"Welcome to the Port City of New Osmos, miss! Now, take a deep breath and drink in the fresh air of this city. Can't you feel the change in the air? Your body must be feeling different already.'

Mary asked Layla to smell the air by taking a deep breath, and Layla did just that.

But as soon as she took in a lungful, she coughed due to the air quality in this town. It sucked, and it was not fresh.

Since Layla had come from a world filled with different kinds of pollution, she knew how bad it could be to get heavily polluted. She had lived, and her lungs had already suffered from pollution once in her lifetime.

Compared to the earth of the future, this place was nowhere close to being polluted. If anything, this place might have been one of the least polluted places if it was back on Earth.

But in ancient times, when the whole world was open and had fresh air of the nicest quality, having a town like this made Layla gag due to the poor air. Her lungs were not able to cope with the sudden shift, and she let out a violent cough as a result.

"Young Miss, do you need help? Should I quickly look over you to see if anything is wrong? You can tell me if your chest feels painful."

Raziel asked as he towered over Layla's shoulder with a worried look. Raziel had not recovered yet, but he was close to recovering.

Still, it was better for Layla not to ask for Raziel's help and allow him time to recover.

"I am fine. Just give me some time, and I will recover. So, why have you brought us here, Mary? I assume that there is a reason behind it?"

Layla asked worriedly as she coughed to clear her windpipe. She was already getting better, and breathing was also getting easier. Just a few more minutes, Layla won't even know that this place had bad air.

"Ah, I did not realize you might face breathing problems in Port Osmos. Suddenly, it does not feel like a good idea for us to head further. Especially considering where we are headed next."

Mary's smile broke into a flat line as she looked at Layla. She still smiled, but the concern and annoyance were clear.

Layla felt irritation hit her, but she controlled her mouth so as not to speak much.

"I am fine! Let's head in."

Layla took the lead and entered the port town.

Since it was a trading center, the Port was busy enough for no one to notice Layla and her small party. They did not look like wealthy merchants here to spend bulk, so no one was concerned with them.

"There are…a lot of people here."

Raziel commented on the obvious as he blinked and looked around. He felt on edge as more and more people brushed up against his senses. He was getting defensive now, and he did not like it.

"This is the trade capital of this region, and it is rumored that you can find whatever you want here. That attracts all sorts of people to come here and try their luck. Would you like to gamble and try your luck, my dear disciple? I have a feeling that you would have great luck."

Mary asked Raziel, but he shuddered at her interest. Anything that Mary deemed fun was usually not fun.

"No thanks. I feel that I should stay away from anything my master enjoys doing. None of your habits are regular."

Raziel commented, and Mary mock-pouted to show that she was offended.

Layla was enjoying their banter when she felt someone colliding with her side and trying to swipe her purse away.

But the joke was on the one trying to steal from Layla. She only carried her belongings in the system inventory.

That way, they won't be stolen, even if someone tries their hardest.

Layla's eyes met her startled thief when she looked at her side. The thief looked like a young teen, no older than 13. He had vivid red hair and blue eyes that belonged on a regal face.

Apart from that face that could have passed as nobility, the thief had nothing else going for him. He was dirty and had torn and ragged clothes. And yet, despite that, Layla had a nagging feeling that she knew this kid.

'Can this person look like someone from the original story? If so, then it must be a minor role, and I must check later.'

The startled thief tried to run, and Layla made no gesture to follow or to punish the other for failing to steal from her.

But just because Layla did not seem to care, it resolved the situation for that person trying to steal.

"You sure are bold, kid! You tried to steal from my master in broad daylight like this and got caught. What should I do with you now?"

Mary asked in a nice voice. Her voice sounded friendly, but her face did not look so.

Her eyes had an especially cruel look to them that promised pain and suffering for this kid.

Seeing someone look at them like this made the kid pause, and he looked startled. A cautious look also entered his eyes before the kid pulled away and backed off.

Or, he tried to do that. But Mary's grip on his arm was too tight for the kid to be able to take a few steps back. Mary caught him, and the older female had no intention of letting go of him so easily.

Panic surged in those beautiful blue eyes before conviction filled them, and Layla felt she needed to stop whatever was about to happen.

"Mary, let him go and step back. I don't want to cause a scene about what happened."

Layla ordered her maid, but she kept an eye on the kid her maid was interrogating.

Mary frowned at the order before deciding not to argue and follow whatever Layla told him.