Chapter 21 Three To One

Mael's sudden lash-out was weird and uncalled for Raith, even though he had predicted a betrayal based on Mael's pretense so far. He didn't expect that the one the held dear and called his friend would be holding a grudge towards him and would think of him this way.

An embodiment of failure.

Mael was the one that gave him words of hope every time he thought he couldn't amount to anything, Mael was the one that told him it might be possible to switch archons, that maybe there was still hope for him and he shouldn't give up.

Mael's words of encouragement in Raith's heart had built a stronghold of persistence and are one of the reasons why Raith had not committed suicide and can survive the harsh three months.

Three months of good friendship, it wasn't long but for Raith who had never had a true friend, it meant much. But it seems this young man has been harboring some ill-thoughts toward him while smiling at him. Maybe he wouldn't have recognized it if he didn't go to the abyss.

But Raith was not about to naively seek for an understanding or an explanation–his expression said that much.

His brows were furrowed and his heterochromia eyes shone with bitterness and irritation as they focused on Mael.

"Those words... I won't ask you to take them back. And I will take it that those are your feelings from the moment that we met. Is it the money you need so badly? or you can't just stand the sight of me?"

"Damn... will you look at this bastard. Staying there and talking to me calmly, 'is it the money you need so badly...ye yen yen yen...

Mael mimicked him with a mockery pout and tone tuning.

"Scram all that! Give me the money and I'm not asking."

Mael said and swung his hand to the front—apparently, he had swiftly pulled out a pair of black daggers from behind him. And Raith had no idea it was there.

"You are not even going to wait for us to get to the tunnel?"

"It doesn't matter where we do this... I have the upper hand."

Two men walked into the room as Mael spoke, Raith recognized the somewhat fat one —the guard they met outside a few hours ago.

And the other, he didn't pay that much attention to him but he was there too a few hours ago.

"So you all were in on this from the start?"

"From the start? kukukukukkkyuuu"

Mael let out a shoulder-shuddering laugh with his face buried in his palm.

"You really are a naive little noble. What did you expect from a place called the black market? All I did was offer them a fee higher than that which they are getting paid... illegal activities are what makes this place the black market. Don't be so foolish."

"As expected, you have been here multiple times."

"Yes and this is not my first time doing this, how do you think I'm able to afford to live in Rembrandt estate? You think a 20,000 leus monthly payment from the store keeps me living large and get me fine clothes?"

Mael cocked his head with an irritated glare as he pointed the dagger to Raith who was standing still and had not taken a step since.

"But I must admit, I have never gotten a deal such as yours and I thought I could pull it off on my own but looks like my dear friend isn't so dear after all. Nobles like yours ruined my family, I'm just collecting a ruination tax... yeah see it as that."

"You talk too much, let's get this over with before someone comes in."

As his bulky physique would have suggested, his voice was thick. He clenched his fist and focused his attention on Raith's hand.

"Is that it?"

"Yes..."

"I'm collecting my ten million, no games."

"Sure"

Mael responded to the man diligently with a grin.

"Come here handsome!"

He dashed at Raith with a shout spreading his arms in the air for a grapple but Raith's kick reached him first.

~pow!~

Sending back three staggering steps.

"Tch"

'...the power didn't come out as I'd envisioned'

Raith's face was gloomy as he shifted his gaze and keenly observed the three of them.

"Wow, I guess a failed hero is still a hero after all."

Mael scoffed and lunged at Raith, his eyeballs thinning in as he spread into the distance in a brief second reaching Raith in that instance.

Raith with widened eyes dodged Mael's sequential swings, –moving back, bending his head, dodging left and right till his back was against the wall.

~kraank!~

The last swing scratched the wall as Raith rolled out of Mael's space and immediately was countered by the second guard with a low kick.

He quickly got up regardless –he had taken more beaten than they could ever imagine, right now their attacks were like a mosquito bite compared to how rough Thard-Harl treated him.

It was when he stood up and gave himself and the three of them some distance they noticed.

"Hey... where is the case?"

The bulky guard said with a frustrated glare and annoyed tone.

"His right"

Mael's tone was low, they scanned around the room while maintaining their positions but the case could not be seen in any visible corner.

"You bastard, what trick are you playing now?"

Mael's tone was a bit lower than before with a befogged face.

'It's a good thing they don't know about inventory...'

A corner of Raith's lips curved upwards and he subtly released a degrading scoff.

The three of them were adjacent to each other with Raith at the center but too far for the person he was directly opposite to reach in a matter of seconds.

The bulky guard was towards his left and considering his weight Raith determined that he would be slow. The only problem is...

Raith's gaze slowly drifted to Mael,

'...he's a level E... I don't even know if I measure up to him since I have never gone for an evaluation. But from his speed from earlier, I can tell that his paces are quick'

Raith carefully scrutinized for who he should lunge at as serenity played with the atmosphere between the three for a few more minutes.

~creak~

Like a call waiting to be answered, the door opened and an amber-blonde-haired lady whose figure shone beautifully even though her face was masked and her body was tightly blanketed by a black gown.

The unexpected entrance put the four in a brief moment of incomprehension –the three of them actually.

"Oh, my God! Thank God you are here Ma'am, they are trying to gang up on me!"

Raith was quick to jump on the uptake.