Chapter 4: Eyes from the Shadows

It was a fine morning. Archie saw his one-and-a-half-meter tall grandson picking up herbs from their backyard. The boy's mint-colored hair fluttered with the wind as he hummed.

"Dio."

The boy's face turned toward him which revealed his gray hazel eyes. "Yes, Gramps?"

"Let's eat." He smiled as he watched his grandson nod his head cheerfully.

"Oh!" Dio said as he turned to face Archie. "Mr. Marcus Stannard said that he would prepare a contract for us to supply tea leaves for him."

Archie nodded his head in response to Dio's information. "That will be great. Will you do the deliveries?"

Dio smiled and gave him a thumbs up.

Archie went to the dining area while listening to Dio's blabbering. He was somewhat relieved that Dio still had this side of him despite being exposed to the juvenile atmosphere of south city.

"Gramps?" Dio hesitated as he sat across Archie.

"What is it?" He saw Dio's pupils shook as he looked away which made him sigh. "Just say it, young man."

Dio breathed deeply before he took the courage to meet Archie's gaze. "What do you think about me being an adventurer?"

Archie's lips curled to a frown as he held his chin. "Dio, do you want to be an adventurer?"

"I want to be stronger."

"You are strong enough to protect yourself."

"Against humans, yes. But I want to experience fighting against monsters."

"I won't let you."

"If that's your decision. . ." Dio frowned and his shoulders dropped when he heard his grandfather's stern voice. He managed to smile despite the disappointment as he started to eat.

"I'll go make the deliveries, Gramps." Dio stood up as he hung the bag of herbs and medicines on his shoulder.

"Take care, young man."

Dio nodded his head as he walked out of the store. He went on his way towards the adventurer's guild where he'd deliver the herbs on that day.

While on his way, Dio felt uneasy. It was as if someone was eyeing him but the owner of those eyes was nowhere to be found. He tried to dismiss the ominous feeling but the eyes continued to follow him until the guild.

"What's with the serious face, Dio? That's unusual." Matt walked towards him and helped him with the bag of medicines.

"I had a feeling that someone was keeping an eye on me." Dio heaved a sigh as he started to count the packs of medicine for the guild's first aid center.

"Was it a stalker?" Matt held his chin as he looked at him from head to toe. "You've got the looks. You're going to be a lady's man after a few more years."

"Tsk. I'm too young for that."

Even the other adventurers near them started to laugh at Dio's reaction from Matt's teasing. Dio continued to call out those who requested medicines after giving the guild's request.

"You're a growing man, Dio. That must be a little girl crushing on you." Matt teased him again after he was done with his deliveries.

Dio shook his head and decided to ignore the adventurer as he organized his things. The deliveries were made and it was time for him to go home.

"Dio, wait!" One of the staff assigned to the first aid center ran to him. "Do you have comfreys in your store?"

Dio frowned when he heard the herb that the lady was looking for. Comfrey was a rare herb found in the deepest part of wild forests. Though it was a very effective medicine for bruises and sprains, it was very hard to get.

"We don't. Most of our herbs are grown from our backyard."

The lady sighed when he heard Dio's response. Matt faked a cough to get their attention.

"Do you want me to get it for you?" Matt asked the lady while blushing.

Dio smirked when he saw how Matt reacted. "Do you even know what that herb looked like?"

"Of course, not. That's why you'll come with me." Matt grinned as he put his arm around Dio's shoulders.

Dio's eyes grew wide. "No way!"

The staff's shoulder dropped when she heard Dio. "You can't?"

Dio felt guilty when he looked at the lady. "I-I'll ask Gramps if he'll allow me." He scratched his head as he looked down.

"Don't worry, little Dio. I'll make sure to protect you!"

Dio sighed when he realized what kind of trouble he put himself in. Once they reached an agreement, Dio waved them goodbye as he set off to go home.

On his way, the feeling of being watched resumed. He was really bothered by it so he took some time to stop and look around. However, just like earlier, the eyes stopped gazing at him and he couldn't feel the presence of the eye's owner.

He decided to go to the back alley and jumped up the roof. He walked on the roof and jumped to move to the next. He decided to take that path instead of the roads to lose whoever it was that was following him.

After a few minutes of moving from roof to roof, Dio jumped down. He shook the dust off his clothes and resumed walking.

Dio clicked his tongue when the eyes landed on him again. He thought he already shook it off but it was there to follow him again.

Dio moved to the back alley once again and stopped walking in a desolate place.

"Who are you?" His voice was cold and serious. He waited but no one responded.

The eyes continued to watch him but he couldn't see anyone around him. He clenched his fist and breathed deeply to calm himself. If that person's job was just to watch over him, then he would just give up on looking for him. However, he made a resolve that if that person dared to harm him in any way, there'd be no mercy for him.

He continued to walk and a sigh of relief escaped his lips when he saw that he was close to their store. He put a smile on his face before he entered. However, his lips turned to a thin line when he saw his grandfather talking to a robed man with a serious face.

"Please don't regret the decisions you made today, lord Archie."

Though it was said in a whisper, the robed man's words still reached Dio's ear. The man started to walk towards the door and stopped to look at him. His eyes were red, that was all he saw before he moved past him.

"Who was that, Gramps?"

"Don't mind him. How were your deliveries?"

Dio eyed his grandfather suspiciously but the old man didn't budge. The way his grandfather tried to hide something from him made him more curious. However, he couldn't do anything about it. Once Archie kept his mouth shut, it would be really hard to take any information from him.