Chapter 484: Shopping Street

Chatter whispered from the upper windows, the moonless night, when staring up, had the same beige colored windows twinkle as if the stars. Center of the dormitory paths, the square of said community had a change of pace. The benches and few scattered tables were replaced for a mantle atop which rested a new building. Modest in size, and length, the 'room' featured three ways to enter. Atop a plain wooden board was 'Adventuring Guild'. 

'Doesn't take the experience to see what happened here,' thought he walking around, '-I did hear students complain about not having enough time to head to the capital to deposit their items. I mean, they could pass through Meke and do it there, well, the added convenience is a plus.' Returned to the starting spot, *thud,* '-not again,' he fell to one knee, '-talk about being obnoxious,' the sharpening of the canines and nails made him shudder, '-calm down,' he pressed, '-calm down.' The more resistance he threw, the harder grew the impulse, '-blood, kill, revenge, I need them all.'

'Who's speaking?' *tsst,* a prick inside the pants numbed the left-leg.

"Good," said Éclair, "-I've injected a potion to soothe the impulse. You need to have blood soon."

"Alright, thanks," the numbing felt more of a call to reality. Bag in hand, he climbed the dorm building to room 60. The adjacent rooms were silent, most were presumably asleep, all, except the closed door '60'. Shadows darted about the escaping light below the door – it felt weird, '-I can't just enter. What if it's awkward, man, who knew returning would be so painful.' Inhaling the warm, slightly leathery odor of the corridor – *click.* 'I'm home,' the words formed but didn't escape. Jen and Leonard were hanging out atop the bunk bed with Lampard and Rena sat opposite. A floating table moved about with cards in their hands.

"Hello," said he casually ducking below the table and throwing the bag on the bed, "-it's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Hello, Igna," replied Jen a little confused, "-you're back?"

"This view sure brings back memories," said he peering over the table glued against the wall, "-what about you guys, when did you return?"

"Around a few days ago," said Lampard dropping to the floor, "-Igna," he came to grab his palm, "-thanks for what you did at the capital. I'm afraid our group wouldn't be the same if you weren't there."

"Hey, it's fine," said he, "-don't worry about it." The welcome wasn't what he envisioned, '-they're cautious, the friendly atmosphere prior changed. I should have seen this coming, I'm not Group C… why do I keep on returning to the place that doesn't care for me. Jen's more on edge, Leonard looks to feel guilty, Rena's just sneering at me while Lampard holds the same 'corporate' smiles I've seen at the capital.'

"Let's talk tomorrow," he offered to then hid under the blanket and let fatigue do its job.

"He's sleeping already?" whispered voices of whom he couldn't recognize.

"Yeah, that sure was fast."

"What do we do now?"

"Don't talk too loud, else he'll wake up."

"He's part of Group C, yet, why do I feel so on edge."

"Don't you remember how he died and suddenly came back? Igna scares me, I don't think he's human."

"Who cares about that, he's saved us countless times."

"Maybe that's because he doesn't have anyone else. We should just ask for a dormitory change, come on, let's be honest here."

"Rena, stop it, I know how much you hate him, but still."

"Lampard, I'm stating the truth, a team needs to trust each other. Don't know about you, but the feeling we held during the stay at the capital hasn't changed. I might have gotten to know him a little… doesn't suddenly make us friend," the murmurs soon faded to silence. The next morning came early, about 04:15 early, the outside still slumbered in the nocturnal hours. 'I better leave this place,' thought he gently stepping into the hall, '-their conversation revealed more than enough. Good thing I took off the lenses before arriving,' the phone materialized the items, '-I should really find a place.'

"There's an apartment for rent at the shopping district, give it a try."

"An apartment?" images, location, and monthly rent showed, '-50 Exa per month,' the mouth cringed, '-that's damned expensive, too expensive.' 

"Forgot to mention, Lady Yuki deposited the combined wages of the 7 months of working in the bank, 500 Exa. Adding to the total of 50,000 Exa found on the Legionnaire of Mothra, the balance now is 10,050,500 Exa."

"You don't need to remind me," said he skipping down the stairs, "-I have a fortune. 500 Exa is more than enough to cover five years of living. Imagine the fortune mother just casually added to my name. It's not fair, I have the money to buy whatever I want and still have too much left. How rich is Phantom, how rich is mother. The Mothra people had so much on them, feels bad to have stolen their goods. Well, tis life, I suppose. I don't care for money; mother will take them back someday. I have to fend for myself."

"Yes, yes," said Éclair, "-consider it the boon of having been born to a noble. Might I add, there are nobles out there who don't even have as much as you have. I venture to say you can topple over the economy if left unchecked."

"I understand," said he pushing the bike past the yard and towards the shopping district. "You think they're open?" 

"Just walk in."

The inner-street of the district, although not as big as the word district brings, was more of a shopping street layered by shops of differing kinds. Armory, Alchemy, things of expert quality stayed in said street. The shop owners weren't mere old people or improvised merchants, far from it, the buildings were almost brand new, or so it seemed. Neatly cleaned, the street itself held no sign of dirt nor garbage. The apartment in question was a simple building at the center, '-Kord's Eatery'. A fisherman carried heavy crates to the back through one-man sized narrow alleys. Here, the day started early, people were about the opening shop, reading their supplies, cleaning, and casually speaking to one another. A nice community of strong-looking individuals.

