The Varied Path (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction)

Chapter 144: Three Clues

What is this going to mean for Jae-ha then? Calista asked herself, grinding her teeth as she struggled to come up with an answer she could accept.

But that confirmed her earlier theory. Southern Kai was using the people of the Water Tribe as rats to use it to spread around that horrifying drug, with hopes that it'll infect all the citizens of Kouka and weaken them enough for them to swoop in and take control of the kingdom.

"Once you realize, many people in Shisen are already past the point of no return." The man declared sadly.

Yona's face had turned ashen at the weight of his words.

Calista couldn't stand it anymore. Her heart ached something terrible and wrenched in her chest painfully. She had to do something.

"Zeno—"

Without even looking her way, he spoke firmly. "No."

The quiet utter didn't catch any of the others attention but it was unyielding and Calista shrunk back, desperately wanting to put up a fight but knew that she shouldn't. It never was a good idea to go up against him when he got like this.

So she gave in, knowing that he would always try to help her and let her do things to save others, but would stop her when there was no point. She hated that this was one of those times.

She still wanted to try.

Yoon stared straight ahead. "It looks as though you haven't taken any nadai, aren't you going to run away?"

The merchant shook his head and gave them the first smile they've seen since he this interaction had started. "I've been doing business here since I was born. No matter how rough it gets here, it'll always be my hometown. I can't easily throw that away."

Calista could respect that. A wistful smile graced her lips as she recalled all the fun times she had in the Wind Tribe when she stuck around for longer periods of time after Mundok had talked to her.

She missed them all greatly.

Oh my, hometown? She smiled to herself. I've never thought of it like that before. I'll have to tell Gramps when I see him next.

Her silver eyes clouded and she frowned.

If she was still alive by then.

"Also, those Southern Kai bastards have expanded their dominance. The market here is in shambles though." The friendly merchant spat with such venom that she couldn't help but feel for him.

For someone to grow up in this town and have something like this plague their beloved hometown, she could empathize with him.

She believed him.

Kija was noticeably disheartened by all of this. He had heard so many stories from people who had been outside of his village and had been looking forward to seeing the lush land so much but it was no longer here.

"I can't believe the Water Tribe, known for its peacefulness and its beauty, is being chipped away by this kind of disease." He said, disbelief lacing his tone.

Zeno patted him on his back to comfort him.

Yona waved goodbye to the merchant, thanking him for his time and the helpful information. "Let's look into it a little further."

Calista rushed after him as he left in the opposite direction they were going to head in, ignoring the confused calls of Kija and Yoon. "Excuse me, sir."

He turned around curiously, motioning for her to ask whatever it was that she stopped him for when she paused.

Bowing at the waist, she politely asked, "May I know your name?"