Chapter 77 - 77 - Marketplace Heritage

To celebrate the solving of the problem of the Golems under the stadium, Rico and the group are having lunch at a restaurant in the Los Seis Caballeros Mall. That restaurant is the same one when they had lunch two days ago. This time, their meal was more like a feast. On that table for six, they have: a big plate of vegetable-filled empanadas with a side of ketchup, hot macaroni and mushroom soup, a healthy plate of sliced cucumbers sprinkled with calamansi juice, a big basket of crispy french fries sprinkled with salt and with a side of ketchup and mayonnaise, and finally, one big apple pie for dessert. Their drinks of choice were water and lemonade complete with ice. Their Pokemon are around them eating their special food on food bowls. The atmosphere around the restaurant was calm and good. And as they eat and drink, Campillo stood up while holding his glass of water with ice, and announced to everyone in the table, "We had solved the problem under the stadium. And thanks to our cooperation and Rico's outstanding statement, the preservation and restoration of the Komati Old Stadium have been continued." And in response to that, the rest raised their drinks and they all celebrate the victory. After that, they all set down and continuing on their meal, engaging on the delicious, hot meals they have. Rico munched on crispy french fries dipped in mayonnaise; Juan eats on his empanadas fast; and the ȧduŀts are eating and drinking normally and calmly.

A few minutes later, at the dessert part of their meal, Emerson changed the subject quickly to the history of Los Seis Caballeros Mall, which dated back to the time of Komati Empire. She explained that the present-day location of the mall was the original location of the city's marketplace called the Grand Bazaar, an old name for the place before the present day.

"And in this very place, several battles against rivaling kingdoms had taken place," Emerson went further into her knowledge about the place, "and one of the famous and well known was the Battle of the Six Knights." This gives Rico and Juan a hint of it from the story they had read, and they immediately responded, "The Six Knights? We knew that in our favorite story." They then searched in their bags and pull out the two copies of the book with the similar title as Emerson had told them, showing the front towards her. Having known the book from childhood, Emerson replied with, "Yes, that's the one. It's one of the best sources of the true story." Bewildered by this discovery, the two kids commented back, "What? There are multiple sources? I thought there's only one."

"Yes, the version you're reading is a short, summarized one," Emerson explained about the kids' book. "there's one version that tells full details and account about what happened on that sunny day a few centuries ago." She then searched in her bag and pulled out a thick hardcover book with embossed gold leaf decorations. She then laid it on the table aside some dirty dishes and glasses, showing its glory towards the group. The others, including their Pokémon, are amazed at the book's appearance, especially if it looked like a century ago.

"Wow, that book is so beautiful."

"It looks like it is so old."

"That was the full version.

It can tell us the full story of it."

Then, after taking a deep breath, Emerson opened the book and turned a few pages to the section known as The Battle of the Six Knights, a section that comprised of 20 pages, including some illustrations described by witnesses back in the day. Emerson then began narrating the story.

On one sunny day, in the stands and trading centers of the Grand Bazaar, a knight named Marion, in his shining armor and with his sword, and his Pokémon, a Rhyhorn, are guarding at a crossroad in the big marketplace while his five other friends, namely, Teo, Oscar, Tavio, Rami, and Alexej, also in their shining armor and with their swords with their Pokémon are guarding at other parts of the big marketplace, watching buyers and merchants doing their business in those crowdy corridors. And then suddenly, a band of mercenaries and their Pokémon from a rivaling kingdom showed up before Marion, causing chaos and ruckus in the corridors. Buyers and merchants running around bringing their Pokémon and their precious goods. Carts and wooden stands moved in a hurry and collapsed both by the panicking citizens and by the raiding mercenaries. Then, with an alerted mind, Marion and his Pokémon stood guard for a merchant. Wielding his sharp double-edged sword with a handle that bears the emblem of the empire, Marion said to the enemy mercenaries with a serious tone, "What is your business here, bunch of trespassers?" Wielding his own sword with a handle that bears the emblem of his master's empire, the leader of the enemy mercenaries retorted back with hostility, "We are here to raid your marketplaces, because your emperor had rejected the alliance with our king of our kingdom."

"Is that so?" Marion responded back with style. "Well then, the emperor did not because he wanted his nation to be an independent nation. But for now, we will not let you pass beyond this point." He then called his other knight friends by raising his triangular calling flag, and they came to him immediately, well prepared and ready for battle.

"Now then, try to beat us," Marion said to the enemy mercenaries in brave style. With his fellow mercenaries wielding their own swords, the leader of the enemy mercenaries retorted back with hostility, "That's it! Attack!" He, his fellow mercenaries, and their Pokémon charged towards the knights, clashing their swords against each other. This produces a lot of noise in the huge trading place, with multiple clashes and commands of Pokémon moves. Dust and smoke filled the intense scene, with the merchant whom Marion was defending fled the chaotic scene with his Pokémon and goods. The fight lasted for a few hours until at noon, the enemy mercenaries are defeated, and the knights won the battle. Because of this humiliating defeat, the enemy mercenaries and their Pokémon retreated and fled the city, never to come back again. Because of knights' bravery and courage, the emperor awarded them with marble statues once they had passed away. And so, the famous Battle at the Market became a legend, and the knights' bravery had inspired future generations.

(End of Flashback and Story)

Rico and the others are amazed by the story told by Emerson, while in the same time they had finished their feast-sized meal. But in the same time, a young man, clad in sky blue long sleeve collar, a plain, coal black necktie, black pants, a black business suit, and brown leather shoes, and his Pokémon are spying outside of the restaurant while listening to the story of Six Knights. He was Joaquin, who was Marion's descendant.