Was it the high reward on this request that drew them here, or did Babitt invite them personally?
If it was the former, that was fine. But if it was the latter, then…
Kabe suddenly felt his mind start to spin. This job might have a lot more room to maneuver than it seemed on paper.
He pretended not to recognize the brothers and simply smiled at them, giving a friendly nod.
To his surprise, when the two men saw him take the initiative to greet them, they actually nodded back in response.
Such polite wanted criminals really are rare.
Muttering inwardly, Kabe finally drew his gaze back.
At that moment, Babitt also moved. He picked up the small bell by his hand and gave it a light shake. Clear chimes rang crisply through the room.
The next second, several maids filed in from outside and began placing carefully prepared dishes in front of each guest.
In front of Kabe and Mirajane, a fragrant steak was set down, seared to perfection and steaming with rich aroma.
A pretty maid bowed slightly in apology, then reached out to tie a napkin around his neck for him.
At the same time, two glasses of red wine, sparkling like fine rubies, were placed at their hands.
Just this simple yet refined sequence of service was enough to make Mirajane, who was attending a noble's banquet for the first time in her life, go rigid with nerves. Her back was stiff, her fingers trembled faintly.
The green haired woman who had been secretly watching them let out another soft, mocking chuckle.
Mirajane's cheeks burned scarlet. For a moment, she did not even know where to put her hands.
"Relax. Just pretend you are at home."
Kabe calmly picked up the wineglass by its stem and took a light sip, as if he had long since gotten used to this kind of complicated etiquette.
With his composure as an example right beside her, Mirajane finally felt as if she could breathe properly. Her heart settled a little.
The green haired woman, however, seemed determined to make things difficult for them and spoke up with open ridicule.
"Little boy, you are not even old enough to drink yet. Playing grown up and sipping red wine is not something a kid your age should be doing. Go home and drink milk. Once you actually master your magic, then maybe you can come out and take jobs."
Kabe set his glass down and leaned back in his chair, giving her a sideways look.
"I think you are the one who does not belong here, Auntie. Doing business like yours, a back alley would be enough. What are you doing all the way in a noble's estate? I am sure a refined gentleman like Lord Babitt would not be interested in cheap, gaudy goods like you."
Hearing him call her "Auntie" and basically imply she was a streetwalker, the green haired woman, Karen from Blue Pegasus, twisted her expression in fury.
"You little brat, what did you say?! Is that how the adults in your family taught you to talk?!"
"I should be the one asking you that."
Kabe's eyes went cold in an instant. He locked his gaze on Karen's, voice dropping with a warning edge.
"On Master Bob's account, I am telling you nicely. Shut that filthy mouth of yours, Auntie."
As his temper flared, the violent, ferocious pressure he usually kept hidden surged out of him.
Face to face with it, Karen suddenly felt as if a massive, vicious great ape was roaring right in front of her.
Panicking, she shrank back in her seat. In her fluster, she knocked her own wineglass over.
The crimson liquid spilled across the tablecloth and flowed in a bloody streak, some of it splashing directly onto her clothes.
From Karen's mocking remark, to her own panicked clumsiness and the overturned glass, everything happened in less than half a minute.
Babitt, as an ordinary person, did not sense the strange aura Kabe had released. He only saw that this boy, at such a young age, had frightened an outstanding mage from another famous guild with a single look. That, in his eyes, was quite impressive.
The twin brothers at the table, however, stared at Kabe in shock.
In that brief instant, the pressure that little brat released made both their hearts tighten.
They exchanged a look, and in each other's eyes they saw the same surprise and caution.
When Karen first mocked her, Mirajane had glared right back without hesitation.
Now, watching Kabe "stand up for her" and seeing Karen in such a sorry state, warmth blossomed in her chest, quickly followed by a surge of satisfaction.
Serves you right, you cheap, flirtatious old hag, trying to steal a job from me on top of it.
At this moment, Karen only felt her face burning like fire.
She had actually been scared in front of the client and members of other guilds, frightened by a boy who was way younger than she was. For someone as prideful as Karen, that was utterly humiliating.
"Damn you, you little brat!"
Her hand moved just as one would expect, reaching instinctively for the small pouch at her waist.
But Kabe was faster. Before her fingers could touch the pouch, a beam of light shot from his fingertips and sliced cleanly through her belt.
Clang.
The pouch hit the floor with a crisp sound. Several delicately shaped gold and silver keys spilled out across the tiles.
"Celestial Spirit Keys? You are a Celestial Spirit mage?"
Kabe recognized the keys immediately and only then recalled what he knew about the woman.
Karen Lilica, the famous sexy Celestial Spirit mage of Blue Pegasus.
The one who, in the future, would abuse her own Spirits so badly that they rebelled, leading to her pathetic death.
"My, my. Were you about to make a move just now? That is not something to joke about. If you act recklessly, people can die, Green haired Auntie."
With her keys scattered on the ground and her main means of fighting abruptly gone, Karen sat frozen in her seat. She did not dare refute a single word of Kabe's taunt.
That attack just now had been far too fast. She did not even want to imagine what would have happened to her if the light beam had been aimed at her body instead of her belt.
Seeing that the atmosphere at the table was becoming hard to salvage, Babitt, who had watched the show for long enough, finally cleared his throat at just the right time. He knew it was his cue to step in.
"Mr. Kabe, Miss Karen, you are both outstanding mages from your respective guilds. You are all here because you accepted my request. You may even have to work together on the upcoming mission. There is no need to let a misunderstanding sour your relationship like this."
As he spoke, Babitt gave a meaningful look to one of the maids standing nearby.
At his signal, two maids immediately stepped forward. One began to clean up the table and the spilled wine, while the other gently dabbed the wine off Karen's clothes with a silk handkerchief.
Then she stooped to pick up the scattered keys and pouch and presented them to Karen with both hands, head bowed respectfully.
Karen did not dare reach out right away. She glanced at Kabe on reflex.
Only when she saw that his gaze had already moved away from her did she hastily snatch the pouch, clutching it tightly in her palm.
"I... I am sorry, Lord Kabe. I was the one who was rude just now. I apologize to you."
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