The air turned hotter around Ascalon, either due to Starugnia’s weather or because of his own rising indignation. Either way, he was fuming. He clenched his fist, his thoughts racing with both concern and agitation. “Ho.” He muttered, his tone deep and ominous. The rest were taken aback, sensing the sudden tension in the air.
Someone dared rob him during his brief moment of reprieve! Even if he had let his guard down, he was burning with righteous vengeance, as stealing was a crime nonetheless. To make matters worse, they had stolen his emblem, out of all things. Perhaps if they had robbed him of food or water he would've let it slide, but the amulet was far too important for him to remain calm.
But noticing his friends’ worried stares, Ascalon tried his best to regain his composure, taking slow, deep breaths. With the most natural smile he could muster, he spoke to them. “Ehem… Please, go ahead and rest. I shall rejoin you later.” He suggested, earning both suspicious and uneasy gazes from them due to the abruptness of his words.
“What's wrong?” Lilihra asked with clear concern in her tone, her frowning expression causing Ascalon's chest to sting. He didn't want to worry her further, and he knew she would want to help—but in her current state she would not only fall behind, but also worsen her condition.
With those Thoughts in mind, he replied. “Do not worry. I simply need to take care of some matters.” Ascalon said with half a smile. At his words, Lilithra perked up with palpable interest.
“Oh! In that case, I'll go wi-” She began with a cheery tone, just as Ascalon had predicted, so he cut her short by placing a hand on her head and ruffling her hair gently.
“Huh?” Lilithra protested sheepishly under Ascalon’s sudden display of affection. He beamed at her, as she had somehow managed to lift his spirits.
"I appreciate it, but you must rest. And this is an order from your master.” Ascalon ordered mischievously, using a handy excuse to try and convince her.
Lilithra looked down and nodded, clearly crest-fallen and not entirely convinced, but at least seemingly willing to comply. Lyra and Selorien, on the other hand, had their own reasons to not press Ascalon further, even if slightly curious about his matters.
Lyra wanted to be at her brother's side, which was to be expected, especially after the whole ordeal with Ian. Selorien too had an important matter to attend to, like resting under the safety of a fresh, air conditioned room. Seeing that his friends were reluctant to take action, Ascalon decided to encourage them.
“Go on, have a good rest in my stead.” He smiled with gentleness, his earlier anger nearly gone. Lilithra sighed in resignation and nodded.
“Alright… just be careful!” She replied, while Selorien chuckled. It was amusing that she would keep saying things like that to Ascalon, the one person they didn’t have to worry about.
“Don’t get lost!” Selorien exclaimed as he turned around, a teasing smile on his face. Ascalon raised a hand and waved, while Lyra bowed slightly before following the elf. Lilithra hesitated but quickly relented, joining her friends. As soon as he saw them enter the white building, Ascalon spoke once more.
“Escarlata, could I ask for another favor?” He asked with a firm voice, his sole eye focusing on a nearby shadow. The maid slowly emerged from the dark, her body blending with the light until her form regained her visage.
She was blushing slightly, her impassive face showing a hint of anticipation. “Could you help me track down a thief?” Ascalon requested, and Escarlata twitched. She felt a surge of happiness at being asked for help, but a lingering hesitation gnawed at the back of her mind.
“I-I am sorry, but I must see to the young master’s safety.” She replied, her words ringing with regret. Ascalon understood her position, but believed Selorien was going to be safe for a while, so he insisted.
“Please, I shall be in your debt.” He spoke again, his choice of words making the maid shiver.
“But the young master’s…” Escarlata began to mutter, her emotions conflicting with each other. “The young master’s…” She repeated, her eyes locked onto Ascalon, who looked at her with an intense stare. “The young… a-alright, I will help.” She finally accepted, feeling her heartbeat at an alarming rate. Ascalon was truly a dangerous man, she thought to herself.
Ascalon exhaled with relief, as he knew just how reliable Escarlata could be. Clearing his throat, Ascalon proceeded to explain himself. “Someone stole my emblem. They should be close.” He declared, his gaze examining the surrounding area. There were a few passersby, but none of them had the demeanor of a thief.
It was obvious the robber had fled, most likely to an alleyway, their destination either the lower districts, a place to sell the stolen goods, or to their own hideout. Or at least, these were the possibilities that ran through his mind, thanks to his own experience with thieves back in Excadia.
“Hmm…” Escarlata muttered, deep in thought. She was mulling over how to begin the search, when Ascalon suddenly perked up with realization. “Oh! We could ask Rahmu, a spymaster we met a while ago—I am sure he would know.” He suggested, his expression showing a glimmer of hope.
