Aidera was left with two choices: either surrender the laptop she was holding or buy time until one of her two companions returned. However, in her panicked state, she couldn't think clearly.
"Quick!" the thief urged, increasing the pressure with the knife.
Even though the knife was pressed against her throat, she could feel that the person's hand was trembling. The rushed articulation showed that he additionally needed to rapidly complete his activity. Whether out of necessity or for some other reason, Aidera couldn't understand.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Shut up! Hand over all your belongings now."
"..."
Within moments, a hand tapped the shoulder of the person and pulled him forcefully, nearly causing him to fall onto the roadway.
"Huh? What?!"
"Let me teach you two things," Zeyn said flatly. He immediately positioned Aidera to stand behind him. "First, if you intend to threaten someone... then you shouldn't hesitate to do so."
"What?!"
"Second... a man who aims a weapon at a woman has no right to call himself a man."
A guy with ruby-red eyes, who was starting to become familiar, came to protect her. Zeyn appeared from behind the thief, whereas before there was only an empty road.
Aidera's mind struggled to process the sequence of events. Everything had happened so quickly. Earlier, there was a person who approached her, then immediately threatened her with a knife, causing a slight discomfort in her throat. She had intended to buy time until her two attendants arrived. But now, unexpectedly, Zeyn appeared out of nowhere.
"You're... "
"Are you okay?"
"Um... yeah... m'maybe."
He turned around, observing the girl carefully, as if uncertain if she was truly fine. Zeyn noticed an item that seemed familiar, a laptop that had been on his desk yesterday. Now he knew who the owner was, and it turned out to be this girl.
"Who are you? Don't interfere!" the thief said, pointing.
With calmness, Zeyn simply replied, "I am nobody. How about you just finish your act now and go home?"
"Shut up! You know nothing about me!"
With trembling hands, the thief decided to rush forward and stab. He charged, thrusting his weapon, hoping for it to land a hit.
Zeyn saw the knife heading towards his left abdomen. He could have easily dodged it, but after witnessing how the thief attacked, he intended to restrain him with his hand alone. Aidera became hysterical, quickly closing her eyes and covering her mouth.
ZRASSHH~
A few seconds later, the sound of a sharp object piercing flesh could be heard, accompanied by a small spatter of blood on the street. The evidence of what had just occurred indicated that the thief had managed to wound Zeyn.
"If you want to attack someone... make sure your eyes are wide open."
The thief finally opened his eyes, which he had kept shut in fear since the attack. He saw blood flowing from his hand onto the young man standing before him. The knife was still lodged in place, while Zeyn's fist was firmly gripping it, refusing to let it go.
A sense of guilt immediately invaded his heart. Seeing the blood flowing, he trembled in fear. He regretted his actions, realizing that he hadn't considered the consequences of his deeds.
"I... I'm sorry, please forgive me."
Zeyn glanced at him, staring into his eyes sharply. With a threatening expression, he spoke,
"If you're not ready to engage in dirty work, it's better for you to find another job."
Paul and Clara immediately ran. They approached the scene of the incident. There was a sense of worry as a disturbance had occurred, especially since their employer was present there.
Finally, Zeyn released his clenched fist. The knife was finally dislodged, and the thief, trembling in fear, quickly fled away. He ran as fast as he could, not wanting to face further blame.
"A'are you okay?" Aidera asked in shock.
Zeyn fell silent for a moment, feeling the adrenaline still surging through his body after successfully overcoming the threat. He then looked at his left hand, which had been injured from the knife attack. After confirming that it wasn't too severe, he shifted his attention to the girl behind him.
"Don't worry, it's safe now," Zeyn reassured, although his tone was casual. However, blood continued to flow from his hand. "I'm fine."
"Your hand doesn't look fine!" Aidera replied, her voice trembling.
"Relax. The wound will heal by tomorrow."
Paul and Clara came running over. They were relieved that someone had managed to protect Aidera from the impending danger.
"Miss Ai! What just happened?!" Clara asked in a panic.
