The people of Blade's Reach had harbored resentment toward Adrian for a long time but had refrained from taking action against him because Frederick prevented it. Now that Adrian was provoking them openly, they believed that Frederick would not object to them killing him.

"It seems like you truly have a death wish," one of them said.

Seeing Adrian walking toward them with Lyra, one of them shouted, "I will avenge Elio!"

This man was Jack, a close friend of Elio’s. He had been waiting for a