Another boy shoved him hard to the ground. "Yeah, kidnapped to that place, right? He's as good as dead!"
"Look at this dummy—homeless, no family! Haha!"
"No one wants him!"
The red-haired boy roared, launching himself at them, fists swinging. But he was scrawny, weak against the older boys towering over him.
For a second, Sylene caught a faint scent from the group—a whiff of something familiar. Almost like the candy shop yesterday.
The boy couldn't have been more than eight, while his bullies were around ten or twelve. Fingers twitching, Sylene hesitated. He couldn't afford to draw attention. Not now.
He looked around. The alley was empty.
Well, isn't this a sign? The regret from not being able to help the beautiful hybrid yesterday still gnawed at him.
Without another thought, he slipped in and threw the bullies off. No flashy moves—just enough force to separate them like any normal bystander stopping a kids' quarrel.
The red-haired boy stared at him in silence, cowered in fear.
"Hey! Who the hell are you?! What's your problem?"
"I'm just passing through. Leave us alone." Sylene struck their hands and feet just enough to scare them off. He was bigger than them anyway, which only made them more fearful. The bullies clicked their tongues and threw their sticks at him, but Sylene dodged with ease.
"Run! Let's get out of here—this lunatic isn't worth it!"
"Lunatics helping lunatics!"
They fled as quickly as they had arrived. Sylene sighed and turned back to the boy who was still on the ground, staring at him in silence. He seemed nervous, snow clinging to his knees and part of his back.
"Y-you seem strong. T-thank you." The boy hesitated, then rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a small candy. "I only have this... I don't have much."
Sylene was dumbfounded. He rarely received anything for small acts like this, but somehow, the simple gesture made his heart giddy. It was just a piece of candy, yet he found himself happy to accept it.
"Uh, you seem strong. My brother needs help. Can you help me?" The boy's eyes were filled with hope, but it didn't last long as Sylene shook his head.
As much as he wanted to intervene for the boy, Sylene couldn't afford to draw attention. The town was too close to vampire territory—only two settlements away. One wrong step, and he'd lose the fragile cover he had.
Besides, there was the matter of his limiter. He had managed to tamper with the locator hidden inside it—enough for him to slip away smoothly that night through the hidden passage by the winter cave.
Sylene knew it was too risky to tamper with his limiter in secret, behind the scientists' backs on some quiet night. He had done it twice before without consequence—but that night, a shadow trailed him, and he realized too late that he'd been caught. Still, he had to risk it; leaving it untouched meant living under their hand forever, bound until they decided he was no longer useful.
That was when he made the mistake of hesitating—fingers brushing against the metal, weighing the risk of discarding it completely. A presence stirred behind him, one he hadn't sensed.
The figure was a scientist. At least, he wore their coat. But unlike the others, this one didn't sneer or bark orders. He only watched. Honey-colored eyes caught the dim light, soft where they should've been sharp, unsettlingly gentle for someone bred in Rosencraft's shadow.
Sylene froze. This man was supposed to be mute. He had always trailed silently after Rosencraft, a shadow with no voice. Yet, in that stillness, he spoke—quiet enough that Sylene almost thought he imagined it.
"I'll help with your limiter. Go. Never look back."
For a moment, Sylene couldn't breathe. The man's voice held no threat, no demand—just an odd calm, as if he were speaking to no one in particular. He looked like a vampire, but not quite. Something about him was…off, enough that Sylene's skin prickled.
He didn't trust it. Couldn't. If the limiter failed to break, he'd be exposed, and Rosencraft would have his excuse to discard him for good.
But that night, Sylene slipped away. The scientists never found him. Whether it was his tampering or the stranger's intervention, he couldn't say. Only that Sir Draven was waiting when the scientists threatened to close in, pulling him from the snare. This time, only time would tell if that mysterious, mute scientist had truly helped him.
And still, the memory of those honey eyes lingered—far too gentle for the cruelty they were bred to serve.
Back in the present, Sylene gave the boy a regretful look. "Look, I'm not that strong. The bullies left us alone only because I'm older and bigger than you guys. If there had been more of them, I wouldn't have been able to protect myself, let alone your brother or you."
Sadness painted the red-haired boy's face. He looked truly desperate and helpless.
"Maybe try asking an adult? They can help you more than I can."
The boy frowned, his expression darkening. "No one wants to help. I have nothing to pay them. We're trapped."
"I only have my brother."
Sylene sighed heavily, regret pooling in his chest. If he were alone, he could probably manage, but with a child? And another person to rescue? It was too risky.
"Look, kid, I really can't. I'm sorry, but thanks for the candy." He turned to leave, but the boy followed.
"It's cherry-flavored. It's sweet. My brother loves them too."
