Chapter 144: A Shadow

The Stunning Whirlwind Chamber of Commerce — was the establishment of the Woulsto House of the Four Great Noble Houses. It had four branches and a headquarters. The one Kadyn visited previously was one of the four branches, and it was called the eastern branch.

As for why it was built at such a poor place, it was due to the bet of the two noble houses' leaders — Woulsto and Sweeders. The two leaders made a bet and Woulsto's were defeated. It was only then they realised Sweeders had tricked them. 

But it was already too late, the leader of Woulsto couldn't go back on his words in front of so many people. He had to honour his word and move away from the eastern chamber of commerce from Clover Square no matter how unwilling he was, as it was the condition of the bet.

"So that's why," Kadyn nodded in understanding after inquiring a little more about the chamber of commerce, "It seems we have wronged that poor guy, he must be desperate to get a deal like ours which would let his branch gain a little more status. After all not many rich people would go to that area, but for Rank 2 elemental essence they would surely do. 

"That's why he sent his people to track us down. Well, that's just speculation. Who knows, there might be something nefarious cooking in his head. No matter what it is, kind intention or nefarious, I don't like someone spying on me."

Cecelia nodded without expressing her opinion on the matter. 

After that, he continued to inquire about the capital, and he got to know that Clover Square was just one of the markets, though it was the biggest in the eastern district, it was at the fifth place in the capital. It seems the inn servant skimmed a lot of things. But then again, you can't expect more than that for free, can you?

Kadyn looked at the bustling market in front of him and was a little overwhelmed by looking at the rush and crowd all about him after such a long time. 

After looking around for some time Kadyn realised that the market was divided into mini sections according to the vendibles sold in the particular section, similar to the market he visited in Avibria city, but on a completely different level. There were street food stalls, there were fruit stalls, and there were restaurants. It was a food market. 

There were jewellery shops at one section of the market, and it was a jewellery market. Most of the women could be seen at this place, and a few husbands being dragged by them, 'reluctance' was written on their faces.

There were magic weapon shops, potion shops, and all kinds of magic-related things. It was the magic market of the eastern district. He also realised that the weapons weren't just elementary ones. There were Common Rank weapons and even Uncommon Rank ones in those shops. 

Kadyn realised the difference between the Magic Alliance and the Ceston Empire instantly. There was no comparison at all. How could someone compare an ant to the mammoth, the Ceston Empire was that mammoth and the Magic Alliance an ant.

He shook his head and strolled away. Then his gaze fell on an enormous building in front of him. Maybe it was the most majestic building he had seen in the entire Clover Square. A crowd of people were coming and going, young ladies and lads, men and women. The ones who entered appeared eager, those who left had satisfied smiles on their faces. 

But when Kadyn saw the words written at the entrance, his expression darkened. 'Dogs and poor are not allowed here.' After all, he was poor at the moment, he felt as if someone had slapped him. Shining Fang Chamber of Commerce, was written at the top of the building in marvellous calligraphy. 

"Oh, so it is the place that used to belong to Woulsto house and now Sweeders own it," Kadyn said with a sad and dark expression.

He glanced at the stunning building to which the building of the Stunning Whirlwind Chamber of Commerce could never compare and then shook his head, and turned around and left. He had no good feelings towards Sweeders, and he might become their enemy when they realise it was he, who foiled their plan of robbing Webneys.

Furthermore, the more he came into contact with them the faster they would find out about him. He had no intention to confront them at the moment. It would be no different than suicide. Though he was a little curious about the goods inside the building, he suppressed his curiosity. When the matter comes to one's life, every curiosity is equal to the death trap.

Kadyn looked into the horizon and realised that the sun was already about to go down and vanish beyond the mountains in the distance so it could come back again tomorrow. It was winter, and the clouds covered the sky most of the time, the days had shrunk and became smaller, the time could flow faster sometimes than we think. 

The rustling wind became colder as the sun went down.

The duo wandered, as the market was illuminated with light. It was a beautiful sight. However, he had already checked out the entire market, and he didn't want to buy anything, even if he wanted he could not afford it at the moment. "Let's go," he said.

"Are we going back to the inn?" Cecelia asked. "Or are we going to find a new one?"

"Neither. I saw a field when we came to Clover Square. I think it will be a good place to stay for a night. It is a little deserted, I doubt anyone would go there at night. Only dogs and ghosts and madmen would wander in such cold weather."

Fifteen minutes later both of them arrived at the area Kadyn was talking about, it was dark here. Only the talking and murmuring of insects could be heard, which stopped as soon as they arrived, only starting after a brief silence again. 

It was already 8 o'clock and the crescent moon was roaming beyond the clouds, playing hide and seek, as if jumping from one cloud to another and concealing itself from the people who were looking at it.

The cold wind howled — the clothes fluttered and danced with it, as it played with their hair and whispered in their ears. Kadyn felt a sudden chill, he turned around and looked behind him, but there was no one there. He turned to look at Cecilia but to his shock, she was gone.

"What the fuck!" he cursed, as a panicked look appeared on his face. He felt someone watching him just now. Who could have thought that Cecilia would vanish suddenly? "Did something happen to her?'' A worried look appeared on his face. "Or she went to chase the thing I felt just now?"

He would be stupid to think that something he sensed but Cecelia failed. 

"Cecelia!" he called out when he still failed to see her. "Where are you, Cecelia?!"

No one replied. A somewhat fearful expression appeared on his face, but he braved his heart and suppressed his anxiety and fear. "Fuck!" he cursed, to calm himself. And then, there was a sound. Footsteps? No, it felt as if someone was dragging something, he could not tell, but sound nonetheless.

Then a shadow came into his view, a human shadow, at least that's what he thought, but he could not tell who it was. "Cecelia, is that you?" he asked after gathering some courage, but there was no reply, only the sound of footsteps and dragging of something.