The girl looked a bit wretched. Her exquisite face was stained with dust, suggesting she had wandered for a long time or perhaps been through a fierce battle. Although her clothes were intact, they were as stained as her face. Yet even so, her otherworldly temperament couldn't be hidden. Like a noble lady dressed in commoner's clothes, anyone with a discerning eye could still see her uniqueness.
What's more, the girl was wearing a black nun's habit, the fabric of which was clearly extraordinary.
But strangely, her hands were shackled, as if restraining a sinner.
"Are you two alright?"
Even though her own condition wasn't great, the girl showed concern for strangers, leaving Kiana stunned beside her.
This "idiot" didn't realize what the girl's white hair and blue eyes—extremely similar to her own—signified. She just felt that this young lady was very beautiful and gentle.
"We're fine, thanks for asking."
Evan responded with a smile. Apart from this girl who resembled Kiana, the others on the street didn't seem to clearly perceive their existence. They continued to lean weakly against the building walls, looking exactly like the patients infected with the terrible Black Death that Evan and Kiana had seen earlier.
Is this still virtual reality? But this young lady clearly perceives me and Evan.
Kiana was full of questions. Just then, dense footsteps came from the distance, and a group of people approached.
The girl's expression changed imperceptibly, revealing helplessness and fatigue. She shielded Evan and Kiana behind her and spoke.
"You two, you'd better leave quickly."
"Miss Kallen, why are you running away?"
Before Evan and Kiana could respond to the girl, the crowd had already arrived, and the leader asked this question.
They wore linen coats soaked in wax, black hats on their heads, and beak-like masks stuffed with herbs to filter the air. They wore white gloves and held wooden sticks used to lift patients' sheets or clothes. They were dressed exactly like plague doctors from the time of the Black Death.
However, judging by their aggressive demeanor, they seemed to have other identities besides being doctors.
"Grandpa Arthur, I didn't want to run away. I just saw two people falling from the sky and ran over to help them."
Evan and Kiana had indeed fallen from high altitude. Even if no one noticed the sky at first, after Kiana screamed in panic, the people in this city should have seen these two visitors from the sky.
However, the group in front of the girl named Kallen didn't seem to have seen them, nor did they believe her.
"Nonsense! As a traitor to the organization, you have no credibility at all. Don't forget, half a year ago, you stole the organization's Crystal."
As if a program running on fixed rules suddenly encountered a logic error or bug and then patched it, after a brief silence, scolding came from the crowd.
Then, the existence of Kiana and Evan seemed to register with this group. Evan could clearly feel many eyes starting to focus on him and Kiana.
"Miss Kallen, if you are willing to repent, I can still plead with the Master for you."
The leader withdrew his gaze from Kiana and Evan, seemingly treating them as ordinary civilians, and resumed his dialogue with Kallen.
"It's useless. The Overseer and the Council have already made their decision. Besides, the current me... has long lost any reason to want to live."
Kallen lowered her eyes. Both her voice and expression seemed dead calm. It wasn't the despair of giving up everything, but rather a numbness—the feeling of having said a sentence so many times that no matter how special its meaning, it eventually becomes mundane.
A member of the crowd stepped forward, seeming to want to grab the shackles on Kallen's hands, but was stopped by Evan.
"Facing a beautiful lady, your actions are too rough and rude, nameless plague doctor."
The atmosphere instantly became heavy.
"Careful!"
Kallen warned Evan with concern. Just as she spoke, the figure of the man Kallen called Grandpa Arthur suddenly blurred. It was an afterimage left by excessive speed. At the same time, the stone slabs on the ground made a cracking sound, demonstrating the immense power he erupted while moving.
However—
This attack, which exceeded the reaction speed of a normal person, failed to achieve its effect. When Arthur appeared again, he was behind Evan. He extended a hand with bulging veins from under his coat, intending to chop at the back of Evan's neck, but his movement was stopped halfway as Evan grabbed his wrist backhand.
"The old gentleman has quite some strength, but fortunately, I'm still young and strong."
"..."
Arthur glanced behind him. His subordinate had already been kicked over by the girl whose appearance was very similar to Kallen's. After a brief silence, he spoke.
"Who are you?"
"Suspicious persons of unknown identity."
As Evan's answer fell, the tension between the two sides escalated.
Kiana pulled the somewhat bewildered Kallen behind Evan, rubbing her fists and preparing to beat down all these guys who wanted to do bad things to the beautiful lady. But she froze in place because of Evan's next sentence.
"So, while escorting Miss Kallen away, take us along too. Don't worry, we won't resist—if your actions can maintain some grace."
"Eh? Ehhh?!"
Kiana exclaimed in disbelief, then met Evan's eyes. He was serious.
Although she didn't quite understand, it was better to trust him at this time.
Kiana puffed out her cheeks angrily and followed Kallen with Evan, surrounded warily by the plague doctors, moving in a predetermined direction on the street.
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