When Charlotte went out to look for something to eat, Gut got up from his bed and decided to follow her.

Sigh… With that girl’s personality, she’s likely to be involved in some kind of trouble… I should follow her in case something happens.

The man standing in front of her was much taller than her, even taller than Gut. He had a black hat on top of his head, simple looking brown pants and a disheveled shirt, something pretty normal if it was in the middle of the day, it was deep at night, though.

“Uh… Hello?”

Feeling scared, Charlotte tried to act meek. If anything, it could allow her an escape opportunity once the lowered their guard.

“Jajaja,” he laughed strangely, “that’s not what someone who’s despairing would say, don’t you think?”

“… No?”

She didn’t understand how someone could say that given the situation.

“No. Tell me, boy, why are you here?”

“Uhm… I’m traveling with… My dad, yes, if he finds out something bad happened to me, you’re gonna regret it! He’s way too scary!”

He’s the boss, right? He’s boss-man, right? …where is this Gut when I need him?!

She was shouting in her head as loud as she could, sending S.O.S. signals.

“Oh? Your dad is that scary? What shall we do about it?”

Looking past her, the man grinned evilly. A smile that sent chills down her spine.

“Heya, boss. This is the thing I told you about.”

When she heard the first man, she immediately labeled him as A-man in her mind. The man sounded happy, as if had done a good deed.

“It’s excellent. Though a little young, there are some sicks who’d pay for it.”

They want to sell me? Are they treating me as… Livestock?

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about, but…” she started with wandering eyes, then having made up her mind, continued: “Do you have some food? I was looking for some before I met you guys here.”

“Ja! Ain’t you the funny one! Alright! Lemme give you something to eat before deciding on what to do with you!”

When the Boss-man said that, he signaled the A-man and the B-man to follow him. After walking down two streets, they came to a stop in a three stories building. He opened the door and made everyone enter, looking around before closing again the door.

“Hey, make something to the lad, he must be starving to go out this late. Jajaja.”

Once inside, Boss-man said to B-man and sat on a chair in a table near the door B-man took to prepare something for her to eat. Sitting on a chair by the entrance, A-man stayed vigilant.

At least they were giving her food! Charlotte didn’t know if she should cry or be happy.

“I’m getting interested in your guts, boy; if you tell me something that can keep that interest going, I’ll keep you instead of sending you away.” He rested his chin on one hand and waited for ‘him’ to answer his probing.

“I… won’t say anything before eating. My hunger won’t let me think straight.” She said as she pressed her hands on her stomach.

She wondered if she should tell them about her real self, but decided against it. It could complicate things instead of making it easier!

The Boss-man narrowed his eyes at her response. He was getting more and more interested in the boy in front of him. Someone simple would just spit everything they knew when they are given this kind of chance to survive!

This lad ain’t that simple. His ‘dad’ must be someone fierce or he has lived one too many things…

After she saw the Boss-man didn’t answer her, she relaxed a little. If he was going to let her be, then she would buy as much time as she possible could. Maybe if she took too long, Gut would notice and come to save her.

Huh, I’ve my own ‘charming prince’ now, how funny.

She closed her eyes and decided to go to the Crystal’s Space. That way she could see everything with a different perspective and be more responsive if something were to happen to her.

The Boss-man opened his eyes wide when he saw how the lad had such a relaxed face, it had changed at the moment ‘he’ closed his eyes. It was as if he knew nothing would bad happen to him. The Boss-man felt like he was being mocked by the little boy!

I’ll play with you for a bit more and then sell you out. Boy, you messed with the wrong guy!

Inside the colorless space, Charlotte immediately called forth the External Projection and looked around. Expanding everything she could while still maintaining a recognizable image. She inspected the seat she was in, the table in front of her and the Boss-man. He had an angry expression in his face.

Uh? Why? I haven’t done anything yet!

After being perplexed for a second, she continued to look for what the man had on himself. He had a gun on his back kept under his belt and a knife kept under his socks. He didn’t have any other weapon, at least not one superficially. She couldn’t see if he was some kind of modified human like Gut, she could only hope for it to be that way.

The A-man who brought her this trouble had a knife inside the pocket of his pants and nothing more. The B-man was too far for her to see, but she thought that he couldn’t be better armed than Boss-man. There was a clear hierarchy for this kind of thugs!

Sighing in relief, she started to think how to get out of here. After coming up with a plan, she ended her time in the Crystal’s Space. When she came out, she tried to keep the neutral expression she had while inside and waited for her chance while improving her plan. She still had her hunger to quell!

After waiting for five minutes, B-man brought food that was clearly heated in a microwave. She said that she wanted a healthier food but that it couldn’t be helped. She then entered the Crystal’s Space again and looked at the B-man as fast as she could. While doing this, she thought that maybe this inspection could be faster if she named and made a good description of what she could find and how to interpret it.

It’ll be for another day.

After looking at the places the other two thugs kept their dangerous things, she only found two knifes on B-man.

