(56) if i took you for a man

In the heart of the formidable castle, the main hall unfolded in all its grandeur, a spectacle of majesty and splendor. As the morning sun gently poured through the towering windows, its rays danced upon the pristine white marble walls, suffusing the space with a luminous glow that seemed to breathe life into every corner.

Adorning the walls were intricate carvings, each telling a story of the castle's rich history, their detailed craftsmanship stretching across vast expanses, creating an opulent tapestry of regal beauty.

At the distant end of the hall, a staircase ascended to a shadowy alcove. The back wall of this mysterious enclave was punctuated by small apertures, through which slivers of sunlight pierced the darkness, casting ethereal patterns reminiscent of a starry night sky imprisoned within the castle's confines.

Beneath this celestial illumination, a solitary white throne sat in silent vigil, its seat unoccupied yet imbued with an air of solemn authority.

The air in the room remained unchanged, yet her attention shifted to the numerous individuals gazing in their direction. The grand hall was adorned with lengthy wooden tables, hosting a diverse assembly of Sleepers seated on rough benches, engrossed in their meals. Although there seemed to be a hierarchical arrangement among them, Rin couldn't understand it just yet.

However, what captivated her focus at that moment was the collective gaze directed towards them. It took a moment for her to realize that the attention wasn't directed at them as a whole; rather, it fixated on a blend of herself and Cassie—an answer that seemed glaringly obvious.

This is bound to end with someone knocked out

'and a few teeth missing'

Meanwhile, the blind girl remained oblivious to the stir her presence had stirred, she did however feel the two of them stop moving, she inquired:

"You guys? Why did we stop?"

"Well cassie-"

With a narrowed gaze, they both shot a menacing look at the group of Sleepers, their expressions cold and unwavering. In a tone devoid of emotion, they replied:

"We were Just taking in the view."

After that, they strolled up to the young ladies doling out food, picked up three plates of piping hot monster meat stew, and led Cassie to a cozy spot with some space at the edge of a table. Sunny even snagged them cups of a brew that looked suspiciously like tea.

As they settled in, Sunny placed the makeshift utensils into Cassie's hand and gazed down at his own plate, lost in thought. Meanwhile, Rin mirrored the action, fixing her gaze on her plate as well.

He spoke

"Look at that, Cas! They even got vegetables. I swear there's at least two pieces of a… uh… tomato in my stew. Or is it a carrot? What's that thing that looks like a red potato?"

*That's not a potato idiot*

*How am I supposed to know?*

*We had literal classes about this with Teacher Julius*

*Nah he said that in passing*

*Sunny…. He showed us pictures*

*Yeah and he told us to run if we ever saw something familiar*

*I…you make a good point*

Cassie smelled her stew and said with a smile.

"I think it's a beetroot."

Sunny spoke seconds later confusion plastered all over his face

"...Never heard of it."

She smiled warmly, yet beneath the surface, a hint of concern flickered in her gaze. With a subtle shift of her eyes, she discreetly scanned the surroundings, silently checking for any signs of trouble

*Sunny anything wrong on your end*

She looked at Cassie to make it look like she was changing her attention

"Cassie hows the stew?*

She smiled at Rin

"Its actually pretty good you should try it Ri-...Red"

*No i don't see anything wrong…yet….you?*

*Nope..wait…actually*

She couldn't shake the odd feeling about the group in red robes casting glances their way, but she decided to brush it off for the moment. Their faces were obscured by the hoods, and it was apparent that others were avoiding sitting too close to them.

As they engaged in light conversation, their attention was subtly drawn to the Sleepers, their senses attuned to any signs of trouble, their anticipation palpable. Before long, their fears were realised as events took a turn for the worse.

Rin felt a wave of tension wash over them as two rugged, young men abruptly stood up from their seats and sauntered across the hall with an unsettling gleam of excitement in their eyes.

*Here we go.*

*That didn't take long*

It's quite unexpected, isn't it? The very thing that got them into trouble turned out to be something as basic as people struggling to rein in their impulses. Normally, it was either Sunny's cutting remarks or his overall irritating behavior, or perhaps her sarcastic comments.

As she caught one of them giving her a lewd glance, a sense of dread washed over her, knowing exactly how this encounter would unfold.

*Im gonna kill one of them by the end of this if someone doesn't stop me*

*I most certainly won't*

What made it even more unbearable was the realization that the duo heading her way were unmistakably members of Gunlaug's notorious gang. Their attire, complete with armor, and the ostentatious display of their weapons in sheaths, screamed affiliation. It was ludicrous, really, considering memories could be conjured at will, rendering the need for visible weaponry purely for intimidation purposes.

Of course they thinks its intimidating

So, what was Harper getting at? If there's a "misunderstanding" with someone from Gunlaug's team, keep in mind they've got a lot on their plate. Show them some respect.

Basically, just let it go.

As the young men swaggered over to their section of the table, their leering grins made it evident that they were mentally stripping Rin and Cassie. Sunny, glanced up at them.

The nearby Sleepers shifted uncomfortably, their expressions weighed down with unease and fear, choosing to avert their gaze.

*Maybe they just want to say hi.*

*Sunny… seriously?*

He glanced at Rin, sensing beneath her composed demeanour a hint of discomfort with his knowing gaze.

