The magical journey of a countryside boy

Over the next three days, the oppressive atmosphere inside the house lifts just a fraction. Matt finally calms down a bit, though anyone looking closely can still see the lingering embers of resentment burning in his eyes. Under the gentle coaxing of Aunt Gretchen, Craig and Emma slowly begin to shake off their shock and become more active around the house again.

​At first, Gretchen hesitates to let William travel to the city under such chaotic circumstances. The family is supposed to be packing, and uprooting their entire life looms over them. But after a quiet discussion with Rob, she finally relents, secretly thinking this might be William’s last chance to visit the city before they are forced to move away forever.

The journey to the city is unsurprisingly quiet, cold, and still. William has absolutely no desire to enjoy the passing views or interact with the occasional travelers they pass; he prefers the silence of their isolated cart. Because they are traveling light with nothing but their personal bags, the unburdened cart moves briskly, and they reach the city gates much earlier than usual.

As they enter the city after paying the toll, William quietly pockets the rest of his jerky for dinner. He still can’t stomach the thought of the city’s infamous everlasting stew and rock-hard bread—the exact same miserable meal they are forced to eat almost every single time they visit.

​Fortunately, John steers the wagon right onto the busy, chaotic main street. The atmosphere here is exactly as William remembers it from his first visit three years ago: merchants shouting to sell their wares, customers haggling over every coin, food carts cooking meals with rich, delicious aromas, and children cheering at a lively puppet show. However, William’s eyes don’t reflect an ounce of the excitement buzzing through the crowd.

​The wagon grinds to a halt in front of a familiar storefront. William instantly recognizes the shop belonging to Mark, a notoriously lazy merchant. As they step inside, they find Mark arguing with a stranger William doesn’t recognize. Mark looks profoundly annoyed.

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​The moment Mark spots John walking through the door, he abruptly gestures for the other man to leave. “I know exactly what you’re here for,” Mark says, his annoyed expression refusing to fade.

No jokes today’, William thinks, observing the merchant’s sour mood. ‘Maybe something really serious happened’.

​“I heard about the Baron’s decree,” Mark sighs heavily, rubbing his temples. “Apparently, almost every supplier I deal with is being forced to move somewhere else.”

​John hesitates for a moment. “Well... I’m moving to the city permanently.”

​A greedy glint flashes across Mark’s eyes. “Oh? And where exactly are you planning to open your new shop?”

​“I haven’t given it much thought yet,” John replies honestly.

​“Why don’t you just come and work with me?” Mark says, his tone suddenly turning sharp and excited. “I’ve already lost most of my regular blacksmiths.”

​John hesitates again, clearly caught off guard. “I don’t know. I never really considered it. I actually came into town to ask for your help with navigating the City Hall permits.”

​Mark lets out a wry chuckle, shaking his head. “Oh, those are an absolute pain to process, especially if you aren’t a registered city resident. A guy down this very street opened his shop about three years ago, and it took him nearly two months just to get his paperwork approved. But modifying existing permits? That takes a week—even less if you know the right people to pay off.”

Noticing John’s hesitant expression, Mark relaxes his tone, speaking calmly. “Why don’t we chat about the details upstairs?”

​John nods in agreement but turns to look at William. Mark steps closer to the boy and drops two copper coins into his palm. “Kid, why don’t you grab something to eat outside while we talk?”

​Without waiting for an answer, Mark turns and starts walking upstairs. John follows close behind, casting one last, lingering look back at William before disappearing onto the second floor.

‘​They probably think I’m too young to understand any of this,’ William thinks, staring down at the coppers with an unsure expression. ‘Well, I can understand most of it. If not all.’

​He slips the coins into his pocket and steps out onto the bustling street, wandering down the sidewalk to look for a food cart. He stops near an alleyway, scanning the crowd, when a gruff, thoroughly annoyed voice cuts through the noise right beside him.

​“Are you here for the job, boy?”