Zanthia took a deep breath in anger and answered to both Henry and the system in the same way.
"NO! NEVER! Not in a million years. Not even if you were the last client on this world. It's my cat and, for the last time, it's NOT for sale."
The black cat jumped from the client's hands to throw himself into the arms of the owner. His happiness was evident. He purred and gave her licks. Zanthia smiled.
"You worried there for a second, uh ... once this client goes away , Little Sun, you and I are going to have a serious chat about all this," scolded the witch, satisfied with the change of attitude of her magical familiar.
She put the cat on the gray-lead counter and stepped out from behind it to face the client.
As for Henry, he looked pretty disappointed and sad. He really wanted to buy that cat. The young man desire to own him originated since this morning when he had been witness to good deeds of the feline. Henry was deeply amazed by the black cat's extraordinarily capabilities.
However, a young master so refined as him could not help but respect a mistress so determined to keep her pet. Although this occasion wasn't the first time that Henry could not convince a merchant to sell some unique product to him, it was definitely the one that have impressed him the most.
Indeed, this woman was completely unfazed by the amount of wealth that he had offered or even by the fact that he was a young master from the powerful and wealthy Percy family. She gave him no face at all. Another aristocrat might have been angry, but to tell the truth, Henry was quite impressed with Zanthia.
*CLAP CLAP CLAP!*
The sound of applause pierced through the ears of everyone in the room. It was unexpected and noisy, like a sudden thunder in a silent night. Zanthia, Henry and Little Sun were startled by it.
The person applauding was a young teenage woman in a violet dress suit and also a pair of muscular guards in gray livery who echoed her clapping. The blonde and skinny teenager was beautiful and had a fragile and delicate air. But something was off with her.
She was smiling but it was a pretty scary smile, the kind of smile a hyena have when it's stalking a victim. She exuded the same aura of nobility, wealth and danger that Henry had but hers was definitely much more sinister.
"Excellent. Such a nice show…"
"Who is this? A friend of yours?" asked Zanthia, a little embarrassed for not having attended to the sound of the shop´s bell.
Undoubtedly, it was basic knowledge for a shopkeeper that every visitor must be tended in order to avoid the smear of reputation and the loss of sales. Everyone was a potential customer. She would not forgive herself if she lost a client just because she was distracted.
Even worst, what if it had been an enemy attack? Fortunately, it was only a young girl. Wait, something was not right, this girl...why does she have armed guards with her?
"Fiona Percy." said the young nobleman gravely.
"I have not seen that grimace on your face for a long time, my dear older brother. The one you make when you first have a glimpse of hope and then you lost it. It seems you really wanted that cat." said the girl with a grin.
"This cat is one of a kind…really marvelous!" said Henry
" Oh ... could it be that you had thought of healing your broken heart with the help of that animal? "
Henry did not answer her sister but, judging by his face, it was clear that the words were close to the truth. Fiona shaked her head and continued.
"I remember that your fragile heart was broke, even more so you were sick for quite some time. Because of you, father and mother became sad. And now you're trying to buy another pet ..." the young woman paused to add a bit of dramatic flair to her next words.
" I cannot help but think that history is doomed to repeat itself! " Fiona said in a deliberately cruel way, with a wicked smile, as she slowly circled around her brother.
"T-That…that is not gonna happen!" said the young nobleman.
"But fortunately I do not seem to have anything to worry about, your poor business talent does not even allow you to convince a simple shopkeeper to sell a common beast," Fiona continued.
"Little sister, what did you said? " asked an ashen faced Henry.
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding, my sense of humor is very particular," she immediately said, recovering the expression of false kindness.
"Really? It did not seem that you were being humorous at all, " Henry´s eyes were odd as he slowly walked some steps toward her.
"…you misunderstand me, brother, I have only your best interest at heart! After all, we are brother and sister…"
"This girl… It seems that she is here to cause problems! " Little Sun commented to Zanthia in a hush voice while shaking his head disapprovingly.
"Tell me…Did the bad owner crush your dream? So sad, you must be disappointed my dear older brother, " continued the girl in a cruel way," Yes, I do not remember seeing you so sad since ... Fido's illness and his tragic death."
The words of Henry´s sister brought back to him the most painful memories of his life. It felt like an arrow stuck in his heart. His beloved pet of his childhood, Fido, had been his most faithful companion when his parents left him behind to depart on commercial trips. But he had died not too long ago in suspicious circumstances.
