Eva read through the contents of the request. It was odd how she was still considering continuing with her Rune Knights work despite having lost her magic. It seemed that she was going to be stuck in Orchidia for a while longer thanks to the other work and she had no chance to leave for Era anytime soon. So here she was stuck doing a favor for the head guard of Muramasas noble family. She had picked the request up on a whim as she was passing by the request board and didn’t think it would have been all too difficult with her magic. Well, she didn’t anticipate losing it a day later and now she had to do this with her own power.

“So this man must be kept away from the castle at all costs,” Jelies said, pointing intensely at the picture of a frail old man. She had wanted to ask what was wrong with him but the answers came even before she could voice them. “He is a lunatic. This man has a habit of coming around here and yelling out tales of demons and curses and what other stupid nonsenses,” the older guard sighed, his facial features expressing how much of a headache this man had been giving him. Eva, of course, accepted all of his words with a smile and nodded to his rants. “I understand, sir. So you want me to keep this man off the premises until the party is over?” she asked, a question so obvious that even Eva was rolling her eyes at herself. “That’s what I said! Actually, keep him off of here for the entire day. I don’t want to see that face at all,” Jelies groaned, his eyes closing in irritation.

Eva looked over the taller guard’s shoulder to take a look at the busy workers preparing to host the party. It was progressing in a wild clamor and no one, not even the servants, looked happy about it. She guessed they have been made to work with no increase in payment and whatnot. Even Jelies didn’t look any better about the whole arrangement. He seemed like he was on edge, constantly looking around him, the signs, Eva thought, of a coward. The man didn’t seem like anyone capable as opposed to what she had heard.

Eva took the photo from him, took a quick look to remember the old man’s features and gave it back, sending Jelies away with words of certainty that Eva would be able to take care of the man if she ever saw him around the gate of this noble family How hard could it be to take care of a senile old man anyway? The guards seemed to be in their place, carriages came and left, men and women poured in. The final preparation for the party was going at full speed. Eva could only stand in front of the gate and let her eyes roam around for the tiny old man.

501/1000

“This is the lair of Satan!” She heard a loud, screechy, almost powerless voice. As her eyes snapped over to the man, Eva just had to wonder where that voice came from within that weakened body that looked like wind could blow him over. “The lair of Satan has invited his followers! Look, you foolish people! Look! Behold how these demons will devour our land and push this nation down to hell!” She stood there listening to him for a second with a raised eyebrow, her brain still processing the data on what to do with this guy.

“Uh…hello, mister,” she decided to make him shut up before he caught someone’s, especially Jelies’, attention. “That’s something very interesting you are talking about there,” Eva said, continuing once she got his full attention. “Why don’t we go and talk more about it? I’m quite intrigued about what you might have to say,” she finished, placing a hand gently on his shoulder and slightly pushing him away in the other direction.

For the next few hours, they walked around the town engaged in deep conversation. He kept telling her about all these different stories about demons and hexes while Eva tried to tell him why he shouldn’t be going around causing a ruckus everywhere. Whenever the man even remotely looked like he understood, his face would fall and he would weep about his dead wife. The process seemed to repeat until the sun slowly started sinking behind the horizon when he asked Eva, now tired and calm, to take him back home.

She walked the weary old path back towards a small house. It looked abandoned despite that being not the case and seemed to be falling down and breaking apart in places. It was barely there, insignificant yet, as the man waddled into the house, he looked strangely at peace, a look of extreme content crossing his features. She felt a light pinch in her heart when she departed with the man. Strange. Eva didn’t think she was capable of it but hanging around with a lot of people these days, she knew she was changing. This man was probably just lonely and all those crazy stunts were just his own way of getting attention. He wasn’t half as insane as people took him to be either. Maybe a little delusional but he definitely didn’t mean any harm. And, maybe he would return to the castle another day but Eva didn’t mind it as much anymore. If that’s how this man wanted to live his lie, so be it.

Once she bid goodbye to him, Eva walked back to the noble household where Jeliel was waiting for her. He enquired about the day and she gave him a report, excluding all the personal details. She didn’t think the old man would appreciate her running her mouth. However, she gave him enough details to have him sigh in relief and hand over the rewards, a pat on her back, and a wide smile. Someone was getting paid very well tonight…

1009/1000