Better than A-man but worse than Boss-man.

“Sorry for the delay, I’m going to start eating now. I was giving my prayers to the food.” She said as she opened her eyes.

“Oh? You’re religious?”

“Hehe, not so much, but I can only hope of not being poisoned…”

Finished that sentence, she realized it was indeed possible she was being poisoned, then thought that it had no meaning. They were three grown up, bulky men against a little kid!

Smiling lightly and eating as slowly as she could, she started to execute her plan when she saw B-man sat beside her.

Entering and exiting the Crystal’s Space, she was getting mentally tired. Once done with her food and preparations, she thanked B-man for the food and asked to the three:

“Hey, there’s something I’ve been wondering about, can I ask?”

The Boss-man kept his face serious all the time the little boy in front of him was eating, he was calm, way too calm and that was sending chills down his spine. With a grave and heavy voice, he said:

“Go ahead.”

Charlotte made a crooked smile.

“Do you believe in ghosts?”

The Boss-man didn’t understand the boy’s question, after thinking he answered:

“What do you-“

In the middle of his sentence, the lights went off. Instantly after that, a lamp that was hanging on top of the table crashed onto table.

*Crash!

Along with the crashing sound, the three men instantly stood up. As soon as they tried to run to the ‘boy’ they fell over, breaking apart the chairs they were sitting until now. Their shoes were tied together!

What!?

*Bang!

Opening his eyes wide, the Boss-man felt his calf get hot. He was shot!

“Agh!”

*Click! Shoosh! Slam!

Just after his shouting, they all heard the front door being opened at great speed and then closed again.

“Go! Go after that little bitch! We’re not selling that one! We’re torturing him ‘till dead!”

The two men were astonished at the strange events, they didn’t understand what just happened. They were awoken from their stupor by their boss, they knew what they needed to do!

Untying their shoes as fast as they could, they ran after the boy, opening and closing the door again.

Once the Boss-man was alone, he started to breath hard. He was holding his calf with his hands, he tried to bind it with his pants and stop the bleeding.

“Ufff ufff, what the fuck was that. He was a ghost!?”

“You know, mister boss, you shouldn’t let your dogs run away like that. Not when you’re hurt and vulnerable.”

“!”

Hearing the boy’s voice at his back, he turned his head. Before he could finish turning around, though.

*Thud

Something heavy hit his neck!

He had not lost consciousness. He was on the verge of fainting, though.

“Ugh…! Wh-what do you want!?” He tried to get up.

“That should be my question. I just wanted some food and was brought here. How do I make you faint, it looked so easy when he did it…”

Charlotte had used the leg of a broken chair. The feet of the men were tied to the chair they were on, as well as themselves. She hit him again in the arm.

“… How did you do that.” He said while flinching.

“A trade secret. Now, faint for me, will you? I still need to deal with the other two...” She said while sighing, great pain showing in her face.

“You won’t be leaving alive from here!”

“… That’s not for you to decide. I’m half dead right now anyway.”

She wasn’t joking this time. She felt her head hurt so much she was also feeling like fainting. Opening the door like that and then closing it was the hardest part so far. She had to endure that feeling, though. She still wanted to live!

Raising the chair’s leg, she hit the man until she saw he wasn’t talking anymore. Checking his pulse, she made sure he was not dead. She didn’t want to be a murderer!

After a while, the second thug came back. B-man spoke when he saw his boss sitting on a chair, giving him his back. The lights were still of so he couldn’t see him well.

“Sorry boss, I couldn’t find him, let’s wait for Bryan.”

Seeing his boss nod, B-man closed the door and started massaging his right hand. He had put all his weight on that hand when he had fallen before. It made him a little useless in a fight as he was right handed, but against a little boy it was enough, he believed.

Getting a good chair from the corner of the living room, B-man sat behind his boss, he had to make sure no more incidents happened and wait for A-man to come back. After a moment of waiting, he felt something was wrong. The boss was too quiet!

Looking back, he saw a gun floating and being pointed to his shoulder. Scared, he got up as fast as he could, he heard a big bang before he could stabilize himself.

*Bang!

He was shot! He was shot on his thigh! Screaming as hard as he could, he fell to the floor. Having his eyes closed in pain, he didn’t see what was happening around him.

*Thud!

Charlotte hit him five consecutive times, making sure he lost his consciousness! Once his screams were gone, she checked his pulse, making sure he was not dead.

*Sigh

“It’s so difficult to live the life of a runaway…”

She tidied everything and then sat down again, in front of Boss-man. She was covered by his big frame! He had his hands tied to chair, so even if he regained consciousness, she would be able to react swiftly.

After waiting for what she felt was half an hour, she was getting impatient. The A-man was taking too long!

… Maybe he heard the gunshot and informed the police…? It could be, seeing as how everyone here are arrogant little pricks.

She felt that an hour has gone by, she was feeling pretty weak and her head was literally killing her. She didn’t know how long it would be before that damned A-man would come back again. At some point, she fell asleep without realizing.

