CHAPTER 167: LOCK HIM UP!

The woman’s ruined gown shimmered faintly under the afternoon light, pale silver with lace embroidery at the edge... too elegant for a casual outing. Her beauty was undeniable, graceful enough to make heads turn, but her eyes told a different story. They were sharp, judgmental, and full of quiet malice.

Rin didn’t need to be told that she was the definition of trouble.

He sighed, trying to stay calm as the guards surrounded their table. Winter squeezed his sleeve tightly, hiding behind him. Sasha stepped forward, his voice low and steady.

"My lady, what seems to be the problem?"

The woman smiled faintly.

"Problem? Oh, none at all. I was simply concerned that a... commoner like him is sitting in a place meant for nobles."

Her tone was sweet, but her words were laced with poison. The people inside the ice cream shop began to whisper.

"A commoner?"

"Is she serious? He looks too fine for that."

"But look at his clothes. It’s definitely not noble-made."

Rin tilted his head slightly, unimpressed.

"I didn’t know you needed a noble title to eat ice cream," he said flatly.

Gasps echoed through the shop. The maid beside the woman scowled and stepped forward.

"How dare you talk to Lady Seraphina like that?"

Lady Seraphina... Rin repeated the name in his mind, not showing a hint of reaction.

He’d never heard it before... or so he thought.

Winter tugged his sleeve, whispering softly.

"Brother... let’s go home."

Rin looked down at him and nodded slowly.

"Yeah. We’re done here."

But before they could move, Seraphina’s voice rose again... soft but commanding. "Wait."

The guards blocked the exit instantly.

"Leaving so soon?" she asked with a delicate smile. "At least, apologise properly, commoner. You stained my dress."

Rin met her eyes, his tone calm. "I already did."

"That wasn’t good enough." She turned to her maid. "Show him what a proper apology looks like."

The maid’s eyes lit with cruel delight. She raised her hand and struck Rin hard across the face. The sound echoed loudly.

Winter gasped, tears immediately welling up in his eyes.

"Stop! Don’t hit my brother," he cried.

Rin’s head turned slightly from the impact, but his expression didn’t change. He blinked once, twice, and then quietly said...

"You’re done?"

The maid froze. His tone wasn’t angry... just bored.

Seraphina’s smile faltered for a second before she composed herself again.

"You didn’t feel that?"

Rin shrugged. "Should I have?"

Her expression hardened, though she still kept that fake noble grace. "How unrefined. You have no respect for nobles at all."

"I don’t respect people who act superior just because of a title," Rin said simply.

More murmurs spread among the nobles watching. The tension thickened.

Seraphina turned to her maid, voice sharp now. "Hit him again."

The maid obeyed without hesitation, slapping Rin again... harder this time. His lip split slightly, a small drop of blood running down.

Still, he didn’t flinch.

He just wiped it with his thumb and muttered, "You’re wasting your energy."

That quiet defiance... that calm in his face only angered Seraphina more.

She straightened, her gown flowing as she moved.

"That’s enough. I’ve wasted too much time here. Guards, take him to the Imperial Palace. Let the royal family decide what to do with such insolence."

Winter’s cry broke the silence.

"No! You can’t take my brother!"

He ran forward, clutching Rin’s hand tightly.

Rin immediately knelt down, ignoring the blood on his lip. He placed his hands on Winter’s trembling shoulders, his voice soft and gentle.

"Hey, hey... don’t cry."

"They’ll hurt you," Winter sobbed.

"They won’t," Rin lied with a small smile. "I’ll be fine. But you have to promise me something, okay?"

Winter nodded weakly.

"Don’t tell Mother or Lirien anything that happened. Promise me, Winter."

"But..."

"Promise," Rin said, his eyes firm now.

Winter sniffled and finally whispered, "I promise."

Rin smiled faintly. "Good boy." He ruffled his hair lightly before standing and turning to Sasha. "Take him home, Sasha. Please."

Sasha’s jaw clenched. "Rin, I..."

"That’s an order," Rin said quietly.

Sasha met his gaze and understood. He nodded once.

"I’ll get him home safely."

Rin gave a small smile before looking at Winter one last time.

"I’ll be back soon. Don’t worry."

The guards seized him roughly by the arms.

Winter screamed again, struggling as Sasha held him back.

"Brother! Rin!"

Rin didn’t look back... because he knew if he did, he might not be able to keep calm. Killing everyone here was a breeze, but he didn’t want to be a monster in front of them; he knew for a fact that one day, he would make these people pay for making his brother cry.

The guards dragged him out of the shop.

Seraphina followed behind with her maid, her expression cool and composed as if she’d just finished dealing with some minor inconvenience.

Rin was shoved into the carriage, forced to sit on the floor. His wrists were tied tightly with rope. Seraphina sat elegantly on the seat across from him, her maid beside her.

The maid smirked. "Filthy commoners. Always pretending to be something more."

Rin leaned his head back against the wall, bored. "You talk too much," he said lazily.

"What did you say.. ?"

"Shut up," Seraphina snapped, her tone suddenly cold.

The maid immediately fell silent.

Rin smirked faintly, his eyes half-lidded. The bruise on his cheek stung a little, but he didn’t heal it. If they noticed it fading, they’d just hit him again, and it would make his brother cry more and also get people suspicious.

Instead, he rested his chin on his knees and sighed quietly.

"I hope Winter got home safe..."

The carriage rattled on, the sound of horses’ hooves filling the silence.

Seraphina kept glancing at him from time to time, clearly annoyed that he wasn’t begging or crying.

When the palace gates finally came into view, she straightened her posture.

"I’ll make sure they throw him into the dungeon," she told the maid. "I want him to remember this day."

"Yes, my lady."

Rin was dragged out again, wrists tied and ankles sore from sitting so long. The dungeon’s air was damp and cold. Two palace guards stood by the entrance. One of them frowned.

"What’s this? He’s just a boy."

Seraphina’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

"He’s a criminal. Lock him up!"

The guard hesitated. "What crime?"

She turned sharply and slapped him across the face. "You dare question me?"

"My lady, please..."

"Lock him up!" she ordered.

The guard wiped the blood from his lip and gritted his teeth.

"We don’t lock people up without charges."

"I said lock him up!"

Before the argument could go further, another guard ran off to inform the higher-ups.