Chapter 16. Leaving the city.

After analyzing the current situation, Katerina sighed and asked her "husband" to wait for her outside with Clyde and the children while she personally completed the deal with the seller. Kassia understood her mistress's message and left the store, taking the children by the arms.

Left alone with the seller, Katerina looked at him with a smile and asked in a soft and gentle voice:

"Mister, what do you think of my children?"

"Madam, your children are undoubtedly talented. I believe they have a great future ahead of them."

"Mister, have you heard something about a special institution of the Magic Empire?" Katerina asked a random question, approaching the counter.

"Uh, mistress, what are you talking about?" The salesman stammered.

Katerina didn't say anything else. She quickly grabbed the man by the hair, forcing him to look into her beautiful blue eyes.

"What are you doing?!..." the salesman tried to react, but his mouth was promptly covered with a cloth.

"Look into my eyes, listen to my voice, just my voice."

A frail woman was holding a man by the hair, chanting a spell. At some point, a neat pendant appeared between her and the seller, which swung like a pendulum. The whole situation looked extremely strange. Right now, the man was looking exclusively into her eyes, his own gaze seemed unfocused. Katerina made a small incision on the man's forehead, from where blood flowed. Drawing a strange symbol on his forehead with her finger, she spoke in a monotone voice.

"5 people came to your store tonight. They briefly looked at the weapons. The worried mother ordered a chakram and a ceramic knife for a girl and a boy of four years old, respectively. They paid for the order and the delivery, but you lost money somewhere while going out for dinner. You had to pay for their purchases out of your own pocket and personally deliver the order to the Three Geese Tavern. Now you will go to the smithy to negotiate a discount, asking to get into the situation."

After the symbol was absorbed into the man's skin, the suggestion was activated. Katerina elegantly wiped her hand and headed for the exit.

"Good day, madam, it's a pleasure doing business with you!" she heard the salesman's pleased voice as she walked out the door.

Finding her companions in the crowd, Katerina took the children by the hands. They continued walking towards the tavern together, led by Clyde. Although it was a wonderful day when they could really relax and have some fun. They will have to continue their journey tomorrow. They need to gain strength.

Information about the "harbinger of the night" has already spread. Who knows when the Magic Empire will receive their portraits? Very soon, their faces can adorn every alley and become famous in all the taverns. Although they disguised themselves, and Katerina used all possible means to hide the traces of her group, she did not rule out the possibility that slight similarities in facial features, numbers, or careless comments by children in the future could give away their real identities.

In matters of family security, Katerina did not act half-heartedly. While waiting for her predictions to become reality, she sought to get as far away from danger as possible.

After reaching a three-story wooden building with the words "Three Geese" emblazoned on it, the family entered a lively hall. It was noisy and crowded. Various customers were sitting at wooden tables. Someone was drinking the famous magic ale. Someone was aggressively eating the food that had just been served. In a corner of the room, a lively group was playing dice. And on stage, the bard was trying to earn a visit to a brothel. A curvy waitress was serving drinks and dishes, jumping up every now and then because someone pinched her curvy ass.

After sitting down at an empty table, the company ordered food and drinks. Magic ale for adults and orange juice for children. Tipsy customers kept glancing at Katerina, but noticing the dangerous gleam in the eyes of the neko man, they preferred to turn away and remain silent.

While eating their food, the twins mostly listened to the bard. He plucked the strings of a lute and sang about the adventures of brave mercenaries, sang about heroes who defied terrible monsters, sang about friendship and brotherhood. At that time, the mother and the maid listened to the conversations of others, trying to glean useful information.

Noticing that some brave men were gradually becoming immune to the murderous intent of a maidservant under the influence of alcohol and lust, the family chose to retire to the recreation room on the top floor, not wanting to bring matters to an unnecessary fight.

Promising to come back tomorrow morning and escort them to the exit from the city, Clyde left. At Katerina's request, he needed to have all the proper paperwork done by tomorrow morning. Although she didn't want to involve strangers in her problems, Clyde's help was invaluable. His participation will significantly speed up the registration process, gaining valuable time for them.

