"Finding the Runaway Servant-2"

All the classes had ended for the day and Educator Rosanna, who taught about swordsmanship and archery, allowed Ivory to sit in her class even without her Servant. Adviser Titus also dismissed them early for the self-training class because there was nothing to train yet.

Ivory waited in the carriage until the sun went down. Spotted by Lucius, he asked her to bring him along. They used Ebleu's horse-drawn carriage since his own carriage was too showy and had an intrinsic design that displayed his status.

At Betania City, not only drunkards, but male and female prostitutes were seen roaming around the streets. The loud singing of drinkers and even the clinking of glasses were heard from the nearby tavern. Ebleu parked the carriage in a safe parking spot, while Ivory and Lucius started walking around.

"This is not a place for kids. Get lost!" one of the owners of a pub yelled at them. Ivory being nineteen and Lucius being eighteen, they were not the usual customers that the pub owners had been expecting.

"Should we dress more uhh… matured?" Ivory suggested, making Lucius laugh. "Why? What's so funny?"

"Nothing, it's just that… I don't know what clothes we should wear to make us look mature," he scratched the temple of his head.

"How about putting a beard on you?" she studied his face.

"Do you want me to leave you here?" Lucius replied jokingly.

"Of course not! I am just kidding!" she pouted.

"I'm just kidding, too," he smirked then continued walking on the cobblestoned path.

Suddenly, a man was punched right in front of them, making Ivory hide behind Lucius.

"Screw you!" the man who was punched had bruises on his face. He repeatedly cursed one of the servers of the tavern, then yelled at him, "You're just new here, yet you're so full of yourself! I wonder why Edmond agreed to hire you!"

"It's because I'm handsome," the guy said, clicking his tongue and grinning afterwards. "You're the one who shouldn't be so full of yourself! Do I look like I care if you're a regular here? What nonsense were you saying inside, huh?" he continued to kick the man's body hard as he laid on the ground.

They didn't clearly hear what he shouted, so they wondered what made him so mad. He's only a human at the moment without a Contract Ritual, yet he could still fight violently. "Sigmund! Stop!" Ivory yelled at the server of the tavern. Even if his clothes were different, she recognized him right away upon hearing his voice and seeing his facial expression, especially those fangs of his.

Sigmund turned his head to her direction, his crimson-colored eyes staring at his Master's light blue eyes. He almost called her 'Master', but he didn't. He's gotten so much pride and sensed her low-quality mana, which unsatisfied him.

"Oh, the weakling," Sigmund spoke coldly. "What's your name again?"

"Ivory. I'm Ivory Sprucemint," she approached him and grabbed his arm. "Let's go back, please come with me-"

Sigmund glared at her and shoved her hand, "Can't you see, I'm working right now?"

"Sigmund… If you won't go with me, I'll be expelled…"

The Vampire chuckled, "I don't give a fuck. It's your fault that your mana is very bad."

Ivory turned her head down and uttered, "I… I'm so sorry-"

"You don't have to say sorry to this ungrateful Servant, Ivory," Lucius stepped in between them as soon as he saw that Ivory was about to cry. He faced the tall Servant courageously, "Vampire, you should thank your Master. If not for her mana, you wouldn't even have your physical body right now."

"Heh. It's you again. Her Knight in Shining Armor. Mind your own business." Sigmund crossed his arms, "You've got really great mana, you should give some to your lover."

"I beg your pardon?"

"That woman with very bad mana. She's your lover, isn't she?"

"She's my friend, you-"

"Oh? I got it wrong, then. You're too overprotective of her. I thought you were lovers. My bad...my bad."

"It should be your job to protect her, you imbecile!"

"Ehem… What's the commotion?" a red-haired man with a thick beard approached them. Ivory recognized that he fit the description of the clothing shop owner.

"Edmond, they're not even going to dine, yet they caused a ruckus," Sigmund complained. "I'm going back inside. Got some more dishes to serve," with that, the Vampire went back in.

"Looks like you know the fearless man," Edmond smiled at them and despite the commotion, he warmly invited them inside.

Lucius and Ivory followed Edmond's lead inside the tavern with wooden tables and wooden chairs. They took a seat and soon after, Edmond served them a plate of salted steamed potatoes.

"Go on, try some. It's on me," the friendly Edmond said, seating across them. "Sorry that my employee acted like that. He's new here."

"Mister, he needs to go back with me," Ivory pleaded, pressing her palms together, "Please convince him."

"You see how stubborn he is, right? I don't think I can help you. Honestly, I was just passing by the clothing store when I saw him and the store owner arguing. I merely suggested that he be my employee to earn some coins and buy the things he wants."

Ivory was at loss for words and didn't know what to do anymore. She glanced at the Vampire servant, serving other customers instead of her. He never smiled, yet the women customers flock to him, asking a lot of unnecessary questions just to get him to talk to them. He looked patient and calm, unlike the way he had displayed earlier at the customer and at her, his Master.

Hours passed, and the potatoes were all gone. Edmond had been singing on the small stage while also playing the lute. Sigmund had been paid to accompany two rich middle-aged women on one table, while he served them booze.

"Young man, you're the most handsome one I've ever seen since I was born," one of them named Priscilla, who had long curls, whispered into his ear. "I have a lot of gold coins at my mansion, do you want to go home with me tonight?"

"Nah, I'm busy," Sigmund said in an unfriendly manner. It was that cold attitude of his that made the women like him so much.

"How about spending the night with us… You know… That kind of thing," the other woman named Brenda, a woman with a bob cut and full bangs, suggested as she tried to put her arms around him.

But Sigmund brushed her off, "Don't touch me. I'm only being paid to pour drinks right now. This is a tavern."

The two women giggled, pleased with his act, while Ivory, who was just behind their seat, irked in disgust. She thought that the two women must be crazy.

It was dawn, and the two women finally drank the last drop of their booze. Sigmund noticed that the whole time, Ivory was staring at him and observing him as if she was his boss. He couldn't help it any longer, so he finally approached them.

"You two. If you're not going to order, get out of here!"

She retorted as she thought about the prizes of the Servant Competition, "I'm not getting out of here without you!"

"Hah! What a persistent worthless Master," Sigmund smirked, noticing Lucius' sleepy eyes. "Think about your lover... I meant your good friend who came with you. Do you think he's not going to rest today? Don't you have classes later?"

Ivory realized that Sigmund was right. She caught Lucius' head going forward and backward, and his eyes were almost closed, but he was struggling to keep them open.

"Sorry, Lucius… you can go on without me," Ivory told him, but he shook his head.

"I can't leave you in such a place, Ivory. It's alright."

"What a touching romance… I meant friendship you have right there. Why don't you just make this friend… your Servant? Since he's the one willing to protect you," Sigmund chuckled, but his words made Lucius' fist hit his face.