Reynard, who was in the corner with Eleanor watching the trio fight over the 'potion,' smiled as he saw the chaos among the group.
He hadn't been very confident that his plan would work, yet he decided to take the risk anyway.
Luckily for him, the trio seemed to know as little about potions as he did. Anything could be a valuable potion in their eyes.
Despite their suspicions that this might be his invention to cause a fight, in the end, they were still bandits, and greed spoke the loudest. If this was truly a potion, they wouldn't want the good stuff falling into their companions' hands. However, even Reynard, who was a noble, had never seen a potion in his life, so how would a few humble bandits know any better?
He feared that even if he put the real thing in front of them, they would still fight over the fake one.
"Don't you dare drink that!" Vorin shouted, wanting to rush forward to stop Ravenna, but the pain in his hand reminded him of the danger, and he stopped immediately.
Despite the wound, he still had his life.
And his other hand.
He didn't want to die here. Looking to the side, Vorin tried to slap Grimm on the shoulder to encourage him, and realized the hand he usually used was missing. Giving up, he said: "Let's attack together..."
Grimm didn't reply, his eyes still fixed on the potion.
Ravenna ignored both. Without further delay, she poured the liquid into her mouth and drank quickly. As the warm liquid went down her throat, she frowned, still forcing herself to swallow it all.
'This is power...' a few drops ran down her lips, descending across her chin and moistening the small mole at the corner of her mouth.
Her expression was somewhat ugly.
Though the strange taste made her throat tighten, Ravenna had no time to think about the flavor and finished the entire contents, hissing the empty pot against Vorin as she laughed triumphantly.
"Come at me, both of you! Let's test what I got!" Ravenna laughed, wiping her lips as she bounced a few times in the air, feeling the power surge through her body.
She was getting stronger!
"It's over!" Vorin cursed, backing up a few steps in fear. They wouldn't be able to fight Ravenna in this state. He had trouble defeating her with both hands, and now with only one left, the difficulty had doubled.
Just as he started to retreat, a searing pain pierced his back.
Turning his head, he looked confusedly at Grimm, who had a dagger plunged deep into his back. The burning sensation intensified from there and continued to grow with every second. Blood began to run until the pain reached his entire body, making Vorin realize what had happened.
"You damn traitor!" Vorin roared, leaping onto Grimm. The latter smiled, trying to run away, when Vorin's remaining hand grabbed his shoulder. Unable to pull away or look back, Grimm's feet tripped over something.
'Shit!' Grimm cursed, falling to the ground. He had wanted to stab Vorin in the back and gain some favor with Ravenna to try to stay alive, only to find he didn't expect to fail now!
Vorin seized the opportunity. Grabbing his sword from the ground, he smiled cruelly. That smile sent a chill down Grimm's spine. "Vorin, we're f-friends!"
"Friends my ass!" Vorin said. Dropping his body forward, the cold tip of the blade pressed against Grimm's belly, piercing his stomach.
"Huff!" The pain of something large entering his body was overwhelming. Grimm felt something warm and uncomfortable, before feeling nothing at all.
The sight of the two was bizarre.
Grimm was underneath, the sword piercing his stomach, and Vorin was on top, a dagger in his back.
A deafening silence took over the scene.
Neither of them moved.
Reynard watched, stunned.
Were they dead?
Ravenna was also stunned. She had mentally prepared herself for a fight to the death, not expecting them to end up like this.
Despite this, there was no emotion in seeing them dead. She squeezed the hilt of her dagger, feeling the power surge through her body.
At that moment,
"Leave!" A shout rang out.
'Leave?' Ravenna jerked her neck, stunned by the order. By the time she realized what happened, it was too late.
The sound of the wheels spinning resumed as the carriage quickly pulled away, fleeing the scene.
"Ah! Don't run away!" Ravenna wanted to keep yelling angrily, but she stopped abruptly. This entire situation hadn't caused her any loss. Besides getting rid of Grimm and Vorin, she still managed to drink a precious potion.