Climbing the creaking wooden stairs, the family finally reached the top floor. The room they found was simply amazing, especially for people who had been sleeping wherever they had to for the past two weeks. There was a huge double bed in the center of the room, covered with soft down comforters that beckoned to her. A large stove sat comfortably in the corner, in which dry logs burned with a soft crackle. The floor was covered with a rough but warm carpet.

Once in a soft bed, from which the children had already lost the habit, the twins, as if by magic, plunged into the world of dreams, habitually settling into each other's arms. Their movements were so natural that to an outsider it might seem as if they had rehearsed this action countless times.

Meanwhile, the adults had locked the windows and doors. They sat down at the table to discuss their next course of action. After determining the method of transportation, developing the optimal route, and making a list of necessary purchases, they ended their impromptu meeting.

Katerina joined the children in bed, even though she wasn't going to sleep at all. Cassia, on the other hand, sat in the lotus position by the door, keeping part of her consciousness active.

In the morning, when the sun's rays had just begun to peek over the horizon, and the birds had not yet had time to perform a welcoming melody, there was a knock on the door of the room.

"Delivery of goods," a voice came from outside the door.

Looking outside, Katerina noticed a seller of healing materials. He successfully acquired the saliva of a 300-year-old wyvern and greeted his benefactor with a carefree smile. After receiving the promised payment with generous tips, the greedy merchant's smile threatened to split his face in half.

"Mrs. Ashforth, I'm sorry to bother you so early. You also understand that your presence illuminates the whole of Stormdale, now it is impossible to determine the exact time. I'm afraid if you stay in our city too long, the citizens won't be able to sleep at all," the salesman had already begun his serenade before he was kicked out.

When Cassia returned with the rented carriage and horses, Katerina, Clyde, and the children were already ready to leave, waiting at the entrance to the tavern. They saw an old but sturdy carriage made of sturdy wood. She was loaded with three large chests full of supplies.

The two bay mares harnessed to the cart were ready for a long journey. Even children, despite their little experience, could recognize them as high-ranking magical animals. Although they had neither horns nor wings, they were one and a half times larger than their counterparts. Their manes shone in the sun like a golden waterfall, and their broad chests and powerful legs could put even a wild bear to shame with their unbridled might. They looked especially contrasting next to the small donkey that had accompanied the group for the past two days.

"Mom, can I take Jack with us?" Grace asked, pointing at the small animal.

"No, honey, Jack has to stay with Clyde," Katerina replied, watching tears appear on the girl's face.

"But Mom..."

"Darling, this is out of the question. Jack has to come back, he has his own house where they are waiting for him. Isn't that right, Clyde?"

"Yes, ma'am, Jack is very welcome in the village, there's no way he can come with you," Clyde said, clearly forced to play the villain under Cassius' gaze.

Realizing the inevitability of separation, the girl approached the donkey and wrapped her arms around his neck, like her old comrade in arms. It is unknown when and how a solemn atmosphere of farewell reigned between them. They stared at each other for two long minutes, as if remembering the days of endless glory. Their eyes conveyed the lost feelings of shared freedom, equality and fraternity.

Wanting to interrupt the cartoonish moment of parting, which seemed to be only gaining momentum, Clyde cleared his throat.:

"Ms. Ashforth, here are the documents. You can't imagine how much effort it took to get them done so quickly."

"Thank you, Clyde, you helped us out a lot. Were there any difficulties?" Katerina asked.

"No, there are none, it's just that recently the authorities have been demanding very detailed reports on each person entering Dunmoor. It seems to be related to some kind of prophecy or other nonsense." Clyde complained nonchalantly.

At his words, the dark-haired boy with cat ears, who was standing a little apart from Grace, visibly tensed up. It seemed that the words "prophecy", "darkness" and "god", like a button, switched him into a state of deep anxiety and endless fear. A condition that the boy tried to hide in every possible way. He didn't want to panic. He told himself countless times that his mother was there, but all his efforts seemed pointless in front of those three words.

He was forcibly pulled out of his state of panic by a gentle voice that told them to get into the carriage. Soon, the sound of hooves and creaking wheels could be heard. Gray did not notice how he ended up on his mother's lap. Sitting in her cozy embrace, he watched the silhouette of the city shrink.