Her teeth sunk into the roasted meat, chewing and gulping it before conveying a great smile.

“Hhmm~!” The smokey flavor of the tender meat spread evenly through her mouth, then she placed her hand near her cheeks.

Liliana shifted her gaze to Shen who was seating beside her. The monk was also busy mowing down food on her own. A fresh vegetable salad with special sauce and sprinkled in salt.

As expected of an elf! Liliana thought to herself, resting her slim back to the wooden bench before stretching her one free hand upwards.

Her legs moved back and forth like a child, then took another mouthful of meat. “This place has a lot to offer. So many things to buy... I wish I had the money though.”

“He-he-he! Sure it is.” Shen replied giggling.

The orange sky dubbed the whole place, the cold wind blew here and there occasionally. The lamppost was opened with small glint. But the merchants and the people didn't reveal any kind of clue that they were heading back home.

It was serene. Liliana gave a small yawn as she covered her mouth, scratching her eyes, she appeared to be sleepy.

The long and fun day needed to end somehow, and her small body was pushed to its limit. But she doesn't want to sleep. She still had to tell her today's adventure to Darwyn.

The girls watched the adventurers and civilians passed them by, bustling through the streets. Even here, children were still clutching their mother's hand, the elderly go with their casual stride.

This brought a faint smile on Liliana. The world seems peaceful when you look at this scale. She knows, of course, that the battle between law and chaos was happening around the world, that even this placid atmosphere could change anytime.

Her eyelids felt heavy, she was struggling to keep them still. Her actions were not missed by the sharp senses of Shen near her.

“Do you want to go back?” Shen asked the drowsy Liliana, who shook her head in return. “I don't want to.”

“You're waiting for Darwyn to return?”

The wizard didn't say anything but nodded her head. Beaming at her, Shen patted the girl's hair. “Then we're going to wait together.”

“Hhmm...” Her voice was audibly getting softer and weaker, but still, her eyes never shut, still looking at the passerby, waiting for a certain burly man who was clad in armor to roam the road as he usually did.

But what came was not Darwyn, but a group of men wearing all sorts of clothes. Shen immediately knew that men were not something they should be with.

“Let's change the place, Liliana.” Shen stroked the shoulder of Liliana before standing up. She followed Shen without question, nervous as she does not know what was happening.

Shen was aware of how beautiful Liliana was, she also has a gist of how well structured her face, too. There was no point in denying that their looks could get unwanted attention.

Stepping into the hard ground, blending to the mob, she worked her ears up and down, trying to listen to the footstep of the group that was chasing them.

Should they escape to the left? Should they hide to the right? Even with her clear memory, Shen was still not familiar with this city.

Her eyes were constantly watching out for something, a place where they can be safe until Darwyn return.

The tavern where they are staying? That was not a good idea. How about the market place, surely they dispatched guards there. But a city big as this will have corrupt public servants no matter what.

Then, from the corner of her eyes, she saw some familiar sign. A certain pub-like establishment, the Adventurer's Guild.

She had heard that fights are prohibited inside the Guild. Surely, adventurers that aligned themselves with lawful good will surely help them.

Personally, she wanted to take the thugs head-on with her martial arts, but she doubted if she can do that while protecting Liliana.

The Adventurer's Guild opened with a ring of a bell resonating throughout the room. The food and beers laid on the table were feasted by the adventurers who just finished their quest safely.

“What's the matter, Shen?” Liliana, with a meek voice, peeked at the troubled expression of Shen.

“There's someone that's following us,” Shen said, walking further inside the Guild, sitting at one of its wooden seats near the corners.

Soon after that, the door rung once again, coming through was the thugs that were following them. Their rough gazes inspected the room.

Shen slightly bent her body down so the drinking adventurers could hide her, and Liliana.

What should she do? Her mind was racking for an answer. How good it would be it was the old time.

If this she could take all of them and defeat them within a minute. But... Liliana's worried face made her heart tremble in fear, not for herself, but for this sweet girl in her arms. She could not imagine what she would do if Liliana was hurt.

“Are you in trouble perhaps?”

A cat-like voice surprised the two, looking up to see who it was, a feline ranger came into view.

Raka who had finished his second quest for today approached Shen and Liliana. Licking his furry forearm, he muttered “It was rare to see humans with that expression, my humble self cannot help but to be curious. Hope it won't kill me though!” Hahahaha! He was almost meowing.

“Whoa... Real life furry...” Liliana felt an awe at the sight of Raka.

Shen was slightly relieved to see the usual Liliana. Then she nodded at the question of the ranger, her ears twitching. “Actually yes, there's a group of thugs following us you see.”

“Hoo? I see I see.” He crossed his arms and his tail wagging, to which Liliana carefully followed with her pupils before feeling dizzy.

“They cannot attack you here, it was a wise choice.” He then turned his head to see what the ruffians looked like. “I presume that your long ears attracted them.”

“My ears?” It was her ears who reacted up and down. Shen gave a confused look at the ranger.

“Your ears are a bit longer than usual, is it not?”

Now that he had said about it. Liliana could finally see that it was indeed, longer than the usual ear of an elf.

“An elf that was closer to the fae have longer ears, and that means higher price at the underground slave market.”

