Alex really hoped there would be no encounters, and Eve seemed to share the sentiment.
Still, he glanced at his canvas again and continued painting as if he hadn't noticed the approaching figures—though his brush slowed, his posture subtly preparing for anything.
"Excuse me," a charming voice called.
The siblings turned, and before them stood a woman who seemed almost angelic.
She stood at 172 centimeters, just a little taller than average, with an athletic, well-proportioned build that makes her presence naturally commanding. Her hair is cut in a short wolf-cut, tousled yet stylish, its color blue like the sky at midnight that seems to shift subtly with the light. Her eyes, of the same colour, hold a steady focus, giving her an air of confidence and quiet strength.
Her features are strikingly pretty, refined yet bold, and the way she carries herself effortlessly elevates her beauty. She's dressed in luxurious,form-fitting attire tailored to her physique—sleek, practical, but undeniably elegant—highlighting both her discipline and the grace in her movements.
Alex, seeing the color of her hair, relaxed visibly. He knew exactly who she was.
"Princess," he said respectfully, though he kept painting.
Evelyn, on the other hand, immediately bowed as custom demanded.
"Princess. A pleasure to meet you."
Noticing her brother's lack of proper courtesy, she jabbed her elbow into his ribs—hard.
Alex winced, and Eve used the moment to grab his shoulder and push him into a bow beside her.
"Pay your respects! What are you doing?" she hissed.
Vanessa watched the contrast between them and laughed softly.
"You two are quite amusing. Sorry to interrupt, but I was looking for a comfortable place to eat. In the city, I tend to cause a commotion wherever I go. Would you mind if we sit over there?" she asked, pointing toward where her guard was waiting.
"Sure. I don't own the place—it's free for everyone to use, princess," Alex replied flatly.
He didn't hold nobles in high regard. The Morningstars weren't the worst of them, but as royalty, they were the peak of what he despised.
Vanessa noticed his tone but simply thanked them and walked back.
"The boy is particularly wary of us—and he's a novice mage, very close to tiering up," Marina remarked as Vanessa approached.
As a grandmaster, her perception of the words was vast and keen; not many things evaded her sight.
"Yes, I noticed he doesn't exactly have the best opinion of me," Vanessa admitted.
"But well, I don't expect everyone to like me."
The pair set out their picnic and began eating, talking quietly about the case as they did.
"After a full day of searching, we found nothing. It's like the man vanishes after each murder," Vanessa said, full of indignation.
"Well, his methods fooled even the royal guards for six months. You've only spent a day. Have patience, princess. Eventually, you'll find him," Marina replied.
"Yes, but I'm supposed to be the smarter one!" Vanessa replied, like most martial artists, her competitive spirit was through the roof.
"That's what you believe because you've spent most of your life in the castle. There's always a bigger fish out there," Marina said.
As their conversation continued, Marina noticed the boy's subtle habit of tilting his head toward them—only whenever they discussed the case. The moment the topic shifted, he tuned out again.
"Anything to comment about the case, boy?" Marina asked suddenly.
"What?" Alex replied, feigning ignorance.
"You think I didn't notice you eavesdropping whenever we talked about it? So—any ideas?"
Vanessa blinked, surprised, and turned her attention to him.
"Sorry for eavesdropping," Alex said. "I just wanted to keep tabs on it. Any information helps keep my family safe." He said and placed a hand gently on Eve's shoulder.
"Oh, there's nothing wrong with that. But since you listened—any ideas?" Vanessa asked, catching on to how he had neatly sidestepped Marina's phrasing.
Looking at him properly now, she noticed the contradictions in his expression—eyes of someone who'd endured far too much paired with a gentle face, which made the effect strangely magnetic.
"Are you sure you want to catch the person?" Alex asked bluntly. "To me, it sounds like he's doing what the royal guard couldn't: protecting commoners from nobles."
"As a commoner myself, I'm glad someone is looking out for us at night," he added, and returned to paint.
"Well, many of the nobles he killed deserved the death penalty—but some didn't. They should be judged by the law, not a vigilante," Vanessa shot back.
"I understand your view. But when it takes moving mountains to get the royal guard to act, I still prefer someone like him—even if he's cruel. If nobles don't want to die, it's simple: don't commit crimes," Alex said, looking once again at her.
Vanessa couldn't find a retort. She hadn't realized how lax the royal guards had become.
Seeing her momentarily silenced, Marina stepped in to shift the focus.
"So—any idea how to find him?" she asked.
"I do," Alex said calmly, "but I'm not sharing them. I have no reason to."
"Isn't making the city safer reason enough?" Vanessa pressed; she thought that protecting the city was the duty of everyone.
"Safer for who?" Alex asked, voice dripping with sarcasm.
Marina stood up and approached. She released her grandmaster aura without warning.
Alex felt it instantly—his eyes widened, his pupils contracted, hair rising, heart pounding. He cast Water Shield with all his might around Eve in an instant, bracing himself against the crushing weight of her pressure.
"What the fuck?" he gasped, not expecting an outright assault with a tier-three aura.
He could barely withstand it. And even behind the shield, Eve clutched her chest, struggling to breathe.
Vanessa hadn't expected Marina to go that far and couldn't believe what she did. The boy holding strong was impressive, but the girl was suffering badly, even protected.
The only silver lining was that it revealed his priorities, which were the most noble.
But things were turning ugly. Fast, and she had to do something.