Vol. 5 ITRG Volume 5 Chapter 14.2

Vol. 5 ITRG Volume 5 Chapter 14.2



At first glance, it was a visibly seedy neighborhood. It was the first time in his life that he had ever set foot in the dens of crime and lust called the bottom place. A maze of filthy, dimly lit alleys where, true to its reputation, the rough and tumble wandered with dangerous glares. Aeroc knew there was a brothel on the edge of this street.

“It should be here somewhere.”

With knowledge gleaned from questionable members of high society, Aeroc explored the bottom place. He was stunned by the filth, with dirty cats, dogs, and even swarms of rats scurrying about, and wherever the sewers were clogged, the foul-smelling filth pooled in deeply. Carefully stepping to avoid dirtying his shoes, Aeroc encountered a door unexpectedly opening. The narrow alley was completely blocked by the opened door.

Creak.

The person who opened the door splashed water onto the path. It was filthy, with something rotten mixed in, and hot steam rose from it. The door slammed shut again. Startled, Aeroc caught a glimpse of eyes looking this way from the end of the street. Someone with a massive body, wearing filthy clothes adorned with outdated lace, grinned with a malicious smile, their fingers moving suggestively. With heavy makeup, it was impossible to discern if they were a woman or a man.

“Did you come here for an Omega? If so, what about me? Despite my looks, I have yet to experience anything, my lord.”

“Ah...... no. No.”

Struck by absurd propositions, Aeroc abandoned his previous intentions. He had no intention of attempting anything with someone who clearly hadn’t bathed properly. He’d rather skip all the hassle and go with a dysentery patient who bathed twelve times a day. No more having the intention of trying to find his solution here, Aeroc turned around and started back the way he came. He regretted his impulse over and over again. How nonsensical it was, how foolish.

Thud, thud.

Thud, thud, thud.

Aeroc felt an unpleasant presence stirring behind him. He glanced back to see two men, looking rather menacing and whispering to each other, following him at a distance. At first, he thought it might be his hypersensitive imagination, but to test, he turned into a narrower alley, and they followed suit. It was clear they were tailing him. Despite trying to shake them off by taking various turns, they didn’t easily disappear. Whenever it seemed like they were gone, they would suddenly narrow the gap and reappear.

Aeroc circled around and around until he came to an unfamiliar alley, and they were gone. Thank goodness, it seemed he managed to lose them.

“Where am I now?”

Aeroc couldn’t tell how far in the bottom place he had gone. Fortunately, it was still daylight. Aeroc looked left, right, and center for the direction of the sun in the sky. If he kept going in one direction, he would somehow get out. However, just as Aeroc was about to confidently resume his original path, those men appeared abruptly at the other end of the alley.

“Where are you going so hastily?”

“You look quite well-off. Let’s share some of that.”

It was surprising to see thugs roaming unrestrained in broad daylight, but it seemed like they’d turn to robbery if given the chance. Money was not the issue. If they were beggars and not muggers, Aeroc would have given them his wallet due to sympathy. But Aeroc had no desire to give in to their threats. As a grown alpha male, he wasn’t a pathetic coward who couldn’t defend himself. Aeroc turned the cane made of a sturdy material upside down.

The approaching figures entered striking distance. He swung the ornament on the end of his cane like a club and struck one in the jaw.

Wham.

“Ack!”

As the man went down, Asroc slammed his cane into the temple of the other man, who stiffened in panic.

“Ouch!”

The other winced in pain. Aeroc pushed past them both and sped out of the alley.

“Son of a bitch! I won’t let you get away with this!”

“I’ll cuss you till your pretty face becomes blue!”

“There are two more people.”

“They’re both oozing with grease.”

“Let’s finish them all.”

Whatever grudge they held, the thugs pulled small daggers from their pockets. The stains on the dirty blade seemed to be more than just rust.

“I’m sorry. They’re after me. These bad people.”

“Of course they are, those filthy bastards will always snatch my people away.”

With that, Bendyke tried to tuck Aeroc behind him. A romanticist might have taken this as a heart-throbbing wonderful gesture, but not Aeroc. If anything, it made him feel even more disrespected. Moreover, when did Aeroc become his persom? He shook off the shoving arm and turned to face Bendyke, who gave him a fearsome glare.

“Stay back. It’s dangerous.”

“I am capable of defending myself.”

“Your paltry abilities are none of my business!”

The angry alpha shouted with a roar, and Aeroc wasn’t the only one startled by the rumbling cry. The thugs who were laughing wickedly also seemed taken aback. Somewhere, there was a sound of a door creaking open or hastily closing.

Aeroc’s eyes widened, and Bendyke spoke in a bitter voice.

“It’s my role to get blood-stained. Aeroc, you just stay... in your flawless self. That’s how it should be. Because this time I want to protect you...... please.”

In his boiling anger, an indescribable earnestness permeated. The sight Bendyke showed now was nothing compared to the gaze directed at Rapiel. It was a gaze filled with desperate determination, having barely struggled through the flames of pain and despair. Why he had such thoughts, Aeroc didn’t know, but it was like that.

“Then, do so.”

Aeroc stepped back obediently. Bendyke let out a long sigh and muttered something low. Aeroc caught a glimpse of the words: second, another chance, god, grateful. Was the guy thanking the god for giving him a second chance? Aeroc wondered what was this second chance, and what made the devil-like guy thanking the god, but it wasn’t the time to ask that right now.

Bendyke stood upright, facing the thugs, his hands clad in tough-looking leather gloves and holding an unusually thick and long cane. It was the same metal that had blocked Aeroc’s sword earlier.

Swooosh.

Unlike Aeroc’s, Bendyke’s cane had a long sword through a twist of the handle. It was a fairly classic weapon, one that had been rarely seen lately, and the blade was eerily sharp, not a mere decoration. It was spotted with black stains, but the color was nothing compared to the dagger in the thugs’ hand. The blade glowed ominously.

“Now, you bastards.”

The smirk on his face was creepy. The thugs looked at each other. They exchanged glances as if to see who would make the first move, and then one of them yelped and lunged. Bendyke waited, then swung his sword in the guise of cane.

What was this guy doing here? And with such a terrifying item?

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