Chapter 177: Kurashinpi

Sasani looked up Ned. The white of her eyes formed a web of red, tears flowing and she reached for the unusual dessert Ned has offered. "W-when did you?" She said, her free hand, which was left, wiped the tears or what was left of it. She stared at the Rocky Road ice cream with eyes full of joy and red.

Ned smiled. His mouth formed a thin line, instead of an arc, and pulled his hand off Sasani's shoulder. He then walked himself around the table and back to the chair. "Just eat," he said, nodding toward the ice cream. "It's called Rocky Road ice cream."

Sasani tilted her head looking at the ice cream. Rocky Road, white with cream of milk and sprinkled with cookies, served in a crunchy bread rolled into a cone. "Rocky Road ice... "She muttered. "This doesn't have rocks in it, right?" She looked over at Ned and laughed. She laughed so hard her shoulder shuddered and eyes closed.

Ned stared, amused at Sasani. Ah, he thought. We both liked it, but if it makes her feel better, why not?

"Ned," Sasani said, white cream under her lips, she wiped it with her finger and dip it inside her mouth. "Thank you. Never thought you would be this sweet." She blushed and proceed to eat her ice cream.

Sweet, huh. Ned thought. Just for today Sasani, just for today.

Ned watched Sasani finished her dessert, eyes twinkled with joy. Unintentionally, his eyes fell at the mask lying over the table. I might get one of those, he thought. These eyes of mine. He shook his head and sighed.

"Sas—"

"Ned—"

"Oh," Sasani said, finishing the last of the cone. Just like the ice cream of Earth, the tip was the one with chocolate that people loved to eat for last. "You go first."

"No," Ned said. "You go."

Sasani sighed, her eyes fell on the mask, and back to Ned. She was done bickering with herself. "Why'd you destroy the stone?" She said. "I'm always curious about that. I was there, and I've seen you destroy it—tossing it midair and shot an arrow. It broke like glass, but pure and dusty. So why? I saw you, not even a tiny hint of regret."

"Those kinds of things," Ned said. "Are the things, that will come and go. Things that let people go mad. Things that please you but not fulfills you. Those things, I don't care."

"Then what do you care about, or who?"

"Someone very important to me, someone that gave me life, or meaning to life," Ned said, gazing Sasani's eye. Though, in his mind, it was his Master Will. For a moment, Ned felt that the abandoned emotion was once again back. An emotion he was afraid that would make him a better person. An emotion that would cloud his judgment. No, he thought. Sadness makes me weak, and being weak is the last thing I needed now. "Someone, that needs saving." He finished with a smile; not a happy smile. But, a smile that was accompanied with vengeance. Eyes thinned thinking of the Royal Knight.

Sasani nodded, understanding Ned. "You are about to ask," she said. "What was it?"

"About the marriage," Ned said, he pushed his back on the chair and crossed his leg. "If it was marked by tradition, then I would be glad to say no."

"I know," she said with a smile, soft lips formed a curve. "That's why I didn't tell my father."

"And, Twali?"

"What about him?"

"You said he was bound by an Oath."

Sasani nodded.

"Then, sooner, he will tell your father that I saw you naked."

Sasani blushed, unable to meet Ned's eyes. "I will take care of it," she said, coughing. "How much did you see, Ned?"

"Just the top part."

Sasani reached for her mouth, covering it with her hand. She gasped, blushing. "Okay," she said, shaking her head. "Here's the deal." She stopped. Fingered her hair, rolled it behind, and locked it with a leather tie. She then put the mask back, covering her soft and regal face. "You're going to bring me to your raid."

"What?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Let's get married then, how old are you?"

"Okay you're in," Ned said, leaning forward to Sasani. The table wasn't big, but enough that when Ned moved closer, he could see Sasani's eyes under the holes. "But, this will be the last. No more raids for you."

Somehow, deep inside Ned, he felt that he needed to take care of someone that became close to him, and somehow, Sasani seemed to listen. She nodded looking at Ned with her rounded eyes.

"Let's go," she said.

"Where to?"

