"Creak!"
Mina's footsteps were silent as she pushed open the study door, revealing a chaotic scene. Ayesha was clutching the master's head, sobbing uncontrollably, while he flailed one arm weakly. Nearby, Amelia stood with her lips pursed, her expression a mix of exasperation and amusement.
"What's going on here?" Mina blinked, her eyes wide with confusion as she took in the bizarre sight. Why was the master waving his arm like that?
"Ayesha… let go… I can't breathe…" Came his muffled, halting voice, barely audible through the chaos.
Lucas struggled to lift his head, finally freeing his face from Ayesha's suffocating embrace. He tilted his chin up, meeting the gaze of the horned beastgirl, her tear-streaked face hovering above him. A tear slid from her cheek, landing on his forehead with a soft plop.
"It's alright now. I'm here," Lucas said softly, patting Ayesha's back with a gentle hand. He'd never seen her cry like this before—so raw, so heartbroken. The cheerful, carefree Ayesha he knew was nowhere to be found, replaced by this vulnerable figure clinging to him.
"Master… I'm so sorry… I shouldn't have…" Ayesha choked out between sobs, her words trailing off. She couldn't finish. She shouldn't have entertained thoughts of leaving. Lucas, like her older sister Bella, treated her as family, as someone who belonged.
"I understand. It's okay," Lucas said, shaking his head slightly. He could guess what weighed on her mind—those all-too-human doubts and fears. "It's alright."
"Wah… hic!" Ayesha's sobs were interrupted by a loud hiccup, abruptly silencing her cries. She lowered her head, staring at Lucas's kind, steady face, her eyes wide with surprise.
"No more crying, or you'll drown me," Lucas teased, a faint smile tugging at his lips. His tone was warm, indulgent. "It's all in the past now."
"Master!" Ayesha's pink lips parted slightly. Her hands loosened their grip on his head, and in a sudden, impulsive move, she leaned down, pressing her lips against his.
"Mmph…" Lucas's dark eyes widened, staring at Ayesha as she closed her own, her trembling eyelashes still glistening with tears. Her flushed cheeks pressed close, her kiss clumsy but earnest.
'Am I being kissed against my will?' The thought flashed through Lucas's mind. He closed his eyes, gently guiding the inexperienced horned girl, feeling her breath quicken with nervous excitement.
"Mmm…" Lucas opened his eyes, marveling at Ayesha's delicate features. She'd grown bold, her tongue tentatively exploring, a daring move for someone so shy.
'She's making the first move?' Lucas wasn't about to let her playful advance go unchallenged. He met her with his own, their tongues tangling in a dance where her inexperience was quickly outmatched. He teased her gently, turning her bold move into a playful game.
"Mmm!" Ayesha let out a shy whimper, her breath hitching. Overwhelmed, she pulled back, gasping for air, her chest heaving.
"Haa…" Lucas exhaled, gazing at Ayesha's flushed face. Her pink lips, now a deep red from their kiss, were slightly swollen, giving her an even more endearing look.
"Ahem, ahem!"
A pointed cough came from behind Ayesha, startling the horned girl. She whipped around, her face and neck flushing a deeper crimson as she spotted Mina, the cat-eared girl, watching them.
"Uh…" Lucas rubbed his thumb across his lips, a sheepish grin on his face. He could feel Amelia's sharp glare boring into him from the side—no need to look to know it was her.
Mina's expression was odd, her eyes flickering between the embarrassed Ayesha and the awkward Lucas. 'Could Ayesha be the second one to get close to the master?' she wondered, her tail flicking thoughtfully.
"So, did you bring the person?" Lucas asked, eager to change the subject. He hadn't expected Ayesha to be so bold, kissing him right in front of Amelia.
"Master, the troublemakers Ayesha caught three days ago… one of them committed suicide at noon today," Mina reported, her cat tail swaying as her face turned serious. "The guard force didn't do much to him—just detained him as a troublemaker. No one expected he'd take his own life."
"Suicide? A cover-up, then," Lucas said, his brow furrowing. He immediately sensed the deeper implications. This wasn't just a random rumor—it was a calculated move by an organization targeting him. No, not just him—the beast-eared girls in his castle.
"The Black Iris organization," Lucas said coldly, a chill flashing in his dark eyes. Only a group like those slave traders would spread such rumors to sow chaos.
"Master, are they targeting Ayesha specifically?" Mina asked, her eyes narrowing. A dagger slid from her sleeve into her hand, ready for action.
"There's an eighty percent chance it's them," Lucas said, rubbing his temple, his expression grave. "But it's not just Ayesha. You, Helen, Freya, and Annie—you're all likely targets."
"What do we do, Master? Should we round up the ones spreading the rumors?" Mina asked, her voice sharp with determination.
"Not yet. Those are just small fry," Lucas said, waving a hand. He closed his eyes, his mind racing. The enemy's plan was more complex than a simple kidnapping plot.
He considered the possibilities. If they were only after Ayesha, they'd have struck in secret, not bothered with rumors. The rumors felt excessive, like a deliberate overreach. Their true aim was likely to destabilize Sedona City itself—pitting the beastkin slaves against the human residents to spark conflict.
For instance, if beastkin fled the city, or if Ayesha had been pushed to her breaking point and left—or worse, hid in the castle—it would disrupt the harmony among the castle's beast-eared girls. The next step would be escalating tensions: killing a few civilians and framing the beastkin. Chaos would erupt.
As the lord of Sedona City, Lucas had promised to treat beastkin fairly, he'd face an impossible choice: side with the beastkin and lose the trust of the human populace, or side with the humans and risk alienating the beastkin, including those in his castle. Either way, the enemy would have an opening to strike. It was a ruthless, cunning plan.
'Well played,' Lucas thought, impressed despite himself. Whoever orchestrated this was a master of manipulation, likely the same mind behind the Moth City incident.
"They're targeting my people now," Lucas said, his dark eyes glinting with cold fury. They thought they could destroy his city with underhanded tactics.
"Mina, orders," He said, his voice like steel.
"Yes!" Mina straightened, pulling out a notebook and pen.
"Mobilize the intelligence network. I want detailed records of everyone who's entered the city in the past month," Lucas instructed, his fingers tapping the desk rhythmically. "Also, check on any humans renting rooms but not working—flag anyone suspicious."
"Yes, master," Mina said, scribbling quickly.
"Ayesha," Lucas said, turning to the still-flustered horned girl, "I need you to help me set a trap to draw them out."
"Okay," Ayesha replied, her face still red but her tone resolute.
"Let's play their game and see who's better at it," Lucas said, a sly grin spreading across his face. When it came to a battle of wits, he was never outmatched.
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