Chapter 3

The Kingsman

My hands twitch uncontrollably as I stare at the pouch overflowing with gold and silver which dangle from the noble’s waist. If it wasn’t for the guards watching his every move I would’ve been skipping home right now wondering what I should get to eat with hard earn money. His pride must’ve taken quite the hit if he’s hiring guards to protect him from some pocket thieves. I wonder how he will react if I manage to rob him again even with the added security. Just imagining the shocked look on his chubby face, make this worthwhile.

Now, how should I proceed? No way he’s going to fall for the same trick again, plus it’s going to be hard to get close with those guards near. “I guess I got no choice but to improvise.” I put my hood on and took a deep breath.

“Hey, you rich bastard!” Everyone including the noble looked at me. Since my body was nearly the same size as Lily, it was easy to fool them. Although to be so easily mistaken for a 12-year-old really did a blow to my already shaken confidence.

“I heard you were looking for me, if you really wanted to get rob that badly, then you should come to the slums more often!”

“You, you street rat!!” I could barely keep my laughter in seeing the noble’s tomato-red face. “What are you guys doing? Capture her already!” The guards rush at me like dogs release from there leash. I quickly retreated to a dark alley and climb up a building.

“Step 1, distraction.” While dangling from a window ledge, I toss a glass bottle I pick up further down the alley.

“She went this way!” The guards follow the loud crash further into the darkness.

“Step 2, act natural.” I hop back down onto the ground the moment they ran past me I took my hood off since they believe the culprit was a human child, I was easily able to approach the nobleman from behind who was frantically looking for his guards.

“Step 3, dexterity.” While my body twitches from nervousness, my hand remains steady, and in one swift movement, I snatch the pouch off his waist.

Typically, I feel a tinge of guilt, but right now the only thing going through my head is what fanciest meal I can buy with his money.

“So, you were the real thief.” A large hand grabs my shoulder, locking me in place. “Tell me, how should I pay you back for the humiliation you cause me?”

“How about I hand you your pouch back, and we pretend this never happens?” The noble tighten his grip on my shoulder, I force a smile on my face and reach for the pistol hidden within my cloak. My blood turns cold as my hand grabbed nothing but air.

Don’t tell me I left it at home?! No way, not I’m not that careless!

“Damnit, where did she go?!” The guards that chase me into the dark alley, frantically looked around the street while breathing heavily.

“W-Well how about it? Let’s go our separate ways and pretend we never saw each other.”

“Actually.” A smile spreads on the noble’s round greasy face. “I have a better idea.”

.

.

The carriage bumps violently, as the horses trotted down the street. Sandwich between two of the guards, I tried to take a peek out the window, but both of the men's bodies block my view of the outside world.

“What’s the matter? Could it be our little cat burglar is a scaredy-cat?”

“I’m not a cat. I’m a feline.”

“What’s the difference?” I shot a glare at the guard who had a stupid smirk on his face. I barely stop myself from shouting “Clearing I’m not on all fours hissing at every rat I see!” Calling me a cat is an equivalent of me calling every human an ape.

I took a deep breath to calm myself down and focus on the real problem.

“Where are you taking me?” I turn my attention to the noble who responds by silently taking a puff from his wooden pipe. “A place where you can make money back you stole from me.” He said while letting out a content sigh, releasing the toxic smoke he inhales. I instinctively cover my mouth and nose to protect myself from the nauseous gas. The noble responded to my reaction with a hearty laugh.

“Sorry about that, hold on a little longer. We’re almost there.”

Then open the window, of course, I knew they wouldn’t do that. It seems they don’t want me to know where they’re taking me, which only made me more anxious. My mind wanders until the carriage stop.

I nearly dove out the carriage to escape the smoke infested air until I saw what waited for me outside. Red lanterns lit up the finely pave street. Women and scantily clad clothes exposing litter the road luring wayward men into their stores.

This, this is the red-light district! A place where men and women go to drown themselves in pleasure! Why did they bring me?! Don’t tell me-

“Hey move it!” I was forcefully pushed out of the carriage and drag to a nearby store. Despite the sign on the window saying close, the guards push the door wide open. Unlike the rest of the stores on the street, which were lit with red lights and colorful signs, this one was dark and abandoned. Or so I thought. “Come in.” A small and weak voice called out to us. They led me to the store counter, behind it was a small elderly woman engrossed in a book.