"Go get you a mask."

Ned took the offer, he wanted to find himself a mask. If what Sasani told him was true, then covering himself with a mask was a plausible idea. Plus, he will soon meet with the Hunters for the raid that he will choose to avoid any further argument, it seemed that wearing a mask will benefit him in so many ways. He nodded.

The two left after paying their bills. After turning to different alleys, and only Swift knows what way, they reached a shop that sells costumes for the nobles and freeborns alike. It was deep inside the central city. The shop stood with open spaces on both East and West. Behind, North stood towering buildings. The shop named: Marisque os Protigus was built with wood left by generation. Painted with black: that run straight from the left going right. And white: that modelled to an abstract painting.

The street, which was called: Mason Street—according to a sign posted at the edge of the road, was empty. It was too quiet, Ned could hear the crowd behind the bricked buildings kilometers away from him.

Sasani took Ned's hand and pulled him toward the shop. They crossed an empty street, took steps on stairs, with wood railings, and proceed to knock. Sasani waited more than a minute before someone opened the plain white door.

"Ah," said the lady that opened the door. "Too early this time? Master Swift." The girl bowed and nodded, she then said something that let them walked inside the shop.

The girl was around ten or eleven, she wore her curly hair with pride. She smiled as soon as Ned and Swift entered the shop. Aside from her head, the slits on her left shoulder, and hands, the rest were carefully covered by her purple dress. Ned couldn't see what shoes she was wearing with the dress hanging, touching the carpeted floor.

The room was filled with dresses that stood over a wooden mannequin, highly-priced gloves that only nobles of medium Houses could afford, and boots cut with different sizes nearly aligned on the floor to the left. There was a mirror that acted as a wall, and there Ned saw himself standing nice and tall.

Silver hair, long enough to touch the tip of his ears. Sharp nose and thin lips, he almost looked pale with his skin. And there it is, the eyes: dusky blue eyes, that with a perfect angle when reflected against the light, it shone bright blue. The eyes, that no other man should have. The eyes differ him from the rest. He sighed, he looked different when he was in O'rriadt. The thin and almost innocent youth was gone. The moment ICE revealed herself inside Ned, something about him change. Ned looked at the mirror, boring through himself.

"Ned?" Sasani asked, gesturing him to follow inside.

Ned snapped out, droplets of rain tickled down the low ceiling roof. Ned followed. Behind the said mirror was actually another room, a secret room Ned assumed only available to the people like Sasani, nobles of known Houses.

"Don't worry," she said, following the light affixed at the narrow alley, at the end, another light shone around the edges of the passage. "Even if they see your face here, they won't tell anyone. That's why I chose to buy my stuff here."

"This shop," Ned said, looking at the back of Sasani. "And your father, was he connected here?"

"No," Swift said under her mask, over her shoulder. "Marisque os Protigus is neutral to all Houses."

They exited the narrow passage, bright light shone above their head as they stepped inside the new room. There, Ned was welcomed with different mask hanging over every wall. Ornamental designs, no holes, one hole, two holes types of mask. Some stood in a wooden head, making it more imposing.

Swift clipped her hand over her chest and bowed to the man standing in front of them. White hair, comb and looking neat, grey mustache with no beard, and thoughtful eyes. But not when the man was looking at Ned. His eyes change from calm to wary.

He's a friend, Ogok," Swift said, looking at the man who she called Ogok. He wore a brown tunic, with no button. "Looking something new for him."

"Ah," Ogok said, mustache glittered with white from the light. "If Swift trusted him, then, of course, House Marisque will be at your service, Master Swift."

"Master Swift," Ned whispered out of nowhere.

Swift turned over her shoulder as if glaring at Ned. Yet, her shoulder shook, as if chuckling.

"Now," Ogok said, looking at Ned. "Who might your friend be?"

"Ned of House Sskat," Ned answered.

"House Sskat," Ogok muttered, he raised a finger as if remembering a bright idea. "Ah! Never heard such a House"

"Of course," Ned said.

Swift chuckled loudly. Her voice wasn't forced, it was Sasani chuckling.

