Chapter 244
Just like that, all six of them began following him through the narrow alleyway. The smell of the gutter was strong and overwhelming; it was evident that this was where the city’s waste tunnels were connected.
The black-haired girl instinctively wrinkled her nose as she did her best to keep up with the others. The foul air seemed to cling to her skin, seeping into her clothes and hair. The stench was suffocating—a sickly blend of rot and decay that clung to the back of her throat. Her young age, coupled with her knee injury, made it difficult, but she remained silent.
Gritting her teeth, she pressed forward, her mind fixed on the thought of freedom, even if it lay at the end of a dark, foul-smelling alley.
She was clearly trying not to be a burden on anyone. Every step sent a sharp jolt of pain through her knee, but she forced herself to keep moving, her jaw clenched tightly against the discomfort. One could tell she had matured well beyond her years under harsh circumstances. Her breathing was heavy as she grew tired, but the group didn’t stop.
The pain was relentless, flaring with each step until her legs felt like they would buckle beneath her.
She wanted to ask if they could pause for a second so she could catch her breath, but she was afraid that Oliver, who was ahead, would ignore her and leave her behind, abandoning her.
The other slaves were too occupied to pay attention to her.
The group mostly consisted of teenagers, with the only exceptions being a man in his mid-twenties and a woman in her 30s.
“Huff… Huff…” Her breaths were coming in ragged gasps now, each one catching in her chest. Her eyes felt partially blurry as she kept walking. The stench from the surroundings was making her dizzy, and the pain was increasing with every step.
Her rags were drenched in sweat, and her steps felt heavier and heavier as her eyes opened and closed intermittently.
Each time her eyes drifted shut, she struggled to force them open again, her vision swimming as exhaustion clawed at her.
Slowly, darkness covered her vision as she fell forward onto the ground.
However, before she could hit the ground, a hand caught her, lifting her entire body up. The grip was firm, almost gentle, and for a moment she felt as if she were floating, as if the pain had faded to nothing.
She could only hear muffled sounds; the last words she heard were:
“Such a stubborn girl, just like her.”
And with that, she fainted.
______________
In a luxurious room somewhere.
“I am incompetent, Captain. Please punish me as you deem fit.”
Vasoth was kneeling on a carpeted floor. In front of him was a chair, and seated on the chair was Sera.
The room was lavish, with dark velvet drapes and polished mahogany furniture, a stark contrast to the harshness of their conversation. Sera’s expression at that moment was extremely cold and dangerous.
Her eyes barely suppressed the murderous intent raging inside.
Drul was dead.
And the killer was still unknown; they did not even know his face.
Vasoth had planned foolish stunts behind her back and had failed miserably, further ruining the reputation of the Inquisitors.
So far, they had achieved nothing but loss since they had arrived in this city.
There was nothing noteworthy about them. Vasoth had run away cowardly when he saw Drul’s lifeless body.
“Vasoth… you have successfully ruined our reputation. How do you feel?” she questioned in a stern voice.
The silence that followed was heavy, oppressive. Vasoth lowered his head, his face pale, beads of sweat collecting at his temples. He was wiser; he remained silent rather than risking anything more.
“Once we return to headquarters, we will proceed with your punishment,” she said, her tone still harsh.
“For now, identifying and finding the culprit comes first.”
“Mobilize all the forces present in the city to find him… no matter what,” she continued. “We have the city lord’s approval to use his forces. Do not disappoint me anymore, Vasoth.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Vasoth bowed even further. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, his jaw tight with suppressed anger. He felt angry and humiliated; because of one human, he was being berated and punished.
Despite Drul’s body being thrown at his feet, he had still been unable to sense that human. It was certain the human had been very close at that time, yet his exceptional senses had detected nothing.
The thought gnawed at him, a constant itch he couldn’t ignore.
Just what sort of technique was the human using to hide himself? Whatever it was, Vasoth had to find it. It was an extremely risky variable. The family he belonged to was known for their exceptional detection senses, and if humans had managed to develop a way to evade those senses, it would be a huge setback for the demons in the wars.
He had to find the human, make him reveal the secret, and then promptly develop countermeasures, no matter what.
As he was contemplating, a knock sounded on the door.
Sera frowned; she had clearly instructed not to be disturbed.
“Enter,” she said.
A young demon entered the room, dressed in the city’s official guard uniform, with a rough air about him.
The guard bowed quickly, though his eyes darted nervously between Vasoth and Sera, sensing the tension.
“Miss Sera, the city lord urgently wants to meet you and Sir Vasoth. It’s a matter of utmost importance,” the guard said.
“A matter of utmost importance? What is it about?” she questioned.
“I am afraid only the city lord can tell you that. He has asked me to escort you both to him as soon as possible; he seemed distressed.”
Sera’s eyes narrowed slightly. She thought for a moment before nodding. “Alright, show the way.”
The guard saluted and gestured for them to follow.
Sera and Vasoth followed after the guard and were soon led to the City Lord’s Office.
Sera was currently staying as a guest in the city lord’s castle, so it did not take long to reach her destination.
The guard knocked twice on the door, and a crisp sound was heard from inside.
“Let them in.”