The proposition? – Chapter 18
After their unexpected encounter with the blonde kid, Hiroki and Aya were guided to the second floor of the restaurant and into a tidy room brimming with books and paperwork.
At one end of the room, a small table surrounded by plush couches awaited their arrival.
Seated on the other side of the table was the young blonde, who appeared to hold a position of great importance within the establishment. The trio sat in silence for a few minutes until the blonde kid spoke up.
"I think I haven't introduced myself yet," he said, his voice breaking the awkward silence. "My name is Lucas Monfort, also known as the—"
"The greedy merchant."
Hiroki suddenly cut off the blonde boy with a stern voice, earning a small smile in response from the young boy.
"Yes…" Lucas smiled as he closed his eyes. "I've also been called that name. However, I hope this does not interfere with what we came here to discuss, right?"
"That will depend on how this will unfold." Hiroki gave a blank stare as he responded.
While Hiroki was already conversing with the alleged young boy merchant, Aya moved her gaze back and forth, trying her best to understand what they were saying. She had heard about the nickname 'The Greedy Merchant' before.
However, she never paid any mind to it.
But from what she has heard, he was known as one of the most talented and successful merchants in the kingdom who had managed to get most of the products to sell under his own name. However, she never expected that this talented merchant was this young-looking boy.
"Hahaha, that is indeed true."
Chuckled the blonde merchant before taking a deep breath and adopting a self-assured grin.
"But let's skip the chit-chat and get to the point. As you might've already guessed, I've taken interest in the energy drink that you've supplied to two distinct stores in this town."
While Hiroki remained unperturbed, Aya's eyes involuntarily twitched in surprise at the way the merchant referred to the potion that Hiroki had concocted. They had never disclosed to the public that the potion was, in fact, an energy drink, as Hiroki had initially claimed.
'So how come…..that he knows about its name?' Aya asked in her mind. 'Unless….'
The room lapsed into silence for several seconds as Hiroki regarded Lucas with his stoic expression.
"And what's your offer?"
"I propose that you direct your product supply exclusively to me, in lieu of distributing to individual stores. I will oversee the marketing and sales strategies, while you retain control over the pricing. Additionally, I can offer guidance on suitable manufacturing locations and provide adequate labor to ensure the supply meets the demand of the entire town and potentially the kingdom."
"That does sound like an attractive offer to me. However, I need to ask you one thing before I give you my final answer." Hiroki said, his voice calm but firm. "How come the majority of your employees who have reached an agreement with you have never been seen again?"
The blonde merchant kept the same kind of small and professional smile at the sudden question that Hiroki made.
"Most of my employees or people that have been partnered up with me are usually secrets that aren't public. If you're referring to my previous failures, then where and what those merchants did is no longer my concern. I have no control over what they do or do not do."
Hiroki gave a small, sudden, and unexpected smile once he heard the answer from Lucas. He was aware of the situation, and the merchant's response provided him with the final decision. However, he still had a few more questions that needed to come out.
"So if I refuse to agree to your terms, will you get rid of me as well?" Hiroki provoked, his smile cunning.
As Hiroki continued asking his question, Aya watched the two intently, her mind whirring with thoughts and questions.
She couldn't shake off the feeling that this deal might not be as straightforward as it seemed. And from the sudden claim that Hiroki made at the end, she suddenly got a grasp of what might've happened.
They were suddenly attacked by a knight who claimed she was a demon and demanded they hand over the materials for the energy drink.
This was no coincidence, and this merchant boy had to have been part of it. She clenched her fist in anger, ready to attack the boy in case Hiroki would order her to do so.
"Please pay no mind to that, as I had no intention of actually harming any of you. And I'm sure that you're aware of that as well." The boy brushed off that claim with a smile on his face.
"So you're claiming that you were trying to see what I am after failing to get a background check on me?" Hiroki inquired, his smile now turning into a twisted one as he was trying to make Lucas spill the beans about everything.
But despite his attempts, the blonde merchant still kept his cool.
"...."
"....Your silence means yes. If that's so, then we have no agreement here. I'm leaving."
Hiroki said this as he rose from the couch. Aya also followed after him. He had already received the answers he required. However, despite getting up to leave, he didn't seem that hurried to leave.
"That's fine by me, but before you leave, I want to ask you something."
Lucas calmly spoke, getting Hiroki's attention once more.
"Even if you agree or disagree with my proposition, I have nothing to lose in reality. However, if you ask me, you should accept it. Living in that broken house illegally and then selling small portions in just two stores is something that neither of us can profit from."
"....."
"However, have you noticed any sudden increase of customers in those small stores you are supplying?" The blonde boy inquired.