“!!!”

Where am I!?

When she regained consciousness, she got up on her feet and looked around cautiously. She was sleeping in a bed, and everything looked normal.

It was a two bedded room, one of which she was using. On the other bed was, Gut.

*Sigh…

She let herself plop in the bed, not caring one bit about hurting more the scorch in her back. She had hurt it enough last night while trying to be brave and escape that situation that there was no problem in hurting it more!

At the end he came… Damn it, I’m so stupid. I need to eat though…

Relaxing her body, she felt how her mind drifted away…

After making sure she was asleep, Gut sat on his bed and looked at her. He had followed her from the moment she came back running to the hotel, he was monitoring her from afar before that. He wanted to see how well she did in a pressing situation.

He approved her way of staying calm and meek in front of the gang’s boss when he appeared, but frowned when she was led to their house. He wouldn’t be able to answer any sudden development. He stayed near a window on which he could hear their conversation clearly. He had augmented hearing after all.

He waited until her food was brought in, wondering if she was truly going to eat it like there was nothing wrong. Anyway, there was no need to worry, he also thought it was an unnecessary trouble dipping the food on some kind of poison or drug. To his surprise, she ate it after giving prayers and saying some witty thing, she ate it calmly, too calmly!

Where’s her confidence coming from?

What he then heard her saying made him speechless.

Ghosts?

Then everything happened. The lights turned down, the lightbulb fell down, everyone tripped while trying to walk and finally the bang of the gun. Even if he could react at it, he was still unable to do anything, he didn’t know how it all happened. He had the same question as the thugs.

When the door was opened and closed in quick succession, he was prepared to act. He was, however, surprised again, she hadn’t come out!

Looking inside the room with the night vision activated, he opened his eyes wide. She was standing on the other corner of the room, too far apart from the door, and like a ghost she had a smile like the crescent moon. She looked so eerie that it sent chills down his spine.

I have not felt something was wrong in so long…

Smiling awkwardly, he saw the two thugs going out, each in one direction of the street. One was coming his way, so he simply got himself ready and waited for him to get near. Once the thug was close enough, Gut jumped at him, incapacitating the man and throwing him next to the window.

Gut then looked inside the house again. Charlotte was standing there with a chair’s leg in hand, heaving heavily. He wondered what had happened in such a short amount of time, then saw someone lying in the floor, unconscious. The boss had fainted. Gut could see he was alive because of his soft breathing, but didn’t know how bad damaged his body was.

She then got the chair she had used and put it with its back facing the front door, she then carried the man’s body to it and made some minor adjustments. She tied the body to the chair and sat in front of it, also giving her back to the door. She was looking in the direction where Gut was, sadly, she was under the table and kept her eyes closed, maintaining a calm expression.

When the other man entered the building again. Gut saw the strangest thing he had seen in a while. The boss’ hand moved on its own, and nodded at the man’s words, while Charlotte remained in a sitting position and without moving a finger! Finally, when the man sat keeping an eye on the door, the gun started to float silently, it was trembling as it was trying to aim itself to the man…

Once the man was unconscious, Gut started to think about it.

How did she do that? A new enhancement? The one she made? How does it work, and why does she look so tired?

He had too many questions and too little information to get a satisfactory answer. He had to calmly wait for her to finish her things. She was waiting while in the same position as before, she had sat the new man in a corner, facing the door. She didn’t even bother to close his wounds!

Gut waited for around five minutes before noticing she was falling asleep. She was starting to stagger, from side to side. All the while she had her eyes closed but kept a calm expression, as if the troubles of the world weren’t of any importance.

Waiting for a little more, he saw she had fallen to her side. Possibly sleeping already. He got up and while carrying the man, he entered the house. He checked both the boss and the thug to see how were their wounds. The thug was already dead, too much blood loss. The boss had a serious concussion in his head, the fact that he was not dead yet was a wonder. He wouldn’t survive for much anyway. Gut decided to act. He stored the three men in a room and ended their lives.

Going back to the living room where Charlotte was sleeping, he placed her in the corner of the room and let she have his coat. He then started cleaning her mess and searching for any clue that would allow him to comprehend what she had done. After he finished, the room looked clean, as if no conflict had happened at all. It was close to 2 when he departed from the house while giving Charlotte a princess carry.

When they arrived at the hotel, he opened it with a key the clerks had given them before. Charlotte was simply too distracted by her hunger to remember that key before going out; one of the staff had told them that because of the moons coming together, there wasn’t enough personnel to guard at night. That was also the reason they had to book a room so far away from the commercial zone of the city and why there were no other stores open! They were preparing for the start of the festival!

Entering their room, he took off Charlotte’s shirt. He wanted to see the state of the burn in her back. After making sure there wasn’t any new problem with it, he applied a little ointment and let her rest while facing down. She was so gone she didn’t notice what was done to her!

Shaking his head, he went to his bed and rested.