As Sylutia walked down the street, she heard music drifting from afar—a duet played on bagpipes and a seven-stringed zither.
Behind a stall selling potatoes and parsnips, two people sat on stacks of wooden barrels and crates. One squeezed the bag of a set of bagpipes and played, while the other gently plucked the strings of a zither.
Judging by their mud-spattered clothes, they were probably vendors, not professional musicians. Their melody was simple and lilting, and they played so casually that it seemed they were improvising to suit their moods.
Most people were busy in the noisy streets. Some carried goods, while others browsed the stalls. Few stopped to listen to the pair; the most attentive listener was probably a destitute vagabond in a corner.
Sylutia didn't walk away. She stood beneath the awning of a nearby stall and quietly listened to their performance before continuing to browse the market.
Was there any use in listening to the tune? Probably not. Still, Sylutia rather liked the peaceful, natural atmosphere.
Perhaps years from now, she would have long forgotten what she bought at the market that day and how much she had haggled with the vendors. But she would remember the sight of the two people casually playing their instruments for a long time.
This is a nice place, the girl thought, her steps growing a little lighter.
After resting here for a night, she planned to explore the citadel properly. It had a sizeable population of more than ten thousand. That was less than a quarter of Scorched Stone City's population, but in the World of Shadows, it was undoubtedly one of the largest cities.
After spending the day exploring, Sylutia had gained a basic understanding of the citadel, and felt much more at ease.
Although the population was