Edited by Iseul

Gotsven’s picturesque scenery persisted with emerald pastures and marbled sky, clouds white against vivid azure.

Julian hobbled down the hill, leaning heavily on his cane to support his slow lumber toward the village. His heavy suitcase was left with Leonel, the inquisitor much better equipped to carry it than the frail doctor.

"You walk slow," Leonel pointed out dryly. This morning was a bit chilled, summer heat not yet finished eating through the remnants of winter's cool. It wasn’t that cold though, so long as one remained under the sun’s soothing rays.

"I'm a cripple," Julian snapped back shamelessly. He was leaning heavily on his walking stick. Long used to his disability, it wasn’t as though he was so terribly unadjusted that he couldn’t walk a bit faster. But Julian, being the spiteful old sod that he was, purposely took his time to waddle down the uneven dirt path.

After all, he was in no rush. Hunger had long faded into a numbed gnaw that made him feel lethargic.

Leonel’s stony visage was one that didn’t give much away, perfectly matching his deadpan words. The young inquisitor was stupidly stoic, making it difficult to tell the difference between factual statements and rambling absurdities. “I’ll carry you then.”

“Ha. Ha.” Julian’s voice dripped in sarcasm. But then he screeched like a wench wronged, eyes going wide as the inquisitor approached with intent in his strides. “Wait. Wait,” Julian sputtered, realizing with horror that Leonel might have actually been serious. “Don’t come closer!”

Julian stopped, knowing that he wasn’t going to outrun the inquisitor, and began waving his walking stick uselessly to fend off the tall behemoth of a man.

Leonel glared at the cane, unimpressed and unthreatened. "If I carry you, we'll get there so much faster."

“Yes, yes,” Julian sneered as he tapped his cane in front of him, indicating a clear boundary he wished that Leonel would respect.

Miraculously, it seemed to work. Leonel glared at him at an arm’s length. Julian smiled brightly and continued to ramble. “I’m sure you’re right. But know that I would much rather hang myself. Then who would still be around to take care of a big man child such as yourself after I’m gone?”

Leonel glared. “Who is taking care of who?”

Julian clicked his tongue and turned on his heel, walking at a much faster pace than earlier.

Leonel could only scoff and roll his eyes at this ridiculous person. Without wasting more breath, he obediently followed the doctor down into the village.

There was so much white that dotted the scenery. The sheep around the narrow dirt path parted as they approached. Julian raised his chin and for a delusional moment imagined the sheep as people that parted from fear of his presence.

A smile lifted his lips, pleasant memories of the past resurfacing.

But his delusion was cut short.

“If it isn’t the ol’ doctor.” An old shepherd waved at their approach. His smile was lined and his skin reddened by the sun. “Who’s this you’re bringing along with you, huh? A handsome young lad! Ain’t he a bit young for an old man such as yourself?”

Julian’s smile had teeth. “Who are you calling old man, old man?” The shepherd had hair more silver than brown and at least a whole decade on Julian’s years. “This guy is just some stray dog I picked up and needed patching up. I was unfortunate enough to be around to help.”

“What did you call me?” Leonel snapped. But the two older men only ignored him and continued talking.

“You’re good at picking them up,” the shepherd hummed with approval, “stray dogs that is. So you doing rounds today? Mind coming round to look at Kelly? She's been coughing a mean one lately, dribbling from her nose something ugly. I'm sure Martha would like to see you about her hip as well. And…"

"Yes, yes, making my rounds as I always do." Julian interrupted the shepherd, stopping him from going off on a tangent. "I'm also here to pick up some groceries."

"Oh, is that what the young man here is for?" The shepherd glanced at Leonel with a raised brow.

“Yes! I cannot just let him stay at my house for free. Not to mention he is the reason why I require more food than usual. Don’t fret! I’ll be back soon to take a look at Kelly for you.” Julian waved his hand dismissively, eager to get a move on.

"Ah yes, you're welcome to come around for lunch as well. Don't act like a stranger! It's been years yet, you're basically one of us."

‘Basically’ huh?

Julian kept his expression amiable before finally walking off.

Much to his misfortune, many of the other villagers came to see him with similar greetings. A pleasant smile and a long list of patients waiting for his visit. With an exasperated sigh, he disengaged with each of them with the very real excuse of doing groceries.

As the word went round about the doctor in town with a tall and handsome traveler, it wasn't long until the majority of the village surrounded them. Half of them were nagging Julian for diagnoses and remedies for their ails. The other half were assaulting Leonel with questions and interrogation.

It was impossible to miss how the village lassies were eying the tall raven-head, ogling at him as though he were a choice slab of meat.

