Chapter 30: Trouble on the Frozen Lakeshore...

The morning was cold, and the frozen lake sparkled beneath the sunlight.

Claws trudged calmly through the snow while Nox and Audrey walked beside him.

Tessa rode on the bear’s back.

No ropes.

No chains.

"I don’t like this."

Audrey sounded far too annoyed.

Nox didn’t even need to ask what she was referring to.

"I know." 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

The huntress pointed at the inquisitor.

"Yesterday you were worried she might escape."

"Yeah."

"And now you’re not even tying her up."

"Also true."

Audrey frowned.

"That makes no sense."

Nox shrugged.

"I had a conversation with her."

"A conversation?"

"Yeah."

"With the hostage?"

"Yeah."

"And you decided to trust her?"

"More or less."

Audrey spent several seconds processing that answer.

"Now we’re having secret conversations with the hostage behind my back."

A tired voice came from atop Claws.

"I’m right here."

Both of them turned.

Tessa was staring at them with obvious irritation.

"I can hear you."

Nox burst out laughing.

Audrey rolled her eyes.

"I don’t care."

The inquisitor raised an eyebrow.

"How kind."

"I’m being honest."

"How considerate."

"You murdered her sisters."

"Occupational hazard."

"Those are not the same thing!"

Nox laughed again.

Those two seemed physically incapable of having a civil conversation for longer than ten seconds.

◇◆◇

By the time they reached the frozen lake, the place was already crowded with fishermen.

Small wooden shacks stood atop the ice.

Some men were drilling holes.

Others were pulling up fish.

And quite a few were simply drinking while pretending to fish.

Nox looked around at the scenery.

Then he pulled out a small pouch of coins and tossed it to Audrey.

The huntress caught it midair.

"And this is?"

"Money."

"Thanks for the clarification."

Nox grinned.

"Stay here with Tessa and Claws for a bit. Rent some fishing rods or something."

Audrey narrowed her eyes.

"And you?"

"I have something to do."

The huntress sighed.

"Wonderful."

She pocketed the coins.

"At least I’ll have something to focus on while ignoring the inquisitor."

Tessa raised an eyebrow.

"I hate fishing."

Audrey immediately smiled.

"This plan just keeps getting better."

"I’m going to die of boredom."

"Perfect."

"I hate you."

"I know."

Nox chuckled.

Then he started walking around the lake.

Leaving them behind.

◇◆◇

He didn’t really have a destination in mind.

Maybe he’d run into the dancer near the lake.

Though honestly, he mostly wanted to clear his head.

Too many things had happened over the past few days.

And he’d met a concerning number of women who seemed determined to complicate his life.

Then he heard voices.

An argument coming from the far side of the lake near a cluster of wooden houses.

Nox approached carefully.

And when he rounded the corner, he found the source.

His expression immediately darkened.

Misty was surrounded by five bald men.

All wearing suits.

All looking remarkably similar to the idiots from the previous night.

Standing beside them was a gray-haired man.

He wore elegant clothes.

Held a dark wooden cane.

And very clearly looked like someone important.

"You shouldn’t have meddled with my family."

The old man’s voice was calm.

But dangerous.

Misty struggled to break free.

One of the bald men held her from behind.

Another punched her in the stomach.

The dancer let out a pained gasp but answered with a kick.

The man barely managed to dodge it.

"Your little group of masked fools exists because of our money."

Misty clenched her teeth.

"Then stop funding us."

She spat directly into the man’s face.

The old man smiled.

"What a disappointing answer."

Another punch.

Misty doubled over again.

And that was enough for Nox to stop thinking.

He simply acted.

"LET HER GO RIGHT NOW!"

Everyone turned.

The man with the cane raised an eyebrow.

Nox was already charging forward.

The Demonic Dual Knives appeared in his hands.

[Grand Hunter’s Agility]

His body moved on its own.

One of the bald men barely had time to react before a blade pierced his arm.

Another received a slash across the leg.

A third stumbled backward in terror.

The snow turned red.

The old man watched the scene.

And started laughing.

"Well now."

He leaned on his cane.

"It seems a fan of those masked idiots has arrived."

Nox pointed one of his daggers at him.

"No."

He smiled beneath his mask.

"I just hate bullies."

Misty’s eyes widened.

"You again?"

Nox looked at her.

"Hello."

"What are you doing here?"

"Rescuing you."

"Leave!"

Nox blinked.

"That’s incredibly ungrateful."

"These men are dangerous."

"Yeah, I can see that."

"I’m serious."

"So am I."

Misty found herself speechless.

Nox smiled.

"I’m not abandoning you."

The woman frowned.

"Why?"

"Because I owe you one for last night."

Then he moved again.

Disappearing from everyone’s sight.

He reappeared behind the man restraining Misty.

The daggers tore across the bald man’s back, spraying blood across the snow.

The man screamed and released the dancer.

Misty fell to her knees.

She took a deep breath.

For the first time in several minutes, she could breathe properly.

Nox stepped in front of her.

Protecting her.

And then it happened.

A window appeared before his eyes.

Exactly like the one that had appeared with Audrey.

[Compatibility Detected.]

[Fallen Genesis conditions fulfilled.]

[Compatible Individual: Mistral]

[Would you like to grant a Fallen Form?]

[Please assign a new Title.]

Nox smiled when he saw it.

Because he knew exactly what it meant.

Because he had seen this message before.

And because he knew exactly what would happen next.

’No way...’

He looked back at Misty.

The dancer was trying to stand.

Still surrounded by enemies.

Still facing people far stronger than herself.

Without surrendering.

Without backing down.

Nox felt a familiar emotion.

The same one he had felt when he met Audrey.

The same one that had started everything.

Because his Fallen Genesis had just found someone else.

Someone capable of becoming a villain.

And helping his group grow.

Nox’s smile widened.

As the old man’s men began surrounding him once more.

As Misty tried to understand why this stranger kept helping her.

And as the system patiently waited for an answer.

Nox spun one of his daggers between his fingers and looked at the message again.

[Please assign a new Title.]

"Perfect..."

he murmured.

"Just what I was looking for."