Chapter 18 The Leader of the Meteor City Troupe 18 (Already edited into a VIP version...)
Black Grape's eyes were dark and filled with malicious mockery. The black-haired boy raised an eyebrow and a mocking laugh escaped from his throat, the laughter becoming exceptionally loud in the suddenly quiet room.
Feitan's face showed disgust, his eyes cold and unsettling: "Can't you even see through this disguise? Are you out of your mind?"
Ayana looked up in surprise, the words of agreement she was about to utter stuck in her throat, unable to come up or down. Her pupils trembled slightly, and her protective instincts made her expression solemn, her brows furrowing as she spoke.
"Feitan, what are you saying?"
Feitan stared coldly at the black-haired boy standing in front of Ayana, his elbows resting on the railing of the second-floor corridor, his hand supporting his chin. His smile faded considerably as he slowly said, "What I'm saying, why don't you just ask the person in front of you?"
His clenched fist bulged with veins, then quickly relaxed. Kuroro's face, which had finally regained some color, turned deathly pale again. His eyes were red all around, and he stared at Ayana with teary eyes.
Although Kuroro didn't say a word, he had already silently won Ayana's heart over to him.
"I don't know... what he's talking about."
Tears, more genuine than anything else, finally welled up and fell uncontrollably. Kuroro tried to recreate his usual smile, but due to the immense impact on his emotions, he could no longer maintain that warm smile.
He looks so pitiful now, like he's been bullied terribly.
Kuroro tried to force a smile, but the corners of his mouth kept turning down, making his smile look worse than a cry. His chest heaved violently twice, and his tone was very sincere.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you that. It's my fault."
Kuroro took two deep breaths, and the head he had just managed to straighten gradually drooped again, his shoulders swaying: "I'm sorry, just pretend I didn't say anything."
Ayana felt a pang of guilt.
It seems not just a little, but very much.
She didn't have time to think about the meaning behind Feitan's words. She rushed to Kuroro's side, took his hand, wrapped her arms around his, and quickly comforted him, "No, no, you didn't do anything wrong. I can understand you."
"It's my fault. I didn't consider your feelings. Please stop blaming yourself like this."
The girl's expression was solemn, her light blue eyes sparkling as she stared intently at Kuroro. Her cheeks were flushed with nervousness, and her voice was excited.
Her eyes reflected Kuroro's face, as if she truly regarded Kuroro as an extremely precious being, as if Kuroro was the only person in her entire world.
But if that's really the case...
Why bring back so many people when his request hasn't been granted yet?
His dark eyes grew colder and colder, and his fingers clenched tighter and tighter. Kuroro didn't reply, but instead looked up at Feitan standing in the stairwell, his black eyes narrowing slightly with a warning in them.
The person upstairs met his gaze, snorted coldly, and then turned and walked down the stairs.
Feitan changed into Chrollo's clothes.
He was wearing a black short jacket and suit pants. The jacket had a high collar, which covered most of his face, leaving only his eyes and half of his nose visible.
Feitan kept his brows furrowed, the wrinkles between his brows deepening rather than thinning, making his expression look very unhappy, yet also mysterious.
A heavy, panting sound suddenly came from another room. This breathing sound was unique; no one else would have such a sound.
Uvogin's attire is completely different from Feitan's.
If Feitan is a serious black, shrouded in an aura of mystery, danger, and alienation, then Uvogin is a rugged and unrestrained one, exuding a carefree and unconventional temperament, which is quite fitting for his "single-celled" nature.
Uvogin was wearing a white vest with a bear graffiti on it. Although the bear's expression was arrogant, because it was a cute version, its fierce appearance didn't make people feel scared, but rather cute.
He wore a short, brown jacket with green trim. It had no patterns and was quite simple in design, but it suited him perfectly.
Uvogin wore a pair of elasticated shorts, revealing his muscular legs, and his healthy wheat-colored skin shone with a sexy glow in the sunlight.
A smile played on his lips, his voice light and cheerful as he crossed his arms and showed off his physique without hesitation: "How about it?"
Compared to ordinary people, Uvogin, a single-celled organism, does not possess any emotions.
His eyes narrowed, a broad smile spread across his face, and he laughed loudly a few times. Just as he was about to continue speaking to himself, someone else came out of the next room, interrupting what Uvogin was about to say.
A blond boy in a tracksuit walked out rubbing his head. The anger on his face had faded, leaving behind a more weathered and mature appearance. Although he was only a teenager, the boy did not show any immaturity, but rather a maturity that had been through many hardships.
