"Welcome to our shop, Sir and Madam."
A deep yet cheerful voice greeted them. From behind a high oak counter appeared an adult man whose height did not even reach Kein's chest. He wore a dark red short-sleeved tunic that looked loose, contrasting with leather gloves blackened by oil and thick brown trousers.
"A Gnome?" Kein muttered softly. He stepped closer, feeling intrigued by the heavy workshop atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Diane walked behind with much slower steps. She scanned every corner of the room with the gaze of a noble lost in a machine warehouse. Her blood-red eyes radiated confusion as she saw steel shelves filled with metal objects similar to Kein's weapons, yet in various more complex forms—some appeared large and heavy with a pungent scent of machine oil.
The woman's index finger momentarily touched the wooden carvings on the weapon frames as if in fear. Her eyes widened, replaced by curiosity upon realizing no reaction occurred. Slowly, her fingers brushed the cold surface as she walked toward the two people conversing in front of her.
"Diane, I've found the item I want," Kein said, snapping the silence in her head. Diane quickly withdrew her fingers and gave a stiff smile.
"In that case, let's pay for it, Kein."
"Oh, be careful, Milady. This ebony wood was just polished; it's still warm from last night's work," interrupted the Gnome from behind the counter. He stared at Diane with shrewd, sparkling eyes. "Are you interested in buying this musket for this young man?"
"No," Diane answered softly and smoothly. She stood beside Kein, looking like a noble who had lost her way in the middle of a market crowd.
"Looking at the engravings on your boyfriend's Grimlock and Silver-Six, this musket will surely suit him," the Gnome added, his explanation leaving Diane unable to retort.
The three of them stared at a musket—a long-barreled weapon made of gold-colored metal. Its frame was a shiny black, made of ebony wood. Gold dragon carvings coiled along its left and right sides.
Diane watched Kein, who was holding his two weapons; his eyes sparkled with admiration.
"How much does this item cost?" the woman asked politely.
"I'm selling this musket for six hundred gold coins. If we add the forty silver bullets this gentleman wants to buy, the total comes to six hundred and twenty gold coins," the Gnome answered with a smile.
"Wrap it all up, please."
Kein jolted, nearly dropping the ammunition in his hand. Six hundred gold coins was a staggering amount for a weapon, yet Diane spoke as if she were merely buying a pancake at the market. Kein turned toward Diane, wanting to protest, but the sparkle in her eyes made him hold his tongue.
"Very well, Milady," the Gnome said, bowing politely as he took the musket Diane bought toward the counter.
"Diane, isn't that too expensive?" the young man checked.
"No, Kein," the woman assured him.
They both walked together toward the Gnome, who was now standing on a wooden step to appear taller than the counter, while packing the ordered weapon into a long black waist bag designed specifically to hold its barrel.
"Here is the musket Milady ordered, including the bag and twenty bullets," the Gnome said, handing over the packed weapon to Kein. "Sir, this weapon has an opening mechanism beside the barrel. It can be cocked and loaded with one bullet."
Diane reached into her black velvet purse and took out a gemstone that immediately stole everyone's attention in the Gnome's workshop. She placed it calmly on the oak counter using two fingers.
The stone was a Black Opal the size of a thumb, in a perfect oval cabochon shape. Beneath its smooth, jet-black surface lay a mesmerizing spectral wonder. When caught by the shop's lamplight, the stone exploded with flashes of yellow, blue, green, and purple intertwining at its edges. At the core of the gem, a moving glow of orange and red appeared as if a living flame burned within the stone's darkness.
The Gnome shop owner's eyes widened as he examined the gem closely. "Whoa, a Black Opal! It's rare for me to see one," he said, his voice trembling with awe.
"Sir, you are very lucky to have such a beautiful and generous girlfriend. Wait a moment, Milady, the value of this item far exceeds the price of this weapon; I must get your change from the back safe."
"Keep the rest, my purse won't fit it," Diane said flatly, nearly making the Gnome fall off his wooden step in excitement.
"How generous! Sir, I'm curious, what will you name this weapon?"
Diane and the Gnome looked at Kein, who had already taken the gold musket out of its bag. The weight of the weapon felt solid and balanced in his hands. Kein took a stance, aiming the long barrel steadily toward the door.
"This musket," his right eye closed, his focus merging with the line of the gold barrel shimmering under the shop lights. "Golden-Diane."
Kein lowered his weapon with a smile.
"WHOA! What a romantic name."
Diane's eyes widened, her pupils shrinking in surprise. The corner of her lip curled up, showing a sarcastic yet elegant expression.