He disappeared one night without a trace. Henry searched tirelessly for days. Finally he found it. In a ditch. Drowned.
"Fido…I w-wanted ..." Henry tried to say something but he could not get any words out of his mouth. Finally, he managed to compose himself and asked, "What are you doing here, Fiona?"
"Of course, I am valiantly leading my personal guards to protect my impulsive and weak older brother…" explained Fiona Percy while she was slowly getting closer to them, followed closely by her guards.
"I did not ask for your so-called protection." replied the young man gritting his teeth.
"Of course not! It was a request of my beloved and honorable parents, who were very worried when they saw their weak son running, in a rather stupid way, to chase this flea-ridden beast in the grubby streets of a sordid alley."
The young noblewoman spoke in an affected tone like she was showing concern for Henry.
"Luckily I found my way into this miserable and dirty shop. But don't you worry, my dear and weak older brother, you are very safe now."
"Impulsive? Stupid? Weak?"
"Filthy streets? Miserable and dirty shop? "
Two voices resounded like drums in the store, full of righteous indignation. The flaming eyes of Zanthia and Henry clashed as one against the thundering gaze of the young girl and her minions.
The gray livery guards felt the murderous instinct in the room and exchanging a look of knowledge took a few steps forward to protect their mistress.
Then, Little Sun chose to make a move as well, jumping from the counter, like a lightning that stroke a tree in a stormy night. He landed in front of Zanthia and Henry and glared at Fiona and her guards.
Afterwards he raised an exquisite paw before slowly showing, one by one, the nails of his shining claws.
"Hisss! Who exactly are you a calling flea-ridden beast, human? "
"Oh! ... does the cat talk???" Fiona said curiously, taking a magnifying glass out of her dress and examining Little Sun carefully from a distance, protected under her henchmen.
"Eh ... it's true! The cat spoke!" Henry said, perplexed.
"I am a familiar of a witch, one of the most powerful magical beings that exist in this world. Speaking is a very simple thing for me to do, humans! "said the black cat standing proudly, as a king ruling judgment over subjects, on two of its paws and crossing his other two paws over the chest. "And I do not have fleas," he clarified hastily.
"That explains why you did not want to sell it. You really told the truth when you said that I could not afford to buy this magnificent cat. One hundred thousand magic crystals is undoubtedly a ridiculously low price," said Henry reflexively.
Little Sun nodded like it was an obvious thing. Zanthia mood softened a little. She nodded in acknowledgment of his words.
"Ridiculous…even if this beast talks, he is not worth one hundred thousand crystals!" mumbled Fiona.
"Yes, he´s worth that and even more so. Even if I manage to get more money in the future, now I feel it would be highly unethical to make an offer for him. I am very embarrassed by my previous behavior. Please forgive me for offending you, owner Zanthia!" Henry said, bowing deeply.
"Oh ... it's not necessary, it's not necessary!" said a blushing witch,"... ehehehee..."
The nervous laughter of the witch made the situation seem ackward. Little Sun rolled his eyes at Zanthia and the witch somewhat composed herself before she hurriedly continued talking.
"Clearly, what happened before it was just a misunderstanding. Little Sun and I recognize your kind intentions now. Please get up!"
Now that he was no longer trying to buy her cat, the young master of the Percy family seemed as attractive as he had originally been.
"Hhmm! ... first you embarrass the family by offering such a fortune to buy a cat and now you lower your own dignity by apologizing to a lousy shop owner of bad reputation. Have you no shame at all? Fortunately, our mother and father are not here to see this! They would be so disappointed in you! " Fiona said in a poisonous tone.
"I think it is enough. Family members should not fight among themselves. Besides, didn't you claim that you were here to protect him? Then why are you hurting him with your words now?" asked Zanthia.
"It is none of your concern, shop owner, just mind your own business."
"Oh! But you happen to be here…As long that you and him are in my store that makes it my business. I already overlooked too many times the things you said so you should be careful…" warned the witch.
"Do you want me to close this pathetic business of yours?" said Fiona menacingly, "my family has enough influence in the government to expel you from the city."
