Chapter 7 - The Case of Franz Lucina <2>
IV
The house on the outskirts of town belonging to Orphe was modest and small for a spirit user’s residence.
In most cities, spirit users were rare and thus highly valued, often living in lavish homes without a care. But Saradio was different. This merchant-dominated town had little need for spirit users. Here, most problems were settled with money.
Still, Orphe had maintained the house with enough space for a room dedicated to spirit pacts, a guest room, and a bedroom for his disciple, Franz. Neither Franz nor Orphe had ever found it inconvenient.
The moment he returned home, Orphe—keen in his own odd way—was already standing by the door, waiting. He gave Franz’s shoulder a hearty slap, grinning from ear to ear.
“Welcome back~”
“I’m home.”
“This is the first time Franz has brought a friend over, isn’t it?”
“We’re not exactly friends…”
Orphe blithely ignored the correction.
“Come in, come in!”
Leaving Franz behind, Orphe happily ushered them to the living room, gestured towards the sofas, then promptly sat down himself—the very picture of his usual laid-back self.
Orphe was a calm man, with dark, perpetually drowsy eyes that gave him a vague, disinterested air. This apparently made him seem unprofessional, and on the rare occasions clients visited, some walked away disappointed after just one glance. He didn’t “look like a real spirit user,” they said.
Franz, who’d never witnessed this firsthand, had only heard Orphe recount it with a shrug. His messy brown hair fell well past his shoulders, adding to his disheveled impression. Franz had never heard Orphe’s reason, but guessed it was simply laziness. After all, his master was the sort of sloth that even Franz found exasperating.
True to form, Ritz and Anna sat on the sofa as invited, staring dumbfounded at Orphe. Dressed in a long robe, his slovenly appearance made him look like he’d just rolled out of bed and wrapped a blanket around himself.
Unfazed by their stares, Orphe asked Franz to make tea. Reluctantly, Franz stood to prepare it. This master of his couldn’t even cook—let alone manage simple meals. When Franz first became his disciple, life had been miserable. Neither raised for housework, Franz had never even cleaned before.
But Franz was naturally meticulous. Determined to escape such a wretched lifestyle, he took it upon himself to learn, and after six months managed to carve out a semblance of normalcy. At that rate, he wondered, why had he come to train at all?
He’d even once skipped serving Orphe dinner, joking, You’d make a great housewife, Franz.
The only chore Orphe ever “helped” with was shopping—though even that was troublesome. He always came back with nothing but junk, so one room was completely overrun with useless items.
Sighing, Franz returned to the living room with tea on a tray. Orphe was already deep into explaining his junk to the two guests. Apparently, introductions had been made, and the atmosphere was relaxed. Judging by things Franz didn’t recognize, Orphe must’ve bought more nonsense again.
He set the cup down a bit too loudly in front of Orphe, who responded with an awkward, sheepish grin. What an impossible master. Next, Franz placed cups before Ritz and Anna.
“I thought Fran’s master would be some strict, sour old man… but he’s not like that at all!”
Anna whispered to Franz. He sighed. He’d have preferred it if his master at least acted the part. Instead, he found himself taking out all his frustrations on things his master failed to do.
“Indeed, quite a surprise.”
Ritz murmured in agreement. If even strangers reacted this way, no wonder Orphe had no work. Yet Franz had never seen him short on money. That, he found strange.
After setting his own cup down and placing the tray beside him, Franz looked up at Orphe.
“Master, I have a request.”
“So sudden! Shouldn’t you at least offer tea first? Or say something friendly?”
“Impossible.”
“Don’t be like that.”
Orphe reached out and pinched Franz’s cheeks. Franz glared up at him, furious both from the pain and Orphe’s childishness, but Orphe just smiled serenely.
“Mm. You’re cuter this way. Right?”
Ritz and Anna visibly winced. Franz was always genuinely angry with Orphe, but Orphe just teased him mercilessly. Franz had long grown used to it, but that didn’t mean it didn’t infuriate him.
