Chapter 47: It’s the heart that matters
Navin gave him a wry smile and shook his head.
"We are about to reach there."
Jaden nodded and looked around the empty alley of the southern district. It was as deserted as the city was when he had entered it for the first time, based on his current memories.
And the lack of people was understandable; only a few would live while trusting a single wall against the dangers of the forest, after all.
Even though it was still strange to see the usually busy city being this quiet.
"Why is this place so quiet?" he questioned as he stepped closer to Navin.
Navin shot him an exaggerated look and asked quietly.
"Why, you ask, hmm... what do you think?"
Jaden raised an eyebrow, and a thoughtful look appeared on his face as he thought of an answer, but no answer came, so he just shook his head and replied with a shrug.
"I don’t know, you tell me."
Navin glanced at him from the corner of his eye and spoke dramatically.
"Everyone’s scared because there’s a rumour going around right now."
"Rumour? What is it?"
Navin bit his lip and thought with a wronged expression on his face.
’Why does he turn stupid when it comes to these matters?!’
He exhaled slowly and looked at Jaden with a smile and replied.
"Everyone thinks that the nightmares or star beasts of the forest took away the sweet, lovely and charming son of the mayor."
Jaden nodded, his face scrunching as he replied.
"How stupid can they be? Why would those damned creatures take him away? They would just rip him apart."
He let out a derogatory chuckle as he shook his head, and his reply caused Navin to stop in his tracks and look at him with a mislaid look.
Jaden also stopped in his tracks and looked at Navin, who was now a few steps behind him, before questioning with furrowed brows.
"What’s wrong? What’s up with that strange look?"
Navin opened his lips to answer, but closed them before heaving a deep sigh and looking at Jaden with a serious expression.
"Jaden, you are the mayor’s son."
Jaden’s expression turned solemn as a few words slipped out of his lips.
"Oh... Blasted hell."
Navin shook his head and pointed at a small house before them, which had a red brick roof and grey stone walls. It didn’t appear extraordinary in any way; instead, it was a kind one would need to look at for a long time just to remember it.
Jaden looked at the house with doubt and shifted his eyes towards Navin, and questioned.
"So this is the house?"
Navin nodded at his question and stepped near the iron gate of the house. He unlocked the gate and pushed it open before gesturing for Jaden to walk in.
Jaden heaved a sigh and stepped inside, and made his way to the wooden front door.
Navin followed suit, and a few moments later, both of them stood within the empty hall.
"I was expecting it to be marvellous from inside," Jaden uttered flatly as he looked at the dark wooden table and chairs placed at the centre of the hall.
"It’s not even that bad," Navin added with a contrary smile.
Jaden’s lips pressed together in a thin line as he glanced at Navin and slightly shook his head before asking.
"Where’s the bath?"
"Straight then left..."
Jaden nodded and stepped forward to take a bath, but just as he stepped onto the wooden floor, it creaked loudly.
He turned and looked at Navin, who had folded his arms across his chest and was already looking away, and spoke sarcastically.
"You sure are rich."
Navin didn’t even reply and just closed his eyes.
’Heh. Thinks he is Batman.’
Jaden chuckled at the thought and made his way to the bath.
A few moments later, he stood under a shower with gritted teeth.
"W-Why the f-fuck is it s-so cold?" he questioned while stuttering.
’How cold is this water that even I, an adept, am feeling cold?’
Jaden didn’t know if this water was normal or a hidden weapon because he was sure that no normal person could use it. Heck, if someone hard-willed tried it, they would simply die of cold.
A few minutes later, Jaden removed all of the dried blood from his body and stepped out with the towel wrapped around his lower body, hiding everything that needed to be hidden, for now.
He looked at himself with sparkling eyes because his muscles were now much more reformed than before... he now looked like he had been training for quite some time.
"I feel so bad for all those maidens who would fall for me."
He said while shaking his head with a sad smile.
"Ugh! How hard it is to be handsome in this ugly world," he said with a sheepish smile and walked to the hall of the house.
Navin sat in one of the wooden chairs and looked at Jaden with furrowed brows as he questioned.
"Why are you naked?"
"Henh? You think I went into the forest for a date with those hateful wretches?" Jaden scoffed and collapsed into the wooden chair.
He looked at Navin and announced with a sombre expression.
"I am hungry."
Navin shook his head and gave him a cloth bag as he added.
"It has both food and clothes."
Jaden’s lips widened into a grin as he took the bag away from him and replied loudly.
"Thanks a lot, my best friend."
"When did we become best friends?" Navin questioned, and Jaden simply ignored him.
He took out the clothes from the bag, which were a white shirt and dark trousers. He placed the bag onto the chair and began to wear the cloth, just as he did so, his towel slid down, and what should be hidden became visible.
"Oops!" he exclaimed and picked up the towel with a sheepish smile.
Navin lowered his head as a single thought ran through his mind.
’It’s the heart that matters, not the size.’