All that happened in an instant, no one saw it coming.
As Kai stood in his place petrified, Oliver rolled on the ground and shouted in pain. Everly's fist was small and thin, to him, her punch felt like an arrow piercing his stomach.
" IS THIS A FUCKING KID'S STRENGTH?!!! YOU FREAKING MONSTER! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!!! "
" No! Pretty Kai is mine! Stay away!! "
' why do I feel like it's my fault? '
Lennox felt a headache raising within him. This group was the worst combination he had ever made. A grown-up adult seriously fighting with a child for future wife, a teenager frozen in his place with his soul hanging at the corner of his body, and a hundreds years old vampire sulking because of a stupid bird.
This really wasn't the team you would want to work with....
' at this rate, the night will end before we finish any work properly '
Lennox brushed his face with both his hands. By the time he dropped his hands, everyone except for Everly snapped out of their foolishness and wore troubled expressions.
Lennox was releasing his pheromones.
With the sudden silence, Everly sense that something was wrong. She walked towards Lennox after seeing Kai's shivering hands, as he was the most affected by the pheromones between them.
" Ah! Lennox, you are scaring people again! Stop it, pretty Kai doesn't like it! "
" you are being loud "
He seized the hand that was heading to grab on his hair and pulled her closer. Lennox warped his left arm around her and seized her other hand, immobilizing her movement.
Usually, this was supposed to be a romantic scene where they stare at each other with wind blowing their hair and classic music on the background.
But NO.
Everly was looking at Lennox like an angry street dog as she struggled to break free. While Lennox was busy disciplining his subordinates that he totally ignored her.
" I seem to have been too soft, that you have forgotten your places "
Although he always had a cold tone, the three men could sense the blood-curdling threat underneath it. Bun-Bun quickly knelt and dropped his head down.
" We dare not be ungrateful to your kindness, my lord "
" We were just joking, you don't need to be angry, your highness "
Oliver averted his gaze as he had a crooked smile on his face. The terror that overwhelmed his heart instinctively suppressed his usual rude remarks. Lennox scoffed as he let out a short laugh.
" angry? Not at all. You already know what is it like when I am angry "
gulp.
Oliver swallowed his dry saliva with shaking lips. He recalled what happened three years ago. The day that installed fear in the hearts of every single one within the entire capital, the day their crown prince showed his real wrath.
Seeing that they seemed to take things seriously, Lennox withdrew his pheromones. Kai finally breathed freely. Out of the people here, he was the weakest life form thus, the one to be affected by Lennox's pheromones more.
Lennox looked at the squirming stick in this arms nonchalantly.
' I still have no idea why she can't feel my pheromones '
" then back to business. We will be splitting to three. Zombie girl and I will go for the witches then head to Maria Green gambling house for some business. Oliver, you go down the red-light district and bring me a woman called Jennifer Arlie, I want her alive. And you- "
" Bun-Bun! "
" Yes, Bun-Bun. I want Baron Zalthon's head. Spare anyone who doesn't resist and burn everything else "
Even if he accompanied Everly with whatever she wants, Lennox still had his own stuff to do. Well, considering his body age, all he could do was to move the pieces from shadows. However, there were few things that he needs to personally attend to.
" Then I will take Kai to find that woman and meet you at Maria Green later "
" I never said you can go with Kai "
It happened in a split second after Lennox responded to Oliver. It was a blink-and-miss-it moment. Lennox saw a venomous sneer by the corner of his eyes. A malicious smirk that did not suit her baby face appeared and disappeared in instant, no one should have detected it.
Lennox's body froze stiff. He seized Everly's jaw and pulled it close to his.
' am I imagining thing? I must be, for sure '
Although he decided to not believe what he saw, Lennox still did not let go of her face and kept staring at her. And yes, he looked weird.
' your highness (my lord), this distance is very suspicious.... ' ×3
" Why are you sticking your face on me? Go away "
Lennox let go of Everly's hands after he finally gave up. Everly stepped away from him and cheerfully hopped towards Kai, who was lamenting his poor life, clung on his waist with a wide beam.
" pretty Kai! Pick me up, Let's go "
" I never said Kai is coming with us either "
" Eh "
If he was not going with them, then why did she bring him here? She even had to talk to some crazy women to find his room. BUT HE IS NOT GOING WITH THEM??