“Could you stop messing around, Master?”
He muttered it low, but Orphe laughed heartily.
“Just a joke, Franz. Don’t get so worked up. You’ll get permanent frown lines.”
Orphe flicked Franz’s nose lightly and let go. His cheeks stung. Orphe never held back.
“So, what’s this request?”
Sipping his tea, Orphe finally seemed ready to listen. Rubbing the redness on his cheeks, Franz briefly summarized the day’s events.
“Since we couldn’t sell the vegetables, I suggested the morning market. I’d like to appoint you as our representative.”
“As concise as ever. You really are excellent at getting straight to the point.”
Franz shot Orphe a silent look. He didn’t want praise for his speaking style—he just wanted an answer. Orphe, fully aware, simply kept up his playful act. After a long stare, Orphe chuckled.
“No need to glare, Franz. I don’t mind. Might as well sell some of the clutter too.”
From Orphe’s words alone, Ritz and Anna quietly exhaled. At least this would help with their travel expenses.
“Uh… do we need to register in advance for the market?”
“Nope. Same-day registration. But once it’s full, they stop accepting people.”
“Oh dear. So we’ll have to wake up early tomorrow. No time to lounge around. I’ve already prepared dinner.”
Franz stared in surprise. Orphe’s words had caught him off guard.
“Dinner is ready?”
“Yep. Since you stormed out angry, I figured you wouldn’t cook. So I toasted some bread.”
“It’s edible?”
“Hey! I can toast bread, you know. Sure, maybe it’s a bit burnt. And I made potato soup—boiled potatoes with bacon, then added milk, right?”
Franz couldn’t imagine what it tasted like, but it seemed earnestly made. After all, Orphe had lived alone before Franz arrived, and those first few weeks, he’d been forced to eat Orphe’s awful cooking.
Hearing their exchange, Ritz turned to Orphe.
“While I’m bothering you anyway… would you mind if we stayed over?”
“Oh?”
Orphe smiled gently at him, waiting.
“I apologize, but… yes. Could we?”
Franz realized he’d completely forgotten to ask. Looking at Orphe, he saw the man beam with genuine delight.
“Of course. But in return, I have one condition—I’d like you to tell me about the Ciedena Forest. After all, it’s not a place ordinary humans can visit.”
Ritz blinked, then nodded slowly.
“You’re a pure-blooded spirit tribe member, aren’t you?”
Ritz gave a small nod. Franz, however, was stunned. He stared openly at Ritz. He’d noticed the pointed ears, but never expected a full elf. Everything he knew about the Clan of Light contradicted this. Elves had golden hair, green eyes, hated humans, and rarely spoke. All the books Franz had read stated the same.
And yet Ritz was the opposite. He acted utterly human, and talked endlessly.
Along the way here, he’d chatted nonstop with Anna, effortlessly explaining things about Franz—all without a trace of the xenophobic elf stereotype.
Noticing Franz’s stunned expression, Ritz exaggerated a shrug. Franz couldn’t help but blurt:
“A real elf?”
“Even I find it surprising.”
There was a flicker of self-deprecation in Ritz’s voice. Was being an elf something he resented? Before Franz could ponder further, Ritz’s expression shifted back to his usual cheerful unreadability. Unbothered by Franz’s confusion, Orphe grinned at Ritz.
“I can deduce more. You’re 150 years old, and you’ve been traveling for about forty years, right?”
“Wh—?!”
Ritz frowned uneasily. Orphe, unfazed, kept smiling.
“Also, your father is greedy, and your mother’s an airhead. Am I right?”
Ritz’s expression hardened into wary suspicion. The tension crackled as Franz held his breath, watching silently. Orphe, thoroughly amused by Ritz’s reaction, finally burst into laughter.
“Aw, come on—no need to be so guarded!”
“Huh?”
“Your father is one of my few friends. I’ve been feeling a bit lonely since he stopped visiting.”
“Father’s friend?”
