Dark Guild 1

"Well then, let's head inside."

Opening the door of the shop, I let Cossette and my little sister go inside first before following them behind.

Since Cossette will leave the mansion next week, my mother ordered me to come along, with my little sister for the last time before Cossette left.

Right where I was about to close the door to the shop, I suddenly heard a voice, with an irked tone, talking to the shop owner from behind me.

"What did you say?!"

Turning around slightly, I glanced at the blonde fatso, who was currently arguing with the shop owner, before turning my attention back to where my sister and Cossette are in.

"As I said, even if you ordered now, it won't be ready for the Academy's Entrance Ceremony."

The girl who replied to him was none other than the shop owner. Hearing this, the fatso noble pointed his finger towards the girl before saying.

"Well, do something about it!! I'll have you know that I am from the house of Viscount Fleed!! Are you going going to shoulder the shame of not wearing a uniform to the ceremony?"

When I heard this, I continued observing the ruckus the fatso was making inside the shop.

Totally forgot, the day before the Entrance Ceremony of the Academy was now nearing. Even though, I'm not at the right age to join the Academy, it wouldn't hurt to get some small info about it for future use.

"My answer is still the same."

The shop owner said, as she soon shook her head before lightly turning her attention to us.

"Oh... Sir Athan and lady Cossette, yes? And..."

Turning her attention to the little girl Cossette was holding, the shop owner lightly waved her hands to my little sister, Chloe.

"There's nothing to worry about, Cossette. I already made reservations yesterday after I went to the city alone."

I said, reassuring Cossette, turning her worried look to a sigh of relief.

"Okay..."

Even though she was a noble since birth, she wasn't the type to go around the city alone without her big brother following her.

The girl saw this scene then bowed her head slightly before gesturing her hands to us, saying that we should follow her.

"Please, this way."

When the fatso noble saw this, his brows twitched a couple of times before finally saying.

"I see you there, attendant! Even though you refused my request to make my uniform this time, but why you make theirs?"

Forcing a smile to her face, the girl replied.

"Sir Athan wasn't here for uniform... Besides, it's your fault for not making a reservation."

When I saw that their argument was now reaching through Chloe's ear, making her hold Cossette tightly on the shoulder, I decided to step in and stop them.

"Would you guys stop until we three can finish what we came here for?"

When the fatso heard me spoke, he bit his lower lips because of the humiliation he was currently feeling right now.

"Who do you think you are?"

It was then, the butler beside him murmured something to his ear making him stop, and look at me with grim expression.

"I-I didn't know that it was you, sir Count. Please forgive me and my words!! I just lost my composure and--"

Before the fatso noble could finish his mid-sentence, I cut him off by gesturing my hands.

"I'm not in the mood to deal with a troublesome fellow like you. So, you can just go ahead and leave."

I said in a calm and dignified tone as possible.

'Seriously, I really can't afford to deal with you guys right now...'

"Ye-yes!"

Stuttering from his words, the boy bowed for the last time before leaving the shop with his butler.

After they left, I fixed my collar before lightly glancing to where Cossette and Chloe's directions are.

With an irked tone, I frowned before asking, "What's with that look?"

It took a couple of seconds before Cossette could finally reply to my question, as the both of them shook her head while looking at me with a surprised expression.

"It's just that your dignified tone and manner somehow send chills to my back, making me somewhat uncomfortable."

Chloe followed her words with a nod before saying.

"Bwoder's creepy."

When I heard Chloe saying that from her mouth, I raised my hands slightly, trying to reach Chloe. But, the little girl turned her head back to look at Cossette before letting out a giggle.

Shit... I never thought that being a big brother is this hard... Ugh, it feel like I've been shot many times directly at my heart.

*

After Cossette, Chloe and I finished with lot of things, we went back inside the carriage.

"Still... I never thought that you can be like that sometimes... But please don't do that again because I'm not lying when I said that."

"Shut it..."

I muttered out loud. When they saw this, both of them giggle at the same time, making me feel more embarrassed than earlier.

-Thud!

Suddenly, the carriage stopped. Cossette and Chloe's body was almost thrown at me, but thankfully, I managed to catch them both, covering them with my arm.

After that, I opened the door of the carriage to step out and look why the carriage suddenly stopped.

"What happened?"

"Young master, some children suddenly jumped out in front of us."

The driver replied to my question with a worried expression.

'Children?'

Turning my attention to where he was pointing at, I waited for a couple if seconds before the dust finally cleared up.

In front of us was a young boy and a girl, embracing each other tightly while eyes closed.

"Don't leave the carriage, just in case."

I said to Cossette. Without waiting for a reply, I walked towards at the two while observing the surroundings carefully.

There's someone who is watching this situations besides the curious onlookers. They used the children to stop the carriage and make the person inside to come out.

But...

"You two are alright?"

"A-are you the person who is chasing us?"

Stuttering through his words, I saw that his hands was holding onto the little girl tightly.

"No. At the very least, I don't remember being one."

Doesn't seem like they're going to attack us. Are they avoiding unnecessary contact with nobles...? So their real target isn't us but these kids.

Out of curiosity, I began asking the boy questions.

"Why were you guys being chased anyway?

"... My sister."

When the boy heard my question, his hands began holding the girl tightly, as if he was trying his best to protect her from harm.

"Father and mother sold her to the dark guild... That's why we're currently running away from them."

"So you guys are from the slum!"

With a surprised tone, I said that before clenching my fist tightly.

The novel version of Athan had a connection with the dark guild and it was a factor to why he Arthur caught him in the first place.

If this is a story event that I don't know of, then I must handle this case carefully.

I was starting to sweat buckets when I suddenly heard Cossette's voice right on my back.

"Athan, what's wrong? About those kids, are they okay?"

Seems like I can't pass this off...

"Will you help us?!"

The boy's eyes looked at me, as if he was begging me for help.

I let out a long sigh of relief before turning my head back to the both of them.

Unbeknownst to me, a smile appeared on my face.

"Yes."

They're going to be useful in the future...

*

'There should be a dark guild base around here somewhere.'

As I was carefully walking through the area, I could hear the whispers of some people about me.

"Hey that guy..."

"What's he do..."

A couple of minutes of walking, I leaned my back onto the wall before I began muttering something out loud.

After I finished, a guy with a top-hat appeared beside me.

"This is not a place for a six year old like you be walking around. You better turn back before you caught yourself some trouble."

"You guys already knew why I came here in the first place."

Lighting his cigarettes, he smoked first before replying.

"About that siblings, huh?I don't think that it's worth negotiating with a kid like you."

"So, where's your representative anyway."

Puffing his smoke's one more time, the man replied.

"Tch. Your a witty brat, ain't cha...? Anyway, come with me."

"Who knows..."