Neir remained frozen in place. The scene before her was too much to process—Mr. Gharrick, his hand gripping tightly a woman lying on the floor. The wounds on her temple and hand were proof that she had fought and lost.
Dani, who was seeing through Neir's left eye, automatically observed the situation as well. But the longer he watched, his mind started to drift off course.
"Damn… Why is the position like this?"
Dani cleared his throat in his mind, trying to stay sane. Mr. Gharrick's position pinning the woman down, his heavy breathing, and the woman's strained expression… Dani's thoughts began heading in an inappropriate direction.
"Wait, this isn't what I'm thinking, right? They just had a fight, right? This isn't a scene from… ah, never mind."
Dani shook his head inwardly, trying to push away the improper imagery.
"Don't be an idiot, this isn't a scene from an adult film."
Yet, his brain couldn't stop connecting the situation to stranger things.
Mr. Gharrick finally noticed Neir's presence. He lifted his head slightly, looking at her with a sharp gaze.
"Neir?" His voice was lower than usual, sounding slightly surprised, yet still carrying the residual tension.
Neir didn't answer immediately. She wanted to, but couldn't. The words seemed stuck in her throat.
Mr. Gharrick watched her for a few seconds before finally letting out a soft sigh. "Sorry… if you're seeing something unpleasant."
Neir was still silent. Her hands clenched slightly at her sides.
Mr. Gharrick then glanced around the room, as if considering something, before speaking again. "Neir, could you help me for a moment?"
Neir flinched. "Uh… help?"
Mr. Gharrick nodded. "There's a chair near the cabinet. Bring it here, then grab the cloth in the corner of the room."
Neir was still hesitant, but ultimately complied with his request. She stepped slowly, took the chair, then reached for the cloth mentioned. However, in her heart, there was an unease she couldn't ignore.
"What should I do…? Should I really be involved in this?"
Dani, who had been observing, immediately spoke up in her head.
"Neir, this isn't good. We need to be careful. Don't get involved any further."
Neir swallowed, but continued with the task. In short, the woman—whose name was still unknown—was tied to the chair with her hands bound. She kept struggling, though clearly exhausted.
Mr. Gharrick let out a slow sigh, standing beside her.
Then, he looked at Neir. "By the way, what brings you here?"
Neir opened her mouth but hesitated to answer.
Mr. Gharrick added, "Sorry I haven't seen you in a while, but this world is like a cart wheel missing a nail. Sometimes you have to run after it before it falls and shatters into pieces."
Neir frowned slightly. His words were confusing as always.
Dani sighed in his thoughts. "Why does this old man keep speaking in metaphors? Is he a philosopher or something?"
Neir wanted to answer Mr. Gharrick's question, to explain why she came, but before she could speak, Dani quickly warned her.
"Don't say anything about the swapped senses!"
Neir blinked. "Huh?"
"Don't talk about that! Don't mention anything about our swapped eyes and ears!" Dani sounded more serious. "We don't know the situation yet, especially with this woman here."
Neir grew a little anxious. She lowered her head, silent, not immediately giving an answer.
Mr. Gharrick observed her expression, then sighed. "It's okay. If you don't want to say now, I won't force you."
Neir only nodded slowly. Yet, deep in her heart, she really wanted to tell him everything.
Mr. Gharrick then shifted his attention back to the woman in the chair. His eyes sharpened. "Now, back to the main matter."
Neir was still hesitant, but before she could say anything, Mr. Gharrick glanced at her and said, "Wait outside for now. I'll handle this myself."
Neir was startled. "Huh? But—"
"Out. Now."
Mr. Gharrick's voice was firmer this time.
Neir wanted to argue, but finally obeyed his command. She stepped out, leaving the room with mixed feelings.
Dani, on the other hand, sighed inwardly. "Neir, why did you just obey? We should've stayed and seen what happened!"
Neir didn't answer. But her face clearly showed unease.
Inside the room, Mr. Gharrick stared sharply at the woman. He took a slow breath before speaking again.
"I feel guilty for making that child see something she shouldn't have."
His eyes grew colder. "Now, tell me. Are you part of that coven of mages?"