Unlike other kids his age in Meteor City, Phinks has a rare air of youthful refinement. His hair is a mess because of today's farce, but it gives him a more relaxed vibe.
When Phinks met Feitan's gaze downstairs, his expression faltered slightly, and his mood suddenly became indescribable. He coughed twice before his expression softened, and he followed Uvogin downstairs.
The group went downstairs and sat down at the dining table one after another.
Ayana sat in the middle, Feitan and Phinks sat on one side, and Chrollo and Uvogin sat on the other side.
Ayana suppressed all her emotions, crossed her hands on the table, and put on a serious expression. But her heart was pounding beneath the surface. She didn't know what to say to persuade Phinks and Feitan to stay.
Uvogin is easy to deal with, or rather, he's already settled here.
"Hello."
Before Ayana could figure out how to say it, Feitan spoke first.
"Your name is Ayana?" He said, his eyes expressionless, enunciating each word clearly. He tapped the table twice with his fingers, gave a cold laugh, and asked bluntly, "You're not from here?"
…?
…？？？
System, what's going on?!
How could anyone know I'm not from here?!
Ayana's expression changed drastically.
Upon investigation, it was found that no one in the world currently knows that the host originated from the outside world.
Perhaps Feitan meant something else entirely?
"Was she just thrown in, Miss from outside?"
As expected, Feitan resolved Ayana's doubts with his next sentence, his gaze turning contemptuous, and a barrage of venomous words poured out.
"Let me guess, she was probably a pampered young lady outside, but because her family fell apart, she was thrown in by the enemy?"
"But why did I prepare so much stuff for you? What, do you have family members to help you? No, that can't be right."
"If my family were there to help me, how could I possibly stay in a place like Meteor City?"
The boy chuckled coldly, a hint of malice flashing in his eyes, the only part of his face that was outward: "Young Miss, all these things were prepared for you by your family's enemies. In Meteor City, if you don't have the ability to protect yourself, these things will only put you in danger."
Feitan seemed to have no liking for outsiders, deliberately exaggerating his words, probably to instill fear and dread in Ayana: "Young lady, this isn't the outside world. There are probably many people watching you, ready to torture and kill you..."
He was about to continue speaking when he suddenly received a sharp tap on the forehead.
Phinks lifted Feitan by the neck like he was carrying a cat, his tone tinged with helplessness: "Feitan, that's enough."
Forced to stop, Feitan didn't get angry; he simply turned his face away, his expression returning to its usual expressionless state.
If Feitan were to be described using an animal, Ayana could only think of a cat.
This cat is pure black and completely distrusts any humans. It always stands on end, trying to scare them away.
If any human were to actually approach this wary little cat, it would probably unhesitatingly brandish its sharp claws and scratch them until they were covered in wounds.
So what is Phinks?
Owner? No… that’s probably not the case.
Feitan probably wouldn't agree to let anyone be his servant.
Ayana frowned as she pondered, but couldn't figure out what animal Phinks resembled most.
"Don't daydream when you're talking to someone." Phinks tapped the table in front of Ayana twice to bring her back to her senses.
Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt, and Ayana's consciousness barely returned. She looked up and met Phinks's gaze. The latter, holding the back of his neck, sat back down, scratched his face a couple of times, and awkwardly introduced himself.
"My name is Finks."
"You don't need to introduce yourself. I'm more curious about why you brought us back."
Phinks saw through Ayana's intentions and, getting straight to the point, questioned her in a slightly hoarse voice.
"Why don't you just leave us on the road and ignore us?"
"or…"
His voice suddenly became very low, only Feitan sitting next to him could hear it: "Just kill us."
Like the sound of a mosquito falling into the air and then disappearing, the faintest sound had no effect on the scene at this moment.
Ayana composed herself and quickly put on a professional smile.
From a young age, her family trained her to always maintain proper etiquette in all circumstances.
"Now that we know each other's names, there's no need for us to introduce ourselves."
Ayana replied with a smile, "It might get dark soon. Kuroro told me that Meteor City will be very dangerous after dark. Leaving you there would be putting you in danger, wouldn't it?"
Ayana changed her posture, clasped her hands together, rested her elbows on the table, and placed her chin on her clasped fists, smiling very kindly: "I can't do such a thing."
She paused again, tapped the table lightly with her fingers, and asked with a smile in her clear voice, "It's almost dark, why don't we stay here for the night?"