Sunny's lips parted as if he were about to speak…

*Sunny dont please*

*Relax I'll be as respectful as possible*

'well at least it won't be that bad'

…and said:

"What the fuck are you degenerates staring at?"

…

…

'nice'

***

A hush fell over the entire hall, as if someone had pressed the mute button on the bustling chatter. Once more, all eyes were on Sunny, who found himself thrust into the spotlight yet again.

'by his own accord may i add'

*That was so fucking respectful Sunny, can i strangle you to death? I'll do it out of complete respect too*

*It wasn't on purpose it sorta just escaped out my mouth*

The Sleepers nearby, who had just moments ago feigned ignorance, now bowed their heads, seemingly hoping to shrink into invisibility.

Rin shot them a scornful glance before redirecting her attention to the two young men looming menacingly over Sunny, their eyes flickering with a sinister gleam.

Sunny shot a fierce look at the two fools, realizing there was no turning back now. Cassie, by Rin's side, turned her head, her expression filled with alarm.

One of the idiots grinned.

"Huh. We were just hoping to politely introduce ourselves to these lovely little dolls, but hey, we can get acquainted with the ugly little clown first. How about it?"

She stole a quick glance at the other Sleeper, noting his complete lack of amusement as he stared at Sunny.

Cassie frowned, then said:

"Why are you…"

But then, right at that moment, the second guy stepped up and let out a low growl, cutting her off mid-sentence.

"What did you just say, clown? Do you know who we are? Fool, we're Gunlaug's men."

His hand was resting on the pommel of his sword.

Rin spoke for the first time in this interaction

"Are the weapons necessary? Or are you compensating"

granted this wasn't the best time but seeing the anger on one of their faces was worth it

"SHUT IT"

Rin was acutely aware that letting the situation escalate wasn't the smartest move, yet she felt boxed in, with no alternative. Giving in now would just pave the way for disaster. She had encountered individuals like these before, ones who pounced at any hint of vulnerability.

In her experience, they operated on a simple binary: fear or strength. It was a game she knew all too well, and she wasn't willing to show any signs of weakness.

Sunny stretched out his hand, as though he might summon a weapon at any moment, his expression darkening as he locked eyes with the young men. Then, in a stern tone, he spoke:

"Congratulations. Now get lost before I make you dead men."

Maybe it was the tone in his voice or the flicker of coldness in his eyes, but the Sleeper, his hand resting on the sword's hilt, paused. For a fleeting moment, Rin dared to hope that Sunny's warning had struck a chord. Yet, as the young man cast a quick, nervous glance around, that hope vanished into thin air.

In a different setting, perhaps with just the two of them, the Sleeper might have second-guessed his decision to provoke Sunny any further. But with the eyes of onlookers fixed upon them, displaying any hint of apprehension was out of the question.

Gunlaug's associate flashed a menacing grin, baring his teeth in a show of intimidation.

"Those are terribly big words, coming from a puny weakling like you. You know what? I think your girls need to keep better company. Why don't we help them out by making you disappear?"

She stepped in again standing up from her seat and getting in between them

"look it was a nice suggestion for company but i don't need tweedle dee or tweedle dum so kindly fuck off before…"

As she spoke, her words faltered, abruptly halted by the sight that met her gaze. Her eyes locked onto the simmering anger etched on the guard's face, his muscles tensing with barely contained fury. Time seemed to slow as she watched his hand coil back, gathering momentum before it inevitably hurtled towards her face.

She felt Sunny's thoughts invade her own, literally... images of the guards corpses filled her head as she felt Sunny's anger towards them

*Sunny DO NOT REACT, LET ME HANDLE THIS*

For months, she navigated through a nightmarish labyrinth teeming with monstrous beings that could devour a guy like him without batting an eye. During those grueling months, she honed her skills, becoming formidable in combat. She didn't even need her extrasensory abilities to anticipate the hand coming at her face; it didn't even register as a threat to her.

She let it happen

"SILENCE GIRL!"

As his hand made contact with her cheek, it encountered a surface as unyielding as stone. Despite the force behind the blow, she remained stoic, her face unmoved, not even a flinch. The only indication of the impact was the subtle shift in her hair.

The room fell into a hush, the echo of the slap lingering in the air. Despite the sudden burst of violence, she greeted him with a serene smile, her composure unwavering.

His confusion was palpable, unable to comprehend her seemingly unaffected demeanor in the face of his aggression.

"Girl? Is that meant to insult me?"

She stepped closer to him, showing no fear despite the weapons present, and gently pressed her finger against his chest plate.

Her voice was void of emotions:

"I would return the slap if i took you for a man"

As her finger straightened, she gently pressed it against him. He hadn't anticipated the impact, yet he found himself staggering backward in surprise.

"YOU BITCH!!"

*Sunny get ready*

Rin had mentally prepared for the worst, ready to unleash the widows bane at any instant. However, just as tension peaked, a soothing voice broke the silence from behind them.

"Leave them alone, please. They are my friends."

She wasn't familiar with the person approaching, but as they both caught a glimpse through Sunnys' eyes, she turned to see who it was. There stood a tall, self-assured young man, exuding a calm demeanor with his hands casually placed at his hips.

His chestnut hair framed a friendly, handsome face, and his eyes twinkled with warmth and humor.

It was…