The sun hung high at noon. Heat rolled off the stone streets of Amestris City, yet the two figures wrapped in black cloaks shivered—not from cold, but from hunger.

The wolf-headed orc clutched his stomach. His mouth hung open, and a faint whimper hummed deep in his throat.

"Grrr… guruu…"

The lion-headed orc walking beside him shot him a frustrated glance. "Stop whining. Find something to eat quickly."

The hunger was torturous—made worse by the travelers passing through the city, endlessly chatting about the delicacies of Black Tortoise: roasted sweet potatoes, sugar-dried slices, boiled roots wrapped in herbs… Each word carved into their empty stomachs like claws.

In the end, they couldn't endure it any longer. They left the bear-headed orc behind to watch the Tianmen Tower in case Mia and Carmilla escaped, while the two of them came into the city to "look for food."

The wolf-headed orc sniffed deeply as he walked, his senses sharper than any hound's.

"There's food on that street," he growled at last, pointing left.

"Lead the way." The lion-head's temper was fraying; hunger always made him violent.

The wolf-headed orc walked ahead, nose twitching, adjusting course with every shift of scent. Finally, he stopped in front of a modest wooden house.

"Here. The smell is rich—fresh. Someone just ate."

The lion-headed orc didn't hesitate. He raised his leg and kicked the wooden door in with a bang.

A startled cry came from inside—then silence.

By the time the wolf-headed orc entered, a man and woman lay unconscious on the floor.

"Dead?" he asked casually.

The lion-headed orc wiped his knuckles on his cloak. "No. Just fainted. Killing people for food is messy. We can't draw attention in a city like this."

His gaze locked onto the table. There, resting innocently, was half of a roasted sweet potato—bitten once, still steaming.

He snatched it up immediately. The skin crackled; the golden red flesh glowed softly in the light. He brought it to his nose, inhaling deeply. His throat bobbed.

"This… this is the smell."

The wolf-headed orc had already taken a smaller piece.

They didn't speak for a moment. They just ate.

The sweet potato was soft, sweet, and fragrant—like warmth itself spreading across the tongue. The wolf-head didn't even wait—he shoved the entire remaining chunk into his mouth.

The lion-head stared murderously at him for a moment, but there was nothing left to grab. So he tore through the house, rummaging for anything edible. The only thing he found was a dried strip of jerky—small and tough.

The wolf-head ate half of that too.

The lion-headed orc held the remaining scrap and exhaled sharply through his nose. "Tch. Stingy humans."

"Next house," he growled.

The wolf-head nodded and followed. But mid-step, his entire body suddenly went still.

His nostrils widened. He sniffed hard—again, and again. His eyes sharpened.

"What is it?" the lion-headed orc asked sharply.

"…Their smell."

The wolf-head's voice was low. A dangerous growl vibrated through each word.

"That vampire and the catwoman. They're here."

The lion-headed orc's eyes narrowed. "Impossible. They fled to Black Tortoise."

"I know what I smell," the wolf-head snapped. "It's them. They're close."

The lion-head didn't question again. "Lead the way."

The wolf-head followed the scent trail through narrow alleys, twisting corners, stopping finally at a plain-looking house. His nose twitched in pain from the strain, but his certainty didn't waver.

"It's here."

The lion-headed orc didn't bother knocking.

He kicked the door open.

Inside, Mia leaned weakly against Carmilla's chest. Both pale. Both exhausted. Their eyes opened the moment the door shattered—filled with despair more than fear.

They had escaped from Black Tortoise under cover of darkness, running through the night without rest. They landed here only to restore their strength—but their condition was far too poor. Their power had not returned.

Carmilla's golden eyes glared with hatred. "Annoying pests…"

"So you weren't in Black Tortoise after all," the lion-headed orc sneered. "You came back here. Clever? Stupid? Doesn't matter."

The wolf-headed orc bared his fangs. "Do you know how long we waited outside those city gates?"

Mia's voice trembled. "Carmilla… run. Leave me—"

But Carmilla clamped her hand over her mouth. "Be quiet. I'm not leaving."

She spread her wings—though they trembled badly.

"If you don't hand over the spirit beast egg," the lion-headed orc snarled, "you're not leaving this house alive."

"It's a pity," Carmilla murmured suddenly.

Both orcs paused. "What pity?"

"It's gone."

Cold silence.

The lion-headed orc's voice dropped to a growl. "Don't insult us with cheap lies."

"You think we look like this because it's fun?" Carmilla shot back. "We were hunted all the way back. We lost it."

The wolf-head's jaw clenched. Even if their reason believed… their pride refused to accept.

Their eyes flickered. Their killing intent rose.

The lion-headed orc stepped forward first.

Carmilla pushed Mia aside and prepared to take the hit—

A punch roared forward like a hammer.

Mia could not move fast enough.

Carmilla barely twisted, wings flaring—

The punch shattered the wall behind them, dust exploding.

The wolf-headed orc lunged as well, claws sweeping—

Mia's heart pounded.

Is this where we die?

Then—

"Found you."

A cold voice drifted from the collapsed wall.

The lion-headed orc snapped around. "Who?!"

"Move," the voice answered.

A blade flashed out of thin air—meeting his fist with an impact that sent both skidding back.

Someone invisible.

Another force struck the wolf-head, forcing him to retreat.

Mia recognized the voice instantly.

The agents from Black Tortoise—Yanlu and Alina.

Carmilla leaned close. "What do we do?"

"…Wait," Mia whispered. "Then run."

The two cloaked women didn't bother introducing themselves.

"It's not important who we are," Alina said coolly. "They're under our Lord's protection. You're not taking them."

Carmilla immediately yelled, "They stole the Thunder Spirit Beast egg!"

Both invisible rescuers visibly paused.

The lion-headed orc's eyes widened in fury.

"So it was you! Hand it over!"

Alina rolled her eyes. "Something that falls into our Lord's hands… is never returned."

Yanlu cut in sharply, ignoring the discussion altogether. "We're completing the mission. Don't waste time."

Combat erupted.

Blades, claws, cracked stones, dust, and shattered walls.

In the chaos—Mia saw her opening.

"Now."

Carmilla lifted Mia with the last of her strength. They separated immediately—just as planned.

One fled through the air. One vanished into shadows.

Alina saw—but did not chase. "Damn it… they slipped again."

"Withdraw," Yanlu commanded.

The wolf-headed orc tried to pursue—

But a mighty voice thundered across the district:

"Who dares cause chaos in my Amestris City!?"

A pressure descended. A powerhouse approached.

The lion-headed orc's expression froze. "Retreat."

Unwilling, furious—but they fled.

Yanlu and Alina did not linger either. They vanished, melting back into the city's shadows.

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