Chapter 27 ： Gold Coin

Perry sat on Poloco's broad back, holding tightly onto the bird's feathers, feeling a bit uneasy. He gently patted Poloco's head and whispered, "Take off." Poloco seemed to understand, spreading its massive blue wings and slowly ascending into the sky under the fading light of the sunset. Perry clung to Poloco's neck, feeling the wind howling past his ears, his heart racing, worried that he might fall at any moment.

As Poloco steadied its flight, Perry finally let out a sigh of relief. He glanced back toward the village and saw Toto still waving goodbye at the entrance. In the distance, he could barely make out the tall trees surrounding the village. Perry had expected to maybe catch a glimpse of Rufus and Larkin, but instead, he noticed a dark-haired man standing in the corner, dressed similarly to Rufus and Larkin in black leather armor and a cloak. The man's presence seemed unsettling, and though Perry couldn't see his face clearly, the cold, piercing gaze directed at him sent a chill down his spine.

"Who is that guy? His stare is terrifying," Perry muttered to himself, quickly shifting his focus back to the flight ahead.

The system perched calmly on Perry's shoulder, unaffected by the flight, and responded coolly: [No relevant information. This individual does not appear in Henry's memories.]

Perry shrugged, trying to relax. "Well, I'm out of there now, so it's none of my business. I need to get back to the academy quickly and return Mushcat before the mentor finds out."

Poloco flew smoothly through the sky, and soon Perry spotted a small town in the distance, likely the place with teleportation magic. Poloco seemed to notice the town as well, gradually slowing down in preparation for landing.

At the town's entrance, Poloco landed gracefully, safely bringing Perry to the ground. Perry gently patted its head and smiled, "Thank you, Poloco." Poloco responded by shaking its head, then spread its wings and flew off into the distance.

The town guards didn't give Perry any trouble, only asking a few simple questions before letting him through. As he walked into the town, Perry found it bustling with activity despite the late hour. The streets were filled with vendors and crowds. Young people hurried back and forth, and various stalls sold food and trinkets. Whenever Perry passed by, the stall owners eagerly called out to him.

Although Perry could feel the town's lively energy, he was in a rush and didn't linger. He quickly walked through the noisy streets, heading toward the quieter alleyways. However, one problem remained—he had no idea where the teleportation magic site was.

"Where is the teleportation magic circle?" Perry muttered to himself as he began asking passersby. Strangely, the people around him either ignored him or didn't respond at all. Feeling frustrated, Perry sat down on a nearby bench.

"Why is everyone so cold?" he sighed.

"That's because they can't understand what you're saying," a crisp voice chimed in from beside him. Perry turned to see a blue-haired girl sitting next to him, smiling brightly.

"Haven't I been speaking their language?" Perry asked, confused.

"Hahaha, you've been asking half-beast people. They have their own language, you know. Most of the residents here are half-beast people or beast people, and it's rare to see a human like you," the girl explained.

"Half-beast people?" Perry paused, thinking back to the people he'd encountered earlier. Though they had all appeared fully human, he hadn't noticed any distinguishing features.

"They hide their beast traits," the girl said, removing her hat to reveal a pair of fluffy rabbit ears. "Like me, I'm Rebito, a rabbit beast person."

"Oh, I'm Henry... I'm human," Perry introduced himself awkwardly.

"Haha, I know you're human," Rebito laughed, her eyes narrowing into slits. "So, you're lost, right? Where are you headed? I can guide you, but... there's a fee."

"A fee?" Perry looked at her, surprised. "You're not serious, are you?"

"Of course I'm serious! There's no such thing as a free lunch," Rebito said proudly. "I'm the local expert here. I can take you anywhere you need to go, even help you find someone if necessary."

Perry sighed helplessly, "How much?"

Rebito thought for a moment before replying, "Fifty gold coins."

Perry felt a headache coming on. He wasn't sure if that was a fair price, but he did have enough money on him. Reluctantly, he agreed, "Alright, I guess I'm just unlucky. This place is really a hassle."