"No, that's a stupid name," she whispered softly, without further fault. "Can't you choose a better name, Kein?"
"Golden-Diane, this is the most precious gift Diane has ever given me," the young man said, tightly holding his weapon which he had put back in its bag. He smiled slightly, his eyes looking deeply at the object he held.
"I didn't expect such a deep meaning," the Gnome was moved, clapping his palms together. "It turns out Milady is also lucky to have such a loyal partner."
Diane fell silent, her blood-red eyes trembling for a moment upon hearing Kein's unexpected honesty. She quickly turned her face toward the door, her fingers pulling the brim of her fedora lower until it covered part of her face.
"Whatever," Diane murmured softly, her voice losing its sarcastic tone and sounding much gentler, even though she tried to remain curt.
She stepped quickly toward the door, hiding her nervousness. "Let's go. I'm hungry, Kein."
The Gnome waved his hand enthusiastically as the iron door opened. "May luck always be with you, what a unique couple!"
TING! The iron bell chimed loudly as Diane pushed the door open in a hurry. However, a softer closing chime followed as the door shut again—locking away the shop's warm atmosphere and throwing them back into Erandel's cold night.
The city sky was illuminated by streetlamps and moonlight. The streets were still crowded with pedestrians on the noisy stone sidewalks. Kein stood beside Diane, who was facing away from him in silence, as his hand reflexively felt the bag of Golden-Diane on his shoulder.
"Stop for a moment, citizens."
That heavy voice immediately froze Kein's steps.
Two Town Guards in gray plate armor blocked their way, one of them staring sharply at the long bag of Golden-Diane on Kein's shoulder.
"A routine check regarding the incident at Twilight Sky," the guard said flatly, his hand ready on his sword hilt. "Show us your identification. And what is the content of that suspicious long bag?"
Kein's ears rang. Cold sweat began to dampen his neck. He had no intention of fighting; instead, his body was stiff with panic. His mind was blank, fearing his cover would be blown at this very second.
However, Diane stepped forward calmly.
"Good evening, Sir," Diane greeted softly.
With an elegant movement, she took out her purse. From it, she pulled a thick piece of paper with a gold stamp: Executive Class Steam Train Ticket, Merebella - Erandel Line.
"We are just tourists taking a walk," Diane explained casually, showing the expensive ticket. "And that bag contains a Greatsword. He is my personal bodyguard. Carrying a weapon to protect a woman like me is only natural in a foreign city, is it not?"
To Kein, Diane's voice sounded as if it came from a very distant place.
The world around him began to spin slowly. His heart pounded against his chest so hard it deafened him. He saw the guard's lips moving, saw the respectful nod given to Diane, but not a single word could be processed by his brain which was short-circuiting with panic.
They know. They must know.
That irrational fear choked him. Adrenaline flooded his nervous system, making him want to vomit. Kein no longer cared if they were allowed to pass or not; his primal instinct only screamed one word: Run.
Unconsciously, his feet stepped backward. He wanted to get away from the guards' gaze, away from the streetlamps that exposed him.
However, his shoulder bumped hard against someone in a dark brown cloak who appeared to be looking down.
"You are a vampire, right?" she whispered softly, her face covered leaving only a small smile. One thing was certain; her voice sounded like a woman's.
Kein froze. The word "Vampire" echoed in his ears like a painful buzzing of bees. His breath was caught, and the coldness crawling up his back was much sharper than the Erandel night wind.
He turned with jerky movements, his hand already touching the pistol grip beneath his cloak, but the figure in the dark brown cloak had vanished among the factory workers' shoulders and carriage shadows.
"What's wrong, Kein?" Diane's voice broke through his sensory impasse.
Kein looked back quickly. Diane had finished talking with the guards. The two men in white armor walked away without a hint of suspicion. Diane stared at Kein with one eyebrow raised, noticing the young man's face which was now as pale as paper.
"Just now... someone..." Kein stammered, his eyes still wildly scanning the crowd of pedestrians.
"Your face is pale," Diane interrupted in a low, concerned tone. She stepped closer; the cold signature scent of her body seemed to become an anchor for Kein's nearly drifting consciousness.
Diane glanced toward the crowd where the mysterious figure had disappeared, her eyes narrowing sharply.
"Don't worry, they don't suspect us," Diane comforted him, though that wasn't what Kein feared now. "Come, I'm hungry. Let's try to find a good place to eat."
Kein obeyed, letting himself be pulled through the crowd. However, Diane's gentle touch on his palm could not erase the coldness from that woman's whisper.
In the middle of noisy Erandel, he felt as if thousands of eyes were now peeling away the secret he carried.