"What happened downstairs?!" Some men also sounded shocked, followed by the sound of loud shouting downstairs.
"Some people check below! We're being intruded!"
"Others, guard the rooms! All the rooms!" Some guards stayed put while others rushed downstairs. "No, no, you guard with me here! An important client is coming! We must protect the goods!"
"There aren't enough people downstairs! Go down!"
Faced with the sudden crisis, the guards were in a panic, which encouraged the two hybrids to run.
Sylene didn't hesitate. When another loud bang echoed from the floor below, he pushed the door, and the lock broke. There were three people guarding this floor, but before any of them could react, he swiftly struck the backs of their necks—just enough to knock them out.
Mavis gave an extra, personal kick to one of the guy's private parts after Sylene struck them unconscious; it seemed that was the one who had harassed him before. Mavis kept kicking, and Sylene flinched a bit, glancing at the seemingly gentle hybrid.
After he was satisfied, Mavis pointed to one of the corridors. "Go straight and turn right two times—there are stairs!" Mavis shouted to Sylene, and the fox followed without hesitation. Mavis had swift, light feet. Luckily, they had only caged him and hadn't shackled his legs, so he could keep up with Sylene.
There were still loud footsteps and people running back and forth. They saw beautiful hybrids fleeing from their broken cages after the explosion below, desperate to escape—everything was in chaos. Sylene caught the sound of gunfire and shouting from beneath them. Mavis, following closely behind, also paused—his ears twitching. It was too dangerous.
Mavis looked pale but determined. He whispered to Sylene, "The back door might be safe. I never went through it—never had the chance." Sylene contemplated and huffed. "It's fine. Let's go."
If anything went wrong, he could always destroy the door or the walls and blame it on the ruckus downstairs. Served this brothel right for ruining so many hybrids' lives. Thinking back, he shouldn't have smoothed the cage bars like that—what a waste of energy...
Mavis led him as fast and quietly as he could, but there were many voices, and gunshots were starting again. As they neared the door below the stairs, they heard an annoyed man's voice, cursing the situation. He wasn't alone, and Sylene recognized the voice—it was the elegant guy who gave him candy yesterday.
"We're very sorry for the inconvenience. We didn't expect this to happen—and for him to be back so soon."
The other man sounded angry. "I don't care. I've paid you and Madame. I want my pet now, before that crazy guy gets him. You promised me!" He sounded panicked, quickening his steps—he was heading upstairs.
The stairs were where Mavis and Sylene were hiding. Thanks to their small size, they could huddle together above the staircase.
It seemed like he might be Mavis's buyer—or perhaps the buyer of that red-haired boy's brother?
"Sir, I let you in because of your sponsorship, but you can't pick up the goods without Madame's permission. She's still dealing with that guy's cronies—"
"I don't care. I want my fox! Do you know how long I've waited since I first saw him—but couldn't book him because of that guy?!"
"Sir, you can't do rash things. This brothel did a lot just to get that fox sold to you. Now we—"
Sylene looked at Mavis and saw him furious. He could even see his tiny fangs showing. And that man—wasn't he the creep from the inn? His gaudy suit looked exaggerated and tacky, simply tasteless. So that "pet" the creep talked about was Mavis?? Sylene huffed in disagreement. Mavis looked way too good for that man.
Also, about that other guy the tacky noble mentioned—was he after Mavis too?
The creep clicked his tongue as the guy tried to block his way, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pouch of gold coins. "It's 20 gold. Keep quiet. I just want to pick him up."
The elegant man Sylene had seen yesterday looked greedy when he saw the money. He silently pocketed the pouch, nodded, and walked in the other direction.
"Ahem, he's on the third floor, last room in the corridor. You'd better be quick. I saw nothing here."
The creep smiled in relief and patted the elegant man's back in satisfaction.
"Also, we got the newly caught one. I think you'll like him too. I'll send you the information, but he's still under sedatives. He'll be in the auction next month."
"Oh? A new one? Is it the one I told you about at the inn near Radscha City?"
Sylene's brow furrowed deeply at the sound of the man's voice.
"I know he arrived in this city, but I don't know where he went..." The noble smirked in satisfaction.
The other man smiled. "Maybe, if this problem is settled, you can 'try' him next month."
"That vendor in Radscha really has a good eye—I can't wait. You know the business."
The elegant man waved him goodbye and they parted.
When the pervert was nearing the stairs below, Mavis trembled. He looked very angry. It seemed he knew this person—his so-called buyer. And that "newly caught one"... If what had just happened to him, this kidnapping, was because of this guy, Sylene would be more than happy to beat him up.
Mavis looked at Sylene, sneering like he tasted something rotten. "I hate him. I should've known when he kept showing up, trying to get to my room before. Luckily, Sir Alistai—" Mavis shook his head and whispered, "Never mind. Maybe they're all the same."
Sylene nodded, glancing at the gloomy Mavis beside him. The hybrid's emerald eyes burned with the urge to lash out, but he knew his limits—he wasn't as strong as Sylene.
Still, his well-manicured claws twitched subtly at his sides, itching to rake across that man's smug face. Sylene chuckled under his breath and leaned closer, his voice laced with mischief.
"I've got some bad blood with him too. Want to do something fun? Hold onto your cloak."
The gaudy man was already clacking up the first few steps of the staircase, too busy muttering into the sleek watch-like device strapped to his wrist to notice anything else. "—bring two men to the third floor quickly, and don't startle my fox. The tranquilizer is in the—AACKK!!"
His shout was cut off as his foot slipped, and he tumbled down the polished wooden staircase like a rag doll. Though the stairs were made of expensive, lacquered wood, the maintenance left much to be desired—splinters jutted from the corners, usually harmless to guards in thick boots, but not so forgiving to silk-clad nobles.
He hit every edge on the way down, finally landing in a crumpled heap at the bottom, bleeding from shallow cuts and groaning in pain. His extravagant suit—already offensively loud—was now torn and streaked with grime and wood dust.
"What the f*ck?!"