Standing in front was a bearded man, wearing a mean glare.

Emi could only stand in silence as this man looked down on her, speaking with anger.

“You damn Demi-HUMAn. You’re supposed to be out gathering my materials. What do you think you’re doing, enjoying yourself. I sure as hell didn’t give you permission to do so.” he glanced over at me for a second, “Looks like ya made a friend too, huh.”

There were two other men by his side, dressed in black coats. Thier faces practically told me they were criminals. Each of them had longswords sheathed at their back. The glares they shot at me felt like a warning. As if they were thinking, “If you try anything, we’ll kill ya.”

Emi’s gaze lowered, and her eyes started to water.

“I-I’m sorry, sir.”

She apologized, but the man still wore the same angry expression.He swiftly raised his hand, then smacked her across the face. With enough force to knock her to the ground.

Smack!

Grinding his teeth furiously, the man snarled.

“I don’t want to hear your apologies or excuses. You already know what happens to slaves that disobey me.”

Watching everything happen, Amaya was confused. But above all, she was filled with anger. Enough anger that she no longer felt any intimidation and stepped in.

“Hey! Who the hell are you?! She’s just a kid!” She shoved the man back.

The man’s lips twisted into an eerie grin, “You dumb, dumb woman. Nobody around here would even attempt what you just did. I take it you’re new around here.” he chuckled, "Let me introduce myself, then let's see if you wanna do that again. I’m Jackle Redwinn, the leader of the claws in this town. We run this town.”

Claws? Amaya didn’t know what he was talking about. And she didn't care.

The man clenched his fist, shaking it at her. “This demi-human is my property. Now screw off!”

The moment he attempted to reach for Emi’s wrist, Amaya smacked his hand away.

Smack!

“You’re property?” Amaya clenched her fist, “You don’t sound like her father, and it doesn’t look like you are. She’s just a child, she should be with someone who cares about her. That’s why I won’t let you take her. I’ll take her to an orphanage. Maybe then she’ll find someone that can take care of her.”

Jackal sighed, then shook his head, “And ya think they’ll just put a demi-human in a loving household? Don’t make me laugh! The orphanage will just sell her off as slave. Where do you think I got her from?”

A slave?... Assuming what he said was true, there was no way this could be okay with the law. Could it? What kind of law would support having children as work slaves?

“What if the guards found out about this?” Amaya asked in an attempt to threaten him, “They’d lock you away, along with your buddies, wouldn’t they? If you don’t leave her alone, I’ll have no other choice than to report you to the guards.”

Jackal raised his eyebrow, sheer confusion on his face.

“The hell are you talking about? Having demi-humans as slaves is perfectly fine. Sure as hell ain’t against the law here. You must’ve been living on a different world if you didn’t know that much. Now that you’re informed, how about you mind your own buisness!”

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Jackal tugged Emi by the arm and proceeded to walk off with her, alongside the other two thugs.

Amaya was powerless to do anything. She was out numbered. Even if it was just jackal by himself, she surely wasn’t strong enough to fight a full-grown man.

Regardless, she couldn't just stand there and do nothing. She had to do something.

With Jackal and the other having their back turned, it seemed like a great time to strike. An opportunity Amaya wasn’t going to pass up. She pulled out her knife and thrusted it at him.

Fwsh!

He must've heard her footsteps approaching, he quickly turned and caught ahold of her wrist.

His eyes gleamed red, and a dark grin formed across his face.

“I’ve given to too many chances. This was your last one.”

Faster than Amaya could react, Jackal drove a powerful punch into her stomach, sending her crashed through crates of flower.

This was already her limit, she couldn’t find the strength to move, or even stand. Her legs were numb, as if she’d been hit by a truck.

‘Gosh….I’m so weak…’ Amaya couldn’t help but shame herself in thought.

Attacking him was a dumb choice, she knew that. But she had decided to do it anyways.

‘Look where that got me....’

She remained on the floor, watching approached her through the cloud of flour.

“You just tried to stab me. If you’re ready to kill, you must be killed.” he grinned.

By the look in his eyes, it was clear he was going to take her head clean off.

Jackal raised his sword, making sure that its tip glimmered in the sun's light. He wanted her to know, this was going to be the weapon that took her life.

Fwsh!

His steel blade slashed down at her face.

Clink!

But suddenly, it stopped, parried by another man’s sword.

“What the hell?!” Out of reflex, Jackal took a big step back, “People don’t know how to mind their business these days.” He muttered, glaring at the one man who interfered.

A man in a knight’s helmet, wearing a block coat. In his hand, we wielding a very sturdy shorts word. He seemed like your typical everyday adventurer.

“The fights over. She can’t move.” the adventurer sheathed his blade, “I don’t like monsters. If you plan on killing her, that makes you no different than a monster.”

Jackal, on the other hand, only sheathed his sword after giving it some thought. He still wanted to cut Amaya’s head clean off, but he knew better. It wasn’t worth it. Especially because he recognized this adventurer.

Not a sworn friend, not a sworn enemy. Just a guy that was willing to cut anything evil he came across. His methods of doing so had no restrictions.

“Alright, fine then.” Jackal snarled, “I’ll let her live. But if I have to see her again, I’ll have her head.” His tone was bold enough. He clearly meant it.

Jackal left, taking Emi with him. After all that, Amaya failed to protect that girl. Getting herself injured in the process.

The mysterious adventurer sighed, looking at the white-haired girl who lied on the ground, “You need some common sense. Fighting man like him is never a good idea.”

Amaya closed her eyes, disappointed at her own actions.

“I Know.”

The Adventurer shook his head, filling her ears with what felt like never ending rambling.

“It was a bad idea. You were outnumbered. Even with their back turned, it wasn’t in your favor. It would’ve been smarter to follow him from distance, find where he stays. After that, you could’ve planned your next course of action. Personally, I’d recommend rigging his doors and window with some type of trap spells. Burning his house down is another option. Which I don’t recommend, they do have the girl with them. Would be smart to put her in that kind of danger.”

He really seemed like the kind of guy that knew how to make plans.

Though, Amaya couldn’t tell if he was just smart or of he had experience.

“...Looks like you really thought this through.” she stated.

“If you don’t think things through, you won’t survive long in a world like this”

The Adventurer pulled Amaya off the ground, helping her back on balance.

She only managed to take a single step before her legs gave out.

BMP!

Face first, she fell against the road of stone.

“....I think that Jackal guy might’ve broken a few of my bones.” Amaya pouted.

“Hmmmm.” The Adventurer stared down at her, seeming to analyze her condition. But his response was only a simple one. “Seems so.”

With nearly no effort, he lifted Amaya, carrying her over his shoulder, as if she was just a sack of potatoes.

“Don’t worry. I know a good healer.”