''Why is this place so quiet?'' Belicia could not help but mutter in confusion as she made her way down the deserted alleyway, which was lit only by a few far-off streetlamps.
''It also appears to be a little different from what I remember. '' She noticed, as she was looking around, that in comparison to how things had been, everything was extraordinarily clean and well-organized.
There was not a single piece of trash anywhere on the ground, and the once-common sight of trash cans that were overflowing had been replaced with planters that were filled with saplings, adding a touch of natural beauty to the area. The buildings, once worn and dilapidated, now stood resplendent, as if they had undergone a complete transformation. The freshly painted sidewalks, which gave off the impression that no one had walked on them recently, gave off an air of pristine beauty.
Belicia questioned herself as she navigated the streets that were both familiar and unfamiliar, 'Have I truly arrived at the right place? '
She had been tasked, quite some time ago, with the responsibility of inviting Raydon's friends from the slums to take part in the upcoming celebration, and they had appointed Belicia, the person who was most familiar with this area, to be in charge of this mission.
When they made their decision back then, Raydon's history was still a mystery to them, and they believed that there was a high-ranking item holder living in this area.
As a result, while they were entrusting Belicia with this responsibility, they also came to the conclusion that it would be appropriate to extend a formal invitation, as a gesture of respect, to the high rank they believed to be residing in the area.
When she first learned about this mission, she immediately felt a significant amount of apprehension because she was aware of what had previously transpired with Tika in this location. Even though her only duty was to deliver the family's message to the high rank, she found it difficult to maintain her composure when it would require her to interact with someone who possessed such great power.
'At least I will be able to see them once I deliver this message quickly,' She thought, her face momentarily brightening with a smile as she remembered the people she grew up with and her brother. She continued to make her way forward, striding out with her newfound assurance.
Nevertheless, both her bravery and her anticipation were abruptly shaken by an occurrence that was not expected.
*PUT*
Out of the darkness, a knife suddenly descended, embedding itself into the hard asphalt just in front of Belicia, causing her to instinctively step back.
Then a quiet but threatening voice was heard.
"This place is not open to visitors. Please choose another path."
'Who is he? ' Belicia was shocked, her thoughts racing as she looked at the seemingly ordinary kitchen knife firmly lodged in the ground a few centimeters away.
It was evident from its appearance that it was not magic equipment. But the thing that took her by surprise the most was the fact that she had not felt the presence of this person until he spoke to her.
'This person must be one of the esteemed high-rank's servants,' She surmised, her mind quickly trying to make sense of the situation.
She opened her mouth to explain, ''I am not… '' Only to be interrupted by another knife being thrown and piercing the ground alongside the first one.
"Loud talking is prohibited here," the voice warned.
'This guy… ' The threatening and impolite attitude caused Belicia to frown, but she quickly regained her composure after taking a deep breath and calming herself down.
She realized that the person she was speaking with was most likely a servant of the high-ranking item holder to whom she had come to deliver the message. As a result, she made the decision to try a different approach. This time, she bowed her head to convey her non-threatening demeanor and respect.
"I am here to deliver a mes…," she began, but once again, her words were cut off by another attack.
''What now?! '' Belicia exclaimed in surprise as she saw that this time, a fork had been added to the two knives embedded in the ground before her.
"Oh, sorry, sorry. I thought you were going to attack when you suddenly moved," the voice apologized in a rushed and apologetic tone.
'We're not going to get anywhere this way, ' Belicia thought, realizing that the situation was not progressing as she had hoped. Trying a different approach, she asked, "Do you know Dan? I am his friend."
She decided to invoke Dan's name, hoping that it would help alleviate the person's caution and suspicion, given Dan's previous role as the gang boss in this area. She had no idea where Dan was or what he was doing at the moment, but she reasoned that because he was well-known, there was a good chance that the person she was speaking with would be familiar with him.
"The First Captain? Are you really the First Captain's friend?" The voice responded with a tone of tension and alarm.
'Captain? ' Belicia was taken aback momentarily.
"I'm not sure if we're talking about the same Dan. Dan, who is 6 feet tall with red hair and used to be the gang boss here," Belicia explained, thinking that there might be a misunderstanding.
The person she was conversing with couldn't be an ordinary individual; he was likely an item holder. It seemed peculiar to her that he addressed Dan as captain.
"Oh, dude... She's really our captain's friend, right?" While Belicia was waiting for a response from the person who was hidden in the shadows, she was taken aback when she unexpectedly heard another voice coming from a different direction.
'I couldn't even feel his presence,' Belicia pondered, observing the person rapidly approaching her from the darkness.
"Damn, I told you not to be so rude to everyone you encounter. What if you've offended the captain's friend?" Another ordinary-looking girl swiftly approached from yet another direction.
'Who are they really? ' Her expression changed to one of shock as she became aware that there were in fact three people surrounding her.
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