Quest of Automata King

Brothers

Emmellia and her team get out of that shady shop with dissapointed expression. From behind, Betty quickly catching up to Emmellia, the two of them talking about the next stop they would visit, while Mui notice the difference their environment right now.

“Where did they go?” whisper Mui to Goettia. He means those stalkers that have been following them since they arrived at Lizard’s Tail shop.

“I have no idea either. Their life sign has dissapeared from my range,” reply Goettia.

Mui don’t know what has just happened, but without any indication that they are in danger, then there are nothing to worry about.

“Betty, what is your recommendation for the next shop that we should visit?” asked Emmellia.

From the leather belt that she wears, Betty taking off a palm-size notebook. She flips the pages inside it, until her eye stopped at certain point.

Maybe we can try Sorcerer’s Zone? They are located at more crowded side of the city,” said Betty. Emmellia nod in agreement, and they went to the direction where they previously arrived.

Without any sign of stalker, other than the drunkards and homeless, Mui and his team succesfully getting out of that district. They arrived at a plaza where shops are built around the area where people usually gather.

Betty pointed out one of the shop with picture of potion on it’s name board, complete with the name: Sorcerer’s Zone. It is their next destination to hunt the last ingredients of Caitsih potion.

That is until they heard loud noise, coming from one of the stalls.

“You damn thieves! Get your hand of my wares!” shout a man. From the place where they standing, Mui and his friend could see a seller with a little bit of fat on his body, pushing what it seems like two little kids.

“It is because of you brats that my wares are keep gone! Little scroundels! Where did you hide all of that stolen things!?” shout the seller. His body that three times bigger than those two towering in front of them, making those kids cowering in fear of being stepped on by him.

Those noise also pulling attention from every passerby that passing on the street. They are looking at the source of commotion out of curiosity, but after noticing what just happened, they continue to their way, as if those kids are not something that they are worrying for.

“We’re sorry master, but it’s not us who took you merchandise, it must be someone else!” shout one of them half-crying. From the voice’s tone they are clearly only a little kid, maybe around ten years old.

Their face are hidden under a hoodie, which the fabric itself is already dirty. Everyone can also see the sign of patch here and there on it, signalling that those clothes probably already torned up for some times.

“Bah! Don’t try to sweet-talk me!” said that man, suddenly from his hip, he takes out a knife.

“Where I come from, stealing is a sin! You know what we’re doing for a sinner? We mark their bodies and showing them to the masses! This is for reminder of evil things that you have done to other! So be prepare!” shout him.

“Damn it!” shout the kid who have been talking with the adult previously. “Malik! Come on! We have to leave!” He tried to pull another’s hand, but his realtives stay quiet in the place he is sitting now, as if he nailed to the ground.

“Big Bro... I can’t... Move my leg,” sobs him. The brother keep pulling him hard, until the boy called Malik could at least get up from the ground.

But it is too late as the owner of the shop already have Malik’s arm on his hand.

“Brother!” shout the little one, tears are dripping from his eye as the adult lift him with knife at the other hand.

“Malik!” shout the brother, although his arms strength are no match for him.

Although there are cries and scream, other people are keep walking forward. Either they are close their eyes and ear, so they won’t including themselves upon this problem. Or they stop, looking at the commotion, and then walked away.

Emmellia herself, only notice what happened when she realize that her teammate did not come inside the shop.

“What are you doing?” she shout to Karas and Raul, and they are answering by pointing at the direction of the merchant and those boys.

Emmellia looking at the adult that is holding knife on the right hand, and an arm of the boy on the other hand. She looked surprised and whispered, “Oh no...”

She quickly jumped off from where whe is standing now, and heading toward them. Behind, Betty quickly call her master, warning every trouble that she might gotten herself into.

“Please stop! They are just a childern!” shout Emmellia, but her voices are drowning under the flood of people going back and forth. She tried to reach the scene, but her movement too, is hindered by amount of people in the street.

“Big Bro!” shout the little brother for the last time, before the merchant’s knife heading toward his hand. Scream can be heard from both of the boy, while the merchant is laughing maniacally, followed by that, red blood dripping down on the ground.

