Chapter 112: Chapter 112

"They say you can make a sincere wish. Maybe a miracle will come, and you’ll get what you want. So why don’t you try?" said Sylas.

Kai stared at the lantern for a moment, speechless. Now he held it as if it were a miracle. Then he looked at Sylas. "I can ask for anything?"

But he didn’t expect Kai to say it out loud instead of just in his heart.

"Please... let me live with my master for the rest of my life," Kai whispered, closing his eyes tightly.

Sylas looked at him, surprised by the young man’s request. He had thought Kai would ask for something material, like most people.

But Kai’s words touched his heart, and without realizing it, he smiled.

The lantern floated away, carried by the wind. Kai believed that someone far away would receive his wish and grant it. He hoped the lantern would reach its destination quickly, so he could stay with Sylas and never again fear being separated or abandoned.

Kai’s serious expression almost made Sylas laugh. The young man looked more innocent than a child.

They walked toward the edge of the street, where rows of simple wooden booths and tents lit up with lanterns. Food and drink vendors lined both sides.

Kai watched as Sylas paid with copper coins, sometimes even silver, for the food he bought. He remembered he had a few coins of his own but regretted not bringing them. If he had, he could have traded them for food too.

Now Kai’s hands were full of food. Sylas kept glancing at him, then looking away whenever Kai showed interest in something else.

When they reached a grilled sausage stall, the shop owner looked at Sylas closely. He seemed to recognize the prince but wasn’t sure. The moment Sylas spoke in his calm, gentle accent, the man froze in disbelief.

He bowed respectfully. But Sylas only smiled and signaled for him not to make a fuss, since there were other customers around. The shop owner hurried to prepare the order.

Sylas gave him extra coins, then immediately pulled Kai away.

Kai held all the food tightly and only started eating when they stopped under a large tree in front of a crowded playground.

"Eat slowly," Sylas said, helping him hold some of the food.

Kai noticed the prince hadn’t bought anything for himself. Still, he ate everything Sylas had gotten him, just as ordered. His gaze wandered back to the busy streets.

He watched people passing by—men in coats and top hats or bowlers, women in long dresses. To him, they all looked beautiful.

When Kai finished the last of the food, he looked at his dirty hands. He didn’t dare wipe them on his shirt.

Sylas noticed, took his hand, and gently cleaned it with a handkerchief. His fingers paused on the roughness of Kai’s palm and the fresh scratches there, but he said nothing. He simply folded the cloth and tucked it back into his pocket.

"Come! For only one silver coin, you can see all kinds of shows!"

Kai and Sylas turned toward a man in black robes, waving a tall hat in the air. His voice echoed through the crowd.

Several more men appeared, calling out the same thing.

Passersby stopped, curious, and looked toward the playground.

Alvaro came closer to Sylas. "That’s a seasonal caravan. You need to be careful inside," he warned.

Sylas stared at the area. Seasonal caravans were famous for their acrobatic shows and circuses. They traveled across countries in large caravans, drawing crowds wherever they stopped. Thıs text ıs hosted at Novᴇl_Fire(.)net

For most people, it was the highlight of the season.

But for others, it was something darker. The owner, known as the Black Mask Master, was also the leader of the black market. Although his name was infamous, very few had ever seen his face. Some even doubted he traveled with the caravan at all.

He was said to sell anything, control many things in different regions, and was extremely dangerous. Rumors claimed that several missing children connected to the caravan had been sold by him, or worse, skinned alive.

Even so, the public saw only the entertainment, unaware of the darkness behind those tents.

"Hey! Don’t just stand there, come inside!" A man in a half mask handed Kai a flyer.

Kai looked at it curiously. The pictures were interesting, though he couldn’t understand the words.

Sylas smiled. Pulling Kai closer by the waist, he read the flyer aloud to him.

"They have a circus, acrobats, and a playground. Even a haunted house. All for just one silver coin," Sylas explained.

Kai’s eyes lingered on a picture of a child walking a tightrope. He wondered how the child could do that.

Sylas didn’t need to ask. Seeing the curiosity in Kai’s eyes, he signaled to Alvaro to head inside.

Alvaro gave the guards their orders to stay alert.

Even though it was late, the place was packed. Crowds cheered loudly for the show happening in the center of the grounds.

Sylas held Kai’s hand firmly. Whenever the crowd pressed too close, he pulled the young man nearer, sometimes holding him by the waist.

Kai’s mouth fell open as he watched a girl swing from rope to rope, dancing in the air with no safety equipment. The audience roared with cheers and applause.

The place was so crowded, and with so many tall men around, Kai could barely see. Still, he was amazed at every performance, staring in wonder.

He stood on his tiptoes to see better when a performer breathed fire. Flames shot toward the audience, making people jump back in panic. They pushed into those behind them, the whole crowd jostling and stumbling.

Sylas leaned over Kai just as the surge shoved them backward. The guards rushed in to shield the prince, but not fast enough. Sylas lost his balance and fell, his hand slipping from Kai’s.

Alvaro caught him before he hit the ground. The guards pushed the crowd back, making space to pull Sylas to safety.

But when they were finally clear, Sylas realized Kai was missing. He looked around frantically.

Alvaro’s eyes sharpened as he scanned the area. The boy couldn’t be far. Yet, no matter how they searched, he was nowhere to be found.

"Kai!!" Sylas shouted, his voice drowned by the noise around them, panic tightening in his chest.

Where was he? How had he disappeared so quickly?