CHAPTER 13: CHAPTER 13 - KAEL’S PERFORMANCE.

A warm, late-afternoon sun painted the brothel street in hues of gold and orange, but no one was admiring the sky.

The doors of the inn creaked open, and what followed was a parade of curiosity, scandal, and chaos waiting to unfold.

People poured in from every corner of the district. Brothel workers with hastily applied makeup peeked from their windows, while merchants, drunkards, and gamblers formed a wide semicircle in front of the inn.

The air buzzed with gossip and awe.

"That’s him, right? The handsome one who folded a spear like it was wet parchment?"

"Yeah. Man, he killed all of the city guards that rushed at him."

"He wasn’t even touching them! It was like, whoosh, and one died, then whoosh again, and two died. I saw it."

"Shut up, Janik. You see things after two drinks."

"Still, I’d let him fold me like parchment."

The last voice belonged to a girl leaning on a balcony, heart practically glowing in her eyes.

Around her, a dozen other women nodded silently, all their gazes locked onto Kael.

Some bit their lips, some sighed, and some clutched purses to their chests, whispering things like, "If he needs coin, I’ll give him everything."

It wasn’t just admiration—it was reverence.

This was the man who, instead of groping, touching, or demanding, had listened to their stories and had laughed with them.

Had brought wine not to drink, but to share.

He made them feel human.

The men, however, stood stiffer. Calculating.

They were watching as bag after bag of coins arrived, brought by street thugs and armored escorts.

The money belonged to Baron Raquif Huberg, and he made sure everyone saw it.

Clink. Clank. Clink.

The sacks made a sound as they were stacked behind Raquif as he patted the bags.

As he heard the whispers of the crowd, he could tell that Kael was strong.

Above all, he was arrogant enough to call the city lord, the youngest son of the Marquess, out in the open right after killing his city guards.

It was clear now that he had powerful backing, and he was strong.

Kael, standing on the other side of the inn’s steps, watched the proceedings with his arms folded. Calm. Relaxed. Like he was at a countryside picnic.

Raquif turned toward the crowd with the smuggest grin Veldera had ever seen.

Inwardly, however, he was sighing in relief.

’Good thing I avoided violence,’ he muttered to himself, glancing at Kael. ’If I had fought, I would’ve lost.’

It was then that the thugs carrying coins stopped coming, and Raquif noticed that the pile of money sacks had reached his height.

He fully turned to Kael with a gleam in his eye.

"This... is everything I have," he said grandly, gesturing at the mountain of money. "Years of tributes, trade, and gifts. Enough to buy a city block."

The crowd let out a collective gasp, followed by murmurs of disbelief.

"He could fund a war with that."

"Or three weddings. Same cost."

Evethra, standing behind Kael, fidgeted, her hands clenched tightly. Her eyes darted from the pile of coins to Kael, her lips trembling.

’What if he really doesn’t have anything...?’

Raquif’s grin widened as he stepped forward, arms open like a generous king.

"Now then," he called out, his voice loud and mocking, "Where’s your wealth, mysterious stranger?"

He looked around as if to help Kael locate something invisible.

Then, noticing Kael’s fingers twitch, he quickly spoke cautiously. "You aren’t going to start a fight after losing, are you? That would make you look bad before every lady here."

Kael raised a brow as he glanced at the crowd, noticing everyone’s eyes on him.

All of them wanted to see what he was going to do and where his confidence stemmed from.

Then, he turned toward the bag of coins behind Raquif, squinting at them.

’Are those the silver coins Lyra had told me about?’ He wondered, staring at the silver coins filling most of the bags.

There were some bags with brown coins. ’They must be bronze.’

But no matter how hard Kael looked, he couldn’t find gold coins in them.

The silence, however, was misunderstood by Raquif.

Raquif’s smirk grew as he saw Kael glancing at his money.

’That’s right,’ he thought. ’Now you understand.’

His cocky expression, however, was noticed by Kael, who raised a brow at first before he chuckled.

It was soft at first, almost like a sigh. But it spread, like a ripple through a lake of tension.

"Why do I feel like you think you have won?" He asked, tilting his head.

Raquif scoffed, shrugging. "Because that’s what had happened."

"Why do you think so?" Kael leaned forward, only to see Raquif’s brows furrow, his gaze condescending.

"What are you playing at?" The young noble growled, feeling irritated by Kael’s calmness.

It was clear that he had won, but Kael remained calm like lake water. It was as if everything was still within his palm.

Then, before Raquif could even go on further, Kael raised his hand, and a hush fell over the crowd.

A simple gesture silences everyone.

