In the lively heart of the bustling city, where the streets hummed with chatter and the air was thick with the aroma of spices, freshly baked bread, and sizzling street food, there was a corner of the market that seemed to pulse with its own special energy. Even though it was still early morning, the usual quiet had given way to a vibrant buzz. Crowds had gathered around a small makeshift stage set right next to the butcher's shop, a lively spot where the day's excitement was already brewing.
In front of the stage, colorful banners fluttered in the breeze, and a young boy no older than fifteen, dressed in a bright, patchwork vest and a mischievous grin, was busy preparing his act.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" He shouted, spreading his arms wide in the air. "Welcome back to Eden's Specta Show, in which, I, Eden, will collaborate with one of the merchants here, to let you feel the charm of my magic! And here, this time, it is my honor to work together with the Old Man Bato, the owner of the famous butcher stall Bato Meat!"
Right when he finished his announcement, cheers exploded as all the people could see the old man, who usually had a grumpy face, grunting at them, acknowledging their presence.
"Hahaha! As expected of the Old Man Bato, he is as expressionless as a stone!"
"Psst! Don't say that out loud! Look, he has his eyes on you!"
"Oh, shit!"
As time passed, the crowd grew larger, a mix of vendors, shopkeepers, and townsfolk drawn slowly by the lively atmosphere here. Seeing this, Eden, the magic boy, smiled satisfactorily, letting the atmosphere ferment to the peak before continuing his act. He also let the Old Man Bato, the owner of the butcher stall next to him, gain the spotlight, knowing full well that the old man really needed this the most.
Bato was the typical grumpy old man who owned a stall in the market, awkward at socializing and could scare the shit out of the children walking by the stall just with one glance. The stall he owned himself was the biggest meat butcher in the town, and historically, it had been there even when the town was founded sixty-four years ago. Logically, there was no need for Bato to pull this stunt for mere publicity, and that was why, at first, Eden was confused at why the old man asked him to do this.
However, after listening to the old man's explanation, Eden could understand the old man's difficulty here.
'My daughter is going to go to the Rosen Magic School in the capital, and the tuition fee is a bit too high. Moreover, I know that everything is more expensive in the capital, and even though I know my daughter is a sensible child, I am worried that she will be bullied if she acts too frugal. That is why I want to make this stall even bigger than right now!"
Eden himself knew about the old man's daughter. Her name was Nina, and she was a year older than him. However, compared to him who could only do a useless illusion magic, Nina was blessed with powerful ice magic, and her name was circulated widely as probably the most talented magician that the town had ever produced in history. While Eden had never had any contact with her, he knew that Nina was a humble girl who liked to help her father on her rest day, and that was why he was willing to help the old man.
Of course, it wasn't related to the fact that she was a dead-drop gorgeous. No, if anyone ever pointed that out, Eden would deny the accusation without hesitation.
"Okay, okay, give the old man a space to breathe. Poor him, he is not used to being surrounded by you folks." The boy chuckled, waving his hand dramatically to gain people's attention. "Okay, don't tease the old man too much. He is just my assistant today. If anything, you should focus your firepower on me. What a smart and witty boy, what a handsome man, what an incredible magician, just praise me as much as you can. Anyway, I am thick-skinned. If anyone can praise me to blush, I will admit defeat today, okay? Of course, only female participants are allowed!"
These playful words immediately caused countless people watching the show to laugh, and a series of laughter echoed throughout the bustling market.
"What a shameless guy! How could he discriminate between male and female?!"
"So, you want to try to make him blush?"
"W-Well, that is not the case! I just want to scold him!"
"Ha! That is a good idea!"
Listening to the joyful laughter of the audience, Eden seemed to have no nervousness at all. He still smiled as usual, waving his hands down to calm the excited crowd. "Okay, okay, since today's show is only one hour, I will not waste your time chatting casually like this. However, to start the show, I will need one lucky audience to participate here. Who is willing to come… How about you, young lady?" He smiled charmingly at the young lady with the baby blue dress on the front row who was enchanted by his lively personality.
"A-Ah?! M-Me?!" The young lady was flustered at the sudden attention on her. However, before she could even agree or reject his request, boos exploded from the audience.
"Oi, Eden! Do you really dare to ask her out?!"
"Yes, she is the daughter of the city lord!"
"If you touched her dress, I am sure that the city lord will hang your head!"
Eden's face stiffened a little bit when he heard that, which caused another laughter from the people around there. However, he recovered quickly, giving the young lady a charming smile before saying, "Well, it seems that fate is a cruel mistress, preventing us from being together even for one morning. But don't worry, you can call me anytime you like, My Lady." He kneeled and kissed the back of her arm like a knight before winking his eyes flirtatiously, making the young lady blush furiously.
"Oh, well, since you all didn't approve of my choice of assistant, it seems I have to do everything alone. Poor me, being abandoned by my own crowd." The boy wiped a faux tear from the corner of his eyes. Then, his eyes suddenly turned solemn, and all the audience held their breath unconsciously, waiting in anticipation of what he was going to do next. "Okay, without further ado, let's start this episode of Eden's Specta Show!"
And right after that, a bunch of fireworks exploded in the sky, the sign of the beginning of another colorful day in Kashka Town.