"Do not worry! "said Henry to Zanthia, then he turned around to face his younger sister and lifted a finger before sternly warning her, "I will not let you do anything to them! "
"Oh oh, you're going to defend them, really? But ... do you remember what happened the last time you tried to protect a pet? Tsk tsk, poor Fido ... "
"Such a venomous tongue, are you a human or a viper?" asked Little Sun.
"Mmm ... watch your tongue, silly beast! It would not be the first time I've drowned a pet! " she said with a grimace of hatred.
"Y-You ...what did you said?" The eyes of a furious Henry glowered with rage as he glared at her sister and clenched his fists to contain the anger in his heart.
Then, unexpectedly, the air in the room chilled a lot all of a sudden. Zanthia approached the nobles and interposed between them. As they wondered what will she was going to do, the witch slowly and deliberately raised her right arm without alarming anyone.
*...SLAP!*
The slap resounded loudly throughout the store. Everyone opened their eyes wide in surprise and Fiona put her hand to her cheek where the witch´s fingers were marked.
"H-How? ... How dare you? ... Do not you know who I am?" said the surprised girl.
"I do know and I do not care! It may be true that I am just a simple shopkeeper and may not be too good at selling. But I'm not going to let anyone threaten one of my clients in my presence ... even if it's your brother!" said Zanthia.
For some reason, as she talked, the things around the store began to freeze. It was like if a harsh winter had coming suddenly into the store.
"Also, I will not allow anyone to disrespect me by telling so ridiculous lies! To say things like that my store is dirty or accuse my familiar of having fleas is totally unnaceptable!" the tone of Zanthia seemed to summon strange shadows in the walls of the store.
The kind of shadows that belonged to the abyss.
"And lastly, the most important thing of all…never ever menace my cat again or I would end you, no matter who you are!" exclaimed Zanthia and the loud words made some of the frozen things shatter all around the store.
"R-Ridiculous! I will not fall for your parlor tricks! I am the young mistress of the powerful and rich Percy family. I'm going to destroy you and your store! " said the frightened young woman.
"Silly girl! You remind me of my younger sister, but you do not possess any worthy ability. If you were really a threat, I would use you as a food to feed the Ardsheall with. But no, in spite of all your pretenses of greatness, you are really just a spoiled child of an imperial noble family and not much more than that. Now, you better left my store before I really lose my patience! " ordered the witch and her words were like the judgment of the gods.
"GUARDS! PUNISH HER! " Fiona ordered with clenched teeth.
She snapped her fingers and pointed at Zanthia. The guards hesitated and gritted their teeth but obeyed. They adopted a combat pose and drew their weapons, one a sword and the other a pike.
Suddenly, Zanthia's blue eyes acquired an unfathomable depth. The pressure on the guards made them felt as if the gravity had tripled. Grunting at the unexpected pain, they released their weapons, which fell to the floor with a loud clank.
"Rupert Aloysious Leaf. Human. 32 years old. From Cester. When you were seven, you had a sudden fever and you entered in a coma. Your mother could not afford a doctor and asked for help from a witch who made a potion and a spell to heal you, "Zanthia recited in a monotone tone that instilled in the guards an unknown fear.
"I-Impossible! H-How ...? " murmured the astonished guard, exchanging a look of disbelief with his partner.
"Ned Torpor. No middle name. Human. 28 years old. From Gambletown, west of Cester. At the age of four, a man robbed his parents' house to collect a debt. Since he could not find enough valuable things, he decided to take you with him. Days later, your desperate parents asked a neighbor, who was said to be a witch, to lend her help to the authorities in order to find you. Her spell took the sheriff's men directly to the place where the kidnapper had you."
"H-how? H-How do you know that? I never told anyone. "
"T-Tricks. They are just tricks like the ones used by the fortune-teller of a fair!" claimed a sttutering Fiona, who was trembling as much as her guards, before repeating her order, "Stop her! "
"I-I never seen a fortune teller like her..." mumbled one of the guards.
"I can easily see the thread that unites your souls with the currents of destiny. The point where my fellow witches altered your fate remains especially fragile," Zanthia made a gesture as if grabbing something from the air and materialized blue scissors, "Cutting it would be very easy!"
"P-Please! Don't do it…"
"N-No…please…spare us!"
"Tell me. Are you sure you want to continue another second inside this store and risk my wrath? " the terryfiyng witch asked with a wicked smile to the scared men.
The guards looked at each other in terror and made the same choice. Screaming, they ran away without looking back, leaving the young noblewoman abandoned.
