Chapter 150: The Monster and the Dog
"We’re going to meet with him?"
Once they had walked away from the shuttle, Lara could no longer contain her anxiety. She hurried to Cher’s side and lowered her voice, as though they were discussing something far more secretive than it actually was.
"You heard him."
Cher’s tone remained calm, but she was already armed and ready to fight to the death with anyone who stood in her way.
"That jerk isn’t here. He sent someone to follow Silas."
"Then..."
The answer did little to ease Lara’s worries. If anything, it made her even more nervous about what Cher intended to do.
She knew her friend too well. If Cher had no intention of doing something reckless out of anger, she would have simply ignored Cameron’s henchman. The fact that she had insisted on meeting him was enough to tell Lara how dangerous the situation could become.
What made it worse was that the only person capable of stopping Cher was currently in no condition to do so.
"Then let me handle the talking."
Knowing she could not stop Cher, Lara decided to do what she hated and take control of the conversation herself. If she did the talking, at least there was a chance she could keep Cher’s temper under control.
"Why do you think you’re here, then?"
Despite Cher’s answer, Lara felt no better. Her anxiety continued to build, along with the urge to drag Cher away and find Silas before things could get any worse.
Finding Klain was not difficult. He had made little effort to hide himself, apparently wanting to hear the conversation between Silas, the teacher, and the others. In the garden, there were few places suitable for hiding anyway.
"You..."
The moment Cher and Lara approached, Klain realized they were coming straight toward him. He had assumed they were merely passing by and had been so focused on Silas and the teacher that he had failed to notice the others.
"You’re the little dog that jerk sent?"
Cher spoke the moment Klain stepped out from behind the large tree.
"Didn’t we agree that I’d do the talking?"
Lara rolled her eyes. She had known from the beginning that trying to reason with Cher while she was angry was unreliable at best, yet she still feared what might happen if things escalated.
"You’re... Cher Avaron?"
Klain had never met her before, but he had seen Chaz Avaron’s posters enough times to recognize the resemblance. Her attitude toward Cameron only confirmed his suspicion.
"You’ll speak with me," Lara said, giving Cher a stern look. Then she turned toward Klain. "You’re his dog, and I’m her monster."
"You’re too weak to be a monster."
Klain’s remark made even Lara raise an eyebrow. Then, as if she had taken the insult seriously, she snapped her fingers.
Three enormous beasts suddenly appeared, surrounding Klain from all sides.
"Okay, okay. You win."
Seeing the monsters, Klain immediately changed his attitude, though the three creatures remained poised to tear him apart at the slightest command.
"You know fighting inside the academy is forbidden."
Seeing how dangerous the situation was becoming, Klain had no choice but to add that little threat. He wasn’t weak enough to fear three Mana Squirrel Eaters, but he had no idea how many more creatures Lara could control.
Not to mention there was another hidden reason for his attitude.
"Then behave yourself first." Lara harrumphed and waved a hand, causing the three babies to retreat without attacking.
"Why are you here?"
She clearly had no intention of giving Cher the chance to speak.
"Who said he’s the one who sent me? Fine, fine, let them go... I hate squirrels."
The moment Klain began spouting nonsense, Lara snapped her fingers, and the three squirrels advanced again. He immediately stopped talking, and the terror on his face confirmed everything she needed to know.
Realising that, Lara couldn’t help but laugh.
"Then let’s make this quick, or..."
Her eyes drifted toward her babies.
"Yes, yes... He sent me."
Klain hesitated again, prompting the squirrels to take another step under Lara’s control and nearly scaring him out of his skin.
"We already know that." Lara rolled her eyes. "Why make things harder for yourself?"
Her playful expression disappeared when she noticed Cher’s face. There was nothing but killing intent coming from the girl, forcing Lara to reveal a side of herself she rarely showed: the serious one.
"Stop wasting our time and tell us everything."
She even glared at him.
’Believe me...’
’This is much better than Cher handling you.’
Lara barely gave Klain time to think before the three squirrels roared. His body shuddered, and his face turned deathly pale.
"H-He..."
’Shit... Shit... Shit...’
’Why did it have to be squirrels? Why couldn’t it be anything else?’
Klain desperately tried to suppress his fear, but it was too deeply rooted to be overcome by reason. Not even his fear of Cameron discovering that he had exposed his orders could compete with it.
"Speak," Cher said slowly, her voice so cold that even Lara shivered.
"Or else..."
She paused, letting the threat hang in the air.
"I’ll let the squirrels take you for a ride far away from here."
Klain finally abandoned any hope of escaping without giving them something.
’I can tell them a little and keep the important parts to myself.’
Even while facing the worst nightmare of his life, he still had enough composure to bargain with what little information he had.
***
"Their meeting ended without a single punch or kick... How disappointing."
Terio shook his head as he stood beside Darius and Alfred.
"Were you hoping to watch your girl kick another guy’s ass instead of yours?" Darius asked, unable to resist.
Terio glared at him but said nothing. That silence only made Alfred grin, while Darius burst out laughing, further enraging him.
"Who said Lara is my girl?"
Terio desperately searched for a way out, only for Alfred to immediately block his path.
"Who said we were talking about Lara?"
This time, even Alfred laughed when Terio’s face turned bright red.
"I’m going back."
Terio didn’t stay another second. When words failed him, he simply turned around and walked away.
Once he was far enough, Alfred turned toward Darius.
"So, what do we do now?"
From the look on his face, Darius already knew what he had in mind.
"I thought I’d handle it myself."
He glanced towards Klain in the distance before continuing.
"But you know what? I might use an extra hand."
The two immediately set off after Klain, picking up their pace.
Far behind them, Cher glanced in their direction with a faint smile, but it vanished the moment Lara turned toward her.
’Perhaps Darius can stir the hornet’s nest for me.’