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Chapter 4: Does it really come from inside you?

  Heard from above, the chirping of birds filled the atmosphere in the morning of this city. On the side of the road we walked along stood rows of lamp posts, now looking unlit. Buildings with large windows, strangers going in and out from inside.

  Three days after the last time I went out to the city with grandmother. This time felt a little different. The morning atmosphere in the city is better compared to the afternoon.

  Comfort felt at the soles of my feet, stepping on this neat stone road. I felt a little cold air through the wrap of the scarf on my neck. My cheeks felt colder at this time.

  "Tomatoes, coffee and tea, also milk. Eggs, wheat flour, jam, do not forget the fruits," That was Ghyna's voice. She was reading the shopping list given by aunt Riana.

  This morning, after breakfast. Ghyna was told by aunt Riana to go shopping, at first Ghyna was going to go with Ascella. But for some reason Ghyna invited me to come along with her.

  Our steps were side by side with Ghyna between us.

  "Where can we get those items, Ghyna?" I asked her.

  Ghyna began to glance at the surroundings. "The city's east district, that is where the trade center of this city is,"

  If we have to walk from here, it is quite far. The east district I have never been there before.

  Also before leaving, aunt Riana gave the three of us one gold coin each. She said it was for snacks, but I did not know what to buy with this money.

  Some time later, we arrived at the east district of Vlaghju city.

  The sound of people's footsteps could be heard from various directions. The buildings here were lower and cramped together. The characteristic smell of vegetables, and fruits filled the air this morning.

  Various nameplates hung on each building. All those nameplates caught my attention.

  "Our first destination is over there!" Ghyna's index finger moved in a certain direction. My eyes naturally glanced in the same direction.

  A place full of small kiosks, various kinds of goods neatly arranged. But from what was seen, it seemed it would be more crowded there.

  More people were there, it would be difficult to move freely in the middle of that crowd.

  "Wait a moment," Ascella interrupted as Ghyna and I were about to start walking.

  "What is it Ascella?" Ghyna asked.

  Ascella walked first, not in the direction Ghyna had planned, "Follow me," she said calmly.

  Ghyna's facial expression looked a bit confused, but without questions she kept walking. Meanwhile I also followed where Ascella walked.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Following Ascella into a place. A table neatly arranged with four chairs. The three of us sat there, with Ascella sitting alone on the other side of the table.

  My eyes stared in various directions, my head was empty.

  "Alright this is your order." A woman with clothes that were not foreign to my eyes lately, put a plate containing food on our table.

  "Are there any other orders?" the woman asked.

  "No but maybe I will order again," Ascella replied. Followed by the woman leaving our table.

  "Wait a moment Ascella, didn't your mother forbid you from eating food outside the house," said Ghyna, looking at Ascella who began to eat her food.

  On the food plate in front of Ascella. The shape was strange, with steam still billowing. Yellow color with a shape like strings that were not stiff. The aroma of tomato with a slight mixture of hot steam.

  "Mother always forbids me, honestly I want to know how it tastes. So do not tell her about this," said Ascella, a moment before she went back to enjoying the food slowly.

  Ghyna diverted her gaze, this time towards me. "Sinhart do you not want to order too," Ghyna asked.

  The sound of plates rubbing, fragrant and delicious smells. Even so I felt I did not need to eat. Maybe I want to spend my gold coin on something other than food.

  "If you want to order just say so,"

  After that Ghyna called the waiter. A woman who was different from before came. Her appearance caught my eyes making me look at her longer.

  A black cloth covered her eyes. A small question crossed my mind.

  Is this woman blind?

  "What is your order," a flat voice without a smile was given by the woman.

  Ghyna read a thick paper, with colorless drawings and writings.

  "I want to order one thick Soup, and two glasses of water, please," said Ghyna

  Her hand holding a pen, moved around. She probably noted all of Ghyna's words on her paper notes

  "Alright... is there anything else,"

  Ghyna went silent for a moment and began to look at me briefly, "It seems that is all..."

  "As for you, you do not want to order right, Sinhart," the woman spoke towards me.

  My mind immediately went empty for a moment. Even though that black cloth covered her eyes. It felt as if our eyes met.

  I felt her gaze

  How did she know if I did not want to order.

  Afterwards she left our table.

  Ascella swallowed a glass of water beside her plate, she went silent for a moment after that, while looking at us.

  "Next I want to try the food in that place," Ascella said softly, while glancing at a place across that was visible from behind the window.

  My eyes felt uncomfortable. I could not look around this place. Suddenly it felt like, the gaze of other people sitting at other dining tables was very scary. Even though they were not looking at me but were busy with their own food.

  "Sinhart, have you ever met that woman," Ghyna said to me, it seemed since earlier her gaze was fixed on that waitress.

  That woman?

  "How could she know your name, did you not think about it,"

  Ghyna's words concluded my answer while I was thinking it was a bit disturbing. Although it made me not need to reply to her question.

  "Maybe she heard it... when we were chatting," said Ascella to Ghyna.

  The sound of a foreign noise pierced my ears. This room was filled with slow and calming clangs. Very rhythmic. My eyes glanced looking for the source of that sound.

  The woman who served us earlier was sitting in a chair, her fingers were like they were dancing, on top of a small white box-shaped object.

  "Wow turns out there is a piano here and that woman can play it," said Ghyna who seemed to enjoy this sound.

  Accompanied by Ghyna's order that arrived, I felt something. This tone even though this was the first time, my ears felt as if they had heard it before.

  I was uncomfortable listening to this soft sound, it also felt familiar. The woman's fingers stopped and the tapping sound from that object began to fade.

  "What is it Sinhart?" Ascella asked, she looked at me for quite a while.

  "No I just felt like I felt something," I replied.

  "That must be because that piano produces a soft sound,"

  The three of us watched the woman's music performance. Enjoying every melodic and harmonious tone that came out of that musical instrument.

  "It seems that woman is an Anima wizard. She uses her Anima energy to perform Material Transmutation, and for some reason the sound becomes very-very calm,"

  Like what grandmother taught two days ago, before grandmother left for an unknown reason. Anima wizards, anima techniques, and we who were born as wizard humans.

  Material Transmutation is part of several Anima techniques. Changing the properties of material to become completely different.

  "I guess, the sound coming from that piano becomes more able to travel through the air because it has mixed with Anima energy,"

  "But for some reason, I cannot feel the Anima energy from that woman. Clearly that is quite strange," Ascella added while devouring a dry cake that was somehow there on the table.

  I only understood it a little, Ascella spoke like that but I really did not quite understand.

  My eyes glanced towards Ghyna, she had been listening since earlier but it seemed she was the same as me.

  "Again I cannot understand what Ascella is talking about," said Ghyna who observed Ascella since earlier as she spoke.

  In the end, the last thing that stuck in my head throughout this day was that woman. After we came out of that small restaurant and Ghyna bought the house necessities. I could not focus and went back home without using my gold coin.

  ---

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