The two giant men stood in front of Yui, smiling mockingly, their grips tightening on her shoulder.
Yui (in a low, sharp voice):
"I said… take your hand off, for your own safety."
One of them burst out laughing and said with contempt,
"Do you think a little girl like you can scare us?"
Yui did not respond. Just one look from her cold blue eyes made their hearts tighten for a moment… but they ignored the feeling.
The second man:
"How about we take the gold… and then sell you to the slave market?"
Suddenly, all expression vanished from Yui's face, and silence spread. Her gaze sharpened like an angry cat's. Then slowly… her eyes glowed with a bright blue light, and her features changed from a gentle girl into a cold, deadly warrior.
Yui (with killing coldness):
"You have dug your own graves."
In a flash, she raised her right hand, and the ground beneath their feet froze. Their muscles stiffened, and ice began to climb from their feet to their chests.
The first man (screaming):
"W–what did you do?!"
Yui:
"Ice Magic – Fourth Layer: Prison of Cold Souls."
Only a single scream escaped their mouths… before they froze completely inside two transparent masses of pure blue ice.
Yui steadied her breathing, looked at them coldly, then said,
"You'd better learn to respect women… if there's still a spirit left in you to learn."
She picked up the money from the ground and walked away calmly as if nothing had happened.
In Rin and Rio's house
Rio was sitting on the floor in the corner, writing on the wall words like "Farewell, oh food" and "I will never forget this injustice."
Rin sighed and said,
"You're exaggerating… it's only one meal."
Rio (in a depressed voice):
"One meal… could save lives… could build dreams… could—"
His sentence was cut off by the door opening as Yui entered, carrying a huge bag of money, joy drawn across her features. Her eyes were fixed on the money as she smiled happily.
Yui (cheerfully):
"Rio… get yourself ready, I won ten thousand gold coins today."
Rio jumped from his place as if struck by lightning and ran toward her.
Rio:
"Does that mean… lunch?!"
Yui:
"No, that means… a luxurious dinner."
That night, the trio sat at a table in a luxurious restaurant inside Valorie. Candles lit the atmosphere, and food was served to them on silver plates.
Yui (laughing lightly):
"This is the only way the crime of being late is forgiven."
Rin:
"So what will we do now? Shall we rest for a bit?"
Rio (looking out the window at the moon):
"No… it's time for the next journey. There are those who need us… and a past we must uncover."
A brief silence filled the place… then Rin said,
"And what about Valorie?"
Rio (seriously):
"This kingdom… will collapse soon. There's something hidden moving in the shadows, something bigger than just monsters."
Yui:
"If you're planning to drag us into a new problem… be careful, I'll make you wash dishes for life."
The trio laughed loudly, but in their hearts… they felt that what was coming would be greater.
A demon lord is about to give birth…
To be continued…