Irene pondered for a while, should she continue or finish this problem.
"Irene!"
Undine called out in a soft and quiet voice, "I know I know," Irene responded reassuring Undine, that she knows.
"The sun isn't even barely setting yet," Irene rolled her eyes, and side glanced towards the person.
"They could've followed me at night, is this their first time?"
Irene choose to ignore the person, "I just go to my last stop, stop the headache and go home," Irene already thought of a plan.
"I need to visit the dessert shop over there," Irene pointed towards a shabby store in the whole line of shops and stores.
"A-alright?"
Undine confused.
This cafe or dessert shop is ran by a commoner, their menu is simple and cheap, food is decent enough.
There was nothing special about this cafe, Irene just choose it at random.
She walked there slowly, taking her time, as she reached the door and opened the door to order something.
Irene felt sharp stares at her, which is expected. She is someone suspicious looking with a cloth covering her face and entering the shop with someone following them.
It's like a concern for their safety.
"Just your specials please," Irene said hurrying the process, it seems like she is like an uninvited guest.
"Sure! It's the strawberry shortcake with caramel drizzle?"
The shop owner greeted Irene with a bright smile, "Yes, I would like to order four please," Irene said to the owner.
"Coming right up!"
That shortcake sounds so fucking nice.
Irene stood near the counter looking at the displays, this place was nice and basic with nice neutral lighting.
Even though it seems shabby...it is one cozy cafe if only those stares could die down, Irene thought to herself as she still felt burning gazes.
And the person was also inside.
Why are they following me to the point into the shop?
"Your order is here, madam!"
The bright owner placed the box with Irene's shortcakes, and Irene threw 20 gold coins to the counter.
The owner's expression was not shocked but rather pleased and took the money without a question, "That person is following you, by the way."
"Yeah, I think I know that," Irene said slowly walking out again; however, the sun was going down and the stalls were packing up.
Wasn't it bright like fifteen minutes ago? Something is bound to happen at this point.
Irene rolled her eyes, the timing in this world is so funny, always on time for trouble.
She walked down an alley, dark and without anyone.
The footsteps start to speed up and catch up to Irene then they reached out their hands to grab Irene.
Irene quickly dodged and kicked them on the legs, "Who are you?"
Without a response, a blade was thrown towards her face, Irene quickly moved but she was cut a bit on her cheek.
A strong wind blew Irene's hood off, with her white hair coming loose.
Wow, the timing. I almost feel completely exposed to my identity.
Irene was thinking about how cliche this situation was, she took out her sword quickly and asked again.
"Who are you?"
The person did not respond again and another knife was used to fight with Irene, taken aback for a second.
This man is dangerous.
"You are not giving up?"
Irene asked, the person only showed a chilling smile, Irene put on the look of disgust and her eyes sharpened.
"To me, you seem like some psychopath," Irene commented, the person, of course, did not reply to Irene once again.
"No much of a talker?"
Irene liked silent battles anyways.
Without a second to prepare, the person had run and aimed their sword toward Irene's chest, Irene quickly blocked it with her blade.
What a force...
Irene did not know who the person was nor why they were attacking Irene when the second attack came, Irene was not the person who blocked the attack.
The person aimed toward Irene's neck this time, Irene was getting ready to block the attack but tripped backward over piles of paper.
"Josiah?"
Irene asked as she saw blonde hair in front of her, "Why are you doing in such a place?"
"Uh yeah..."
Irene only can answer and the person seemed to be in a panic and quickly dropped their knife to run.
"He isn't going to go far."
Josiah said handing Irene a handkerchief
"I think I know who he is now," Irene said to herself, looking at the piles of missing women's papers on the ground.
Then newspapers about how the bodies are found, "He is probably the serial killer," Irene said as she cleaned her hands with the handkerchief Josiah handed her.
"I was here to catch him anyway," Josiah mentioned and let out his hands to help Irene stand, she rejected the offer.
"I can stand by myself," Irene got herself up slowly patting the bottom of the cloth, "Crown Prince!"
A guard called afar, "We caught him!"
"You want to come with me and meet the killer?"
Josiah asked Irene, "No thank you, I was followed, I think I was supposed to be his next victim."
Irene put her sword away as Josiah pay attention to her actions, and she waved at him.
"Hello? Do you want anything else from me?"
"Why do you look like a suspicious person?"
He asked.
"I am a runaway."
Irene smiled and walked away, waving goodbye.
"Runaway...?"
Josiah was left standing there clueless.
"What an event," Irene said sitting on the bench near the fountain in the middle of the village, "I was about to be a victim of some crazed murder, and my strawberry shortcakes..."
"Wait!"
Irene realized she had forgotten her strawberry shortcake during battle, it had been crushed by Irene's butt, and she landed on them.
Irene felt sour and sat on the bench to think about what the hell just happened.
Josiah saved me like the male lead he is, "I just had some main character moment," Irene said laughing.
"Why do I need him to save me? I could've handled it perfectly," Irene complained.
Undine just sat on her shoulders nodding.
"I think it's time to go home now," Irene said looking at the almost settle sun, "Maybe after dinner?"
Irene walked to a little restaurant and ate a quick dinner, it was a simple dish of beef with salad and potatoes, "That was good...but plain."
The white-haired girl stretched her arms out and yawned.
"I'm tired anyways."
Irene arrived home later than she expected and sneak back into the window, took a shower, and flopped on her bed.
She slept like a bear.
Elle was already asleep and couldn't scold her the moment she arrived home.
Irene is going to have an exciting morning.
What happened to the mansion while Irene was gone?
~Author's Note~
Literally was having a whole mental breakdown while writing this halfway, my dog comforted me...
- ANMU