Gunmage-Chapter 290: Each has their own story

Lugh stepped forward, blocking her.

She glanced at him, her gaze sharp and cold.

"What are you doing?"

Lugh didn’t respond. Instead, he turned to face the man.

"Have you killed any of your victims?"

The man shook his head.

"No."

Lugh continued.

"Then who did you kill?"

The man—Rufus—bit his lip, hesitated, then finally spat it out.

"My brother."

Mirelle raised an eyebrow. Sela simply frowned, her expression unreadable.

Lugh pressed on.

"Did you kill him out of spite?"

"No."

"Did you kill him to protect yourself?"

"No."

"Did you kill him to protect somebody?"

"...Yes."

Lugh gave a single, solemn nod. Then he turned to Sela.

"He’s not lying."

"You can tell?"

She asked, studying him.

He responded with a simple, quiet,

"Yes."

A tense silence followed. Lugh turned to leave, but not before gently patting Sela on the shoulder. He leaned in slightly, speaking in a whisper, confident her sound magic would catch his words.

"Don’t be quick to jump to conclusions. They’re people—like you. Each has their own story."

Then he stepped away, settling onto a nearby rock cropping. His expression was unreadable, his mind spinning. He sat in silence, thinking deeply about what he had just done—and how completely out of character it was for him.

Sela let out an audible sigh before addressing the captives.

"Well, I can’t just let you go,"

She said, folding her arms.

"You sought us out with evil intentions. If we were just regular people, your plan might have worked."

Someone from the group spoke up, eager to justify their actions.

"You don’t need to worry, miss! We treat our kidnappees with utmost care! And their parents are already rich anyway, it wouldn’t really matter to—"

"SHUT UP!"

Another man in the group roared so loudly his throat must have gone sore.

Rufus followed up immediately, glaring daggers.

"Are you trying to get us killed, you imbecile?!"

If not for Sela’s piercing gaze, fists would have flown.

"That’s enough."

Her voice was calm but stern, and just like that, order was restored.

"You people are going to get punished,"

She stated firmly.

"I’ll make sure of that."

She continued, her words slow and deliberate.

"Tomorrow. Early in the morning. At around... 10 a.m."

"Eh?"

Since when was 10 a.m. considered early? The group shared uncertain glances, but no one dared speak aloud.

Sela pressed on.

"I want to see all of you in the northern high-rise district, by the gates of the Von Heim manor."

Their eyes widened, just shy of popping out of their sockets.

She wasn’t done.

"Tell the guards you were sent by First Daughter Selaphiel. And don’t even think of running—there’s nowhere to escape. Consider yourselves warned."

Then she turned to her two companions.

"Come on. Let’s go."

And they left—just like that—leaving behind a group of stunned, wide-eyed hooligans too shocked to even breathe properly.

As they walked down the lamplit streets, Mirelle gave a soft whistle.

"Hey,"

She said,

"What sort of punishment are you going to give them?"

Sela frowned, mumbling more to herself than anyone else.

"I have a few ideas... but I’m not sure yet."

Then she turned to Lugh.

"Thank you."

He looked at her, somewhat surprised.

"For what?"

"For stopping me."

"Oh. That."

He acknowledged with a shrug, then added,

"I’m curious though. What were you going to do? Have you ever killed someone before?"

She nodded.

"I have."

Lugh blinked.

"Wait—seriously?"

"Mages aren’t supposed to fear death,"

She began, her tone measured.

"I executed my first criminal at eighteen."

"First?"

His brow furrowed.

"Yeah."

She didn’t elaborate, and the silence that followed was weighty. Lugh turned his gaze to Mirelle, but her usually vibrant expression had darkened—her face solemn, eyes distant.

Lugh remembered. She was eighteen.

Seriously, what the hell is up with this family?

Seeking to lighten the mood, he shifted the subject.

"Oh, right,"

He said.

"We were talking about something before all this, weren’t we?"

"Hm?"

Sela raised her head, while Mirelle perked her ears.

Lugh continued,

"You know... the stuff about etiquette. And how Mirelle rushed her food."

"Hey!"

The girl in question exclaimed.

"That was you!"

"It was both of us,"

He finalized.

"But at least I had a reason for it."

"A reason?"

"Yes."

Lugh nodded, shaking his head as he spoke.

"On the front lines, you’re lucky if you even get a plate. And rats keep us company most of the time."

"Yuck."

"It is repulsive. But that’s all the more reason not to expect anything from me."

He glanced at her, expression deadpan.

"You, on the other hand, are a noble lady. It doesn’t make sense for you to stuff your cheeks like a beaver."

"Stuff my—"

"Enough,"

Sela interrupted, her tone laced with reproach.

"I specifically organized this outing so we could cast away all that etiquette nonsense. Don’t ruin my night with your rambling."

Lugh glanced at her, eyes narrowed in mild curiosity.

"And why exactly do you want to ’cast away all that stuff’?"

"Good question."

She ran ahead of them, arms outstretched. The night wind tugged at her clothes as the moonlight bathed her figure. Her smile was soft.

"Sometimes,"

She said,

"all a girl wants... is to be free."

Lugh stared at her for a while, then finally spoke.

"Like Lyra Cross?"

"Yes, like Ly—"

She cut herself off, choking on the words as if she’d swallowed a fly.

Mirelle burst into laughter, clutching her stomach as she doubled over.

"Bahahaha! He got you there!"

Sela’s face gradually reddened. She turned away with a dramatic "Hmph!"

Her sister, however, wasn’t about to let her go that easily.

Mirelle walked up beside her, tone playful.

"You know, all you have to do is ask."

"Ask?"

Sela tilted her head in genuine confusion.

"Yeah."

Mirelle smirked.

"Ask, and Lugh can help you get her autograph."

"Get lost!"

Sela yelled as she playfully shoved her sister away.

Lugh observed their shenanigans in silence, a faint smile playing on his lips.

But the smile faded just as quickly as it appeared.

He had noticed something.

A lone figure.

Seated on a bench in the distance.

Isolated. Still.

The girls noticed his shift in demeanor and fell quiet, walking over to join him.

"What’s the matter?"

Mirelle asked.

Lugh pointed in the direction of the person.

Sela squinted her eyes.

"Ah, ah. Sitting alone in a place like that? That’s just asking to get mugged."

"More importantly,"

Lugh added,

"Doesn’t he look... familiar?"

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