"You praise him too much, Mom. He..." The mother and daughter were engrossed in a private conversation after Anom had left when an unexpected interruption occurred."Yeah. What's the point of praising me behind my back?" Anom's sudden voice startled both women, causing Crystal to attempt leaping into her mother's lap but inadvertently shoving her down instead."You!" Crystal felt a mixture of fury and embarrassment at being caught off guard. Her anger intensified as she saw Anom standing behind them, his eyes filled with amusement.Swiftly seizing a nearby pillow, she aimed it directly at his face. "Why are you back, you sneaking bastard?"Anom chuckled, effortlessly catching the pillow mid-air. "I overheard you yelling my name, so I assumed you needed me. But I'm glad I returned. It's always entertaining to hear you grumble about me to your mother."Crystal blushed at his retort but continued to growl. "Are you a dog or something? And don't you know it's impolite to eavesdrop?""Alri
"Huh?" Crystal turned towards the door, momentarily confused. Loreana, her face swollen from tears, took hesitant steps into the room, keeping her head bowed, afraid to meet her daughter's gaze.To say Loreana was nervous would be an understatement. She had just returned and was standing outside the door when Anom abruptly summoned her. But her primary concern was how her daughter was coping with the devastating news. With a deep breath, she mustered the courage to enter the room.Loreana's heart ached as she saw her daughter nestled in Anom's embrace like a koala. Their eyes met briefly before Crystal abruptly turned her head away. Loreana felt a pang of guilt, fearing that her daughter was upset with her. Little did she know that Crystal was simply unsure of how to face her mother, partly influenced by Anom's revelations. Crystal realized the pain her mother must have endured upon learning that her daughter had gone missing shortly after losing her husband. Crystal f
"Do you miss your father?" An unexpected question hung in the air, catching Crystal off guard. She hesitated for a moment, unsure of his intentions, but eventually replied, "Yeah, but Mom wouldn't let me see him. I wonder how he's doing right now…" Anom nodded, delving deeper into the topic. "How are things between you and your father?" A wave of nostalgia washed over Crystal as she embarked on a trip down memory lane, recounting her cherished moments with her father. Her face lit up with a radiant smile as she shared stories of his unwavering love and the absence of scolding. Anom listened attentively, asking probing questions and engrossing himself in her anecdotes. The conversation flowed effortlessly, forging a bond between them that transcended mere acquaintance. After their heartfelt exchange, Crystal turned to Anom, her curiosity piqued. "Why are you so free to discuss these topics today? Weren't you working on your scheme with those two 'respected guests' from the capital?"
'No! Don't stare, my eyes... Dammit! I said, don't! Both of you, stop it! How can I lose my unyielding temperament that didn't even waver while watching those ridiculous fan service episodes?'As Anom struggled to regain control of his wandering eyes, Loreana finally decided to look up. Their gazes met, and Anom managed to regain his composure, acting as if he hadn't been caught staring.Clearing his throat, he suggested, "Hmm, the girls from the capital are still waiting outside. Perhaps you should go and make some arrangements for them, and in the meantime, I'll talk to Crystal and do my best to comfort her, alright?"Loreana didn't speak further and simply nodded, loosening her grip on his hands and standing up from the bed. She walked towards a cabinet, retrieving a robe to cover herself before heading towards the door. The silence in the room made Anom feel slightly awkward.Just as he was about to break the silence, Loreana suddenly spoke: "Even if
Anom didn't reply instantly. He stared at Loreana for a longer period than was considered appropriate before finally asking, "You did it again, didn't you? You should stop already.""What are you talking about?" Loreana replied, maintaining a straight face.Anom let out a sigh as he walked toward the beautiful mother, stopping in front of her. "You know, suppressing your feelings like this will hurt you more than you can imagine. Trust me, instead of relying on whatever drug you're using to numb your emotions, just share them with me.""How do you...?" Loreana was startled, never imagining that he would know about it."Well, I sensed a peculiar substance suppressing your vitality. You know, when we were hugging earlier," Anom explained, chuckling.Loreana blushed slightly, a trace of confusion flashing across her eyes."Ah, I'm referring to the time we hugged outside old Head Gamus's house."This time, she turned completely red, not e
Anom replied, "As for me, I prefer to observe these kinds of games rather than participate." Shrugging, he added, "Of course, being in close proximity to the players sometimes puts me at odds with them.""Very well," Anom continued. "Let me provide you with an overview of my plan. Nia, you will inform your brother about our meeting. Inform him that if possible, you will remain absent for a while longer until my plan is executed."The girls nodded in agreement. They had ceased discussing their departure since they realized that Anom meant no harm. Moreover, they saw the potential benefits that could arise from this cooperation. It brought some solace to their minds that, even when their own families had turned them away, someone else supported their mission.They listened attentively as Anom provided a brief explanation of his idea. Both girls were initially bewildered by his audacity. They were inclined to refuse due to the significant risks involved. However, A
"You'll do the work, and we'll just provide support? Is that the extent of our cooperation?" Handlers blonde lady blurted it out in surprise. While she understood Anom's desire to get rid of the Handlers, she couldn't comprehend why he wanted to involve himself in a bigger mess than the one he was currently handling. Perplexed, she decided to ask him directly.Anom responded, "It's quite easy to understand. You see, even if I were to focus solely on the low-level goons, the Handlers, their backers—the Sorneo House—are bound to get involved sooner or later. It would be more prudent for me to address the issue at its source instead of wasting time and effort for naught. Moreover, I'm not delusional enough to believe that we can conspire together and miraculously achieve a longshot victory against opponents of that caliber. No, I'll take action once I have a better understanding of the circumstances. Besides, it won't be too late to retreat if the situation in the higher echelons becomes
The girls were not thrilled with Anom's analysis of their standing in their respective forces, but they couldn't deny the truth of his words. It was further evident from their clandestine investigation mission undertaken without anyone's permission."What else do you want to know?" the blonde girl asked, ready to provide more information.Anom pondered for a moment before posing his next question. "How did that officer come to know about the Sorneo family members embezzling something?""He was responsible for monitoring the incoming and outgoing logistics at one of the gathering points inside the capital. The stock he claimed to have been tampered with was under his watch. It should have happened then," the purple-haired assassin-girl responded surprisingly.Anom nodded, though he had his reservations about this explanation. "If that was the case, he could have reported the problem right then and there," he thought to himself but chose not to share it wit
"So you're saying that almost every faction has a feud with the Sorneo family, not just your group?" Anom appeared suspicious, struggling to comprehend how a single family could provoke the ire of numerous powerful forces in the capital and still manage to survive. The blonde continued, clarifying, "It's not a personal matter... It's more like an ongoing situation where each faction is vying for an advantage." Anom pressed further, "Can I assume that multiple factions are involved in this mess?" "Almost all of them," the girls affirmed, causing Anom to fall silent for a moment, contemplating the magnitude of the situation. "In that case, if you're so certain, why not directly accuse them before the Royal Family?" Anom found this aspect particularly perplexing. Although the collective strength of all the institutions and families might not match that of the royal authority, they still held some influence due to their integration into the kingdom's system. Some factions even held pos
King Mohammed
Highly recommend!
lemmewrite
Those who are looking for some kick-ass action, just wait for the first Arc to finish setting up the plot and you'll get what you want.