The Head Lord and the Rat Thief {Kamisato Ayato FanFiction}

Chapter 3 ~ The Vision and the Vision's Shell

Chapter 3 ~ The Vision and the Vision's Shell

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       Caiome felt like the journey lasted an eternity. They only entered the courtyard of the residence and ascended to the wooden terrace in its center. Ayato went first, followed by Caiome pushed by the captain, and then the other guards who carried her belongings as best they could, considering her bag was cut and the jewelry was falling out of it between their fingers onto the ground. 

       Caiome was pushed and fell to her knees, her hands tied behind her back, disheveled and scratched on her face and forehead, where Ayato had cut her to disrupt her focus. She was dirty on her face, barely able to look ahead, keeping one eye closed and barely being able to see with the other. However, she managed to see Ayaka and Thoma kneeling on one side of the platform, and Ayato took a sit at a small, empty table placed right in the middle.

       Their expressions were, of course, rigid and unpleasant. They had a thief in front of them, whom they had taken into their home, and she had fled with their youngest daughter's valuable belongings, taking advantage of her kindness.

       Ayaka turned her face away, holding a light blue fan in her hand. She held her chin up, displaying an atrocious dignity, ready to pass judgment. Thoma, on the other hand, seemed to be facing a more personal situation. Caiome rolled her eyes. Of course he didn't back down. Someone who had such adoration for his lady rarely run away from a confrontation.

       However, he wasn't the judge here. He wasn't in a position to even utter a word.

       When Ayato sat at the table, the guard who carried her bag of goods, a young boy with trembling steps, placed the stolen items in front of him.

       "So," he said, looking towards Caiome's loot and running his fingers over them, "is this all you stole, or do you have something hidden in your pockets?"

       At Ayato's nod, the guard emptied the bag at his urging, and Ayato began placing everything on the table as if that was its purpose: to serve as a presentation platter. All those hair accessories were lined up, followed by jewelry, earrings, brooches, necklaces, all made of gold, silver, white gold, or rose gold, and precious gemstones.

       "Why don't you come looking for it?" Caiome replied with a smile, which brought a frown from Ayaka and a laugh from Ayato. "I don't bite."

       "No, you just bark," Ayato said, then turned to his sister. "Is this everything you were missing?" he asked, and Ayaka nodded.

        "It is," she spoke slowly, calculated, and coldly.

        "Was there anything else missing from the residence?" Ayato asked no one in particular, but fixing his gaze on Caiome. His eyes were dangerously sharp and deep, as if they wanted to search something within her mind.

       "No, milord," replied an older servant, probably responsible for the entire residence, compared to Chizuru. "Apparently, everything that went missing was only Miss Ayaka's belongings."

       "You should have given me more time," Caiome commented discontentedly. "I could have taken your silverware too if the kitchen wasn't so far away from my room."

       "Did you enjoy the tour of my house?" Ayato asked her.

       "Interesting, actually," she replied. "Again, maybe if I had more time, I would have found out where those hidden tunnels behind the cellars lead. Maybe they're escape routes?" She pretended not to know, adopting a thoughtful expression. "From what I've heard and seen, every wealthy house has something like that, especially when it comes to political figures. You know, for safety."