86 Crossing Boundaries
“Ya never told me why you’re here. Yer younger than me, arentcha? What’re ya doin alone in Elsia as a traveler?” Reno asked.
He shook his head softly, “I’m not alone exactly. But, well, we’re just stopping here for a bit–today is my last day here, actually.”
“Last day?” Reno looked at him with a slight dulling to her expression.
“Mhm,” he nodded, “I didn’t actually get much of a chance to see Elsia yesterday, so…”
“My bad,” Reno sulked.
He laughed a bit, “It’s not your fault. I made my own choices. But, today, I’d like to see it properly.”
Reno’s smile returned in full-force as she placed her hand on her chest, “Leave it to me! I hope ya got the right wallet, because yer gonna need some souvenirs to take with ya!”
–
Through the city, they both explored it together with Reno proudly leading the way like a guide–showing him the best street performers that ranged from sword juggling clowns to beast tamers who commanded their partners through flaming hoops.
He did acquire a souvenir in the form of a bracelet that had the tooth of a dragonskin behemoth attached to it, which he thought was fairly cool.
A lot of what he was shown was streetside restaurants–to which he bought from each time, both for him and Reno.
…I feel like I’m the one doing a favor here, he thought.
It was clear from the challenge with the humongous meat pie yesterday, but the girl had quite the appetite–casually eating enough to feed a few grown men as she continued marching with boundless energy.
“Where to next?” He asked.
Reno hummed, “Well, I think that’s enough about the grub!”
You think? He thought.
“Have you seen the ‘Champion Tower’?” Reno asked.
“‘Champion Tower’?” He repeated.
A smile stretched across the young girl’s lips at his response, “Ya want a memory of Elsia ya can’t forget? That’s our place, then!”
He didn’t know what this “Champion Tower” was, but the name alone was enough for him to follow the girl through the streets of the city closely.
Though he was left a bit confused once they started cutting through alleyways, leaving the loud-and-crowded streets.
“Why’re we going this way? It’s a public place, right?” He asked.
“Nope,” Reno answered quickly.
“Nope…?” He repeated.
Reno turned to face him, walking backward with a big smile, “…The “Champion Tower” is a totally private structure–it’s reserved only for high-ranking adventurers and stuff! Nobles and priests I think are allowed, too, but…It’s pretty exclusive!”
“Huh!?” He let out, “If it’s closed-off for us, then why are we going there?!”
“Don’t freak! I know a way–I’ve been in n’ out a buncha times! Trust me!” Reno assured him.
“–” He looked forward, hesitant.
By all means, he certainly fell under the classification of a “goody two shoes”, not out of respect for society, but out of fear of being reprimanded by the law force and out of fear of prison.
I seriously wouldn’t do well in prison! He thought.
“C’mon! If ya follow my way, we won’t hafta worry about anything!” Reno assured him.
The girl patted him on the shoulder as they stopped in the shadow-covered alleyway, though he still didn’t know how to feel about breaching what sounded like pretty strict laws.
“Alright, fine…lead the way,” he sighed.
He couldn’t deny that the name of the structure sounded interesting at the very least. With the MMORPG experience under his belt, it definitely seemed like a place of interest.
…Maybe there’s special loot there. Wait–I’m not a thief! Reno is a bad influence…He thought.
Following behind Reno, he could tell the experience she had with the city just by watching how casually she moved, hopping off of crates playfully. As he looked up towards the windows of the buildings that created the alleyway, he hoped none of the inhabitants of the structures caught on to what they were doing.
“Is it far?” He asked.
“Just a bit a ways,” Reno said, “It’s on the highest point of the city!”
He didn’t realize until she said that, but they were moving up an incline, though it was subtle at first, it was definitely felt through his legs after awhile of walking.
Soon enough, the secret alleyway path that Reno was guiding him down led to a set of ivory fences that blocked their path from going any further.
“We’re here,” Reno presented with a smile.
“We’re…here?” He repeated.
He certainly didn’t feel like they arrived at their destination by the fact that the fence, which seemed to stand well over ten meters high, stood before them.
“It’s right past this gate here–the Champion Tower,” Reno said, glancing back at him.
It was nearly impossible to see what was truly tucked away behind the fence as there were tall, perfectly-trimmed hedges that obscured his view.
“…Alright, well, how do you plan on climbing over it? This is practically a tower itself,” he asked.
“Easy! Just watch ‘n learn!” Reno told him.
Stretching her legs side-to-side, Reno prepared herself before leaping up, beginning to scale the colossal, ivory fence swiftly like a spider.
“Woah!” He let out.
I shouldn’t be surprised by her nimbleness anymore, but seriously–she’d be a gold medalist in the Olympics! He thought.
“Hyup!”
Reno climbed the gates within seconds, sitting at the top as she looked down at the amethyst-eyed boy with a smirk, “Your turn, slowpoke!”
“Slowpoke, huh? We’ll see about that,” he mumbled with a smirk of his own.
Feeling as though a challenge was issued to him, he felt naturally inclined to respond in kind, especially since they were similar in age, there was a natural rivalry.
Of course, in terms of physical prowess in movement, he couldn’t hope to match a swift lioness like Reno, but he had his own way of doing things.
As he gripped his staff, he manifested a steady propulsion of wind beneath his boots, lifting himself into the air as he ascended the height of the gate.
It took him mere seconds to reach the top of the gate, which he met with Reno at the top of, sitting beside her at its peak.
“…I almost forgot ya could do that,” Reno squinted at him.
“Sorry,” he laughed.
As he looked forward, he saw what awaited on the other side of the gate: it was a stunning garden; perfectly maintained with immaculate hedges and beautiful beds of colorful flowers that accompanied paved pathways.
The pathways in the secretive, closed-off garden led to one place: a colossal, black-and-gold tower that loomed in its center.
“…Is that it?” He asked in awe.
“Yup,” Reno nodded with a smirk, “We’re goin’ in there.”
“…Alright,” he said quietly.