"Hey boy," hailed a man next door, "-the street is closed, come back around five."

"Sorry," he turned, "-I've come for the apartment."

"Did I hear you right?" turned the bucket-hat-wearing fisherman.

"Yes," he nodded.

"Then you come to the right place," said he with a contagious smile, the darkened skin, greyish mustache and goatee, not well-maintained nose hair, heavy brows and spots of black dotted around, "-I'm Kord, owner of this joint. Did you come for the apartment?"

"Yes, yes. I was wondering if I could check out the place first?"

"Yeah, sure," said he, "-come on up," he walked to the back where another set of buildings laid after, "-here's the backstreet. There's trash, and more, the staircase up is here," metal and unsteady, it zigzagged towards the second-floor. 

"I got to tell you though," it opened, "-the rent is expensive, it's the location and size of the place. You have five rooms, two bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and a toilet." The door opened to an immediate corridor cutting across to the front. "-Here we have a toilet," to the left laid the smaller compartment, "-opposite we have the kitchen." They continued,"-a bedroom next to the toilet, here, and another bedroom next to the kitchen over there," reaching the living room, "-here's the open space, move in furniture or whatnot, doesn't matter. As long as the rent is paid, I'll put up with anything." 

"Nice," the modest living room had a view onto the street below and the stairs to the academy a few kilometers away perched on its hill.

"Mr. Kord," said a sharper voice, "-I like this place."

"Missy," he smiled, "-I'm sure as hell happy to see two customers interested."

"What do you mean, two customers?" green hair flowed to stand menacingly, "-I thought this place was for rent."

"There are two bedrooms," said the man, "-I don't care who or how, as long as money is brought, I'm ready to put up with anything."

"You've come to rent as well?" inquired she sternly.

"Yeah."

"You're that boy who stays with Lampard, aren't you?"

"You guys are acquainted, how nice. How about going half each? There are two bedrooms, sharing is caring, or so that's what my old man said."

"Going halves?" she paused, "-what do you think?"

"I'm happy as long as I've got a place to sleep."

"Then it's settled," she made for Kord, "-we'll take it, he and I shall be roommates."

"Settled," he smiled, "-please hand 150 Exa as a deposit for the first three months," the shadiness of the tone was palpable,"-no cash, get out," laughed he. 

"Should we split the bill?" turned Igna to a blank Anna, '-she doesn't have the money right now. Deposits are usual for staying in apartments, what is she thinking?"

"Do you accept transfers over the Arcanum?" 

"Yeah sure," he laughed, "-plenty of customers use Bank Cards instead of hard cash these days. Theft and murder for money are tiresome."

"Alright," said he with Éclair completing the payments in the background. 

"Ohh, you paid in full, how nice of you," said the man, "-as a bonus, you can come to eat downstairs whenever you want."

"Thanks, Mr. Kord, I'll be sure to take up the offer," the door closed and the heavy personality and fish odor left. 

"Lady Anna, shall we decide who gets what room?" 

"Igna," ire filled the tone and step, "-how dare you pay without my consent!"

"I apologize," he stood strong before her intimidation, "-I figured you didn't have the money at hand. Your body language told so, do forgive me if I assumed wrong."

"Are you trying to buy my favors?" her greenish eyes were relentless, "-what's the scheme here?"

"No scheme," he laughed, "-I've paid for the first three months; why don't you pay for the other three months. It wouldn't matter then."

"Sounds like a great idea," she returned to the empty living room, a single television, a ragged couch, and a nice enough view after the olden-styled window. 

"About the room situation."

"Pick which one you'd like, I don't care," said she holding a pillow tightly. 'Autumn's Blossom re-run,' flashed across the television.

"As you wish," the catchy opening made its way towards the kitchen, '-that show is old. Watching a re-run, how nostalgic.' In the end, he chose the room beside the kitchen. A singular bed, a single door wardrobe, a table, and a single-window showing the alley. Compared to before, this here was decrepit, the opposing building had cooling units with goo-like waste loitering about. 'A roommate should make it fun. I'm going to bed; my eyelids feel like steel.' 

Later as the sun rose, soft chatter broke into a full-blown argument. 'What's all this ruckus, the living room sure is lively,' a shameless chuckle at the pun opened into a warzone. 

"My lady Anna, you can't be seriously thinking of rooming with another. It's unacceptable, I won't allow the griminess of a boy to corrupt thy soul and body. What if he does the unthinkable?"

"Good morning."

"You," came a girl with hair tied in ponytail alongside bangs dropping shy of her brows. The latter were bold and gave the impression of perpetual anger. Her rounded nose slightly bridged, held square-glasses, "-how dare you room with my lady?"

'What's her deal?' a glance at Anna showed no emotion, she stared listlessly at the screen. 'And what her deal too?'

"Ila, stop bothering him."

"But my lady," her slender figure stomped away, "-I must ask for him to leave. Couldn't you have asked me to be your roommate?"

"Give it a rest," sighed Igna.

"You, don't you dare address me in such an insolent tone."

"Girl, you got issues," he turned and ghosted them.