Old Bon opened the door completely.
Yumi appeared in the doorway, her long purple hair falling smoothly to her shoulders and her deep black eyes carrying an enigmatic gleam.
She wore an elegant black outfit adorned with purple details, along with thick fur draped over her shoulders.
The thief wore that damn sideways smirk on her lips, the kind belonging to someone who knew she had complete control over the situation.
She crossed the threshold with slow, deliberate steps.
— Let's begin the negotiations — she declared in a calm, melodious voice.
The dry, hollow clicking of Yumi's purple heels made the wooden floorboards creak beneath her feet.
To Arata, that sound echoed through his mind in a terrifying way, triggering a painful memory.
He tried to move, but his body simply froze before the woman who had mercilessly killed him in the previous loop.
Feeling the air leave his lungs, the boy forced himself to take a deep breath, controlling his breathing with everything he had so no one in the room would notice his panic.
Oblivious to the young man's torment, Yumi walked toward the center of the room.
She pulled one of the wooden chairs out and sat down gracefully.
Then, she slipped a hand into the middle of her cleavage and pulled the necklace out from within, apparently considering that area an excellent hiding place for her valuables.
She placed the necklace on the table, allowing the jewel to glimmer beneath the lamplight.
— This is the necklace you're here to negotiate for, isn't it?
— That's right — Felicia stepped forward, resting her elbows on the table. — This necklace looks pretty valuable to me.
— And it really is — Yumi gave a sideways smile as she assessed her competition. — What do you have to offer me in exchange for it?
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— I'll give you two hundred Kiris — Felicia proposed, placing a small pouch of coins on the table. — That's all the money I've managed to save.
The thief let out a restrained laugh at the offer.
She shifted her black eyes toward Arata for a few seconds before turning her attention back to the pink-haired girl.
— That's a fair offer... — Yumi commented before fixing her gaze on the mysterious boy. — And you, boy? Who are you, and what is your offer?
Arata began sweating cold, but swallowed hard and tried to keep his voice steady.
— Me...? I'm Arata Ryusei! I'm just a badass guy who wants to negotiate for this damn necklace!
— Then what's your offer, Arata?
In response, Arata pulled his cellphone from his pocket and, in one swift motion, pointed it toward Yumi and took a picture.
The digital click and sudden flash made the woman's eyes widen for a fraction of a second, her eyebrows rising slightly.
— What is that strange metal object? — she asked curiously.
— In my homeland, it's called a cellphone — he explained, trying to keep his trembling hands under control. — They're artifacts capable of freezing an exact moment in time and preserving it as an image. Look.
To demonstrate, he pointed the device at Old Bon and then at Felicia, taking another picture with the flash.
The light reflected off the girl's pink hair, making it shine for an instant. Arata turned the screen toward Yumi and held it out for her to see.
She leaned forward, examining the clear images of herself, Bon, and Felicia displayed on the small glass rectangle.
Her eyebrows rose again.
A heavy, dense silence fell over the room as she studied the unfamiliar technology.
— Hmm... So this is some kind of mystical artifact... — Yumi murmured thoughtfully.
She turned toward the owner of the house.
— Hey, old man. How much would an item like this be worth on the market?
Bon examined the cellphone from a distance, stroking his white beard.
— Unknown magical artifacts can vary greatly in price, but something this rare... Perhaps around three hundred Kiris.
The silence in the room became even more suffocating.
Yumi's eyes shifted between Felicia's pouch of coins and Arata's glowing device as she carefully weighed the two offers.
After several minutes that felt like an eternity, she let out a long sigh and stood up.
— I've made my decision — she announced.
— And which offer did you choose...? — Felicia asked anxiously.
— I'll accept your deal, strange-clothed boy. Here is the necklace — Yumi said, extending the jewel toward Arata.
Arata released a breath he hadn't even realized he was holding, feeling an overwhelming wave of relief.
He extended the cellphone toward the woman while taking the necklace from her.
— That was a great deal! You won't regret it — the boy said, forcing confidence into his voice to conceal his psychological exhaustion.
Yumi took the cellphone, carefully examining its metallic casing while Arata placed the necklace in his pocket, making sure it was secure.
— In that case, I believe our business here is finished — the thief concluded.
— Looks like I'm not making any money today... — Felicia grumbled dejectedly as she put her coins away.
— Save your money for another opportunity, Felicia — Old Bon said with an affectionate smile, gently running a hand through the girl's pink hair.
— There will be plenty of other thieves around here for you to negotiate with.
— Hey, old man! I already told you to stop treating me like a child! — she protested, her face turning red with embarrassment as she puffed out her cheeks in an irritated pout.
— And what are you supposed to be, brat? — Arata teased, trying to relieve his own tension.
— I'm fourteen years old, you idiot! Don't talk to me like—
— You're the one who shouldn't be talking like that to your elders — Arata cut her off, crossing his arms.
— I'm nineteen years old. I'm way older than you, little brat.
By the way, where are your parents? Do they know you're wandering around making deals to buy stolen goods?
The relaxed atmosphere collapsed instantly.
The veins on Felicia's forehead subtly bulged, and her expression became deeply uncomfortable.
— Don't even mention those bastards... I don't have parents, and I never did — she replied in a harsh, cutting voice.
— They simply abandoned me in this filthy slum and left.
So, as far as I'm concerned, they don't exist. And don't talk to me like we're close.
— Sorry... — Arata backed off, realizing he had touched an open wound.
Before the argument could continue, Yumi put away the cellphone and fixed her black eyes on Arata, adopting a cold expression.
— Hey, boy. I have one last question before I leave.
— What is it? Ask me anything!
— Why did you want this necklace so badly? Is there a specific reason behind it? — she asked, narrowing her eyes analytically.
Arata shrugged, finding the question rather obvious.
— Isn't it obvious? I just want to return it to its rightful owner.
Upon hearing his answer, Yumi's expression changed drastically, losing every trace of amusement.
— Ah, I see... So you're one of Them.
— What?
In the blink of an eye, a purple flash cut through the dimness of the mansion.
With superhuman speed, Yumi drew her purple-bladed katana from the hidden sheath beneath her clothes and unleashed a deadly horizontal slash toward Arata's neck, aiming to decapitate him.
— Watch out, kid!!! — Old Bon shouted.
Driven by astonishing reflexes, the old man leaped toward the counter and pulled out a massive bisento, a polearm with a curved blade at its tip that he had kept hidden.
He positioned himself in front of Arata at the very last moment.
The clash between the katana and the bisento produced a sharp, violent metallic crack, sending sparks flying and illuminating the room.
Yumi pressed her blade against the block, wearing a sinister smile.
— So you're really going to protect this brat, Bon?
— I am — the old man replied, the muscles in his arms tensing beneath his sleeves.
— Then come at me, Bowel Hunter.
Behind him, Arata watched the scene with wide eyes, his heart pounding as he realized that his innocent comment had unleashed a brutal and seemingly inevitable danger.
End of Chapter 9...
To be continued in Chapter 10...