CHAPTER 42: THE DAY (2)

The very next morning, Leonard walked into the busy marketplace with Gareth and Anika at his side. But this time, their hands were empty. They weren’t carrying any table or stool. There were also no dice and cups.

It was just the three of them walking in casually.

It didn’t take long before whispers spread across the crowd. People who had been waiting for the usual game leaned forward, tilting their heads. Some even stood up from where they had been sitting, frowning.

"Oi, where’s the dice today?" someone shouted from the back.

"Didn’t you say we’d continue again today?" another one complained.

"Yeah, I’ve been saving my silver for 2 days!" a man groaned, clearly displeased.

Faces turned sour, and their complaints rose. Words of disappointment filled the air as more people realized there would be no games in the market for today. A few were even scowling, already muttering that they’d been lied to.

Leonard, however, didn’t look nervous at all. In fact, he threw back his head and let out a loud laugh, his grin spreading from ear to ear.

"Hahaha! Don’t look at me like that! Who said the fun was over?" His voice overtook the crowd’s complaint easily. "I’ve got news for you!"

That silenced them a little bit. Curious eyes glanced at his way. However, they still had that displeased look on their faces.

"We won’t be playing here in the marketplace anymore." Leonard raised his arms wide, as if he were presenting something grand.

Shocked reactions broke out instantly.

"What?!"

"You can’t be serious!"

"Then where the hell are we supposed to play?!"

"Are you saying we came here for nothing?"

Displeasure of the crowd erupted once again. A handful of men looked like they were already ready to walk away. But before they could do anything, Leonard raised his hand again to calm down the crow.

"Relax, relax. I didn’t say it was over! I said I’ve got a surprise for you!" He said out loud, to draw their attention even more.

"I already got a better place! We don’t need to stand in the sun, and no more bumping shoulders in this crowded place! In our new place, we can sit, relax, and play properly!"

The reaction of the crowd changed instantly. A few skeptical frowns stayed, but curiosity was starting to poke through everyone.

"So, what do you say?" Leonard spread his arms again. "Are you willing to follow this friend of yours and see it for yourself?"

For a moment, hesitation filled the air. People glanced at one another, with their eyebrows raised. No one wanted to look like a fool chasing after a man. But slowly, voices rose.

"Fine. I’ll see what this is."

"Eh, why not? If it’s trash, I’ll just come back here."

"I’m curious anyway."

"Yeah, we’ll just walk anyway."

Leonard’s grin widened as he saw heads nodding. The crowd slowly convinced one another.

When he heard their positive reaction, he clapped his hands together once more, his voice brimming with energy.

"Good! Then let’s go!"

With that, he turned, motioning for Gareth and Anika to follow him closely. And behind them, the crowd began to take a few steps forward too. They were driven by doubt, irritation, and curiosity.

The crowd walked after them, their footsteps were lousy and forced as they trailed behind Leonard, Gareth, and Anika through the narrow streets.

The morning sun was already hot. A few of the men muttered complaints under their breath.

"Tch. Better not be wasting our time..."

"Yeah, what if he’s just leading us somewhere shady?"

"My legs are already sore, damn it."

Leonard heard every word, but he didn’t bother to argue with it.

Instead, he walked as a normal with a calm smile tugging at his lips. His silence made the murmurs grow for a while, but then they faded. He didn’t need to say anything.

He knew what awaited them would wipe those frowns clean off their faces, and he couldn’t wait to see the look on their faces.

’Just wait... this has never existed here. Not in this market, not in this town. This is my idea. My innovation!’

When they finally turned down the street, Leonard slowed down his steps. And then, finally...

"There."

The words came out of Leonard’s lips as he pointed at the store in front of them.

The small building stood out instantly. Its wooden frame was simple, but yesterday, the three of them had worked hard until sunset to dress it up.

Fabrics with the colors of blue, red, and gold were tied along the door and windows, fluttering gently with the breeze. Colorful cloth banners stretched across the entrance, catching the light.

They also hung the lanterns up on the ceiling, giving the place a festive look even in the daylight.

Above the door, Leonard had even hung a hand-painted sign, fully customized by Old Marrek. The bold letters declared the name of their new place.

"Eternal Happiness - Gambling Den," It was a name that promised fun and excitement.

The crowd fell silent as they looked at it.

"What the..."

"This... is the surprise?"

"Wait. This... this looks like..."

They stepped closer, their eyes widening as they saw the open doorway, the neat row of tables inside, the stools waiting for them. And then, they saw the dice and wooden cups on the middle of each table.

"This... this isn’t just a stall!"

"It’s a real den! A place just for the game!"

"Whoa!"

The crowd’s reaction changed completely. Their disappointment turned into awe and excitement as men looked at each other, their faces lighting up. Even those who had been the loudest complainers earlier were now silent.

Leonard finally turned to the crows. The grin on his lips stretched across his face as he saw the stunned expressions of everyone. His chest swelled with pride.

"What do you say, my friends?" he asked, his voice booming with energy. "Is it worth the walk?"

The answer came not in words at first, but in laughter, cheers, and the sound of hands clapping together.

"This is crazy..."

"I’ve never seen anything like this!"

"Hah! Now this is where I’ll be spending my silvers!"

"Our Leonard is truly an angel!"

"A godsent!"