Chapter 42

"You heard her." Nine said while crossing her arms, eyeing each of them fiercely. The group of loan sharks stared at Trance clenching their jaws and cackling their fingers. Some staff around them panicked as they picked the bluebills scattered on the floor. Meanwhile, Aga---Nine's friend turned at Trance in shock. On her mind, she started to question why would a girl put an effort to make them leave the place forever and why her friends are also in the picture yet staying behind.

"Nial? Art? Hera? Why are you here? Who is she?"

"My newly assigned partner. We're just here to have lunch."

"Do you believe that this will pay everything?" The guy in the middle asked, pissed. Trance rubbed her hand under her chin, acting to figure out something just to push him on his limits. This situation can't be resolved easily. Despite how Aga talked to them and Trance paid them already using the bounty she received for running an errand only for Nine. Needless to say, they wanted violence more than anything else.

"Oh, what do you want then? Hoho, please, I don't have any money left." Trance clasped her hands on her face to cover it in despair. After all, she already knows that this thing will turn out to be a long way to talk or maybe fight. Besides, Trance enjoying her little puny show.

Trance smiled underneath her hands when a small and familiar click coming from a metal object echoed through her ears. To be precise, it doesn't come from behind but in front of her. Her fake sobs were halted when someone grabbed her by the collar and Nine's gloved hand-created its contact against her arm for a second.

"What we mean by 10 million is life."

"Come on, enough of that child play. You can't do maths." Trance heaved a sigh of dismay as she put down her hands like a child throwing a tantrum after her parents didn't buy her the toy she wished. In general, what was the reason to get dismayed if things are turning out as they expected?

Nine and Aga observed silently behind her. Waiting for the next act to happen. Yet, their wait didn't take that long when Trance's eyes hovered over the gun's muzzle aligning with her forehead; considering that the guy clasping his hand to the gun, the gun to her head was a constellation. Her head is the brightest amongst the other stars. To his surprise, Trance fearlessly grabbed its muzzle. The guy himself flinched then stepped back a little after witnessing both the edge of her lips tugged upwards to form a sweet smile.

'Brightest when it explodes. I don't know why but I don't feel a single fear erupting in my veins. Maybe I got used to it.'

"Attention please, everyone here, could you head towards the outside or perhaps to the second floor? I'll pay for your lunch in exchange." She announced, drifting her gaze towards the direction of exits wherein some started to allow their feet to let them go wherever they wanted, "It's not a prank." She added. Everyone dashed towards the exit; leaving the whole area unattended. Hera and Artemis remained on their table while candidly digging into their lunch. Some of the loan shark's men surrounded them with guns pointed at their heads.

"Are you out of your mind, lady?!" Trance nonchalantly hummed in response. A home that serves as fuel added to a raging flame. By the use of her other hand, Trance placed her hand on the top of his then brushed her thumb behind his palm for a 'friendly' gesture. A chuckle escaped from Trance's lips when they aimed their guns at her. She slowly raised her hands and then faced Nine.

"I'll turn into a sponge if they pull the trigger, Nine. Haha!" Trance said in a whisper that was enough for Nine and Aga to hear.

["Remember, we'll do so actions if they charged against us, Ellreign."] Trance took a quick and straightforward glance at Artemis' direction. After hearing her voice at the earpiece that held the form of a small ear cuff that she always wears, Trance got engaged more.

"Maybe we are or maybe this is how we take things." Trance replied before kicking his big and calloused hand with her whole strength, making him accidentally let go of his beloved gun by the impact. She picked it up in haste and scanned it from the nuzzle to its trigger.

"Ahh, it appears that this Mr. Brave man isn't aware of what he'll face when he goes back here, do you? Haha, please do not hesitate to shoot me." Trance playfully dismembered it and then allowed the parts to fall on the floor. Disappointing? Indeed disappointing to the point that Trance needs to make up a nickname for him just to ease the boredom. She has seen this scene before. It's all déjà vu.