“Exactly. So I decided to get back at him through his son. When you see him, tell him Orphe misses him.”
Revealing the joke, Orphe roared with laughter.
“I’d heard you two were fighting and you hadn’t returned. I’ve always wanted to meet you—Ritz-kun.”
The tension drained from Ritz’s shoulders.
“You should’ve said so earlier.”
“Ah, sorry. It was just too amusing.”
Orphe, unrepentant and still giggling, radiated pure delight. Franz had lived here five years and had never seen Orphe so cheerful. Finally calming down, Orphe turned to Anna, his expression now softer and gentler than Franz had ever seen.
“Anna-chan, this is truly our first meeting.”
Anna cheerfully bowed.
“Yes. Nice to meet you.”
Smiling in return, Orphe said:
“The condition for letting you stay… is showing me a special skill. How about it?”
Anna looked at Ritz, confused. Ritz just shrugged back. Strangely, even Ritz seemed unaware of Anna’s talents.
“Anything you’re good at?”
Prompted by Orphe, Anna began counting on her fingers.
“Um… growing vegetables, taking care of kids, baking sweets, cleaning, doing laundry…”
Listing household chores, Anna was interrupted by Ritz, who suddenly snapped his fingers.
“Wait—you’ve got one big talent, don’t you?”
“My talent? Glomping?”
“No, you idiot!”
Ritz snapped, then sighed in exasperation. Anna suddenly brightened.
“Oh! I can use water spirit magic!”
“A spirit user…”
Just like Franz. Though technically, Franz was only a novice. He couldn’t even properly summon a spirit yet. Franz stared at Anna with mixed emotions. He never expected her to be a spirit user.
Orphe, however, didn’t seem surprised. If anything, he looked pleased.
“I’d love to see it. A big technique, if possible.”
“Sure. But… I can’t do it here.”
Orphe pondered briefly, then asked:
“Where do you perform best?”
Anna answered instantly.
“Near water! And… I also have this.”
She pulled out a set of bow and arrows. Orphe took them, examining them closely. The crystal and ceramic arrows clearly piqued his interest. Handing them back, he murmured:
“Hmm… I once heard about a man at the Water Main Temple who created interesting conduits…”
Anna looked puzzled. If left unchecked, Orphe might ramble about his junk again. After all, most of it was spirit magic conduits or amplifiers.
“Master.”
Franz nudged him quietly. Orphe snapped back to reality, reluctantly returning the weapons.
“Ah, right—let’s go outside!”
Marching out of the room himself, Orphe led the three through the house. The front garden held a small pond, a few fish lazily swimming. For such a modest house, the yard was surprisingly spacious—the benefit of being on the town’s outskirts.
“Alright, Anna-chan. Ready?”
Anna nodded silently, closing her eyes.
“O gentle water spirit that heals the earth, grant me your power!”
As if answering, the pond water began to stir. A soft light shimmered as droplets rose, forming floating spheres.
“Water Dragon, come forth!”
Anna called softly. Instantly, a magnificent Water Dragon emerged from the pond, its translucent scales sparkling under the sunlight.
Franz was speechless. A dragon—the highest form of spirit. He never dreamed he’d witness such a thing.
And it was being wielded by the naive Anna.
He almost collapsed, overwhelmed by the weight of his own inadequacy. Franz couldn’t even summon a simple fireball, despite fire being his affinity.
“Water Dragon, come here.”
The dragon glided through the air to Anna’s side, playfully nuzzling her like a well-trained pet. The sight was ethereal, breathtaking.
“Incredible… just summoning one is difficult enough…”
Ritz stroked the dragon’s head in awe. Franz could only stare, dumbstruck.
“Honestly… such a mismatch between personality and power…”
Ritz muttered.
Franz couldn’t move. He could only gape at the dragon.
He envied Anna. How could she command spirits so freely?
Why couldn’t he even create a fireball?
What separated him and Anna? The thought made it hard to breathe.
Was it… talent?
If so, then perhaps Franz would never control spirits in his lifetime.
