The Thief Lords from Beneath
CHAPTER THREE
When they get to the dining hall, there is a big commotion going about.
Lenalee mumbles, "Ugh, not again…" and sighs.
Curiously, Allen looks around the premises, silently wondering if people in the Order are always this indifferent when it came to new comers. He notices that they are not looking at him, but they are intently looking at something else. The snow haired former heir turns to the general direction of their gazes.
There is a tall, hulking, and incredibly muscular man who is shouting angrily and incessantly. Allen wonders why it doesn't surprise him to notice that the man to which this anger is directed at is the guy called Kanda Yuu. As luck would have it, they have crossed paths yet again.
"You think you're such a big shot!" screams the bulky man.
Kanda Yuu remains indifferent; looking unaffected as he idly eats what seem to be noodles. Angered even more, the tall man then proceeds to rant on about how apparently Kanda was a no good, haughty, son of a—
The dark haired man then stands abruptly, grabbing the other man by his right wrist and pointedly glares. "I'm a son of a what now?" he says, voice indifferent despite the expression he wore.
"You heard me," the other replies defiantly. "You're a no good, haughty, son of a—"
Kanda punches him squarely on the nose. A soft cracking sound can be heard and the man shouts in agony. He thereafter stares at his bleeding nose in disbelief (making him look laughably cross eyed).
"Why you—"
The effeminate-faced sword wielder grabs the taller man's right wrist and twists it briskly, but before he can make for the other arm, he is stopped. Allen realizes that he has just taken that moment to pounce.
His hand is on Kanda's wrist.
Widened dark eyes stare at the former heir in disbelief.
"I don't think you should take it so far," Allen says, surprising even himself.
The features on Kanda's face contort into an expression the snow haired boy cannot at all fathom. But the impressions it gave were these: One, "This is one insanely gorgeous human being," and two, "He is going to kill me isn't he?"
Allen hopes impression one will be of more significance to his life, but unfortunately impression two proves to be more important because if that is true then he might not even have a life in a few minutes.
"Is that what you are?" The question genuinely confuses the ex-noble, and he tilts his head to one side contemplating on what it might have meant. "What a pathetic excuse for a Lord Heir…" says Kanda, "…Cross has no taste as usual."
"Hold it right there!" Allen sounds offended. "I can stand insults directed towards my guardian and master, but insults towards my own persona are unforgivable!" He knows it's usually the other way around, but then he thinks, what of it?
"Allen," Lenalee says, interrupting the whole scene. "Stand down."
Amazingly the girl is unfazed by the grim looks on both their faces, and people make way for her, gazing with what seemed to be great respect. "Kanda…" she says with a sigh, "…You don't have a mother, or rather, you've never even met her."
"Whether or not I've met her, an insult to my kin is an insult to myself," he says matter-of-factly, and something tells everyone in the room that this was probably an Oriental thing. (Kanda thinks that it shouldn't be called an 'Oriental thing' though, because he thinks that is prejudiced).
"Can we just set this aside?" She says almost pleadingly, and Allen is surprised that Kanda recoils, showing a guilty expression, albeit briefly.
"Whatever," he says, glares at both the snow-haired boy and the tall man for good measure, and then leaves.
"He will never change…" Lenalee says, sighing. "He's always doing things his way, it doesn't help that he thinks so differently compared to most people in the Order… And he eats nothing but soba! C'mon Allen, I'll introduce you to Jerry so you know what I mean…"
And even though she is dragging him along to meet the Head Chef for the wrong reasons, Allen doesn't say a word.
Instead he thinks about how he will probably be fed in less than ten minutes. The idea brought him much joy.
……………………….
"I take it that you love the food," Allen wonders why most people find it necessary to state the obvious. Perhaps, he thinks, they do it to emphasize a point, and so when Lenalee muttered that, he can't help but wonder if the implication of the statement is meant as an insult, or just an innocent comment.
"I do." This the former heir says without emotion (he thinks that by doing so, he'd be safe either way).
"Jerry traveled to many Kingdoms and learned their different cuisines you know, that's why he can cook soba, which is usually cooked in Eastern Kingdoms…" she pauses. "… I'm actually from an Eastern Kingdom myself, a different one from Kanda though, so I prefer other dishes… Are you familiar with Eastern Kingdoms, Allen?"
"Oh, uhm…" Allen looks startled. "… Well… Theoretically, I guess… My tutors back at the—" He stops, bites his lower lip. "—back where I came from… My tutors back where I came from taught me all about them…"
"Oh…" Realizing she stepped on a landmine, Lenalee sports an apologetic look.
"Allen?"
When the former heir turns around the first thing he thinks is 'Oh my god, Timcampy can talk.' But after considering how impossible that actually is, he turns to Lenalee.
"Did Tim just talk?"
"Oh, I'm surprised brother is contacting you this soon… Go on, talk to it!" she grins.
"Right… uh… Who's this?" Allen says dumbly.
"Oh good, the connection is still the same, I'll just replace Cross' name with yours then…" There's a rustling sound. "....Oh yes, I'd like to see you for a while Allen, it's about your first heist."
"My first what?"
………………………
"A heist is when we steal from a noble family. We always have a specific 'target'. The 'target' is an item that was originally owned by the Order. We always make sure to send someone to do a reconnaissance mission in location to make sure we are pursuing a legitimate target."
Komui Lee stops his lecturing momentarily as he hands Allen a black book. "This is the information you will need for the heist. It will happen tomorrow at the abandoned mountains in the hills just beyond this city. You will be given the appropriate clothing an hour before you set off. Until then, get some rest. You will need a lot of energy for tomorrow, especially since I have decided to send you with Kanda."
Allen first wonders if he heard that right, and when he arrives at the conclusion that yes, he DID hear that right, he says, "So… uh… I'm going to be ALONE? With HIM?"
Komui nods in reply.
"Well I, uh, don't know what to say… Uhm…" The former heir stops, breathes, and then assumes his more assertive personality, the one he uses to deal with Cross' more assertive debt collectors and one night stands. "… So let me get this straight then, you're sending me out to be alone with a guy, a SWORD WIELDING guy, who evidently hates my guts, and might turn out to be my murderer sooner or later?"
The Head Strategist stares at him for a moment, a bit taken aback by the sudden firmness in the white haired teen's tone. "I can see what you're trying to say…" he pauses for a moment to think, "…I'll send someone to accompany you on your mission then, hopefully that will keep Kanda from even attempting to kill you."
Of course, Allen thinks, what Komui just did was provide a possible witness for a murder that would most likely come about. But for that, Allen was already thankful.
…………………….
NOTE: I haven't reread the entire chapter yet. I'm pretty sure I missed some mistakes so, please excuse them until I ask someone to beta for me, thank you!
A/N: I'm sorry it's been a while. Despite the vacation this past Christmas season I still had much to do (I have much to do now too, university life sucks, period). Anyway, I'll update as soon as I can (on the bright side, 3 more months and it's summer vacation here already :). Also, this chapter kinda came to me in a dream, and the reason that it took so long is I didn't really know how to pick up from where my dream left off, haha! (in the dream, there was quite a lot Kanda-oggling to the point that I didn't know if it was still Allen or me who was looking anymore, haha!).
Thank you for reading!