A Song of Flesh and Blood

As Oswin continued exploring, he took in the streets, the buildings, and the sheer number of people bustling about. At first, he had assumed this place was just a town, but the more he saw, the clearer it became—this was no small settlement. The market alone was larger than he had expected, with stalls stretching far beyond what a mere town could support. This was a city.

His realization settled just as he noticed something up ahead—a large crowd gathered in front of an imposing stone building. Its size and well-kept appearance made it stand out from the rest. A government building? The city hall, maybe? That would explain the notice board mounted near its entrance.

Curious, Oswin pushed through the crowd, slipping between groups of murmuring cityfolk until he reached the front. His eyes landed on the freshly pinned notice, the ink still bold and crisp.

"By order of the City Council, a complete lockdown will be enforced starting tomorrow for an indefinite period. Residents must remain indoors unless in cases of emergency. All travel in and out of the city is strictly prohibited until further notice. Any violations of this order will result in severe punishment."

Oswin's brow furrowed. A complete lockdown? That was no minor decree. Oswin read it again, hoping for some sort of explanation. Why?

The notice gave no reason. No timeline. Just an abrupt command.

Around him, the townsfolk muttered among themselves, voices heavy with concern.

"This isn't normal," someone murmured.

"A lockdown without warning? Something must've happened," said another, a merchant dressed in fine Early Modern Era clothes, his expression tense.

Oswin remained silent, his mind already working through possibilities. A plague? Unrest? A threat from outside the city? Whatever it was, it had to be serious. Governments didn't shut down cities for nothing.

Oswin stood in place, rereading the notice as the weight of its words settled in. A lockdown with no set end date—it wasn't just an inconvenience, it was a disruption to daily life.

He furrowed his brows, thinking. If the city was shutting down indefinitely, then buying regular groceries wouldn't be enough. Perishables like fresh vegetables and meat would spoil before long. What he needed were non-perishable goods—dried foods, grains, preserved meats, anything that could last for weeks, maybe even months.

His grip on the strap of his coin pouch tightened. If he didn't act fast, others would come to the same conclusion, and supplies would start vanishing from the market stalls.

Oswin's mind raced as he processed the notice. An indefinite lockdown. If the city council itself was unsure of how long this would last, then it could stretch on for weeks—maybe even months.

That meant regular groceries wouldn't cut it. Fresh produce, dairy, and meat would spoil too quickly. What he needed were long-lasting supplies—dried foods, grains, preserved meats, and anything that could sustain him and Aria for an extended period.

His eyes flicked back to the bustling market. If he had realized this, then others would too. And once panic set in, supplies would start disappearing fast.

Oswin hurried back home, his mind set on one thing—preparing before the inevitable panic buying began. He rushed to the safe, took out a sizable amount of money, and turned to leave.

Aria stood nearby, watching him in silence. She didn't ask any questions—she never did—but her expression held quiet curiosity. Oswin, too focused on the urgency of the situation, didn't stop to explain.

Back at the market, he moved quickly, prioritizing long-lasting supplies. He bought large quantities of dry bread, salted meat, jerky, dried fruits, salt, sugar, spices, and tea leaves—enough to last at least three months. Fortunately, the news of the lockdown hadn't spread yet, so prices remained stable, allowing him to stock up without issue.

Oswin didn't know about the value of currency anyway and tried to haggle the price down some shopkeepers agreed some did not, Oswin could only pray he was not getting scammed.

Next, he turned to medicine, purchasing disinfectants, bandages, and other medical supplies in bulk. He had no idea what kind of crisis warranted a full lockdown, but if it lasted long, having basic medical provisions could be crucial.

Once everything was secured, he returned home, carrying his haul inside. Setting the supplies down, he finally turned to Aria.

"There's going to be a lockdown starting tomorrow," he informed her.

Aria nodded in understanding but let out a quiet, almost inaudible grumble—her way of expressing displeasure. She didn't seem worried, just irritated by the situation.

