Steampunk Era: Mad Abield
Chapter 69: Sixty-two - s: Every Encounter is Predestined

Chapter 69: Sixty-two Chapters: Every Encounter is Predestined

Faye’s werewolf relative grumbled and stomped towards the exit of the coffee shop, with Malin squinting calmly behind him—truly deserving of the title of an outsider, as no one in Carterburg’s territory dared to raise their voice against Malin Gaiate anymore.

Well, not that there weren’t any before, it’s just that after a good hammering, they all fell into line.

That’s the thing with outsiders. Malin strongly suspected this guy had been living in the Imperial Capital for far too long, possibly forgetting how precious life really is.

Why though? Aren’t you relatives with Faye? Why can’t you discuss things civilly? Malin lamented for the sorry state of the world.

Following him out of the coffee shop, Malin spotted a carriage, and the young people atop it all hopped down upon seeing this fellow named Sigro.

A gnome stepped forward a few paces: "Boss, where are the others?"

"They’re all inside the coffee shop, I’m in a duel with this kid!" the werewolf said while taking off his jacket and tossing it to the gnome: "Jack! Hand me the sword!"

Malin suddenly felt like commenting—the name Jack was the first he’d come across in all his time in this world.

Jack was pretty much the equivalent of Great Ming, a name as common as they come.

While he was lost in his own thoughts, Malin still found the need to ask once more, "Speaking of which, why are you challenging me to a duel?"

"My grandma told me today that she doesn’t support my proposal to Faye!" The werewolf took the sword, turned his head, and glared at Malin with a grinding of teeth: "Draw your weapon!"

"Oh, so you’re that guy Faye said she really can’t stand but had no choice but to flee The Capital because of," Malin chuckled and casually prepared the pork trotter in front of him, skinning and washing it before rubbing on a generous amount of salt.

The werewolf’s face twisted in anger: "Draw your weapon! I’m going to kill you today!"

Malin thought the kid really had issues, so he turned and walked toward the roadside.

...

"What’s he going to do?" asked one of the werewolf’s companions, a bit perplexed.

"Looks like he’s planning to run away?" guessed a human squatting nearby, waving a nail hammer.

"I don’t think so, who runs towards the other person when they’re trying to escape?" the gnome shook his head.

"I think..." the half-human began, but then, along with his companions, watched the little kid walk up to a streetlamp, grab the pole, and yank it straight out from the ground.

"All of you come at me together, I’m in a hurry," the youngster said, turning around with a smile.

The human sucked in a breath of cold air.

The gnome’s dagger dropped to the ground.

The werewolf’s ears flopped down to the sides of his head.

The half-human cursed under his breath, then saw his boss get knocked to the ground by a streetlamp, and the sonic boom from the swing swept the gnome right into the coffee shop.

What kind of nonsense is this?!

No sooner had he cursed than the human was sent flying into the coffee shop by the streetlamp’s escort.

"Don’t hurt my brothers!" the werewolf screamed, charging forward, only for the half-human to watch the big-tailed wolf get sent into the coffee shop by a streetlamp.

Did he have some grudge against the coffee shop?

With this thought, the half-human watched his elder struggle up from the ground and roar as he charged at the kid, only to be swept into the coffee shop by the streetlamp.

"You’re the only one left," the little kid said, looking at the half-human.

The half-human glanced at the knife in his hand, then screamed and threw it to the ground.

"Are you a martial monk?!"

Perhaps because his tossing motion was a bit exaggerated, the kid’s eyes went wide, and then the streetlamp sent the half-human flying into the air.

The half-human thought, as he flew into the coffee shop and upturned the manager’s ice cream bucket—why doesn’t it hurt?

That probably meant it was a goner; if a streetlamp hit you, either it hurt a lot, or you were too hurt to feel the pain.

After rolling over the counter twice, the half-human tumbled down, landing with a thud on the floor.

This time, the pain was felt.

All over.

The half-human flopped back onto the floor, feeling an unbearable amount of pain.

At that moment, his companions also began to scream in agony, and the half-human saw the werewolf Jack struggling in a fish tank trying doggy-paddle while howling in pain.

...

Malin tossed the streetlamp aside, looking towards the nearby parked carriage, the horse team, and everyone on horseback, smiling sweetly at all the stunned onlookers.

Because he had recognized Colin and Margaret behind that middle-aged man.

A middle-aged woman screamed and rushed out of the carriage, then dashed into the café like a madwoman.

"Is this the way of the Frost Giant’s combat?" the elf lady in the carriage raised an eyebrow.

"No, my lady, generally speaking, I only pull up street lamps when I’m sure I can win the duel, because then the cost for the lamp can be reimbursed by the opponent," said Malin with a smile to the two ladies in the carriage.

"I saw you casting a spell on the street lamp, it was a bruise structure, right?" the elderly lady sitting beside the elf said with a smile.

"Yes, madam, though I was inexplicably challenged to a duel with a throw of a white glove, I am quite clear about my own limitations. To avoid causing trouble for Carterburg’s funeral business, I generally don’t intend to kill," Malin said, speaking the truth. A bruise structure is an assistance magic spell. A weapon enchanted with it, even if it’s a knife, can only cause bruises.