Lennox responded to Everly's nonplussed face with a sigh. He walked towards the girl and grabbed her from the back of her collar.
" I had no intention to involve Kai in this. And I still don't "
" but- "
" no buts, get your ass here "
He pulled her away from the young man and covered her mouth. Lennox looked at Kai with an inspecting gaze as he said.
" you, take a couple of days off and head back home tomorrow. Go see your sister "
Kai was taken aback by the sudden break he was given out of blue. By the time he opened his mouth to respond, Lennox had already left, dragging Everly with him. Leaving him alone with Oliver and Bun-Bun.
What made Kai's mood even worse was what Bun-Bun said after pulling a pack from his pocket.
"Mr Montfort, would you like to have some sunflower seeds? I have chocolate too, but I don't think it's good for you to eat it "
"..."
" Damn. This man is on drugs "
******
As the night deepened, all citizens closed their shops and headed back to their cosy houses with only inns and bars' that were full of life.
Lennox looked at the old yet decent building in front of him. The lights were dim but still enough to illuminate its name plate.
[ The lady, book store ]
With his arms crossed on his chest, Lennox said doubtfully.
" you sure this is the place? "
" Yup. I never forget anywhere master take me "
' never huh.....'
Lennox shrugged his shoulders and took a step forward as he said nonchalantly.
" Alright, let's go "
Ti-ring
Lennox pushed the door and walked into the store like he owned the place, while Everly followed behind him with baby steps.
The owner of the store did not say anything and looked at Lennox in silence, instead, Everly popped her head from behind Lennox.
" Hello, uncle. We are going to the second floor "
The owner did not respond to her. He opened the drawer by his side and pressed a button hidden at the farthest corner.
Clank.
Shhhhhh
A staircase descended from the ceiling leading to a small door at the end. Lennox's thick skin perfectly hid his astonishment, the reason he couldn't feel any magical flow was because there was nothing related to magic. These stairs were attached mechanically.
" close the door if you are leaving "
' leaving? No, we are going up '
Without any more words, Lennox walked up the staircase and opened the small door. His physique was one of a child, naturally, the door size fitted him well.
The second floor had only a single candle illuminating a small portion of the table everything else was hidden in the dark. Lennox walked in and Everly followed behind then closed the door.
" wow, this is creepy as fuck "
" hn, I don't like grimoires either. They make fun of me when master isn't around "
Everly picked the candle and walked to the farthest wall facing them. A large magical circle could be seen once darkness faded from there.
" Okay, open it "
" what? "
" the gate. You know I can't use magic "
The moment she said that, eerie voices similar to a broken Alexa sounded from the bookshelf behind them. Laughing creepily
" you heard that? She can't cast magic even with all that divine mana covering her "
" kekeke, what a pitiful thing "
" must be fun being a loser "
" hahahahaha "×4
The weird books with a real mouth and sharp teeth on their covers laughed awfully that Lennox couldn't bear with it.
One second.
It took him one second of glaring to make the witless books pretend to be dead tree leaves. Lennox's face stiffened when he returned his gaze back to Everly.
" Are you crying? "
" no "
Everly answered as a waterfall ran from her eyes down her cheeks.
" Okay...."
Lennox decided to act like he can't see anything. He felt awkward as he waited for her to finish crying.
" so...should I perform black magic or the usual dominant magic? "
" you can use black magic?!!! "
Everly widened her eyes as she looked at Lennox with an odd expression. The shock was clearly visible on her, but there was also anger, sadness and admiration.
Emotion cocktail? I don't know.
Lennox hesitated to answer, but also couldn't ignore her gaze directed at him.
" um, yes....? "
Everly's frown deepened. Her tears poured harder as she glared at him.
' HOLY COW!!! what the hell is wrong with you?!! '
" you didn't answer me yet. What should I use? "
Everly took a deep breath before answering him. Her tears calmed a bit, but still flowing:" dominant magic *sob If you use black *sob magic, we will end up at the staffs' office instead of reception *sob desk "
" isn't it better? We will have to kill them all at the end, right? "
" what? "
" what? "
Both Everly and Lennox looked at each other with blank faces. He was planning on massacring everyone at the witches' league. She almost brought a ticking bomb to her brother's bank!!