The lively noise of the market suddenly changed.
Heavy footsteps moved through the street.
Several rough-looking men walked from stall to stall.
Their clothes were worn, their faces hard, and each of them carried weapons at their belts.
They were bandits.
One of them slammed his hand on a fruit stall.
"Gold," he demanded coldly.
The frightened vendor quickly handed over a small pouch.
The bandits continued moving through the market, asking every vendor for gold.
Most people kept their heads down.
No one wanted trouble.
At the food stall, June Astral watched the scene quietly while chewing the last bite of her dumpling.
Then she tilted her head slightly.
She looked at the vendor beside her.
"Um…"
Her brown eyes blinked innocently, and her expression looked completely harmless.
"Why are they asking everyone for gold?"
Her voice sounded cute and curious, like she genuinely didn't understand what was happening.
The vendor looked nervous and whispered quickly.
"Miss… those men collect 'protection money.'"
June blinked again.
"Protection?"
The vendor sighed quietly.
"If we don't pay… they cause trouble."
June looked toward the bandits again.
Her face still looked calm and innocent.
But behind her soft bangs, her brown eyes became a little sharper.
Not far away, standing among the crowd—
Lucas de Hein watched the situation unfold.
His silver eyes briefly moved from the bandits…
…back to June.
He had a strange feeling.
Something told him the cute girl asking innocent questions might not be as simple as she looked