---
The woman looked at Mr. Gharrick with a sneering expression—or perhaps more accurately, a mix of seduction and resignation. Her eyes, glinting in the dimness of the room, seemed to be assessing something. Then, slowly, the corner of her lips lifted slightly, and for some reason, a drop of saliva slid from the edge of her mouth. Her movement was rough, almost wild, like a rabid animal… but there was something deliberately performed in her act.
Mr. Gharrick furrowed his brow, his expression completely unimpressed. He took a deep breath, then repeated his question, this time with a heavier voice.
"Are you part of that coven of mages?"
The woman maintained her expression, still with a thin curve on her lips. Her voice sounded a bit hoarse, yet still carried a seductive tone. "I just wanted to meet you, Mr. Gharrick. That's all."
Mr. Gharrick didn't answer immediately. His sharp eyes observed every movement of the woman, like a hunter gauging whether his prey was telling the truth or merely putting on a show.
"Is that so? Then why did you have to sneak around and follow me?" His voice sounded flat, but there was firmness behind it. "Why put up such a hard fight? Sneak into my house? You think I'd believe this is all over a trivial matter?"
He narrowed his eyes. "If that's your reason, it's like a mouse saying it wants to get acquainted with a snake—while secretly digging a hole under its nest."
The woman chuckled softly, almost like a murmur. "Mr. Gharrick… I wasn't sneaking. I was just looking for an opportunity."
"An opportunity?"
The woman nodded, her eyes dimming slightly. "An opportunity to speak with you before those people find me first."
This time, her expression looked more serious. If an ordinary person heard her, they might start to waver, considering her someone truly frightened and just seeking protection. Her words sounded convincing enough, like someone trapped in a game bigger than themselves.
However, Mr. Gharrick remained silent for a moment. The air in the room felt heavier.
"Your name," he finally said, his voice still cold. "What's your name?"
The woman smiled faintly, then with a calm voice, she uttered a name. "Althea."
Mr. Gharrick stared at her without blinking. Althea? To an ordinary person, that name might not sound strange. But to someone who had been involved in the darker world long enough, the name was too perfect—too neat, like a name prepared in advance.
The next second, without warning, the palm of Mr. Gharrick's hand moved swiftly, striking the woman's cheek hard.
SLAP!
The woman's head jerked to the side, her messy strands of hair fluttering to cover her face. She coughed—her breath hitched, then a fresh drop of red blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.
She was quiet for a moment, before finally lifting her face, looking at Mr. Gharrick with glistening eyes. However, this time, that seductive expression slowly faded, replaced by something darker.
Mr. Gharrick took a slow breath, his voice deep and heavy. "You can fool ordinary people with your sweet words, but I'm not ordinary."
He leaned in slightly, looking directly into the woman's eyes. "Now… tell the truth. You're one of them, aren't you?"
---
The atmosphere in the room grew tenser. Mr. Gharrick stood firmly in the middle of the room, his sharp eyes not blinking even slightly from the woman still tied to the chair. His breath was calm, trained to remain steady in situations like this.
Before him, the woman maintained a faint smile, even though blood still flowed from the corner of her mouth from the earlier hard slap. Her eyes glinted with calculation. She didn't look like someone about to surrender.
Mr. Gharrick crossed his arms and said, "So, are you ready to talk, or do you still want to waste my time?"
The woman didn't answer immediately. She only lowered her head slightly, her long hair covering part of her face. However, Mr. Gharrick didn't miss a single detail—her bound wrists began moving slowly, her nimble fingers slipping something between the knots of the rope.
"A small knife? A needle?"
Mr. Gharrick growled inwardly. Damn, she had prepared this from the start!
In an instant, the rope binding the woman snapped. With incredible speed, she leaped backward, her foot kicking the table in front of her to create distance.
Mr. Gharrick moved like lightning, his hand almost managing to grab her shoulder—
But he only caught air.
The woman had already spun in the air, her body floating like a shadow, then landed lightly on top of a tall bookshelf.
Fast… too fast!
Mr. Gharrick was about to react when he saw something glinting in the woman's hand.
A small capsule.
Before he could stop her, the woman immediately put the capsule into her mouth and bit down on it.
Mr. Gharrick gritted his teeth. "Again?"
The woman chuckled lowly. "I won't lose twice in one night."
Then, the effects began to show.