"So, have you remember the red-haired girl that you rascals beat up?" Nine asked, making them flinched. Trance narrowed her eyes at them. Trance is supposed to go back to the main point. The purpose of this small show is to confront them and of course, stop them from barging into Aga's pub. If they take blood, they must pay for it in some circumstances.

"And so? Could you shut your mouth?" The Mr. Brave man, let out in an unsurprised tone. Now, half of the guns' number used to aim at her got directed facing Nine. Aga almost got rooted on her foot and got her jaw hanging. Another gun pointed at Trance, causing her to shrug. She lifted her left hand and then looked at the wrist where her watch was. Trance brushed her fingers against the rim yet the frigid muzzle tapped twice on her shoulder. Trance flinched before raising her hands, mouthing the word 'sorry'.

"Not even a small talk can solve this? How unfortunate." Nine commented.

"You stupid and crazy ladies should go back to the shabby places you belong. Weak links like you should go inside the kitchen." Trance rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Don't tell me how to live a life. Seriously, do you have a mother or even a girl relative? You prove enough that you're a stupid son of a bitch. What next? Are you going to criticize the other gender? Make my head explode? Look, I'm not looking down on you or being unfair but why do you need to speak that way? Perhaps afraid of losing?"

"W-What?! What the fuck are you talking about?! Do you want to die?!"

"I wished to." / "Of course."

Trance, swift as lightning, lowered herself before swinging her foot to land it on their leader in his glory then elbowing the guy beside him. She wrapped her arms around their ruler's neck while aiming the fork that she stole from the nearest table. None of them dared to go up against her after a tall woman handled them on her own.

"Now, now, since you assaulted our friend before, why don't you sit in front of those two ladies and.." Trance stroked his neck by the use of a fork, causing him to let out a trembling breath. She glanced at Aga, "Maybe explain yourself to them, okay?" She smiled and pushed him to their Captain's table.

"Nial--" Aga called out her friend who's already knocked half of the group. She witnessed how Nine kneeled on one foot while stabbing one of them on his shoulder, "He's not dead. You can't collect him as your funeral parlor's customer. He's the one who hit D on the back of her head." Nine deadpanned. The man's agonizing scream rang through everyone's ears.

"Brother--"

"Wanna got what he's having?" Nine stuck it on his shoulder hard, making him shriek in pain.

"N--"

"Pu**y."

"You're using the bread knife! How did you know about that?"

"CCTV footage. Art will pay for it and can I keep this bread knife to myself?"

"Jesus Christ!"

Trance pushed him down to the chair where she was sitting earlier while maintaining the utensil on his neck. Captain Artemis and Vice-Captain Hera finished their meal first then darted their attention at him. Trance removed the fork from his neck, snatched a chair to a seat, and clung her arm around his shoulder.

"Care to explain why you keep on bothering this place?" Artemis placed the glass down, "You also said something below the belt."

"Cat got your tongue?" Hera asked the guy who remained silent and unmoving.

"Listen here, she paid you already. She talked to you yet you insist on taking a life. Aga spoke up with you first and proved she doesn't have any debt on you starting a month ago. You see, three of us are WAY more negotiable," Artemis pointed Nine who's now punching a guy to break the bones on his face, "Than that giant cotton candy. She won't hesitate to slit your neck once she gets bored with your men."

"By the chance, you don't want that to happen, right?" Trance took a bite on her cold meal, "I give you a ticket earlier but you're so hard-headed." The man began to tremble more after a bloody hand was placed over his shoulder.

"There she is." Trance hums, "You're not from an underground organization. You're just a damn gangster who messed up with their friend. None of the nine monarchs or even the underground ringleaders financed you. Scumbags."

"W-We...We are le...leaving! We're leaving! Ri...Right! W-We won't bother you again!" He rushed towards the door tailed by his injured company.

"Make sure you will! Take the money with you and go to the hospital!"