The warm scent of baked bread and oil-glazed cobblestone greeted them as the group entered the bustling port city of Flanders. Boats lined the harbor, the markets roared with life, and colors burst from every corner—from banners to flower stalls to unruly street performers juggling flaming batons. It was a city of opportunity... and crime.
Okay. Stop. It's cringe.
"Alright, team," Kyoko declared, hands on her hips, sharp eyes scanning the unfamiliar terrain like a seasoned commander, "Some rat bastard stole my phone, and I intend to shove my foot so far up their ass, they'll answer calls by coughing up ringtones."
Felt whistled, "You're really that worked up over a piece of metal?"
Kyoko spun, smiling sweetly, "No, Felt. I'm worked up because that 'piece of metal' is proprietary technology, and I had a deal with Russell Freaking Fellow to start my first line of phone products in this magic-ridden fantasy world. And now, thanks to some underground creeps, I'm watching my profits vanish."
"Well, damnnnn, now you know how hard is it to be poor."
"You could use my wealth if you want, milady—" Before Reinhard could finish his words, Kyoko had already shushed him; her index finger was placed on his soft lips.
"Shh, shhh, shh. Reinhard, I know you don't mind if I use your money, but I'm not that kind of sugar-baby golden digger. If I could, I wanted to support you too. From wealth and emotions. Or maybe a body too. I love how you are willing to spend money for me, but... See you working hard for me while I'm being useless...."
She dropped to her knees, her two fingers pressed against her forehead, and real tears coursing down her cheeks. It was like a scene from a drama where a girl faces rejection from her crush dramatically.
"I refuse to let you suffer like this for me!"
Castor and Felt whistling at the same time with a smirk.
"Smooth talk."
They both looking each other, blinking several times before turning their gaze away.
"Okay, Okay, that's enough playtime. Time for work."
Kyoko stood back, brushing the dust from her pants. She flipped her hair with a smile and pointed forward dramatically, "Operation: Phone Retrieval and Street Domination begins now!"
Reinhard blinked, "Street domination?"
Kyoko nodded proudly, "You know. Beat the local criminals, make them cry, and recruit them into my business empire. I'm tired of being poor."
Felt whistled again; this time, she was impressed, "You gotta be serious, big sis."
"Dead serious," Kyoko replied before tangling her finger on Reinhard's. Her smile so brightly despite having a mischievous thought behind it, "Alright, Reinhard! Let's enjoy our date!!!"
"D-Date? What's a date—Woah!!!"
And that's how Reinhard gets dragged by Kyoko into the main street of Flanders City.
From the shadows of a nearby rooftop, a cloaked figure watched them with keen interest—and a smirk. News of the "strange black-haired girl with a mouth like a noble's worst nightmare" had reached the ears of every criminal syndicate in town.
"She's here."
The game had just begun.
*
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*
"This bitches really have a courting session."
Across the plaza, Felt, Rom, and Castor watched from a nearby bench. Felt scowled, arms crossed. Rom looked around, perhaps wanting to find an interesting stall to buy food for Felt.
"Ahhh~ Say 'aah,'" she sang, holding it in front of his lips with a wicked smile.
Reinhard blinked, clearly aware that :
a) they were in public
b) people were watching
c) he could very well deny her.
But the moment he looked at her—her eyes sparkling, a faint smudge of cream at the corner of her mouth—he realized it was futile. He leaned forward slightly and took the spoon with a quiet "ah."
It was supposed to be reconnaissance.
Kyoko said they were going to scout the merchant district for any information on her stolen phone. That was the plan. That was what she told Felt, Rom, and Castor when they left the inn that morning.
So why were they now sitting at an outdoor café in Flanders, at a table covered with flower-patterned napkins, eating overpriced desserts?
Kyoko twirled a long spoon in her hand, scooping up a towering swirl of vanilla ice cream from a tall parfait glass. With practiced flair, she balanced a plump red strawberry on top of the spoon and turned toward Reinhard, who sat beside her.
"Are you sure you wanted to give me the strawberry?" He asked, with a faint smile.
"Yeah! Why? You don't like the strawberry?"
"It's not like that... I thought girls liked the strawberry. So, maybe you wanted to eat it by yourself."
"Awww!! You're so kind, Reinhard! But I don't mind if you eat the strawberry. Or perhaps..." Her lips moved to his ear, whispered in a siren voice, "You want me feeding it mouth to mouth?"
His cheeks became a vivid red as he firmly stated, "Milady.... We're in outside."
"Hehehe!! My bad, my bad—"
"OH!! FOR GOD SAKE!! COULD YOU TWO STOP BEING LOVELY DOVEY!? WE'RE HERE TO TAKE YOUR METAL TRASH THING!! NOT FOR YOUR DATE!!" Felt screaming, ready to throw hands before getting stopped by Castor.
