Nameless King

Wain and Eva were having lunch and talking about various topics. The food was delicious and natural; it was much different from what they were used to eating, even if it was a simple salad and pudding.

Wain ordered dessert as he was disappointed by the lack of meat but then realized it made sense. If any race was to be vegetarian, Plants were the best candidates.

"There are so many different plants. Wain, do you have a favorite flower?"

"Yes, I like cacti. They're the best for me." Wain quickly replied.

"Hmm? Cacti? Why?" Eva was surprised by such an unconventional answer. Many people wouldn't even think of cacti as a candidate for such a question.

"Cacti combine beauty and roughness. Cacti have a special duo of the two sides."

"Hmmm...then why cacti and not roses? Roses have the same thing, prickles, and bud. What's more, it's the status and most famous flower."

"No, there is a difference. Prickles and roses are inconspicuous, and the first time you notice them is when you accidentally cut yourself on it. With a cactus, it's different. You initially see only the prickles, but then a beautiful bud blossoms among the sharp needles, like a light in a lake of darkness."

"Sounds pretty romantic. Perhaps I should reconsider my attitude toward cacti. They seem to be more interesting than I thought."

"Suit yourself." Wain said, finishing his pudding.

"Eva, I want to walk around town alone. I don't mean to be rude, but I need some time alone."

"No." Eva replied sharply.

"What?" Wain was surprised. He didn't expect her to be so emphatic.

"I'm not an idiot, and I'm not blind. I saw that something strange happened to you, and during dinner, you were acting strange and aloof, as if you were not here but somewhere else. I demand you explain what's going on and why you suddenly needed to leave alone?" Eva said seriously.

Wain was silent. It was the first time he had ever seen Eva angry. He wondered how he should have acted. The situation was complicated and ambiguous.

"Don't make me wait!" Eva hit the table with such force that it cracked.

"Hmm... I didn't know you could lose your temper so easily." Wain mumbled thoughtfully, "Okay, I'll tell you where I wanted to go, but not here. It's too crowded, we need a quieter place."

Eva nodded.

...

Wain and Eva moved to a dark alley where no one could disturb them.

"I won't go into detail, but in short, because of one of my skills, I sensed something. It's coming from the Rose District, and I need to get there, no matter how."

Eva nodded. She was glad that Wain had decided to tell her, but she didn't show it. She kept a disgruntled grimace.

"You're sure it's necessary?"

"Yes, that's for sure."

"Then I'll go with you, and it's out of the question." Eva said stiffly. She didn't want Wain to leave when they were together, even if it was dangerous.

"..."

"Okay." Wain agreed. He knew from Eva's eyes that he couldn't change her mind, and he wasn't going to fight her or run away.

"Are we going to have to fight our way through the main gate?"

"No, that won't be necessary. The scent comes not only from there but also from several other directions. One of them isn't far away. We'll head there."

Eva nodded.

Step. Step. Step.

They headed for the exit, but suddenly several men entered the alley from both sides, leaving no way to retreat.

"Oh, I thought this was a pretty safe town." Wain thought as he looked at the bandits coming their way.

Normally they would have attacked someone in the Dandelion District or the Chamomile District, but the unusual visitors had their attention. The bandits were sure that Wain and Eva had a lot of valuables with them.

They risked attacking them in the Violet District, where there were many professional guards, but the lust for profit was stronger. Wain and Eva went into the alley, and the bandits couldn't pass up such a perfect opportunity.

"Sorry to interrupt your vacation, but tourists like you have to pay to walk around the city in peace." Smiling, the bandit leader said. He had rough skin like tree bark and green eyes.

"Surrender. We have no purpose in fighting you and shedding blood. If you give us your valuables, we will let you go. Your ring and those gold earrings look very expensive."

The leader of the bandits was confident in himself and their victory. There were about ten bandits while Wain and Eva were alone. No one could help them since ordinary people rarely entered the dark alleys.

The bandits' leader wanted to avoid fighting as it would bring unnecessary attention, and because of the guards, they could get in trouble.

"Isn't the Violet District one of the richest neighborhoods? I didn't expect to be inhabited by such miserable rats as you. Ahahahaha." Wain scoffed at them.

This hurt the bandits, and they got ready to fight on cue.

"There is a dark side and spots even in the sun. You made the mistake of deliberately stepping into a spot." The leader of the bandits said and rushed forward. He had a curved dagger in his hand and a deadly aura emanating from it.

Whooooooosh.

Eva appeared in front of the bandit leader and grabbed his face with a merciless gaze. She plunged his head into the ground and crushed it with a powerful punch of her fist. She did it faster than anyone could understand what had happened.

"Get out of here!" Eva said menacingly, and the bandits trembled with fear.

They dropped their weapons and ran away. They didn't understand how this could have happened or why they faced such strong opponents. The death of their leader struck terror into their hearts.

"AHAHAHA, what faces they had, beautiful." Wain exclaimed, "You're pretty ruthless, aren't you?"

"Hmm? What are you talking about? If I hadn't killed him, you would have done it in seconds, but then no one would have left here."

"That's true."