“Thank you… sorry for calling you out.”
Anna gently stroked the dragon’s head. It dove back into the pond with a splash, vanishing. Silence returned, broken only by a fish jumping. For a moment, it felt like a dream. But no—the water dragon had been real. And Anna had commanded it effortlessly.
“Wow, that was amazing, Anna-chan! You’re welcome to stay anytime. Truly a wonderful sight~”
Satisfied, Orphe beamed, then silently turned and hurried into the house alone. Snapped back to reality, Franz stared at Anna, who stood quietly.
“How… how do you make the Water Dragon obey? How do you control it?”
Anna tilted her head, looked back at Franz, then smiled softly.
“Hmm… it’s less ‘controlling’ and more ‘asking for help.’ So I pet it as thanks.”
Frustratingly unhelpful. Franz sighed deeply. But then he realized—he’d never considered such a perspective.
“Asking…?”
He whispered it aloud.
“Yeah. I don’t try to force it. The Water Dragon’s my friend.”
“…Friend?”
He’d never thought of it that way. He’d always tried to dominate the fire spirit, to bend it to his will. Could that be what Orphe meant by “what’s missing”? Franz had always thought, If I force the spirit to obey, I’ll grow stronger.
But what if spirits were living beings, friends like Anna said? Then every desperate attempt to dominate had been… pointless?
It felt like Anna had asked him a profound question. Franz stood frozen, consumed by doubt. Had everything he’d done so far… been in vain?
V
The morning market started early. Anna, used to rising with the sun, checked the vegetables she’d soaked the night before, then stepped outside into the clear morning.
“Beautiful weather! Perfect for the market~”
Stretching wide, Anna knelt on the ground and offered a prayer to the Water Spirit King—her daily ritual.
Standing up quietly, she remembered the previous night. Franz.
After returning to the house with Ritz, she’d gone back to the living room to find Orphe gazing solemnly out the window. Following his line of sight, she spotted Franz standing completely still outside, unmoving.
“Franz…”
Orphe turned, smiling.
“Anna-chan, you must be tired. Dinner’s ready—eat and rest. Your room’s upstairs.”
His smile was kind, but distant.
“But Franz is…”
Anna hesitated, guilt creeping in. She realized showing the Water Dragon had hurt Franz somehow.
“Did I do something wrong…?”
Seeing Franz’s pained expression and Orphe’s worried one, she struggled to speak. Noticing her distress, Orphe stepped closer, crouched down, and gently stroked her head.
“It’s not your fault, Anna-chan. Franz just… hasn’t managed to negotiate with the fire spirit yet.”
“Why not?”
“Hmm. He doesn’t have the sense of cooperation or mutual aid. He’s just desperate to force the spirit into submission.”
Saying this, Orphe glanced at Ritz.
“Spirits may differ from humans, but they’re living beings sharing this world. Right?”
Anna nodded. To her, commanding the Water Dragon wasn’t dominance—it was asking a friend for help. She’d never tried to enslave the spirits she spoke to; she treated them as equals.
“No living being willingly submits to something that doesn’t understand them. Only mutual support allows us to draw out true power. That’s what a spirit user is.”
“…I think I understand.”
Anna nodded. Orphe smiled sadly, stroked her head again, and stood.
“Franz hasn’t realized that yet.”
His drowsy brown eyes turned back to the window, where Franz still stood frozen. Anna stared at the deep shadow of sorrow in Orphe’s gaze. How could such a gentle, smiling man harbor such darkness? It felt surreal.
Looking up at Ritz, Anna noticed he too was watching Orphe with eyes full of quiet sorrow. It was unsettling, a little scary. She’d known Ritz less than ten days. She knew nothing about him.
“No spirit would willingly become the pawn of someone who doesn’t even accept themselves.”
Turning back, Orphe’s voice was tinged with sadness. He noticed Ritz’s gaze shift and gave a faint, melancholy smile.