Kyoko casually led on the railing, watching Felt from below, "What are you now, Felt? Subaru 2.0? I don't need another copy of my brother. Just one already gives me a headache."
"Well, you give me headaches too, big sis. Do I need to remind you that we're here—"
ZUPPPPP!!!
A sudden gust of wind rushed towards them, catching them off guard. In the blink of an eye, something streaked past them—faster than anything they had ever seen.
Then, Felt startled when she realized a different weight from her pocket. She rubbed her hips and searched for her treasure, only to find it was empty.
She whipped around, eyes darting, and caught a glimpse of a lanky man with tattered pants and a familiar ratty scarf bolting around a corner, followed by two equally scruffy figures.
"THAT BASTARDS!!!—"
"Oh! Isn't that a bunch of idiots that once beat Subaru's ass?" Kyoko nonchalantly lifted her hand to shield her eyes from the bright sunlight, straining to catch a glimpse of something in the distance.
"You mean the one who you beat until that man passed out?" Reinhard casually asked while finishing his last parfait.
"Yeah. That one—"
"COME BACK HERE, YOU SONS OF BITCH!!!!"
Felt screaming across the street, running as if she were in a marathon. Despite watching her run away like a gremlins, Rom didn't chase her and only sighed. He looks at Castor.
"Can you watch her?" Rom asked.
"Leave to me."
Kyoko gave a small wave and smiled happily, "Have fun. Don't blow any building yet, okay?"
"Gotta."
Felt dashed after the trio with astonishing speed, cutting through the crowd like a streak of gold and red. Castor followed silently, his cloak fluttering behind him like a shadow, one hand glowing faintly with magic.
*
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*
[Somewhere —In Dark Alley]
Down a narrow alley, Felt caught up quickly. Her eyes narrowed. She knew those greasy profiles. Rat-like Rachins, the oafish Gaston, and twitchy little Camberley.
"Hehehehe, we going have delicious dinner tonight!!" Rachins chuckled and tossed the heavy pouch playfully.
Gaston drooled excitedly, "Wuuuuuh!!! I can't wait to eat that expensive dish!!"
"And I can't wait to see those boobies and delicious women, hehehehe...." And there's little Camberley with his perverted thoughts.
Tap!!!
A loud step was heard from the entrance of the alley.
"Not so fast, motherfucker!! You can't get your free meal using my free salary!!" Felt standing confidently, pointed her finger forward while her other hand on her hips.
"The hell—?!" Rachins barked when he turned around and saw the blur closing in, "It's that brat!"
"I knew I remembered your ugly mugs!" Felt growled, "You morons really tried to rob me? You think you can run away like that!!?"
Camberley skidded to a halt, "Rachins, that's the blond punk who ran away before! Do you remember when we beat that ugly man in the alley!?"
"Ahh!! Didn't she just leave him behind with us? Isn't she like... One of the selfish brats in this world?"
"EXCUSE ME—"
Before Felt could finish her high-temper speech, an ice blade flew towards Rachins at high speed, only to land on another wall. Luckily, that thug dodged it on time. If it's not, he probably already lost his head.
Felt turned around to see the owner of the iceblade. She saw Castor walk casually and stand beside her while his hand froze.
"You guys talking too much. How about we talk with our fists instead of our mouths?"
"W-Who the heck you are!!?" Rachins yelled.
"Castor."
His answer is simple. No title, no power, no joke. Just a name.
"YOU LITTLE SHIT—"
Rachins was ready to fight, along with his friends, only for a whip of wind-formed magic to slam into his gut, knocking the air out of him and throwing him back against the alley wall.
"Rachins!!!" Camberley and Gaston scream for their friend.
Castor waved his hand, and a bright green circle popped up around him, disappearing into a sparkly dust. He looked around, feeling a bit let down, "I see. They're just a normal... thugs, huh?"
"You sound disappointed. Did you think they're great thieves or what?" Felt asked, mixed with a joke and sarcastic tone.
"Nahhhh... The story I hear from my mother is different than I imagined. I mean, you know, Flanders is the city of criminals during the nighttime, right?"
"You sure know about criminal's routine in this town, huh? Have you come here before?"
"No, This is my first time."
"Weird."
Before the thugs could regroup, Felt landed a spinning kick into Gaston's stomach while simultaneously grabbing her coin pouch from Rachins' limp fingers. Camberley tried to escape.... but a sudden magical barrier appeared at the alley's exit, sealing it shut with a glimmer.
The fight was over in seconds.
Thud!!
With a loud thud, the group of thugs dropped to the ground. Their body already gets tied by Castor's golden weave, the magic, of course.
"Alright, assholes!! Time to go back to jail!!" Felt shouted, slamming both of her hands with a grin.
"I thought we were going send them back to Lady Kyoko?" Castor asked, neutrally.
"Yeah, that girl is the warden."
*
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