" I can still go out and do my work of finding the culprit!" Esmi said, protesting the proposed house arrest of her.

"It doesn't matter. You're not leaving. Stay at home for a few days! That's final. I'll find who did it on my own," Ryder said as he glared at Esmi.

'What will I do inside the house? I'll get bored!" Esmi again said.

" You won't get bored. You can watch a movie or something else. In any case, I'm not letting you leave," Ryder declared, refusing to budge.

Esmi glanced back towards Bastion's door. Finding it closed, she walked towards Ryder.

"Can't you reconsider..." She said as she wrapped her hands around Ryder. Bringing her lips closer to his ears, she finished her sentence and whispered. "... Darling."

Ryder felt like facepalming himself as he saw her acting like that. 

Slapping her butt gently, Ryder whispered back. "Do you think these tricks would work on me?"

Even though Ryder said that, he didn't remove his hands from Esmi's butt.

"I will really be bored. Please have some pity on this poor girl," Esmi said, cutely in an effort to win some leeway.

" If you're a good girl in the next few days and do as you're told, I'll give you a reward," Ryder said in a low voice.

'What reward?" Esmi asked seductively as her chest stuck close to his.

Giving a gentle grab on her butt, Ryder whispered something that made Esmi's face go red.

"Are you sure?" She asked with an embarrassed smile on her face.

Ryder nodded his head with a wry smile on his face.

"Fine, I'll stay inside. But you can't go back on your words," Esmi told Ryder, looking deep into his eyes.

"I never go back on my words. Anyway, it's getting late. I'll be leaving now," Ryder said as he took his hands off of Esmi's butt. He was about to step back, but before he could, Esmi gave him a kiss.

Their lips locked as they exchanged the sweet taste of each other's lips. Esmi seemed to want a long kiss, but Ryder controlled his urge and moved himself back before he would be unable to leave. 

Reminding Esmi to follow his words one last time, he turned back and left.

Ryder left the mansion, went back inside his Whirlwind, and drove away. 

"Janus, can you tell me anything about these attacks? Was this the work of that Cultivation Clan?" Ryder asked Janus, wondering if he was related to the quest that he was given by Janus, which had the Punishment of Bastion's life.

Ryder waited, but Janus didn't reply.

"Fine, don't answer. I'll finish the Mission soon. I already found out about the ancient cultivation clan. Soon, the girl will come with the address of the clan, and the mission shall be over," Ryder muttered as he snorted as if showing off to Janus that he had almost finished the mission in less time than he was told to.

"Wait a minute; it's been seven days. When is that girl coming with the address? She said that she'd come personally with the address after a few days?" Remembering about the girl of the Silva Clan, Ryder wondered.

He was about to stop the car on the side to call the girl's number when his phone started ringing.

"Speak of the devil," Ryder muttered as he looked at the calendar ID. It was showing Keia Silva.

"You're really a devil, aren't you? I was just thinking about you, and you called," Ryder muttered as he laughed.

"Hmm? You made me a Devil now? And here I was, finally getting the hang of being called Little Thief. Why do your nicknames keep getting weird?" Keia asked Ryder, not knowing if she should laugh or cry.

"Devil is temporary. Little Thief is permanent. Anyway, where are you right now?" Ryder asked Keia.

"I'm near the address you provided me. I should be there soon. I got the details you asked for," Keia answered Ryder.

"Wait, if you're not there, you don't need to go. I'm outside as well. Tell me where exactly you are. I'll send you the coordinates of a nice restaurant nearby where we can meet and have dinner lunch," Ryder suggested.

****

"I'm just entering the city in a car. Send me the coordinates. I'll go straight there," Keia told Ryder.

" So you should be near the northern entrance. There's a nice restaurant just there. I'll send you the coordinates," Ryder said before he disconnected the call.

Stopping the car on the side, Ryder opened the address of the restaurant and sent the coordinates on Keia's number. 

After sending the address, he started the car and drove it towards the North.

It didn't take him long to reach La Fodier Restaurant that he had suggested to Keia.

Stopping the car near the restaurant, he stepped out. 

He noticed a black SUV standing in front of his car with two men standing in front of the car. 

Ryder recognized the clothes of the man as the clothes from the Silva Clan.

"She's here," he muttered as he walked towards the restaurant.

Opening the door, he entered the restaurant and looked around to find Keia.

"There she is," Ryder muttered as he saw the beautiful girl sitting at a table, drinking a coffee. There was a man sitting near her. Ryder recognized that man as the one who Keia had introduced as Saelyn, the trusted right-hand man of the Silva Clan who was also the guardian of Keia Silva.

Walking over, he sat in front of the girl.

"Welcome to the city, Miss Kiea," he said while sitting down.

" A welcome isn't enough. You'll be paying the bill that," Keia said as an amused smile appeared on her face.

"Hahaha, of course. Which man wouldn't wish to pay bills for Miss Keia," Ryder said, shaking his head.

Picking up the menu, he called the waiter and gave his order.

Keia also placed an order. As for Saelyn, he just sat there silently as if he was under meditation.

"I still think you wasted your time by coming here. You could have just sent me the address and the details. You didn't even need to come personally," Ryder let out with a wry smile on his face

"It's fine. It was an excuse to meet you again after all. Anyway, here's the address and all the details that I collected. You can go through it when you're free," Keia said as she shook her head.

She placed a briefcase on the table and slid it towards Ryder.