The Oldest Dream of Eternal Night
Chapter 47: Jealous? That’s ridiculous

Chapter 47: Jealous? That’s ridiculous

She leaped onto a wooden crate to gain height, her eyes quickly scanning the battlefield. Time seemed to slow down.

Her movements were a blend of brutal martial arts and supernatural grace, each gesture maximizing efficiency.

Two daggers left her hands simultaneously, piercing the skulls of two jackals that collapsed like disjointed puppets.

She jumped off the edge, her legs locking around the neck of a third jackal in a deadly scissor hold. A sharp crack echoed—the spine gave way under the pressure. Landing, she pivoted, avoiding a bite, and plunged a dagger into the heart of a fourth opponent.

The Paladin, protected by her armor, held her ground, but she was less effective. A jackal slashed her shoulder, the armor absorbing the blow, but she staggered. Yara intervened, slashing the attacker’s throat. "Focus, kid!" she barked. "You’re not here to dance!"

The Paladin, teeth clenched, retaliated, her blade decapitating a jackal. "I told you I’m handling it!" she shouted, her courage surpassing her fear.

The last jackal, larger and more massive, Yara tackled to the ground, her dagger at its throat. "Where’s the Medusa Coin?" she growled, her eyes blazing. "Talk, or I’ll gut you like a fish."

The jackal, gasping, snarled, its voice raspy. "You... you... Go fuck yourself... Die Hand..." It drove its claws into its own chest, committing suicide before Yara could stop it.

"Son of a bitch," Yara cursed, wiping her dagger. She stood up, covered in blood, and glanced at the Paladin, who was catching her breath. "Not bad, for a novice. You’ve got guts."

The Paladin removed her helmet, revealing a youthful face. "Thanks... I think. You’re, like, a killing machine."

Yara snorted, cleaning her blades. "Comes with the job. Let’s get out of here before more mutts show up."

Outside, under a starry sky, Yara and the Paladin leaned against the warehouse wall, catching their breath. Yara lit a cigarette, the lighter’s flame illuminating her face. "You held your own, kid," she said, her tone less biting. "But you’ve got work to do. Your armor’s good, but you’re too slow."

The Paladin, rubbing a scratch on her harness, nodded. "Yeah, I know. But did you see how you tore through those things? You’re like... a ninja."

Yara took a drag, a smirk on her lips. "Ninja, huh? You’re not the first to say that. My brother, Yuki, begs me every day to teach him."

The Paladin raised an eyebrow. "Yuki?" she murmured, realizing Yara was actually Yuki’s older sister.

**Saturday**

In a café.

The exposed brick walls, adorned with vintage posters and string lights, gave off a bohemian vibe, while the scent of freshly roasted coffee and muffins filled the air. Wooden tables hosted students typing on laptops and hipsters sipping overpriced lattes. Jane and Hannah sat in a corner near a fogged-up window, sharing a table cluttered with empty cups and a half-eaten plate of scones. Jane, her brown hair tied in a ponytail, fidgeted with a napkin, her nervous gaze scanning the room. Hannah tapped on her phone, her lips pressed into an annoyed pout.

Her eyes landed on Katrina’s status, which featured a video with Kaiser.

Jane broke the silence, her voice hesitant. "Okay, Hannah, we need to talk about... you know, Katrina and Kaiser. You’re clearly not okay with it."

Hannah looked up, her tone sharp. "Not okay? I don’t see what you’re talking about. Kaiser can hang out with whoever he wants, I don’t care."

Jane raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Stop it, you’re jealous. Every time we talk about Katrina, you look like you want to rip her hair out."

Hannah put down her phone, crossing her arms. Her eyes betrayed a rare vulnerability. "Jealous? That’s ridiculous. Kaiser’s just a loser who acts all rebellious with a crappy personality. Katrina can keep him, it doesn’t matter."

Jane sighed, biting into a scone. "You’re not credible, Hannah. You’ve always had a soft spot for him, even if you pretend otherwise. Why don’t you admit it?"

Hannah clenched her jaw, her gaze drifting to the window. Fine rain streaked the glass, reflecting the café’s neon lights. "Because it makes no sense, okay? Kaiser’s... weird. He says hurtful things, I tried to help him, but he doesn’t want to... Now he’s hanging out with Katrina, I don’t know what’s going on in his head. It’s ridiculous! What’s so special about her?"

Jane shrugged, wiping crumbs from her mouth. "Maybe he’s weird, but Katrina seems to like it. And you’re upset because he’s never looked at you that way. He didn’t see you any differently from his other friends."

Hannah growled, grabbing her empty cup for something to do. "It didn’t bother me that he saw me that way. For me, it was mutual. Until she showed up. Making me notice things about myself I’d ignored."

Hannah sighed before declaring, "I don’t need his attention. I’ve got guys chasing after me, alright!? Kaiser’s... just a detail."

Jane chuckled, her tone teasing. "A detail that’s been bothering you for a week. Listen, if you’ve got something for him, own it. Otherwise, let it go. Katrina’s done nothing wrong."

Hannah straightened, her tone hardening. "Nothing wrong? She’s parading around with him, when a month ago, he was hanging out with Alan. If you ask me, Jane, she’s just a slut taking advantage of him."

Jane raised her hands, exasperated. "Okay, Hannah, you’re in a mood. If you’re so upset, why don’t you talk to her directly? Or to Kaiser?"

Hannah flinched, her confidence wavering. "Talk to her? For what? So he can throw one of his hurtful lines at me? No thanks."

Jane sighed, changing tactics. "Alright, another plan. I’ll dig for you. I know Yuki and Ben pretty well. I’ll ask Ben if Kaiser’s serious about Katrina. Does that work?"

Hannah shrugged, feigning indifference. "Do what you want. But I’m warning you, if it’s serious, I won’t hold back from telling Katrina what I think of her."

Jane rolled her eyes but nodded. "Okay, deal. I’ll talk to Ben, and you calm down."

Hannah managed a smile despite herself. "You’re annoying, Jane. But... thanks."

Jane took out her phone and dialed Benjamin’s number.