"It's not time yet... there's, there's still one more food stall I haven't tried,"
Hanon muttered, his face pale and his stomach bulging, yet he looked toward the next vendor with a desperate glint in his eye.
Aeloria had to grab his sleeve to pull him away. "As if you could survive another bite. Besides, it would be rude to keep Sir Krazel waiting any longer. We have an appointment."
"I guess you're right," Hanon sighed, stumbling slightly. Just as they turned the corner, a large, burly man slammed into Hanon's shoulder, nearly knocking the wind out of him.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Hanon shouted, fueled by a mix of indigestion and a sudden urge to look tough in front of Aeloria.
The man, a grumpy fellow with a scarred brow and a sour smell, spun around with a deep frown. "What did you say, scrawny?"
"You heard me," Hanon shot back, puffing out his chest. "You need to apologize before I beat you into next week."
Aeloria watched from the sidelines, her curiosity piqued. 'It looks like he's possessed by pride,' she thought, 'but this is the perfect chance to see what a Protector is truly capable of. He may be a coward, but I'm sure he has some deadly techniques hidden under those sleeves.'
"Listen here, you overconfident moron. This is Norco. That means as long as I don't kill you, I can beat you senseless and no one would give a damn," the grumpy man said, cracking his knuckles.
"Funny, I was about to say the same thing," Hanon replied, cracking his knuckles too.
Aeloria gulped as she stared anxiously at her companion but she didn't interfere.
There was one crucial thing Hanon had forgotten in his attempt to impress Aeloria: the reason he usually steered clear of fights wasn't because he was a secret killer that could take out any opponent in one shot—but rather, someone who could get knocked out in a single shot.
"Hey, look over there! A fight's breaking out!"
Within a few heartbeats, a circle of spectators formed, smelling coins and entertainment.
"I bet fifty copper the scrawny man wins!" one gambler shouted, pointing at Hanon.
"A silver on the grumpy one!"
"Eighty copper on Grumpy!"
"One silver and twenty copper on Scrawny!"
The bets flew through the air like autumn leaves.
"This is your last chance to apologize," Hanon declared, standing just inches from the man's face. "I'm going to humiliate you in front of everybody."
"That's right! You tell him, Scrawny!" someone from the crowd cheered.
Hanon pulled back his arm, folding his fist slowly, his face twisted in a mask of concentration.
"Here I come! Hyaaa!"
Hanon lunged forward and threw a punch straight at the man's jaw. There was a sickening crack—but it wasn't the man's jaw. Hanon let out a high-pitched yelp, jumping back with tears pricking his eyes as he clutched his own hand. He had broken more than one finger against the man's chin.
"What... was that?" the grumpy man whispered. He had been in dozens of bar fights, and he couldn't believe a grown man was capable of throwing such a weak, childish punch.
Aeloria watched in stunned silence, her jaw nearly dropping.
"Stop fooling around, Scrawny! I bet two silver coins on you!" someone in the crowd yelled, sounding personally insulted.
"Are you looking down on me?" the grumpy man roared, offended by the pathetic attack.
He threw a massive, swinging hook of his own. It landed squarely on Hanon's face, sending the grown man flying backward through the air.
Hanon hit the dirt face-first, groaning in genuine agony.
'What was that?' Aeloria thought, her heart sinking. 'He's... he's actually weak. No, he's incredibly weak!'
"Hey, what just happened to my two silver coins?" a gambler asked with a blank, shell-shocked stare.
"That's the way, Grumpy! Come on, I'll buy you a drink tonight," a friend said, trying to lead the victor away as Hanon showed no signs of getting up.
"I would love nothing more," the grumpy man said, wiping his knuckles. "But first, I think I should teach this brat a few more manners."
"That's the spirit!" the crowd cheered.
"Please," Aeloria stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. She moved between Hanon and the man.
"My companion was in the wrong. Please, could you find it in your heart to overlook his mistake?"
The man stopped, his eyes roaming over Aeloria. "Wow... you're a beauty. Of course, I'll let it go—but only if you're willing to spend the night with me instead."
