Chapter 15

What is one thing you like waking up to? For Esecleus, it is his playful cat licking his face when he does not wake up to his alarm. Although her tongue feels rough every time, Esecleus does not dislike any of it. Except for the fact that Lynx sometimes catch mice and eat their heads.

So, basically, he is catching all that dirt from Lynx's hunt. There are times when Lynx caught three cockroaches and bites all three to death. And then, the wicked cat proceeded to lick Esecleus' face without his knowledge about her killing three roaches just a minute ago. And when he realized this, he almost threw up, excessively gagging inside the bathroom for three minutes.

"Ah-uh! Enough with licking this time. I don't know where you came from."

Esecleus got up off his bed and picked up Lynx to have breakfast together. The sun was shining, the weather felt so nice, and everything about today was amazing for Esecleus.

"Hmm, what should we have for breakfast, Lynx?"

"Meow~!"

"Oh, I see! You're craving some salmon! Let me just bring out these leftovers and heat them."

While his leftover dinner last night was being heated in the microwave, Esecleus brewed himself a black coffee, pure and strong-scented.

"Ahhh! Can't get enough of that smell."

Lynx was patiently waiting for her food to be ready. She was lazily lying on her comforter Esecleus made for her. Anything for Lynx. She is one hell of a spoiled cat when it comes to affection and food.

"It's so early in the morning and they are already watching over my house. Honestly, I am kind of worried about them."

Esecleus did not want to spoil his great morning. The gloomy vibe immediately receded.

"Say, Lynx. Should I help them?"

"Meow..."

"Is that so? But their contract hasn't ended yet. However, I feel like they are being coerced."

"Meow!"

Lynx hissed at him, bearing her fangs against him when he showed her a nonchalant look on his face.

"Ehh? You're angry? But it was not my responsibility to save them. Their lives are their responsibility. That's it."

The cat hissed once again, giving Esecleus an angry look. It was the first time Lynx showed plenty of emotions.

"Meow!"

"Haa," he sighed, "okay, okay. Stop hissing at me."

[Ability Tree Activation]

[Portal]

[Travel through places you've been before in an instant. This ability does not consume Mana. However, the cooldown of the ability varies on the distance traveled.]

A door appeared in front of Esecleus out of nowhere. But before he opened it to do what Lynx wanted him to do, he pulled out their breakfast from the microwave and served Lynx her salmon.

"Let it cool down for a minute before you dig in."

He left his food covered above the glass table. He was wearing his pajamas when he entered the door. Esecleus popped up on both Ihra and Ahri.

[Bind Release]

[Remove any spell or restriction on your desired target. The ability consumes 100 Mana per use and has 5 seconds cooldown. To activate, hold your target's head and either say the ability's name out loud or inside your mind.]

"This won't hurt."

Nonchalantly, Esecleus swiftly plunges forward, grabbing Ihra's whole face with his right hand. He could slam him on the ground and knocked him out but he did not.

"Lynx would not like that. Tch! Did she grow fond of the twins the first time they came?"

He was speaking mindlessly with his hand still grabbing Ihra's whole face. He hasn't yet activated the Bind Release, so Ihra struggled for his life.

While Ihra had it rough, Ahri, on the other hand, got the soft treatment from Esecleus. Innocent women are people Esecleus would not dare hit or badmouth. Women that earn his respect.

"Lynx wished for the two of you to have breakfast with us."

Esecleus brought them unconscious. It did not take that long for them to regain consciousness.

"Aw! My head hurts!"

They were still wearing the same clothes they had last night. And the first thing they noticed was that they stink.

"Eww! I smell gross!"

The shy Ahri showed disgust at herself. Never had Esecleus thought that she would make such a funny face.

"Go use my bathroom and take a bath. I'll prepare a towel and clothes for you two to wear."

Chris went ahead and took a bath. She took her sweet time while Ihra had to deal with the stenchy smell from last night.

"What do you remember, Ihra?" Esecleus asked, feasting on the sushi and fried salmon he prepared.

Ihra refused to dirty the couch. Therefore, he was standing while he answered Esecleus' question.

"The last thing I remember is we were talking to Darius about our contracts when this Pargon guy appeared. And after that, it is all blurry."

Ihra's neck still hurts from the punch last night. He hasn't fully recovered from it yet, so Esecleus gave him an ointment he pulled out of nowhere.

"I'm done."

Slender, skin that looks so soft, legs that were long and hairless, the fresh Ahri came out of the bath. Ihra instantly ran towards the bathroom with Esecleus' clothes with him.

Ahri was drying her hair, wearing the cat-printed t-shirt Esecleus lent to her and the silk-tailored short he has. Her soft and white skin complemented the black shorts she was wearing, enlightening her hidden beauty.

Even though Esecleus finds her pretty, Esecleus has no romantic feelings for her. It was all fascination and pure admiration. But surely, Esecleus sees Ahri as a member of the opposite sex, a potential partner. Well, he sees every woman the same.

His preference is quite simple. An independent and kind woman. Someone who's pretty is just a bonus feature to his preference.

"Apply the ointment after you dry yourself, Ihra!"

"Okay!"

"What were you talking about with Ihra?"

Ahri settled down on the couch, stretching her slender legs straight. She was acting carefree when Esecleus was used to the prim and elegant lady that she is. This new side of her was something Esecleus gets to admire more.

"Feel at home. I've got plenty of food. Eat when you're hungry."

"Cat food—actually," Ahri emphasized, picking up a piece of sushi on a small plate atop the glass table.

She opened her mouth wide enough to swallow the whole sushi and she noticed that Lynx was looking at her, frowning.

"Lynx is angry because you ate her last sushi."

Ahri could not spit or take it out of her mouth since she was already chewing on it. Although she felt embarrassed and sorry for Lynx, the prim lady enjoyed the last piece of sushi.

"Meow!"

"Oh, no. Is she upset?"

"No. Apparently, it is me she's angry at for not serving you the same amount of food I just ate."

"Eh? You can understand her?"

"No again. It's just me making things up."

"..."

Anything for Lynx. Esecleus winds up some freshly cooked fried rice and four strips of bacon and serves the food to the twins. Hassle as it may sound, Esecleus likes cooking and deeply appreciates when people like the food he makes.

"You still have 2 days till the end of your contract, right?"

The twins nodded.

"Stay here until your contract expires. I will take care of Darius and another business that needs to be done. I don't like stubborn people. Stay when I tell you and leave when I say so."

"Won't it be dangerous?"

"Nope. I am the danger. They should be worried about themselves."

His overwhelming authority on the twins had them shutting their mouths and staying in his house. They could not argue with Esecleus. He is someone they wish not to get on his bad side.

"Be safe."

"Be careful."

"It's my enemies you should be worrying about."

Esecleus left the house and Lynx to the twins. They should not get bored inside his house since he has a computer for them to play with or watch movies. A 20-inch flat-screen tv is also available for them to use.

It was entirely up to them. What they will do and how they will spend the rest of their days in Esecleus' house.

***

[M: Did you hear the rumors?]

[F: No, what rumors?]

[M: Apparently, this normal-looking guy is investigating the place where the deal happened last time.]

[F: Is it Esecleus? He is the only guy in the group.]

[M: That's the strange part. Our informant said the guy did not look a bit like Esecleus.]

[F: Hmm... Well, it's given that another group or maybe the police are already on our tail.]

[M: Beware and prepare for an all-out skirmish on the next day.]

If one were to give this night a title, it would be "Zephyr." In the gentle breeze washing through the green leaves of olive, a chilling storm is currently forming. And every one that felt the chill will find themselves wandering in the middle of it.

~