“Customers?” She asked not even bothering to look up from her book.

“No, we have a volunteer.” The noble pushes to the front of the group. The elderly woman looks up from and her book and squints at me.

“Interesting.” The elderly woman slowly walks around me, inspecting me intensely “It’s been a while since we had a beastmen, especially one so finely bred.” The old woman snickers to herself as she pinches my face. “What cute fangs you have.” I tried to swat her away, but she quickly retreats behind me. I let out a shriek as I felt her enter my cloak. “What a nice shade of black, the white tip is cute too.” My body shudders as I felt her hands getting closer to my tail, I instantly sway my tail away from her hands.

“Good reaction time. Even though you’re smaller than most beastmen, you’re quite the healthy lady.”

“So, you’ll buy her?”

“Of course. She’ll be an excellent addition to our little ‘show’.”

I gritted my teeth to hold my anger, as the nobleman and elderly woman coldly talk about me as if I was nothing more than a product. Just wait, when I find an opening, I’ll make you guys regret it thinking of me as nothing more than a toy.

“Let’s not waste any more time. There are people dying to see you.” The elderly woman forcefully pushes me towards a staircase.

“Eh, already?” Shouldn't I at least get some time to mentally prepare myself?

“No need to be shy. If you perform, I might let you keep some of the changes I make off you.” The nobleman snicker to himself, which only angered me more.

They force me to descend the long flight of stairs. At the bottom of the rickety wooden steps laid a tightly shut steel door.

With each step I took, I was bombarded with endless horrific imagination as to what lied behind the door. Eventually, I froze in place. All I could do was stare at the door and listen intently to the muffled noise that came from beyond it. “Hey, this is just a regular shop…. right?” They laugh at my question. I knew this was a stupid thing to ask. Unlike the rest of the shops on the street that was lit up to attract customers, this store was dark and dilapidated, as if it was trying to deter customers away. Without a doubt, this store was a breeding ground for illegal activities.

“Look for yourself.” One of the guards pushed open the door, the muffled sound changed into screaming. And a bright red-lights flash in my eyes. My mind went blank as I stare at the horrific scene before me, an underground arena filled with people wearing masks mindlessly shouting at the top of their lungs. Responding to their cries, a roar filled with malice erupted from the center of the arena.

In the center was a caged beast, whom entire body seems to consist of bulging dark green muscles. Veins protrude from its tree trunk sized arms as it tried to break the thick chains attached to his arms and legs.

“That’s… that’s”

“An ogre.” The Noble finish my thought. My entire body shook with fear I tried to take a step back but the Noble grabs my shoulders.

“What are you so afraid of? He’s a beastmen just like you. Doesn’t that make him your kin?

Beastmen is a broad term human use to describes beasts that possess intelligence. Even though it’s the first time I ever saw an ogre, just taking one look at it was enough to tell me it wasn’t a beastmen, it’s a monster, a mindless creature that’s a complete slave to its instinct.

“Is there anyone who dares to challenge this monstrosity?!” A man wearing a clown mask and flashy yellow suit scream into the mic, his voice echoing throughout the arena.

“Let’s not keep them waiting.” The noble’s guards push me out in the open towards the clown.

“Hey, it looks like we have a volunteer!”

“Whoa, is that girl a beastman? Where they find one of those?”

“Make sure you put up a good fight!”

While everyone's attention was on me, the noble snatch the mic out of the clown’s hand, “Everyone! Place your bets who do you think going to win, a cat burglar or the green giant!”

Women in bunny suit parading around the stadium carry bags. I grind my teeth in frustration as the crowd tosses gold and silver into the bag as if it was nothing more than trash.

“This better be an entraining match.” The clown said snatching the mic back from the noble.

“Of course, there’s nothing more entertaining, then watching two beasts snapping at each other.

“You guys are the real beast. How many people did you bastards kill to entertain yourself?!”

“We never killed anyone. Everyone who enters that cage did it of their own volition, believing they’ll get rich if they succeed.” I open my mouth to fire back at him, but what he says next froze me in place.

