-- Belphegor’s Perspective --

It’s already past noon. The port of the Kingdom is crawling with souvenir shops, selling different types of necklace, rings, ornaments, and so on. Musicians played their instruments as soon as we arrived, commoners would often play along and dance with them, others participated by clapping their hands matching the rhythm. People here are lively and they’re all smiling. 

“Hey, nya!”

** pyon **

A cat-eared girl clinged to my left arm. She has blue eyes and white hair. Her lips are formed like the shape of “3”, sometimes it twitches. Her cat tails would often move from left to right.  She wears a maid’s outfit. 

“...”

“You’re mew here, nyaight? Do you nyeed a tour guide, nya?”

“...”

“!! Oh! I didn't know nyou’re blind, I'm so sorry, nya!”

She faced me as soon as she realized that I was wearing a blindfold and holding a staff that acts like a cane. 

“No... It’s ok, I was actually looking for one.”

“Nyeally! That’s great! I’m Francesca, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Belial, but you can call me Bell.” 

“It’ll be my pleasure to show nyou around here, Bell-san.”

She bowed with courtesy, and she slightly raised the side of her skirt. 

“This is my first time guiding a blind person, but I’ll try my best to describe them to you, nya.”

“Thank you.”

She clings back to my left arm and walks forward.

“...”

“Uhm, Bell-san, why aren’t you moving?”

“Before that, how much do you charge?”

“Uhmmmm, eehh.”

Scratching her cheek, her eyes are swimming around, drops of sweat are coming out of her forehead. 

“I-I charge around 3 silver coins, nya.”

“That’s higher than the fee I paid to get here.”

“!! I charge this much because you’re blind.”

She’s lying, her heart says so.

“It’s not around 10 copper coins or something?”

“!! It’s not, nyaaa!”

My hunch was right.

“I’ll go ask around.”

“Nyooooooo! Pwease, dyon’t!”

She began to cling onto the hem of my sweatshirt as soon as I walked away. Her professional standards were wiped out in an instant. 

“I haven’t gotten any customers nyet.”

“...”

“You look like a noble, so I thought that I could charge nyou that much, nya.”

“Unfortunately, I’m just a commoner.”

“Nyeally!”

“...”

“...”

“30 copper coins, that’s all I could give you.”

“Make it 1 silver coin, nya!”

“30”

“1 silver coin and 5 copper coins, you’re blind so it’ll be challenging for me, nya!” 

“Mh? Did I just hear someone charging 7 copper coins for the tour?”

“Nyooooo! Nyooooo!”

She shook the hem of my sweatshirt while kneeling.  

“...”

“Fineeee, 30! I’ll do it! Pweaaaaase, don’t go anywhere!”

Beads of tears are coming out of her eyes. 

“Thank you. Then please do take care of me.”

“Mm!”

She let out an enthusiastic smile and nodded. 

--

We rented a carriage to show us around the Kingdom of Arcadia.

While Francesca is guiding me around. I asked about the girl who has blue hair and red eyes, covered with bandages. Since she looks like an aristocrat, news about her could leak out. Francesca said that it might be the missing princess that was recently found. 

Princess Sora Alexandria, daughter of King Hiroshi Alexandria, the 130th ruler of the Kingdom of Arcadia. A famous hero known all over the region, and possibly by other nations as well. 

She went to the catacombs to retrieve the lost treasure hidden around there. But those were just rumors, Francesca added. When I asked how she was found, she didn’t know. But she knew when it happened. 

When the princess was found, the King forbade all dragons from flying around the Kingdom. They set up temporary road blocks, ordered the affected houses to close their doors and windows, and not to let anyone go outside. It remained like that for the next three days before they lifted the ban.

Francesca said that she felt a slight earthquake during the afternoon, she didn’t know where it came from, others thought that the Kingdom of Arcadia was about to fall. Those who felt it were near the castle, particularly, from the north side. It was a terrifying experience for Francesca, since she never experienced it before, especially here on Arcadia where such earthquakes never occurred before. 

We stopped talking about it afterwards as it creeps her out whenever she talks about it. 

I ask her to guide me around the perimeter of the castle, there’s nothing suspicious about it, since it’s quite a common request for visitors. She paused for a minute, thinking how she’ll be able to describe it to a blind man, but she managed to tell it in great detail. The castle is still up and standing yet it’s not well maintained. I didn’t feel any resentment nor disappointment as it is no longer my problem. 

In the afternoon, she led me to one of the pawnshops of the Kingdom, since the currency exchange no longer accepts the old currency I’m holding. It’s too old, they said, and they no longer recognize it. 

At the pawnshop, I managed to sell some of my assets including the old currency I own. I received a hefty amount of it, enough for me to last for another five years, assuming that I won’t be eating at all. I could live a life of luxury if I wished to, and it’ll last for a year.

I didn’t sell all of my assets, just to avoid their suspicion towards me. 

-- 

It’s getting dark. Inside the carriage. We sat facing each other. We’re on our way to the residential area of the Kingdom. 

** stomach rumbles **

Francesca grabs her tummy from hunger. 

“You said the inn is just nearby, right?”

“Yesh~, nya...”

She answered without energy. She’s been holding out hunger since we’ve met. 

“Here’s your payment.”

I gave it to her palms, wrapped in a small sack. 

“T-t-there's a surplus of 10 copper coins in here, nya!”

“Take it as a tip.”

“Thank nyou!”

She proudly gazed at her well earned money.

“I can take it from here.”

“But… we haven’t reached our last stop nyet.”

“It’s ok.”

“Nyeally?!”

“Yes.”

“But…”

“If you insist, I won’t stop you coming along with me.”

“T-t-then, I’ll come along!”

I nodded, a gesture of “do as you wish”. 

She assisted until I got a room, closer to the castle. Just near the homes of the aristocrats. She said her goodbyes before leaving.

I’m currently staying in a four-storey inn, top floor. The two moons are already out in the sky. Alone in the room without a single light, I got out of my bed. 

“It is time.”

I said to myself. I removed my blindfold and wrapped it inside my satchel. The cold breeze quickly brushed my hair as I opened the window. For some reason, I’m able to withstand the moonlight.