Sylene hesitated. The boy's eyes held something he couldn't ignore. He stopped, unwrapped the candy, and popped it into his mouth, hoping the boy would be satisfied and leave.
"Yeah, it's sweet. Thanks."
A burst of flavor spread across his tongue, instantly relaxing him. Sugar always did that—it made him feel light, almost like floating. The scent was sweet, soothing, familiar. It reminded him of the shop he passed yesterday. Without realizing it, Sylene found himself smiling as he walked through the alley.
The boy looked nervous. "Do you... like it?"
"...What?" Sylene was still smiling, lost in the pleasant taste. Cherry was a good flavor. Maybe he should put it at the top of his favorites. Wait, why was he thinking like this?
The boy gripped his hands tightly, as if steeling himself. "Don't you think cherry flavor is... nice?"
Sylene stopped. "Yeah, cherry is—" But something felt off. His frown deepened. He heard something—boots, many of them. Since when?
He shook his head, trying to clear the haze clouding his mind. What was wrong? What was happening?
He quickened his pace, but the boy stuck close, panting heavily as he tried to keep up. The heavy footsteps grew louder, closing in. Sylene stopped. His legs felt strange.
Then he saw them—burly men approaching from all directions. They were everywhere.
Clicking his tongue, he tried to move, but his feet felt sluggish, unresponsive.
"Kid, run! This isn't—" But his body refused to cooperate. A strange weightlessness spread through him, his muscles melting away. He could only stare at the red-haired boy, who watched him quietly.
Why did he feel so light? Too light. His senses dulled, his thoughts slowed.
Wait... was it the—?
His gaze dropped to the wrapper near his feet. The vibrant red stood out against the snow. Now he saw it properly—it was similar. He had seen it yesterday.
But yesterday, the candy had been wrapped in brown...
Sylene's legs gave out, and he collapsed. The snow should have been cold, but he felt nothing.
Through blurred vision, he saw the boy crouch beside him, still panting from the chase, his face devoid of emotion.
"Finally. It really took a while to react. I think the madame reduced the dosage." He adjusted his breathing.
"Sorry. I didn't want to do this, but I have to," the boy whispered, his voice low enough that the men surrounding them couldn't hear. A tinge of regret was seen for a second in his emotionless eyes. "It's a special substance for hybrids. It's very, very strong. You'll be out for about nine hours... just like my brother."
"The boss saw you yesterday. You should have walked away."
"You saw our prized goods. No one should have seen him."
The boy straightened, raising his voice so the men could hear.
"We're keeping you for a while. Just enjoy a nice sleep."
They closed in around Sylene. He knew he should be panicking, forcing himself to stay awake—but it was impossible. His body was too relaxed, eyelids unbearably heavy. His fingers wouldn't even move...
"No... w-way..."
"I... can't... c-can't..." His vision blurred, darkness creeping in. The last thing he saw was their smirks—ones he knew too well. They looked just like the scientists. Just like that creepy noble.
The boy watched him quietly, gripping his trembling hands.
Behind him, one of the men chuckled, patting his back roughly. The force nearly sent the boy stumbling forward. "Good job, kid. We knew you were cut out for this."
Another man hoisted Sylene over his shoulder like a sack of grain. Sylene has fainted.
"It took longer than expected. This one could still move that fast even after eating the candy. We need to report this and adjust the dosage."
The others nodded in agreement. Usually, they didn't even need to lift a finger to catch hybrids—it was easier when they were poor and malnourished. Like this one.
A faint crunch of snow sounded behind them. The boy stood there, pale and ghastly.
"N-Now that my job is done... c-can I meet my brother?" he asked nervously.
Some of the men laughed. The biggest one bent down and lightly slapped the boy's cheek playfully, as if toying with him, not taking him seriously.
"Sure~ Follow us, kid. Our madame will put you with him." The boy shrank back but followed them obediently.
When one of the men hoisted Sylene over his shoulder, the hood slipped back slightly, revealing his face. Some of them whistled and smirked. "Wow, no wonder the boss contacted us in a hurry yesterday. We hit the jackpot."
"Took a good eye to spot him behind that kind of cloak. Good job, kid."
One of them licked his lips. "He'll feed us well. Plenty of customers will like him." He slapped Sylene's belly and backside. "Too thin, though. Too bony—not to our liking."
"Yeah, but after some training, the boss will put him in the next auction. He'll go in the prized goods room along with the others."
"Yeah, today's important. That freak noble is coming for that fox. Finally, he can leave us alone."
They continued talking amongst themselves. Even though people in the alley had witnessed the abduction, no one dared to intervene. That brothel had too many powerful sponsors. The owner was a mistress of one of the noble houses, backed by several others.
By the time they were gone, the only thing left in the empty alley was a trail of messy footsteps—soon to be covered by snow, erasing all traces, including witnesses.