Chapter 61 - He Disappeared

Esme glanced at Aleister's retreating back. 

He was initially reluctant to leave her alone but truth to be told, she did not think she was in a perilous situation.

As long as she was awake, she could save herself in any ordinary situation.

Heaving a soft sigh, she continued walking forward on the street which was covered with a layer of snow as she glanced at the small shops on either side of the road.

The shop owners had their own hierarchy here in Capital City. When they stepped past the gates of the fair, the crowded shops belonged to the owners who had more fame.

And as they continued walking inside, the shops kept decreasing in their size and magnificence.

Her gaze landed on a small hut-like shop in the corner which looked like it would fall any time soon. 

Something on the slightly bent wall caught her attention and she stepped towards the shop, "How much is that?" Her tone was a little masculine unlike before, sounding like that of a young boy who was in his growing age.

The owner of the shop was an old man who was sitting at the corner, playing with a few flies that hovered around his face, "Hundred gold coins," He said, without looking up.

Esme glanced at what looked like a half-torn, old paper with its corners looking yellow. But the tiny drawings on it had caught her attention. 

"Oh," She disinterestedly said as she turned around to leave. 

Looking at the girl's retreating back, the old man hurriedly said, "Fifty gold coins will do."

Esme continued walking.

"Twenty gold coins will do too."

Esme paused as she turned around. She took something from her robe as she walked towards the old man, "I only have this. I am poor," With that said, she placed the copper coin on the creaking wooden floor. 

The old man's beard trembled as he stop playing with the flies. Recently, he was short of money and this youth looked rather gullible to him initially...

Under his accusing glare and pouting lips, Esme felt rather guilty but she was not lying. 

She really had a few copper coins with her. While was inside her robe, the others were left in the servant quarters of the Castle. 

When she traveled a long distance, she had to buy a horse and clothes that she was wearing at the moment. Although the snow-wolf fur brocade was given by Aleister, the rest of her clothes were the ones she bought for her disguise. Leaving Jack, her horse in a safe place had also caused her a fortune.

So half of the gold coins left from selling the herbs were spent and the other half, she had left them with her Aunt for urgent situations that may come up in her absence. 

Seeing his lack of reaction, Esme glanced at the painting on the old paper as she regretfully sighed.

It was not something extraordinary or rare, but she was somewhat interested in it. 

Looking at her expressions that looked like she won't be taking it, the old man hurriedly said, "Girl, I accept the copper," He could by himself stewed beef with that.

Compared to his casual words, Esme was shocked. How was he able to look through her? She had disguised herself well enough and nobody thought she was not a man...

She took off the painting from the bent walls as she nodded at him, "I appreciate your kindness," With that said, she turned around to leave but she froze. 

It was happening again.

She felt like ants were crawling on her body. 

Her powers were acting up, at this time and this place. 

Esme closed her eyes and took a deep breath and the fluctuation around her diminished. 

But the old man who had been sitting idly till now had straightened up at some point. 

Just as he was lost in his thoughts, he realized that the girl was gone. 

Did he see it wrong? She seemed to be...

He shook his head. He must have seen it wrongly. With that thought, the shabby old man started playing around with the flies again, poking them with a humorless expression in his eyes. 

Unaware of the old man's thoughts, Esme had ventured further into the streets where it was dark with a lack of many lanterns and shops. 

She looked at her hand. A few moments ago, she felt like her powers were waking up again. 

While Esme was lost in her thoughts, her ears picked up some rustling sounds in the distance. She glanced in the direction of wild bushes and noticed a pair of sparkling glassy eyes in the dark. 

Her brows scrunched up for a moment only to relax when her eyes caught a flash of white. 

Looking around cautiously, she rolled the painting in her hand before walking towards the bushes, ''Leo, what are you doing here?" Was he here all this time? But they came in an ordinary carriage and Leo was nowhere around them. 

The white tiger did not say anything as he inched to the side before stretching his neck. 

He looked quite demure and Esme could not help patting his head, ''There there...'' She looked around the place, ''It will not be good if you are seen by people,'' While aristocrats often raised beasts as pets, but Leo's identity was rather special.

Not many people have seen him, but everyone knows that Prince Aleister's pet is a rare White tiger. 

Leo's presence here will scare the people and cause chaos. 

Foolish girl, always scared of this or that. 

Noticing the disdain in his eyes, Esme retracted her hand and pursed her lips. 

Looking at her like he suffered some grievance, Leo stepped to the side and pressed his powerful paw on a part of the bushes. The wild bushes lowered down, making a path for her. 

Esme stepped to the other side and Leo retracted his paw.

''Did he send you here?" 

Leo nodded slowly before whipping his body around before she could ask other questions. 

''You...want me to sit on your back?"

His tail waved twice. 

The corner of her lips twitched and she glanced at the direction in which Aleister had disappeared. 

She hoped.... everything was alright on his side.