"That would be great. Lead the way."
Despite this whole thing being an empty farce I still need to accept her offer. Navi is going to be with us at all times one way or another so I might as well let the girls have someone else to talk to.
First, we visit the gym area. To my knowledge, this is the largest area of the company that is accessible to customers. And currently, there seems to be a spectacle happening in the boxing ring.
Valeria and Edward are having a staring contest. The atmosphere seems tense and neither one is backing down.
"What's got them all worked up?"
"Nothing really. Both were just having a grumpy morning and then they got at each other's throats. They've been keeping this up for the entire morning and likely it will have to get worse before it will get better."
"Worse in what way?"
Cassidy is very interested and her eyes are sparkling as she looks at the two figures that are exuding raw power.
"For now they are still being civil. I suspect that they'll soon try to actually rip out each other's throats. I'll let them fight for a while before putting an end to this."
Hearing that two powerful people she believes to be adventurers will fight makes Cassidy giddy with joy.
"They'll fight! I wonder who is stronger!"
Right when she hears Cassidy say that, Valeria breaks eye contact with Edward and turns toward us.
"I'm obviously the stronger one my little cutie. Do you truly believe an old man could be my opponent? I'm much more dependable."
Valeria is trying to flirt with my daughter!
Edward refuses to take Valeria's comment lying down and stabs towards her exposed back with a dagger that appears in his hand out of nowhere. And from what I can tell that isn't some kind of trick dagger with a retractable blade. It's as real and deadly as weapons get.
Valeria bends her body in a fluid motion to evade the dagger. Her speed of movement is far superior to Edward's as her speed stat is leagues above his.
He follows up with a series of stabs that she keeps evading by bending her body in various ways.
Now, I'm no expert in combat but my particular skill set allows me to judge people's abilities rather well. And unless Edward has some godlike skill that eludes my senses while giving him immense power this stalemate shouldn't be persisting.
Valeria surpasses all his stats by at least one fold. She should be wiping the floor with him so badly that he won't be walking for weeks and yet all she does is dodge his attacks over and over with such exaggerated movements.
Unless...
She's putting on a show, isn't she? And all that to impress my girls. I want to go back home and hide my girls in the basement but knowing Valeria that wouldn't stop her. Anything you can do for me there Navi?
They are sixteen years old this year.
I don't want to hear it. Just make sure to keep her in check.
By reaction you mean lust?
Is that supposed to be a good thing?
Is this supposed to make me feel better?
That's actually good. But I'm still worried.
My attention snaps back to reality. Valeria is still toying with Edward and indeed Cassidy is about to reach the floor with her chin.
"How is she so fast!"
"Valeria is a level 200 blood mage with a flair for martial arts. She doubles as an assassin."
Navi, how did you come up with all this crap?
"She's a blood mage? That's an advanced class, isn't it?"
"Classes like this are referred to as specialized classes since she is technically still a mage with no real advancement."
"For a mage to be so good at physical combat... I want to be just like her!"
I want to heavily object but Cassidy seems adamant on the matter. Can't Cassidy just get a peaceful job so that I don't need to worry? Like a sports instructor, she always liked running.
You had kids?