When he looked around, the first person he saw was Pilano. The blond hunter’s back was turned, and he was talking with Master Rantem. There was no one else in the shop anyway. When the weaponsmith noticed Letruce, he turned to the table behind him.

  “Look at this, son.”

  He bent down, took out a bow, and put it on the counter.

  “It’s payment for your services so far. I hope you like it.”

  Letruce approached the counter with quick steps. Pilano’s eyes were also on the bow. “Good job, Master Rantem.” A grin appeared on the hunter’s face. “Perhaps you would like to make me a nice bow, at a reasonable price, huh?”

  The weaponsmith growled. “I am sorry, I can’t, Pilano.” He pointed out the mess in the shop and all the unfinished work waiting. “Not at all these days.” He placed his hand on the bright green bow on the counter. “Actually, I couldn’t do it to Letruce either, but he’s been waiting for so long.”

  “So be it, master,” Pilano said, pursing his lips. He turned to Letruce and grinned again. “Maybe another time.”

  Letruce took his bow from the counter and examined it. First, he ran his hand over the shiny green metal. His heart started beating faster as he did so. This bow could not be called good; it was an amazing work of art.

  “Master,” he said, releasing the breath he held. “Is this… Is this really from the mine of The Mountain of Elders?”

  “That’s exactly it, son,” Rantem said proudly. “Made by green orsana.” He put his hand to his moustache and grumbled. “Green orsana is harder to find these days than diamonds. Some say the mine is about to run out.”

  Letruce took the bowstring and released it. A light breeze blew glittering green dust off the metal.

  “This is wonderful,” Letruce said, swallowing hard. “More importantly, this is real.”

  Rantem wiped his hands on his apron, not that he needed to do so, but it was the weaponsmith’s tic. “Where have you ever heard of me making fakes?” He glanced at Pilano. “Even the smartest hunters buy their weapons from me all the time.”

  “Thank you so much, master,” Letruce said enthusiastically and hugged Master Rantem. “Thanks very much. I don’t know how I will ever repay you.”

  Rantem laughed and hugged Letruce, then grabbed the boy’s shoulders and pulled away from him. “You’ll smell of rust, son.” He brushed the boy off. “You don’t owe me anything; this was just payment for what I owe you.”

  “We have to go now, master,” Pilano intervened. “There’s a man we need to find. Are you sure you haven’t seen him?”

  “There were plenty of strangers today,” the weaponsmith said, looking around. “Even if I did, I can’t remember.”

  Pilano nodded. “Okay, master, more power to you. See you later.”

  “See you Pilano, give my regards to Yak-Pab.”

  Seeing Letruce looking at him happily, the weaponsmith smiled fatherly and winked. As Letruce grinned, he noticed Pilano opening the shop door. He waved to Master Rantem before catching up with Pilano.

  “Where are we going now?” he asked. “If that man is not here, he’s probably nowhere in the town. He didn’t seem like a man interested in anything other than weapons.

  “Why not?” Pilano said flatly. “Was the man you saw a gorphan who doesn’t eat food or wear fancy jewelry. Didn’t have clothes?”

  Letruce shrugged, glancing at Pilano out of the corner of his eye, unsure if the hunter was joking.

  “If gorphans have been living in Gandrodi, I might say so.” The shadowy face of the man he saw in the shop came to mind. “They’re just a legend, and they don’t look like human, do they?”

  Pilano shook his head no. “Just because you aren’t aware of someone’s existence isn’t enough for it not to exist.” He turned his face to the boy, paused as if to give him a lecture, then turned his attention back to the road. “Only fools call miracles things they don’t know. You’ll understand what I mean later.”

  By then, they had reached the town square, and the closest place to them was Usemil’s stall. Somehow, Usemil noticed Letruce immediately again.

  “Letruce, come here!” She shouted. “I need help!”

  At that moment, Pilano narrowed his eyes at Usemil in the distance. “Oh…” he blinked. “Who is this fairy girl?” He turned to Letruce. “I’ve never seen her before. How is that possible?”

  “Her name is Usemil,” Letruce said. “I don’t recommend talking to her like this when you go near her; she is a bit nervous.”

  They approached the stall together. Pilano bent his knees, bowed low, and then stood up. “Hello, beautiful lady.” He had tried to make his voice as deep as possible. “Your humble servant, Pilano from The Hunters Alliance. I am Letruce’s teacher.”

  Letruce was about to open his mouth to object, but changed his mind; there would be no need anyway.

  “Hello,” Usemil said, looking him up and down. “But I called Letruce, not you.” He turned to Letruce. “What’s going on?”

  “Oh, of course,” said Pilano. “I’ve never seen you around here before, ma’am. Are you from around here?”

  Usemil narrowed her eyes, took a deep breath, and brushed his sun-bleached brown hair back with her hand. Letruce had already sensed the rage in her eyes, while Pilano remained oblivious to the situation.

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  “I am from here,” Usemil said later. “I sell fresh fruits and vegetables, and I don’t have time to talk to you right now.”

  “Okay, okay,” Pilano said, smiling. “I had just stopped by to deliver Letruce to you anyway.”

  Letruce turned his head from Pilano to Usemil in surprise, and Usemil winked at him. Then there was silence for a while.

  “So,” said Usemil. “What are you waiting for anymore?”

  “What?” said Pilano, breaking out of his reverie. “Oh, and I was here for something…”

  When Pilano fell silent again, Letruce couldn’t hold back his laughter, but Pilano didn’t even realize the boy laughed.

  “What are you here for, man alive!” Usemil snapped. “My grandfather is the former commander of the garrison. If I call the patrols, no one will be able to save you.”

