Supreme Magus

Chapter 4364: Closed Doors (Part 2)

’Because they are afraid of the consequences.’ The huntress inwardly sighed.

”You’re right, sweetie.” She actually said. ”Sorry for overreacting.”

Selia did her best to act normal, envying Protector’s usual stoic expression that revealed nothing of his inner turmoil.

He didn’t care about how he was treated, but he couldn’t forgive the Lutians for the pain they were inflicting on his wife and the silent hostility they displayed towards his children.

Reaching Lutia’s main plaza was a sad experience. The morning crowd parted as if faced with a procession of lepers, and the bustling sounds of the market went quiet whenever the Fastarrows approached.

Selia recognized the faces of the people around her and knew Lutia’s streets like the back of her hand, but that wasn’t her city anymore. Nobody wanted her there, and too many people locked their doors in her face.

The silent rejection she endured was far worse than anything the Lutians could have said, even surpassing many of the things they could have done.

”You’ve got some nerve showing your face around here again, Selia.” A gruff, cold voice snapped her out of her daze. ”I thought you had run away with your tail between your legs like your hybrid children.”

The huntress raised her eyes to meet the scornful gaze of Vexal Cornerstone, Lutia’s baker and Zekell’s nemesis in the city council. He stared at the Fastarrows while standing in front of the door of his bakery with his arms crossed, barring them from entrance like many shopkeepers had done before him.

The people of Lutia looked at him, waiting for the second richest merchant to put Selia and her family of mutts in their place.

”I’m glad to see I was wrong. I got something for you.” Vexal walked towards her with a stern expression, at least until he knelt to get to the kids’ eye level. ”What you did takes a lot of courage.

”Thank you for protecting my city from those crazy bastards. A lot of good people got hurt when they attacked Zekell’s, and things could have gone much worse without your help.”

He handed Lilia and Leran their favorite sweets and a small pile of pastries to Slash and Crash. The Emperor Beasts weren’t hungry anymore, but they gobbled down everything to be polite.

”I’m sorry, I’ve got nothing for you, big guy.” Vexal stood up, giving Selia a king-size cream puff with extra cream. ”You never ate at my shop, so I’ve no idea what you like.”

”I’m fine, thank you.” Protector replied in confusion. ”I just had a steak.”

”I bet you ate at the Drinking Wolf.” Vexal sighed. ”Their food isn’t that good, and it’s too early for their delicious beer. Do you want some tea to wash your mouth from the taste of meat?”

”Yes, thank you.” Ryman stood there while the baker walked away.

”What are you waiting for, a written invitation?” Vexal scoffed. ”Come in and pick something to eat. My treat.”

Selia’s jaw hit the floor, but those of the rest of the Lutians went down hard enough to open a crater.

The baker made Protector skip the line, served him personally, and walked him outside only because he was bringing tea and more sweets to the rest of the family.

Vexal made small talk with the Fastarrows for a while, complimenting the kids for their magical skills until he got sick of people staring at him.

”Do you guys not have anything to do aside from loitering around my shop?” He grunted at the crowd. ”If you’re not here to buy, then beat it.”

”But, Vexal, those are...” The woman let her words trail off, waiting for a support that never came.

”They are children, and these are their parents.” The baker sneered. ”And brave children at that. Where were you when those crazy bastards blew Zekell’s roof and kidnapped his grandchildren?

”Because I sure don’t remember you chasing after them, Aryn.” All eyes shifted on the woman who made herself small, trying and failing to disappear. ”And where were all of you while the branch of the Mage Association was under attack?

”Hiding under your beds and crying for your mommies, I bet.” Vexal addressed the crowd with a spite that eclipsed what they felt for the Fastarrows. ”You’re nothing but a bunch of two-faced cowards.”

”What about you, then?” A man angry enough to stand out from the crowd said. ”What did you do to stop those bloodthirsty mages?”

”I was hiding under my countertop and crying for my mother, may the gods rest her soul.” Vexal replied with an honesty that cut off any further argument. ”The difference between you and me is that I don’t pretend to be someone I’m not.

”I know I’m no legendary warrior, but at least I’m a decent man. I don’t bully children, nor do I act cocky just because I think I won’t get a well-deserved punch in my face. That’s you guys.”

A long, awkward silence fell across the plaza as the baker’s words sank in.

”I know that most of you shat their pants that day, just like me. You heard those poor children screaming for help and did nothing, just like me. You probably have someone that age in your family, yet you waited for someone else to do something, just like me.

”Yet I’m not proud of what I did!” Vexal threw his hat on the ground and stomped on it. ”I hate myself for being so weak, and I thanked the gods those weren’t my grandchildren.

”I may be a coward, but you guys are not even human. You let the real criminals go and mistreat those who have the gall to fight them. To fight for you!” He pointed at Leran, who was shorter and thinner than all the adults in the plaza.

”When Dragons, Hydras, and those other beasts saved us from the Upyrs and died to protect us, I don’t remember any of you complaining. You thanked them, paid your respects to their fallen, and accepted the food the beasts handed you.

”How is what these kids did any different?” Vexal’s voice was cold, but his face was red, and his fists clenched in fury. ”They put their lives on the line to face monsters much bigger than them, yet you treat them as criminals. Look!”

The baker bent down and puffed with effort as he lifted Leran above his head.

”I’m not that strong. This kid weighs no more than any six-year-old of Lutia, yet he didn’t hesitate to face a powerful mage to defend someone even smaller than him. Did it ever cross your mind that what happened to Zekell might have happened to any of us?

”Rena may be Lith’s sister, but she is just a woman, and her triplets’ only special ability is to be annoying. Those rotten mages broke into your neighbor’s home, kidnapped their children, and you dare take it out on the only people who did something about it?”

Vexal put Leran down, panting.

”You better pray that the Upyrs do not attack Lutia again. Because if that happens, I’ll tell the beasts what you really think of them. I’ll tell them what you do to their little ones when you don’t need their help anymore.”

The baker stared at the crowd until everyone was staring at their feet in shame.