“We are here!” Leah exclaimed, flames sparking from her fingertips.

“Aren’t you a little too excited?” I asked stoically, walking up next to her to gaze at the giant gates in front of us.

Witches, wizards, and fairies occupied the air as they passed overhead to enter the city, disappearing upon passing the gate into the transparent blanket. There was a strong barrier visible around the empty dirt plot, probably a detection field.

To the untrained eye, this may look like just an empty field. When the actual city is hidden behind that barrier.

“At least one of us has to have a tiny fraction of positivity. If we were both glum, I’m willing to bet negative energy would be emanating around us.”

Sigh. “And what a world it would be. A peaceful serenity. Oh wait, did you forget I am dying?” I chuckled, walking slowly through the gates.

I draped the torn blazer over my shoulders while holding my abdomen underneath.

Tsk. It’s a pain having to limit the amount of magic I can use. I could feel that mana has slowed its regeneration in me.

“How could I forget, I have my own reminder as well.” Leah said, pointing to her back, “how are you poisoned and not me? Did that Manticore not have poisonous claws?”

“It wasn’t the claws, but the tail.”

“The tail?”

I stopped outside the barrier. “Here, face me.” I ordered.

Leah tilted her head and lifted her eyebrow giving me that ‘the fuck’ look. She complied anyways and stood in front of me.

I shuffled my feet closer and leaned my face to hers. She leaned back, but only a little. The smell of citrus filling my nose. I stared in her bright round eyes and brought my free hand up. Her cheeks started to highlight.

“What are y—.”

I flicked her on the forehead and turned to face the barrier in one swift movement.

“What did I do this time!” She yelled, rubbing her forehead.

Were her cheeks flushed? And why does she sound flustered? Is she drunk on lynx juice?

“It’s for you having a bad memory, I thought flicking it would jog that small head of yours. I got hit by the thing’s tail. Manticore’s have scorpion tails. The tip must have grazed me then.” I looked behind me to see Leah with a softer look in her eyes, “Don’t worry, it’s nothing more than a rat.”

I gave a sly grin and turned back to walk through the barrier.

The whole landscape evolved. The dirt path turning into a wide white cobbled road that stretched straight into the tallest building in the middle.

The sides were lined with buildings compact together, leaving not even an inch of gaps between them. Buildings circled all around. The city is too damn huge.

“Wow.” Leah said in awe.

“Tsk. It’s going to be harder than it looks. Let’s split up.”

“Whoa it’s hu—. Wait! Let’s stay together.”

What a delayed reaction.

“Why? It’s more efficient if you take the West end and I’ll go East.” I questioned.

“B-because,” she stammered, “what if there’s someone who tries to pick a fight? You are in no state to fight back.”

“Bu—“

“We don’t have time to lose, let us start with going straight!” Leah interrupted, grasping one of my loose sleeves and dragging me behind.

Is her mouth a motor? Why isn’t there an off switch.

I looked down at my hand and tried to form an ice spear. I felt my body shiver and after a few moments, only a tiny shard appeared in my palm.

Tsk.

She has a point. I’m in no condition to use any kind of spell. Let’s just listen to the annoying princess for now.

We weaved through the bustling amount of people filled with humans and other races of the kingdom. Magic was being sparked overhead by people flying over the crowds with either a broom or flight magic.

Leah was naming off the kinds of shops besides us as we kept walking. The clanking of the blacksmith forging unimbued weapons and armor to the smell of simple pastries filling the air.

We reached the end of the cobbled road and stood outside the doors of the largest building in the center of the town. A small sign hung on the door.

The Cristalcrest Order.

“If we are going to find our healer, the biggest place would be the best start. Leo, let me do the talking.”

“Yeah, yeah. Do what you want. Just find me a healer.”

Ordering me around, the nerve. After this, I’m leaving the princess behind.