Catalyst of Enigma

*Bang*

The sudden gunshot startled everyone in the bar.

Screams erupted as patrons leapt from their seats, their faces frozen in shock at the unfolding scene.

Aizer, however, remained utterly calm.

"Hmph! Is Mary some kind of walking spring, making you, an animal with an underdeveloped brain, go into heat?" Aizer sneered, kicking the corpse with casual disdain.

Lifting his head, he looked at Mary.

"Mary, why are you just standing there?"

"Come on, let's go already. It's late, and I'm starting to get tired."

"A-a... y-yes, young master! Coming!" Mary stammered, rushing to Aizer's side, still visibly shaken.

Having retrieved both Mary and his belongings, Aizer strode toward the exit.

Reaching the door, a thought struck him, and he doubled back to the corpse he had just created.

[Hehe, can't forget to loot the body,] he mused, crouching down to strip the dead man of his valuables.

The bar's patrons watched the scene in silence, too frightened to provoke someone capable of killing an Igis gang member as if it were nothing.

[Sure, I'm rich, but who says I can't increase my wealth? If there's such a person, send them my way. I'll make sure to slap some sense into that thing they call a brain,] Aizer thought, rifling through the dead man's belongings.

"Ooh, what do we have here?"

He scowled in mild disappointment.

"Tsk, just silver and copper coins. After all that bragging about being in the Igis gang, I thought he'd at least have some gold. Pity."

Standing, Aizer strode back to Mary and shoved the bloodstained pouch into her hands.

"That's your spoils for today," he said flatly before climbing into the carriage he'd arrived in.

Mary quickly followed, settling in beside him. "Th-thank you, young master," she said softly, clutching the pouch.

Normally, she would have hesitated to accept such a gift, but after what had just transpired, she felt no guilt in taking money from a dead man. In fact, a part of her thought he deserved it.

As the carriage rattled toward home, Aizer glanced at Mary, swinging the bag he had recovered by its handle.

"See? I told you I'd get the bag back," he said with a smug grin, his blood-smeared face only making his expression more unsettling.

Mary hesitated, but curiosity gnawed at her. Mustering courage, she asked, "Young master, if you don't mind, may I ask why you have blood drawn on your face in the shape of a smile? I-it's not yours, is it?"

"Oh, this?" Aizer touched his lips casually. "No, it's not mine. It's from the idiot who stole my bag."

Mary gulped, her throat dry.

"After I tracked him down, I snuck into his house. Found one of them—Gave, I think his name was—alone in a room. Snuck up, slit his throat, made sure to cover his mouth so he couldn't scream." Aizer's tone was calm, almost conversational.

"Then I grabbed my gun. Shot the guy who took my bag—once in the chest, once in the throat. Not intentional, but it worked out since it incapacitated him. Shot some girl who tried to help him, then his friend. Right in the head."

"Oh yeah, before I left, I cut all three of their heads off and put them on the table.

he stopped for a second before adding.

i Was also going to add Gave's, but I got tired."

"Gave?" Mary asked with a bit of confusion 

"Right you don't know" Aizer said with a hint of realisation. "Gave's just some guy who was also there but he's also dead so you don't have to worry much" Aizer said as he looked out the carriage's window 

Mary's discomfort grew with every word. The man in front of her had done all this—over a bag.

As her thoughts churned, Aizer interrupted.

"Oh, that reminds me—this is yours," he said, tossing a bloodied gold watch into her lap.

"T-this is for me?"

"Yup."

"I saw it on the table after I grabbed my stuff. It's bloody, so you'll need to clean it if you want to sell it."

"Y-young master, thank you for the gift, but I must ask—why are you giving me such things?"

Aizer pondered for a moment, then answered nonchalantly, "I don't need it, so I'm giving it to you." After a pause, he added, "Mary, from now on, if I give you something, just accept it and don't question it. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes, young master."

"Good," Aizer said, flicking her forehead playfully. "Now let's go. We're already back at the manor."

[I can't have her questioning me every time I hand her something. That'd get annoying real fast,] Aizer thought as the carriage pulled to a stop.

As they stepped out, they were greeted by Delara, the manor's head maid.

"Greetings, young master, you're finally ba—" Her words caught in her throat.

"Young master! You're covered in blood!" Delara exclaimed in a panic, turning to Mary. "Mary! I thought I told you to watch over him!"

[Ah, why is she so loud? Damn it, I can't be bothered with this,] Aizer thought irritably.

"Delara!"

"Y-yes?"

"Stop talking and get some maids to prepare a bath for me."

"But, young master, you're—"

"Now, Delara!"

Startled, Delara scurried into the manor to carry out his orders.