The encounter and tense exchange from the previous night calm down overnight, giving them enough time to process the implications and consequences of what has been done.
Both wake up together in the morning. The still-lingering tension forces a few moments of awkward glances and words out of them before they find a more efficient method to handle the tension...
Once again, their lips meet. The warmth and drowsiness slip into their kiss, changing the familiar gesture into a more unique sequence of movements.
His hand finds its way under the fabric, holding her breast firmly.
Every squeeze and pinch of her nipples ignites a faint Mmh... from her mouth. As their tongues become wet with each other’s saliva and his free hand inches lower toward her abdomen and then down her curve, her hand stops him instantly.
Slowly, she guides his traitorous hand onto her other breast and presses it there over the fabric.
A low, whiny sound leaves him at her reaction, but he just compensates for the loss with an even deeper kiss afterward.
Just when they press further against each other, a sudden knock breaks the increasing rhythm between them.
Several more knocks follow the first one, hard and impatient.
"Who is it at this time...?" Clara murmurs while pulling away from him, tugging down at her blouse and fixing her hair.
Zane stands up abruptly and starts moving toward the door while rubbing his fists.
"Let me check who it is. They should know what a couple does after waking up! They should know better before disturbing us!"
"Huh, calm down. I am sure couples don’t just start their day with a dirty kiss like this." She follows him with an amused smile. The back of her hand brushes against her mouth once again to wipe away the traces of the kiss before they open the door.
He yanks open the door, moving forward to confront whoever this mannerless person is. But the moment his eyes fall on the figures standing outside, he freezes.
"Hm? Who are they?" Clara peeks from behind his shoulder, looking at the two men with a wide, curious gaze before she turns her head toward Zane.
The ’outsiders’ are none other than Kael and Bram. Bram holds a restrained smirk on his face as he glances between Zane and Clara, while Kael holds a blank expression, though the way he is clenching his fist reveals his grudge.
Clara’s curious patience and the increasing pressure from the two men weigh on Zane. His heart thumps from panic as the deal Jack signed with them flickers through his mind.
F...Fuck! Clara will kill me along with them if she finds out about that deal!
His mind chooses this exact moment to be rebellious. The memory of her sword and that glowing blade appears in his mind, increasing the panic even further.
But there’s no time to think anymore. Taking a deep breath, he steps outside and laughs out loud.
"T...These are my colleagues, obviously. Hahaha... Right?"
He nudges both men, but his action just fuels their rising rage.
The exchange between them turns Clara’s curiosity into suspicion immediately. Her eyes assess them, searching for the cause that might explain her own instincts.
"Why aren’t they speaking, Jack? Are you sure they are your colleagues?"
The question hovers between them.
Finally, Bram tries to step forward, but not toward Zane. Instead, his eyes are on Clara, moving over her with an intention Zane is well aware of.
Seeing the situation getting out of hand, he steps forward with a laugh and grabs Bram’s wrist before glancing back and giving an apologetic smile.
"Um... I just remembered why they are looking this angry now. I forgot about a very important thing at my work, after all. I might have to check on it quickly."
Without saying anything else, he grabs the doorknob with his other hand and starts closing it.
Clara’s eyes open wide at his action.
"Wait! But, you just woke up. Eat something at least—!"
Before she could finish her sentence and step out, he disappears from sight.
...
"BASTARD!"
Zane’s back hits against the wall, the air snapping out of his lungs as he starts coughing. But before he can process the hit, a hand shoots toward his neck and wraps around it tightly.
"Ugh..."
Standing at the entrance of the alleyway, Kael watches the scene silently with his hands crossed over his chest. He doesn’t interfere yet.
"Do you think of us as fools!? Just because you landed a few hits on us that day, do you think you are free of the deal!?" Bram’s words land against his face, filled with rage and frustration.
"Don’t yell, Bram. We aren’t far away from his house yet. His wife could hear us." Kael warns quietly, though his position remains the same.
Bram bristles at his voice and snaps his gaze toward him.
"So what? Did you not see that bitch there!? How can you even wait anymore? Let’s just go and haul her up right away!"
The words fall on Zane’s ears. He glares at Bram silently, his hands struggling to push him away. However, he thinks before doing anything, taking advantage of their moment of distraction.
Clara cannot hear them. Everything will fall out otherwise! If she knows that Jack put her at the stake in that cheap deal, then her anger will be the last thing I want to face. Not to mention, the next three months depend on her...
While he searches for a way out of this, the exchange between the other two men continues.
Kael has taken a step inside the alleyway, his hands now clenched into fists as he barks out.
"Haul her up! Control your anger and lust, idiot. Did you not feel anything when you looked at her from that close?"
"Feel...?" Bram mutters confusedly and shakes his head. "No. What is there to feel about it? Do you not see this bastard here? Do you think an entry-level swordsman deserves a beautiful wife like that?"
"Tch! You sure are an idiot." Kael huffs mockingly and points toward Zane before speaking.
"It was when his wife looked at me. Forget about getting close, I felt the sudden urge to step back instead."
"...Really? You sound more stupid to me right now. You might have just imagined it."
Kael waves his hand dismissively and stops near them.
"Forget about it. We shouldn’t create a commotion here. Not to mention, it would be bad if the city guards saw us like this."
Hearing that, Bram quickly loosens his hands from Zane and nods before taking a step back.
"Yes, them. I almost forgot about that. But, where could we deal with him then...?"
Slowly, both of their lips turn into a smile as they nod together and turn toward the entrance.
"Let’s continue this there, then. He can also complete his ’unfinished tasks’ for the mission now..."
The change in atmosphere makes Zane’s eyes narrow in suspicion. The mention of the mission brings up the memory of his day in the Crucible...
During his training two days ago, the confusion about the nature of his job had forced him to inquire a little into it. That’s when he came to know about the ’mission’ and how Kael and Bram were making ’Jack’ do their work.
Basically, the mission is nothing but the tasks provided in the Crucible to each swordsman training there. The tasks are assigned to each swordsman occasionally, though what he doesn’t know are the specific details of what these tasks are and how they are completed.
...
A few minutes later, the three of them move toward the Crucible, leaving his house completely behind.
Despite the grudge between them, Zane follows them silently for now. What really irritates him is the fact that they aren’t even trying to make him walk in front, nor are they holding him right now.
There’s no point. They will catch me easily if I run, both of them are Level 4, in the end. With how fast Clara is at Level 5, I don’t want to guess their full strength.
However, this is just one of the reasons he didn’t try to run from them. The main reason for following is something else.
He stares at their backs, and then a small smile creeps onto his lips.
But, despite their strength... I cannot help but be greedy about Jack’s money that they are holding onto right now. I might be able to decrease my debt from that... and maybe take even more from them if I have a chance.
"Hey! Keep following."
He stops smiling and catches up to them quickly, but the look in his eyes doesn’t disappear.