With a faint hum between her lips, Elle had let her rose hair scatted on her back. She brought for herself a brown basket and walked to bring her shoes to her feet. Walking from behind her was Lucas who had also pulled his small shoes. The boy, although barely reach the height of her waist seemed to hold a face as stern as Grandpa John. After his last breakdown, Lucas fell sick for two days and now that he was healed, Elle felt at more ease.
"I'll come with you, sister," said Lucas, hiding his worry with a tone of exhaustion. "You are tired and it's just two days after you were in an accident. I would feel better if I go alone to buy the groceries."
"I wouldn't feel good leaving you alone in the market. Didn't I tell you that when I was younger I almost got kidnapped by children trader—"
"—and a knight in black saved you and from then on you swore to never leave the house alone again as a child," Lucas completed her story ad rubbed his ears with his chin upward, "I have heard of it enough but it's not like you are the only adult here. I can go out with Timothy."
"And have him use all our money for his little gamble?" Elle shook her head, "I fear him more than those children traders."
Lucas who heard this couldn't help but chuckle, "Timmy could have made a lot of money by showing his magic tricks but grandpa John disagree with it. But, sister Grandpa John didn't seem to mind him performing magic. He just didn't seem to like the idea of him showing his tricks and selling it to the market."
"That's because of the supernaturals," replied Elle as she pushed the door open and locked the door behind them. While they held hands, the two trotted like a pair of siblings to the market, passing by the dirty path.
"Supernaturals?" Lucas inquired.
Elle knew Lucas had been a boy with so many questions and she was quite fond of replying to his question, always giving him the best explanation patiently, "Supernaturals like those vampires or werewolves love humans who could perform miracles. Anything that looks like magic which could perform miracles to them is very much a treasure and the rarer it is, the more they desire it."
Lucas tilted his head, shaking his blonde hair aside as he hummed and gave it a deep thought, "Ah, so well isn't that great? If they took a liking to a human's talent, they could hire the human to perform magic for them and both supernaturals and humans could live side by side."
A small chuckle slipped from Elle's lips bitterly, "They wouldn't make humans work for them. They would eat the humans instead. Vampires will suck their blood dry and the werewolves will feast on their flesh," and at this, Lucas' face turned blue. "That's why Grandpa was worried if John seemed to be performing magic and garner the supernaturals' gaze on him, only demise will occur."
"B- But those magic tricks are fake!" Lucas yelled at once, fearing for Timothy's life.
"They don't care about it," Elle's bright eyes looked down on the ground as she scoffed at her reflection on the muddy puddle which highlighted her bright pink hair. "Vampires, werewolves or humans, all they care for is their desire— just like wild animals."
Lucas saw the frown between Elle's forehead that was knitted tightly and looked on the ground with a hint of sadness. He had heard of how Elle's mother was killed by the supernaturals after overhearing her conversation with grandpa John two years ago. It was also clear that deep down there was a hatred in Elle's heart against supernaturals but also humans...
Lucas knew this but he kept the thought to himself— perhaps in Elle's eyes, whether it's humans or vampires or werewolves they are all the same as they would do anything even to kill for their bottomless desires.
As they asked toward the market, some people stared at them with a deep frown. Elle realized the scornful gaze they had while looking at her before tossing their heads aside as though staring at her will give them such bad luck that will spread to all their descendants. Seeing some of the faces, she knew they are none other than the same adults who had kicked her and Timothy when they were young for having no enough of money to buy anything. Just staring at those freshly baked bread and butter would usually caused them to be beaten by them as they think serving the slums residence is a sin worse than death.
Although nowadays since she gave them money, their attitude had changed, she wouldn't say that it had been changed completely.
"Three of those," said Lucas pointing at the freshly baked bread and his eyes drawled to the eggs, "Also eight of those. Brother Timothy always steal my shares."
"Anything else?" A curt tone appeared from the shop owner but Lucas wasn't deterred. Although the boy love to read and hate violence, he wasn't the type of child who would feel hurt when a person of a lower mind tried to pressure him.
"Let me think," Lucas said to the bigger man with the gruff voice. Seeing how the man wore an unpleasant expression, the young brave boy added, "If you keep hurrying your customer they will never come back."
"Better than having rats all over my shop," commented the man with a scoff and some of the shop keepers around them snorted as though it was a good joke.
"Watch your tone," Elle said with her eyes narrowed. She will turn a blind eye to people mocking her but not the kids.
"If I don't?" The shop owner yelled back at her.
Elle sighed as this wasn't the first time but she felt quite irritated as the man had shouted right in front of her younger brother who had just gotten better. She replied with no hesitation, "Then you won't have a customer. You don't think it's much of a big deal but it's already bright in the afternoon and I see that not even a single apple budged from your store. I bet people already realize what low quality products you sold and ventured for a better shop, not that I blame them though. If I had more money, I'll be crazy to even come here."
"How dare you rat of slums!" Yelled the man who slammed his hands on the table angrily. He was extremely unhappy that a snotty child from the disgusting slums dared to mock him. "What's the problem of chasing out rats to where they belong? I'd rather see you killed than having one of you touch my items. So watch your mouth or else—"
"I heard that not many people are here because of those Vargo Monsters but I have to agree with the strawberry missy," said a man who seemed to have been standing in silence for quite a while since Elle had arrived at the store. She was startled to hear his deep velvet voice that felt familiar but the reason she was shocked was because how the man had suddenly appeared under her notice, something not many could do.
Magnus lifted his red eyes lazily to the human man in front of him. Although the shop owner as quite big in size and tall he appeared small in comparison to the well toned Magnus. Magnus curved his lips slowly, and when people look into his face, they found themselves lost in him with Elle and Lucas not being in exception. Even the strangers around them couldn't help but walk with their heads turned around or freeze at spot to take a double look on him.
Magnus chuckled in a mock as he commented, "With such low quality products, I think pigs are better to eat these. Would anyone really like to destroy their health by eating this?" Realizing the passionate gaze from the beautiful lady beside him, he shifted his crimson gaze toward Elle, "Liking what you are looking at, miss?"