Getting to and fro from the Skia and the Recreare no longer became an issue after five days. Robert Goule was a crafty guy. He managed to talk up the Japanese at the border and received a special card. As long as they flashed it, they could travel.
That became Leo's job over the past couple days: to travel with Hao-Yu as they went around the Dark Sector and traded for the items he required. He went twice a week. Today, a day before the Orientation would be that second time. Put simply, Leo's only chance to get back to the Recreare in time.
So here he was, in the parts of the Dark Sector that he had never dared to go as a single father. The parts he knew of and risked not going. The Dark Sector was always buzzing and always dark. It wasn't the kind of vibrant energy that filled the Recreare or the Baishi Mall—no, the Dark Sector thrived in a way that was raw, unpolished, and laced with a constant undercurrent of danger.
Down in Merchant's Row, a series of twisting, uneven streets where high-risk, high-reward trades took place, Leo could feel the disgust in the wind. The scent of old parchment, of contracts being signed. The scent of burning incense and the tang of alchemy chemicals. This was where merchants who didn't quite belong anywhere else did business. Artifacts, enchanted fabrics, unstable potions, illegal spell scrolls—it was all here.
It was also always raining here. Always.
Stone roads and sidewalks with puddles. People that constantly carried umbrellas.
One could imagine the kind of place the Merchant's Row was. A skeezy, dark, and slippery neighborhood with eyes and ears muddled and tense.
A black carriage rolled down the uneven road, the wheels clattering softly against the damp cobblestone. Inside, two figures sat.
One was Hao-Yu, a merchant in his mid-thirties, with neatly combed hair, sharp eyes, and a nervous energy that never seemed to leave him. His hands gripped the edge of his seat as he stole quick glances at the man beside him.
The other was Sir Anemo.
Or at least, that was what Hao-Yu thought.
In reality, the infamous "Sir Anemo"—the silent and terrifying enforcer—was none other than Leo who had randomly come up with the name on the fly. To him, this Sir Anemo was some secret legendary criminal or perhaps a newbie with monstrous potential. Maybe even a Templar Knight.
All the merchant knew for certain was that this young man was capable of slaying a Soviet General.
Leo sort-of hid his face. He wore a hood that loomed over his face and he manipulated the winds to keep it that way. Leo sat still, his back against the seat, mismatched eyes half-lidded as he listened to the faint sounds of the night.
'Phoebe is asleep so I have ten or so hours to burn time. I asked Mrs. Cresswell to close up the store for today. Told her that I'd bring up some money in another job. She probably thinks I'm doing mercenary stuff.'
He sighed in his head.
'She's right. Sort-of. God, I can't believe I'm here. I can't believe what I'm doing. I promised myself I wouldn't get into this type of stuff for Phoebe but…'
He eyed the merchant.
'This…this isn't too dangerous. I think. I hope at least. This weakling is alive so it can't be that bad.'
Leo wore simple but practical clothing, nothing flashy, just dark fabric that let him blend into the shadows.
He didn't speak.
He didn't ask questions.
He was a presence—cold, unreadable, and undeniably dangerous.
And that was exactly how he wanted it.
Hao-Yu, on the other hand, couldn't help but talk.
"Merchant's Row isn't the safest place," Hao-Yu murmured, shifting in his seat. "Normally, I wouldn't even think about coming here, but now that I have you with me, well…" He chuckled nervously. "Let's just say I'm feeling a little braver."
Leo didn't react.
Hao-Yu cleared his throat and continued. "The deal today is for Templar Armour. Not too hard to come by these days—especially after the war. The market's flooded with armour with blood stains, so to get armour without taints it's hard. Impossible, really, the Templars have these neat enchantments that stop anyone that isn't a Templar from stealing or wearing them. Luckily, I've made some connections with thieves that actually know what they're doing. They were able to steal it, rid the enchantments, and clean the armour."
Still, no response from Leo.
Hao-Yu laughed awkwardly. "You don't talk much, huh?"
Leo finally moved—just barely. He tilted his head slightly, looking at Hao-Yu without actually looking at him.
"Sounds good to me."
Gulp. "Y-yes, good. Great."
The carriage came to a slow stop.
Hao-Yu peeked out the window. "We're here."
Leo's mismatched eyes shifted toward the door.
Time to work.