Chapter 169: Ch169: A Strand of Fate
Daniel slipped through the crowd before stopping a short distance from Queena. Not too close, yet not so far.
He simply waited for the right opportunity.
It didn’t take long.
"How much are these blue apples?" Daniel asked as he stepped beside Queena.
"A kilo for two silver coins, young man," the vendor replied.
"Daniel? What are you doing here?" Queena asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Just buying something to eat," Daniel said, glancing at the apples. "What about you, Lady Queena?"
"Shopping," Queena said with a small smile before turning to the vendor. "One basket, please."
The vendor placed a woven basket atop the pile of blue apples, one of Raven Town’s most popular fruits.
"Me too," said Daniel.
The two of them sorted through the apples, picking them up one by one with their hands. Some bore small blemishes, while others were smooth and unmarked, a sign of their freshness.
As they browsed, Daniel subtly inched closer to Queena. Hidden inside his pocket, his custom-made mini shears rested in his hand.
When Queena lifted her basket of apples, Daniel mirrored the motion. At the same time, his concealed left hand drifted toward the ends of her long black hair, which hung loosely behind her.
*Snip*
"Pack two kilos," Queena said, her tone casual.
"Half a kilo for me," Daniel added, speaking at the same moment as she did.
’Thank goodness... she didn’t suspect a thing,’ Daniel thought, keeping a straight face.
A few strands of Queena’s hair drifted silently to the ground behind her.
Just then, a few passing strangers unknowingly stepped on them, their boots dragging the strands across the dusty street.
’No! Motherfuc—’ Daniel screamed in his mind.
Although he wanted to chase after the passersby and beat them up, he forced himself to calm down, pushed the thought aside, and refocused.
’Calm down, there’s still a chance,’ he thought, fingers tightened around the mini shears.
"Daniel, where have you been? I’ve been looking for you," Brad said, taking a bite of a biscuit as he approached.
Daniel gritted his teeth and slipped the shears back into his pocket.
"Oh, hello, Lady Queena," Brad said, giving her a polite nod as he noticed her.
"Hello, young shamans," she replied, her tone warm.
Not long after, the rest of Daniel’s comrades returned with their purchases. Some carried new clothes, while others had bought jewelry and various trinkets.
...
"Alright, boys. Take care," Queena said before turning away with a smile.
"She’s so beautiful," Zushio said, watching her leave.
Pise leaned toward the others and whispered, "Did you guys notice? She has three breasts."
"What? Seriously?" Vraden asked, craning his neck for another look.
While the others continued talking about her, Daniel narrowed his eyes, his gaze following Queena like an eagle tracking its prey.
’Your luck might’ve saved you today, Lady Queena. But sooner or later... you’ll become my doll,’ Daniel muttered under his breath with a quiet sigh.
With that, all nine shamans returned to their training ground together.
...
Three days passed.
Despite countless attempts, Daniel failed to obtain a single strand of Queena’s hair.
Every morning was consumed by intense training that lasted until late afternoon. Afterward, he would wander around Raven Town — sometimes with the others, sometimes alone — but each time he returned empty-handed.
It was as though Queena had stopped leaving her house altogether.
However, on the fourth day, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Daniel spotted Queena alone at the same fruit stall in the marketplace.
A woven basket rested in her hand, but the warm smile she usually wore was nowhere to be seen.
"Hi, Lady Queena," Daniel said as he approached with a smile. "How are you?"
Her expression softened, and a faint smile slowly appeared when she saw Daniel.
"Hey, Daniel," she replied. "I’m doing alright. How about you?"
"Just surviving Master Marco’s training," Daniel said with a chuckle. "It’s exhausting."
Queena let out a soft laugh.
The two chatted for a while as they browsed the fruit stall together. This time, Daniel had no intention of reaching for his hidden shears.
Instead, he watched Queena closely.
Although she smiled and answered every question, something about her still felt different.
"Lady Queena," Daniel said, "my mom used to tell me that whenever someone’s in a bad mood, eating something sweet or drinking something refreshing helps."
"What are you talking about?" Queena asked, letting out a small laugh. "I’m not in a bad mood."
Yet the smile on her face didn’t quite reach her eyes.
As they continued browsing the fruit stall, someone lightly bumped into Daniel from behind before walking past him.
*Dhab*
"Hey, watch where you’re going," Daniel called after the stranger.
Queena turned toward the passerby.
"Sorry," a feminine voice replied.
As Daniel lowered his gaze, he noticed a small folded piece of paper tucked inside the neck opening of his tunic.
He quietly pulled it out and unfolded it.
————
(Note)
It’s me, Helen. Something is wrong in this town. Zero’s missing. We need to talk. Meet me at the bakery, window side, table number four. Now.
————
"People these days don’t even watch where they’re walking—"
Before Queena could turn back to Daniel, he had already vanished from her sight.
...
Daniel arrived at the bakery and spotted Helen seated by the window at table number four.
She was dressed in ordinary clothes — a black tunic beneath a red surcoat, paired with a long skirt.
Daniel took the seat across from her.
"Yes, Helen. What happened?" he asked with a concerned expression.
"Listen carefully. Something’s really off in this town.
Yesterday, Zero was acting weird around us, and at midnight he disappeared from his bed. I searched the entire house, but there wasn’t a single trace of him," Helen said.
"Weird how? I mean, maybe he was just messing with you guys," Daniel said with a neutral expression.
"That’s what I thought at first, but it got even stranger.
When I woke up the next morning, Zero was back in his bed, snoring like nothing had happened. And let me tell you — I’ve known Zero for years, and he has never snored before," she said, her tone uneasy.
