A New Life in a Parallel World

Chapter 8, The Hagrid Clan

Lerris nodded and leans forward, and the woman suddenly grabs his head as she jerks him closer to her, before whispering something, after that, she pushes him away, while smiling at him. The woman was odd, but she told him where to find the Hagrid farm, and she also warn him that there are several people around who is watching them, among them were the baron's own men, as well as a couple of men who has ties with the bandits.

He fought the urge to look around after that and willed himself to act like he was offended and walks away from the counter and joins his cousin by the table who was by now looking at him oddly while she was eating her meal.

"What was that?" Lydia asked, "did you just try to flirt with her?"

"Sort off," Lerris said while he rubs his head.

"You're lucky she didn't take your head off," Lydia told him.

"Yeah, lucky," Lerris agreed. "By the way, I already arrange to have the room we got for another night" he told her as he began to eat his meal.

"Can we stay another day after tonight?" Lydia asked.

"Why?" Lerris asked before taking a big bite of his sausage.

"I'd like to check out the shops around here," she told him.

Lerris nodded as he kept eating while his mind was full of what the barkeeper had told him, that there are many eyes and ears around, so he discreetly looks around the common room, and true enough, he saw close to half a dozen men watching them closely. To his surprise, he also saw a watchman openly staring at them. He wondered as to how they had attracted that much attention, since there were not any people around when they arrive at the western gate yesterday, only the guards were there. So, no one could have known about the heads that they brought in. And surely, people will pay no mind if they bring in some furs.

"You're awfully quiet," Lydia asked nonchalantly as looks at Lerris.

"I'm just thinking of something," Lerris said with a frown as he tears off a piece from the wheat bread, and dunking it on his soup, before eating it.

"So, you noticed them also," Lydia said with a smile.

Lerris nodded as he suddenly drew his long knife and places it on top of the table, and that drew a mixed reaction from the men who were watching them, a couple gave them a worried frown, another openly glared at them, while the other two men just smiled wickedly. The watchman looks unperturbed as he contends himself on watching everybody.

Lydia felt herself tensing, but she just kept her silence, as she knew, if worse comes to worse, they could easily take out those men in a heartbeat. Nevertheless, she discreetly eases her pistol from its holster.

Then to her surprise, she saw her cousin snaps his knife, and that cause everyone in the room to tense up, as all those men who were watching them had their hands on their swords. Lerris then twirled the knife on his hand expertly before cutting the sausage in front of him into several pieces and fluidly sheathing it.

Lydia wanted to laugh at that, when everyone looks as if they all felt relieved when they saw him do that. And after that, she and his cousin ate in silence, while everyone around them seems to be on edge, even the barkeeper.

After they done eating, they both pick up their saddlebags and stood up, casually slinging the saddlebags on their shoulders and picks up their musket before walking straight toward the door. Surprisingly, none of the men who were watching them stood up, as they all seem content on watching them go.

"Why are they watching us?" Lydia asked quietly the moment they step out of the chapter house.

"I have no idea," Lerris said truthfully as he and his cousin heads towards the stable.