“Aren’t you the same way? Your desire for money led you to a path of thievery. Don’t you think this is better than stealing scraps?

My eyes drifted towards the women who were counting the money they collected. I let out an audible gulp as I stare at the towers of coins that were lined up on the table. The noble gently place his chubby hands on my shoulders “If you win, I’ll let you have half of my earnings.” He whispers, my ears twitching both from excitement and him blowing on it.

Half? With that amount, I can probably buy my family’s flower shop a hundred times over. But there’s no way I can beat an ogre at least not under normal circumstances, but right now it’s chain to the cage. While it was loose enough for him to move around a bit, it didn’t allow him to get anywhere close to the bars of the cage. If I stay near the bars, then maybe-

“Judging by the look in your eyes you want to have a go at him.” Before I could respond, the guards grab both of my arms and toss me into the cage.

“Try to make this an entertaining fight!” I could hear them shouting at me in the back, but their words didn’t reach my ears. My attention was entirely on the monster in front of me. I immediately lost my will to fight the moment I looked at it. The chains rattle loudly as the ogre thrust its large arm at me. I quickly threw myself towards a corner of the cage. Veins bulge from his arm as he tries to reach for me, but his chains restricted him from getting any closer to me, letting out a frustrated roar it retreated to his corner of the cage.

“Please let me out of here!” the crowd responded to my cry for help with hysterical laughter.

“I can’t you let out that cage until you pay me back the money you stole from me. And if you can’t do that, then at the very least make your death as entertaining as possible.”

Entertainment is that all these people care about? Fine, if that’s what they than I’ll give it to them.

“Wait, can I at least get a weapon, like that guard’s sword!” I pointed towards one of the guards who instantly grabbed his weapon and held it like it was his baby.

“I have a better idea.” The clown hands me two batons through the gap in the cage. I stare at the two blunt objects in my hands with confusion. “This should make things more interesting.” He said with an obnoxious snicker.

That’s fine with me. I got what I needed. My tail, jingle as it retreated back into my cloak, carrying the keys to the cage.

Step 1, distraction, the moment their attention went to the guard I pointed at, I snatch the key off the clown’s waist with my tail. Now I need to find a way to unlock the cage without anyone noticing. I turn my attention back to the ogre who's staring at me from the opposite side of the cage with bloodshot eyes, seemingly infuriated at the fact it couldn’t reach me.

If I piss off the hulking behemoth more than I’m sure everyone's attention would focus on it, than me.

“Bad idea.” Somehow, a voice manages to pierce through the screaming and reach my ears, stopping me from throwing one of the batons at the ogre. “Ogres are creatures that thrive off violence, attacking it, is only going to make it stronger.”

A woman in a white uniform stood in the middle of the arena with holding a microphone next to her was an elderly man in the same outfit.

“N-No way.” The first to react to the two in white was the corrupt guards. “Why the hell is the king’s royal guards here?!” The stadium fell silent, everyone's attention fell on the duo in white. I even found myself engulf in the tense atmosphere surrounding me, completing forgetting the about the carnivorous beast, chained behind me.

“So, old man, with all the evidence we have here. How long do you think they will be lock up?”

“From the looks of it, half their lives, for some they'll never see the light of day again.” Ignoring the guard’s question, the two and piercing gaze of a hundred corrupt nobles the two royal guards calmly conserves with each other.

“Excuse me, can you do me a favor and pretend you didn’t see anything?” The man wearing a clown mask approach the duo and bow his head slightly as if to show respect, but he couldn't the irritation seeping into his voice, combining that with the smile that was etched into his white mask, transform the kind gesture into something much more sinister.

“I’m afraid not, our job is to take care of scum like you.” The elderly man looks down at the prostrating man with eyes filled with disgust. The clown's body trembles slightly. At first, I thought it was out of despair until I heard his bone-chilling laugh echo throughout the stadium.

“You seriously don’t think you can beat all of us do you?” Clown said with an icy voice. Suddenly men form the stadium jump from there and surrounded the duo. Yet despite being outnumbered, the duo clam demeanor.

“Looks like they don’t plan on turning themselves in. What should we do Bella?”

“What we been doing ever since we came to this shitty town old man, our jobs.”