Chapter 198: Ch 198: The Pick-Pocketing- Part 2
The boy in Kyle’s grip squird one last ti before letting out a desperate.
“I’m sorry! I won’t do anything like this again, I swear!”
The kid seed genuinely sorry, but Kyle was not going to fall for these tricks.
Kyle narrowed his eyes, scanning the boy’s face.
There was no lie there—only fear and sha. His mana flickered subtly around the boy, confirming the sincerity in his words.
He sighed, his grip loosening.
“…Fine. Just don’t get caught again.”
Kyle muttered, shaking his head.
‘Shit! This little….should I just kill him and get this over with? I feel like I am developing a headache because I have to deal with this.’
But just as he was about to fully release the boy, sothing hit him.
Not physically—but with mana. A heavy, pressing force descended upon him, laced with intent.
Not quite an attack, but enough to force his body tense and instincts scream danger.
His hand slipped off the boy’s arm, and in that split second of distraction, the kid bolted.
Kyle spun around, eyes sweeping the crowd.
The mana hadn’t co from the boy. It was soone else—soone powerful.
But no matter how hard he searched, there was no trace. Just people going about their day, and a vague aftertaste of mana dissipating into the air.
“I’m sorry. I did not an to…I need to go now. Please don’t follow .”
The boy had vanished into the crowd after saying this. He did not seem surprised, which likely ant that he knew this was going to happen.
“Damn it. That took by surprise. But I guess I did manage to uncover sothing useful. Now, what shall I do about this new information I just found out about.”
Kyle hissed under his breath.
He stood there, jaw tight.
Played like a fool, and he hated it. His mood, already teetering from the market’s antics, slipped further.
With a flick of his hand, Queen erged from the folds of his cloak, scales shimring with a soft glow. She coiled beside him silently, sensing his agitation.
“Track him. Use the residual mana. That kid’s not as ordinary as he looks.”
Kyle ordered coldly.
Queen tilted its head, its eerie blue eyes gazing up at him with sothing akin to concern.
“I’m fine. Just find him.”
Kyle muttered.
With a low hiss of acknowledgent, Queen slithered into the crowd, nearly invisible to those without the eyes to see.
Kyle walked after it, slower, posture tense. His fingers tapped against his side, his mana simring just beneath the surface like boiling water.
He had been careful—he had been cautious.
And still, soone had managed to obscure his senses and slip a street kid right out from under his nose.
‘Not a good sign.’
anwhile, the kid sprinted through alleys and twisted corners until he reached a narrow door tucked between two buildings.
He knocked twice, paused, then three more tis. The door opened imdiately, and a girl with short white hair and tired blue eyes yanked him inside.
“Rin! You’re late!””
She hissed, slamming the door shut behind him.
“I know, I know! I ssed up. I ran into soone really dangerous. I tried to steal from him, but he caught !”
Rin panted, hands on his knees.
Her eyes widened.
“He caught you? Are you insane?!”
“I didn’t know! He looked rich—I thought he was soft! But he was fast, and strong—he caught the mont I touched his coat!”
She paled.
“And you’re still alive?”
“Yeah. I an, I apologized and he was about to let go, but then sothing weird happened. I think your necklace exploded with mana. That’s how I got free.”
She narrowed her eyes, clearly piecing things together.
“How many tis have I told you to knock your dangerous activities off?”
“I know. I didn’t see anything, but he looked mad when I ran.”
She exhaled, pulling Rin away from the door and locking it with three separate bolts.
“You idiot. What if they followed you here?”
“They didn’t! I swear. I took the long way around—looped the alleys, used the smokesheet—”
“Still! You don’t pick fights with strangers like that, not when we’re already under watch.”
Rin ducked his head.
“I won’t do it again. Promise.”
She shook her head, but then softened, brushing dirt from his cheek.
“You better not. We’re important to the academy. That doesn’t an we’re safe.”
Rin blinked.
“You think they’d really… kill us?”
She gave him a sad smile.
“Maybe not today. But if we make too much noise? If we cause too many ripples? Yeah, they might. So let’s just lay low.”
Rin glanced toward the door, heart still pounding.
“I don’t think he’s the type to forget, though.”
She was silent for a long mont. Then she said,
“Then we just have to pray we don’t cross him again.”
But outside their little room, a certain divine serpent was already on the trail.
Racheal knelt beside her brother, brushing the soot from his hair gently.
“Rest for now, Rin. And no matter what happens, don’t co out. No matter what you hear.”
Rin frowned, eyes wide with fear.
“What do you an, ‘no matter what’? Are you expecting soone to co after us?”
Her expression didn’t change, but her silence was enough of an answer.
Rin’s fists clenched.
“I’m not hiding like a coward, Racheal. If sothing’s coming, I’ll face it with you.”
“This isn’t about cowardice. It’s about survival. There’s no bravery in dying for nothing.”
She said firmly.
“But—”
“No. You don’t have to be stubborn about this, Rin. Just listen to , for once.”
Her voice was sharp now.
But he shook his head, standing taller despite the trembling in his legs.
“I won’t leave you alone. If they co for us, then we fight together.”
Racheal stared at him for a long mont, her lips pressed into a thin line. Then, quietly, she said.
“I knew you’d say that.”
Before Rin could respond, her fingers moved quickly—two sharp gestures over his chest, glowing faintly with mana.
His body jolted once, then slumped forward into her arms, unconscious.
“…Sorry. You’re not ready for this. Not yet.”
She whispered, lowering him onto the thin mattress in the back corner.
She pulled a blanket over him, brushing his hair back again before stepping back and activating the ruin shield.
A soft shimr of blue spread out, wrapping her brother in protective mana. He’d be safe behind that barrier, for a little while at least.
Just as she finished, there was a knock at the door.
Not loud. Not aggressive. Just a calm, deliberate knock—polite, even.
Her stomach twisted.
Racheal took a deep breath and straightened her posture. Then, with steady fingers, she unlatched the bolts on the door one by one.
The knock ca again.
“I’m coming.”
She said aloud, making sure her voice didn’t waver.
Then she opened the door.
And outside stood a man with silver hair and mismatched eyes—one gold, one blue.
His presence was cold, and beside him, a strange creature—serpentine and divine—coiled in eerie silence. Queen’s gaze flicked past Racheal, sensing the shield within.
The man’s eyes t hers.
“Good evening Miss. I believe we have sothing important to discuss.”
He said softly.
Reviews
All reviews (0)