A stunning woman in a kimono walked past, her high wooden sandals accentuating her graceful gait. Her long pink hair was styled into cute bunny ears atop her head, and her elegant figure left onlookers lost in thought just from the sight of her back.
Two peculiar figures accompanied her. One was a hulking man with bulging muscles but an eagle's head for a face. The other had skin so pale it looked like it had been bleached, along with blackened lips and eyelids, long hair, and—like Gray—a habit of stripping down to nearly nothing. He was the epitome of an edgy delinquent.
It was natural to glance at a beautiful woman once, but staring too long would be rude. Jehfrit turned his attention elsewhere, snapping photos of other sights around him.
---
After a while, he found a restaurant for dinner. Coincidentally, the three individuals—the pink-haired woman now identified as Ikuto, the pale delinquent, and the bird-headed brute—were seated at the table next to his.
The pale-skinned punk spoke up, addressing Ikuto. "Captain Ikuto, you can't keep taking only regular missions. All the high-paying ones are snatched up by legitimate guilds, leaving us scraps!"
Ikuto sipped her sake, her voice smooth and sultry with a charming Kansai accent. "What missions I take is my choice."
"But you're short on money, aren't you?" the punk pressed. "If you accepted assassination requests, one job could pay what dozens of ordinary missions do! And lately, the new guildmaster has been unhappy. If not for our status as veterans or the lingering reputation of your predecessor—"
"If you disagree, feel free to join another team," Ikuto cut him off sharply, glancing at him sidelong. "Jack and I don't share the same path."
"No, that's not what I meant…" The punk forced a weak smile. "It's ultimately your decision, Captain."
"Ooooh, Jack was justice incarnate!" the bird-headed brute chimed in with a bizarre squawk.
"I'm not interested in justice," Ikuto replied coolly. "Enough of this talk—it might scare people. Let's finish eating and disband. I'll contact you when the next mission comes up."
"Yes."
"Ooooh."
The trio fell silent, focusing on their meals.
Jehfrit reviewed the photos he'd taken. At one point, Ikuto glanced up and caught sight of the camera beside him. Her pink lips parted slightly before she quickly closed them again.
---
After finishing his meal, Jehfrit decided to find an inn. As he walked, the surroundings grew increasingly desolate.
"Huh? Am I heading toward East Town?"
Just as he considered turning around, a child bumped into his leg.
"Sorry, mister," the child muttered apologetically before darting away.
Jehfrit reached into his pocket, chuckling softly when he realized some loose change was missing.
It wasn't much—just a handful of coins. The thief was just a kid, after all. If the child needed the money badly enough to steal, then perhaps it would genuinely help them. Even if they were mischievous, lecturing a troubled soul would only waste time and energy. Besides, it wasn't worth pursuing over such a small amount.
Had it been an adult, however, Jehfrit would have given them a lesson they wouldn't forget.
He resumed his search for lodging but soon found himself distracted by the town's bustling night market.
Night markets tended to be livelier than daytime ones. With children asleep, performances became bolder and more daring. Acrobats, dancers, and magicians took center stage. Even the magician's assistant wore outfits so skimpy they bordered on scandalous.
"I'm a magician too," Jehfrit mused wistfully, "but I don't have an assistant like that."
The thought reminded him of Blue Pegasus' Master Bob, sending shivers down his spine. He shook his head vigorously.
He was only eighteen—he couldn't handle Blue Pegasus' girls. Unless he were Jellal's age, maybe.
---
The child who stole from him slowed down after a block, relieved no one had followed. Opening his hand, he stared at the crumpled, damp coins.
"Sorry," he whispered to himself, smoothing out the bills before heading to a food stall.
"One roasted duck, please. Thank you."
"These look wet," the vendor frowned upon receiving the soggy money.
"Sorry," the boy apologized quickly.
"Fine." The vendor sighed, selecting the least appealing duck from the batch and wrapping it up.
The boy bit his lip but said nothing, clutching the warm package tightly to his chest before hurrying toward East Town.
East Town was rundown and dangerous, yet the boy navigated its alleys with practiced ease. However, as he turned into a narrow lane, he spotted a familiar figure—a tall woman in a kimono carrying bags of goods.
"Ikuto-neesan!" he exclaimed joyfully.
"Oh, Lyle?" Ikuto turned, surprised to see the boy. But then she noticed something odd—the bulge under his shirt.
Her expression darkened. "Lyle, did you steal something?!"
"I'm sorry, Ikuto-neesan," Lyle choked back tears. "But Emily… She loves roasted duck, and I…"
"Emily's condition worsened?!" Ikuto gasped. "I thought her illness stabilized before I left!"
"She relapsed four days after you went away," Lyle explained hurriedly. "The doctor said we needed expensive medicine, so we gave him all our savings to stabilize her. But afterward, we couldn't afford the private room anymore, nor the best medication. Her condition kept deteriorating."
"We tried contacting you, but we couldn't reach you. I wanted to… do *that* again," Lyle hesitated. "But Emily refused. So, once our money ran out, we had no choice but to bring her home and watch her get worse."
"It's… hopeless now."
"She said she wanted roasted duck, so I…"
"How could this happen…" Tears welled up in Ikuto's eyes, spilling over as she blinked.
"Welcome home, Ikuto-neesan," Lyle murmured through tears, attempting to maintain a semblance of normalcy.
They arrived at a modest courtyard. Several children dressed in old but clean clothes greeted them enthusiastically.
"Ikuto-neesan!" they cried, rushing over.
"This is for all of you," Ikuto said, setting down her bags. "I need to check on Emily."
She hurried inside but reemerged moments later. Though her makeup had smudged from crying, she quickly reapplied it and addressed Lyle firmly.
"Lyle , come with me. We're returning the money to its rightful owner!"
"Ikuto-neesan…" Lyle faltered. "Now isn't the time for that. Shouldn't we give the duck to—"
"Quiet!" Ikuto snapped. "Emily cannot eat anything stolen by her brother. How will she ascend to heaven otherwise?"
Lyle trembled at her words.