Oriana remembered the tales of the elderly, warning children about how cursed people have red eyes. Normal people would not be that scared, but Oriana was not normal. As a person who could wield magic, she believed there’s truth in the folktales and legends of old.
’Not to mention, this man appeared in front of me out of thin air!’
The man was in his mid-twenties, tall with a cold and intimidating appearance, as if pride was deeply ingrained in his bones and all are mere ants before him. His attire was that of an aristocrat, and his figure was commanding even with him not moving. He was so good looking that he did not seem like a real person, but a sculpted masterpiece.
A normal person would likely shiver under that cold gaze.
More than that, there was something about him urging her to stay away from him. It was an instinctive repulsion, similar to what she felt from Arlan, that noble brat.
She had to figure out her escape route—and fast!
"Who are you?" she heard him ask, his red eyes not leaving her figure even for a moment.
In response, she slowly took a step back but he warned her, "Do not run away."
Any person who heard the authority in his voice would probably not dare disobey him. Oriana was the same. She froze in place, but her instincts were screaming at her to run.
’Can I escape?’
Just then, the red eyed man seemed to be disturbed by something and looked in another direction as his brows creased. Whatever it was, Oriana didn’t care. All she knew was that she must use the chance to run.
She lunged to the side, and the red-eyed devil tried to catch her. However, Oriana was agile, trained by her Grandpa in close combat since young. As a woman, she knew her body had an innate disadvantage in terms of strength, that was why she mostly focused on footwork and flexibility.
She twisted her body in a nimble manner and escaped his hold, but to her misfortune, the man’s hand ended up grabbing her head—
Whoosh!
Maybe it was a blessing in disguise, but the red-eyed devil merely managed to grab the cloth wrapped around her head, but that caused her long hair to flutter behind her,exposing her identity as a woman.
’Damn it!’ She partially covered her face with her hand, before jumping over the wall of a nearby building.
’Why do these people keep grabbing my head cover? It’s so difficult to tie long hair!’
This time, she ran without looking back. She took advantage of the twists and turns within Port Hope, which she paid special attention to out of habit. Only after she made sure that man was gone did she make her way back towards the inn.
’Grandpa, thank you so much for training me so well when I was young, my muscle memory saved me! if it weren’t for those hours of grueling training, you would have lost your granddaughter by now. I promise, once I am back, I will continue my training and won’t slack off at all.’
Upon reaching the inn, she went straight to her room. Fortunately, the innkeeper was not manning the counter, probably in the kitchen to make his own meal.
She emptied an entire jug of water, before collapsing on the bed in exhaustion.
’Who was that red eyed man? Since when could smugglers hire such good-looking and skilled men? Or...maybe they did not hire him. He gives off the atmosphere of a military man. Maybe that Conor or Finn works for him. Maybe he is their backer?’
She sat up in bed.
’I should leave. I hope they are not waiting for me by the harbor.’
Oraina dug around her bag and found her dirty clothes. Aside from the one she was wearing, she only brought one spare. She wrapped her head once more with black cloth, and after making sure she had not left anything behind, she returned the room key to the innkeeper.
When she reached the pier area, she saw familiar faces among the crowd. They were Conor’s men. She managed to dodge their search and quickly boarded the longship.
Ting!
Ting!
Oriana heard the sound of a bell that indicated the restriction imposed had been lifted, and boats and ships could now leave Port Hope. As the only outsider within the longship, Oriana was given a wide berth by the sailors. It was a good treatment, and they would even bring her meals to her cabin. She could finally give a sigh of relief.
In the coming days, Oriana was able to enjoy her trip. When the ship stopped at the last island before Selve, a place called Turtle Island, her leisurely mood began to disappear.
’From what I overheard, Selve tightened their inspection on all sea vessels docked in their port. The officials even check the belongings of passengers? If they discover me with banned herbs on me, I will be doomed.’
Oriana began making plans.
’That red-eyed man seemed to have followed me because I looked suspicious. It must be my clothes. Indeed, the South is warmer so their attires are mostly short-sleeved, the fabric cotton with bright colors. I should disguise myself as a southerner to blend in with the crowd.’
She wandered around the market and found a small but luxurious clothing store. She began to choose among clothes meant for nobility, but could not find a male attire for her size. She had to go to the section selling children’s clothes.
’Expensive! Way too expensive!’
Even the most ordinary shirt cost a piece of silver, and the ugliest pair of pants three. Not to mention a man’s wig, a coat and brand new shoes...
In the end, she had to compromise and complete the new look she wanted, settling for a total cost of ten silver coins.
A pretty-looking boy with curly blond hair around the age of fifteen or sixteen stood in front of the mirror, wearing a light olive green shirt and a pair of white pants and white shoes. Shining and bright, a look that was youthful and refreshing, the kind of lovable ’young master’ image that was bound to be popular within high society.