Lyren was dragging Claire between the crowd and it was interpreted as a young master throwing a tantrum.
He walked faster and Claire was forced to jog in order to keep up. She wore a smile as she followed him, his hand on the bangle he had put on her wrist.
She wanted to stop him because instead of heading the same way they had come from, he was heading deeper but she knew that he was not going to leave the market.
He seemed to notice this too as he slowed down. Her chuckle made him glare at her but he just appeared to be throwing a tantrum. This made her giggle again and he grunted.
"Young Master, th…"
"Its Lyren! How many times do I have to tell you that? Stop fucking calling me young master." Lyren was genuinely annoyed and his lash out seemed to make her go quiet but he had unexpectedly raised his voice.
The crowd around looked at them and Claire's face changed to that of grief as her mouth contorted. Her eyes became wet and she really appeared like she was going to cry.
Lyren was speechless as tears fell from her right eye and the glares from the observers easily pressured him.
"Young Master…" Claire's voice cracked up as she bumped into him and started crying on his shoulder.
She sobbed softly and Lyren was left with helpless hands as his body froze. Why was she putting this act.
He was not going to lie that her charm was not working on him and when she was now hugging him so tightly and sobbing on his shoulder, she had successfully tugged his heart strings.
He instinctively wrapped one hand on her back as he comforted her. He glared at the on lookers who were quick to turn away from his gaze.
He hushed her stroking her back and she did not quieten immediately. She stopped crying on his shoulder and she was now sobbing on his chest hiding herself.
If this was an act, then she was too good but if it was not, then something bad was totally going on in her life.
He let her be for a while and when she was finally calm and when he looked at her eyes, they had turned red and some strands of hair fell before her. Lyren could not help himself as he tucked it back in place.
He then wiped the tears remains with his thumb and the onlookers could not take it anymore as they looked away so as not to interfere with this scene.
She snuffled as her eyes were focused on his. She could not help but notice the depth in them. Like he had been through worse.
CLAP. CLAP. CLAP.
Three claps came from behind Claire and the crowd quickly made way. Lyren heard the claps but he did not bother. Claire wanted to look back but he did not let her.
"What a young master you are. You go shouting at girls in public. Don't you think that that is too much?"
The voice was male and growing and when the crowd heard that, they nodded. Shouting at a girl was not good especially in public.
Lyren sighed as he pulled her behind him and stood between the new come and her. She watched from behind him and her eyes widened when she saw who it was.
She had a bad feeling about this especially from the stubborn nature of Lyren. She gave him an update immediately.
"That's the mayor's son. He is one of the protégés I told you about. He has the highest rating of the five I told you about," Claire whispered and did not hold back and told him all that mattered.
Lyren was surprised that he had encountered one of them this soon. So the other kids also had come to have a tour before the entrance ceremony.
It was a good thing that he had encountered one this early but he could already tell that it was going to be troublesome.
"I think that everyone should mind their business. You too," Lyren said and he drew gasps from the crowd.
Did the kid know who he was talking to?
They felt that this was now interesting. Someone with no cultivation actually dared to talk back to a stage three cultivator.
"You are just a pretty boy with no cultivation yet you dare shout at a beautiful lady like her… I am the mayor's son and I find your actions foolish but I think that the girl is even more foolish.
"Madam, please, stay away from commoners and come to me. I have everything that everyone desires. Be it riches or status. Come to me and I will give you whatever you want."
The mayor's son was dressed in a red rob with golden buttons. He had black hair and it was well trimmed with some of it falling sideways.
He was followed by five stage six cultivators who were slightly older than him probably fifteen years old. They had swords on their hands which were folded on their chests.
Claire was in a dreadlock now. She could not ignore the orders from the mayor's son but she could also not ignore Lyren who had already booked her for the day.
"Sorry Young Master, I am happy with my Young Master," Claire attempted to make the mayor's son lose interest in her but that was not easy.
"Young lady, don't be afraid. I have more power than your young master over there and I don't think that your young master has any qualms with giving up his toy.
"Do not worry, if he tries to hold you back, I will beat him up for you and rescue you." He said with open arms and there were whispers from the crowd.
Why was she even resisting? She should have already gotten over with that pretty boy of hers.
"But…"
"No buts. I am now giving you an order. Are you going to ignore it?"
Claire was dumbfounded as she looked at Lyren who was just standing there with an unfocused gaze. Could it be that he had succumbed to social pressure? She sighed as she moved.
"Sorry, Young Master, I have no choice," She apologized when she passed him and started walking towards the mayor's son. It was obvious Lyren had been defeated.
Lyren was in a space of his own. It was another situation that he had been ignored. He was being treated like he did not even exist. Did they know who it was that they were dealing with?
A mayor's son?
Did they know that he had the title of a Sect Master somewhere? Did they think that a meager title like a mayor would work on him?
He felt that they were justified to look down on him but trying to steal a woman from him in broad daylight was the highest from of disrespect a man could experience.
And that did not align with his path to being a Sect Master. He could not tolerate this kind of disrespect. His hands instinctively reached out for her wrist and he stopped her on her track.
He then pulled her behind him once again and spoke amusedly.
"Who gave you the permission to leave my back? No one has the power to force you to leave my side and as your Young Master, I am obliged to protect you from such brats who think that they have power."
Lyren's words were a clear act of rebellion but with his status as young master, he was on equal terms to dealing with the mayor's son. They were surprised that a pretty boy like him dared to talk back.
"Young Master don't!" Claire spoke from behind but Lyren had already taken his stance.
These guys were going to learn a lesson from him not to go stealing women from others. Especially young masters like him who had no cultivation.
"Haha… You are courting death. Break his limbs and throw him outside the city. Don't leave a bone intact!"
The mayor's son was obviously annoyed when he had been denied his authority. He could just go ahead and show him why he had that authority…