Venom Fang trailed behind Amelia, his steps measured and deliberate, his sharp eyes scanning the bustling streets of Sedona City for the perfect moment to strike up a conversation. He knew better than to attempt anything as reckless as abducting a young girl in broad daylight on a crowded street. Such an act would be tantamount to suicide, especially in a city as heavily patrolled as this one. Within minutes, he would likely find himself surrounded by the city's vigilant patrol knights, a force he had learned to respect—and fear—over the past few days.
The presence of these so-called "patrol knights" was a mystery to Venom Fang. He couldn't quite understand why they were referred to as "patrol police" rather than simply knights, but their efficiency was undeniable. Just a few days ago, he had witnessed their swift response to a drunken merchant causing a disturbance in the marketplace. The man, along with several of his rowdy companions, had been apprehended in mere moments, their protests silenced by the knights' overwhelming martial prowess. Venom Fang, despite his confidence in his own skills, knew he stood no chance of escaping such a force if he were caught. Discretion, not bravado, was the key to his survival in this city.
It was precisely this caution that had led him to target Amelia instead of more prominent figures like Ayesha, Nicole, or Helen—women who, under different circumstances, might have been ideal sources of information about the castle's inner workings. But the ever-present threat of the patrol knights had forced him to lower his sights, to focus on someone less likely to draw immediate suspicion. A young girl, he reasoned, would be far easier to manipulate, far less likely to pose a threat. After all, children were often naive, trusting, and easily swayed by a kind word or a shiny coin. Or so he thought.
Tap, tap, tap…
Venom Fang followed Amelia at a careful distance, his heavy boots clicking softly against the cobblestone street. The crowd around them began to thin as they moved away from the city's central thoroughfare, and he saw his chance. Quickening his pace, he closed the gap between them and stepped in front of Amelia, blocking her path with his broad frame. He plastered a warm, disarming smile on his weathered face, his thick beard and honest features lending him the appearance of a kindly, harmless merchant.
"Excuse me, little miss," He began, his voice dripping with feigned sincerity, "Might I trouble you to ask about something?"
"No," Amelia replied flatly, her face an impassive mask of indifference, her green eyes cold and unyielding.
"Uh…" Venom Fang's smile froze, his carefully rehearsed charm faltering in the face of her blunt rejection. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. People—especially children—were supposed to at least hear him out, to engage in the polite back-and-forth that would allow him to worm his way into their trust. Was his appearance really that intimidating? He didn't think so. Back in his hometown, his rugged, honest face had always been considered unthreatening, even endearing. Clearly, this girl was an anomaly.
Amelia, meanwhile, tightened her grip on the paper bag containing her pizza, her small hand brushing against the chain spike concealed on her wrist. Without sparing the stranger another glance, she stepped around him, her movements swift and purposeful as she continued on her way toward the orphanage.
Venom Fang rubbed his cheek, his frustration mounting, but he quickly composed himself and hurried after her, once again stepping into her path. "Please, it's really just a small matter," He said, his voice taking on an even more ingratiating tone. "A cute little girl like you—I promise I'll only take up a tiny bit of your time, nothing more."
"You're ugly," Amelia shot back, her voice as cold as a winter wind, her expression unchanging as she sidestepped him once more and continued on her way.
Venom Fang: ???
His eye twitched, his hand instinctively rising to his chest as if to soothe the sting of her words. Ugly? He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. He couldn't afford to lose his temper, not now. This was just an unusual encounter, he told himself, a minor setback. Perhaps the girl's mind was… not quite right. Yes, that must be it. He needed to be patient, to adapt his approach. After all, most people, even wary ones, would at least listen to what a stranger wanted to ask, providing an opening for manipulation. But this girl? She had shut him down without a second thought.
And then there was the second attempt—his tried-and-true tactic of flattery, complimenting her appearance to lower her guard, only for her to turn it around and insult him. Ugly? Really? What did his looks have to do with anything? Had he eaten her food? Slept in her house? The audacity of this child was infuriating, but Venom Fang prided himself on his professionalism. He couldn't let a mere girl rattle him.
Huff… huff…
Venom Fang took a deep, steadying breath, his eyes scanning the thinning crowd around them. Amelia was already several paces ahead, her small figure moving steadily toward her destination. Gritting his teeth, he jogged to catch up, once again positioning himself in front of her, blocking her path with a forced smile.
"Little miss, this question is really important to me," He said, his voice taking on a more persuasive edge. "If you answer it, I'll give you five copper coins. How about that?"
Amelia's green eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of suspicion crossing her otherwise impassive face. She could tell now—this man wasn't just a random stranger. He was deliberately targeting her, though for what purpose, she couldn't yet discern. "Not important to me," She replied coldly, her tone leaving no room for negotiation.
Venom Fang: ???
He stared at her, utterly dumbfounded, his mind struggling to process her response. Was this girl's brain waterlogged? Why was she focusing on the wrong thing? Shouldn't she be jumping at the chance to earn five copper coins, like any normal child would? What kind of kid didn't care about money?
"Huh? Why did you stop walking?" Venom Fang asked, his voice tinged with surprise as he noticed Amelia pause in her tracks. A spark of hope flared in his chest—had his persistence finally paid off? Was she about to listen to him?