"That's not... hap... happening," Hanon wheezed, coughing as he struggled to his feet, his face was bruised and swollen.
"You're a dead man if you think I'd allow something like that!" Hanon let out a desperate cry and sprinted clumsily toward the man again.
"Just stay down, you idiot!" the grumpy man yelled, winding up a powerful kick aimed straight at Hanon's ribs.
But the kick never landed.
Aeloria stretched out her hand, catching the man's heavy boot mid-air with effortless grace.
The impact didn't even make her shoulder flinch.
"I believe that is enough beating for one night, kind sir," Aeloria said. She wasn't smiling anymore. A cold, predatory stillness settled over her features—the look of a beast that had been sleeping for far too long, finally opening its eyes.
'Did she just catch my kick with one hand?' The grumpy man thought as he tried to pull his leg but it didn't budge.
"Did the woman just stop the attack with one hand?" A man from the sideline spoke as he pointed at the feet in Aeloria's hand.
"I'm also seeing it but I don't believe it." Another added.
Hanon watched Aeloria in surprise.
'After spending a lot of time with her, I almost forgot, she is the rumored cannibal.' Hanon thought, looking at his companion.
Aeloria then released the man's leg, turning around halfway.
"Let's go Hanon," she said, leaving the stunned crowd.
The grumpy man was fuming with anger.
To be stopped by a woman was something his pride wouldn't allow.
"Do you think I'll let you walk away?" The grumpy man jabbed a finger at them as he took measured steps towards the pair.
"You are so persistent, just leave us alone," Hanon's voice was clear as he spoke, turning to look at the angry man walking towards them.
The man stopped just a breath away from Aeloria. He towerd over the woman like an immovable wall.
"A woman should just stick to the kitchen and leave fist conversation to men. But you just had to get involved. After I'm done with him, you'll be next, you have no idea what I plan to do to you tonight in my room." The grumpy man smiled wickedly as he walked past Aeloria and towards Hanon.
This was an age where men ruled, women were regarded as tools for procreation and housekeeping, this was especially evident in common people. Therefore, getting looked down on by a woman was just about the most humiliating thing that could happen to a man.
'Aeloria, this is the part where you're supposed to eat him.' Hanon looked at Aeloria with pleading eyes as the not so kind man drew closer.
Aeloria stretched her hand and caught the man's wrist before he could proceed any further.
"What now? is he going to fight the woman?" A man asked as he watched the scene with a curious look.
"Teach the woman a lesson, grumpy, no matter how beautiful, a maiden should know her place." Another shouted from the crowd.
"What do you think you're doing?" The man turned his gaze downward, looking down at the grip on his wrist with a frown.
"Please let's end it here, we have an important appointment and we don't want to be late." Aeloria pleaded.
'This maiden, she doesn't look the least bit scared, it's almost as if she's been in this situation a countless time. Even so, does she think she can just walk all over me twice and just call it a day like nothing happened?'
"I told you to leave the fist conversation to the men!" the grumpy man shouted, his fist already aiming down towards her face.
Aeloria tilted her head to the side in a bored and tired motion, evading the punch by a breath, she then extended her nails-long enough not to draw any attention, while her other hand still held the man's wrist in a firm grip.
She slashed upward, her fingers dug deep in the man's face, creating a four uneven line of slashes from his right cheek, to his left eye, across his face, then to his right eye.
Blood immediately gushed out of his scarred cheeks and eyes. He yelled in an agonising shriek, clutching his ruined face.
"Arh, my eyes, I can't see." He collapsed to the ground.
Aeloria took out a napkin and quickly wiped the blood dripping from her fingers.
"Wha... what in the seven layers of hell just happened. Just where is all the blood coming from?" One of the gamblers took an unconscious step back, watching the grown man writhe in pain on the dusty ground.
"I don't know, I didn't see any of them holding a weapon, better to leave this place lest we find out the wrong way." Just like that, the gamblers dissapeared one after the other, leaving the grumpy man on the ground.