  Pilano pulled himself together. “Did you see a man? A man like…” He looked at Letruce. “Can you describe him, son?”

  “We’re looking for a tall man who hides his face, sister,” Letruce said. “He’s wearing black clothes, and he’s definitely not from around here.”

  Usemil thought for a moment, then shook her head. “No, I haven’t seen such a man. Anyway, he doesn’t sound like someone who would be interested in fruit and vegetables.” She put her arm around Letruce’s shoulders and pulled the boy close. “What are you doing with guys like that?” She put her hand on the boy’s nape. “Let the hunters handle their own business. What are you meddling in?”

  “But I’ve been accepted into The Hunters Alliance,” Letruce objected. “It’s my business now, too.”

  “What?” Usemil shouted, almost screaming. Even Pilano flinched. “No. No, Letruce. You can’t join them…”

  Pilano coughed softly. “Well, if you’d like, I’ll leave you alone.” He seemed to have suddenly regained his composure and didn’t want to appear any more negative. “I have someone to investigate.”

  Letruce became annoyed that Pilano had escaped without helping him to defend himself, but he couldn’t say anything.

  “By the way, ma’am,” Pilano said suddenly, turning around. “If you need any help for anything, I, Pilano, am at your service.”

  Usemil picked up an apple from the counter and tossed it to Pilano. Pilano caught the apple hurtling towards his face in midair and took a bite. The blond hunter seemed to have fully recovered from the shock.

  “Don’t make a fifteen-year-old child a plaything of your madcap business,” Usemil said angrily. “Tell your leader Yankap, Yakkac, or whatever his name is, tell him just like this when you come back.”

  A deep grin spread across Pilano’s face. “I’ll convey your request, my lady.” He bowed once more. “I’m leaving, for now…” He left to talk with the other vendors.

  Usemil was about to throw another apple after him when Letruce caught her.

  “Sister,” he said. “Can I come to you tomorrow? I am very busy.”

  “No!” Usemil said, boiling again. “How can you join these men? Like, how old are you? Do you even know what they do? I’ll complain about you to your master…”

  Letruce waited silently as Usemil angrily rattled off one sentence after another.

  “I have my master’s permission,” he said then. “I have been asking Master Rantem to make me a bow. I picked it up today and saw the man I mentioned there, at the store. He was looking at me with hostility.”

  Usemil put her hand to her forehead and sighed. “I don’t understand, I really can’t…” She sat down on the stool and stared at Letruce. “You’re suddenly meddling in matters beyond your years, child. You already have a master, and he’s teaching you some very useful things; why do you aspire to these ruffians when you have a good master?

  “I love my master, sister,” Letruce said angrily. “But I want to improve my bow skills and hunt like a hunter, wander the forests, and discover Gandrodi.” A strange feeling filled him, then he added. “I won’t have a story otherwise.”

  Usemil’s face twisted into a weary expression.

  “Ah, men,” she said with almost disgust. “They’re all the same, from the youngest to the oldest. So wouldn’t you want to be a skilled healer like your master, or a wizard in the academy, rather than perish in the clutches of a bear, torn apart by wolves, or some other exotic animal?”

  Letruce bowed his head shyly. “Hunting is better,” he said quietly. “Magic isn’t bad either, but I don’t know anything about it.”

  “Anyway,” said Usemil, rolling her eyes. “What important business are you running away from me for? Tell me about those excuses.”

  “No excuses,” Letruce corrected. “My master asked me to gather dark flame mushrooms. I haven’t even collected them yet, and it’s not like I’ve ever seen one before. I don’t want to go back empty-handed.”

  Usemil stood up. “Let’s take a look together. I was feeling really bored today anyway.”

  “But, sister,” Letruce objected hesitantly. “What about the stall?”

  “I’ll close early today,” Usemil said with a shrug. “Are there any of those mushrooms near our house?”

  “My master said they grow near Yujiti.”

  “Okay, our house isn’t far from the river, after all. Now, help me load these crates.”

  Letruce took one of the crates and carried it to Usemil’s packhorse, and the woman followed with another.

  “First, let’s go to our place and have dinner, and then we’ll look for your mushrooms, okay? There’s still a long time until the sun sets anyway.”

  “Okay,” Letruce said. “Let’s do like that then.”

  They brought the rest of the crates to the packhorse. Together, they tied the crates tightly and covered them. Usemil smiled and wiped a bead of sweat on Letruce’s brow.

  “In distant lands, Gastlober, the realm of the forest spirits, and in the south of Vanre, there’s talk of tall camels and similar magical creatures carrying very heavy loads.” She checked the crates one last time and laughed. “Could they be better than my Broom?”

  Letruce hesitated for a moment, wondering whether to ask about the packhorse’s name or the forest spirits topic. The packhorse was new, so of course he could ask about it later.

  “Do you believe in forest spirits too?” he asked. For some reason, Pilano’s words about gorphans came to mind. Letruce also believed in forest spirits. But gorphans were different; he couldn’t believe in them unless he saw them. Perhaps he didn’t want to believe.

  “What’d you think?” said Usemil. “They even have their own kingdoms.” She took one last look at her stall and nudged the horse. “If you go a little further than Belcas, you can see, but I heard that they’re not very peaceful to humans.

  They left the town square, Letruce and Usemil at the front, and the packhorse following.

  -

  “The discussion about the influence of The Fifteens on Gandrodi is proof on its own that such an influence exists. The vital question here is whether things can go well without relying on their influence. Because it’s not probable to predict what the internal conflicts within The Fifteens might lead to.”

  -Rapafalo, Southern Hamthus Regional Government Council Member