As Lucian turned his head, he saw a tall, slender, and beautiful woman with pointed ears and dark crimson hair, which immediately caught his attention. The pointed ears unmistakably marked her as an elf. He watched as she quickly descended the stairs from the upper floor, her expression tense and anxious. She kept glancing around as if trying to avoid someone, which seemed odd to Lucian, especially given that he'd just been told that elves were under the city's protection.
As she passed by, Lucian asked, "Miss, are you in any trouble?" His tone was filled with concern.
The elf woman briefly turned to him, her voice unsteady as she replied, "No, it's nothing." Her gaze darted around nervously, clearly looking for someone or something. Without further explanation, she hurried out of the library.
Lucian quickly approached Tetsu, who was absorbed in his book, feeling there was something suspicious about the woman's behavior. "Tetsu, I just saw an elf woman leaving alone. Hurry, we need to follow her." he said, already heading for the exit.
Tetsu stood up in surprise, calling after him, "Follow who? We're not supposed to leave until your father returns!"
Ignoring him, Lucian retrieved his weapons from the counter and slipped out of the library. He spotted the elf woman in the distance, walking quickly, and began to trail her at a safe distance, careful not to be noticed.
"Lucian? Why are we following her?" Tetsu whispered anxiously as he caught up. "We shouldn't be outside without your father's permission."
Lucian explained, "She looked really worried, like someone was following her or trying to find her."
"So, you're saying she could be in danger?" Tetsu asked, his curiosity piqued but still cautious.
"Possibly," Lucian replied, his gaze fixed on the woman ahead. "Or maybe she is the danger. But her expression showed genuine worry. Let's follow her and see if we can figure out what's going on."
"But if she's dangerous, shouldn't we stay out of this? What if you get hurt?" Tetsu's concern was evident.
"You should be more worried about your own safety. I can defend myself, but you don't even know how to fight." Lucian pointed out. "Besides, could you really walk away from someone who might be in trouble?"
Tetsu hesitated, then sighed. "You're right. Leaving someone clearly in distress would be cowardly. Let's follow her."
The two trailed the elf woman through the city, moving into increasingly crowded and cramped areas. They passed through sections bustling with merchants selling raw materials, old weapons, tools, and armor. Lucian asked Tetsu about the various races they encountered, pale-skinned goblins, dwarves, and towering titans who looked similar to humans but were much larger and stronger. As they ventured deeper, the buildings grew more tightly packed, leaving narrow, winding paths.
Suddenly, a group of hunters appeared, momentarily blocking their way. In that brief interruption, the elf woman vanished from sight. Realizing they'd lost her, Lucian and Tetsu frantically searched the area. After a few moments, Lucian noticed some footprints leading into an alleyway, though he couldn't be certain they were hers.
"She might have gone this way." Lucian said, gesturing towards the dark alley.
Tetsu's face paled as he looked into the shadowed passage. "I don't think she went in there, senior. Let's keep looking somewhere else."
Lucian shook his head, determined. "You can stay here if you want. I'll go check."
"YOU CAN'T JUST WALK AWAY LIKE THAT!" Tetsu protested, his voice laced with worry. "I promised to keep you safe today. I'm coming with you."
"Fine by me," Lucian replied, and they both proceeded into the alley. Unlike the bustling streets, the alley was eerily silent, sending chills down Tetsu's spine. Lucian, however, was focused solely on finding the elf woman.
Suddenly, they heard muffled voices. Ahead, four men sat on a broken wooden cart, their expressions shifting to twisted smiles as they saw Lucian and Tetsu approach. The men quickly stood, blocking their path.