CHAPTER 35: TOWN HALL

After packing up their little stall, they dropped off their things back at the inn and set out to their supposed-to-be task for the day.

As they walked, Leonard slipped his hands into his pockets and glanced around. He noticed that there were more people buying things today. It was an unusual sight after being in this place for almost 1 week.

"This place feels even busier today." He pointed out.

"That’s because it is," Anika replied smoothly. She was walking a step ahead of him. Her eyes roamed around the rows of stalls at the market.

"Every Sunday, the trade wagons arrived in this place. The trade wagons are from the city. The people here swarm to buy goods they normally can’t get, even if the price tends to be more expensive."

"How expensive?" Leonard asked, raising a brow.

"Hmm... sometimes double, sometimes triple the usual price. A sack of flour that normally costs two silver coins could be 4 here. Spices like salt also can shoot up to five times their regular price."

Leonard slowed his steps a little. He followed her gaze, and sure enough, there was really a line near a wagon that had been covered with colorful fabrics as if deliberately trying to catch the people’s attention.

"People here have that much money?" he asked, clearly doubtful.

"Shouldn’t you know that after making a game where people bet their own money?" Anika glanced back at him, and then, unexpectedly, let out a small laugh.

"..."

"Oh well, people save for it. And besides, not everyone here on the outskirts is poor, Leonard. Some actually make good enough money by setting up businesses here. Merchants, innkeepers, skilled craftsmen... they live quite comfortably."

"Then why are they here? Wouldn’t they want to live in the city if they can afford it?" Leonard frowned.

"Why are you asking that?" Anika blinked at him, as if he had asked the most obvious question in the world. She gave him a confused look and tilted her head.

"Of course, the people knew that buying those goods here is still better, even if the prices are higher. Did you not know?"

"Know what?" Leonard crossed his arms.

"A carriage going to the city gates costs fifty gold coins. That’s just the carriage. And if you actually want to step inside the city, you’ll need to pay an additional fee of fifty gold coins per person. That’s on top of whatever you plan to spend there."

"Huh? Fifty gold... per person?!" Leonard froze mid-step.

"Exactly." Anika nodded, "And let me add to that. Inns in the city are five times more expensive than the ones here on the outskirts. Even the cheapest ones."

"Damn..." Leonard let out a low whistle. "No wonder..."

"Exactly," Anika muttered. "That’s why the outskirts end up being a mixture of all sorts of people. Lower-class laborers, peasants, struggling beggars, and also middle-class merchants who only had enough money to live comfortably here." He whistled softly.

"Right...Makes sense."

"You sound like you’ve never noticed that before." Anika chuckled.

"I haven’t," Leonard admitted without shame.

That earned him a curious glance from her.

"Wait... you really don’t know how this town works?" She stopped her steps completely and turned to face Leonard.

"You live here! You should know this better than I. I’m the outsider here."

’Right...’ Leonard pressed his lips together. He shook his head and swallowed.

"That’s... a long explanation," he said, scratching his cheek. "I was a poor beggar, okay? "

"I mean that makes sense..." Anika raised a brow and shrugged his shoulders.

Leonard scratched the back of his neck, feeling the awkwardness of Anika’s stare. He quickly cleared his throat.

"Oh well, let’s not get stuck on that. Come on, let’s just walk faster so we can arrive at the town hall you were talking about." He glanced at her sidelong.

"By the way, how come you knew all of that?"

Anika’s lips curved into a small smile, the kind that said she had an answer but had no plans on sharing it. She looked ahead again without a word.

"...Right," Leonard muttered, letting it go. He knew by then that she wouldn’t answer.

The three of them continued. Their footsteps carried them through the long street of the market to quieter roads. The path seemed to stretch on endlessly.

After what felt like eternity, the sight of cramped wooden houses and shops began to slowly thin. They were replaced by more open space and larger structures.

Finally, they came upon a huge building at the center of the town. Unlike the small wooden homes and shops they had passed earlier, this one was entirely different in structure and material.

It was built from solid gray stone. its walls were thick and high.

"That’s it, Leonard," Anika muttered before pointing it out with her finger. "That’s the town hall."

"..."

Leonard found himself staring up at the massive structure, his lips parting slightly. The town hall was nothing like what he expected. It almost looked like it didn’t belong to this place.

The stone walls looked unshakable, as if they had stood for a hundred years and would stand for a hundred more.

He was still caught in awe when the sound of footsteps echoed nearby.

"What are you two doing here?"

A soldier stepped toward, his hand resting lazily on the hilt of his sword. His tone wasn’t polite. It carried authority mixed with suspicion. His eyes flicked over Leonard’ then shifted toward Anika.

Leonard blinked, snapping himself out of his daze. He met the soldier’s stare, "I want to talk to your lord," he said firmly.

"Talk to the lord?"The soldier narrowed his eyes.

"Yes." Leonard nodded. "We want to set up a business here."

For a moment, the soldier said nothing. His gaze stayed on them longer, scanning their faces and even their clothes. His brows furrowed slightly as if silently judging the absurdity of Leonard’s request.

Anika awkwardly smiled beside Leonard, but she kept her lips sealed. She let Leonard handle it.

After a few more seconds of looking at them, the soldier let out a loud laugh. He looked at the two as if they were joking.

"You? A business?"

Those words rang annoyingly in Leonard’s ears. His eyes immediately squinted.

"What do you mean by that, boy?" His eyes immediately squinted.

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A/N: Will lock the Chapter tomorrow! Thank you for understanding, and I hope you still continue it.