Revvri⌅e: Reminiscence of Regressor

Chapter 3: House of the outsider

Wandering along the old cobblestone pathways, we were bathed in the bright late-morning sunlight. The honeyed gleam warmed the walls of the houses, as if dyeing them beige with the touch of time's rapid erosion.

A cold breeze flowed near the ground where the trees' shadows reigned, resonating with the clarity of the birds' chirping that soothed our ears.

The clicking of our heels was soon drowned out by the bustling chatter of the markets we passed through.

We walked west through Wolhabend Square and the markets, noisily surrounded by the hawking of merchants, arguments over prices between buyers and sellers, frequent greetings, watchmen's small bows, and colleagues dotted along slightly tortuous pathways and alleys.

In the centre of the square stood the well-known White Fountain, about which people whispered that it had been "brought back from the lake of Heaven." The fountain was constructed with intricately carved statues, oddly devoid of human figures, depicting unusual and fascinating plants and flowers, as though the Goddess had given them to us from her holy gardens, gradually fading from view.

Soon, the tiled roofs of narrow homes emerged atop the winding lanes that led to dining and relaxation spots for both locals and visitors from foreign lands.

Akif and Carstina followed closely behind my back as I moderately led the way.

Occasionally, small carriages rolled past us, pulled by clopping horses.

"So", I began, turning my head back to them and forward again, "how long are you two gonna stay here?" I asked. "Exchange student internships are not uncommon, but the funding is not always enough, you know?"

"I know..." Carstina sighed. "My course is about two years, but I think I might only last here no more than five months." She answered. "After the course, I will return to my family in Devlikan."

Akif was quiet for a moment after hearing her last sentence, eyes avoiding our gaze before he responded. "I have a five-year course, but I have permission to end it whenever I want." He adjusted the strap of his bag. "My family is fully responsible for my finances, their goal in supporting me through this course was for me to gain more experiences along the journey, and that's it." He shrugged.

"Experiences and knowledge are undeniably essential for people with highly influential families," I remarked, turning my head to the right and catching Carstina's eyes lingering on a doughnut stall on the road, "taking this course was not a bad decision at all." I continued, while opening my wallet to pay for her.

Carstina was determined to refuse my offer, as I framed it as "nobility from superiors to subordinates on their first day of work" since she was not very fond of owing others' money. However, when Akif agreed with me, she finally accepted my generosity.

As she held my wallet, waiting for her doughnuts, Akif questioned me.

"Have you ever taken an exchange abroad before working in the Order?"

"I didn't have that kind of privilege." I said.

"Oh... I-" the martial artist stuttered.

"Please don't feel sorry for me because of it," I interrupted before he could apologise and sighed, "getting abroad internships are not the only ways to learn new things." I lowered my eyes. "Besides, joining military units taught me plenty of valuable lessons with politics."

"... If you say so." He looked at me with concern after a pause.

Aside from the friends that I had made along the way, I didn't have any relatives or even a family.