Edgar stopped walking abruptly, allowing the silence of the filthy alley to magnify the mockery in his gaze. He looked at her in a way that was almost insulting, then pulled a dark red apple from the pocket of his shabby coat and took a large, loud bite.
"Well, well, Forbidden Mark girl…" he spoke in a gruff voice, as if every word cost him physical effort. "You, with your shining mark that looks like the temple's stars, are asking to join a den of thieves and murderers running from justice?" He raised his thick eyebrows, pausing his chewing for a moment. "That's not just new, that's the irony of fate, dear."
Marin folded her arms with excessive force, as if trying to look bigger than she actually was, and whispered in a confident tone that masked her nervousness, staring him directly in his grey eyes. "I know it's a crazy and reckless decision, but I've reached a dead end and I have no other choice! Besides…" she leaned forward with a childish curiosity that amplified Edgar's annoyance. "You must have some legendary adventures and real dangers filling this place, right? Maybe I can learn some tricks that the Holy Books don't teach me!"
Edgar shook his head slowly while he chewed, letting the apple crackle between his teeth as he studied her facial expressions. Suddenly, he threw the rest of the apple away into a pile of trash with extreme weariness, as if even tossing it required an unbearable effort.
"You're the worst kind of trouble… Naive enough to believe this is a free life, curious enough to expose us all, and your loud voice almost punctures the stillness of this place." He let out a deep sigh that shook his ribcage. "But fine… for some reason, I see a desperate spark in your eyes that might be useful."
Edgar threw his hands up in a theatrical gesture of surrender. "You can stay… temporarily. On one non-negotiable condition: No holy glows showing up during the job. I don't want the Temple's 'Silver Guard' hunting us down because of their runaway babysitter."
Marin jumped for joy, a leap that made her completely forget the topic of losing her friend for a moment, or maybe she pretended to forget. "That's wonderful! Are we going to seize a buried treasure today? Or stop the Emperor's carriage laden with gold ingots? Are we going to fight knights on a bridge—"
Edgar interrupted her with a stern, stopping hand gesture, as if cutting an electric current.
"Calm down, my 'little saint'. No rousing slogans or daydreams this time." He gave a faint, quick smile. "We'll start with something that matches your current skill level: Stealing two loaves of oat bread from the South Corner Market."
Edgar turned and headed into the dark alley, sighing audibly, then stopped for a moment and delivered his final threat, which held a tone of grim seriousness:
"And by the way, one last thing. If you try to use those strange Mark powers or do anything that reminds me of the priests again, believe me, I'll throw you into the deepest part of the river myself. This place does not tolerate heroes."
(Marin follows him, swallowing hard and whispering to herself as she lightly touches her mark hidden beneath her arm: "I hope this is worth it…")
Edgar raised his thick eyebrow skeptically, ignoring her angry and demanding tone. "What digital currencyare you talking about? What is this thing you're saying?"
Marin frowned with obvious frustration and sarcasm. "I forgot! How foolish of me, you people are mentally retarded in this era."
Edgar put his hands in his pockets and let out a long sigh: "And strange, too. Marvelous."
Edgar spotted the complex across the street where a priest was talking enthusiastically with a crowd of people. His sharp gaze suddenly changed. He abruptly grabbed Marin's shirt and pushed her violently deeper into the alley.
"The plan is canceled. We won't steal today; instead, we'll play a game of hide-and-seek. If you show yourself to the priests, I will punish you severely. Stay here alone until I finish my business with my men." His tone carried a real threat that left no room for discussion or defiance.
Marin sighed in annoyance, but she had no choice but to comply with his order. She sat in the alley, starting to think about her friend, Lilia. "Did Lilia really abandon me?" she whispered to herself, then shook her head, strongly dismissing the thought: "No... she must be looking for a way to bring me back." She muttered this to comfort herself, wiping away the tears that betrayed her fragile emotions.
✨ The Priest's Shadow
Many hours passed without Edgar's return. Marin relaxed her body onto the ground, on the verge of succumbing to sleep, until she opened her eyes to the shadow of a person standing directly over her.
She looked up to see a man with long blonde hair and violet eyes. His clothes were clean and distinctive, and Marin instantly recognized him as a priest. She remembered Edgar's strict warning and decided to pretend she was just a normal girl from the neighborhood.
"Excuse me, madam, are you a resident of this area?" the man asked in a calm and polite tone, which sounded out of place in the muddy alley.
Marin replied with a perfect, feigned smile: "Yes, do you need anything, sir?"
Edgar raised his thick eyebrow skeptically, ignoring her angry and demanding tone. "What digital currencyare you talking about? What is this thing you're saying?"
Marin frowned with obvious frustration and sarcasm. "I forgot! How foolish of me, you people are mentally retarded in this era."
Edgar put his hands in his pockets and let out a long sigh: "And strange, too. Marvelous."
Edgar spotted the complex across the street where a priest was talking enthusiastically with a crowd of people. His sharp gaze suddenly changed. He abruptly grabbed Marin's shirt and pushed her violently deeper into the alley.
"The plan is canceled. We won't steal today; instead, we'll play a game of hide-and-seek. If you show yourself to the priests, I will punish you severely. Stay here alone until I finish my business with my men." His tone carried a real threat that left no room for discussion or defiance.
Marin sighed in annoyance, but she had no choice but to comply with his order. She sat in the alley, starting to think about her friend, Lilia. "Did Lilia really abandon me?" she whispered to herself, then shook her head, strongly dismissing the thought: "No... she must be looking for a way to bring me back." She muttered this to comfort herself, wiping away the tears that betrayed her fragile emotions.
Many hours passed without Edgar's return. Marin relaxed her body onto the ground, on the verge of succumbing to sleep, until she opened her eyes to the shadow of a person standing directly over her.
She looked up to see a man with long blonde hair and violet eyes. His clothes were clean and distinctive, and Marin instantly recognized him as a priest. She remembered Edgar's strict warning and decided to pretend she was just a normal girl from the neighborhood.
"Excuse me, madam, are you a resident of this area?" the man asked in a calm and polite tone, which sounded out of place in the muddy alley.
Marin replied with a perfect, feigned smile: "Yes, do you need anything, sir?"
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Write your comments, guys. I'm interested in your opinions^^