“He made me happy when he brought you two. For the first time, he tried to cooperate. He’ll learn to wield fire. I’m sure of it.”
Encouraged by Orphe’s seemingly kind words, Anna finally smiled.
“Ritz-kun, Anna-chan… even if it’s just for a day, I’d like you to teach him. Just a little. Trust. Cooperation. Most importantly… believe in others. And in himself.”
Orphe smiled gently. His eyes held a wisdom that seemed to pierce through his entire lifespan—eyes of pure enlightenment. Anna suddenly felt Orphe was very far away. Close, yet gazing into the distance.
“Forgive my rudeness… but who are you, exactly?”
Ritz’s sudden question made Anna look up. His eyes were serious—there was depth behind that stare, something intense she couldn’t interrupt.
Orphe just gave an enigmatic smile.
“Someone like you, yet not. At least, someone who’s lived longer than you.”
He smiled, leaving the implication hanging. Orphe claimed to be older than Ritz—an elf who could live nearly a thousand years. That would mean Orphe was impossibly ancient. Strange.
“Just kidding. Better not to pry.”
Orphe laughed brightly, as if the whole exchange had been a jest. How much of that was true? Looking at Ritz, Anna saw him exhale quietly, unaware of her gaze, and scratch his head.
“Well, tomorrow’s early. Better eat and rest.”
“Yes.”
“Ah, by the way—can either of you cook?”
Anna tilted her head. Ritz shrugged.
“I’d say I’m fairly good.”
“Then could you fix the seasoning for dinner? I’m terrible at cooking.”
Anna remembered now—Franz had been horrified when he heard Orphe made dinner.
“Of course.”
“Thank you. Meet in the dining room at five-thirty tomorrow.”
Orphe smiled, then turned back to the window, silent once more—his gaze fixed solely on his solitary disciple.
Ritz and Anna quietly left the room.
That night, they slept under the same roof, each carrying their own burdens. The second day in Saradio had come at last.
“Don’t think about what can’t be helped!”
Anna said aloud, clapping her cheeks. It was her adoptive father’s advice for moving forward.
“Alright, next—wake up Ritz!”
She rushed back inside, dashed up the stairs, and knocked. Right on time, Ritz emerged, freshly dressed. So he could wake up early when he wanted to. Maybe he’d just been lazy in Vishnu?
Ritz ruffled her head with a laugh.
“Time to eat, right? Let’s go.”
“Mm.”
They headed to the dining room together. Breakfast was already set out. Orphe and Franz, seated and eating, had clearly gotten up early—earlier than Anna.
“Good morning.”
“Ah, good morning! Did you sleep well?”
Orphe beamed, a stark contrast to yesterday. He gestured to the empty seats.
“Oh, sorry—this is all we had.”
“Don’t be silly! It’s amazing!”
Anna grinned at the table. It was her first proper breakfast since leaving Vishnu. Golden-brown toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, and a warm, fragrant soup waited for her.
Franz must’ve cooked this. Orphe’s meals were legendary disasters. Last night’s bread was like stone—she’d struggled to cut it. The potato soup had no salt or pepper, and the poorly peeled skins floated by the handful.
She and Ritz had scooped them out and fixed it. Traveling with him, she’d seen—he cooked confidently, skillfully. He was good with kids, too. Maybe he’d be even better at running an orphanage than her.
“Let’s eat.”
Beside her, Ritz had already started. Anna quickly followed suit. No time for overthinking.
As they ate, Franz finally looked up. He looked exhausted. Had he not slept at all? Glancing at Ritz, she saw he’d noticed too, tilting his head slightly.
Franz seemed too gloomy. As Anna worried, he shifted uncomfortably and mumbled, almost apologetically:
“I had to pack last night under Master’s orders. It was exhausting. Don’t mind me.”
“But still…”
Saying such a flat thing with no expression—Anna couldn’t possibly ignore it.
“Anna, just eat.”
Turning, she saw Ritz, who moments ago looked concerned, now eating calmly as if nothing happened. It bothered her… but she sensed staying quiet might be better. So she focused on her meal.
