Mist shrouded the fifth-floor hallway, obscuring the knights’ vision. Yet for Cale alone, the mist parted to create a path. As Cale strode ahead, Choi Han alighted beside him. “You’re back?”
“Return what you stole!” Edrich hollered. “It’s not meant for you classless riffraff!”
For fighters at Edrich and Gronica’s level, the mist didn’t present a serious challenge; they swept through the miasma, making a beeline for Cale and Choi Han. A patchwork of injuries covered Edrich’s body, while Gronica’s left shoulder was bleeding.
Cale glanced sidelong at Choi Han, who smiled. “It was just a light workout.”
The man didn’t have a scratch on him. This maniac is main character material, without a doubt.
Sighing, Cale shifted his attention to the male lion barreling toward them. Their eyes met. Without thinking, Edrich bellowed, “You crazy bastards! Don’t you know who we are? Give it back if you value your life!”
These scoundrels kept interfering with his organization’s plans. Edrich couldn’t imagine they would dare to do such a thing if they knew the organization’s true identity.
As Edrich watched, the masked man’s eyes curved into the shape of crescent moons. “It sounds to me like you’re the one with a death wish.”
The man’s voice was calm, but something about that placid tone made Edrich freeze. Gronica also jerked to a stop. Their animal instincts were warning them that this man was dangerous—that this interaction was life-or-death.
Gronica studied the man’s nonchalant posture. He was the only person here without a drop of blood on him.
Choi Han’s gaze shifted toward him as well. Every so often, Choi Han felt an undeniable charisma emanating from this man, Cale Henituse. Yet he’d never sensed such an overbearing aura coming from Cale until this moment.
How could a weak person manage this? he wondered. How could an aura like this radiate from someone who’d never fought for his life or even picked up a weapon in the first place? Choi Han kept his question to himself as he regarded Cale.
Meanwhile, Cale’s mind was bombarded with noise. ‹Human! Wh-why do you seem so intimidating? It’s like you’re as strong as my front paw—no, as strong as one of my wings!›
Cale disregarded Raon’s babbling, unleashing the Dominating Aura without restraint. Eyes trained on the two lions staring at him, he spoke up at last. “Aren’t you the ones who don’t know who we are?”
The lions flinched, and Edrich recalled what he’d just said: “You crazy bastards! Don’t you know who we are? Give it back if you value your life!”
He gulped. The masked man in front of him was difficult to approach, just like another distinguished individual he knew. In contrast to the man’s composure, Edrich’s hands were shaking. The man’s casual air, along with the way he seemed to look down on Edrich despite being eye to eye, left a deep impression on the lion.
“Just who do you think has spared your lives?”
The lions had no answer.
Never taking his eyes off them, Cale continued, “Your ignorance of certain matters puts you in more danger than you know.”
Ignorance? That was true. Edrich knew nothing about the people in front of him.
At last, he began to grasp his situation. These people were stronger than he was. Their forces included cats with the strength of the Mist Cat Tribe—the strongest tribe of cat beastfolk, to his knowledge—in ability. Most important of all, however, was the mysterious man in front of him, who treated him like an inferior.
Why am I still alive?
The answer to that question slowly dawned on Edrich. The second-born prince of lions had never known fear, but now his expression changed in an instant.
When their eyes locked again, the masked man was laughing. “You look scared,” he said.
Without a hint of concern, he turned his back on the lions. Edrich couldn’t find it in himself to charge; the masked man’s back seemed as broad as the mightiest mountain.
Choi Han observed all this in silence. As Cale walked by on his way to the window at the end of the hall, he whispered an order in a voice infused with authority. “That bristle-brain? Chop off that hay bale he calls a hairstyle. I think short hair would look good on him.”
“What?” Choi Han asked, perplexed. Then he met Cale’s exasperated gaze. “Will do, sir. I’ll join you when I’m finished.”
Raon cast flight magic on Cale, and Choi Han bade him farewell—then rushed toward the lions. Floating away from the manor, Cale caught a glimpse of Edrich’s terror-stricken face.
“Ahhh! M-my precious hair! My golden locks!”
Choi Han had zero fashion sense; his slashing left Edrich’s hair in shambles. As Edrich shrieked in dismay, Cale savored his distressed wails.
“Human, you’re finally smiling!”
Ignoring Raon, Cale started to clap. Then another sound devoured his applause.
Boom!
The towering wall that surrounded the estate buckled under the combined force of Archie’s punch, Faseton’s sword, and Rosalyn’s magic.
“What wonderful allies I have.”
The Seca estate’s imposing outer wall had stood for nearly a millennium. As Cale watched it begin to crumble, he went right on clapping. Next, using Raon’s magic to amplify his voice, he issued a command.
“Withdraw.”
Everyone faltered at the sound. His voice reverberated from the duke’s estate all the way across the entire noble district. It was then that Duke Rok Seca arrived on the scene—and nearly fainted.
When Archie saw the man’s reaction, he scoffed. “Is this wall really a thousand years old? No wonder it broke so easily! Ah ha ha ha ha ha!”
The killer whale made his retreat, followed by the rest of the group. In a matter of moments, Cale’s allies vanished from the Seca estate via their predetermined escape routes.
Guardian Knight Clope had taken his time returning, believing Arm and the Seca knights capable of handling things. When he reached the estate grounds afterward, his expression crumpled.