Her Beacon (Acheron x Caelus)

Chapter Thirteen

Caelus had hoped the evening would wind down smoothly with a casual chat alongside Kafka and Silver Wolf, yet the universe seemed to have other plans. The unexpected entrance of a new, vibrantly energetic party turned the atmosphere tense, much to his dismay.

Standing beside Dan Heng, Caelus noted his friend's repeated sighs—each one deeper than the last, signaling a profound weariness. Curious about the cause and eager to redirect his own discomfort, Caelus ventured a question to break the increasingly heavy silence. "Hey... Dan Heng. Mind telling me how you even met this man? I don't like the way he's stirring up the crowd. Everyone's looking this way."

His gaze swept across the room, catching the annoyed and uncomfortable expressions of onlookers. Even those lounging in plush seats seemed disturbed by the growing hostility emanating from the confrontation between the gun-wielding man and Acheron, with the former clearly the instigator.

Dan Heng followed Caelus' observation and sighed again, a hint of resignation in his voice. "I was minding my own business in the archives of my wonderland."

"Wonderland? You're taking March's suggestion of calling your library 'Wonderland'?" Caelus interjected, recalling the playful banter between March and Dan Heng about the grandiose naming of his cherished space.

Dan Heng coughed slightly, a hint of annoyance flickering across his face. "Do not cut me off. Anyway, while I was deep in my research, Pom-Pom suddenly announced the need for my presence in the main hall with such urgency that I hastened there without a second thought."

His narrative was abruptly interrupted as Acheron, with astonishing agility, dismantled the opposing man's firearm, causing him to leap backward in a desperate attempt to maintain some dignity. Caelus and Dan Heng, momentarily distracted, couldn't help but admire the speed and precision of the Odachi wielder.

Caelus shook his head, urging his friend to continue. "Right... There, I found the man, calling himself Boothill, treating Pom-Pom's ears like plush toys, squeezing them without any respect."

Dan Heng paused, his story hanging in the air, prompting Caelus to probe further. "You threatened him with your spear, didn't you?"

With a nonchalant glance to the side, attracting admiring looks from nearby women who mistook his gaze for introspection, Dan Heng responded coolly, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Caelus' expression flattened even more, recognizing the evasive tactic.

Meanwhile, the scene escalated as the man known only as Boothill retrieved another gun from his holster, only for it to be swiftly knocked away by Acheron. In a blur of motion, she grabbed his jacket and hoisted him up with one hand as if he weighed nothing, his legs flailing helplessly.

"Oi, you mother fudger! I'm supposed to be capturing you, not the other way around!" Boothill protested vainly.

Acheron, unamused, walked over to a nearby chair and set him down as effortlessly as one might place a doll, eliciting a pained yelp from him.

"Tch! I, the great Boothill, will not be tormented any longer, for I will have my revenge!" he declared defiantly.

"Silence," Acheron commanded, and with a swift slap, rendered him unconscious. The force of her strike was such that Boothill's eyes rolled back, his mouth frothing slightly.

The audible crack of the slap made everyone wince—everyone, that is, except for Kafka, who seemed unphased by the display of raw power. It was a sound that resonated with finality, one that suggested Boothill might be journeying to the heavens sooner than he'd planned.

Turning back to Caelus, Acheron approached with a natural sway, her expression seeking validation. "Did I do good?"

Caught off-guard by her question, Caelus glanced at Kafka, who responded with an encouraging thumbs up and a bright smile.