The two massive men stood directly in front of Yuri, smirking derisively as their grips tightened aggressively on her shoulders.
Yuri spoke in a low, piercing whisper:
"I said... take your hands off me. For your own safety."
But one of them burst into a mocking laugh, spitting with utter disdain, "Do you honestly think a little girl like you scares us?"
Yuri didn't offer a single word in response. A solitary, deadpan glare from her freezing blue eyes made their hearts contract with sudden dread for a split second... but they stubbornly brushed the instinct aside.
The second man sneered, "How about we take this gold... and then sell you off to the slave market? Nobody is ever going to look for a girl like you."
Suddenly, all warmth completely drained from Yuri's face, and a heavy silence filled the air. Then, slowly... her eyes glowed with a brilliant, supernatural azure light. Her features instantly shifted from a harmless, pretty girl into those of a cold, lethal warrior.
Yuri whispered with absolute, killing frost:
"You just dug your own graves."
In a flash of motion, she snapped her right hand up. Instantly, the ground beneath their feet froze solid. Their muscles locked completely as jagged sheets of ice raced up from their boots, locking their legs and tearing rapidly toward their chests.
The first man shrieked in absolute terror, "W-What... what did you do?!"
Yuri declared coldly:
"Skill—Fourth Ice Tier: Soul-Chilling Prison."
A solitary, unified scream of agonizing shock tore from their throats... right before they were entirely encapsulated within two solid, transparent pillars of pure, glowing blue ice.
Casually, Yuri stepped forward and tapped them both lightly on the forehead.
Their center of gravity shifted...
An instant later, the silence of the alleyway was broken by nothing but the thunderous, echoing shatter of imploding ice.
Her breathing leveled out. She looked down at the empty space with a detached, freezing gaze, then muttered:
"You really should learn to respect women... assuming there's even a shred of your souls left to learn anything."
She swept her bag of gold off the ground and strolled away completely unbothered, as if absolutely nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, at Rin and Rio's Residence
Rio was sitting miserably on the floor in the dark corner of the room, using a small stone to scratch dramatic words onto the wall like: "Goodbye, food," and "I will never forget this ultimate injustice."
Rin let out a long, exhausted sigh. "You are completely overreacting... it's literally just one meal."
Rio replied in a profoundly depressed, theatrical voice, "One meal... could save lives... could build dreams... could—"
The door suddenly swung open, violently cutting his speech short. Yuri stepped inside, dragging a massive, heavy sack of coins. Her eyes were practically sparkling with pure greed as she stared at her wealth, smiling like a lunatic.
Yuri shouted ecstatically:
"Rio! Get yourself ready! I pulled in ten thousand gold pieces today!"
Rio bounced off the floor as if he had just been blasted by a lightning bolt, sprinting straight toward her.
Rio gasped, "Does this mean... lunch?!"
Yuri grinned, "No. This means... a high-class, luxury feast."
Later that night, the trio sat around a lavishly set table inside one of the most exclusive, high-end restaurants in Valorii. Fine candles illuminated the sophisticated atmosphere, and their food was meticulously served on elegant silver platters.
Yuri let out a delicate, highly artificial aristocratic laugh:
"Ohohohoho."
Rin stared at her, blinking in sheer confusion. "What in the world is that supposed to be?"
Yuri looked at him loftily and replied in fluent French:
"Nous faisons désormais partie de la haute société, nous devons changer notre comportement..."
Rio blinked. "What does that even mean?"
Yuri dabbed the corner of her mouth with a silk napkin like a noble lady and sniffed, "It's French. It means: 'We are part of high society now; we must alter our uncouth demeanor.'"
Rin asked flatly, "Why on earth are you speaking French?"
Yuri waved her hand dismissively. "Because it is the language of the wealthy."
Rin sighed, shaking his head. "Wow. Money truly does change a person instantly."
"Of course it changes things!" Yuri snapped arrogantly, looking down her nose at them. "It's wealth, after all! You two should honestly be thanking the gods that I haven't completely disowned you yet. In fact, right after I got the cash, I was genuinely contemplating abandoning you both."
Rio slammed his fist on the table. "Oi! You are completely crossing the line now!"
Yuri gave him a slow, incredibly smug look from head to toe, before scoffing and turning her face away in mockery. "Hmph. I do not converse with peasants."
Rin sighed in absolute defeat, giving up on her. "So... what are we actually doing after we finish eating?"
Yuri shrugged. "Sleep?"
Rio turned his gaze toward the large window, staring thoughtfully at the glowing moon outside. "No... it's time for our next journey. There are people out there who need us... and there is a hidden past we must uncover."
A brief, heavy silence fell over the table. Then, Rin asked quietly:
"And what about Valorii?"
Rio's expression shifted into absolute seriousness. "This kingdom... it will collapse very soon. There is an ominous force moving deep within the shadows—something far larger and more dangerous than mere monsters."
Yuri chimed in, "Look, if you are planning to drag us into another massive disaster... you better watch your step, or I will literally make you wash dishes for the rest of your natural life."
The three of them burst into a loud, genuine laugh. But deep within their hearts... they could all feel it. Their next journey was going to be something monumental.
To be continued...