Ogok then gestured to Ned to check for the mask of his preferences.

I want something simple, Ned thought. Eyeing different masks hanging on the wall. Some shaped like a tear, others just plain—too plain, but mostly designed with careful hands.

"I am looking for something simple," Ned said, looking at a mask that was fondly ornamented with stones, that would reveal its bearer from the shadow. "And for protection as well."

"Ah," Ogok said, cocking an eyebrow hands clasping behind his back. "You're looking for a Magic Item, Master Ned of House Sskat."

Ned raised an eyebrow, a mask, and also a magic item. Hmmm, he thought. I wonder how good it will be. "Please," Ned said.

Ogok then took a step to his left. Behind him, revealed a mask of pure delight. It stood in a mannequin head. Adorned with beads, and stones that lit blue, even without injecting mana into it. The mask was placed on a wooden high table, besides the mask was another mask. Not too shiny like in the middle but sure is magical as well.

"It's called Andromeda's Face," Ogok said, raising a hand to introduce the mask. "Created by the Kingdom's finest Master Crafter, Master Littiet Claire Quino. The only Master Crafter to achieve and create this kind of mask. Before you ask... " Ogok raised a finger across his face. He looked at Swift—standing to his right with hands tapping her legs. His gaze went back to Ned. "What it does is it can absorb magic offense and can reflect it double the damage. But be wary, it can only be used once a day, and after that, you needed to recharge it with your mana. It will take two weeks to Bind, and after that, she's all yours.

"Now, now," he added looking at Ned, that seemed to be confused. "Bind is when a Magical Item recognizes you as its new owner. The process is slow. The more powerful an item, the more it takes to Unbind from the previous owner and Bind it to the new one."

"How much?" Swift asked.

"Ah," Ogok said, redirecting his glassy eyes to Swift. "That's why I like you, Master Swift. Always straight to the point. It cost 25, 000 Good coins."

Ned coughed, something inside his throat clogged, and Ned was sure it wasn't just air, more likely his gold coins jumped off his pocket dimension and went to hide inside his stomach.

Ned bought Boom the short-sword for 150 gold coins, and after paying for the food, Ned was left with only 98 gold coins. Now, that he observed more of the masks. The lowest price was 350 gold coin mask, with pink glass flowers, and ornamented with yellow feathers. Ned sighed, shoulders lowered down, unable to—

A gleam of white light shone inside a basket underneath the table where the mask was being displayed. Ned walked, passing Ogok, and stopped behind him.

Ogok looked Ned with confused eyes.

"And this one?" Ned said, pointing inside the basket, covered with white linen clothing. For some reason, the edge of a black mask showered Ned with bright light.

"Ah," he said, "they're nothing. Those were rejects, unable to be used. To be thrown."

Yet, Ned bent and pulled the mask. It was half broken, a hole over the right side—for the eyes—then curved to suit the bearer's face. Just like Swift, the mask was plain. Aside from the hollow dent inside the mask, the rest was plain old looking. The left side of the edge was half-broken and cracked, like the edge of a cliff, it was jagged and chipping.

Inspect, Ned thought.

[Error.]

What?

[The item's level is too high for the current Inspect to work, Ned.]

Ned nodded, then I'll take this. I sensed something was off about this one. I sensed mana leaking.

"I'll take this."

"What!" Ogok said, surprised. "But, it's a trash. Why would you—"

"Ned?" Swift said, not interfering with Ned's decision. But her voice seemed to be trailing off, like concerned.

"It's fine," Ned said, smiling to Swift. "I'll take this, how much?"

Ogok gave up. "Out of respect from my valued guests here," He said, eyes looking at Swift. "90 gold coins is what I can offer."

"Deal."

Ogok shook his head, "Take it," he said, "it's yours now." But eyes seemed to be smiling.

Ned pulled 90 gold coins from the back of his pocket (from his ring) and gave it to Ogok. For some reason, the mask was leaking mana. Ned turned the mask over again, only to find out there was a small curving at the very bottom and it read: "Kurashinpi."