For Welsh89 who asked and everyone who hasn't read the novels: Yeah, there are about a dozen novels out right now and they are wonderful! A lot darker and more intense than the anime though, particularly in the later books. They are one of my favorite novel series so far, but just saying these books will both break you emotionally and make you laugh but they are so worth it. There is no official English translation, but a great group of people created a sight and translated everything extremely well. That's where you read them. They are called the Maru Ma novels if you want to give them a read. They are unfinished so far.
The Capitol was beautiful this time of year. The yearly autumn festival had just passed, and the local street vendors were still set up with huge discounts on all their wares that they hadn't sold. The cold air bit at their faces, but it was a refreshing change from the brutal summer most of the northern countries had experienced this year. Adalbert breathed it in gratefully.
The townspeople were all dressed in thick sweaters and cloaks. You could clearly tell the nobles from the lower class. He wondered if they realized that their gems studded winter wear made them a target for pickpockets. All of it must have cost a fortune. He couldn't fathom spending so much money on something so gaudy.
Vendors saw Conrart walking down the street with their former king and started yelling their new low prices to someone they knew had the money to spare. And he did, Adalbert knew. Conrad had never been a big spender, choosing instead to horde away his money. Judging by the thick wool cloak with the golden brooch that was wrapped around Yuuri, Yuuri had been his biggest expense in a long time. It was no trouble though. The pair both seemed happy with each other, and Conrad clearly enjoyed having something to spend his money on. After all, Yuuri had done for all of them, he deserved some nice things, so Adalbert just smiled and decided not to bring it up to either of them.
Conrart guided Yuuri through the tight knit crowds with ease, holding his hand and pulling him along. The two had the same effortless pace, something that surely must have taken weeks to perfect. Yuuri didn't look nervous at all. He trusted Conrart wholeheartedly to not lead him into any walls or let him crash into anyone. Human instinct demanded caution when you couldn't see, and it was difficult to overcome and to trust your steps to guide you safely. That was certainly a wonder that Yuuri had managed it.
Adalbert supposed that spending so much time with Julia had its advantages for Conrart. His time with her seemed like years ago, even though it had only been twenty years. When you, lived for three hundred years, twenty years was like yesterday. Every day without her had felt like an eternity for a long while. His heart still felt like it was in pieces sometimes. She had taken little bits and pieces with her when she left. He never he would never have them back. When you loved someone, you gave them a piece of yourself, and even after they were gone they kept it forever. Julia had taken more than most.
A young woman wrapped in a hole ridden thin burlap cloak waved them over, holding a small wooden cup with steam rising out of the top. "Fresh cider young sirs, just made this morning! Only a galleon a cup. Yuuri's eyes went wide and he tugged on Conrad's sleeve. His guardian slipped a galleon into his hand and he held it out in front of him for the woman to take. She placed the coin in an empty bowl on the counter of her booth. Had this been the only coin she'd gotten all day? Of course, she could have much more hidden under the counter or in her pockets but judging by the woman's shivers from the cold her cloak offered little protection form, she didn't appear to have much money to her name.
"I'll take a cup too," He announced, and rooted through his money pouch on his belt while she poured him a glass. The woman was shocked when he dumped a pile of gold coins into her outstretched hands.
"S-sir it's only one galleon!" she stammered.
"Consider it a donation to the business. I consider myself a bit of a businessman myself. I see potential here." Of course, he dealt in the business of being a sell sword, but she didn't know that. He tried to avoid her direct gaze. Damn, he was never good at things like this.
Tears sparkled in the corner of her eyes. Why did he have to get someone dramatic? This was embarrassing enough as it was! People were starting to stop and stare on the streets.
He walked away from the cider stand and sipped his cider, trying to find something to distract himself from the scene he'd just caused. It was very sweet, and the perfect temperature. It was some of the best he'd had. Perhaps he had made a good investment.
"That was a great thing to do you know." Yuuri had walked up behind him and was grinning, his cider cupped in his hand. "I had Conrad promise to make an anonymous donation to Sophia's family as soon as possible. It seems she has two children and has been struggling to make ends meet since her husband passed away. We can afford to help. She says thank you too."
He grunted in reply. So, her name was Sophia.
"So how have you been since we last saw each other? Messiah life treating you well?"
"Not as exciting as it used to be. So, I thought I'd travel for a while."
They discussed everything they had been up to over the past month. Adalbert had been helping villages who needed a soldier or a hunter on his way up to the capitol. Yuuri had been spending time with Conrad traveling around the country.
"He's been teaching me how to camp and cook fish we caught. Well, as much as I can anyway." He sounded depressed for a second. He quickly took another sip of cider though, and his frown disappeared. "I'm doing well. And my fish no longer tastes like ashes."
"You sure you're alright, brat? The strongest of soldiers have trouble adjusting to such dramatic changes in life. And last I checked, you barely knew how to swing a sword correctly. It'd take a fool not to notice how thin you still are, or that dark look on your face when you think no one's looking. Conrart sees it too. I wondered why he hasn't done anything about it. If there's something wrong, he can afford the best doctor money can buy."
"I don't need a doctor," Yuuri replied, biting his lip. "Conrad's great, and he always does his best for me and everyone else. We've been spending a lot of time together lately and he makes me so happy sometimes but he…"
"Sometimes? Adalbert was pleased with the direction the conversation was heading. He could be very convicing when he wanted to be. He would make the boy feel relaxed and safe with him and get him to take down those stubborn mental walls of his.
