Rancent lay on the ground, dazed, as he tried to comprehend what had just happened. He barely had a moment to gather himself before a heavy boot pressed into his back, pinning him down. He craned his neck upward, eyes narrowing as he saw the polished boots and fine clothes of a nobleman standing above him, hands on his hips with a haughty, disgusted expression.

The nobleman, tall and imposing, with pale blond hair slicked back and green eyes gleaming behind his spectacles, looked down at Rancent as though he were a piece of filth staining the ground.

“How dare you lay a hand on my children!” the noble hissed, his voice low and cold. The ginger-haired boy and his dark-haired friend smirked behind their father, barely hiding their satisfaction at Rancent’s plight.

Rancent pushed up slightly, trying to get a word in. “They… they started it. They were throwing rocks at—”

“Silence!” The noble’s voice cut through the air like a whip. He pressed his boot harder into Rancent’s back, forcing him back down onto the dirt. “I don’t care what they were doing. You are a commoner—a peasant! You think you can strike the children of Lord Alcaster and walk away without consequence?”

Rancent’s blood boiled. Every muscle in his body tensed as he struggled against the nobleman’s weight, but a pair of guards appeared out of nowhere, each grabbing one of his arms and hauling him roughly to his feet. His face was streaked with dirt and blood, his palms raw and stinging, yet he clenched his teeth.

The nobleman leaned closer, his voice a low murmur only Rancent could hear. “You’ll pay for this insolence, boy.”

A sneer spread across Alcaster’s face as he raised his voice for the gathered crowd to hear. “This thug rat dared to assault my children! To think I once thought this village was honorable.” His gaze flicked to the villagers, who looked away, some murmuring, others avoiding eye contact. The nobleman’s children wore smug expressions, confident their father’s influence would crush any resistance Rancent might offer.

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Rancent swallowed hard, his mind racing, but before he could form a reply, one of the guards twisted his arm behind his back, sending a jolt of pain up his shoulder.

“Ow!”

Rancent gasped, gritting his teeth as he struggled to stay upright.

The nobleman continued as if savoring every word.

“Guards, take this thief to the manor. He’ll work off his offense for as long as I see fit. You’ll be my butler and servant for my boys as punishment.” A disgusting grin crept upon the man’s face. Disgusting.

The crowd remained silent, the villagers looking anywhere but at Rancent. A few glanced his way, eyes flickering with something like sympathy, but none dared to speak. Even the farmer who had always shown him kindness turned his gaze to the ground, unwilling to cross the nobleman.

Rancent’s heart pounded as the guards began dragging him away, his pleas ignored, his pride bruised and battered. He was pulled further from the village, away from anyone who might stand up for him.

As he looked at the battered bird, he suddenly noticed that its wounds were gone, and that it gone away flying without an issue.

”Work for you?.”

Suddenly, all the nobles men and guards turnt to a man in a white and red cloak, with a crest on the right of its chest. It was well maintained. His eyes were green, and complemented with black hair that enveloped the sun’s light.

”Unfortunately he will not be working under your servitude, as I have business with this child. His visit is over, and it is now my authority to bring him home safely.”

“Grk! You..” Suddenly, a crowd grouped around the noble. In a sense, Rancent felt like he was the one in the wrong due to his sudden outburst. Was it really not that big of a deal?

“Fine. Take him. But don’t think he’s worth your trouble.” With a sneer, Alcaster gestured dismissively and walked away with a sort of prideful facial expression.

Without speaking, the man bowed respectfully. This pissed off the noble a little more, because he was the type of person that tried to maintain self respect while attempting to get a reaction out of someone.

“Tsk.” The man angrily spat onto the ground as a sign of defeat, and his ego shriveled back into whatever deformed state it was in before.

“Alright, let’s-“ Suddenly, a dust cloud sparked Edylle’s eyes as he had just realized that Rancent left his supervision so quickly. The irony of the situation shocked and amused him, but annoyance superseded those emotions he felt.

“D*mn it.”