Kidnapping the young demi-human girls from the inn seemed like an easy job to the fat man's lackey, simple as taking candy from a child.
The lackey, confident in the plan, brought only five of his men, each one tasked with grabbing one girl to make the operation quick and efficient.
They moved with purpose, knowing the man who had brought the girls was away on a mission, leaving their targets vulnerable.
The five men entered the inn, blending in perfectly with the townsfolk. They wore plain clothes, simple tunics and trousers, the kind worn by any resident of the town, to avoid drawing attention.
Their faces were set in casual expressions, masking the dark intent behind their visit. To anyone watching, they were just another group of travelers or locals stopping by for a meal or a drink.
The leader of the group, a wiry man with sharp eyes, scanned the inn's main room as they stepped inside.
He knew the target was a man with long black hair accompanied by five demi-human children, but he had no idea which room they were staying in.
The inn was lively, with a handful of people scattered across tables, eating, drinking, and chatting. His gaze darted around, taking note of the crowd.
At one table sat two young people, a boy with jet-black hair and a girl with auburn hair, her reddish-brown locks catching the light. They were talking quietly, their expressions serious.
Without hesitation, the leader strode over to the innkeeper, who stood behind the counter wiping a mug. Leaning in, he kept his voice low but firm. "Do you know which room the man with long black hair staying in?"
The innkeeper paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. He shook his head, his face unreadable. "He's not here," he said gruffly. "Left hours ago." His tone gave nothing away, but it was clear he wasn't eager to share more.
The leader nodded, already aware the man was gone. He and his men couldn't afford to raise suspicion by storming through the inn or asking too many questions.
Kidnapping demi-human children in broad daylight, even in a town where slavery was legal, required caution.
They needed to act natural, blend in, and wait for the right moment. With a subtle gesture, he signaled his men to follow him to an empty table near the center of the room.
They sat down, ordering drinks to look like ordinary patrons, their eyes discreetly scanning the inn for any sign of the demi-human girls.
At the nearby table, Taichi Nishimura, the black-haired boy, noticed the group's arrival. His instincts sharpened when he overheard their question about the man with long black hair, the same man who had hurt his friend, Azuma Rin.
His jaw tightened, and he exchanged a quick glance with Rin, who frowned slightly. Something about these men felt off.
Pushing back his chair, Taichi stood and walked over to the goons' table, his steps deliberate but non-threatening.
"Why are you looking for him?" he asked, his voice steady but laced with suspicion. "Did he do something?"
The leader of the goons leaned back in his chair, sizing Taichi up with a lazy grin. He didn't miss a beat, spinning a quick lie.
"Oh, yeah, it's bad," he said, his tone dripping with false concern. "That guy killed some demi-humans and kidnapped their kids. We're investigating, trying to get to the bottom of it." His words were smooth, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of amusement, as if he enjoyed the deception.
To anyone paying close attention, the goons didn't look like the type to care about demi-human lives.
Their rough appearances, scarred faces, sly smirks, and the way they carried themselves with a predator's confidence, suggested they were more likely to commit such crimes themselves.
Taichi's instincts screamed that something was wrong, but he kept his expression neutral, studying the men as he waited for their next move.
Taichi, having grown up in a modern world, had often heard the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover." He held onto that idea now, refusing to jump to conclusions about the five men sitting at the table.
Despite their rough looks and sly grins, they hadn't done anything wrong in front of him. He wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, at least until their actions proved otherwise.
When the goon leader claimed that the man with long black hair, Madara, had murdered demi-humans and kidnapped their children, Taichi's stomach churned.
His mind flashed to the time when Rin told him demi-human girls he had seen with with the man, their tattered clothes and fearful eyes.
The thought that man might be planning to sell them into slavery made his blood boil.
He gritted his teeth, a surge of anger rising within him. If he could, he wanted to save those children, to protect them from such a cruel fate.
