"Ah?" After seeing off his last customer, Glen paused for a moment. "I was just guessing."
However, Leila had already started speaking, her voice soft with concern. "That day really scared her... God bless her. Poor Bonnie. Ever since then, she's become so quiet, always lost in thought. We've tried to cheer her up, but nothing works. Her mom is even more worried; she's come to school to check on her several times. Sometimes, I've seen her hiding in corners, silently crying."
Leila's voice trembled as she spoke, her eyes red with the threat of tears. She was clearly upset. "If I hadn't dragged her along that day, none of this would've happened. It's all my fault..."
Glen immediately gave her a comforting smile, trying to lighten the mood. "You can't blame yourself for this. You're a good girl, we all know that, right?"
He glanced at the three boys behind him, signaling for their support. After a few seconds of awkwardness, they all chimed in with nods of agreement.
Glen was pleased with their reaction and continued to comfort Leila. "So, you see, this isn't your fault. If anyone should be blamed, it's..."
Wait—he paused, realizing the truth. He had to admit it to himself. It's my fault, he thought with a groan. I'm the one who put them in danger. He cleared his throat and quickly changed his tone, "Well, anyway, everything will be fine. Time heals everything, trust me."
As he mused to himself, I need to go check on that little girl later... this is all my fault...
"Yeah, Leila, don't worry too much. Bonnie will be okay," Bock, the red-haired boy, chimed in with a comforting smile.
The others added their reassurances as well, and even Pernas, who had been distant, took a step forward as if to say something. She hesitated, though, and ended up just stretching out her hand without moving closer.
When Leila's emotions seemed to calm down a bit, Glen noticed someone in the distance and teasingly remarked, "Alright, that well-dressed young lady over there looks like she's losing her patience. You should go check on her."
He purposely raised his voice so the blonde girl could hear. Glen wanted to tease her a bit.
Pernas, upon hearing this, lifted her chin, letting out a soft hum. Her expression was one of aloof pride, almost like a swan that didn't want to be disturbed.
Leila, feeling more embarrassed now, couldn't help but feel guilty for the tension. But Glen had already spoken, so she didn't want to stay and disrupt his business further.
"I'm sorry. I'll have a talk with her. Please don't hold this against her," Leila said, bowing slightly before leaving with her friends.
Glen waved them off with a smile and returned to his work, feeling both entertained and relieved that he had smoothed things over.
Once they were a little further away, Bock couldn't help but ask, "Leila, how do you know that guy? And what happened with Bonnie? You never tell us anything about it..."
Leila hesitated. She hadn't wanted to come out today at all. Her father's threats still loomed over her head, and she felt uneasy being out, even though the increased patrols in town made it a little safer. But still, that underlying fear never fully left her mind. She'd only agreed to go out for her friends' sake, to ease their worries.
Realizing that Bock had asked, she knew she couldn't keep silent anymore. In a low voice, she began to explain the encounter with her father, her voice heavy with the weight of it.
Her friends reacted with shock and disbelief, while Pernas took Leila's hand, her eyes full of sympathy. "That's horrifying! Why didn't you tell us? You must be so worried. You should come stay with me for a few days, and bring Bonnie too. My family's guards will make sure you're safe."
Leila felt the genuine concern in her voice, and some of her irritation with Pernas faded away. She shook her head gently. "I can't. My mom needs me. But Bonnie... she needs it more."
"It's alright, your mom could come too..." Pernas tried again, but seeing that Leila was firm on the matter, she didn't press further.
The rest of the day passed with more customers coming and going, as Glen continued his business. During some idle chit-chat with the locals, he overheard a few rumors about what had been happening in town.
It seemed that there had been several cases of children going missing recently, causing widespread fear and panic among the families. The relatives of the victims had been causing quite a stir at the police station, which explained why the town felt more heavily patrolled than usual.
Glen frowned. This seemed suspiciously connected to Leila's father. If he could, he wouldn't be surprised if they also targeted young men and women in their teens—perhaps as part of some human trafficking ring? These kinds of things were sadly not uncommon in this era.
As he mulled over these thoughts, he became more and more distracted.
"I'll have to keep an eye on this," Glen muttered to himself as he stretched.
In his past life, he had always despised human traffickers, and if he came across them, he would never hesitate to take action.
"How much is this meat?" A melodic voice broke him from his thoughts.
Glen turned around automatically. "One bella per—" He froze mid-sentence.
Standing in front of him was a strikingly beautiful woman. She wore an exquisite wide-brimmed hat, her outfit was understated yet luxurious, and her black lace gloves completed the elegant look. Her skin was unnaturally pale, and her lips were a vivid red. She looked almost out of place in the daylight.
And she was staring at him with a curious smile, one that was neither warm nor cold, but strangely unsettling.
"This lady... You're not quite right, are you?" Glen raised an eyebrow, his voice low and probing.
The woman's smile faltered for a moment, clearly surprised by his response. She had prepared for many reactions, but not this one.
"Ah..." she said softly, running a hand through her hair. "Do tell me, where exactly am I wrong?"
It wasn't just her appearance—there was something about her presence, even her scent, that struck Glen as entirely off. His blood seemed to stir restlessly. If she had any connection to Bayek Town, he might not have been so surprised; after all, strange creatures were common there. But she didn't have that signature aura.
"Everything about you is off," Glen replied flatly.
The woman's smile tightened. "You, on the other hand... aren't quite normal either, are you, Mr. Werewolf?"
Glen's eyes widened slightly. "Oh? You figured me out? I'm so surprised." He smirked, unbothered.
This only seemed to confuse the woman more. She had expected a more fearful or cautious response. Instead, he was acting as though he'd been casually caught in a game of cards.
"How amusing," she said, her voice tinged with sarcasm. "A werewolf, here in a human town, selling pigs. Has your alpha leader stopped paying for your upkeep?"
Before Glen could retort, she gently stroked a slab of pork on his stall, clearly enjoying herself.
This woman had all the hallmarks of a vampire, but it was daylight. Vampires were supposed to be averse to the sun, right? Glen was both wary and intrigued by her. He asked casually, "Alpha leader? What alpha?"
"Are you a stray dog?" The woman's eyes widened in shock. She had never expected such a direct response.
"Try calling me that again," Glen warned with a glare.
But the woman only giggled, covering her mouth and laughing quietly. Her shoulders shook as she let out a series of soft, amused chuckles.
Glen watched her with a growing sense of disbelief, thinking, This person is absolutely insane.
After laughing for a while, the woman finally sobered up, her face regaining its composure. She leaned in, her voice turning serious as she muttered, "If the Old Wolf King knew what you're doing right now, he'd be very upset."