Amelia's cold gaze flicked up to meet his, her expression unreadable. Beneath the paper bag she held, her small hand had already closed around the chain spike on her wrist, her fingers tracing its sharp edges as she weighed her options. For a brief moment, she considered putting an end to this annoyance—imagining the satisfying thud of the chain spike striking this irritating man, leaving him writhing on the ground in pain. But then she remembered Lucas's stern instructions: no unnecessary violence, no drawing attention. With a faint sigh of regret, she abandoned the tempting thought, stepped around the stranger once more, and continued on her way to the orphanage.
"…" Venom Fang stood frozen, his mouth agape, his mind reeling from the sheer absurdity of the situation. What was this? She had stopped, looked at him, and then just… walked away? Without a word? He, a seasoned assassin ranked 118th on the underground bounty hunter leaderboard, had been utterly defeated in a battle of wits by a mere child. The humiliation was almost too much to bear.
But no—he couldn't accept failure. Not him, not Venom Fang, a man who prided himself on his cunning and resourcefulness. Squaring his shoulders, he chased after her once more, his voice taking on a desperate edge as he called out, "Little miss, how about ten copper coins for just one question?"
Amelia's cold, impassive face didn't so much as twitch as she continued walking, ignoring him completely.
"Twenty copper coins, then?" Venom Fang pressed, his voice rising slightly in frustration.
"…"
"One silver coin—how about that? It's really just a small matter, I swear," He said, his tone growing more insistent.
"…"
"Ten silver coins!" Venom Fang growled, his teeth grinding together as he spat out the words. "That's all the money I have, you little—!" He caught himself, forcing a strained smile. He refused to believe he couldn't win over a child, no matter how stubborn she was.
Amelia stopped in her tracks, her small hand extending outward, palm up. "Give me," She said, her voice as cold and unyielding as ever.
"Huh?" Venom Fang's eyes widened, his jaw dropping in disbelief. "You're agreeing?"
"Give me the silver coins, and ask," Amelia replied, her tone flat and emotionless as she shook her outstretched hand slightly. Ten silver coins for answering a single question—it was a small price to pay for wasting a few moments of her time, especially if it meant getting rid of this pest.
"Yes, yes, of course!" Venom Fang exclaimed, his excitement palpable as he fumbled in his pocket, pulling out a small burlap sack. He handed it to Amelia with trembling hands, his mind racing with triumph. This was it—finally, a breakthrough. The sack contained his entire fortune, but it was a small price to pay for the information he needed.
"Ask," Amelia said curtly, her words as sparse as ever as she tucked the sack into her pocket, her cold gaze fixed on the man she now mentally labeled as a fool.
"Uh…" Venom Fang opened his mouth, then hesitated, a sudden wave of unease washing over him. Something felt… off. Had he really just spent ten silver coins to ask a single question? Wasn't that the kind of thing only a complete idiot would do? He shook his head, trying to dispel the creeping sense of doubt. No, no, he was just getting carried away, letting his frustration cloud his judgment. He needed to focus, to make this count.
"Three seconds," Amelia said, her voice cutting through his thoughts like a blade. She took a small step back, her hand tightening around the chain spike, her fingers poised to strike if necessary. "One, two…"
"Wait, wait, I'm asking now!" Venom Fang blurted out, waving his hands frantically to stop her countdown. "How do I get into the castle to meet the city lord?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Venom Fang wanted to slap himself. What was he doing? This was the kind of question you worked up to, the kind you tricked someone into answering through careful manipulation and subtle probing. Why had he blurted it out like an amateur? He had let his desperation get the better of him, and now he feared he had ruined everything.
Amelia's cold gaze lingered on him for a moment, her expression unreadable. "Go through the front gate," She said flatly, her voice devoid of emotion as she stepped around him once more, continuing on her way as if the exchange had never happened. Such a question was so absurdly basic that even Dale, the dim-witted boy from her class, could have answered it. Why would anyone need to ask something so obvious?
"Go… through… the… front… gate," Venom Fang repeated, the words echoing in his mind like a cruel taunt, each syllable punctuated by the image of ten silver coins slipping through his fingers. He stood there, frozen, his mouth hanging open as he watched Amelia's small figure disappear into the distance. If he could just waltz through the front gate, would he have needed to ask in the first place? Ten silver coins—gone, just like that. Vanished into thin air, along with his dignity.
What was he going to do now? He had no money left. Where would he sleep tonight? What would he eat? Was he supposed to survive on snow? The bitter irony of it all gnawed at him—he, a master assassin, had been outwitted and swindled by a mere child. The humiliation was almost too much to bear.
"Excuse me, sir," A cold, menacing voice suddenly interrupted his spiraling thoughts, accompanied by the chilling sensation of a blade pressed against the back of his neck. "I'm afraid you'll need to come with me."
Venom Fang's blood ran cold, goosebumps erupting across his skin as the voice's icy killing intent washed over him. He didn't need to turn around to know he was in serious trouble.
"And I'd advise you to keep your hands still," The voice continued, its tone laced with a dangerous edge. "Unless, of course, you no longer have any use for them?"
"…" Venom Fang's pupils constricted, his heart pounding in his chest as he realized the gravity of his situation. His fingers, which had instinctively twitched toward the hidden dagger at his waist, froze mid-motion. Whoever was behind him had noticed the movement instantly—a testament to their skill and vigilance. This was no ordinary patrol knight. This was a predator, just like him, but one who held the upper hand.
What rotten luck, Venom Fang thought bitterly. Not only had he been fleeced of his money by a cunning little girl, but now he was about to be apprehended. Had his illustrious career as an assassin really come to such a pathetic end?
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