Escarlata twitched, breaking into a cold sweat. She knew Rahmu wouldn’t be of help—especially not after having lost his head. But how could she explain this to Ascalon without angering or disappointing him? Before she could gather her thoughts, the words were already spilling out from her lips.
“Rahmu is dead.” Escarlata blurted, her cheeks blushing once again. Just why did she have to say that?! She wondered. Perhaps she too was in need of rest.
“Dead?” Ascalon questioned with a concerned frown, his expression making her whimper internally in regret.
“Yes… I disposed of him…” She answered with reluctance, and Ascalon took a step back, his eye wide in shock.
“Why?!” He asked as he leaned forward, invading her personal space and causing her blush to deepen. “H-he was the one who told Loreno about you, and I deemed him a treat to the young master…” She stammered, quickly explained herself while averting her eyes.
Ascalon covered his face with a hand, sighing as he processed the revelation. He had his suspicions about Rahmu and Loreno, and in a way, her actions were justified—to an extent. Still, Ascalon rubbed his temple with resignation before speaking again. “I see… well, perhaps sir Ryan could help, then…” He wondered aloud, and Escarlata sighed quietly.
“Yes, I think he would be of help.” Escarlata agreed, stepping back while she contacted Ryan. Ascalon looked around once more as he waited, his thoughts shifting back to the emblem. It was likely that it would remain in the city, so at least time seemed to be on his side—or so he hoped.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
After a couple of minutes, Escarlata approached Ascalon once more, her brows furrowed in irritation. Something probably hadn’t gone as planned. “Lieutenant Ryan is unavailable.” She began, her courteous tone mixed with regret. “But I was given some information regarding a place known for their shady dealings.” She added, and Ascalon sighed with relief. At least, they had a clue to follow.
“Lead the way, if you please!” Ascalon exclaimed, and Escarlata nodded sheepishly. Then, she suddenly burst into a dash, her regal figure quickly vanishing from sight. Ascalon was slightly taken aback by the suddenness, but smiled with boldness as he followed after her, darting through the streets and immediately catching up.
Escarlata flashed a slight smile, her red eyes narrowing slightly at the prospect of a challenge. Focusing her strength, she stomped on the ground and jumped high, landing gracefully on a rooftop before racing across the city's heights.
Ascalon needed no words to realize he was being tested, and a spark of amusement flickered within him. Though he was a bit tired after everything that had happened, it was not enough to deter him—he was never one to back down from a challenge!
Ascalon wasted no time, and, in an instant, increased his speed to a remarkable point, his legs powered by a surging determination. His figure flickered across the stone path, his boots barely touching the ground as he glided effortlessly through the streets.
Passersby, unaware of his swift advance, were startled by the sudden gust of wind that followed in his wake. Ascalon chuckled to himself as he avoided people left and right. He was feeling rather joyous for a moment, and had almost forgotten about his predicament!
He then looked up, catching sight of Escarlata high above, and smirked with confidence since he was evenly matching her. His powerful strides had closed the distance between them, even when he had to avoid citizens and vault over obstacles. The maid was utterly impressed, though she couldn’t allow herself to lose her concentration, or would be quickly left in the dust.
As she focused, Ascalon kicked off the ground and soared through the air, his feet tapping the top of a wall to propel himself further. He took the chance to admire the cityscape, particularly the towering, giant skull that loomed in the distance. Ascalon wondered what kind of creature it belonged to, but his thoughts were halted by the sight of Escarlata stopping atop a windcatcher.
Without missing a beat, he descended smoothly on a nearby rooftop, and climbed toward Escarlata with a controlled jump. As he arrived at her side, he wiped off some sweat from his forehead. “That was quite the workout.” He exclaimed, a bold smile spreading across his face.
The maid looked slightly agitated, with her breath a bit uneven, and her face flushed. Glancing at the knight beside her, she couldn’t help but feel overcome with varying emotions. His glistening skin, his towering presence, and the sudden closeness with each other—it was too much for her, almost overwhelming.
Her thoughts wandered far, suddenly recalling a conversation she’d had with her sisters a long time ago. “Is this… a date?” She whispered to herself, barely containing her confusing excitement. It was, in fact, not a date, but she didn’t have any experience regarding these matters.
Her sisters didn’t either, so they all made up their own definitions of a date. Anastasia, the oldest sister, would say she’d prefer a date of stealth and infiltration, while the youngest, Serafina, would favor a date spent on safeguarding duty. They were all a bunch of sheltered maids, Escarlata thought, as she was the first to ever have a date! Though, once again, it wasn’t a date—but she didn’t know any better.
“Yeah.” She awkwardly replied to the knight’s earlier comment, fidgeting. Not only had she been deep in thought for a while and answered rather late, but Ascalon wasn’t paying much attention to her right either, as his senses had picked up on something below.
