[Bonus chapter] The north II

The second the woman ran past him, her long hazel hair that was tied into a ponytail flowed back. Time seemed to stop for a second as Claude just stood there frozen. When he blinked, time resumed as he turned his head back, only to see the woman's back. 

"Hey, out of our way!" one of her pursuers hollered, but Claude kept his eyes on the woman's back. "I said, out of —"

Before the three ruffians could step foot in Claude's vicinity, the corner of his lips curled up into a smirk. He didn't even bother looking back, as his knights had already blocked the three men from approaching. 

"A thief, huh?" he mumbled, glancing over his shoulders with the devious smirk plastered on his lips. "I will catch the thief myself. Don't follow me."

Claude didn't wait for his knights' reply as he had already chased after that woman who caught his eyes. 

******