A Game Of Chess With A Vampire
Chapter 207: It’s Here, Right?

"If Prince was able to finish his task despite the difficulty he had at the last step, we can also do it. So relax, okay?" He smiled at her.

Ava gazed at him for a few moments before nodding. She beamed in response and rested her head against the window.

Fifteen to twenty minutes passed, and Pierre slowed down the car. They had arrived at their destination.

He turned the engine off and got down with Ava. He pulled out a piece of paper with drawings on it and glanced at Ava.

"It’s here, right?" he inquired.

Ava scrutinized their surroundings, frowning. "I’m not...sure."

Their destination was a wondrous emporium where an array of products were sold. This supermarket—like area, catered to the whims and fancies of both royals and commoners alike. It was the most popular area in the town, but even though commoners were permitted, only those of nobility were mostly seen there.

Commoners seldom come there. It was the world they lived in, after all. In every part of the earth, status mattered a lot. The commoners did not dismiss the idea of coming because they were scared, but they rather could not bring themselves to deal with the scorn of the nobles.

They just didn’t belong there, and instead of forcing it, they preferred to stay in their lane and avoid being disdained. They had no desire to face the cruelty in the eyes of the nobles. They acted way higher and mightier than the royals themselves, who sat on the tallest throne.

"Supermarché royal..." Ava read. Her gaze was fixed on the entrance, which had a well-carved stone with writing on it.

"This is it," Pierre said. "We are in the right place. Come, let’s go." He grabbed Ava’s hand, and they stepped through the grand entrance.

Side by side were intricately carved pillars adorned with shimmering gemstones, leading to the vast expanse of the enchantment within. The interior had gilded arches and chandeliers that cast a warm, ethereal glow over the sprawling aisles. Candle lights were lit, flickering with the whiff of the gentle breeze that would blow every now and then.

Shelves lined with delicacies from far-off lands stretched as far as the eye could see, showcasing a myriad of exotic fruits, rare species, and delectable treats fit for royalty. The aroma of freshly baked bread wafted through the air.

Ava was confused. This looked more like a food store.

She turned to Pierre, asking, "Pierre, are you sure we are at the right place?"

Pierre nodded at her. "Yes."

"I have never been here before, but Don did tell me that there are different stalls here. Each sells dissimilar types of stuff, so we just have to look for the stall that deals with potions, cures, and so on."He glanced at the paper in his hand once again.

Ava was still skeptical, but nonetheless, she followed Pierre.

Wandering past each stall, they could glimpse an astonishing assortment of artifacts, crystals of various sizes, and hues that twinkled alongside enchanted talismans.

Ava frowned at the sight of it. It suddenly reminded her of Lady Avelina’s incident. She looked away to the stall that dealt with regally adorned fabrics and garments, waiting for those seeking to dress in the finest attire fit for a noble. Indeed, this place was not at all meant for commoners.

It felt so unbelievable to believe this place was open to both commoners and nobles. Nothing in there screamed commoners.

Ava shook her head, amused.

Further down, a stall stood. From the samples, one could immediately tell that it dealt with potions, elixirs, and healing ailments. They even had sets of flowers, which were assumed to probably be a cure or something of the sort.

"There it is!" Pierre pointed over at the stall and hurried towards it while pulling Ava along with him.

Due to there still being a little bit of time until it was full dawn, the area was not bustling with sellers and nobles. It was quite empty compared to its usual bustling nature. They could have gone during dawn, but Draven was strictly against it. Going before dawn was much safer, and not many people would glimpse them.

Not just that, but he was aware that the man whom he had sent them to meet was usually the first to open at the supermarket.

Things were not just being sold in this place—exchanges were made as well. Products could be brought by individuals, and if the experts looked at them and appraised them, they could possibly sell for a higher or lower price.

Pierre took a deep breath.

"Lucien said this has been coated in the form of a cure, and it would be quite hard to tell if it’s poison," he said. "But...I am kind of anxious."

"Me too." Ava nodded, concurring with him. "I don’t know what will happen if they actually discover that it isn’t a healing medicine."

Pierre shook his head at her. "It’s alright. We do not have time to panic."

They advanced closer to the stall and stood in front of it.

"Bonjour." Pierre gave a light knock on the wooden pillar of the stall.

The muffled sound of someone’s voice could be heard before a middle-aged man approached from the inside.

A pair of white glasses rested on the bridge of his nose, but his emerald eyes could still be glimpsed through them. He was about the same height as Pierre and had a walrus mustache as well as a blonde Caesar cut.

"Bonjour," the middle-aged man replied.

Ava smiled at him.

"Who might you be, Mademoiselle?" the man queried.

Ava responded, "Je m’appelle, Ava."

The man beamed. "Beau," he complimented, appearing to have taken a liking to her name. "And who might you be, young man?" He shifted his attention to Pierre.

"My name is Pierre," Pierre answered.

Olive had in fact suggested they use different names for introductions, but Draven said no to it. To actually make a plan of exchange and deal successful, one had to be honest in the first step taken, thus, they had to give their real names.