MTM 59

Zed entered the Feast District alone. He had heard someone say that two people matching Harto and Leon’s descriptions had gone inside. Zed already suspected as much.

“Damn it…”

Zed gritted his teeth. He should have told them everything from the start. No, this never would have happened if Allen hadn’t whispered carelessly in front of them.

“It’s called the Feast District. There must be a massive entertainment quarter inside.”

If the place were simply for pleasure, it would not have mattered. But he knew it was a site where dangerous dealings took place. That was why he had kept his mouth shut and stopped them from going near it.

“It just occurred to me, earlier Harto asked what Allen said. Leon was curious too.”

If he had been honest with Harto, he could have stopped this. The problem was Leon. With his curious temperament, there was no way he would have ignored such a flashy, suspicious place.

But to think they would sneak out…

Regret was useless now. Zed searched through every corner of the district for traces of the two.

Thud!

Then he saw someone thrown out in front of a tent crowded with people. It was Leon.

“Ha! Talking about fate when you don’t even have money! If you want to hear more, bring me gold coins!”

The fortune-teller, who had looked graceful earlier, now shouted in a harsh voice.

“You didn’t even tell me the important part! My fate… What is it supposed to be!? Am I supposed to save the world?!”

Leon yelled from where he had fallen, his face full of frustration. The fortune-teller turned away with an irritated face and went back into the tent. People only whispered among themselves, uninterested. Scenes like this were common here.

“Leon.”

Zed approached and called his name.

“Ah…!”

Leon lifted his head up. The instant he saw Zed’s face, he flinched and jumped to his feet.

“Ah, ah, no… Zed, what are you doing here…”

Leon looked panicked, he furtively looked at the crowd.

“Where’s Harto? Where is he?”

Zed asked directly, then glanced toward the tent Leon had been thrown from, wondering if Harto might still be inside.

Leon grabbed Zed’s collar quickly.

“He, he’s not in there…”

“Then where is he?”

Zed’s voice was lower than usual. Leon sensed how angry he was and anxiously looked around. But Harto was nowhere to be seen among the people.

“T-that’s strange…? I told him to wait outside for a bit… Where did he go…”

Sweat trickled down Leon’s forehead. Zed was glaring at him like he might tear him apart.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

“So naive.”

Ser looked at Harto, who stared at the shackles around his wrists in confusion, and laughed. Then he locked another one on the other wrist.

“Why… are you doing this…”

Harto twisted his arms to break free, but it was useless. The rings were made of enchanted metal, harder than steel.

“Stay still.”

Ser held Harto’s waist with one hand as he tried to resist. Then he rubbed the perfumed oil across his pale chest and lower abdomen. The oil glowed gold against his skin. Ser poured the remaining liquid between his buttocks.

“……!”

When the cold, sticky oil soaked into that private place, Harto froze and swallowed his scream. Tears welled in his eyes as he tried to crawl out of the bath, but he lost his balance and fell.

“Ah…”

His shoulder hit the floor, scraping the skin and leaving a red mark.

“Ouch, that must hurt.”

Ser spoke casually, unbothered, as he slipped on a bathrobe. Then he called toward the doorway in a calm voice.

“Take him.”

Heavy footsteps entered the room. The guards came in and grabbed Harto by both arms, forcing him to stand up.

“Ser…!”

Harto realized too late that he had been completely deceived by Ser, and he shouted loudly. But the guards’ brutal grip dragged him out of the room before he could struggle free. In the end, he tried to use his last resort by transforming into a monster.

“Huh…?”

Strangely, his body didn’t change. The shackles on his wrists must have been the cause.

“Walk straight.”

The guards dragged Harto down the corridor, his bare body scraping against the floor. As they walked through the maze-like passage, someone shouted angrily from the other side.

“What are you doing!? I told you to bring that boy right now!”

At the sound of that furious voice, Harto instantly knew whose voice it was, a shiver ran down his spine, it was the refined guest the master had mentioned earlier. He felt that this time, he wouldn’t be able to escape.

‘I have to get away… But how…’

While his mind raced, Harto looked around anxiously. The corridor was dark, but dozens of oil lamps lined the walls, bright enough to light the way.

Then he suddenly remembered the droplets of water he had drawn down from the ceiling back when the attacker captured him in Belnok.

‘Maybe…’

Harto focused every bit of strength he had on one of the lamps along the wall. He parted his lips and blew softly.

Fwoosh… whoosh–.

Then, as if a breeze had swept through, one of the lamps went out. One by one, the lights along the wall began to flicker and die, until the entire corridor was swallowed in darkness.

“W-what the..?!”

The guards froze, startled by the sudden loss of light. Harto seized the moment and slipped out of their grip.

“That brat did it!”

Each time Harto ran through the corridor, the lights went out in his wake. One of the guards shouted in alarm. Hands reached from every direction trying to grab him. Harto twisted his body, barely dodging, and rushed toward the stairs leading down to the first floor.

When he looked below, the refined guest stood there with his face flushed red, staring up at him.

“Ohh… What a beautiful body…”

The glint of desire in those eyes made Harto’s skin crawl. He swallowed his scream and extinguished every lamp in the building.

“I can’t see anything!”

“W-what’s happening! Why did all the lights…”

The whole place erupted in commotion as darkness covered everything.

“That boy’s using sorcery!”

At the guard’s belated shout, Harto rushed down the stairs and headed toward the faint outline of the exit.

“There! He went that way!”

At the same time as the master’s shout, someone stepped forward holding a torch to block his path. But Harto remained calm and blew out again. The blazing torch died instantly, leaving only a wisp of white smoke.

While everyone gasped in confusion, Harto shoved aside the curtain at the entrance and tore through it, hurling himself out into the street. After that, he ran without looking back.

“Ah! W-what is that!”

“Move! Get out of the way!”

Everywhere he passed, the lamps went out, and people’s startled cries followed behind, but he heard none of them. The only thought in his mind was that he had to escape this place.

‘Zed… Zed…!’

He wanted to see Zed so much. If he hadn’t followed Leon here, he would be sleeping warm in Zed’s arms right now. That thought made his heart ache. His vision blurred as tears filled his eyes.

Soaked with sweat and tears, Harto ran into a deserted alleyway.

“Ah…!”

A hand emerged from the darkness and seized him. He struggled, trying to break free, but the grip was unyielding. Then a familiar scent reached him, and he froze.

“Harto.”

“……!”

“Why are you crying?”

When Harto lifted his head, golden hair sparkled in his tear-blurred sight. He was in Zed’s arms, the one he had longed to see again.