still hanging in the air. His painted face contorted in genuine confusion. This was clearly not part of his plan.
It's time! In that moment, Lumian was already moving. "EVA!" he shouted with feigned panic, grabbing his sister and pulling her off the stage in a swift motion.
Blam!
The blue light exploded in a short shower of sparks. As if it were the planned peak of the show, transparent blue papers scattered through the air.
The audience cheered joyfully, applauding loudly, thinking this was the spectacular finale of the magic show.
The Clown, though still confused, quickly assumed a pose. With the agility of a professional entertainer, he took a deep, theatrical bow, as if all of this was indeed part of his grand script. "Thank you! Thank you!" he cried in his shrill voice, sweeping his hand toward the audience.
Lumian successfully pulled Eva behind the stage.
Meanwhile, Eva giggled, amused by her brother's exaggerated behavior. "Calm down, Brother, it was just his magic trick, right? It was amazing!"
Lumian pretended to be captivated, picking up a piece of the transparent blue paper stuck in his own black hair. "Yes... I overreacted," he said with a forced thin smile, scratching the back of his neck as if embarrassed. "His trick was really unexpected."
He stood up straight, smoothing his clothes. "Let's go home," he added quickly, leading Eva away.
As he turned to leave the still-cheering crowd, Lumian's sharp gaze swept the surroundings. A faint smile spread on his lips—in the distance, the Clown was now surrounded by the three black-robed men who had been following him. They looked busy interrogating the Clown, who could only shrug and shake his head, his painted face reflecting genuine confusion.
Now... I'm free…