"There was a wicked person who threatened me with a knife. Fortunately, he came," Aidera answered, still trembling.
"Threatened with a knife?... Wicked person?!. I deeply regret it. I should not have left you alone like that. I know I have crossed the line, and I beg for your forgiveness," Clara apologized.
"I'm sorry, Miss Aidera. I sincerely apologize for leaving you alone. Let me take care of the rest!" Paul added.
Meanwhile, Paul was already preparing to chase after the fleeing thief. However, Aidera stopped him.
"Enough, both of you. It's better if we don't prolong this issue. The important thing is that everything is safe now."
Aidera decided to take Zeyn's hand and caress it.
"Why didn't you just dodge earlier?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
Unfortunately, he remained silent. Zeyn couldn't bring himself to commit acts of violence against someone who wasn't truly malicious. The trembling of his hands, closed eyes during the attack, and the sense of fear after injuring his opponent were all evidence of an amateur thief.
"Zeyn? Are you sure you're okay?"
"Huh? Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."
The girl then opened her car and reached for something inside the dashboard. It was a dry tissue to help dress his wound. Slowly, she tightly wrapped the tissue around his hand to stem the bleeding.
"Sorry, thank you for helping me. If it weren't for you, I don't know what would have happened."
"Hmm."
Aidera glanced towards her two servants. They remained bowed down, unwilling to speak up. Regret was evident in their expressions, mixed with a tinge of anger. It was anger directed at themselves, including towards the thief.
"You know, I don't have any plans after this. Why don't you drop by the cafe where I work? Let me treat you to a drink."
She wanted to express her gratitude in a more personal way. Nevertheless, she wanted to invite him out, even if it was just for a meal or a drink and a chat. However, Zeyn shook his head softly. He wanted to politely decline the invitation.
"Sorry, I can't."
"What if we go somewhere else?"
"I have something I need to take care of. Maybe another time."
"... Ohh," Aidera responded, a tinge of disappointment in her voice.
She simply nodded and tried to understand. Yet, there were several things she wanted to talk about with this young man.
"Alright, maybe another time. Thank you again, Zeyn."
"Hmm."
Zeyn walked towards a corner between buildings. He let out a sigh of relief, having managed to escape from the dangerous situation earlier. However, his left hand still felt painful. He stopped and examined the wound on his hand, intending to untie the makeshift bandage that Aidera had made. It wasn't that he wasn't grateful for her help in treating his wound, but he simply didn't need the tissue wrap.
After discarding the tissue in the trash bin, he looked up. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared.
Meanwhile, Aidera continued to stare flatly at her two servants. She wasn't angry, just frustrated. It was understandable, considering she had almost faced danger. It had truly been an unpleasant experience, especially in this deserted area. These two individuals regretted their carelessness, which could have ended badly.
"We should have been more vigilant. We deeply regret it," Paul expressed, bowing his head in remorse.
"It would be a disgrace to the Chana family if we weren't taught a lesson. We will take responsibility for our negligence. We are prepared to face any punishment, if you so desire," Clara added.
And it inevitably ended up like this. It was not something she desired either. Aidera had considered these two individuals as her own friends. However, as a noble, she had to position herself accordingly. If she were to forgive them immediately, they might end up feeling even more guilty.
"Punishment, huh? Very well... I will punish you."
Trying to maintain a stern expression, as if to appear resolute, Aidera entered the car. However, instead of taking a seat in the back, she sat in the driver's seat.
"As punishment, I will drive. Sit down, both of you! It's time to go home," Aidera declared.
Clara and Paul exchanged glances. Still bowing respectfully towards Aidera, they complied and sat in the back seats.
In their hearts, they felt humiliated. The person they were supposed to serve was now serving them. It felt like a message, as if their employer was indicating that they were incompetent in their duties. It seemed she didn't even need them to do anything.
As the metallic SUV drove on the road again, Zeyn observed those who had already left from atop the building. He stroked his hand and noticed that the wound had dried up. His body no longer felt the same way. The recovery seemed slower.
"More! I need more. Still need... more power!"
* * * *