Nine

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The motor revved next to the shack and parked itself with a beep. Rose, however, rested her hands on the steering wheel, sitting within  as she stared at the three men that had turned her way.

A brunette haired male, dressed in a suit that actually appeared prim and proper within these slums took the lead in front of two other men, who wore simple shirts with a pair of shorts and swords to their hips.

She hopped down from the vehicle.

"Excuse me, what brings you here?" She asked.

"Pat your head and bark."

". . .what?"

The dressed man smiled and she noticed a certain weapon at his side too. His eyes were not kind but he laughed, "Simply making sure you aren't an homunculus."

"Are you insulting me?" She raised a brow and her eyes sharpened, quick on her feet.

"It's customary, especially with that sweater covering your neck," He said with a frown and pointed, "—say, are you new around here? Who are you, and why might you be driving Lux's motor?"

Her mind worked fast with the hum of her core, she filtered all the knowledge she knew, what may or may not work, her thoughts flew unrestrained with speed, and in that single exchange, she soon gave a thin smile.

"Yes, I am," She replied, "I came to visit Lux and that ungrateful, ugh, that guy ran off!"

She kicked at the ground, clunking her sandals against the asphalt road. She wasn't originally one for deceit but the alternative of telling the truth did not seem like a bright idea.

"He's probably in the red district then. . ." The man narrowed his eyes slightly, muttering under his breath, "I took my time to come in person on my way but he goes wasting my money?"

Then he glanced at her, to the two beside him, and back at her.

"And he left you alone? That's quite a reckless decision on his part."

Rose saw his eyes scan her body. He nodded slightly and there was a soft smile on his face when he looked back up. His face was narrow and she only saw craftiness in his expression.

"Miss, would you like to come with us?" He asked.

"I don't think so," She shook her head. She would very much like it if she could stop being ordered around by every human she met.

His smile deepened and the two grunts at his side drew their blades. They were western in nature, and there was a mana orb embedded just below the hilt on each one.

"Oh, but I insist."

Rose, however, was more than up for defending her new-found freedom. She lifted her hoodie and plucked the gun from her hip before pointing it at the trio.

"We could fight," She shrugged, "But I don't think anyone of us wants to get hurt."

Yet, their reactions were far from what she had expected. Instead of deterrence or caution, they looked between one another before speaking up.

"That toy?"

She could see their expression and neither of them took her with any seriousness.

"Toy?" She asked, the muzzle of the weapon still aimed squarely at the leading man and her finger at the ready to pull the trigger.

"You really are new around here," The leader glanced at her, "That thing, that gun, that's just for show."

"So it doesn't work?"

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