What is Hidden

"Excuse me. There's nothing wrong with anything I've said is there?" Ryuma asked. Another resident of Naru had the same reaction upon that name.

{How interconnected are they?}

"Oh no. Sorry about that. You're good. Just spacing out there is all," Benkai nervously laughed it off. An action that didn't go unnoticed by him.

He didn't think that Erin's name would be so infamous to trigger the same response a second time. Last time, was circumstantial. The girl was somewhat intimate with Erin so much so that they could be referred to as childhood friends. This time, it was just another resident. Was that really the case?

"You said your name was Erin…"

"Fischer!" Ryuma scrambled for the last name. He knew better than to use Erin's actual surname in the village he came from, and he couldn't use his own name. The name Irgo is plastered from all over the continent by now. The least he'd want to do is conjure up recognition.

There was a slight chill coming from Benkai that lasted half a second. It was so brief that Ryuma thought he might have missed it, but it was definitely there.

There was something about this man and his fishy behavior that he couldn't put his finger on. What was he seeing? The last time he spoke on Erin's past, the people he spoke about was more forthcoming with information. It wasn't something to hide. This guy however didn't want to bring it up despite showing that it bothered him. Maybe he shouldn't prod over this right now. A few drinks ought to do it.

"Agh! Erin Fischer. A fine name indeed. Please let me buy you a few drinks. The least I could do to let you visit this sad excuse of a village for us. Hahahaa!" Benkai said. In just that one sentence, he was back to his cheery self.

"I have no complaints here!" Kosha said. Being seen as the bodyguard, he was starting to get a few admirers of his own. Girls who wanted to question him of harrowing adventures. Ryuma deadpanned at the lecher's obvious intentions.

{Whatever… as long as he's not contradicting the established story.}

"Oh… What have we here?"

There was a voice. A stern, yet feminine voice coming from a woman of dark green hair. She was leaned on a building as she snubbed her face down at them.

"Ughh… This doesn't concern you, Nelly. We're here to have a nice time. We don't need you mucking things up," Benkai said.

Ryuma raised an eyebrow. He had the impression this guy was friendly with everybody. Was there a reason this woman became the exception. Who was she now?

"Nothing to do with me? I wonder about that," She seductively walked up to him, her eyes never leaving his figure for even a moment. There was a thirst hidden behind them. She stared him up and down. She reeled with one eyebrow raised looking back and forth between Ryuma and the residence of Naru. She then began smirking. "Ok, I see what's going on,"

She turned away with a knowing smirk. Something that unsettled Ryuma. It's as though she knew something with just a glance.

"Whatever you want, go be weird with somebody else. We're kind of busy," The girls said.

Nelly shrugged her shoulders. "Was only passing by anyways. You got a problem with me being here, you're welcome to remove me yourself," Her face instantly turned dark. "Though I can't promise you'll be a healthy person by tomorrow morning,"

Ryuma blinked in confusion. That almost sounded like a threat. Who threatens somebody in such a roundabout method? Though he thought that, every resident around them paled at the thought.

{In a way… she has a certain hold on these people.}

It was better not to underestimate her. Matter of fact, he better keep an eye out on her. Who knows how dangerous a capable woman could be.

"Though I said that. I'll take my leave. I'll be going now," She announced.

"You're leaving already?" Ryuma asked. He thought she was going to use her position to keep bothering them.

She turned back towards him and smirked. "Though you're special, I find it boring how you are now. When you're ready to tell the truth, you're free to come find me,"

As she walked away, Ryuma was too stunned to do anything else. Could it be possible with just a glance she managed to figure everything out? No… it's too soon to make that sort of wild deduction. Maybe she had a knack for spotting lies. If that was the case, then he was in the clear so far.

Though she left, he couldn't tear his eyes away from her.

The outfit she wore revealed quite a bit of skin. It was an outdoor explorer's outfit with shorts barely enough to cover her thighs. The most daring woman he's ever seen. Tools coming from the pockets of her belt. Prescription glasses that would seem too expensive for somebody of the surface world to be affording.

Even Clara dressed moderately. Her figure just easily seen through the cleric garb.

"What was that all about?" Ryuma asked.

"Oh. That's just Nelly. I wouldn't worry about her if I were you," Benkai smiled.

"Isn't she … the towns slut or something? one of the girls said. Erin, you shouldn't bother with the likes of her,"

Ryuma stared in the direction she left in. Somewhere in their conversation, Ryuma couldn't help but feel as if there was a warning in there, He should leave this one alone for now. With his luck, he was bound to run into her again. He should ask her what was going on around here. The people here seemed a bit too… cheery.

That was the word he was looking for. Could it be possible that some reason or another, The Skylands treated Naru differently than the other villages.

"Sorry bout that little treat there. I didn't think Nelly had an interest in the likes of you. She usually doesn't concern herself with others. Don't know why you drew her attention. Guess my man here can snag all kinds of woman. Hahaa!" Benkai said.

"If you ask me, I think she's getting a little ahead of herself. She dares to shoot out of her league?" One of the girls said. "Yeah!" The rest agreed.

"Nonsense. I'm nobody special. As a matter of fact, I think I'd like to speak with her sometime. I have a feeling she's more interesting then she lets on," Ryuma said.

"Oh come on Erin. You're actually interested in science weirdos like her?" The girls teased. "She's more likely to experiment on you then bed you. Don't waste your time,"

Now that the girl mentioned it, she did give off the impression that she was after something practical. Perhaps, it wasn't far from the mark to say that she would rather experiment on him than anything.

"Enough with all this hogwash. You follow me and I'll take you to the finest establishment we got. Drinks on me," Benkai said.

"Hey I'm down!" Kosha shouted. He was surrounded by woman. One of them was leaned into his arms.

Ryuma glared at him. His eyes shifted to Benkai, then back to Kosha. He couldn't quiet put his finger on it, but something was off. He had a knot in the pit of his stomach. He didn't know if it was his paranoia acting up again, or if something was out of hand.

His head jolted to the side. His eyes darted to the residents of Naru. They smiled and waved at him as he took notice of them. He had no choice but to smile and wave back.

Underneath the surface, he grew ever more suspicious of their behavior. This one town he ran into acted as if the oppression of the Skylands were non-existent. Not an ounce of sadness anywhere.

"What about you friend?" Benkai asked. All eyes were on him now.

Ryuma sighed. "I'd be the party-pooper if I turned it down now, would I?"

"Wooohhhh! Get ready to toss some back!" Benkai cheered. Kosha cheered right along with him.

A vein sprouted on Ryuma's head. He was traveling with the most irresponsible supposed bodyguard he could find. It sucks to admit that without him, he wouldn't have even made it to Naru, let alone in it.

Right now he was being an idiot.

That being said, it wasn't all bad. Kosha was the perfect person to help themselves blend in without awkwardness. He was a more sociable person than Ryuma was so his antics worked charms with the locals.

Plus, he says he's been here before. If something was up with the town, surely, he'd let him know about it. It shouldn't be anything too dangerous. At least not on the level he couldn't get himself out of, right?

His thoughts drifted back to the girl with the dark green hair. Nelly. What was it she was trying to convey to him?

He shook his head of the thought. It shouldn't matter. From the sound of things, it's likely, they'll see each other soon.