No matter how she looked at it, this was her victory. Watching the carriage leave, she didn't try to stop them again. They would soon enter the city, and it would be too risky to try chasing them now.
'We will meet again...'
That merchant had given her something so precious. He might have even more valuable things in his possession. It was a shame she couldn't rob him anymore. This was a unique opportunity that rarely happened.
Despite her growing greed, she restrained herself and let them leave.
'Oh, I forgot to take his gold!' Ravenna suddenly remembered, watching the carriage depart helplessly.
***
Inside the carriage, Reynard leaned back into the seat, his heart racing. He hadn't expected to encounter such a situation with bandits.
He looked at Eleanor, who was collecting the daggers scattered on the floor.
"That was clever. Weren't you worried it might fail?" Sylvia, who had remained seated the entire time without moving, asked casually with a smile.
"I just got lucky," Reynard replied casually, staring at 'Samira.' He suspected she could have resolved this situation easily, yet she chose to leave it for him to solve.
He thought he would have some ease with a cult member by his side, yet the moment he needed her most, she was useless.
This annoyed him a little.
Sylvia rolled her eyes internally, still keeping a smile on her face while saying nothing more.
Reynard looked away from her, observing the landscape through the carriage window, lost in thought.
A few seconds before shouting for old Henry to leave, he witnessed a familiar scene unfolding.
A flame.
But it was green.
A moss-green flame had appeared on top of Ravenna's head, radiating a faint light. It was impossible for him not to notice it.
His eyes watched with curiosity, surprised by the appearance of the green flame. It was the first time he had seen a flame of this color. Besides the pale blue and the pink, now there was a moss-green color.
Although he wasn't sure of its meaning, it wasn't impossible to figure out.
Initially, Lydia and Eleanor had blue flames above their heads. This appeared after he had helped them. The pink flame appeared on Eleanor when the two spent the night together.
'Blue must be something like admiration or respect? And pink must be something like lust... So what about green?'
Did that woman feel lust for him? Probably not.
Did she feel any respect or affection for him? Also, no.
'Something like... malice?' That was one of the few answers he could think of right now. Of course, it was only a guess, though it seemed to make a little sense.
The other party was trying to rob him, so she harbored ill will towards him.
"Is everything alright?" Suddenly, a soft voice echoed in his ears. Reynard looked to the side, finding Eleanor, who had finished collecting the daggers in the carriage and was now sitting beside him.
Putting his thoughts aside, Reynard nodded as he looked at Eleanor's worried expression. "Everything is fine."
Saying this, he leaned back in the carriage seat. The night was peaceful, and a gentle breeze blew through the window curtains, bringing with it the fresh scent of the surrounding vegetation.
In the distance, the city lights began to flicker, breaking the darkness of the night.
Eleanor, next to Reynard, leaned toward the window, her eyes fixed on the landscape unfolding before them. An expression of anticipation shone on her face.
"We're almost at the city!"
Reynard wasn't as excited as Eleanor, watching the city grow larger in his view.
The carriage slowly entered the city, passing through the lively streets. The wheels turned on the cobblestone street, the noise getting lost amidst the crowd of sounds. There were other carriages, besides people coming and going from all directions.
Reynard was already used to this setting; however, this place seemed especially livelier and more prosperous than the other cities he had visited. Several shops and stalls were positioned along the road, and vendors shouted to advertise their varied products.
The smell of food filled the air, making Reynard hungry.
As his carriage passed, some glances were attracted, yet they quickly lost interest. Unlike those wealthy nobles who rode around in extravagant carriages displaying their family crests, Reynard was very ordinary, blending in with the other carriages on the street that were coming and going from somewhere.
After a few minutes, the carriage stopped in front of a well-maintained inn. Its facade featured a large wooden sign with the name 'Happy Inn' and the lively voices of customers could be heard coming from inside.
Stepping down from the carriage, Reynard looked thoughtfully at Sylvia. "Help me," he said to Eleanor and approached Sylvia.
