How to Make a Sinner Sleep

97 | wanderer; marked in silver

The target Reed assigned to him was a dragon named Noah Bellamy. Kaden had stood with his hands hanging at his sides, dully nodding his head as his orders were announced.

To capture Noah Bellamy, not to kill.

Noah Bellamy.

Kaden licked his dry lips, peeling at the edges, standing on the streets with his hair dyed a regal raven. He adjusted his collar, dressed as a travelling merchant in the busy city of Corpus. His cloak's hood remained down—hiding would make him more apparent.

His first note: The magnificent beast lived a rather mundane life for somebody who could destroy a city if he sought to. But he already knew that.

From private investigation and notes sourced by Reed.

Further ahead, Noah Bellamy paused among the busy crowd and glanced back, but noticed nothing strange. His discerning black eyes skimmed over those walking, but nobody behaved abnormally.

He turned again, continuing with his day. He was being followed, he knew, but he wouldn't seek out the stalker. Instead, he decided to go shopping.

The first store was a jewellery store, its hanging sign outside creaking. An old store, but the quality was undeniable. A family chain that was once popular and now existed as a hidden shop for the most prestigious.

Noah stopped by a display, a pair of delicately hanging earrings. At the bottom, a sharply cut obsidian jewel with swirls of white intertwined with the black.

He nodded at the shopkeeper—they didn't interfere unless asked first, that was the way of business in that store. Those who recognized the value of the jewels would not leave in a huff, complaining of the old displays.

Then, the dragon left for his next store.

A man entered the jewellery store, stopping by the same hanging earrings.

Kaden's second note: Was this the dragon's taste?

He purchased it regardless, placing a fat pouch of gleaming gold on the counter. The storekeeper smiled and said curiously, "That pair seems to be popular today."

The next store was a bakery. The dragon purchased a variety of different sweet and savoury goods and left. He seemed to be a frequent customer, considering his smooth and quick decision making.

A minute later, a man walked inside the bakery, looking around at the cozy atmosphere.

The baker eagerly greeted him, "Hello! Are you new? Would you like any recommendations, or has anything caught your eye?"

Kaden flinched, blinking several times as he shook his head. Outside of acting like a menace and taunting others before he killed them, his social skills were beyond helpless.

"I'll... purchase whatever the last customer had."

"Our last customer? Oh! He's a regular, did you see his collection and feel hungry? He does have good taste. Always chooses my favourites!" exclaimed the baker, gathering the different goods and packing them in a brown paper bag.

Kaden nodded awkwardly, skimming around the display case. His eyes landed on a macaron tower, different colours of smooth shells staring back at him.

"Can I buy some of these?"

The baker nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, of course. How many? Which ones? If you don't know, I can recommend some?"

"Please."

A certain pink-haired man left with a big bag of baked goods held in his hands. He picked one out, a fresh piece of sweet bread and took a tentative bite. It was delicious and fluffy, an underlying note of honey and warmth seeping into his mouth.