He returned to the house, his footsteps slower than usual. As he approached, he glanced up to see Elys looking out from the first-floor window, her anxious eyes scanning the street.
When their eyes met, Leon raised a hand in a small wave. Relief flashed across her face as she spotted him, and she quickly disappeared from the window.
Moments later, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed inside the house, followed by the creak of the door as she flung it open.
"You're back!" Elys exclaimed, her voice trembling slightly. "Are you okay? What happened?"
Leon stepped inside, patting her shoulder lightly as he passed her. "I'm fine, Elys. Nothing to worry about."
Her brow furrowed, and she closed the door behind him. "Nothing to worry about? You've been gone for hours, and you looked... different just now. Did something happen?"
He hesitated, his gaze drifting toward the table where a single candle flickered. "Something did happen," he admitted, sitting down and unshouldering his AR. "But it's handled for now."
Elys lingered near him, concern etched on her face. "if it's something dangerous..."
"I know what I'm doing," Leon cut her off gently.
She sighed, reluctantly nodding. "Alright."
The next morning, Leon decided to halt the salt shipments, much to the confusion and frustration of the merchant. For days, he deflected their questions with vague answers, claiming it was for "safety concerns."
The days after halting the salt shipments were tense. Leon had cut off supplies to his sole merchant partner— he was relentless in his demands. The sudden stop had clearly put him in a precarious position, and Leon knew it was only a matter of time before the merchant came knocking.
That time came late one afternoon.
Leon sat in the small main room.
A loud knock on the door shattered the fragile peace.
Elys froze, her spoon hovering mid-air. "Who might it be?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Leon set down his tools with a deliberate motion, his face unreadable. "Stay here," he said evenly, rising to his feet.
The old wooden floor creaked under his weight as he approached the door. He opened it to reveal the merchant standing on the porch, his face flushed, tension radiating off him like heat from a forge.
"Leon," the merchant said, his voice tight, barely keeping a lid on his frustration. "We need to talk. Now."
Leon's gaze flicked over the man, his expression calm but distant. Without a word, he stepped aside and gestured for the merchant to enter.
The merchant stormed in, his boots thudding heavily against the floorboards. He didn't waste a second on pleasantries, spinning around to face Leon as soon as the door closed.
"What the hell is going on?" he demanded, his voice sharp and cracking with tension. "You cut off the shipments without so much as a warning, and now I've got dealers breathing down my neck! Do you have any idea the kind of position you've put me in?"
Leon leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "I told you—there are safety concerns."
"Safety concerns?" The merchant's laugh was dry, bitter. "That's your excuse? You know damn well this isn't just about you. The dealers don't give a rat's ass about your concerns—they care about the goods. And they think I'm holding out on them!"
Leon's face was a mask of indifference. "Sounds like your problem."
The merchant stepped closer, his face inches from Leon's. "Don't give me that. I've been loyal to you, haven't I? I've kept quiet, made sure no one asked questions. And now you're pulling this?"
Leon stared back at him, unblinking. "I've done my part. You've made your profit. Maybe it's time you figure out how to manage things without me."
The merchant's nostrils flared. "Without you?" He jabbed a finger at Leon's chest. "You think the dealers will just shrug this off? They've already sent threats—real ones. You think they'll stop with me? If you don't restart the supply, it's only a matter of time before they come knocking on your door."
Leon's jaw tightened, his voice dropping to a cold edge. "Was that a threat?"
The merchant faltered, the bluster draining from his face for a moment. He took a step back, dragging a hand through his thinning hair. "No," he muttered, the heat in his voice replaced with exhaustion. "It's not a threat. It's the truth. You don't just walk away from this, Leon. You know that."
A tense silence settled between them, heavy as a storm cloud. Leon finally broke it, his voice calm but carrying an unmistakable finality. "I'll handle it."
The merchant frowned. "What does that mean?"
"It means," Leon said, stepping closer, his tone ice-cold, "you leave this house and stop wasting my time. I'll take care of it my way."
The merchant opened his mouth, then shut it, his frustration simmering beneath the surface. With a sharp exhale, he turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
The room fell quiet, the fire in the hearth popping faintly in the stillness.
Elys stepped forward hesitantly, her brow furrowed with concern. "That sounded bad," she said softly.
Leon sank into a chair, his shoulders heavy. "It's nothing I can't handle."
Elys approached him, her small hands brushing his arm as she knelt by his side. Her voice was gentle, almost tentative. "You've been on your feet all day," she murmured, glancing at his boots. "Let me help."
Before he could argue, she began unlacing his boots, her movements careful and deliberate. Leon stiffened, unaccustomed to such attention, but he let her continue.
"You don't have to," he said quietly, his voice carrying a faint edge of guilt.
"I know," Elys replied, her tone firm yet soothing. "But I want to. You do everything for me, Leon. Just let me do this for you."
Leon leaned back, his body slowly relaxing as her hands worked the tension from his legs. He closed his eyes.
Leon's shoulders gradually eased as the tension of the day seemed to melt under Elys's gentle care. The fire in the hearth crackled softly, the warmth spreading through the small room.
"You've been quieter lately," Elys murmured, her tone hesitant. "It's not like you. Is something bothering you?"
Leon opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling as if searching for an answer. "It's just… a lot to think about," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.
Elys paused, her hands still for a moment. "You don't have to carry it all alone, you know."
Leon turned his head to look at her, a faint, weary smile crossing his lips. "I've been doing that my whole life, Elys. It's what I know."
She met his gaze, her brow furrowing. "Maybe it's time you learn something else."
Before he could respond, a sharp noise cut through the room—a faint scraping sound from outside, like metal against stone.
Leon immediately tensed, sitting upright as his instincts took over. His hand darted to his side, fingers reaching at gun. Elys froze, her eyes wide.
"What was that?" she whispered.
Leon raised a hand, signaling her to stay quiet. He moved to the window, careful not to make a sound. Peering through a gap in the curtain, his eyes scanned the street outside.
The faint light from the setting sun cast long shadows across the cobblestones, but something felt off. A figure moved in the distance, just at the edge of his vision. They were cloaked.