Descendant of Sloth
Chapter 70: On The Horizon

Chapter 70: On The Horizon

"Why do you look so annoyed all of a sudden?" Hina pressed, leaning closer, her voice laced with curiosity.

Billie remained silent, her fingers tightening around her cup. Her sharp eyes darted toward the entrance of the café, her body growing unnaturally still.

I followed her gaze and felt a sinking sensation in my gut. Outside the glass window, just beyond the crowd of pedestrians moving along the cobbled streets, I caught a glimpse of them—mem in black suits and nights walking, scanning the area like hunters searching for prey.

I exhaled sharply, drumming my fingers against the wooden table. "We might have a bit of a situation."

Serina, who had been lazily sipping her drink, straightened. "What kind of situation?"

Billie’s grip on her cup turned white-knuckled. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "They are coming."

Her words sent a chill through Hina and Serina who also transpire what is happening.

*Chime.*

The café door swung open. The small bell above it jingled, a sound that normally meant nothing, but now felt like the bell of a death.

Two men in black suits stepped inside first, their expressions void of warmth. Their gazes swept across the room with precision, as if scanning for something—or someone. Behind them, three knights followed, their armor clanking as they moved. Their polished chest plates gleamed under the dim light, but there was nothing noble about them.

The café fell silent. Conversations that had once been lively came to a halt, replaced by tense, nervous glances. The few customers waiting in line shuffled aside, their shoulders drawing inward, making themselves smaller.

One of the men in black approached a barista, his voice low but firm. "We’re looking for a greenish demi-human. Have you seen anyone like that?"

The barista froze, eyes flicking toward our table for a fraction of a second. It was brief—so brief that most wouldn’t have noticed. But the men in black did.

They followed the gaze.

"Over there," he mumbled, barely above a whisper.

A tray clattered to the ground as the men in black pushed past a customer waiting for their drink in a queue. Coffee splashed across the floor, a sharp gasp following, but no one dared say anything as they all felt like something serious is happening.

The knights advanced, their heavy boots thudding against the wooden floor, and as they reached our table—

They saw nothing but half-filled coffee cups and a few left over biscuits.

We were gone.

The narrow alley behind the café was damp and reeked of rotting wood. Our feet pounded against the uneven cobblestones as we ran, dodging crates and barrels stacked carelessly against the walls. Billie was right beside me, her breathing ragged but her pace relentless.

Serina risked a glance behind us. "Damn, that was close," she hissed.

"Too close," Hina muttered, pressing forward.

I kept my focus ahead, navigating through the labyrinth like alleys. The shadows of the buildings stretched long under the moonlight, distorting our figures as we sprinted.

"Faster," I urged, pushing my legs to move but I knew I have to maintain a pace that the girls can match.

Billie’s wore Serina’s coat over her head and it fluttered behind her as she ran. Her hood had slipped off, revealing the slight green tint on her flowing skin. If they had gotten a better look back in the café, we’d have been in deep trouble.

Finally, the streets opened up. The scent of saltwater filled my nose, and the distant crash of waves became clearer. We had reached the shore.

*Huff* *Huff* Panting, we came to a halt. The waves lapped violently against the jagged rocks, sending sprays of cold mist into the air. A strong wind blew past, whipping our hair and clothes.

Serina bent over, resting her hands on her knees. "Damn... I thought they’d grab us before we even made it out."

Billie remained silent, staring at the dark water. Her body was tense, her fists clenched.

I stepped closer, lowering my voice. "They were the men, weren’t they? The ones who run it?"

She inhaled sharply and nodded.

"Yes. The ones in black. The knights just assist them... they take their cut and turn a blind eye to everything."

Hina’s expression darkened. "Fucking bastards..."

I sighed. "Alright, what now? We can’t just keep running forever."

Hina crossed her arms. "We need a plan. Something solid."

Serina straightened. "For now, let’s go to a hotel. They won’t expect Billie to stay in plain sight. They’ll assume she’ll run to some dark corner of the city and hide."

Hina nodded. "That makes sense. A crowded place will work in our favor. They can’t just start breaking into rooms without raising suspicion."

I exhaled, running a hand through my hair. "Fine. Whatever you girls say."

Billie glanced at me, then at the others. There was something hesitant in her gaze, as if she felt guilty for dragging us into this.

Hina noticed and stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don’t worry. We’re in this together. We’ll see it through till the end."

Billie’s lips trembled slightly before she nodded. "Thank you... I don’t know how to repay you."

Serina grinned, throwing an arm around Billie’s shoulder. "Let’s survive and save your brother first, then we can talk about favors."

Billie let out a weak chuckle.

Serina stretched her arms. "Alright, I say we call it a night. They’re hunting for us right now, but tomorrow, we plan. We decide on how to infiltrate and we end this mess properly."

"Yeah," I muttered, rolling my shoulders. "I’m dead tired. I need sleep."

Hina scoffed. "You’re always tired, Esther."

"Because you people don’t let me rest," I shot back as I walked toward the town.

"Come here you lazy boy!" Said Hina, following me.

Billie lingered for a moment, watching us, her expression softening. She placed a hand over her chest, exhaling deeply.

Serina noticed and extended her hand. "Come on. It’ll be okay."

Billie hesitated, then took her hand.

The four of us made our way back toward the town. The night wind went past, flowing through our hair and a journey was about to begin.