Chapter 17: Third party (1/2)
”Honestly… You don't even know the worth of those coins and yet you still refused to accept half of what we were willing to give you.” Casting a suspicious glance at the archmage, Irea leaned her head on her shoulder. ”Maybe you are sick in the head? Ah, I meant to say, practising some unheard off morals aiming at reinforcing your state of mind?”
Quickly changing both the tone and the meaning of her question, Irea giggled cutely while escaping outside of the reach of Layn's hand. Already busy carrying several items with his leading hand, his waving left palm instantly attracted the attention of the several people passing by them.
”Look where the fuck are you waving! You almost struck me! Don't you fucking know who I am?!” As if the entire camp was only waiting for anyone to do something that could be considered provocative, a stranger who was several feet away from the waving Layn suddenly appeared right in his face.
”Yeah, we have no idea who the fuck you are. Scram!” Rather than bothering with the clear scam that was about to transpire, Irea cast a single glance at the man in front of her before gently slapping at his face.
THACK!
Even though Layn saw a lot of things in his adventurous life, it was the first for him to see the phrase of slapping someone out of his boots to be actually performed in reality. With the stinky shoes of the scammer remaining right where he stood a moment ago, his body crashed into a nearby tent, instantly striking up a commotion.
From how a huge group of people with similar aura instantly surrounded the area of the crash, it was clear that he was in for the hell that he wanted to serve the others.
”How dare you snap my tent! Don't you know who I am?! You will pay for this!”
”And how dare you destroy my wares! This ordinary-looking vase was actually an heirloom of the Tanguan clan that I spent my entire fortune to buy! Pay up or don't blame me for what will happen!”
Before the poor scammer could even say a word, he was already surrounded. But rather than standing in place and feasting her eyes on the pitiful end of the idiot who attempted to scam her benefactor, Irea grabbed Layn's hand and pulled him forward.
”Ah!” After making just a few steps forward, the girl suddenly shrugged before letting go of the archmage's fingers. Retracting her hand, she looked at the man with a fear exploding in her eyes.
”Don't worry about it. It's not that I hate when other people touch me. It just makes me uncomfortable when strangers do so without notice or a real reason.” Just like Layn said, there was one time when a complete stranger touched him all over without incurring his wrath or resentment. But the lack of Layn's reaction at that time could be attributed to the fact that the man was carrying the barely conscious archmage out of harm's way.
Before the atmosphere could get awkward due to the topic at hand, Layn's eyes drifted towards the stalls swarming all over the city. From those presenting weapons and armours on the racks, others selling some kind of precious books… One could walk just a few steps to go from eating breakfast, studying knowledge, upgrading his equipment and ending up at a red parol.
Seeing the red light hanging above the entrance of one of the rare, permanent buildings, a small smile crept on Layn's lips.