" Daddy needs the house to be quiet so he can rest, ok? I'll just be in town for a little while, I promise I'll be back as soon as possible." Melinda gave each of them a peck on the cheek.

" Can you promise mommy you'll be good while staying with Aunty Finley... She's old so I don't want you both causing her any trouble, understand?" Melinda said with a smile before showing a pleading look.

" Ok mommy." Sal snickered before staring at his sister.

" We promise we won't disturb Aunty Finley." Mel giggled before staring at her brother as well.

Melinda sighed, she could obviously tell these two little angels had something mischievous in mind but she didn't have much time to delve on the matter.

Before taking them to Miss Finley, she had them also promise not to tell anyone that their father was at home.

The two children were confused at first but when she promised to buy them sweets if they promised, they finally agreed.

" I'll be back soon Aunty." Melinda sat on their family cart with the horses reigns in hand while waving goodbye to Miss Finley and her children, who were standing at Miss Finley's door step, waving her goodbye.

" Safe travels dear. I promise I'll take good care of them till you return." Miss Finley smiled at Melinda as she and the cart went farther and farther away.

" Your mother should be back soon so why don't we–" Miss Finley retracted her gaze from the distance only to realize that Mel and Sal were gone.

She sighed in relief the next moment when she heard their little mischievous giggles coming from inside her house.

Meanwhile, Melinda's horse cart soon went past the edge of the village, onto the dirty road heading towards town.

While leaving, she still didn't fail to attract the unfriendly gazes of the villagers which dampened her mood a bit, but recalling her bedridden husband, she pursed her lips and continued on her journey towards the city.

" Since it's come to this, after darling recovers, I'll have to talk to him about moving to another village." Melinda sighed.

She felt reluctant to move away from the one place she had grown to call home, and Aunty Finley, but she thought to herself that it was the only thing she could do, after all, she didn't want her children to constantly live in a place filled with malicious people with bad intentions.

Though the journey was long, she soon arrived within town by the crack of noon, the sun's burning rays had already begun to sting her fair, soft, supple skin, forcing Melinda to put on the hat she had prepared before hand.

She soon found an inn where she payed to park her cart before she took her wrapped savings chest in search of somewhere she could exchange them for mana stones.

" Hey watch were your going." Melinda feel to the ground after accidentally bumping into a someone, knocking her hat off.

It was a young man with short black hair, pale skin, dark patches underneath his eyes and a surprisingly sturdy physique.

" Can't you see where you're–" The young man was about to yell at Melinda but stopped mid way when he saw her face, due to her hat, he wasn't able to see who bumped into him properly yet now that he saw the beautiful woman Infront of him, the words of annoyance in his throat seemed to be stuck, not coming out at all.

" I'm so sorry sir, please forgive me." Melinda bowed apologetically to the young man. She was frightened since she had bumped into such a strange person, just glancing at his unnaturally pale skin caused thoughts of worry to cloud her mind.

" It's ok... It was just an accident." The young man found himself stumbling on his word's which only caused his cheeks to turn a rosy hue.

Melinda only nodded before grabbing her wrapped chest and hurriedly leaving.

" Wait, just one moment." The young man stretched out his hand to stop her, feeling his firm grip on her shoulder, Melinda couldn't help but panic.

" I'm sorry if I've upset you sir but I really don't have any money on me. Please just let me go." Melinda thought the young man must be trying to get some compensation from her, which she refused to let happen, after all, she had to spend all this money on her husband to get better.

" Hey hey, don't get the wrong idea. You seem like your in a rush to go somewhere but judging by your actions, I'm sure you mustn't be from this town." said the young man, trying to ease the tension but seeing Melinda's gaze forever remain suspicious, he felt a bit helpless.

" I'm just trying to make amends, it's partly my fault you got knocked down so let me help you ok. I'm Rugard, what's your name." Daniel stretched out a hand.

Melinda stared at him suspiciously as if contemplating whether to trust him or not but in the end she carefully shock his hand.

" I'm Melinda..." She said in a low cautious tone.

" Melinda, what a beautiful name, mind if I call you Mel Mel."

" Yes..." Rugard almost choked when she outright rejected him without hesitation.

" I..I see, then I'll just call you Melinda then." Rugard forced a smile.

" I'm looking for a reliable place we're I can sell some things of mine for mana stone's. Do you know any such places." Melinda quickly went into topic, not bothering to beat around the bush.

Rugard wanted to talk some more though but he knew if he said he didn't, the beauty in front of him would've walked away the next second. He felt that she really wasn't kidding when she said she was in a rush.

" Sure, no problem, I'm just coming into this town myself. I'm from the capital you see and.." Rugard tried winning her interest by striking up a conversation while he led her somewhere.

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