Kael, on the other hand, gazed at the crowd with a lazy yet confident smile.

"Do you guys want to see a trick, ladies?" He asked, voice smooth as silk.

It wasn’t loud, but somehow every woman—and even a few of the men—heard it clearly.

There was a beat of silence... and then the street erupted.

"Yes!"

"Do it!"

"I’ll give you anything if you show me!"

Even women hanging from balconies started leaning over dangerously far, their eyes glittering with anticipation.

Kael chuckled and lifted a finger. "I’ll need just one gold coin to begin."

That was all he said before the surroundings went quiet.

Then—

Laughter. Sharp and bitter.

Raquif doubled over as if Kael had told the funniest joke in existence. Tears streamed from his eyes as he wheezed through the waves of cackling.

"You’re—gasp—you’re going to beg now? In front of all these people? Is this your trick? Pathetic!"

But before his next breathless insult could come, the mature woman from earlier—the same one who had stood protectively in front of Evethra—stepped forward.

She had now heard about how Kael had entertained the girls of the street before and how they had all laughed like humans and not like dolls.

For that, she was grateful, so she wanted to help him in whatever way possible.

She pulled something from her dress pocket: a gold coin. Its edges were worn. Her fingers trembled as she held it out.

"It’s... all I have," she said, eyes steady. "But if it helps you make us smile one more time, you can have it."

Kael stared at the woman for a second longer.

’Lyra was right when she said that I shouldn’t destroy the city.’

If he had, he would never have seen this side of the city, where, despite having a hard time herself, this human woman was thinking about demihuman girls.

The crowd went utterly still.

Kael took the coin with an elegance that belonged to a royal court. He held her hand a moment longer and gently kissed the back of it.

"You have already paid me in full, my lady," he said warmly.

More women started stepping forward, rummaging in their blouses, pouches, and even shoes.

"I have three silver!"

"Take my week’s earnings!"

"I have...a shiny rock! It’s not money, but you can pretend!"

Kael raised his hand, stopping them with a charming laugh.

"Ladies, please. I did say one gold coin. Let me entertain you, not rob you."

The giggles were contagious. Even Evethra, standing stiffly behind Kael, let out a soft laugh.

Kael turned the coin in his fingers, its glint catching the sunset.

’Can I do it?’ He thought.

Not even a second later, his instincts replied.

[Yes. You can do it.]

He smiled, then turned to Evethra.

With a gentleness that made her breath hitch, Kael lifted her chin with two fingers.

"Would the lady luck kiss the coin for me?"

Evethra tilted her head, confused but mesmerized.

"Do you... want me to kiss it?"

"Only if you want the magic to work."

Her cheeks bloomed red, but she brought the coin to her lips and kissed it lightly.

Kael’s eyes glittered. He took the coin, spun it once in his hand, then tossed it high.

It clinked as it landed on the ground.

Then, it bounced.

Right back into his palm.

"Huh?"

He turned both hands around—only to reveal that now there were two gold coins.

The crowd gasped.

"No way!"

"I blinked! Did anyone blink?!"

Raquif’s smile had flattened.

Kael smirked, bouncing both coins once in his palms.

"Let’s go again."

He tossed one coin with his right hand, then the other with his left—both landing in different palms.

He didn’t open his hands immediately. Instead, he glanced at the crowd with an arched brow.

The silence was breathless.

Then, Kael slowly opened both palms.

Four coins.

"WHAT?!"

A shockwave of disbelief tore through the street. Even the drunkards sobered instantly.

"He...he multiplied it again!"

"It’s a demon spell! No—angel magic! Wait, is he both?!"

But Kael wasn’t done.

He turned slowly, his eyes narrowing slightly at Raquif, who was now sweating, his smug demeanor evaporating like steam.

Kael joined both his palms, clasping them together as though in prayer.

"Tell me," he said casually. "How many coins are in my hands now?"

Raquif said nothing. His jaw twitched.

"No guess?" Kael asked, his tone teasing.

Before Raquif could growl back, a bubbly voice from the crowd shouted, "Four! I think it’s four again!"

Kael gave a sly smile.

Then, with a soft rustle of metal, the coins began to clink.

Clink. Clink-clink. Clink-clink-clink.

He parted his fingers, and a stream of gold coins poured from his hands like a fountain of light.

The coins spilled down the steps, glittering in the dying sunlight, and the crowd was stunned into complete silence.

No one breathed.

Kael stood at the top of the golden cascade, his silhouette backlit by the setting sun, his smile both roguish and divine.

"How do you like the trick, ladies?"

He smiled, his arms outstretched like a showman who had finished his grand performance.