Blood on the Streets and A Trip to the Slave Market

Chapter 8 – Blood on the Streets and A Trip to the Slave Market

A Bloody Warning

The thug smirked, stepping closer to Safina, his filthy hand reaching for her.

"Hey, girl," he sneered. "Where do you think you're going?"

His fingers were inches from her skin when—

SHING!

A flash of silver. A wet, sickening thud.

For a moment, the thug stood frozen, his mind struggling to register what had just happened.

Then, his hand—severed at the wrist—fell to the ground.

A heartbeat later—

"AAAAAAGGHHHHHH!!!"

The thug collapsed, clutching his bleeding stump, his screams splitting the air.

His two companions barely had time to react before—

SLASH. SLASH.

Edric picked up a sword from a nearby weapon stall and severed their hands in a single, fluid motion.

Blood sprayed onto the cobblestone as both men collapsed, howling in agony.

The street fell into stunned silence.

Citizens gasped, some covering their mouths, others stepping back in horror. Even the shopkeeper, whose sword Edric had just grabbed, stood frozen, unable to process what had just happened.

Safina clutched Edric's sleeve, eyes wide.

The first thug—still trembling in pain—tried to crawl away, but before he could, Edric grabbed him by the hair and yanked him up.

The man whimpered, his face twisted in pain.

Edric's golden eyes gleamed with cold amusement. "What was it you said earlier?" he murmured, his voice smooth and venomous.

The thug's lips quivered.

"You said you'd 'take her for the night and give her back in the morning'?" Edric continued, his grip tightening. "If she survives?"

The thug let out a whimper, his head shaking frantically.

Edric leaned in close, his lips brushing against the man's ear.

"Consider yourself lucky. I'm in a good mood today."

He pulled back, his smirk sharp as a blade.

"Otherwise, it would've been your head instead of your hand."

The thug let out a strangled sob.

The tension in the street was thick, suffocating. Then—

Someone whispered.

"Wait… that face… that name…"

Another voice, trembling, said, "You don't mean—?"

A third gasped, "Young Master Edric… Von Ainsworth?"

At that, everyone in the street tensed.

The shopkeeper's eyes widened. "The young master of House Ainsworth?" he stammered.

Edric finally let go of the thug, letting him collapse onto the ground like trash. Then, he turned to the gathered citizens.

"Yes," he said, his voice carrying over the hushed crowd. "I am Edric Von Ainsworth."

Instantly—

The entire street sprang to life.

People bowed their heads, panicked apologies spilling from their lips.

"We're sorry, Young Master!"

"We didn't know it was you!"

"Please forgive us!"

Even the shopkeeper—who had been standing frozen—dropped into a deep bow.

Edric let out a dramatic sigh.

"Hey, idiots, don't worry about it," he said lazily. "I'm just here to enjoy my little date with Safina." He smirked. "So don't let me ruin your day."

A few citizens hesitantly chuckled, the tension finally easing.

Then, Edric reached into his coat and pulled out a heavy pouch of gold coins. He tossed it onto the bloodstained ground.

"You entertained me today," he said casually. "So here's a gift. Distribute it equally among yourselves."

The people stared at the bag in disbelief.

A moment later—

"Thank you, Young Master Edric!"

The crowd erupted with cheers.

Edric smirked, turning back to Safina.

"Let's go," he said. "We still have a lot of things to do."

---

A Shopping Trip Gone Wrong (or Right?)

Their next stop was a high-end clothing shop.

"Hey, Safina," Edric said, stepping inside. "Pick whatever you like."

To his surprise, she actually did. Normally, she hesitated when he spoiled her. But today, she boldly selected a few dresses.

Edric, feeling playful, decided to pick one himself.

He held up a sleek, elegant dress. "I think this will look good on you."

Safina immediately rejected him. "No, Edric, you don't know anything about girls."

Silence.

Safina suddenly froze, her face turning white.

Her hands flew over her mouth. "S-Sorry! I just—! I didn't mean—!"

She bowed repeatedly, her words tumbling out in panic.

Edric chuckled. "Hey, Safina."

She peeked up at him, clearly bracing for punishment.

Instead, Edric grinned.

"I'm really happy today," he said. "You're completely different from usual, you know? This is the best day I've ever had in my life. All thanks to you."

Her blush deepened.

Edric stepped closer, pulling her by the waist.

His lips brushed against her ear. "Call me 'Master.' I like it more."

Then, he bit her ear—just a little.

"Aah!" she yelped.

Heads turned.

"What a bold couple!" a passerby whistled.

Safina looked like she wanted to crawl into a hole.

Still smirking, Edric grabbed a backless black dress.

"Safina," he said, handing it to her. "Your punishment. Wear this."

Her entire face turned red. "B-But, Master—!"

"No buts," he ordered. "Go change."

With a reluctant nod, she disappeared into the changing room.

A moment later, she stepped out.

And Edric felt his mouth go dry.

The dress hugged her figure perfectly. Her smooth, bare back was on full display, the fabric clinging to her curves in all the right places.

She fidgeted under his gaze. "M-Master… enough… I'm going to change back now."

As she turned, Edric grabbed her wrist.

"Wait," he said, stepping inside the changing room with her.

"Eh?! Master—!"

Click.

The door shut.

Safina's breath hitched as their bodies pressed together in the tiny space.

Her hands trembled against his chest. "M-Master…?"

Edric placed a hand over her mouth. "Shh. Just for a minute."

She froze, eyes wide.

Her body was so close, so warm.

Edric lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.

"Master…" she whispered.

Instead of answering, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

Then, he smirked. "Try to be this happy all the time."

And with that, he walked out.

---

A Trip to the Slave Market

As the evening sky darkened, Safina finally spoke up.

"Master," she asked, still blushing. "Where do you want to go now?"

Edric grinned.

"Let's go to the slave merchant," he said. "I want to buy myself a slave."

Safina's eyes widened slightly, but she nodded.

With that, they made their way to the massive underground market.

Tonight… Edric's harem was about to grow.