Even though this country have ban slavery, it was still permitted in other countries. And to some powerful and to those who have great influence, it was a symbol of pride for them to own a rare slave.

“Is that true Shen?”

“...” Shen could only nod at Liliana, whose innocent voice cut her deeper than any wound she had received.

“Wow... That's so cool Shen.”

Eh? Liliana was not angry that she hid the fact that she was somehow, a special kind of elf? “Aren't you mad?”

“Mad? Why would I! I can't get mad on you Shen.”

“Oh! You!” She was irresistible to Shen, hugging her deep into her chest.

“Geez...” Liliana said, quite embarrassed, but made no attempt to break into Shen's slim arms.

Cough! Raka, with his feline voice, interrupted the mood. “I have a plan, if my deduction were correct, I cannot ignore this matter.”

His eyes shone brightly yellow, like a cat who just find his new toy. “The plan goes like this.”

***

A dark pathway between the two tall buildings. She was walking alone, yes, the elf that they had following since morning had finally come alone.

She was pretty, as all elves are, but her face was cut above the rest. Her long ears that signified that she was some sort of different breed, one that has a higher value than the normal elf.

They are five of them, blocking both the two sides of the road. There was no escape.

“Finally! You're alone!” Said the leader of the group. His gait was bold and arrogant.

“Where's that female wizard? She's pretty too! I wouldn't mind her as a toy for a week!” His party burst in laughter at their joke that only they can get. Sex slaves usually do not last even for a week, because of how filthy and battered they are.

“What do you want?” Her voice was ice-cold, she was looking at them as if they were trash.

“Oooh! I like that! Girls who have bone-chilling gazes scream the hardest!”

He was used to this kind of situation. He, after all, have done this too many times to remember.

The group was circling the elf with sadistic smiles on their face. How to make her submit? How to make her scream at the top of her lungs?

Their minds were consumed with nothing but evil thoughts. They had cast away their humanity a long time ago, long before this elf got into this city.

Clack clack. A pebble bounced off the ground, stopping at the feet of the elf. How could they possibly hear the small rock?

Silent, it was too silent. The group was late to realize this.

“So she can finally cast silent spell huh?” The elf talked to herself, smiling at them. Her lips brought them chills, the goosebumps were so intense that it hurt their skin.

This girl is bad news.

With a swift, forward motion, one of them was blown away—a part of him at least. A hole from his chest was bored, his heart and lungs gone, his ribcage exposed.

“.....!!” He screamed, but nothing was coming out except for the blood.

Then the elf moved again, sending a kick to one of the ruffian's head. Pop! His brains were splattered, bits and pieces fell to his companion.

Only three of them left. The leader was the fastest one to run, he pushed one of his members to the elf before doing so.

He didn't look back to see what happened, but he heard something ripping and something gushing. He was sweating, the air passed through his body like ice.

His feet were quick to reach the other side—he hit something hard. An invisible wall. Not a paladin's protection, but a wizard's vanguard.

Thud thud thud! He pounded the magic barrier so desperately that his hand went numb. Shouting and begging for help, all for naught. No one can hear him, not even himself.

A jolt of pain targeted his spine, in a literal sense. His spine was grabbed and then pulled by the elf behind him.

The last thing that crossed his mind was the woe he was experiencing.

***

“A promising spell caster I see!” A rain of praises fell down on the blushing Liliana who was holding her wooden staff near her chest.

She was squirming in joy to each compliment that Raka uttered.

“I-it's not like that...” Her hand wavered as to signal Raka to stop, but her expression was saying otherwise.

“A genius! It is the first time that I have seen casting a spell with such precision!”

“Fufufufu? Is that so?” Maybe Raka was complimenting her too much that his word crawled up to her head.

“Indeed, indeed.” He gave a solemn look.

Coming from the alley, Shen stride with her alluring hips moving side to side.

“It's finished.” She said with her usual airy voice. And as to what happened to the slave kidnapper's body, she rather not to say it.

“Good, not let us go before someone could see us—.”

“What are you doing here?” A deep, cold voice, a growl that was giving Liliana and Shen a sense of familiarity.

“Darwyn!”

“Welcome back, Leader.”

“Paladin!”

The three of them, in unison, looked at each other. He/they knew who this man was?

“I was looking for you two.” His armor rustled when he pointed at them. The shield on his back was dyed in red, his sword was clearly used just earlier. His armors have several scratches.

“Well, we just sight seeing.” Liliana, run to his side as if it was the most natural thing in the world. She peeked through the gaps of his visor, her cheeks slightly flushed.

“Are you worried?” She asked. Darwyn returned her gaze, then his word, came out, calm and compose. “Yes.” He nodded. “Very much so.”

“Fufufu, well I guess it can't be helped!” His words skyrocketed her confidence in herself. What would Darwyn do if I'm not here?

“Are you alright Shen?” His helmet shifted to the elf who was quietly listening.

“Yes.” She said.

“I see. Let's return.” Was all that he said. The two followed his back like they always did, their faces beaming as they gestured goodbye to the feline ranger.

“Hahaha! What an interesting bunch.” If it was them, then he wouldn't mind partying. Well, it didn't cross his mind that it was a possibility that would come true.