Chapter 05 - Juiller World part 2

In the small, damp room with minimal light, I sat upon a hard and fragile wooden chair. The legs of the chair were uneven, causing my body to rock back and forth whenever I shifted positions. A sense of unease and fear enveloped my heart. It wasn't because of the menacing aura emanating from the rows of weapons displayed on the walls, or the squeaking of rodents above the ceiling that could fall at any moment. No, it was the presence of the large man seated behind the desk in front of me.

His hands were clasped together on the table, deliberately displaying a set of perfectly sculpted muscles from his shoulders down to his arms. The singlet he wore only enhanced his imposing presence, despite his age now well past fifty. His mustache and beard were the greatest sources of his intimidating air. Anyone who laid eyes on him would have no choice but to show him respect. Of course, this was Grussel, the leader of the most powerful hunter team in the city, "The Dark Night." The existence of this hunter team was a secret—only a handful of people knew about it. To most, Grussel was revered as the former warlord of the kingdom.

His eyes fixed on me, calm but lethal. If a gaze could kill, I'd have been dead a hundred times over by now.

Slowly, he lifted his hands to support his chin. "Igresti already told me about this, but I wanted to hear it directly from you. Anggi..." His voice was deep, with a slight emphasis on my name. "Did you cause a mess during last night's hunt?"

I immediately shot a glance at Igresti, sitting beside me. The bastard met my eyes with a sneer. A wicked smile curled at the corner of his lips, clearly directed at me.

"Damn bastard! Looks like he has a personal vendetta against me. If that's the case, deal with it yourself. Don't throw me under the bus like this!" I cursed silently in my mind.

At that moment, Grussel cleared his throat, making it clear that he was waiting for my response. What should I say? Igresti certainly had a big mouth, and I was sure he had added some extra spice to his tale for the boss. But the undeniable truth was that the core of the problem was indeed my fault.

A bead of sweat dripped down my forehead. His intimidating presence was overwhelming, wrapping me in fear. My lips couldn't speak, my eyes couldn't meet his. I sat there, silently waiting for the inevitable. Until finally, Dimas, who had been standing beside me, placed a hand on my shoulder. His touch brought warmth, helping to clear the confusion in my heart. His gaze was gentle, and a small smile appeared on his face.

"Boss! I know Anggi made a mistake, just like Igresti said. I have to admit, her mistake was really stupid. But could you forgive her?" Dimas spoke firmly, his voice unshaken by the heavy intimidation Grussel exuded.

Grussel gave Dimas a sideways glance. "You... want to be her hero? You think that will solve everything?"

"Of course not. But please, consider that we've only just arrived in this city. There's still so much we don't know. So, I ask for your wisdom!" Dimas replied with unwavering respect.

"You know... I hate failure."

The muscular old man's voice grew harsh. He stood up from his rickety chair, its worn frame creaking under his weight. The sound of his footsteps echoed throughout the small room as he approached. His eyes were fierce, as though he were ready to punch anyone who dared stand in his way. Grussel stopped right in front of Dimas.

He looked Dimas up and down, sizing up the young and strong man standing before him. Then, he gave a wry smile.

"You might be right. I know what it's like to be in an unfamiliar place. When I was a lowly soldier, I was assigned to sneak into the Green Continent with my platoon." His voice faltered for a moment before he slowly began pacing around us.

"The forest there was unlike anything I had ever known. The trees moved like humans, and the vines danced in the air. I swear, it was the strangest place I had ever seen. As a result, not many from my platoon survived. When facing an enemy, information is your greatest weapon. How many enemies you have, how strong they are, what weapons they possess. So, remember this if you want to be a formidable warrior." Grussel placed a hand on Dimas's shoulder, his gaze deep, as though trying to imprint his wisdom onto him. "Know your enemy well before conquering them, and always be vigilant. Never act recklessly in enemy territory. I hope this lesson sticks with you."

"Yes, Boss!" Dimas replied respectfully. I nodded in agreement, offering him a smile without saying a word.

"But..."

Grussel turned his gaze back toward me. A moment later, his hand shot out and struck my face. His large palm wrapped around my cheek, squeezing with such force that I thought my skull might shatter.

I screamed in pain. "Please, Boss! Didn't you just say you'd forgive me?"

"When did I say I'd forgive you?"

"But you said—"

Suddenly, I went silent. My hearing was still sharp, sharper than anyone else's in the room. Everything was crystal clear. In all his words, there wasn't a single one where he said he had forgiven me. I had been deceived by the way he spoke his last line. Grussel had said it with a low, melancholic tone, so I thought he was understanding my actions.

If that's the case, then he was still going to punish me? Oh, damn it! I was a fool for getting my hopes up. The old bastard didn't release his grip on me, even when Dimas was holding him back. He seemed dead set on crushing my skull. Absolutely merciless! Damn it! My resistance was futile. My strength couldn't compare to his. My kicks and punches probably felt like a child's tickle to him. My breath grew shallow. I closed my eyes tightly, surrendering to the pain.

A moment later, I could breathe again. His palm had released me. I immediately took the opportunity to inhale deeply, glancing at him cynically.

"Alright, I'll forgive you this time," Grussel said. "But failure is failure. I still have to punish Anggi in some way."

"Punishment?" Dimas responded, clearly confused, replacing me as I was still reeling from the shock.

"Yes!" the old man replied firmly. "The next hunt will be held next week. Until then, you're free to beg, steal, kill, or whore yourself out. Just make sure I don't see your face until then. Now... get out of here!!"

Haier-Elvian: A half-elf human.

Esze: The magic system in this world.

Viglet: A tool used to extract Esze from the Esze circuit inside the body.

Vitr Bris: 'Wind Burst' in Elvian language.