The more I stayed here, the more my ears started to lose the ability to hear from all the yelling, and that shouldn’t even be possible, by living in a nation that keeps hammering and building almost every day. Vidor, having been insulted straight to the face, decided to walk forward and stood in front of me, mocking the guard as their conversation heated up.

“Oh, I am very sorry, kind sir, but who is the one telling the people the truth and trying to warn our nation about an upcoming war instead of harassing people’s businesses for this supposedly being a regular inspection for everyone? I know for a fact that the reason behind all this is that you’re tracking someone down, aren’t you? Who are you to act so high and mighty with your mind being blinded as this mere hound’s eyesight right here?”

I could see the guard’s face turning red with anger from Vidor’s words, getting even closer while staring him down with fury behind his eyes, almost ready to swing a punch. It was a reasonable reaction, but if I were in that guard position, I would have arrested Vidor on the spot for being even compared to an echohound. But that is just me at the end of the day. I would never take any disrespect like that.

“I have you know that I, Teram Popsoward, am one of the new head commanders of the Bour national Guard force, so it would be brilliant of you to choose words wisely.”

The guard’s voice suddenly changed into a calm, yet still angry tone, stating the fact of his high-ranking status. His eyes were positioned towards me, and he gave Vidor a hard push out of the way, making me take a step back from seeing his harsh action.

“For you, boy, don’t listen to or buy into this foolish propaganda. This is just a surprise search for the marketplace to remind people to follow the rules and not carry such unauthorized items. Now run along before thinking of taking you in as well. Do you understand me?”

From hearing Commander Teram’s threatening words, I thought about the choices that were laid out in front of me. I could get a shiny weapon that makes me almost invincible, but I would probably get my blade taken away by the guards and put right into a dirty jail cell filled with toxic stans everywhere. Much as I hate to say it, going to school was sadly my only option here.

“Yeah, you don’t have to worry about me. I will just be heading on my non-troubling way.” I said to Teram, trying to be careful of my tone of voice, as my eyes paced between him and the echohound, whose quills raddle violently towards me.

The sound of local people yelling soon started to die down, and me being able to hear my footsteps along the ground, pointing in the direction of the map I held. It didn’t take long for my mind to get lost in the thoughts of Vidor’s past words that were ringing in my head.

There was no way a war could have happened in the future during this time of peace, and Bour was known as the world’s largest exporter. At least I knew every other nation was on good terms with us, and I can’t think of anyone else who would want to bring a time of destruction upon us. Then again, Vidor’s words about the national guards being on high alert for someone within the nation were most likely valid, given the arguments that had been happening at the market stand earlier. All these questions and thinking got my head hurting as if someone had hit me with a hammer. Or that could just maybe be me recovering from the hearing loss. Either way, I am moving past all that mess.

The time for thinking is over, as I still have a few blocks to walk before I can even reach the boredom building that awaits me.