Chapter 32 Any Little Hint Matters

Chapter 32 Any Little Hint Matters
Meanwhile, Hime led Elodie to a table to continue their conversation. A staff member arrived to perform their daily duties, so they had to leave the earlier spot.

Aside from the fact that Elodie seemed surprised that Hime had reserved a lavish breakfast table for her, Elodie was no different from how she had been a moment ago—remaining silent because she had noticed Hime’s expression change when she asked about access to the Northern Battleground.

Did Hime sense who she was and her true purpose?

Did Hime have access to that place because she was connected to the O’Connell family?

Or perhaps… Hime knew who Elodie was?

All of that piled up in Elodie’s mind, like drops of oil slowly muddying her head—she was anxious, afraid she couldn’t rely on herself. If this were Noah, he would surely be so calm and know how to make people stop suspecting his true intentions.

Yet, Hime looked so calm, enjoying her breakfast, even as Elodie hadn’t touched her plate at all.

“Don’t you like French cuisine?”

Elodie lifted her face, meeting Hime’s gaze—a gaze that now made her nervous. Hime didn’t say anything in response to Elodie’s question, and the girl didn’t think demanding an answer was the right thing to do right now.

“I do.”

“Then why aren’t you eating?”

Elodie’s mouth opened and closed; her voice almost escaped but was swallowed back, and her eyes clearly struggled to look at Hime—wanting the woman to realize, yet not wanting her to.

Until finally, Hime gave her a small laugh, accompanied by a sigh that sounded spontaneous, as if she’d finally realized.

“You asked about the Northern Battleground….”

Elodie’s eyes lit up with enthusiasm again, but she held back so it wouldn’t be too obvious.

“I was just curious… you know, I was wondering what a woman like you was doing there because the man last night said that place is full of merciless violence.”

Hime set the tip of her fork on her plate, her face friendly as she spoke to Elodie even though she looked cold.

“I like watching it,” Hime replied, making the smile on Elodie’s face grow slightly tense, and it showed in her eyes too. “Oh, sorry, I shouldn’t have said that, should I?”

“No. You can go on.”

“So… it’s like gambling. Have you ever seen betting in a fight ring?”

“Yeah.” Elodie looked around, wondering if she could spot James—the first person Elodie had ever placed a bet on. “You bet money on the person who’s going to fight. If they win, you win; if they lose, you lose your money.”

“Right. Most of the fighters are unsponsored, so it doesn’t matter if they die in the ring. That’s what makes the stakes even higher because they’re not just betting on winning and losing—but also on the beginning and the end.”

“You said most fighters don’t have sponsors? Then who are they?”

“Rogues, for sure; they’re called rogues or lone wolves because they don’t belong to any system or mafia organization—they go it alone and look for fights to bring home the money—that’s all.”

Elodie stared at Hime while her ears listened intently to every word Hime spoke—hoping not to miss a single clue, no matter how small.

“Then there are the rare ones, but they usually boost a fight’s ratings: the weaklings—those forced into the ring for some reason, mostly at the host’s request.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know… usually people who have issues with the group hosting the fight; those who’ve crossed paths with the mafia.”

Elodie’s shoulders tensed, a chill running down her spine; even moving her hand felt like pulling the trigger on a grenade. Her saliva felt thick, swallowing felt awkward, but Elodie tried hard to hide it.

“Elodie… are you interested?”

Hime dropped the question like a breath of fresh air blowing across Elodie’s face, but she knew danger was lurking just beyond.

“Do you want to come in with me?”

“Do you know how to get tickets?”

Hime almost laughed. “Are we in a Coachella ticket war? There are no tickets for sale—just access that not everyone has.”

Hime pulled a thick piece of paper and a pen from inside her jacket, scribbling something before her blood-red lips left a sort of sweet stamp at the bottom of the paper.

“This is my number; let me know if you’re interested. There’ll be a new battle in three days.”

Elodie’s hand hovered over the paper when her eyes accidentally glanced elsewhere, and she froze. The fear on her face was clear, making her seem stiff and ignoring Hime’s question.

“Elodie, what’s wrong?”

Elodie didn’t answer because her mind was busy praying that her presence would remain unnoticed for now, but it was too late. The man saw her; the same man who had been hunting Elodie at the hotel back then. Upon spotting Elodie, his eyes widened and his broad smile looked satisfied.

He lowered his head slightly but his eyes never left Elodie, walking closer—signaling to his men that he’d found her. She knew it even though he hadn’t spoken near her.

Hime followed Elodie’s gaze and, as if quickly reading the situation, gently took Elodie’s hand—but hurriedly led her out of the restaurant area.

“Come with me.”

Even though Elodie had tried to ignore it, she knew the man was chasing her.

“Stop!”

The man shouted, and people began to take notice of them.

“Stop right there!”

The girl’s heart was racing as the man’s voice grew closer; she hoped James would come soon and take her away, but she didn’t even know where James was now.

Elodie prayed she could vanish and escape the threat, but suddenly, Hime stopped, forcing her to stop as well.

At that moment, Elodie realized that she shouldn't trust Hime this easy from the start.