A Changed Start

The Man-Eating Tree

"Y-Young Master!?"

Cale stoically stood in front of the long table filled with many kinds of bread with his arm crossed. He had gotten rid of his cloak because a hooded individual and two outsiders continuously buying large bags of bread everyday is just asking to be pulled in by the knights for questioning.

Behind him were a disguised Raoul and Raaz, dressed as well-suited commoners. Both of them looked a bit amused and thoughtful at the reaction of the old baker at seeing Cale.

"Give me some bread."

"P-Pardon?"

"From here." The redhead pointed the left side before the right side, "To here."

Cale threw a single gold coin on the table, "Pack it all up."

The baker just stared at the redhead, bewildered.

Raoul looked ready to burst out laughing while Raaz just chuckled.

Hearing no response from the stupefied baker, Cale continued, "I can go somewhere else if you don't want to."

That immediately snapped the baker back to reality of having just been paid a gold coin and immediately assured the redhead, "T-That's not the case, young master! I will pack it up as fast as possible!!"

Raoul finally couldn't hold it in and wheezed as they watched the baker frantically go to the back to get some bags and even more bread than the ones displayed in front of them.

"Ah~, that was hilarious."

They went to a few more bakeries, but Cale decided not to empty their stocks for the other citizens that were looking to buy bread themselves. Cale and Raoul carried one bag each, while Raaz, being a dragon, easily carried two. They had gotten quite a lot of stares as they went through the slums. Cale felt a bit guilty since he knew that they were smelling the bread. Perhaps he could sneak out and leave some food for them in secret. For all his eccentricities, Raoul was a good teacher in stealth.

They soon reached the top of the hill that overlooked the slums of Western City.

"Even after so many years, it still looked the same."

In front of them was an ominous, blackened tree that looked more possessed than withered. Cale had once wandered to this place in curiosity back when he was younger and his mother, Jour, had scolded him for it. He had a very good memory so he knew that this tree still looked the exact same as he remembered.

"I can sense something dark here." Raaz said.

The small area around the tree was completely devoid of life, growing no grass and leaving nothing but cracked and dry soil. At the ground right next to the roots, there was a hole that was so dark that they couldn't see the bottom.

Just as they set down the bags of bread, someone called out to them.

"Y-You can't approach that tree!"

The three men turned their gazes towards the source of the voice, seeing two children with silver and red hair looking at them in great worry.

"It's a Man-Eating Tree!" The silver-haired girl shouted.

Well, it's kind of them to worry over strangers.

"We'll be fine!" Raoul gave them a reassuring wink, to the children's greater confusion.

Cale grabbed a bread and crouched down in front of the hold and just as he was about to drop it...

"You'll die!"

"Don't do it!"

Cale sighed and took out a few smaller paper bags of bread, "There are always nosy children whenever you go. I should chase them away before starting."