...As Chiron and the barman conversed, the bar's doors suddenly burst open.
The rman from earlier staggered inside, his face twisted in horror and agony.
A piercing scream tore through the bar.
"SOE!" he howled, his hands clutched desperately over his groin, where blood seeped through his fingers.
He collapsed onto his knees, his gills flaring erratically, eyes darting wildly around the room, seeking aid.
But the bar fell silent.
No one moved.
Instead, they stared at him in pure confusion and disbelief.
So took a step back. Others rely looked at each other, uncertain if they had actually seen what they just saw.
Then—the sound of soft footsteps.
Emma walked in, her usual calm and elegant deanor unchanged.
Her long white kimono swayed gently with each step, and even though the veil still covered the lower half of her face, her eyes sparkled with amusent.
In her delicate right hand, sothing dripped softly onto the wooden floor.
With a casual flick, she tossed it forward.
A small, bloody slab of flesh hit the ground with a sickening thud.
She tilted her head slightly, her voice light and airy, as though she had rely returned a forgotten belonging.
"You forgot your at," she said sweetly.
Then, she let out a soft, lodic giggle.
Her laugh—a sound that under normal circumstances would have been charming and innocent—instead sent a cold chill crawling down the spines of every man in the room.
So even involuntarily clutched at their own manhoods, their legs subtly pressing together in pure instinctive fear.
A few gulped.
Others broke out in cold sweat, ntally thanking every god they knew that they had not been the ones to approach her first.
Even the most battle-hardened pirates in the bar winced at the sight before them.
The barman sighed, shaking his head as he resud wiping a mug with his cloth.
"Told 'im, I did," he muttered.
"Tried war—tried warnin' the fool. But nooo, he ain't listen."
He clicked his tongue.
"Now he's a lesson fer the rest."
anwhile, Chiron stood up, his expression as calm and unbothered as ever.
Without a word, he extended his hand toward Emma.
She bowed slightly, placing her hand in his, as though what had just happened was of no consequence.
Together, they walked toward the exit, stepping past the whimpering, bloodied rman on the floor.
Despite the ss left behind, not a single drop of blood stained Emma's pristine kimono.
Chiron glanced at Emma, his expression unreadable.
"Let's have dinner back at the hotel."
She nodded without question, and with that, they departed the bar, leaving behind the bloodied, whimpering rman and a room full of n who had just learned an important lesson.
The walk back was quiet, save for the gentle crash of waves along the shore.
However, upon entering the hotel, sothing was off.
The receptionist—the woman who had greeted them earlier with a forced smile—was gone.
Not at her desk.
Not anywhere in sight.
Chiron already knew what had happened.
He didn't react, nor did he bother to look around.
Instead, he simply walked up the stairs with Emma following silently behind.
And just as he had expected, when he reached his room—
There she was.
A Bloody ss
The receptionist's body was sprawled out on the floor just outside the room.
Her torso was a ruined ss, her flesh and clothes charred and lted, revealing twisted muscle and exposed bone beneath.
Her face was half-destroyed, one eye socket empty, the other frozen in a wide, eternal expression of terror.
Her fingers were still curled like claws, as if she had tried to crawl away in her final monts—but had been unable to escape.
Her legs?
Gone.
Or rather, what remained of them was a collection of blackened, stumpy remains, burnt so badly that the bone had turned brittle.
The stench of burnt flesh hung in the air, thick and unmistakable.
A single bloody trail led from the door to where she now lay.
Chiron took one glance and imdiately understood.
She had tried to enter his room.
Tried to steal sothing while he was away.
But she had triggered his runic traps.
He hadn't placed them because he had anything valuable inside.
No, it was simply habit.
A natural precaution.
And she had paid the ultimate price for her greed.
Neither Chiron nor Emma paid the dead receptionist any mind.
Without hesitation, they stepped over her lifeless, mutilated body, their faces unbothered, as if she were nothing more than a discarded rug in the hallway.
They entered the room, and as Chiron had promised, he waved his hand.
From the storage within his system, a full dining setup materialized before them.
A round table, covered with a black silk cloth, appeared at the center of the room. Two comfortable high-backed chairs followed, sliding into place smoothly.
Golden-rimd plates, delicate silverware, and crystal-clear wine glasses materialized atop the table, along with an array of dishes, their aroma instantly filling the air.
Steaming roasted at, crisp golden-brown on the outside, juicy and tender within.
A side of buttered vegetables, glistening under the soft flickering light of floating rune-lamps.
And finally, a deep-red wine, pouring itself elegantly into their glasses as if guided by an invisible hand.
For the first ti in a long while, Chiron allowed himself to relax—even if just for the mont.
He looked at Emma, his expression calm as always, but tonight, there was sothing different.
A playful glint.
He raised his glass, his voice smooth yet slightly awkward, like a man not used to flirting but still making an attempt.
"To the most dangerous woman in the world... and her unfortunate victims."
Emma blinked, then let out a soft laugh, covering her lips slightly.
"Oh my, Master Chiron…" she tilted her head slightly, her long white hair cascading over her shoulders, her veil shifting just enough to hint at the small amused smile beneath.
She took a sip of her wine, her dark lips glistening, and then leaned forward, her voice dropping into a soft, teasing whisper.
"Flirting, are we?"
Chiron's lips twitched, his usual composure faltering just slightly.
He had spent years mastering combat, strategy, and manipulation.
But this?
This was new territory.
He cleared his throat, regaining his composure, and instead of answering directly, he picked up a piece of roasted at and gently placed it on Emma's plate.
"Eat."
Emma chuckled, shaking her head.
He was terrible at flirting—but sohow, that just made it cuter.
.....
Elsewhere on the Island...
While the two dined in peace, the night outside was far from quiet.
In a hidden part of the island, certain forces were already on the move.
Reviews
All reviews (0)