"It does not matter! You may have scared those simple-minded guards. But I have others. Also, with the prestige of my family among the authorities I can make them close this shop with just snapping my fingers. It is not over! You'll see! " said Fiona stubbornly, grinding her teeth and shaking from the cold and the pressure.
"Yes, we'll see. Now, go away, " replied Zanthia and repeated her order," And do not come back! "
The noblewoman turned around and ran out of the store. For a moment there was an awkward silence.
"That ... that was amazing." Henry said with a smile. "I had never seen anyone do something like that. Fiona must be dying of humiliation!"
"Maybe…but she was close to dying for real," Zanthia frowned, "If I had not contained my anger then…I am really not the nice person some people think I am."
"Sure you are! You are very nice!" said Henry while nodding.
"How could you know?"
"Because I believe I am a good judge of character…"
"Well, he does have a discerning eyes. He was capable of recognizing this Lord Cat greatness, after all!" said Little Sun with a smug face.
"Yes. Such a feline must no doubt be the king of all cats. And you …Owner Zanthia, I do not know another woman like you. Your beauty! Your haggling abilities! And your mysterious powers! I could say that you are simply unmatched. Unique! " he shamelessly flattered both woman and cat.
It worked like a charm. Their favorability to Henry increased greatly.
"Oh, not at all, not at all, hehe" said Zanthia blushing.
"Yes… the king of all cats. That's me!" mumbled the black cat, who was very satisfied with himself, "I am unique!"
"So do I!" said Zanthia.
"Fortunately! With one such as you is more than enough! The empire, no, the world could not stand more like you. And do not dare to claim that you are a nice person. You are a witch and witches are not nice. Maybe cool but…definitely not nice," interjected Little Sun.
"No, if I were a nice person I would now apologize to Henry for slapping his sister and talking to her like that. But I will not do it because I do not really feel sorry about it. She is such a bitch!"
"I agree. In fact my younger sister is a horrible person, blinded by greed and power. She hates my guts for being the designated heir of the family. The things she has done ... I am afraid that my pet was killed by her. Who knows? Maybe one day she would decide to deal with me the same way," said Henry.
"I understand. I also have a younger sister, although she is not so bad as your sister, Marlinaa can be very annoying when she wants to. She forced me to look for a special way to deal with her schemes so I know how you feel, "the witch reflected sympathetically.
"In the case of Fiona, being upset would be a considerable improvement," the noble sighed.
"As I said, I have a special way of dealing with my sister. Maybe you're interested ... "Zanthia said in a commercial tone but not exempted of some amusement.
"Oh? What is that way?" Henry was interested.
"Witches have a certain affinity with the horrors of this world: vampires, werewolves, ghosts and demons, among other terrible beings. Sometimes we can control them and have them follow our orders. Even some can be tamed and sold to our customers for a fair price. There is a particular kind of horror, one that dwells in darkness and feeds on fear. We call them Nightmares …. Wandering Nightmares to be exact,"the young witch explained, smiling.
"You are suggesting to me that ..." Henry swallowed.
"Low-level wandering nightmares do not kill but sometimes those affected would wish they had died ... You`ll see, Henry, there is a very special kind of Wandering Nightmare that you can summon ..." explained the witch while Henry listened intently.
"This Nightmare is characterized by possessing a person for a short time, just a few seconds, but it is enough for her to experience ten times all the evils she has done against her victims," Zanthia continued with a smile.
"I call it the Nightmare of Penance. And best of all, the Nightmare of Penance cannot possess the innocent, which guarantees justice for everyone involved in the whole affair. Believe me, they are especially effective to use in ... "said the grinning shop owner before doing a pause...
"In younger sisters ..." completed the phrase the client with a broad smile.
"hehehe…hehehehehehe…"
"hehehe….hehehehehehhe…"
A man and a woman in their twenties sinisterly laughed in a totally chunni way as they shook spasmodically. The wind blew and the room was illuminated by lightning. Seconds later the thunders were heard. The strange thing was that the store was magically protected against the outside climate.
However, it seemed that the auras of the two resonated with each other, as it used to happen in like-minded spirits. Little Sun could almost swear that the shadows of those two grew at times, making a halo even more sinister than Fiona's aura.
The laughter continued in crescendo for a long time and the weather of the store moved to the outside, first in the alley and then, towards the whole neighborhood ...