New Discovery

As Leo cautiously made his way toward the dirt road, he strove to maintain a natural demeanour.

Leo was uncertain whether he succeeded in appearing nonchalant, avoiding any conspicuous behaviours that might make him stand out as an obvious newcomer in this world.

Engaging with the inhabitants of this strange realm stirred a complex mix of emotions within Leo.

'Let's just act as naturally as I can without standing out and try to gather some information.'

While approaching the dirt road, the people already present noticed Leo's arrival, prompting many of them to turn and gaze at him.

Anxiety gripped Leo's heart, and his stomach churned with nervousness.

Leo discreetly tucked his slightly trembling hands behind his back, determined to maintain a composed façade.

Upon reaching the dirt road, Leo positioned himself in a relatively open area, ensuring he wasn't too close to anyone in particular.

Standing amidst a crowd of unfamiliar faces in a world he knew so little about was an anxiety-inducing experience for Leo.

Fortunately, after casting a few curious glances his way, the people on the dirt road eventually lost interest in him.

Leo breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that the collective gaze no longer bore down on him.

Silently blending in with the crowd as they continued their journey toward the city, Leo did his best to keep a low profile. He restrained his intense curiosity about the surroundings to avoid appearing too much like a wide-eyed newcomer.

While observing his fellow travellers, Leo focused his attention on those ahead of him. This was a normal way to behave and didn't draw any undue attention.

Leo noticed that many people were dressed similarly to him, confirming that his clothing marked him as a commoner. His attire appeared more on the upscale side, yet it aligned with the general attire of the populace.

Leo also observed the wealthier individuals dressed in finer robes travelling in carriages, as well as their well-armed guards in clean armour.

'Merchants?' Leo speculated as the scene before him seemed consistent with his image of how a merchant escort would look like. The carriages filled with boxes and the substantial number of guards only reinforced this impression.

Continuing to maintain a low profile and blend in with the crowd, Leo resisted his natural urge to glance around to observe his surroundings more thoroughly.

Leo was highly conscious of his actions, striving not to draw attention to himself.

Leo believed that standing out could potentially lead to trouble, and he preferred to remain unnoticed.

After the initial curious glances from some people, it appeared that he had succeeded in fading into the crowd.

However, Leo couldn't help but notice one person who seemed to be staring at him.

'Why is she staring at me like that, though? Did she notice something?' Leo thought as he gazed at a particular figure in the corner of his eye to his right.

Amidst the curious glances he received, Leo couldn't help but notice a girl who seemed to be about the same age as him. She was the one person whose frequent and intense stares made him feel uncomfortable, although he sensed no malice from her gaze.

Leo's discomfort grew as her attention persisted, and he began to wonder about the reasons for her intense scrutiny.

Leo couldn't help but speculate on whether he had inadvertently done something to attract her attention, or if he was unknowingly standing out in some way.

While most others who had initially observed him had moved on with their activities, this girl's continuous and focused stare was unnerving.

Leo couldn't shake the feeling of discomfort and began to question his decision to join the group of people heading into the city.

'Why is she still staring? What did I do to make her look at me like this? This is really unsettling,' Leo thought to himself, feeling increasingly uneasy.

Recognizing that increasing his pace might attract further attention, Leo decided to maintain his current pace and hoped that the girl's stares would eventually cease. He understood that drawing undue attention to himself in an unfamiliar place, where he had no knowledge of how things worked, was unwise.

With his mind set on entering the city, Leo could do little more than continue walking with the group and endure the discomfort of being the subject of unwarranted scrutiny. He could only hope that the situation would improve as time passed.

What Leo didn't expect was that, after taking his attention off the girl who had been staring at him more intently than the others, she would suddenly appear beside him as he got lost in his thoughts.

"Hey!" A lilted voice reached Leo's ears.

"Damn!" Leo blurted out, but he managed to lower his voice just in time, even though his reaction still drew some brief glances.

"Damn? Is that a kind of food?" The girl, who had been observing him moments ago, asked with an innocent expression on her face.

Leo reflexively responded, "Why did you sneak up on me like that? You scared me!"

Upon hearing his words, the girl appeared stunned for a moment before a look of apology crossed her face.

"Sorry", She apologised softly and turned her head in the other direction, seemingly to avoid direct eye contact with Leo.

Leo had more he wanted to say but forcefully swallowed his words, choosing instead to reply to the girl a few seconds later.

"It's okay."

As Leo contemplated the sudden change of events, he had a realisation.

The girl had spoken in a language he had never heard before in his life, and yet, he replied to her, and she understood him perfectly.

This was a new discovery