"What a lively morning market!" Sinbad exclaimed with genuine enthusiasm, his eyes sparkling with delight. "As I would expect from Imuchakk!"
He, Reana and Hinahoho strolled through the snowy village, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling market. The stalls displayed a variety of goods, and the villagers were friendly and welcoming.
"Yo~ Sinbad! Reana!" called out a man from one of the stalls.
Intrigued, they made their way over to him. "These dynamic eels just left the water this morning. Have some!" he said, proudly holding up a large black eel in one hand.
"Their ovaries taste great pickled too," added a woman standing next to him, offering a bowl to Reana for her to taste.
Curiosity piqued, Reana took a sip from the bowl and smiled shyly at the woman. Sinbad, always up for a playful banter, couldn't resist teasing her. "Don't tell me it's better than the soup I make," he joked.
"It's not hard. Your soup has no taste," Reana retorted playfully, sticking her tongue out at him. "At least this way it can't be bad."
Sinbad feigned hurt, placing a hand over his chest dramatically. "Ouch! My heart can't take such harsh criticism," he joked, and they all burst into laughter.
They continued their tour of the market, with Sinbad carrying the eel on his shoulder. Hinahoho remarked, "You two have gotten used to our village pretty quickly."
"Thanks to everyone being so happy and friendly," Reana replied warmly.
Hinahoho then brought up the incident from the previous night, concerned about Sinbad's well-being. "By the way, is your wound okay?"
"Wound?" Sinbad looked puzzled for a moment before remembering the fight with the assassin.
"I took care of it already," Reana reassured the giant, giving a small nod.
"If so, then it's fine. But it sure is unusual for such an uncanny bunch to come after you."
"Oh, that! It's because I was chased out of my homeland! No biggie!" Sinbad replied nonchalantly, seemingly unaffected by the seriousness of the situation.
Hinahoho's concern grew. "Eh? Does that make you a wanted man? Why?"
"I disobeyed military commands. And did a little more..." Sinbad's response was vague, he didn't seem to care much about it.
"Disobeyed? Why did you do that?" Hinahoho asked, his voice filled with anxiety as he reached out to touch Sinbad's shoulder. "Aren't you afraid? Unable to return to your homeland and having assassins come after you... You may have to live like this for the rest of your life! And you even got Reana involved in that?"
Sinbad gently but firmly pushed aside Hinahoho's hand. "I'm just doing things that my heart tells me to do. It has nothing to do with being right or wrong. If these are the consequences, I accept them," he said, his expression serious and resolute.
Reana interjected with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Hinahoho. Besides, I don't have anywhere to return to, so I'd rather be with Sinbad. Someone has to watch over him," she smirked playfully.
Hinahoho was taken aback by their determination. He stared at them, momentarily speechless and deeply moved by their resolve.
"Can I tame it?" Hinahoho asked in a low voice after some time, his eyes filled with determination. "If I grab hold of the power in the dungeon, will I be able to tame it too? I want to become like you!!" he declared to Sinbad, a newfound determination burning within him.
Before Sinbad could respond, a vendor called out, drawing Sinbad's attention. "Hey~ Sinbad! This way! I've got huge tomatoes you can't find anywhere else!"
Sinbad turned back to Hinahoho, a curious expression on his face. "Say, what were you talking about?"
Hinahoho hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to express his feelings. "U-Um... Nothing. Sorry," he mumbled, looking down.
As Sinbad and Reana turned to resume their exploration of the market, they noticed that Hinahoho wasn't following them.
"I need to go somewhere first. Take your time enjoying the morning market," Hinahoho said, waving a hand in farewell before walking away.
Sinbad and Reana exchanged puzzled glances, but they were soon swept up in the hustle and bustle of the market. The array of sellers and goods demanded their attention, and they continued to explore, content in each other's company.
----
"We're back~" Sinbad cheerfully announced as they passed through the porch of the house. Both Sinbad and Reana were laden with various goods, most of them being food and supplies from the morning market. They had taken their time, enjoying the vibrant atmosphere and friendly interactions with the villagers.
