Little Gray had found himself in a tight situation lately. His debt with Mister Grim had already passed the deadline, and every underground folk in the commoner’s area knew that Mister Grim doesn’t mess around when it comes to money.

But it was the Lacerta Festival, festival means celebration, celebration means business, business means money, and money, as Little Gray had always thought, should be used to help someone in need. Someone like me.

Little Gray has a small body, even for one from the Cat tribe, but as he started this “job” that had worked amazingly well to his advantage. The gray fur and hooded cloak helped him blend into the background as his small body squeezed through the river of people enjoying their lovely festival. Echoed in his sensitive ears were the sound of people chatting, cheering, shouting, checking the goods, asking for price with little to no awareness to their surroundings. A perfect opportunity. Little Gray thought as he worked his flexible fingers out. His eyes judging all the potential targets, his claws appeared out of his left palm. Then he slightly bumped into a rabbit girl whose face he could hardly pay attention to. Within one second, his claws separated the coin bag from its owner and before it could fall any more than a fingertip he caught the bag in his right hand. Not even the faintest of noise was created. Damn, I am good. Little Gray couldn’t stop himself from the sweet thoughts, as the bag seemed quite the heavy one.

Quickly put the coin bag into his shirt, Little Gray disappeared into the river of beastmans as if he was never there in the first place. Never be too greedy, vanish after you finish the job. That had always been his working code.

The cat man thief started whistling as he passed the gate to the commoner’s area. His mind was already busy thinking about how to enjoy the festival that comes only once a year. The Silver Hair Casino should be opened tonight. He thought. Gambling had never been Little Gray’s strong point, but it might be different tonight. It is the Lacerta Festival after all. As his mind drifted away, the cat man slowly walked towards the network of brown brick alleys in the commoner’s area, where one should always be careful.

“You seem quite happy for one who is in debt, Little Gray.”

There was a voice coming from behind Little Gray, a low voice of someone who means business. As he turned to face the voice, from the corner of his left eye he could see another figure appearing in the other direction, he had been surrounded. Damn me and my habit of spacing out after a victory. Little Gray felt regretful, but it was a little late for that.

“Well, if it isn’t the infamous Wolf Twin of the 7th district.”

As hard as he tried to sound confident, Little Gray knew that he was screwed the moment the wolf brothers surrounded him.

“Mister Grim wasn’t too happy when you didn’t pay back the debt on time.”

The one behind Little Gray opened his mouth, and both of the brothers started closing in on him. Both wore black trench coat and headband, looking identical to each other. Little Gray sweated cold drops from his hands as the Wolf Twin were only one stride away from him.

“Now now, let’s talk like civilized beastmans of Edion and refrain from using violence, gentlemen. I have the money now, was about to give it to Mister Grim anyway.”

As soon as he held out the coin bag, the wolf man in front immediately snatched it away from his hand. He weighted it on his black furred hand a little bit then nodded to his brother, who was still standing behind Little Gray.

“This will do.”

One of the twins said and both of them slowly walked away, they didn’t seem to pay any more attention to the cat man. Snapped out of his fear, Little Gray waved out his hand and shouted:

“But that is more than twelve silvers, it must be at least twenty, or even more!”

“Interest Little Gray, interest. You are lucky we took the extras and not your fingers.”

The little cat man could only watch the twin brothers walked away with the coin bag. For a long while he just stood there mourning his lost money, until he felt a gentle tap on his right shoulder. Damn me and my habit of spacing out after a lost. Little Gray felt regretful again, but it was a little late for that.

“Now then mister cat, would you be so kind as to return my coin bag, it holds a really important thing of mine.”

A calm, soft female voice slowly spoke up and Little Gray felt his shoulder being turned, soon he was facing a white fur girl from the Rabbit tribe with the beautiful crimson eyes and a friendly smile. That dumb looking rabbit. Little Gray remembered, but then he reckoned he must have looked even dumber now, being cornered in this alley.

As good as he was with pickpocketing, Little Gray had to admit he was rather pathetic when it comes to fighting, and every underground folk in the commoner’s area knew that. Even against a female of the Rabbit tribe, Little Gray could hardly think he would had a chance against her, especially when his shoulders had already been held by his opponent.

“I, I don’t have it anymore, the Wolf Twins took it.” Little Gray tried to sound as sincere as he could.

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“The Wolf Twins?” The rabbit girl’s smile seemed less friendly now up close in this alley.

“Yes, yes, they took it. I had a debt. They took it, to, to Mister Grim.” The cat man nodded his head repeatedly.

Come one Little Gray, pull yourself together, it’s just one dumb rabbit. As hard as he tried to calm himself, Little Gray knew his voice was getting a lot more weaker and shakier as the grip on his shoulder grew tighter.

“Mister Grim?” Still with a calm voice, the girl continued.

“Yes Mister Grim, he is the money lender, information broker and mercenary of the 13th Cat Bar, it is all the bastard’s fault! I, I can show you to him. Just, just don’t report me to the City Watch. I’ve got mouths to feed back home, my children are depending on me everyday. I swear, I’ll, I’ll never do that again. I’m sorry miss, I’m truly sorry!”

