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*****
"A-ah… thank you, Lady Raviel," Abigail said softly, clearly touched by Raviel's kindness. The warmth in her voice betrayed how deeply she felt indebted—like this was the kind of grace she would remember for the rest of her life, something she would repay no matter what the future held.
"I already told you, don't call me lady," Raviel replied with a light laugh. "Just relax. Call me by my name, the way Jill and Excella do."
"I-I understand… Raviel," Abigail answered, still a little stiff, but there was a shy smile on her face.
With that, the girls shifted their attention back to Lara's shop, their eyes wandering across shelves packed with strange artifacts, rare trinkets, and creatures from distant regions.
"Hey… what's this?" Excella asked, crouching down as she stared at something white and incredibly fluffy. "Is this… a dog?"
"That's a creature called a Poro," Lara explained casually. "Straight from Freljord."
"I want this one too," Excella said without hesitation, already completely smitten.
Seeing that, Jill leaned closer, her expression instantly softening. The creature looked unbelievably plush—perfect for hugging.
"Do you have another one like it?" she asked eagerly. "I want one too."
"I'm sorry," Lara said, shaking her head. "That's my last one."
Jill's shoulders drooped in disappointment. All she could do was glance at Excella with barely concealed envy as Excella buried her face in the fluffy Poro without a hint of shame.
"Hey, Jill," Excella said after noticing her reaction. "How about we raise it together? You know I can't take it back to my place anyway. I don't want anyone at Tricell to find out about it. Knowing them, they'd probably try to turn it into a test subject."
"Oh—of course!" Jill replied immediately, her mood lifting again as she gently reached out to pet the Poro. "That works perfectly."
"Alright, alright," Raviel said with an amused smile, watching the scene unfold. "Is that everything you want to buy?"
The others nodded. As for Abigail, she had only selected a few rare weapon components—materials that would be extremely useful for upgrading her daughter's gear. The problem was, those components alone cost more than all the eggs and the Poro combined.
That realization made Abigail lower her head in embarrassment.
But Raviel, Jill, and Excella waved it off without a second thought, telling her not to worry about the price at all.
That only made Abigail even more emotional. Sarah felt the same way, watching quietly from the side—thinking that Lady Raviel and her sisters were almost too kind to their family.
Just as they finished paying and were about to leave the shop, Raviel's gaze caught on something tucked away in the corner—a small toy box. Inside it rested a worn little doll, its stitched hands clutching a pair of blue scissors.
"Is this for sale too?" Raviel asked, turning toward Lara.
Lara raised an eyebrow. "Hmm? Are you interested in that doll?"
"Yes," Raviel replied with a gentle smile. "I want this one."
Lara hesitated for a moment before chuckling softly. "Well… it's not actually something I sell. But if you truly want it, you can have it—for free. Consider it a thank-you gift for saving my friend."
She reached out, took the small box, and handed it to Raviel.
"Thank you," Raviel said sincerely, her expression brightening as she accepted the doll, despite how old and worn it looked.
Nearby, Jill and Excella exchanged glances.
Since when does she like children's toys?
And that doll looks to old…
Without saying a word, their thoughts lingered on Raviel as she carefully held the box, almost as if it carried some quiet significance.
"As a token of thanks," Raviel said, turning back to Lara, "please accept this."
She placed a silver ring into Lara's hand, its surface faintly engraved with arcane runes.
"This is a magic ring. It should offer you some protection from danger," Raviel added, smiling calmly.
Lara froze for a second before her eyes widened. "It's beautiful… thank you. I promise I'll keep it safe."
Deep down, Lara could feel it—the quiet power within the ring. In a place like this, where survival was never guaranteed and tomorrow was uncertain, such a gift was more than just jewelry.
....
Not long after that, they all left the shop and headed toward the Slaughter Docks. Their goal was to buy several cuts of sea monster meat sold there—materials Excella intended to study once they returned home.
"After this, are we heading back?" Excella asked Raviel. "We've almost gotten everything we need here."
"Are you all tired already and want to return that badly?" Raviel replied lightly. "Honestly, I was planning to take you guys to Ionia first. In my opinion, it's a wonderful place to relax and enjoy a short vacation. I'd also like to build a small house there—somewhere that could someday be perfect for celebrating our wedding ceremony with Allen."
"Ionia?" Jill repeated, holding the egg that would later become a gift for Allen. She was clearly curious about the place. "As long as it's safe and the people aren't like the ones here, I don't really mind," she added bluntly. To her, this place felt dirty and completely unsuitable.
Realizing her words might sound harsh, Jill quickly added, "O-of course, I didn't mean you two," she said to Abigail and Sarah.
That made both Abigail and Sarah chuckle softly. "Don't worry, we're not offended," Abigail said with a gentle smile. Still, she couldn't help but feel curious about the man these women kept mentioning. Allen seemed to be everything to them, and that alone made her wonder what kind of man he truly was.
Sarah nodded in agreement. To her, it was only natural that Jill felt uncomfortable in a place like this.
"Alright then," Raviel said, sounding a bit excited. "After this, we'll go to Ionia, and after that, we'll head home."
"Oh, right—Raviel," Excella said, glancing at the blue-haired doll Raviel was still holding. "Why do you seem so interested in that thing?"
"Hahaha, it's a secret," Raviel replied playfully. "Let's just say this doll is pretty special—and I'm sure Allen will love it."
"Hey, don't be mysterious like that. Come on, tell me," Excella protested.
"Haha, alright, alright, I'll tell you later~"
But just as they stepped onto the bridge connecting High and Dry to the Slaughter Docks, an arrow suddenly flew toward them, striking the ground right in front of their feet. Moments later, several figures emerged from the shadows, surrounding the girls from every direction. It was obvious—they were being robbed.
