♔Chapter Two

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The boy stared up at me, determination in his eyes. He was already ready to fight while I, myself, was frozen in my place.

His eyes were distracting. My dream invading my thoughts as I gazed upon his tan face, taking in the thought of my dream coming to life. I shook my head. That would be a mere fantasy.

He tried to move past me, most likely being fooled by my small size. Others had been many times before.

I gripped his arm, moving him back in front of me as I overlooked him, meeting his eyes afterwards. "What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice calm, sounding like I had known the boy all of my life.

His eyes glared as they stared at my own, refusing to answer. It didn't take long for a group of the team to see the boy and I, hidden away to the side of the shower house.

"What's this, boy?" One of them asked, a slight slur in his voice that was there every time I spoke to him. I had to wonder if he was always drinking or was just born with the slur.

I glanced up at him, noting that he kept his eyes on the boy invading our turf. I turned back to the boy. "He's an old friend, I sent him a letter a couple of months ago," I lied. None of the idiots here knew of my past, not even the mission-givers.

"Why you beside the showers," one asked, too lazy to speak properly. I wondered how some of these people got into the thieving business when they can't even find the will to speak correctly.

"I was about to get myself one," I answered, walking to the corner and pointing to my pile of folded clothes on the ground.

"Liam, here, was about to go to my room to get what he came here for," I added, creating a name for the boy off the top of my head. He seemed to get the idea because he nodded.

"Where's his stuff?" Another asked and I almost began a fight the group here. They were always bringing whores and beggars around the house, why could I not bring someone.

Even if I hadn't brought him.

I looked towards the white house in the distance. "His luggage is already upstairs, by the door to my bedroom," I said, agitation laced in my voice. The group remained silent.

"Now, I'm going to go get a shower," I turned to the boy. "Liam, why don't you go to my room?"

The group had left us. I turned, walking to the doorway, crouching down to grab my clothes before disappearing into the shower house.

I looked around, seeing steam occupying most of the air. Men walked around with their clothing halfway on, others still naked and underneath the showerhead.

I walked past them all, going to the last shower area in the building. Nobody ever used it, except me. That is, that I know of.

I pulled off the trousers I had found in the guest room before pulling the shirt over my head. The house started getting quieter, telling me that a lot had finished their showers and it was now getting emptier, which meant more peace.

I took the rest of my clothing off, stepping into the shower as the water ran over my nude body. I relaxed, beginning to clean off myself.

I stepped into the house, hearing people bicker and shout throughout the place. Others were in the kitchen eating or cooking. Maids were running to and from rooms as men walked about.

I walked to the stairs, placing my hand on the railing as I made my way up. I had more research to do and a letter to read.

A newspaper about my sister was still in my room, expecting to be read. I had acquired it before I had left last week on my last mission.

I walked down the corridor of bedroom doors, some paintings appearing in my peripheral vision. My door came into view and I walked to it, grabbing the doorknob and beginning to open it.

"Lyric," I looked up, seeing Ottoman for the second time. I arched an eyebrow, pushing my hand through my still-wet hair as habit.

"Have you read the letter yet?" He asked, not clarifying what letter he was talking about, but I didn't need him to.

"No, I just got back from the shower house," I answered, my hand still on my doorknob. "I was about to, however."

Ottoman's face lit up, making my mind think of reasons why he would be so excited about this letter. He said something else that I didn't catch before continuing to walk down the hallway.

I shook my head, turning to my bedroom door. My hand turned the knob before pushing open the door. My eyes widened to find the boy, that I had called Liam, fast asleep on my bed.

My pages and journals of research surrounded him, and although I should've been furious that he had been snooping, I was completely fine with the situation.

This boy had something about him that made nobody want to betray him. It would get so many people harmed on his behalf.

Instead of waking him, I walked to my desk, sitting on the wooden chair before pulling the envelope to me. It took but a moment to open it, revealing a long letter from one of the many mission-givers.

I scanned over it before actually starting to read the letter.

Lyric,
You have been trusted with most of our most difficult missions, even with only being seventeen. We have gotten a mission that we believe would fit you quite well, however, we need you to meet with us for us to give you the mission.
You have until next Friday to meet us at the most popular bar in the Ulive Kingdom's land. If you come, you know what to ask for.
-ℳ

I stared at the letter, trying to remember the bar's name before I could begin packing. If I couldn't remember the name or place, there was no point in the trip to the bar.

"Platinum," I jumped at the voice, looking over me to see that the boy had woken up and was now looking over my shoulder at the letter in my hands. His blue eyes traced the page again as I looked back in front of me.

"Platinum Quaff, or just Platinum," he said again. I looked at the letter, never remembering a bar by that name.

"That's the bar?" I asked, my head tilted to the size, which made me notice something on the back of the letter. I flipped it over to see a map roughly drawn map.

"I guess your friends are awful artists," the boy said and I glared at him.

"Don't speak awfully of them here," I scolded him, shaking my head. "you will get killed."

"Then you do not order me around like you're a prince," he replied and I shook my head. He bent over against my desk.

"You won't be sticking around long enough for me to," I spoke, copying the map onto a piece of paper as he mumbled something.

"Think I shall," he said, his eyes glancing my way. "Might be a good change of pace."

"You're at most, what? Eighteen?" I said, leaning back in my chair and looking at him. "There can't be that much wrong with your life. Take it from a person that's been here since he was eleven, it's hell here."

"I'm nineteen, actually. How old are you?" I looked at him before looking back at my page and continuing my copying.

"I'm seventeen," I answered before realizing something. "You read the letter, why ask?"

He shrugged. "By the way, my name's Zero, not Liam."

"It's all I could think of on the spot to save your ass from being in the dungeon," I answered, looking at the two maps when I finished. "Lyric."

"Like music?"

"Yeah, like music."

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