There was a pause in their conversation after Little Gray had pleaded the guilt that he used to practice all the time. Nervously looked up, he saw that the rabbit girl had already closed her eyes, as if she was feeling something.

“It seems you spoke the truth, mister cat.”

Little Gray could feel his tail became stiffer when the rabbit girl suddenly spoke up. She then released the grip on his shoulders and started walking away. Her voice became smaller as she disappeared in the alley.

“Thanks for the offer, but I can find the way on my own. It’s getting dark now, you should hurry home mister cat. You’ve got mouths to feed after all, don’t want to let your children worry, do you? And please, for the sake of your “children”, pick your target more careful next time, will you?”

The cat man let out a huge sigh of relief, dealing with that girl was ten times more pressured than the Wolf Twins.

Since when did rabbit girls become so scary? Little Gray asked himself.

As if she had known this place for a long time, the rabbit girl had no problem finding her way in what seemed to be a maze of alleys. She then heard a humming sound of an old song, and the voice was familiar to her, one she just heard not too long ago, singing a different song.

“What a surprise, mister fox?”

She let out what seemed like a delightful tone.

The minstrel slowly analyzed the situation as his hand touched the knife behind his back. He had never judged anyone lightly, even though it was a girl from the weak Rabbit tribe. Now who might she be? The fox man started working his brain. Has the Inquisition finally sniffed me out after all these months? Or is it Lord Brock who just realized that his housemaid told a suspicious fox his secret? Maybe one of the kind folk from the 13th Cat thought that the coin bag is too heavy for me to carry? Or could it be Mister Grim himself, the big man never refuse any well-paid job, but then who paid him? The fox man list of dangers is quite the long one, now that he thought of it. Whoever she may be or may represent, it seems like she is alone. A lone opponent means higher chance of escape, at least.

After a few steps, the rabbit girl stopped, just stood there right at the minstrel’s line of danger. She opened her mouth again, let out that soft and calm voice as if talking to a close friend.

“Now then, don’t be so stiff mister fox. I don’t mean any harm. It’s just that I believe you have something of mine. I’m only here with the hope that you can give it back to me.”

“I beg your pardon?” The minstrel voice sounded a little bit confused. What is this, a tactic to lower my guard? He thought, his fingers gripped tightly around the knife’s hilt.

As if she could sense his doubt, the rabbit girl continued:

“I believe that through a string of unfortunate events, you got into the possession of my coin bag. Now I know that you have doubts, if you have indeed just received an unknown coin bag from … what was the name again, Mister Grim I believe, you can take it out and I will clear your doubt.” After that, the rabbit girl closed her eyes.

It seemed what the girl said had piqued the minstrel’s curiosity. He slowly took out the newly earnt coin bag just as the rabbit girl told him to. Then his green pupils grew large as he saw a bright yellow light emitting through the bag. He carefully glanced at the rabbit girl and opened the bag, in the middle of all the silver coins was a strange badge, the source of the yellow light.

The rabbit girl then opened her eyes and the light disappeared.

“Now do you believe me mister fox, I just simply wanted to take back what is mine. I hope you …”

Before she could finish her sentence, the minstrel let out a surprised shout as he saw what the badge really look like without the bright light.

“You are a Lamia’s Follower?”

It was the rabbit girl’s turn to be surprised. Her big round eyes squinted into a thin line and her smile disappeared.

“You are full of surprises mister fox, most people don’t know the meaning of that badge. Surely not a normal minstrel from the commoner’s area. You really make me want to know more about yourself, would you care to join me for a chat at my place?”

Her voice was as calm as before, but the minstrel could feel the coldness in the air.

“As lovely as that may sound, I’m afraid I must kindly decline as I already have plan for tonight, it is the Lacerta Festival after all. I think I should return this bag to you now and be on my way.” This is bad news. The minstrel thought as he took a step back. Really bad news. Slowly he put down the bag on the ground, avoiding any sharp movement and took another step back.

“Now now mister fox, it is not wise to refuse a lady’s invitation. I’m sure your plan can wait a little bit, our talk won’t take long, I can assure you.”

The girl from the Rabbit tribe took a step forward and the air became heavier. The minstrel was no mage, but one doesn’t have to be a mage to feel the pressure of magic in the air. As the air grew even heavier after the rabbit girl took another step, the fox man made up his mind, he had to get away from here, now or never. He lifted his left foot to take another step.

Then his foot touched the ground. Without a faintest hint, the air below him exploded and he glided backward as swift as the wind itself, dust and leaves blew up by the pressure. Before one could blink, he was already at the turn of the alley. The fox man took another step on the wall mid-air and the air exploded again, launching him away like an arrow. All it took was a split second and the minstrel had already disappeared, the sound of shock waves created from the wind pressure had just now reached the rabbit girl.

“Ophelia’s Blessing.” Her voice was mixed with excitement as she brushed off the dust from her clothes.

“You really are full of surprises, mister fox.”

She then picked up her coin bag and slowly walked toward the direction of the 13th Cat Bar. From what the rabbit girl had been told, Mister Grim is an information broker. Coincidentally, she had some information she wanted to buy.