“Ah, about today’s plans…”
As if oblivious to the awkward silence, Orphe cheerfully tore a piece of bread and spoke up.
“We’ll sell the vegetables and magic items all at once. Once everything’s sold, we pack up and leave.”
With that, he went back to eating. They waited, but he said nothing more.
“That’s… it?”
Ritz asked. Orphe just chewed and nodded. So much for “plans”—turns out, his plan was no plan at all. But overcomplicating things only led to confusion. Anna decided it was fine.
“Well then, thank you for the meal.”
Breakfast ended quickly. Orphe stood and left. Franz immediately began clearing plates. Everything felt rushed.
“Hurry! The good spots will be taken!”
“Huh?”
“Staking claims! First come, first served!”
“Eh?!”
That was serious.
“Take only essentials. We’ll come back!”
“Got it!”
Stuffing the rest of their meal into bags, Anna rushed out with only her minimal luggage and valuables. Ritz’s load was just as light.
“Come on, hurry!”
Outside, Orphe was attaching a cart to a chestnut-colored horse, stacking goods. Franz efficiently wrapped items in cloth and loaded them. Watching them, Anna realized the market was no joke—it was chaotic.
Fifteen minutes later, they finally set off. The creaky cart carried their wares, Anna’s vegetables, and—perched on the platform—Ritz and Anna. It rattled down the cobblestone streets, jolting violently. Anna had never realized paved roads could be this bumpy. Her village had no paved paths.
Half an hour later, just as her backside began to ache, they arrived at the park hosting the market. They disembarked and entered on foot. The large gate led into a sea of people—already packed.
“So many people…”
Ritz murmured, gazing at the crowd. Anna agreed. Everywhere she looked—people, people, people. She’d never seen so many gathered in one place.
“Whoa! It’s nothing but people!”
Vendors rushed about setting up. These must be the participants. And this was before opening. What would it be like once it started? Wouldn’t the buyers just crush everyone?
Anna looked around in fascination, though people kept bumping into her. How did they walk in such crowds?
Beside her, Franz expertly navigated the throng, expression stiff, unusually quiet. Since leaving the house, he’d kept his hat pulled low—so low Anna could barely see his face from the front. Lucky for her, she was shorter. From Ritz’s angle, he probably saw nothing but a hat.
Franz hadn’t spoken a word since entering Saradio. He looked unhappy, but she couldn’t tell why. She wanted to ask, but the crowd made it impossible to get close.
Maybe his gloom was her fault—because she’d used spirit magic? Was she cruel, showing off in front of this younger, struggling novice?
After passing the gate, two mercenary-like men stood guard. Nearby, a nervous-looking merchant sat at a desk, writing. Everyone who entered approached him, exchanging words. This must be registration.
“Alright, let’s get registered.”
Orphe left the three to guard the cart and cheerfully headed to the desk. His turn came quickly. After a brief exchange, he returned with a slip of paper—marked “Vendor Permit.”
“Registration done. Now, find a spot!”
“Oh!”
Ritz and Anna replied instinctively. The festive atmosphere, Orphe’s excitement—it was infectious. Franz worried her, but the sky was clear, the air vibrant. It’d be a waste not to enjoy the festival spirit.
In this odd mix—three cheerful souls and one sullen Franz—they pushed the cart, searching. The circular plaza was large, but all the prime spots were gone.
“We should’ve come earlier.”
Orphe said it, but whether he meant it or not was unclear. His expression didn’t show regret—just an offhand remark. No one like Orphe had existed in her village. He was strange, refreshing.
Ritz and Orphe—so many different people existed beyond the village.
After circling the plaza, they settled on a corner spot—nothing special, but with decent foot traffic. As first-time vendors, maybe fewer people were better.
“Come on, arrange everything! Anna-chan, Ritz-kun—this is for your living expenses, so work hard!”