“Did you say that your name was Leonel?” One of the girls batted her eyes at him, right out there in the middle of the streets. “That’s such a lovely name.”

“It’s a normal name, like any other,” Leonel deadpanned.

Another girl was too shy to come close but still brazen enough to ask while hiding behind her friend, “Whereabouts do you hail, sir? Your eyes are so lovely! I’ve never seen such a bright color before.”

Blue eyes weren’t that common in Arcadia.

“Ciroux.”

“Oh my!” The girls shared excited glances, hardly able to suppress their squeals. “Then that explains your coloring. I heard that Ciroux has many beautiful seaside cities, is that true?”

Another girl eagerly cut in, “Despite being from Ciroux, your Arcadian accent is so prim and proper!”

Leonel’s blue eyes narrowed, lips taut. “I left Ciroux when I was young. I don’t remember much of it.”

“Is that so?” Yet another woman pushed to the front of the crowd. Wait— wasn’t Anna a married woman!? Julian decided not to comment and watch things unfold. “How about your parents? Are they travelers? Merchants, mayhaps? Is that why you’re in Arcadia?”

“My parents are dead.”

“Oh… Sorry to hear that…” The girls lower their eyes in apology, but only for a brief moment before perking up once more. “Oh how about a wife? Do you have a wife?”

Despite Leonel’s dry and uninterested responses, the women did not relent and Julian had no obligation to save the inquisitor. Instead, he took joy seeing the stiffness in Leonel's shoulders and how he reeled back from their overbearing presence.

Some children came forth as well, eying the stranger up and down with curious gazes. One of the older ones dared to step close and ask, "Are you that inquisitor person that Lina and Freddie found in the woods?"

Leonel frowned, unfamiliar with the names. Still, he answered, “Likely.”

“Then why are you here in Gotsven? Oh wait, I know! Is it because—“

And that was when Julian decided to step in, flinging his walking stick in front of the kid’s face, startling him into backing up. The doctor shot Leonel a mischievous grin. “Alright, big guy! I’m sure you’re having plenty of fun but we’ve wasted enough time here. I've about fifty patients to work through and a long grocery list that we haven't even gotten started on! Chop, chop, time to get a move on!"

Leonel grimaced but did not retort, nodding eagerly at any excuse to leave.

The crowd watched the two leave, the women forlorn and the children disappointed. Their new toy had just been taken away and now they had to return to the regular routines of their lives.

Leonel let out a long sigh of relief, which made Julian snicker, amused. “Did a bunch of women shake up the Great Inquisitor? Do they scare you, my boy? Please don't tell me you're an unmarried virgin because of some Divine Light teaching that forbids you from premarital—“

He was promptly cut off with a sharp hiss. “Say any more and I will knock you over,” Leonel threatened. “To think that I was just about to thank you…”

“What? You dare assault a helpless old man in front of the villagers? Don’t you know that they love and respect me? I’m their precious doctor.”

Leonel clicked his tongue, clearly unimpressed. But his attention was soon stolen by the little market at the heart of the village.

The marketplace, like the rest of Gotsven, was humble and quaint but maintained an air of pristine tranquility. It was hard to imagine the chaos and troubles that were common in bigger cities, like the street urchins that stole money and stock, or sly con-artists selling counterfeits for absurd prices.

The pair first made their way to the baker. It wasn't often that Julian came down to buy groceries but when he did, he always had to get a few loaves of Mrs. Reed’s bread.

Her plump face brightened at the sight of the doctor but instantly paled when she noticed the man behind him. Surely, she had heard the tales of an inquisitor being picked up by their village doctor. She smiled hesitantly. “O-Oh, hello gentlemen. What can I do to help you?”

The reason for her anxiety was obvious upon closer inspection of her stall. Just behind her, there was a bluestone powered oven that she used to bake her bread. No matter how much she tried to put herself in front of it, there was no way her small figure was going to high the large contraption from the inquisitor that approached.

Julian looked between the frightened Mrs. Reed and the frightening Leonel the Inquisitor.

“Do me a favor, young man,” Julian piped up, conjuring a ruse in hopes of distracting her anxiety, “and do something about that hideous mug of yours!”

Leonel flinched, obviously offended. “That is nothing wrong with my face! I’m more handsome than you could ever dream of being.”

“…” Mrs. Reed grew even dizzier. Why were these two men squabbling in front of her like a pair of overgrown children…?

Suddenly, she forgot all about her situation with her bluestone oven and cleared her throat loudly, putting on her brightest customer service smile, and shouted, “HOW CAN I HELP YOU, SIRS?”

“…”

“…”

Just like that, both men were silenced.