They didn't take it.
I was still holding the bottle out when the gunslinger stepped forward, palm up like he was physically stopping the situation from getting worse.
"We can't accept it for free."
I stared at him. Then at the potion. Then back at him.
"…I literally just said it's free."
"I heard you."
"Then why are we still talking?"
He moved closer, too close, and I instinctively leaned back a bit, squinting at him like he just failed a basic instruction. His eyes flicked past me for a second.
That was enough.
Kael shifted behind me. Not loud, not dramatic, just… there. Closer.
Zeref too. I didn't even need to look. I felt the temperature tick up just a little.
The gunslinger lowered his voice. "You're helping. That's good. But not like this."
I frowned. "What does that even..."
"With a crowd like that?" he cut in, barely moving his lips. "You hand things out for free, they'll mark all of you as easy targets."
I blinked.
Then I looked.
Actually looked.