“No! Please stop!” shout Emmellia, she finally being able to escape the flood of the people, and seeing what actually happened. In front of her, there is the merchant that she sees, who is still grabbing at the boy’s arm.

But this time, something is different, the merchant’s expression is changed from laughter to grunt. He is frowning as he looked at his right hand which is holding a knife, over there, there is another hand that grabbing the wrist, making it almost impossible to stab the kid with the blade.

“What the hell!?” shout that merchant angrily. His eyes instantlly moved to the owner of that hand.

“Mui!?” gasp Emmellia.

Over there, a Devil with height around 170 CM is standing, his hand is stretching out, reaching another hand that is grabbing a knife. Red liquid dripping down from the arm and knife, and the wound that appear on the Devil’s hand signaling that the blood drip is coming from him.

“Wha- a horn-head!?” shout him angrily. The merchant move his right hand with the intention to s***h Mui’s face, but he tightening his grip and making the merchant squeal in pain instead.

“Old man, isn’t it too much just give lesson for two little kids? You’re the one who is completely overboard here,” said Mui.

“Screw you! What damn care you gave to me, Devil! You don’t know how much I have loss because of these brats!” shout the merchant angrily.

Mui glancing at the stall where that merchant use to sell their wares. There are plates, spoon, chopstick, and toys made of clay. This merchant is probably a clay crafstman, or someone who resell those wares from the maker somewhere else.

The first thing that comes to his mind is about those toys. Those replicas of animals, beasts, and monsters did seems well-made, but Mui wonder if by taking one or two pieces, these children have to go through such a rough treatment.

“Now, let go of me!” shout the merchant again, moving his hand, trying to get off Mui’s grasp.

“Alright, calm down, we can solve this through the middle way,” said Mui. “But first, I need you to let go of your knife.”

“What do you want to do!? Paying up these brats will not help them to learn attitudes! No! They have to feel it to understand what is the cost for stealing other people’s belonging!”

He pulling the little boy named Malik, making he sobs calling his big brother.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry for taking those bowls! I promise that I will never doing it again!” the big brother finally confessing his sin. Tears rolling down to his cheek, and both those kids are crying.

“Hah! Finally telling the truth huh? But don’t cover it! I know there is more that you take other than simple dishware!” he shout angrily, while the brothers keep crying.

Finally, Emmellia stepping in, she walking to the brothers, and touching the hand that is holding them. Surprised, the merchant yell at her.

“What do you want to do woman!?” he shout, suddenly, the man feels piercing sensation on his left wrist. Those sensation turn into pain, and he reflexively let go of his graps. “Damn it!” He curse.

Just like what she did to save Mui from Challender, Emmellia infused mana from her hand to freeze the air around the places that she touches. Therefore, when it comes to the organ of living things, Emmellia also froze their blood vessel and muscle. Not to mention that the cold sensation is enough to flinch someone.

She quickly gather those sobbing brothers toward her arm, telling that they are safe while glaring at the merchant.

“That’s enough! Calm down!” shout Mui again. From the display that only his eye could see, a selection box where he can choose name of spells appear. Quickly, the selection running down to one certain spell with attribute labeled as ‘mind control’.

“Use this, it is a spell to overwhelm one’s mind with idea and suggestion,” said Goettia.

Mui select that spell, and another pattern appear in the air just like when he attack the prefect some days ago. With the finger that infused with mana, Mui swept his index finger, following the pattern.

Sound of wind suddenly appear between Mui and the merchant. Mui could see that the merchant’s pupil suddenly widening, and his aggresive behaviour gone. His breath is more regulated now, and so does his heartbeat.

“Now, let’s we all be friend and drop the knife. After that, we can talking about the middle way for our problem,” said Mui.

Without words and following his suggestion, the merchant letting go of the knife on his right hand. It fell to the ground, while Mui also letting his wounded arm off from the marchant’s wrist.

Mui turn around to Emmellia and the brothers. They are looking at him mesmerized by what the Devil have done. Meanwhile, Emmellia is starring in surprised, but for another reason.