If you invite someone directly right away, it might sound too abrupt to them and they'll definitely refuse.
It's better to let things develop gradually, like boiling a frog in lukewarm water, and let them adapt slowly to this place.
Kuroro glanced at Ayana, then turned his gaze back to the water in the teacup.
His eyes subtly shifted, and his face gradually darkened, but because he kept his head down and made no sound, others could only see the excessive amount of bangs on his forehead.
Beneath those bangs were a pair of dark, all-consuming black eyes.
It showed no emotion, just pure, bottomless blackness.
Phinks and Feitan exchanged a glance but didn't reply, which was taken as tacit agreement.
As the sun set, night inevitably fell soon after.
It was raining, a rare occurrence in Meteor City. Huge lightning ripped through the silent sky, thunder roared incessantly, and torrential rain poured down, soaking everything on the ground without restraint.
Rainwater and garbage mixed together, turning into black and filthy sewage, forming endless streaks of water on the ground, their destination unknown.
The sky turned dark not just because the sun had set, but also because there were too many dark clouds, preventing any light from shining through. Raindrops pattered against the window.
The soundproofing in this apartment isn't very good.
Large raindrops pounded against the roof, and the sound could be heard in every room.
Ayana treated the group to dinner.
This dinner wasn't luxurious or fancy; it was just a simple meal, but in Meteor City, it was considered quite extravagant.
Ayana didn't want her precious son to cook for these people, so she dragged them all over to cook together, and with her hands on her hips, she said matter-of-factly, "If you're in my house and eating my food, you have to cook for yourself!"
Then they threw a bunch of ingredients at these people.
Upon seeing the pile of miscellaneous ingredients, Feitan, Phinks, and Uvogin all wore very complicated expressions.
After finishing their food, the group returned to their rooms one after another. Ayana closed the door, lay on the bed, her mind filled with a myriad of thoughts. Her eyes rolled around in their sockets several times, and her face became blank. Suddenly, she heard a knock on the door.
Immediately afterwards, the boy's soft voice came from outside.
"Ayana, are you asleep?"
The boy stood outside the door, the cold wind making him gasp. He knocked twice more, paused, and said, "There's been thunder and lightning outside, and raindrops are constantly hitting my roof. I'm scared."
Ayana's heart softened immediately.
She jumped out of bed and opened the door without hesitation.
The boy's drooping head was reflected in Ayana's eyes.
His eyes held trepidation and surprise, as if he hadn't expected Ayana to suddenly open the door; his thin face was full of astonishment.
The little bunny's two cute ears drooped down, resting on either side of Kuroro's cheeks. He reached out and gripped Ayana's wrist tightly, turning her entire ear pink as if it were on fire.
Kuroro, like a drowning person suddenly grabbing a piece of driftwood, looked at Ayana with hopeful and expectant eyes, his gentle voice tinged with shyness, and mustered up the courage to ask.
"Can...can I sleep here tonight?"
As if worried about being misunderstood, Kuroro waved his hands repeatedly and hurriedly explained, "I... I don't want to sleep in the same bed with you. I just want to sleep on the floor and stay by your side."
Kuroro's grasp of human nature is truly remarkable.
How could Ayana bear to refuse him again?
She quickly pulled Kuroro in, and then pretended to rummage through the closet to pull out a mattress and bedding set and spread it on the floor. But after doing all this, Ayana's expression suddenly became very conflicted.
To be honest, Ayana really didn't want to sleep on the ground.
Even with a mattress and bedding, she didn't want to.
Kuroro seemed to have seen through Ayana's thoughts. He sat down on the mattress on the floor, covered himself with the blanket, leaving only his head showing, winked at Ayana, and said with a gentle smile, "Thank you, I'll sleep here."
Ayana's heart was melting.
She lay down on the bed again, but couldn't fall asleep. She could only stare at the ceiling with her eyes open.
There was a faint fragrance in the girl's room, just like the scent on her body.
As Kuroro stepped into the room, he was enveloped by the fragrance, which immediately calmed him down, filling him with an indescribable sense of satisfaction and tranquility.
He listened to the girl's even breathing, his eyes twitched upwards like a cat's, and the corners of his mouth curled up in a happy smile, clearly looking very pleased.
However, because Chrollo was carrying Ayana on his back, Ayana couldn't see his facial expression clearly.
So he deliberately softened his voice and asked.
"Ayana, why are you letting them move in?"
