Chapter 22: The Boy in Chains [2]
The two remaining men were still staring at their friend’s unconscious body when fire bloomed steady in Aries’s palm small and controlled.
Cedric’s palm met his own forehead with an audible smack. "Argh— Aries. What have you done."
"Well." Eren was drawing his blade, stepping forward with the easy energy of someone who’d been waiting for an excuse to get into action already. "He’s already started it. Might as well finish it properly."
"Exactly!" Valea pumped a fist. "He’s already halfway in, might as well go all the way and join to give him a hand. Good job, Aries!"
One of the men, who was broader than the other, face twisted as he spat into the mud. "You little brats. You have any idea who you’re messing with?"
Nico raised one hand, barely interested. A thin jet of water caught both their faces square on. "Nah," he said. "Don’t think we do. Also, we don’t really care either."
The men sputtered, water dripping off their chins, fury climbing another notch. "Why you—"
"That’s enough." Cedric’s voice didn’t rise. It didn’t need to.
Both men turned toward him and went still.
"K-Knight Cedric?"
’They know his name just from looking at him.’ Aries filed that away. ’Right. Of course they do.’
Cedric stepped forward, and somehow the street felt smaller with him in it. "I’ve had more than enough of watching you treat that child like he isn’t a person."
His eyes moved over both of them, calm and completely without warmth. "You’re done here."
One of them tried for a smirk that came out closer to a grimace. "B-but we bought him, sir. Ten silver coins! And he’s a slave. We’re just taking what we paid for. And getting what we deserve."
"Deserve?" Valea’s voice cracked across the street like a whip. "You think beating a child half to death is something you ’deserve’? You should be ashamed just standing there."
Cedric reached into his coat without any particular hurry and tossed a single gold coin onto the ground between them. It landed with a small bright clink.
"Take that," he said. "Leave the boy and get out of my sight before I reconsider being generous."
Both men’s eyes locked onto the coin like they’d forgotten everything else in the world existed. "A— a gold coin?!"
Greed did the rest. They scrambled for it, shoving past each other.
"Enjoy it," Cedric said flatly. "But the boy comes with us."
One of them snatched it up first, turning it over in grimy fingers. "Right, right— thanks, Mr. Knight. We’ll be on our way."
They turned to leave.
"Wait." Aries’s voice stopped him. "When we said the boy comes with us — that includes his things." His eyes dropped to the man’s other hand. "That ring. Give it back."
The man looked down at the small golden ring pinched between his fingers.
He licked his lips, and something calculating slid behind his eyes.
"This?" He held it up, turning it in the light. "You want this back too?" A slow ugly grin spread across his face. "That’s gonna cost you. Another gold coin."
Eren’s jaw tightened. "Unbelievable. They’re putting a price tag on a kid’s life like he’s merchandise."
Cedric’s expression didn’t change at all.
He simply wasn’t there anymore.
"What the—?!" The man spun, looking for him — and Cedric was already behind both of them, the ring lifted neatly from the thief’s fingers before either man registered movement.
He reappeared beside Aries like he’d never left, holding the ring out between two fingers. "Here, Aries. The boy’s ring."
Aries looked at him. ’It was that flash step again, wasn’t it? No matter how many times I see it, that instant teleportation still amazes me.’
Both men stared at their own empty hands.
Then they ran. Fast, stumbling, shouting curses over their shoulders that nobody bothered listening to. "Y-you’ll regret this! You’ll pay for this—!"
Nico exhaled through his nose. "Idiots. Pack of brainless brutes."
Around the street, faces had appeared in doorways and along the stalls — people who’d been pretending not to watch and weren’t bothering to pretend anymore.
A few looked stunned. Most looked like they’d just seen something they’d wanted to see happen for a long time.
Cedric crouched slightly, bringing himself down to Aries’s eye level. "Aries. You can’t keep doing things like that on your own." His tone was steady.
"Your courage isn’t the problem. But acting without thinking can bring attention you don’t want. Attention that follows you."
Aries lowered his head, the adrenaline draining out and leaving something heavier behind it. "I’m sorry, gramps. I just— I saw him getting hit like that and I couldn’t stand there. I couldn’t."
A pause.
Then Cedric’s mouth curved into something warmer. "No — actually, you did exactly right."
He shook his head slightly. "While I was busy thinking about slave legality and unwanted attention, you were thinking about a child getting hurt in front of you. That’s not a flaw. That’s the part of you worth keeping."
Aries blinked up at him.
"Your instincts were right," Cedric said simply. "I’m glad you did what you did."
Something in Aries’s chest loosened. "...Thanks, gramps." He couldn’t quite stop the small smile that came with it.
Valea and Eren closed in from either side, Valea practically vibrating.
"That was amazing, Aries! That face stomp? Incredible. I would’ve done the exact same thing if I could’ve."
"Sure you would have." Eren elbowed her lightly, grinning. "You were about to get all tears, Valea. Don’t pretend. You’d have fainted before your foot even left the ground."
"Hah! Like I had a choice!" Valea shot back, equal parts offended and amused. "Before Aries even moved I was already emotionally destroyed watching that poor kid get hurt. Forgive me for having feelings."
Behind all of them, a small weak voice cut through.
"...M-my ring..."
Everyone turned.
The boy had stirred. His small hands trembled as he pushed himself half upright, eyes barely open, reaching toward Aries with fingers shaking from more than just pain.
