Reaper's Crown

Ch. 76

With the snowfall fading away, the clouds shifted from the blue sky and moved elsewhere, perhaps causing yet another snowstorm over Lot Thúrum. That, however, didn't seem to concern Zuimu, as she and her horse trod right into the Midcity district of Magna, moving over bridges, all up until she was instructed by some of the people to step off the animal, as after a few laws which Eryk didn't necessarily care about were passed, you could no longer ride on saddles on the main square.

Near was very generous, as everything in a five-mile radius concerned the rule. Sure, it was flawed, but at least people didn't get stepped on by the Tributal marches they all had, seemingly without purpose. Although, one could argue that if the city were to be attacked again, everyone would have a much harder time running and... yeah, things still needed to be thought over.

The white horse she earlier rode on was stuffed inside a massive stable somewhere in Homieo, built in place of the many destroyed houses replaced by even bigger buildings which stored multiple families on different floors. After that kerfuffle, she immediately went back to Midcity, searching for... something in particular.

Well, wasn't it obvious? The thing Zuimu was looking for was at, the very least, traces of her Demonear comrades and other people she met along the way to Mount Aria. Met, as in, recognized certain figures, but it seemed Midcity was comprised of exclusively and only unfamiliar faces.

Families playing outside, new shopfronts popping up and intrusively inviting new customers to try a sketchy soap recipe that supposedly cleans the deepest of places. Zuimu raised an eyebrow but moved further along, knowing the main square of the district, through what once were ruins, she'd stumble into Ella's bar.

After all, it was the meeting place for all the people attempting to conquer the test back then, and even if she wasn't necessarily keen on knowing, after requesting a drink or two, the image of the Haran amongst all the other people sitting in the bar appeared in her mind.

"Two silver," Ella said, passing a big glass of Glaska towards the girl.

"Mh?" she squinted her eyes.

"Ekhm," Ella smirked. "Two silver."

Zuimu blinked a few times. Back then, she didn't necessarily understand the human world, but nowadays, she stands among the crowd like she's any other person. Maybe this time she'd find the two silver, stashed somewhere between a table and a few, cranky wooden chairs, or perhaps someone dropped the money into the rivers for their belief in Shin. It was commonplace for many Magnanians, especially those lacking any faith to take their time at night and fish for the coins when the temperature allowed it, but then again, if that were to be Zuimu's plan of action, she'd first have to locate the bar.

She reached the well, now adorned with a few golden stripes on the sides, still facing the headless statue of Darius, and if her mind didn't play tricks, turning left would reveal the same wooden doors hidden behind a few uninhabited outside tables, with stairs leading up to the cosy insides of the Midcity Bar.

It wasn't her mind, though. The sign there before seemed to shine anew, with a new fresh paint coating the frame's outside edges. A few men stood on ladders to reach the upper parts of the extension, and through fervour and arguments about which wooden pole goes were, she took a few steps forward, and bumped into one of the workers, carrying a big wooden plank.

Zuimu backed out a little, and the man brushed sweat off his forehead.

"What ya doing here, brat?" the Mirillian asked, grinding his teeth.

"Mhh?" Zuimu pointed at the entrance, remnants of one, but the state of the doors was rather questionable after the goblin and demon attack. The man turned to her and scoffed.