"Brother!"
Right where I was about to step out of the mansion, Chloe came out and greeted me with tears on her eyes.
When I saw this, I knelt down a little to hug my sister for the last time.
"Make sure you come back after a few days. Or else, Chloe will hate you, hmph!"
Opening and closing my mouth a couple of times, I looked down to the ground, unable to say anything.
'I'm sorry, but, according to my calculations, this is also for your own good Chloe.'
After a couple of seconds of hugging, she finally let go. With a bright smile, she began patting my head lightly.
"There, there."
Because of this, I felt even more guilty for lying... I stuck my head inside a well.
"Big brother should make sure that he will come back to Chloe because Chloe hates liar. Therefore, if brother lied, I'll hate him."
Her tone and expression were firmed, as she looked at me innocently.
The expression she was making is too damned cute. It was so dangerous that if this lasted anymore longer, sooner or later, I would probably get a heart attack.
Forcefully turning my head to face the carriage, I ignored the gaze of my sister.
But...
"Brother!"
Just when I was about to walk outside the gate, Chloe called out, making me turn my head back to face her direction.
"I wuv you!"
'Shit!'
Her tone was so innocent, that it made my heart skip a bit. So, I clutched my chest tightly in order for them to continue.
She's too dangerously cute for me...
While I was trying my best to remain cool, I was called out by mother. Turning my head to face her direction, I tilted my head slightly in confusion.
"Are you sure you can operate the carriage by yourself? Or do you want me to order someone to help you with it?"
My mother asked. Taking a deep breath, I firmly replied with a nod.
"Yes."
Hopping onto the front, I took a glanced inside the carriage that was full of supplies like fruits, flour, and many more.
After I finished making sure that everything inside was okay, I returned my attention back to the two horses in front of me.
Now that I thought about it, I remembered the first time I ride a horse from the country... What was the name of that country again?
Well, anyways, that happened after I was sent to another country because of some business about the app I made that became a hit. And, I took a quick vacation after the meeting finished.
Somehow, after thinking all about that, I missed my old life where I would just laze around all day at my apartment and let my worker do the work stuff for me.
'Keumm... Keumm... Putting the side story aside, I'm about to go to a long adven- I mean, mission to meet the prince... Definitely not also an excuse for having fun.'
"Guess that settled."
Saying my last goodbye to my family, I began to moved out.
'Next stop, Rand Town.'
***
After I reached the town, I stopped my carriage, heading towards to the blacksmith.
While I was walking through the street, I accidentally bumped onto someone.
""Sorry."" We both said in unison, with a slight bow.
I helped the man picked up his things before once again apologizing from what happened.
"Sorry, I bumped into you."
Scratching his neck lightly, he gave me smile before saying.
"It's fine."
When I looked at his face, I somehow felt that he looks quite familiar yet I don't know why.
The man has brownish, long hair that was tied neatly. His eyes were light blue that somehow gave me a feeling that I've been staring directly at the ocean.
He probably would've looked more handsome if it weren't for the scar in his right eye. Though, the scar itself made him stand out the most.
The aura he was giving was strong yet calm at the same time. From the looks of it, he seemed to be more stronger than Cossette... Literally more stronger than her.
But...
As for the smile he were showing me, why am I getting a weird longing feeling when I saw it.
After staring at him for a minute, I lightly turned my head around to continue walking.
'Maybe, it just nothing.'
After I left the long-haired man alone, he let out a relieved smile on his face.
"I see that you've been raised well by your mother... Athan."
Turning his head to face the road, he continued walking. And while he was walking, a black-coloured butterfly landed on top of his shoulder as a small particles of light escaped inside his clothes.
***
"Sir Blanc, here is the potion that you wanted."
Pointing to the box at his right, he crouched a little and opened them. When I saw that the total of potion inside was 25, I smiled.
"Ho~ I think that remember telling you that I only need twenty of those potions."
Standing back up amd fixing his collar, he smiled.
"That's just a special bonus for a specific customer."
I picked up the box and placed them inside the carriage. Taking out my mask from my [Storage Ring], I decided to put it on before turning my head to face Chief.
"How about the information I asked you about."
After hearing the word 'information' from my mouth, his expression became serious. Taking out something from his back, he handed it to me after.
"I don't know what you're planning to do, but please don't go overboard."
"Why's that?"
With a wryly smile in his face, he replied.
"I don't want to lose anymore special customers, you see."
Staring at him a couple of seconds, I couldn't help but let out a laugh. I mean, it was really hard for me to hold my laugh because of the way he said it so seriously.
"Pft! Hahaha!"
Somehow, after I did this, Chief's smile became stiff as his eyes began twitching. It didn't take long for him to let out a sigh of defeat before saying.
"Are you done?"
Raising my mask slightly to wipe the tears in my eyes, I replied.
"Yes... Anyways, Don't worry because I'm not planning to die right now... not until I fulfill my plan."
"And, what plan are you talking?"
For a second after I heard him said that, I noticed that there was a tint of curiosity in his eyes. But, I deliberately ignored this and turned my head back to face the carriage.
"Sir Blanc."
Right where I was about to leave, I was stopped again by Chief's voice from my back.
"Hm?"
"Although that mask really suits you, if you're hair was colored black... I think it would probably look more good."
He pointed out.
Without replying, I raised my hands and continued walking forward to the carriage to move.
"I see..."
I murmured silently, as I hopped on to the driver's sit.