Her muscles tensed, her pupils dilated like a wild beast ready to pounce. Her breathing grew faster, and the air around her felt colder, more dangerous.
And without warning—she vanished.
Mr. Gharrick immediately raised his arm to block.
CLANG!
A dagger shot toward him, nearly hitting his face. With sharp reflexes, he deflected it with his forearm covered in thick leather gloves. However, the woman had already disappeared again.
Tsk… not only fast, but she also knew how to use the shadows.
Mr. Gharrick quickly shifted sideways, trying to read her movement pattern. But the woman kept circling the room like an unreachable shadow. She jumped from one shelf to another, creating the illusion that she was everywhere at once.
Then—
Whoosh!
Mr. Gharrick felt a slight breeze behind him.
Too late!
A hard kick hit his back, sending his body lurching forward. However, he quickly spun in the air and landed steadily.
The woman smirked sarcastically. "You're not as old as I thought."
Mr. Gharrick snorted, then tightened his grip on his glove. "And you're more troublesome than I expected."
Without warning, he charged forward.
The woman tried to leap back, but this time Mr. Gharrick had read her movement. With a strong step, he propelled himself faster and—
THUD!
His punch hit the woman's stomach, hard enough to make her stagger. But before he could land a second blow, the woman twisted her body and used the momentum to kick the side of his head.
Mr. Gharrick ducked, avoiding it by a millimeter.
The woman used that opportunity to jump backward, then pulled a thin wire from behind her clothing.
Mr. Gharrick narrowed his eyes. "Steel wire, huh? Planning to strangle me?"
The woman sneered. "More than that."
And before Mr. Gharrick could react, the woman threw the wire toward one of the hanging racks in the kitchen—
Then pulled it hard.
CRASH!
The wooden rack filled with pots and cooking utensils immediately fell toward him. Several frying pans and large pots scattered, hitting the floor with loud clangs.
Mr. Gharrick took a step back, raising his arm to protect his face from the falling wood and metal fragments.
However, as he shifted his focus momentarily, the woman moved again—with threatening speed.
Mr. Gharrick jumped backward, but the woman was already there, waiting for him. With a lightning-fast movement, she swung her knife toward Mr. Gharrick's neck—
But just before the blade touched his skin—
CLANG!
Mr. Gharrick managed to catch her wrist, roughly twisting the woman's body and slamming her to the floor.
THUD!
The woman groaned softly, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. Yet, she still tried to get up.
Mr. Gharrick didn't give her a chance. He immediately pinned her down with his knee on her back, pressing hard.
"I said enough."
The woman chuckled lightly, though her voice sounded hoarse. "You really are strong..."
But before she could continue her words, another voice was heard outside—
"H-Hey... what's happening?"
Neir's voice sounded hesitant as she stepped into the house. Her feet felt heavy, but anxiety pushed her to keep moving.
Mr. Gharrick glanced briefly in her direction, his expression still serious.
The kitchen was a mess—chairs overturned, broken plates scattered on the floor, and the table nearly collapsed to one side. The woman who had been tied up earlier was now free, but her state was still chaotic. Her breath was ragged, her face dirty with dust and wounds, yet her gaze was full of determination.
Neir tensed. She knew this wasn't their first fight. The wounds on the woman's hand and temple proved she had lost earlier, but now she was still fighting.
Dani, who could only see through Neir's left eye, let out a soft sigh.
"Another fight? Shouldn't Mr. Gharrick have won already..."
But this wasn't just an ordinary fight. This was someone daring enough to sneak into Mr. Gharrick's house and fight twice.
Neir bit her lip. She wanted to speak, to ask if Mr. Gharrick was okay, but her voice felt stuck in her throat.
Finally, she could only whisper softly, "Mr. Gharrick..."
Mr. Gharrick looked at her for a moment, his gaze softening slightly, but only briefly.
He refocused his attention on the woman in front of him, ready if the resistance continued.
Neir clenched her fingers. She should leave this place. Yet, her feet remained rooted to the spot.
However, she realized one thing.
The woman—who moments ago had been trapped in his grip—was now smiling faintly.
And her hand—which had been empty—was now gripping something behind her arm.
Mr. Gharrick cursed inwardly.
This wasn't over yet.
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