Once they finished the basics of the rundown, Eis turned to Team Argent.
“This has been a huge help,” she said softly. “But… I want to get the rest on my own. I want to understand the city by walking it myself.”
Ronan studied her.
Not disapproval — assessment.
Then he nodded.
“Stay in the main districts for now.”
Kael added, “And if someone tries to scam you, just look bored. Works every time.”
Lira folded a small map and placed it into Eis’s hand.
“Don’t get lost.”
Eis smiled. “I’ll be careful. See you tonight.”
They let her go.
Eis followed the sandstone road north, guided by the sounds of hammering metal, bubbling dyes, and the steady pulse of work.
Then the street opened into a vibrant world of color and craft.
Jewelry stalls displayed shimmering filigree.
Tailors showcased enchanted garments with faintly glowing thread.
Glassblowers shaped molten color into floating orbs.
Artists painted mana-infused landscapes that rippled subtly when viewed from different angles.
Eis slowed to watch a woodcarver etch delicate details into a figurine.
“Interested?” he asked.
“Your work is incredible,” Eis said honestly.
“Plenty more to see. Come back if you want a custom piece.”
Eis nodded, taking in the district with quiet awe.
This place…
felt like a home for creation.
Something inside her stirred — potential.
But Eis wanted to see everything — even the parts Lumaire wasn’t proud of.
So when the bright streets dimmed and the lampposts thinned, she didn’t turn back.
Not because she was reckless.
Because she wanted to understand.
Buildings here leaned with age.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
Windows were cracked or boarded.
People moved with caution, eyes wary.
A child hid behind a crate at her approach.
A man sharpened a crude blade on a stone.
An old woman clutched a bundle of rags like treasure.
Eis’s heart grew heavy.
So this is the part of Lumaire no one talks about.
Further ahead, a woman leaned against a wall, watching Eis with guarded eyes.
“You’re not from here,” the woman said.
“I’m new,” Eis admitted.
“You’re not scared.”
“I’m cautious.”
“That’s worse,” the woman muttered. “Means you know what you’re doing.”
Then she pointed deeper into the slums.
“Don’t go past the broken arch. Even seasoned adventurers don’t walk there.
And if you see anyone on the rooftops watching you—leave. Immediately.”
Eis bowed her head.
“Thank you.”
The woman shrugged but didn’t hide her surprise at being treated with respect.
Eis reached the shattered stone archway.
Leftover magic — old, fractured — whispered faintly from it.
She didn’t cross.
Some lines existed for a reason.
But she stood there a moment, watching shadows shift beyond the fractured stone.
Then she turned back.
As Eis retraced her steps, she found the woman from before still leaning against the same wall, arms crossed loosely.
The woman raised a brow. “You listened.”
Eis nodded.
“I did.”
She reached into her pouch and retrieved a small tied bag — ten silver.
Not thrown.
Not pressed.
Offered politely, with both hands.
“Thank you,” Eis said. “Information is valuable.
And honesty is worth paying for.”
The woman froze, staring at the pouch.
“…Ten? That’s— that’s more than some people make in a month.”
“It’s fair,” Eis said softly. “You kept me safe.”
The woman hesitated, jaw tightening — pride and disbelief wrestling inside her — then slowly accepted the pouch.
“…If you ever come back here,” she murmured, voice unexpectedly gentle,
“people will treat you better. I’ll make sure of it.”
Eis bowed.
“Then I’ll return someday.”
The woman nodded once, firmly.
And the slums no longer felt… hostile.
Just wounded.
The Artisan District’s colors returned like sunrise.
Noise, laughter, and warm smells filled the streets again.
Eis paused at the border between shadow and light, looking back once — not in fear, but in understanding.
Lumaire was flawed.
Beautiful.
Broken.
Full of life.
And she wanted to know all of it.