"Excuse me." He murmured, lifting her left arm, which stared at him confusedly, and placing it over his shoulder. Eleanor quickly followed suit, and each of them took Sylvia on one side, helping her down from the carriage.
"Old Henry, take care of the horses and find a place to keep them. We'll spend the night here and leave tomorrow." After informing Henry, Reynard and Eleanor carried Sylvia into the inn.
When the door opened, Reynard felt the gazes directed at him.
The tables were crowded with differently dressed people, drinking and laughing moments before, and now staring at him.
He couldn't tell if they were assessing their clothes or if they were assessing the oddity of their group.
In any case, Reynard ignored the looks and walked to the counter with Eleanor and Sylvia.
"Good evening, young sir. How may I help you?" A soft voice sounded as a figure appeared behind the counter.
The woman who greeted them seemed to be in her forties, and a gentle smile illuminated her face. Her hair, a soft, slightly wavy gold, was tied up in a loose bun, with a few strands escaping, framing her face with soft, well-defined features.
Those deep green eyes reflected a kindness that calmed anyone who looked at her.
Reynard assessed her.
Her figure wasn't bad.
She wore a simple green floral dress that highlighted her slender but robust figure, and her skin was softly tanned by the sun. The soft fabric dress descended gracefully to her ankles, adorned by a white apron tied around her thin waist.
"We need three rooms for the night." Reynard said directly.
The woman's expression changed slightly upon hearing his request.
"I apologize, sir, but we are fully booked. There are no rooms available..." She spoke politely, casting a discreet glance at Eleanor and Sylvia.
Judging by the two women, the identity of this young man in front of her shouldn't be ordinary.
Eleanor was dressed as a maid, and ordinary people didn't have maids. However, Sylvia's appearance was what drew the most attention. Although she was pretty, her disheveled state and dirty clothes made her the center of attention the moment she entered the inn.
Those closer could notice the bloodstains. The woman thought Sylvia was an adventurer or Reynard's personal guard, injured for some reason.
And if it was as she thought, they were not people she could afford to provoke.
"Then make room." Reynard said, putting his hand in his pocket and casually tossing three silver coins onto the counter, catching the woman off guard.
Her heart accelerated slightly as she looked at the coins that made a clinking sound. It wasn't loud, but to her, it was deafening.
She looked at Reynard again, deep in thought.
Judging by his clothes and now this frivolous attitude, it was clear to assume that he must be someone who was far removed from their class, and easily dismissing three silver coins only confirmed her guess.
This young man in front of her must be the son of a merchant or a noble.
"Sir, we truly don't have any rooms available..." She spoke again, but her conflicted expression couldn't be hidden. Her tone seemed regretful, partly out of fear of offending the young man in front of her, and partly for losing such easy money.
Three silver coins was a considerable amount for her. Her inn only earned her around ten silver coins a month, and that was before operating costs.
Yet, she couldn't go upstairs and kick out the current guests. That would risk the inn's reputation. If anyone who paid more could get a room, no one would continue staying here.
Not to mention, it didn't align with her character, as she was a just person.
However, if she didn't do this, she might offend this noble in front of her.
And that was what she feared most.
Falling into a dilemma, the woman unconsciously bit her red lips harder, attracting the gaze of the other men around.
Some stopped their glasses midair, and others who were chewing their meal forgot to breathe.
Most of the inn's patrons frequented it for one reason.
The inn owner was very beautiful.
She had stolen their hearts, creating a large fan group around her who appeared to discreetly appreciate her beauty. It was no exaggeration to say that every man present in that place, drinking and eating, had a crush on her.
In their eyes, she was perfect.
Now, seeing their goddess making this conflicted expression and biting her red lips, the protective side of these men had been awakened.
And this intensified when they looked at the luxurious clothes of the young man she was talking to. A small pang of jealousy took hold of them.
Thinking she might be being bullied by him, they couldn't stand to watch.