Okay.
They've come to demand an explanation.
Ayana suddenly felt guilty, coughed twice, and tried to use the same excuse she had used to deal with Feitan and Phinks during the day.
But Kuroro was very sensible; before Ayana could even speak, he interrupted her.
"Ayana is really gentle."
“She cares about the lives of people who are completely unrelated to her. I have never met anyone kinder than Ayana.”
Ayyana: ...
Ayana: No, I would never have taken those two annoying brats home if it weren't for the mission.
Ayana felt that Kuroro's words had a hidden meaning, and something felt off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. A guilty conscience filled her heart, making her afraid to utter a sound.
“Ayana”.
The boy suddenly turned around, staring intently at Ayana with a faint smile on his lips. "Even if you want to help others, you should also be careful about your own safety."
A shadow fell over the boy's dark eyes, which possessed an energy that could penetrate people's hearts. He moved closer to Ayana's bedside, hooked his little finger around Ayana's finger, and lowered his clear, childish voice, which carried an ambiguous meaning.
“Meteor City is full of all sorts of people, and most of them aren’t as kind as Ayana. If Ayana keeps being kind to these people and worrying about their lives, she might end up getting hurt herself.”
The boy rested his head on the edge of the bed. In the dim light, the lines of his face became very blurry, but his eyes were exceptionally bright.
Kuroro took Ayana's hand and placed it on his cheek.
Warmth emanated from Ayana's palm as the boy kissed it, his expression earnest and cautious, as if he were handling some priceless treasure.
Those dark eyes appeared incredibly deep in this moment, and Kuroro, like a pet cat trying to please its owner for food, rubbed against Ayana's hand obediently and sweetly.
He said in a deep voice.
"But it's okay, Ayana, don't worry, I will definitely protect you."
I don't know if it's true or not.
Her fair skin gradually turned red, and a burning sensation came from her soft cheeks. Although the girl didn't utter a sound, Kuroro already knew that his plan had succeeded.
Goodnight, Ayana.
He didn't press the girl any further. After sweetly uttering those words, he went back to bed, leaving Ayana alone, her mind a complete mess.
The lights were turned off, and it was time for bed. Before falling asleep, Ayana subconsciously turned her head to look at Kuroro, who was already asleep.
But since the room was already dark, she could only vaguely see the outline of the other person's body.
She exhaled and fell into a deep sleep.
[Host, would you like to return to the real world for a look?]
Although time in the real world temporarily stops while you're traveling through this world, taking a quick look back now and then can help lift your spirits.
The system's voice rang out in her dream, and Ayana returned to that pure white room once again.
She glanced at the progress bar and saw what was written on it.
[Meteor City Phantom Troupe Leader, progress 10%.]
Ayana's eyes were slightly vacant. She didn't reply immediately. After thinking for a while, she stood still, nodded, and said.
"Let's go back and take a look."
…
The girl in the mirror had little color in her face. She sat in front of the mirror expressionlessly, letting the maid beside her apply makeup to her pale face.
As the young lady of [Monsado], the girl must maintain a proper appearance, so her clothing and makeup are strictly regulated and restricted, and she has long been used to such things.
The girl's light golden hair was curled into two Roman curls in the front, hanging down on both sides of her shoulders, and the bottom of her hair at the back was also curled into several Roman curls. Her makeup was simple yet elegant, and her blue eyes held the vastness of the sea.
She wore a necklace with jewels hanging from the center of her collarbone, and a gorgeous dress that looked expensive. The dress was meticulously hand-sewn, with every pattern and line extremely beautiful and exquisite.
"Young Miss, you are so beautiful." The maid praised without reservation, her eyes revealing deep admiration and respect.
Ayana smiled simply and did not reply.
She wasn't very happy.
But nobody here cares whether she's happy or not.
"Miss, you will be meeting your fiancé soon." The maid, dressed as Ayana, announced Ayana's upcoming schedule with a faint smile, and then continued to speak at length.
"You'll get to see Lord Albert again. I've heard that Lord Albert misses you very much. You must be eager to see him too, after all, he's so handsome and charming."
When "Albert" was mentioned, the maid's eyes held adoration, and a hint of love born from admiration.
Even though Ayana was Albert's fiancée, her face showed more disgust and annoyance when she heard the name.
She sighed inwardly, but finally stood up and walked towards the meeting room.
If possible…
Ayana would rather stay forever in the perilous Meteor City than remain in this magnificent cage.
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