It won’t be lethal, and in this world, it is a very excellent third-ring assistance magic, commonly used by professionals when they want to capture someone alive.

"You are considerate, young one. I must say, watching your battle was surprising. Before today I never heard of a Frost Giant’s child who could grow up to look like you," said the elderly lady as she opened the carriage door, and tossed a small pouch to Malin, "My butler saw you outside of Faye’s quarters yesterday, and today I saw you again. This is a bit of pocket money, consider it a gift from an elder."

Malin was startled, then he saw the elf lady also toss a small pouch over.

"Aren’t you going to say thank you, Mr. Malin?" the elf lady asked with a smile.

So Malin immediately gave both ladies a sweet smile.

If a smile could earn him two pouches of pocket money, Malin would keep smiling until his face was paralysed with joy.

At that moment, the guard who had followed the woman into the shop confirmed the boys were alright, and they came out nodding their heads.

So the atmosphere, which had been a bit tense among the mounted knights, immediately relaxed. The middle-aged man who had been with Colin and Margaret rode up to Malin, looked him over for a while, and finally chuckled as he took out a silver pocket watch from his coat and tossed it to Malin, "My daughter told me about you, lad. You gave me a surprise today."

"Thank you," Malin said with a smile, hooking the watch’s chain to the ring on his vest’s left chest, then tucking the watch into the little pocket there.

The werewolf and his companions were loaded onto the carriage and then disappeared with the convoy into the distance.

Malin turned around, pulled a gold coin out of the pouch—a single Mowish gold coin was worth 20—and bit it, smiling happily at the tooth mark on it.

After securing the money pouch, Malin took out his wallet from his pocket, pulled out a five and handed it to the approaching officer, who received the money with a frown, "Is this a little short?"

"The street lamps weren’t on sale. If you put it back in, it can still be used," Malin gave the officer a look, "I am clearly the winner, and it’s only because I’m in a good mood today that I’m paying this at all. If you don’t want the money, go and ask His Majesty the King for it."

Mr. Officer pursed his lips, weighed the pros and cons, then nodded, "But I have to report today’s incident to the Church."

"Alright then," Malin sighed. Really, it was just a street lamp being pulled up, and it’s not like the street lamps in this world are the electric kind.

After giving his instructions, Malin returned to the café, only to notice something troubling as he looked at the manager, "They didn’t leave any money for the repairs?"

"Exactly, so I think you should pay me for the repairs," said the manager with a stern face.

"Go ask your King for it!" Malin pointed toward the door, "Carterburg has stood for a thousand years! The winner has never paid for repairs! His people took away the losers, so ask them!"

"You expect me to rob a bank?" The manager expressed his frustration, as he certainly wasn’t an idiot who would ask his own King for repair costs.

Malin glanced at Faye, who was giggling foolishly with Maya.

After a moment of thought, Malin tossed the white glove that the werewolf had thrown at him earlier back in front of the manager, "Let’s go outside and have another fight, and if you win, I’ll compensate you!"

"I’m not a fool!" This time, the manager was inconsolably upset.

"Are you coming out or not! If you don’t, don’t expect me to pay up!" Malin finished speaking and casually pulled out a table leg from underneath an empty table, "If you come out, this time I definitely won’t use bruise-inducing tactics!"

What the hell, people in Carterburg are plain and straightforward. The ’what are you looking at?’ and ’what’s it to you?’ have always been the most beautiful scenery in this city. Today, young master himself is determined to make this city understand that Gaiate’s Malin is no easy mark. This time, someone has to be hammered into submission.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute, don’t be like this, I’ll pay." Leon couldn’t stand by any longer; he rushed over, put the table leg back into the table, and then took out his wallet to face the manager, "How much do you want?"

The manager did some calculations and finally gave Leon a fifty percent discount, settling for two hundred gold—what was truly valuable was the intact glass wall; otherwise, he wouldn’t be so bold as to go after Malin over a few tables and chairs. He had seen right through Malin’s tightfisted nature at a glance, knowing that this cutie would turn people into punching bags over a mere two hundred gold, and therefore, should be respected and avoided like ghosts and deities.

Leon brought Malin back to the table, took two hundred gold from Hiddell, and returned it to his wallet before earnestly addressing his patron, "You saw it for yourself. With such a formidable character, I would surely never deceive you, right?"

"I am thoroughly convinced." The man wiped his forehead and then turned to Malin, "Can we go now?"

"It’s just a warm-up for me, no problem," Malin was saying when the door to the café was pushed open, and a Toby Bunny Girl in a mage’s robe stood silently as she observed the scene of devastation akin to a typhoon’s aftermath.

"It seems I’ve come to the wrong place, sorry." she said as she closed the door behind her.

Leon looked at Hiddell, "Is she the assistant you were talking about?"

"Yes, my distant cousin," Hiddell replied, sweating profusely.

Malin felt he had seen this Bunny Girl before... wasn’t she that old mage’s apprentice?

At that moment, the Toby Bunny Girl pushed open the door again, "Ah! Cousin Hiddell! I didn’t see you just now!"

It was at this point that Faye and Maya finally couldn’t hold back their laughter.

That’s not right, Faye’s intelligence seemed to drop when she was around Maya.