Among the group were two men named Graves and Tobias, who seemed to have temporarily joined the band of pirates. "Hahaha, hello there, pretty ladies," one of the pirates sneered, openly displaying his weapon to intimidate them. "Are you girls lost? If so, do you need my help finding the way?".
Despite that, Raviel and the others remained as calm as ever. In fact, they looked more than ready to fight back the moment these pirates made the first move.
"Nope. We're not lost, and we don't need your help at all," Jill said coldly, already stepping forward as if ready to engage the pirates head-on.
"Hahaha, are you sure about that?" one of the pirates laughed loudly. Their eyes gleamed with greed as they imagined stripping the women of their belongings—and perhaps amusing themselves a little along the way.
Meanwhile, Tobias and Graves stayed near the back of the formation. Although they were technically part of this ambush, their real goal was simple: money and valuables. Once things went south, betraying the rest of the pirates wouldn't bother them in the slightest. As for the women who looked surrounded and helpless? Neither man thought they were worth worrying about.
"Hey, pretty lady," Graves finally spoke up, stepping forward with a lazy grin. "How about you hand over all your stuff peacefully? You can see it yourself—we've got you surrounded."
That was enough to make Jill tense, her fingers twitching as magic gathered around her gauntlet, ready to fire.
"Hey, Jill," Raviel said softly, placing a hand on her arm. "How about I handle this one?"
Jill paused, then nodded. "Alright. Be careful," she replied—though deep down, she knew Raviel would be just fine.
Seeing this exchange only made the pirates burst into louder laughter. There were nearly thirty-six of them, weapons drawn, encircling the group from every direction. Yet Raviel stood there calmly, her expression relaxed.
"Heh, are these women seriously stupid?" Graves scoffed from behind the line, laughing openly. "We've got weapons pointed at them, and she still thinks she can take us on alone. Hahaha!"
The others laughed along with him, confidence overflowing.
"Weapons?" Raviel tilted her head, looking genuinely confused. "What weapons?"
That response only irritated the pirates further. "Enough talk—grab her first!" one of them shouted.
The moment a pirate tried to pull the trigger, he froze.
"Huh—what the—?!"
The gun in his hand had transformed into a thorny rose, its stem twisting instantly around his arms and legs, binding him tightly.
"Aaagh! Damn it—she's a mage!" one of the pirates screamed in pain.
One by one, panic spread through the group as the same thing happened to the others. Weapons turned into flowers, vines, and thorned stems, wrapping around bodies, pinning them to the ground or suspending them helplessly in the air.
Graves and Tobias weren't spared either—their bodies were bound together, stuck back-to-back in an awkward, humiliating position.
"I told you we should've been more careful," Tobias muttered dryly.
"Heh… looks like my luck finally ran out this time, partner," Graves replied with a crooked grin, as if this were just another bad day on the job.
Raviel tapped her chin thoughtfully, looking at the immobilized pirates. "Hmm… what should I do with you all? Maybe I should just throw you into the sea and let the fish handle it?"
Jill quickly walked up beside her. "Let's just go. I doubt they'll bother anyone ever again after this."
Raviel smiled and nodded. "Alright. Let's move on, then."
With that, the group calmly continued on their way, leaving the bound pirates behind.
Abigail and Sarah stood there for a moment, staring wide-eyed at the scene. They were completely stunned—Raviel had handled dozens of armed men in mere seconds, without breaking a sweat.
"She's… incredible," Sarah whispered in awe.
Abigail could only nod, her respect for Raviel growing even deeper.
.....
Meanwhile, a lone raven that had witnessed the entire incident suddenly took flight, silently trailing the girls from above, its dark eyes never leaving them.
Far away, within a grand and ominous hall deep in Noxus, a pale woman watched through unseen means. A faint smile curled her lips.
"Hm… found you," she murmured softly.
With that, she turned as if to leave, her long coat swaying behind her. Yet just as she reached the exit, another presence approached—slow, elegant, and radiating authority.
A pale man with long white hair and crimson eyes stepped into view, dressed in black robes adorned with deep red ornaments. His movements were smooth and confident, every step exuding charisma.
It was Vladimir, one of the founders of the secret organization known as the Black Rose, the true power ruling Noxus from the shadows.
"Leaving already, my dear?" Vladimir said with a faint smile. "How swift. You seem rather rushed today. Surely you can spare a moment—perhaps a cup of tea?"
There was a hint of suspicion behind his calm tone. This was unusual. She was never one to move without indulgence.
The woman glanced back lazily.
"Vladimir, I'm quite busy today, so let's keep this brief. Have you uncovered anything from what the Medardas are hiding?" she asked casually.
Vladimir shook his head.
"Unfortunately, no. So… are you planning to move personally to investigate now?" he asked, studying her expression carefully.
She chuckled softly.
"Not yet. There's no need to rush that matter. For now, we'll proceed with the original plan," she said. "Have Darkwill continue expanding our influence—toward Ionia, Freljord, and… yes, Demacia as well."
Vladimir raised an eyebrow.
"Very well. But are you certain you can convince Darkwill to go that far?"
Her smile widened, sharp and knowing.
"Relax. That man fears death more than anything at this point," she replied calmly. "And fear makes whispers much easier to hear."
Vladimir let out a soft chuckle before nodding.
"I see. Then until our next meeting… LeBlanc."
There was no reply.
The space before him was already empty—she had vanished without sound.
"Tch… Woman," Vladimir muttered.
In the next moment, his form dissolved as well, dispersing like crimson mist into the air, leaving the grand hall of Noxus silent once more.
******
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