12 Live Play (2)

Busybodies looked on with curiosity as they arrived at the main gates. In the crowd, a shopkeeper stood out, looking almost worried.

"Wait, isn't that the voice of the second young miss?"

"Since the second miss realised, did anyone else? Did they check?"

The shopkeeper looked down as he concealed a smug smirk.

"Is what the second miss said true?"

A few curious onlookers answered with either 'Yes' or 'I'm not sure...', as the shopkeeper stood there, seemingly frozen in shock.

"Third young miss is gone!"

The eldest miss ran out, crying, seemingly trying to look to see if the crowd had her dear sister.

"Not being at the clan at night, is she still pure?"

Second sister doubtfully rebutted, but after saying that, she continued, "Didn't she say that she was going to see that man she saw a few days ago," just loud enough so that the crowd could hear.

Eldest sister gasped, looking at her sister in what seemed like shock and disapproval.

Looking like it was accidentally blurted out, second sister's eyes widened, and after saying what she had, second sister covered her mouth, panic flashing in her eyes, looking so real that you would've thought it was sincere if it wasn't for the fact that she wasn't covering her mouth due to guilt, but due to the unstoppable sinister smile rising up from her mouth.

"Hanging out with a man? How virtuous!" A random man from the crowd said sarcastically, "Who knows what else she would do in broad daylight if the street were empty!"

The crowd agreed, and went along with what the second miss said, murmurs appearing from within the crowd.

The shopkeeper suddenly smiled. That was his cue.

"I refuse to believe that the snow clan had such a young lady! How about we have a bet? I'm willing to bet on the lady's innocence!"

The guards stood on, well, guard, and their eyes were stuck open immediately. Cursing the people who interrupted them from sleeping and having to pretend to stay guard while people visited the source of the noise, they would almost hear their coworkers laughter and mocks as they moaned about how bad their luck was.

Just how long was this going to be dragged on?

A few people laughed at the shopkeeper, while a few just pitied him. Trusting the girl to be around even though she was already announced to not be in the clan?

"An insider already spilled the information, yet you go against it? What stupidity! Absolutely foolish!"

A noblewoman spoke out, laughingly mocking the shopkeeper.

The people in the crowd followed the noblewoman's lead, pointing fingers and covering mouths with fans as they laughed silently at the seemingly foolish suggestion.

Little did they know they were about to lose hundreds each.

Despite being berated, the shopkeeper sighed, and said, "If you want to place your bets, I do have a board with me here... I was setting up for tomorrow. Who knew it would come in handy..."

"So, who wants to bet?"