Oswin took a moment to catch his breath before sorting through the supplies. He stacked the sacks of dry goods neatly in the kitchen, making sure everything was stored properly. The bandages and disinfectants went into a wooden cabinet, within easy reach in case of emergencies.

Aria watched him for a while before taking a seat at the table, flipping open the book she had been reading earlier. Though she didn't say anything, Oswin could tell she wasn't pleased. A lockdown meant being stuck inside indefinitely, unable to go out, unable to enjoy even the small freedoms she had. He couldn't blame her.

"I don't know how long this will last," Oswin admitted, sitting down across from her. "Could be a few days. Could be weeks. Maybe even months."

Aria's fingers tightened slightly around the edge of the page. She tapped it once, her way of acknowledging she had heard him.

Oswin leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "I need to figure out what's going on. Locking down an entire city indefinitely… That's not normal."

He had seen it before, back in his old world—pandemics, riots, even wartime measures. But without knowing the reason, he couldn't predict how bad things might get.

Oswin stood up again. "I'm going out one more time."

Aria narrowed her eyes slightly, a silent question in her gaze.

"I won't take long," he reassured her. "I just want to see if I can find out more."

She didn't stop him. She simply turned back to her book, though her shoulders were slightly tense.

With that, Oswin grabbed his coat and stepped outside, determined to gather as much information as he could before the city shut down completely.

Oswin wandered through the chaotic market streets, watching as panic spread like wildfire. People scrambled to buy supplies, their frantic movements turning once-orderly stalls into scenes of desperation. Merchants shouted over the noise, raising prices as demand skyrocketed. Some people loaded their arms with whatever they could grab, while others argued over dwindling stock.

A sudden commotion caught Oswin's attention—a fight had broken out near a grain seller's stall. Two men were shoving each other, both gripping the same sack of flour. Shouts erupted, the struggle escalating until one man threw a punch, sending the other stumbling back. The vendor, looking both furious and terrified, yelled at them to take their fight elsewhere.

Oswin exhaled, shaking his head. Good thing I bought my supplies early. He had expected people to panic eventually, but he hadn't thought it would happen this quickly. The notice had only gone up a few hours ago, yet already, the market was unraveling into chaos.

As he moved through the crowd, he listened closely to the conversations around him, hoping to piece together more information about the lockdown's cause.

"I heard it's a disease," a woman whispered to her companion. "Something deadly spreading through the city."

"Nonsense," a man scoffed. "If it were a plague, the City council would've ordered quarantines, not a lockdown!"

"Then what else could it be?"

"Monsters," another voice muttered. "Something from outside the walls."

Oswin frowned, his interest piqued. Disease and monsters—both were dangerous, but in different ways. If it was a sickness, they would need to prepare for a long period of quarantine. If it was monsters… then the lockdown might not be enough to keep the city safe.

He kept moving, tuning into more conversations, hoping to find something that sounded like the truth.

Oswin continued listening as he moved through the crowd, but the rumors were endless and unreliable. Some claimed it was an unknown plague sweeping through the lower districts, others whispered about strange creatures sighted outside the city walls, and a few even spoke of government conspiracies. None of it gave him any real answers.

With a sigh, he decided it was pointless to linger any longer. If it truly was a disease, wandering through a crowded market was the worst thing he could do. Better to be safe than sorry.

Turning away from the chaos, Oswin made his way home, weaving through the increasingly desperate crowd.

By the time he arrived, the sun had begun to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows over the streets. Aria was still at the table, though she had barely touched her book. She looked up as he entered, eyes questioning.

"No real answers yet," Oswin admitted, locking the door behind him. "Just a lot of rumors. Some say it's a sickness, others think it's something else."

Aria frowned, tapping her fingers lightly against the table in thought.

"We should be fine for now," he continued. "At least we have supplies."

She gave a slow nod but didn't look entirely convinced.

Oswin sighed and took a seat. "We'll just have to wait and see."