Two tall, towering n stood against Ciel and Quia, with only a rcenary swordsman groaning in between them.
One of the man’s mouths opened, revealing golden teeth that curved into a shiny, arrogant grin.
It’s the ’Beastly-eyed’ rchant she exploded on the cliffside. Ciel briefly frowned, unsure what to think of him.
One of the guards who led ahead, with brushed-back black hair and tired blue eyes, stated with a flat, authoritative voice.
"Sir Vipero. You did well wasting our ti."
The aning of his scorn was clear, as the black-haired guard scanned the aftermath of the beatdown.
Beastly-eyed, surna Vipero, rely shrugged while staying a safe distance away from the annoyed Quia.
His rough voice rang with a contrasting, noble flair. "Co on now. We’ve had our misunderstandings, but how was it who delayed your ti?"
Ciel’s retort was brief and straightforward, pointing accusingly at the rcenaries on the ground.
"They were harassing one of the academy’s students." She stated. "We just stopped them. No fatalities involved."
The elf snarked. "The Shadowhunter Academy’s renowned for the fierce protection of its talents. Make this reasonable, please."
A nod ca from the black-haired guard, whom Ciel identified as the captain.
But Vipero, with an elegant gesture aid at the lying rcenaries, stated with a relaxed expression.
"Please. These rcenaries were under my hire."
The four young n, with the mage and archer hobbling back to the scenery from behind the carriage, admired Vipero’s performance as if a savior descended.
Unfortunately, Vipero could only disappoint.
"So I hereby denounce them. How dare they harass a fellow student, a senior no less."
Confusion spread through everyone. In contrast, the despair clung to the four injured n, their faces pale and struck with shock.
The guard captain scowled. "Aren’t these your n?"
"Yes!" Vipero’s hand grabbed into a solemn, trembling fist. "They were! However, they were so utterly incompetent that they fully deserve their arrest!"
He clutched his muscular chest. "My rchant guild only values talents that won’t drag us into trouble! These filthy, ugly, scarred rcenaries were definitely not the ’talent’ material."
"Young-yong master..." The swordsman grumbled under Ciel and Quia’s gazes, hoisting himself up with both ankles as he stared at Vipero.
He continued, erasing any hint of betrayal under his throat. "It was an accident...your carriage was moving through here, and this rabbit bumped into-"
"Shut it, vermin."
Vipero cast a cold glare down at his n. "You four were a burden. Submit to arrest. Your only worth left lies in your obedience."
Value? Ciel raised a brow as she observed the street, crowded with stall owners and passersby who surrounded them with curiosity.
The situation began to clarify in her head.
Vipero may-no, must have distracted and stalled the guards first, then his subordinates rode the carriage through the crowded streets filled with stalls, perhaps on his orders.
The carriage inevitably hit soone in the difficult terrain, and that soone happened to be the rabbit girl.
Though Vipero’s intention remained vague, the guards didn’t give ti for Ciel’s mind to ponder.
"Alright," the black-haired captain clapped, drawing everyone’s attention. "We will wrap up the incident and quickly suspend the suspects. Sir Vipero, would you mind your n being... taken under our care?"
"Of course not," Vipero gave an elegant shake of his head, if elegance was truly what he intended.
"Then it’s settled." The captain’s nod was haggard with no more tolerance for Vipero’s antics. "Shadowhunter Academy awaited you three. Happy hunting, shadehunters, and let today’s incident be bygones."
The captain’s hand moved. The subordinates behind, with towering statues and blades humming with arcane tals, spread away before apprehending the rcenaries.
Curious crowds began to dissolve under the guards’ instructions. Stalls and roads began to empty, with the nonhumans fading away in the distance, afraid to be caught up by the investigation.
Amidst the steel-clad crowds, Vipero’s steps drew forward before reaching Ciel to give a humble bow.
"My apologies for-"
Ciel’s palm stretched and stopped him from talking. One more word, and she felt her eardrums would burst.
Vipero then caught her sidelong glance. And with a gentle smile, he approached the rabbit girl, this incident’s main victim, and bowed once again.
His humility began to look desperate. Yet as he talked of massive compensation, the rabbit girl’s dull eyes glead, regaining so of the vigor lost when healed by the red potion.
Capitalism, everyone. A wry smile found itself on Ciel’s face, unsure whether to be happy for her.
"You too." Then, the rchant’s opportunistic gaze found Ciel and Quia again, flanking his two sides far away. "It’s approximately three hours till the opening ceremony."
He continued while scanning for any shift in their features. "My guildmates will handle the aftermath with the guards. How about I treat you two to a visit to my guild? I promise, only opportunities await you."
Ciel’s eyelids fell, unimpressed.
She turned away. "No thanks."
Quia flickered her tongue out in mockery before striding up to follow Ciel shoulder-to-shoulder, ending any negotiation with the rchant.
Vipero just froze.
Confident in his plan and unshakable in his charisma, he overlooked the duo’s decisiveness entirely.
"Ple-please wait," his tone threatened to stretch into pleading. "Believe it or not, it’s who will need your help."
He coughed twice as he trailed them behind, each step more asured than the last, as if afraid to offend.
Passing by the carriage’s tilt wheel, Ciel heard the rchant’s yapping.
"I need soone to defend in the academy." He stated. "The rcenaries’ disposals were... necessary, but trust , your involvent was not planned."
Ciel watched as one of the guards peeked at Vipero, his gaze narrowing before it cast away to pretend ignorance.
Quia, who caught the sa sight, scoffed. "Even we know you’re full of shit. Stop following us."
And as they reached the carriage’s tail, the rchant pleaded with a weak, bending waist.
"I... I own up to my mistake, but trust , my life will be in danger if you refuse."
Ciel raised a brow as a whimper slipped into her ears. Sohow, the man’s image began turning 180 all of a sudden.
Vipero continued. "I don’t want to die yet, so... uh, I will overcompensate if deed necessary. I propose this to any classmate I t, and you two were not the exception."
Ciel stopped a few feet away from the carriage, clutching her chin as she raised her head.
Quia went ahead of her, heads turning to urge Ciel away from the stalker rchant, before Ciel teased over her shoulder.
"Would you propose the sa deal to Shire Lirene as well?"
Recalling the rcenaries’ burn wounds, a full picture began to form in Ciel’s mind.
It seed their eting with Vipero was actually coincidental. The rchant was rely looking for excuses to ’remove’ the rcenaries.
But the deal just now? Judging by the sheer terror paling Vipero’s face, Ciel’s guess hit dead on.
She cast a flat glare at Vipero. "I’ve actually t her, all beaten up and injured, possibly ambushed by an experienced team."
Despite the rcenary team’s easy defeat, Ciel could observe that they retained so semblance of teamwork.
Could they be the ones who ambushed Shire? The possibility nagged at Ciel’s head, yet her chase of thoughts broke upon a rustle in the air.
The carriage, with its rear draped with a curtain, unfolded itself to reveal a gap into the darkness within.
Blood-red eye, small and glowing, prowled the void, watching Ciel and others with a predatory, trembling glint.
Ciel killed a gasp inside, as a figure began to erge behind Vipero.
"Believe it or not, I did this for pure self-defence!"
The rchant’s rambling went on and on, unaware of a tinier, creeping presence behind his back.
"She’s the one who attacked first! Our families had a deal, and that bitch just had to ruin it! I did not-"
His annoying voice finally ceased. No, he rely could not talk.
As a firm, delicate grasp clutched onto his neck, the rchant’s skin skittered with utter fear.
And from behind his broad shoulder, the blood-red eye lingered on Ciel, curious.
Without any words, sparks burst from his throat to threaten a silence.
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