As they entered the house, the two little children, always brimming with excitement, rushed to greet them. "Sinbad, Reana, you're great! You bought so many things!" they exclaimed, their eyes wide with wonder.
Reana smiled warmly at them. "We didn't buy them, actually. Most of them were gifts from the kind villagers. They were happy to share their goods with us."
The children's faces lit up even more at the mention of free gifts. "Yay!!" they beamed, their joy infectious.
"Sinbad..." Pipirika called, her expression troubled .
"Pipirika," Sinbad said as he noticed her entering the room.
Reana, still preoccupied with her thoughts about Hinahoho, asked, "Is Hinahoho back yet? I don't see him anywhere. We separated halfway at the market..."
Pipirika's expression grew more tense. "Bro isn't here..." she replied. "He left... leaving these behind." She held out Hinahoho's headband in her hands, her grip tight with worry. "This seemed to be plaguing him for a long time." From under the headband, she revealed a cloth with something written on it. "He left this letter."
Sinbad took the cloth and started reading its contents as Pipirika summarized its message. "The one who defeated the rampaging unicorn wasn't him but you, Sinbad. He can't call himself a full-fledged warrior like this. So he wanted to fix this... He will go to the dungeon to become a true warrior."
Sinbad and Reana were left speechless, realizing the weight of Hinahoho's decision. Reana didn't go to the dungeon as Sinbad did, but she knew from what he had told her how dangerous and perilous it was.
"But maybe this is a good thing, if it relieves bro from his worries..." Pipirika tried to find a silver lining, though her voice quivered with fear and concern.
Sinbad's face hardened with determination. Without a moment's hesitation, he whirled around and started marching toward the entrance.
"Sinbad! What is it? Where are you going?" Pipirika's panic was palpable.
"...If I don't go, Hinahoho will die," Sinbad replied, his tone harsh and resolute.
"Imuchakk warriors are strong. Bro... bro can..." Pipirika attempted to reassure herself, but her trembling hands betrayed her fear.
"Wrong!!" Sinbad's voice exploded, making even Reana jump in surprise. "The dungeon is different!! My country sent armies into it. Everyone died! More than ten thousand men went, yet no one came back. Whether he's strong or not isn't the point. It's whether he can survive or not. That's what kind of place it is. The dungeon isn't a tournament ground for testing your abilities. I saw it with my own eyes."
Pipirika was devastated, her heart sinking with each word. She felt helpless and overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation. "What should I do? If bro went to a place like that..."
"I'm going," Sinbad declared firmly. "If I make it in time, I might catch up to him inside the dungeon. I won't let Hinahoho die."
Pipirika's voice trembled as she tried to reason with him, to find a way to dissuade him from risking his life. "Wait! What about you!? What if it's just luck that you survived that dreadful place the first time? What about this time? Is there any guarantee that you will come back alive again? Is that okay with you? What are you thinking, Sinbad?!"
Sinbad's expression softened, but his resolve remained unyielding. "It's okay," he replied calmly. "I know for sure... I won't die."
Reana had been silently observing the exchange between them, her heart torn between the desire to support Sinbad and her concerns for his safety. But as she looked at Sinbad, her determination grew stronger. She couldn't bear the thought of him facing the dangers of the dungeon alone.
"Sin," she said softly, stepping forward to stand by his side. "I want to go with you to the dungeon. I want to help you save Hinahoho."
Both Sinbad and Pipirika turned to look at her in surprise. "Reana..." Sinbad began, but she interrupted him.
"I can't bear to sit here, waiting and doing nothing. I want to help you, Sin. Last time, I couldn't come because I would have been dead weight. It's different now. I've learned magic for this very kind of situation. Remember, you're not alone."
Pipirika was taken aback by Reana's determination. "Reana... thank you," she whispered, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Alright," he finally said, a small smile forming on his lips. "Let's go together. But promise me you won't take any unnecessary risks."
Reana nodded, her eyes filled with determination. "I promise."
With that, Sinbad turned to Pipirika with a reassuring smile. "Well then, see you later."
A/N: Hello! A new small chapter, to make up for the delay of the last one ;) Enjoy and don't hesitate to share your thoughts!