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LILLE waited for Ark outside while he settled the payment. She absent-mindedly watched the world go by, the large sack of sweets resting at her feet.
She noticed that everyone happily sauntering down the street wore beautiful clothing. Other girls her age passed by, but unlike Lille, they looked like mature young women, some of them even wearing makeup. Until recently, she had been completely isolated, meaning the only face she knew was her own. Even when she had arrived at Charles’s house, her only point of reference was men, so her appearance hadn’t bothered her. But as she watched regular girls going about their lives, she couldn’t help but feel pathetic in comparison.
Although she was exactly the same height she had been that morning, she felt as though she had suddenly halved in size, and was shrinking more by the second. Her palms, her chest, her personality… Everything about her seemed far too small.
A flash of golden hair out of the corner of her eye abruptly distracted her from her thoughts.
“Master Charlie?” she mumbled curiously.
Despite Ark’s instruction to stay put, she was unable to stop her legs from giving chase, leaving her bag behind. She found herself in an alley that branched off from the main street, Charles nowhere to be seen. She must have imagined it; there wasn’t anyone there, much less him. All that stood before her was an empty, gloomy street, not a single soul in sight. She had lived by herself for years and years without a second thought, but in that moment, for some reason, loneliness overwhelmed her.
“Master Charlie…” she whimpered.
Why did she feel like crying all of a sudden? She had never felt so unbearably sad, even in the tower. And ever since Charles had taken her in, her heart had barely a moment’s rest from happiness and excitement. So why were tears welling up in her eyes? She was acting like a lost child. Loneliness had never affected her like this before; she didn’t understand what was happening.
As she stood rooted to the spot, her head low, a sudden force struck her from behind, making a dull thwack. She stumbled, and only just managed to prevent herself from tumbling to the ground.
“Ugh, would ya believe that? Ya made me spill my drink! Now do somethin’ about it!” an irritated, threatening voice yelled down at her.
When she looked up, she saw two young men. They must have bumped into her. Judging by their reddened cheeks, they had been drinking all afternoon. They reeked of alcohol, and even Lille could tell they were considerably drunk.
“I’m…I’m sorry,” she stuttered. A heated, hostile energy surrounded them, and she instinctively backed away.
“Huh? What’re ya runnin’ for?”
“We’re the victims here, y’know! It isn’t nice to act like you’re scared.”
“But…” she squeaked. But I can sense a dark aura from you, and it is scary. They didn’t seem like they would leave her alone her if she said that out loud, though.
“Wait a sec. If ya look closely, she’s actually pretty cute,” one of the men sneered, leaning in to stare at her face.
“Ha! I never knew you were into little girls.”
“Nah, I mean…you can see she’s got some fancy clothes on. If we’re lucky, she might be some sorta noble.”
“Ooh, good point. How ’bout we tie her up, then make her parents pay us to let her go?”
“Heh, you’re a genius.”
Lille’s face paled. “D-Don’t!” she cried. She didn’t want to cause trouble for Charles. And the two men were well-dressed; most likely they were from respectable families that would be distressed by their involvement in a crime as major as kidnapping. “I really am sorry for bumping into you…but I wouldn’t recommend doing anything so reckless. People would think you’re evil.”
“Wha—?!” Their faces turned even redder, not from alcohol, but anger.
“This cheeky little brat isn’t worth listenin’ to!” one spat, saliva flying from his mouth. Lille watched his pupils narrow, as if he were a ferocious, predatory animal mid-hunt.
Just as she thought they were about to grab her, a tremendous crack resounded through the air. A glowing wall stretched out in front of her, sending them flying backward.
“Damn it, that hurts…” one complained.
“That brat did something,” the other groaned. Their bodies had slammed into the alley wall, and they were painfully struggling to right themselves. Lille looked down at them, dumbfounded. She had no idea what just happened but decided to save thinking for later. For now, she needed to move.
“Ack! She’s getting away!”
“Don’t you dare!”
Her feet tangled underneath her, but she willed them forward. It was only a few yards back to the main street, but the distance seemed vast. Just a little farther, and she would be out of the alley. But as soon as she felt the sunlight on her skin again, and heard the clamor of the crowd, she ran straight into somebody else.
“Whoa!”
“I’m sorry!” she yelped. Although she had barreled into the person at full speed, the impact wasn’t nearly as powerful as her earlier collision, and the person didn’t budge an inch. Instead, he hugged her tight, safely bringing her to a stop.
“Lille? What were you doing down there?”
“Oh, Ark!” she breathed, relief clear in her voice. He had the same familiar smell and sturdy physique as he did in bird form, and she clung to him desperately, trying to calm herself down.
“What’s wrong? You look like you’re about to cry… Hm?” His tone turned suspicious when he looked up to see the two men emerging from the alley, staggering. “…What did you do to our precious young lady?”
A flame flickered deep within Ark’s eyes. His voice was composed, but Lille saw that his red hair was standing on end. Despite his human form, she could sense the presence of a colossal, wicked bird with the power to hunt the fiercest of carnivores. His red-hot anger seemed to ignite the air, making it shimmer in a haze of heat. For the first time, Lille felt like she was witnessing Ark’s true nature.
“Eek!”
“Th-This guy’s not normal!”
As though struck by an invisible force, the two men suddenly scurried away, not daring to look back.