From the windcatcher they stood on, he could feel a lingering, soothing sensation emanating from across the street. His eye rested on a sandstone building, a plaque on its front reading ‘Souvenirs and Curiosities’, which caused him to sigh. His esteemed emblem likely sat once again on a dusty shelf.
“Is that the place?” Ascalon asked, glancing at the maid, who twitched slightly in response. She was still fidgeting, her feet shifting in place.
“Y-yes.” She replied bashfully, her courteous tone faltering. Ascalon narrowed his eye in confusion, but decided to let her be. Escarlata was a peculiar person, after all.
Without further ado, Ascalon stepped forward, plunging into the streets with a fast descent. Escarlata snapped back to her senses and jumped behind him, not wanting to be separated from him. They both landed gracefully at the door of the establishment, earning a few curious stares before Ascalon led the way inside.
The interior was as grandiose as Claude’s place, but evoked quite a different vibe. Shelves lined the walls and pathways, filled to the brim with neatly organized trinkets, scrolls, and different materials. It was a stark contrast with Claude’s store, which was a messy, cluttered sight.
Just as he was about to make his way to the counter, he witnessed a kid arguing with who seemed to be the shopkeeper. “Come on!” The child, around ten or twelve years old, complained as he pushed something onto the older man.
“I told you, I won’t buy it!” An individual with the face of a crocodile growled back, clearly irritated.
“Why?!” The kid reproached again, a pair of mouse-like ears twitching atop his head. “It has to be expensive!” He added, pushing the object further. Ascalon then noticed that it was his emblem. Still, the scene made him hesitate; he just couldn’t get mad at such a small kid. His appearance was unkempt and dirty, his clothing torn with holes—The child was clearly in dire need of help. While Ascalon pondered, the crocodile storekeeper crossed his scaled arms.
“I know you stole it, Audun, and I don’t want any trouble while Lieutenant Ryan is in the city!” The man explained, as his eyes spotted Ascalon. “Oh! A costumer! I’m so sorry you had to see this…” He quickly changed his tune, bowing toward the newcomers. Then, he made a hand gesture to the kid, as if to wave him away.
Audun, as he was called by the Crocodilian, clenched his tiny fists and furrowed his brow before storming out… or so he planned, as he was caught midway by Ascalon, who picked him up by the collar of his ragged clothes. “Wha?!” The child protested as his body rose from the floor, lifted effortlessly by the knight.
Ascalon turned the kid around, and smiled at him. Audun’s face went pale with realization, recognizing the knight immediately. “W-what do you want?!” He exclaimed with a mix of irritation and fear, flailing around to try and break free, and hiding the emblem behind his back.
“Hey, what are you doing?!” The Crocodilian suddenly growled, quickly jumping the counter with a dangerous glare in his eye. Ascalon was slightly surprised by his actions, realizing that the man did care for the kid to some extent. Before he could explain, Escarlata stepped in between them, her imposing, cold eyes making the Crocodilian hesitate.
“I am deeply sorry, shopkeeper.” Ascalon began, placing his free hand on Escarlata’s shoulder to gently push her away. She squeaked slightly at his touch, but Ascalon ignored it. “This Audun here has stolen something from me…” He explained, and the Crocodilian dropped his guard as he sighed in exasperation.
“You little runt, see what I keep warning you about?!” the man reprimanded the child, who simply turned his face away in defiance, his body trembling slightly. “I hope you can forgive him… he’s an orphan, you see…” The Crocodilian continued, his gaze softening. Ascalon listened intently, while Escarlata eyed the kid.
“Many kids from the lower districts end up like him, with their parents running off to escape their debts—or worse.” The shopkeeper sighed, glancing at Audun. “I’ll take the punishment in his place, please.” He bowed deeply, and the kid sniffled, still averting his gaze. He did his best to appear proud, but clearly cherished the Crocodilian.
Ascalon smiled gently as he placed the child on the ground, who looked at him with a suspicious, teary stare. “There is no need for punishment—I just want my emblem back.” Ascalon stated, and the Crocodilian lifted his face, clearly intrigued by his words. He was likely used to people getting violent or demanding compensation, Ascalon thought.
“No!” Audun suddenly blurted out. “I found it, so it’s mine! You want it back, you pay for it!” He declared, clutching the emblem tightly and dashing away.
“Audun!” The Crocodilian shouted, but the boy’s small figure didn’t stop, disappearing through the door frame.
Ascalon promptly trotted after him, sighing with resignation as he glanced back. “Go back without me—I can track him on my own now.” He declared to Escarlata, who nodded reluctantly, her expression a mix of disappointment and understanding.
And there ends the date, she thought—though it was not a date.