Silence fell completely over the guild.
Everyone stopped talking, most lowering their heads, as if the presence of the two men brought with it a silent curse.
The two men approached one of the tables and sat down roughly, then one of them shouted in a hoarse voice:
— "Hey! Where's the maid? We want two glasses of drinks, quickly!"
The sparkle disappeared from Emma's face, and she stood slowly, her features frozen.
She turned to Haruka and whispered in a low tone:
— "Haruka... no matter what happens, don't move from your place, understood?"
Haruka looked at her worriedly and whispered:
— "What do you mean? Who are they?"
Emma didn't answer. Instead, she walked toward the two men, a fake smile full of tension on her face.
— "Welcome… what would you like me to serve you tonight?"
One of the men, his eyes half-open and a disgusting smile on his face, said:
— "Ah, yes, beautiful… two glasses of your finest, quickly."
— "Alright, they will be brought immediately…" Emma said in a nervous voice, then went to fetch the drinks.
The table was noisy with their obnoxious laughter, and everyone pretended not to hear.
While Emma was gathering the empty glasses, one of the men suddenly approached her and grabbed her hand forcefully:
— "Before we leave… don't you want to join us tonight? We'll have a fun time, I promise."
Emma pulled her hand back calmly, trying to maintain her smile:
— "I'm sorry, but I'm working right now, I can't leave."
The man laughed mockingly:
— "Oh, what kind of work is this? Have you forgotten who I am? I'm an elite royal knight! If you married me, you'd never have to work again!"
He then grabbed her hand violently, his voice growing louder and ruder.
Everyone in the guild remained in place, not a single person moved. The silence was terrifying, filled with cowardice and despair.
Haruka, from her place, could no longer remain silent.
She stood, her face burning with anger, and started moving toward them, saying:
— "You scoundrels…"
But a hand grabbed her by the shoulder.
It was Sora.
— "Haruka, no!" she whispered fearfully, "Have you gone mad?! Do you even know who they are?!"
Haruka shouted, her eyes blazing:
— "It doesn't matter who they are! The only thing I know is that Emma needs help!"
Sora shouted softly, holding Haruka's shoulder tightly:
— "They are the king's knights! If you intervene now, you will be guilty of insulting a royal knight… and you will be sentenced to death."
— "But Emma…"
Sora said sadly:
— "We all want to help her… but we can't. Look around you."
Haruka's gaze swept the room…
Guild members' faces bowed, their eyes avoiding contact, lips trembling silently, some clutching their hands until their joints shook—but no one moved.
Sora said:
— "Just lock it all inside you."
Haruka remembered her younger self, full of wounds, standing before a frightening man with a chaotic face.
He had angrily said:
— "Don't you understand what I'm saying?"
She responded fearfully:
— "I swear I was only defending myself! He was hitting me with his friends and said he something bad about you, so I punched him, then he slapped me directly. Angry… can't you ever control your rage, useless girl? I wish that i ve never was your dad
She said angrily:
— "Damn it,why everyone is like that and why do I remember this now!"
Haruka bit her lower lip, anger and sadness swirling within her.
She then lifted her foot and kicked a box beside her, sending it flying into the air, and shouted:
— "They always force me to suppress my anger! Damn it, I'm losing control again! I need a punching bag to cool down! Damn, I wish I were in the training hall now to punch everything!"
Then she looked at the box she had kicked.
Silence fell again.
— "Wait…" she whispered.
A slight smile appeared on her lips.
— "I found it! I'll get the best punching bag ever."
An idea struck her.
She smiled confidently.
To be continued…