Rail Star Universe

Riverside Market in Dunwich City.

Gray clouds hung over Riverside Market, casting a somber shadow over the rickety wooden stalls. The bustling voices of merchants and buyers filled the air, accompanied by the creak of carts and the shouts of vendors hawking their goods. Kael strolled casually through the narrow alleys, his eyes scanning every corner of the market. Nothing caught his attention—just the usual crowd. But as he passed an old, rusted trash bin, something shiny on the ground caught his eye.

He stopped. A silver coin lay there, half-covered in mud. Kael decided to pick it up, but just as he bent down—

Thud!

His body was shoved backward as someone bumped into him hard. He nearly fell but managed to steady himself with his black cane.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, sir! Are you alright? Did I hit you too hard?" a nervous female voice spoke.

Kael slowly looked up, staring at the person who had just bumped into him. A woman stood before him with a worried expression. She wore a dull brown cloak, long enough to hide the clothes beneath. A small basket of bread hung from her arm.

"I'm fine," Kael replied flatly, almost lazily. But then his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Hmm... you're a witch, aren't you?" he asked, standing upright with the help of his cane.

The woman looked a bit startled. "Yes, I am a witch. My name is Echina. Nice to meet you, Mr…" She trailed off, hoping Kael would introduce himself.

"My name is Kael," he said curtly. "So, how do you plan to compensate me?"

Echina was silent for a moment, unsure of what to say. But when she noticed Kael's frail appearance, her expression turned serious. "I… I could heal you. Your body looks weak and fragile. Are you ill?"

Kael raised an eyebrow at her. He seemed to consider her offer before leaning more heavily on his cane. "Alright," he said. "But I also want that bread you're carrying. As compensation for my missing silver coin, of course."

Echina was taken aback. "Your silver coin is missing? I… I don't know anything about that, sir!"

Kael shrugged. "Somehow, it's no longer where it was. And its value is equal to ten dollars."

Echina's face flushed slightly with irritation, but she lowered her head to hide her expression. "Fine," she said reluctantly. "If that will make up for my mistake…"

While concealing her suspicion, Echina silently activated a lie-detection spell. Her spell was subtle; merely by looking into her conversation partner's eyes, she could determine the truth. Kael, standing before her, appeared calm, showing no signs of deceit.

[So he's not lying. Interesting. I thought he was a skilled conman, but apparently not. My intuition wasn't wrong,] Echina thought.

"Here, Mr. Kael," she said, handing him a piece of bread from her basket. "I hope this is enough to replace your lost coin."

Kael accepted the bread casually and bit into it without hesitation. "You're a witch," he said while chewing. "But why do you look like an ordinary person?"

Echina looked up, a bit puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"If I were a witch, I wouldn't be wandering around a market like this in simple clothing. You must be hiding something."

Echina frowned. "Mr. Kael, you make me sound like a criminal."

Kael chuckled softly. "There's no smoke without fire. There must be a reason you're here."

He leaned against the trash bin, watching the crowd around them. The market grew busier, with merchants' voices growing louder as they promoted their goods. The scents of spices, salted fish, and freshly baked bread mingled in the air.

"If I may ask," Echina finally said, "why are you here? You don't look like someone who usually strolls through markets."

Kael glanced at her briefly. "I'm just passing through. But fate seems to have drawn me here."

"Fate?"

Kael gave a faint smile, not answering. He continued eating his bread slowly, letting the silence stretch for a moment.

"Do I look sick to you?" he suddenly asked.

Echina hesitated before nodding slightly. "A bit, yes. Your face is pale, and your body looks weak. To be honest, I'm surprised you're still standing."

Kael chuckled softly. "You're quite honest for a witch."

"It's only natural. After all, witches shouldn't lie," Echina replied. However, her thoughts drifted back to the spell she had cast earlier. If Kael had truly been honest, could he really be just an ordinary man?

"Mr. Kael, if you don't mind, I could try to help you," she finally said. "I have some simple potions that might improve your condition."

Kael gave her an unreadable look. "And what's the price?"

Echina was taken aback by the question. "Nothing," she said softly. "I just want to help."

"Hmm." Kael straightened up, though it was clear he still leaned on his cane. "Alright then, show me your potion. I want to see if this witch is truly trustworthy."

Echina took a deep breath. She opened a small pouch at her waist and pulled out a tiny glass bottle filled with emerald-green liquid. Carefully, she handed it to Kael.

"Drink this. But slowly. It's bitter," she said.

Kael eyed the liquid skeptically. But he said nothing, merely uncorking the bottle and sipping it slowly. Sure enough, his expression changed as the bitter taste hit his tongue.

"You weren't kidding about the taste," he said, closing his eyes. But moments later, he opened them again, and a hint of color returned to his face. His pallor seemed to fade slightly.

"How do you feel?" Echina asked anxiously.

Kael lifted his cane, taking a few steps more steadily. "It feels… quite effective. Thank you."

Echina's expression softened slightly. "I'm glad I could help."

Kael looked at her meaningfully. "You're different from other witches I've met. Most of them only care about profit and themselves."

Echina gave a small smile. "Maybe you haven't met enough good witches."

"Maybe," Kael replied before walking away, leaving Echina behind.

Echina watched his figure disappear into the crowd, a growing curiosity in her mind. Who was this man, really? And why did he feel... peculiar?

Among the bustling market, a cold wind blew gently, as if whispering something inaudible.