Journey of a Blacksmith MAGNUM

I reach the city gates, Antons poofy wagon is here.

I don see the man himself though, only his daughter and the ebony woman with the nightmarish sword are around.

”Oh hey, its you! I didn catch your name last time. ” Antonia notices me, shes doing something in a notebook, ”You
e a little early, but we
e still leaving soon! So feel free to hang around. ”

”Im Octavius. ” I nod and then go lean on a nearby wall.

My legs are kinda tired.

Ive just noticed… I put my pants the wrong way.

It feels pretty uncomfy…

Is there anywhere around here that I could quickly put my pants right?

I look around, theres plenty of merchants around, and the area is pretty open in general, so thats no good.

There are also a few disciples in the area, but they just seem to be looking around for something… or someone.

Most likely me.

But that won happen, I have these glasses right here!

Not only do they prevent other people from sensing my energy, but I think they
e a good disguise on their own!

These were definitely worth all that money!

”Hey. ”

Geh!

That scared me…

I look at the guy who approached me.

Hes bigger than Septimus, but shorter than the guy dressed in black from a while ago, hes bald but he has a really thick mustache, hes also really muscular, and gives off a very manly aura in general.

Id prefer it if he wore a shirt though.

”The names Timotei, well be sharing the caravan. ” He extends his hand.

I shake it. ”Im Octavius. ”

”Well met. ” He takes a good look at me. ”Octavius? That name rings a bell… ”

Im such a **ing idiot, holy shit.

Why the hell did I tell him my name?!

”Wasn the young master of the clan here called that? ” He scratches his head.

”What about it? ” Play it cool, play it cool, play it cool.

He seems to want to say something, but then shakes his head. ”Its nothing, I won bore you. ” He then leaves me alone.

Phew…

It seems hes not going to snitch me out…

Actually, would he even know the clan is looking for me?

Theres a good chance they haven made this whole situation public, theyd lose face if the other clans found out…

Heh!

Just as planned!

Im so smart.

I look around and hope none of the disciples heard that…

Theres a guy hurrying this way alongside a lady wearing scraps, I think they may also be part of the caravan.

One of the disciples is looking my way, and we look each other in the eyes.

Shes wearing the clan uniform, though it seems she modified it a little to show some cleavage, her brown hair is tied into a braid, shes eating some sort of toast.

I actually recognize her, she usually hangs around Novena, I think her name is Nicoleta?

Thats not important!

I walk away fast!

Maybe I can lose her?

However, the guy that was also heading here just happens to bump into her, and they fall to the ground.

Perfect!

”Hey you! ”

Geh!

I look at who yelled at me, and its the ebony girl.

”You
e looking very shifty, did you think I wouldn notice? ” She looks at me as if I was some kind of lowlife and approaches me.

”Is something the issue? ” Antonia also comes closer to see whats going on.

”I think this guy has something shady going on, I don like his attitude. ” Her glare pierces all the way to my spine, and theres a slight pressure in the air.

”This is just a misunderstanding. ” I can let myself get caught when Im just about to leave.

I don have that much time!

”How so? ” Antonia doesn seem to have a lot of patience.

Ah, **, what can I say here?

Should I just run?

No, Ill alert all the disciples Im here if I cause a scene.

I have an idea, but I don love it…

”I put my pants the wrong way, ok? Its pretty itchy so I was just going to put them right. ” Geh…

My pride…

I have none of it left…

They both look downwards at my pants, and realize that I did, in fact, put them on the wrong way.

The ebony girl gets a little closer and sniffs the air around me.

Her face lightens up, and instead looks like a cat whos found something interesting.

Antonia on the other hand just starts laughing hysterically. ”HAhaha! Ohh- haha! Thats- Haha! so funny Haha! ” She even teared up a little…

”Its not that funny. ”

My pride!

I had some of it still left, buried deep inside me, but now its dead!

Woe is me.

”Ha- It totally is! Haha! You were- Haha! in such Ahaha! a hurry to get here! ” She can stop laughing at all… ”And then- Haha! You awkwardly leaned into- Haha! a wall, and all this time- HAha!- you were thinking to yourself ”Oh man, my pants, they
e the wrong way, I hope no one notices. ” Haha! ” She tries to imitate my voice.

Ah.

My pride is dead forever…

…

No sense mourning it!

Ill simply have to live my life to its fullest! Even without it!

Its what it would have wanted.

”Sorry- Haha… sorry. ” Antonia takes a breath. ”I didn want to be mean, its just so funny… haha… ” She takes another deep breath. ”Go into the wagon and put them right, I just finished confirming all the inventory anyway. ”

I nod, ”Thanks. ” And I hurry up to the wagon!

* * *

I take my pants off, and put them the right way.

It was very itchy.

After putting them on, I take a seat inside the wagon, its covered, so the disciple shouldn be able to see in here from the outside.

Id be a fool not to kill two birds with one stone.

Honestly, I don know if thisll be enough to hide from them, but its certainly my best option!

”do you know where the brown haired guy went? The clan is looking for him. ” I hear the voice of the disciple just outside!

Stay very still!

Don take even a single breath Octavius!

Pretty much every step of whatever this is has been a failure, but you absolutely can ** this up!

”Brown haired? I think Ive seen him, is he some sort of thief? ” Antonia sounds intrigued.

Oh damn, shes going to rat me out.

Ok, ok…

What are my options here?

Maybe I could cause a fire with ?

”Oh no, nothing of the sort, our young master is just being willful. So did you see him? ”

No, a single fire wouldn be enough…

Ill try to burn everything I can!

And then, if anyone gets near me, Ill use and have the both of us explode!

”Hmm, whats his name? and is there a reward? ”

I already got hit by it once, so I know I can take it!

Itll be enough to create some distance and buy me some time.

Yes, this is not a perfect plan, but its my best bet.

”Ill give you 10 coopers if I catch him. ”

Just wait for when she snitches me…

I take a slow, and deep breath as quietly as I can…

”Oh, very well, he went that way. ” Antonia casually responds.

What the hell.

”Thanks! ” I hear footsteps running away from here…

This woman is an angel.

Forget about my pride!

I almost died from the suspense there!

I…

I like this feeling actually.

Is this masochism?

”Hey you! The coast is clear! ” Antonia enters the wagon.

”Thanks… ” I feel like I could run at full speed all day, holy hell.

Forget about the caravan, I might just go running to Basil!

”Don be so fast, whats really going on here? ” Antonia crouches in front of me, and meets me at my eye level.

”Well, you heard the girl, and I did put my pants the wrong way. ” Thats about it really, but I don think its a satisfying answer. ”But yes, I am the young master of the Paprika clan, and- ”

”Hold it right there! Im not looking to get involved in whatever political thing is going on! ” Antonia rudely interrupts me.

Political thing?

What the hell?

”I just want to know, we are not going to get targeted by assassins or anything, right?! ” She seems very worried.…

Why the hell would I be targeted by assassins?

Maybe if we were on the Walkman expanse, but here in Epice?

”Theres no chance of that happening, in fact, the clan hasn made this public, so once we leave Paprika no one should bother us. ”

”I see I see, thats good! ” Antonia nods. ”Very well, you
e a paying customer, so Ill make sure you get to Basil! ” She hits her palm with the bottom of her fist.

What was that about not involving yourself?

Where did that go?

I think this lady has some serious misunderstanding of the current situation.

It works for me though.

I nod. ”Thank you very much, Ill be sure to return the favor. ”