The most excited wasn’t the beneficiaries, but Orphe. Completely opposite Franz’s grim silence, Orphe cheerfully told them to help unload.
Overwhelmed by the chaos, Anna quickly joined Ritz and Franz, who were already unloading.
“Guess they’re all up early for this.”
Ritz muttered as he handed down bundles.
“Yeah. Amazing.”
Nodding as she took a light bag, Anna followed Orphe’s lead and began arranging vegetables. Ritz had enough travel money—he wasn’t desperate. Anna, with nothing, had to work hardest.
“Anna, put the leafy greens in front! Freshness is everything!”
While unloading, Ritz advised.
“Okay!”
But she wasn’t sure how. Back in Vishnu, big markets were rare—only festival stalls. They’d grown most of their own vegetables, rarely buying any. Her basket overflowed with fresh carrots, radishes, and other produce. Of course, the seasonal sweet potatoes too.
“Ritz~”
“Hm?”
“How do you arrange vegetables…?”
“Ah, right.”
Noticing her confusion, Ritz handed his load to Franz and came over. Skillfully, he placed crisp greens in front, roots at the back.
“Sweet potatoes are in season—let’s move them forward a bit.”
The display instantly looked better.
“You’re amazing, Ritz! Did you work at a vegetable stand before?”
“Nope. Isn’t this how most markets look?”
His matter-of-fact answer made Anna even more impressed. Ritz had seen many city markets.
“I see… amazing…”
“It’s nothing. Let’s finish arranging.”
Brushing it off, Ritz decorated the rest—bright-colored veggies forward, long ones stood upright. Watching him, Anna gradually learned how to arrange for impact, and they kept adjusting positions.
“Alright! This should do!”
After a final check, Ritz and Anna stood before their stall. In less than an hour, a small but neat vegetable stand had formed. Her basket had held far more than she’d thought. Anton must’ve been generous.
Anna mentally thanked her adoptive father in Vishnu.
“What do you think, Franz? Looks good, right?”
Ritz asked Franz, who was silently arranging strange objects on a red cloth beside them.
“It’s fine.”
A brief reply. Franz went back to work. Ritz gave a light shrug. Orphe just watched, amused, hands in pockets. But Franz didn’t complain. He was clearly used to this.
The only thing Orphe had done was attach mysterious pole-like things to both ends of the stall.
Once the display was set, a loud trumpet sounded—clearly the market’s opening. Crowds flooded through the gates, bags in hand.
“Here we go—time to get busy.”
Orphe said, pulling a cloth from the cart. It boldly read, Fresh Vishnu Vegetables & Mysterious Spirit Magic Tools! in elegant script. Orphe proudly attached it to the poles. That was clearly what he’d wanted all along.
“Mm. Even I think this turned out well.”
The handwriting was skillful and eye-catching. Meanwhile, the chestnut horse pulling the cart sat down and fell asleep—unfazed by the noise. Truly, Orphe’s horse.
Right after the sign went up, customers gathered. They mentioned Vishnu vegetables were famous even in neighboring regions.
One customer led to another, and soon their stall was swarmed. Anna, standing at the front, handing vegetables into paper bags as customers called, was quickly swallowed by the crowd.
“Anna, you said you’d promote Vishnu veggies, but you don’t need to!”
Ritz, equally mobbed, grinned at her. Anna beamed back. Franz, silent and squashed, handled payments.
Initially, Ritz and Anna had managed sales, but they couldn’t keep up, so they switched to Franz. To their surprise, his calculations were lightning-fast.
Amid the chaos, Orphe alone remained cool. Leaning against his sleeping horse, sipping tea bought from another stall, he watched his disciples flail with amusement.
He could’ve helped, but Anna sensed some unspoken rule between Orphe and Franz, so she stayed quiet.
Amid the mayhem, Orphe’s junk sold like hotcakes. People bought things even when they didn’t know their purpose. Amazing.
In the relentless rush, Ritz pulled Anna out of the crowd and gave her a full grin and a wink.
“This is chaos.”
“Yeah!”