The goon's mention of "investigating" sparked a new thought in Taichi's mind. These men must be guards, he reasoned, or some kind of local authority looking into Madara's crimes.
The idea made sense to him, even if their appearance didn't quite match the image of upright law enforcers.
Still, Taichi knew he had to be careful. Slavery was legal in this world, and openly speaking out against it could put him and Rin in danger.
The townsfolk might turn on them, drive them out, or even lock them up. As much as he hated the idea of slavery, his and Rin's safety came first. He couldn't risk everything to challenge a system so deeply rooted.
He looked at the goon leader, his expression serious. "If I tell you where those children are, will you take them to safety?" he asked, his voice steady but hopeful.
The goon leader blinked, clearly caught off guard by the question, but he quickly recovered, flashing a reassuring smile.
"Of course, kid," he said smoothly. "That's why we're investigating. Someone reported that this guy killed those kids' parents and took them. We're here to make sure they're safe, to get them away from him before they end up in slavery or worse." His tone was convincing, almost too perfect, but Taichi didn't notice the faint glint of deceit in his eyes.
Taichi's resolve hardened. He couldn't dismantle the slavery system or change the laws of this world, not without risking everything he and Rin had.
But helping these men rescue the children?
That was something he could do. It was a small act of kindness only small act, but it felt right. "It's the least I can do," he thought to himself. He met the goon leader's gaze and said, "Those children are on the upper floor, in the corner room. Let me help you get them to safety."
The goon leader stood, placing a heavy hand on Taichi's shoulder, his grip firm but not threatening. "We'll handle it, boy," he said, his voice carrying a hint of finality. "You've done more than enough by pointing us in the right direction. Leave the rest to us, we'll make sure those kids are safe."
"But I can help you in getti…" Taichi started, his voice eager, but before he could finish, the goon leader cut him off with a raised hand.
"No, no, boy," the leader said, his tone firm but laced with a false concern. "We can't have some kid getting mixed up in an investigation and getting hurt. Leave this to us." His words sounded protective, but his sly grin betrayed a different intent.
With a quick nod to his men, the five goons stood from their table and moved toward the stairs leading to the upper floor of the inn.
Their steps were casual, as if they were just heading to their own rooms, but their eyes gleamed with purpose as they zeroed in on the upper floor corner room where the demi-human children were staying.
As their figures disappeared up the stairs, a familiar voice broke through his thoughts.
"What happened, Taichi?" Rin asked, stepping up behind him. Her auburn hair caught the dim light of the inn, and her expression was a mix of curiosity and concern as she looked at her friend.
Taichi turned to her, his face serious. "Just as you said, Rin, that man was up to no good," he said, his voice low.
"Those men, they're investigating him. They told me he killed demi-humans and kidnapped those children you saw, the ones in tattered clothes. He's probably planning to sell them into slavery."
Rin's eyes widened, then narrowed as she clenched her fists. "I knew it," she said, her voice sharp with conviction.
"I knew he was like that. I didn't have any proof, but I could see it in his eyes, those black, lifeless eyes. There was something cold about him, like he didn't care about anything or anyone."
Her words carried a mix of anger and vindication, as if her earlier encounter with Madara had confirmed every bad feeling she'd had about him.
Taichi nodded, his jaw tightening. He couldn't shake the image of the demi-human children, their fearful expressions and ragged clothes.
The thought of them being sold into slavery made his stomach turn.
"I told those men where the kids are," he said, glancing toward the stairs. "They're going to get them to safety. I just hope they're quick about it."
Rin placed a hand on his arm, her touch reassuring. "You did the right thing, Taichi," she said softly. "We can't stop people like that man on our own, but at least those kids will be safe now."
….
A/N: How was it? I know not that good but bad. But what can I say i have to write some background too.
Anyway join my discord: https://discord.gg/5Y7uZ2kN2Y
Or in short just click in join via invite link in your discord and enter this code: 5Y7uZ2kN2Y