"I don't like it when it's dark. I can't even make out the shadows or shapes anymore and I'm scared because it's cold and dark and I can't tell where I am. I had trouble sleeping back in the desert because of it.
"Surely you know that Conrart would never let anything happen to you? He has pledged his sword and his life to you, and he takes his vows seriously."
"That's the problem, I guess. He's had to change his whole life around for me, and I can never repay that kind of debt. He gives me so much, but I can't give anything back. I could never ask him to give up his life for me either. He tried to do it once and when I thought he was gone I didn't know what to do with myself. He was gone and so was I, for a while. I didn't know who I was anymore or what I wanted."
"What do you plan on doing about this? You look sickly, boy. I could see the worry in Weller's eyes when you walked in on us talking this morning."
Yuuri didn't say anything and drank the rest of his cider like he hadn't heard the question. "I'd better get Conrad. He's still talking with Sophia." He got up and felt his way along the wall of a nearby building, calling for Conrart.
Adalbert wondered how to deal with this. Julia had been born blind and had never suffered through any major life adjustments because of it to his knowledge. She had always seemed at peace with herself and her sightless world. Well, here was a puzzle indeed. He wondered if it was even worth helping the former maoh. What would be the point? He'd likely get sucked into world of trouble Yuuri seemed to attract. Not to mention Conrart's irritation at him prying into his and Yuuri's personal lives.
He sighed. Why did he feel so conflicted?
The air had grown unpleasantly cold on their walk back to Blood Pledge Castle, and they all shivered. Yuuri held his cloak closed tightly around his body, probably wishing for another cup of warm cider. Conrart had wanted to get back home as quickly as possible so he wouldn't develop a cold.
It was a pleasant day, and Adalbert thought later that he should have known, should have guessed that things were too perfect, Yuuri's smile too warm on the cold winter's day, Lord Wellers gaze searching the streets for trouble too calm. The screaming started suddenly, two angry voices in the field stretching out before them and then Yuuri was gone, a blur with his cloak swinging behind him in the breeze, following the sound of the commotion.
"Yuuri!" Lord Weller was after him in a second, his sword drawn from its scabbard concealed at his hip.
The two men were in a fight for their lives. The larger one, a thick burly man with a black eye and blood streaming down his bearded face from a split lip, had his muscle corded arm raised, a red soaked dagger in hand. A slight male with a torn white shirt lied beneath him, struggling to keep his opponents' arm and it's held weapon out of his chest. He grunted in pain at the effort. Crimson blood poured from a gaping wound in his chest. The grass below the two men sparkled with fresh red dew.
Adalbert hadn't chased after Yuuri or Conrad. Lord Weller always had the situation under control. The brat was reckless, they all knew that. So, he deemed it perfectly acceptable to stand back and watch as the teen raced over to the source of the distressed noises he was hearing, Weller standing protectively behind him.
"Yuuri this is dangerous. They're trying to kill each other! Let me handle this!" Conrart grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him close and raising his sword defensively in front of them both.
"Like you handle everything else? Like you keep having to handle me? I've got this. Maoh mode still works. I'm not helpless." The boy's composure was cracking like thin ice in winter, and Adalbert watched as the waterfall of tears he'd sensed him holding back all day start to leak out. He was shaking and trying to pry his guardians' hand away.
Conrad was surprised and hesitated, loosening his grip for a moment. Yuuri ran forward, nearly tripping and falling forward into the snow. Conrart reached out to forcibly pull Yuuri away from the scene. "I never said you were…"
The two men that were fighting had ceased for a moment, the larger one who was clearly winning the battle sizing them up before rolling his eyes. They didn't appear to be any real threat to him. They hadn't recognized Yuuri, giving him the upper hand if he could activate his magic.
Yuuri stepped forward, scrunching up his nose at the clear copper scent of blood in the air. Both men had red leaking down their once dry shirts. They looked stunned at his willingness to challenge them. The larger one spared a cautious glance towards Conrart, the more realistic and immediate threat. "There's no reason to hurt each other!" Yuuri shouted. "You can work this out like civilized people, and I'm sure you can come to an understanding. Is it money? Did this guy steal your girlfriend?"
Adalbert chuckled quietly. The kid sure had a way with words. Naive, but he was some good entertainment. Conrart stood behind him, body stiff and with a frown stuck on his face. He still hadn't found a reliable way of dealing with Yuuri when he was like this. Adalbert had always known the kid had a lot of fight in him. He was just selective in choosing his battles. As the boy stepped forward and got right in the large mans face, asking what he though the was doing, hurting anyone that badly, Conrad reached forward and grabbed his arm.
Adalbert laughed again. This boy was brave. As a young boy, even he wouldn't have dared get that close to a man with murder in his eyes and white-hot hate in his voice. Now that the boy had spoken the man looked irritated that he was wasting his time. He had surely expected this to be a quick kill.
As the man's bloody dagger pierced the boy's chest though, the laughter died in his throat.
Galleons were mentioned in the novels as a form of currency in one of the Shimaron's once, so that's what I'm going with for this story since there is no proper term for Shin Makoku currency.
Thank you so much to the people who reviewed. Reviews really make my day and encourage me to keep writing. Leave one every chapter if you feel up to it. I love hearing what people think!