The next morning, I stepped out of the tavern, inhaling the stale air of the town. The wind was dry and lifeless, as if carrying whispers of decay. A stark reminder of the place we had found ourselves in.
I stretched my arms, shaking off the remnants of sleep. The night had been uneventful—surprisingly so. No attacks, no disturbances, just silence. But there was sothing different about the townsfolk today. Their gazes had changed.
Unlike the wary glances of yesterday, today they watched us. More intensely. More frequently.
I felt their stares prickling against my skin.
I sighed.
’People are always the sa, aren’t they? Fear first. Hatred second.’
Behind , the sound of footsteps echoed.
I turned to find Priscilla approaching, her steps small and reserved. She had her hands clasped in front of her, a habit I had noticed she did when nervous.
"Good morning," she greeted softly.
I smiled. "Good morning! By the way, how was your night?"
Her lips twitched into a wry smile.
She didn’t need to answer. Her tired eyes, darkened with heavy bags, spoke louder than words.
Still, I couldn’t help but tease her.
Before she could retort, the distinct clatter of hooves filled the air.
I turned my head toward the source of the sound, already knowing who it was before I even saw them.
A carriage, accompanied by a squad of mounted riders, was advancing in our direction.
The emblem on their armor—a half-crescent moon—glead under the daylight.
’The authorities, huh?’
Dust kicked up from the horses’ hooves, scattering in the air before saring across our faces.
The carriage ca to a halt in front of , the horses snorting and pawing at the ground impatiently. From inside the vehicle, the curtains rustled before an aged, wrinkled face erged.
The man’s expression was as groggy as it was displeased, his squinted eyes regarding with imdiate contempt.
"You despicable outsiders!" he spat. "For committing property damage in our land, you are hereby subjected to trial. You are ordered to cooperate... or else."
He let the words linger, allowing the unspoken threat to fester.
I almost chuckled.
It was ironic. I had done the exact sa thing before—to my own people. And now, here I was, on the receiving end.
’Karma is one hell of a bitch.’
I crossed my arms, tilting my head with an amused smirk. "And if I won’t?"
The man’s face crumpled into an ugly grimace.
His bloodshot eyes flicked to his subordinates, and with a sharp jerk of his head, he wordlessly ordered them forward.
The knights dismounted in unison, the weight of their armor making a dull thud as their boots hit the ground.
From the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Priscilla.
She had turned pale.
Her entire body trembled, her lips moving in silent prayers. Her knees nearly buckled as if she were seconds away from groveling at the old man’s feet.
Stupid girl.
She still trusted these people.
But before the knights could lay a single hand on —
The tavern doors creaked open.
Ben stepped out first, cracking his neck lazily. The mont his towering fra ca into view, the advancing knights hesitated. His spear, held loosely in his grasp, glead under the sun—a subtle yet obvious warning.
Mael followed shortly after, unsheathing his sword with a practiced ease. His usual cheerful expression was gone, replaced with cold calculation. Dark mist coiled at his feet, a foreboding presence ready to be unleashed at any mont.
Flavia erged last, rolling her shoulders as tiny flas flickered at her fingertips, swirling into small orbs of fire. She wasn’t even trying to be subtle.
And honestly? None of us cared enough to be.
The old man scowled, his fingers curling into fists. "What are you waiting for, you dimwits?! In the na of Lord Skin, arrest those criminals!"
I raised a brow.
’Lord Skin?’
Who the hell was that? So noble? A governor? The king?
Not that it mattered.
The knights snapped back to focus, their stances shifting as they cautiously stepped forward. Their hesitation was still evident, but with their orders given, they had no choice but to obey.
We didn’t move.
The tension thickened, stretching in the air like a taut rope—ready to snap.
And just as we were about to clash—
Priscilla stepped in.
Her entire fra quivered, but she stood her ground.
"Milord... t-t-these people... s-s-saved from dying," she stamred. "Th-that’s why the place got destroyed. It—"
Before she could finish, the old man cut her off with a sneer.
"So, it was your fault, not theirs. That’s what you’re saying."
She stiffened.
Then, slowly, hesitantly, she nodded.
A twisted grin curled his lips.
Even from the sidelines, I heard Flavia gag.
His expression was lecherous, a sick pleasure in his gaze as he studied the trembling girl before him.
"Then," he said, voice thick with amusent, "you shall be punished in their stead."
He straightened, eyes shifting to his n. "Knights, seize that peasant!"
The knights barely hesitated this ti.
She was no warrior. No mage. No threat.
A helpless, easy target.
I clenched my jaw.
’I did promise to help her...’
The first knight reached for her—
I moved.
And so did he.
A sharp crack rang through the air.
The next mont, the knight was gone.
Launched straight into a building.
The stone and wood crumbled like paper, collapsing with a deafening crash. A cloud of dust exploded from the impact.
The other knights froze.
The old man’s face twisted in a mixture of shock and rage.
"You fool! You’ve done it now! Knights! Apprehend that vermin!"
I sighed.
The mont they even flinched, I blurred.
In a blink, I was in front of the carriage.
With a single kick, the entire structure tilted.
The wood groaned from the force, a deep gash splitting the tal reinforcents. The carriage wobbled, then completely toppled, flipping with an ear-splitting crash.
Inside, the old man scread.
I cracked my knuckles.
Ti for the real fun to begin.
Striding toward the overturned carriage, I ripped the broken door open.
And there he was.
Curled up, shivering, his earlier bravado utterly shattered.
His eyes—wide, pupils shrunk in terror—t mine.
I smiled.
A slow, cruel smile.
Grabbing his face, I yanked him out, resisting the urge to crush his skull in my palm.
I slamd him onto the dirt.
Silence.
The knights didn’t move.
The townspeople didn’t breathe.
All eyes were on .
I chuckled, my grip tightening.
"Now," I murmured, my voice dripping with mockery, "shall we talk about this ’trial’ of yours?"
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