As Aya watched the room fall silent, she thought that the blonde boy was simply jealous of Hiroki's success in selling potions on his own. Despite that, she observed how Hiroki's face remained expressionless as he processed the young child's statement, showing no sign of emotion.
The room was quiet, and no one spoke a word for the following few seconds. Hiroki could see what this young kid was saying, and he couldn't deny how marketing worked in this world.
'....I see, so that's how he works….'
Hiroki mused to himself before pretending to sit back down on the couch. He already had a grasp of what might go wrong, but at the same time, he wasn't going to turn a blind eye to the way this merchant boy was destroying the economic situation of other merchants and businesses.
Aya also followed after him, a bit confused about what Hiroki was thinking right now.
Did this kid say something that would grab Hiroki's attention this much?
"Fine…. I will agree on your terms. However, I am not willing to sell or reveal the recipe for this drink. I want to have the final say on how it's made, what goes into it, and its overall quality. If you can guarantee that, then we can discuss further." Hiroki's eyes narrowed.
Lucas nodded with his usual smile.
"I understand your concerns, and I can assure you that I will not interfere with your creative process. You will have complete control over the product's ingredients and quality."
Once both Hiroki and Lucas came to an agreement, they both signed two copies of documents, which each of them could keep as proof of their new relationship in this business.
Aya also quietly watched this in silence, still a bit perplexed on how Hiroki made up his mind on selling his drink only to this merchant.
She knew that if Hiroki would work with this merchant, the owner of the store where she spent some time with Emily wouldn't be able to get any more potions, and their business would return to its original empty state.
She felt somewhat responsible for this, but she lacked the courage to persuade Hiroki to change his mind. She trusted him, and she didn't want to question his decision despite the fact that he had already made connections with that specific store.
After both confirmed their signed papers, Lucas smiled before ordering a waiter to show them their way out of the building. For today, there was nothing else to discuss, which is why Lucas said that he was going to prepare the mentioned place for Hiroki tomorrow.
On the way home, Aya had many questions on her mind. However, what bothered her the most was that Hiroki agreed on this potential business that seemed very questionable from the way they were discussing one another.
Hiroki, on the other hand, maintained a straight face as if replaying the entire conversation and everything that had occurred up to this point.
* * *
The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the trees, Hiroki and Aya left their abandoned home to discover a sleek carriage waiting for them.
The carriage was prepared by Lucas, which is why they immediately assumed that he was going to show them the new place where they were going to make those energy drinks.
The place however, wasnt how they had expected…
Where the carriage had stopped was a rather large mansion with a big garden and many flowers around. The whole place was a classic place where a noble or wealthy baron would live, but to Hiroki, this wasn't all that impressive.
Aya, on the other hand, seemed rather nervous at the size of this whole mansion, which is why she tried her best to remain calm the whole time.
In the carriage was also a servant who was ordered to guide Hiroki and Aya. He was the same waiter who had served them before. That's how he knew who to look for in the abandoned house.
After getting off the carriage, Aya and Hiroki were led to a certain room in this mansion where Lucas was also waiting.
"Seems like you've made it." He greeted them as he seemed to be enjoying a warm tea.
Once Aya and Hiroki sat down, the servant bowed before leaving the three of them alone.
"As you've already guessed, this is going to be the place where you can create as many energy drinks as you want. You can use it however you want without any restriction. It's yours, and you can do whatever you want."
Lucas explained before putting down his cup of tea and then pushing forward a big bag of gold coins.
Hiroki and Aya saw the bag, already assuming what might be inside just from the sound of it. However, they didn't give any response or reaction yet.
"And this is my first investment regarding the labor that will assist you with the product. I believe that you should be the one to choose who you employ. This is what you want, right?" Lucas inquired, his eyes hinting at something.
"Yes, I will handle that part." Hiroki casually agreed.
"Then, that's everything from my side."
The blonde merchant clapped his hands once before getting up, seemingly satisfied by this.
"WIthin the next week, I would like to get the first supply of energy drinks from you. So I hope that from now on, everything will go as we both wished for."
"Hold on…."
However, Hiroki didn't seem to be done talking with Lucas.
Both Aya and the blonde merchant looked at him, curious to know the stern way Hiroki suddenly spoke.
"Is there still something that you find unsatisfactory?" Lucas asked.
"Yes, I need to ask you one last thing." Hiroki said before pulling out of Aya's dimensional pocket a certain silver pendant and placing it on the table so he could see it.
It was the same magnetic pendant that Hiroki found interest in.
Aya seemed a bit surprised and curious to know what Hiroki was trying to do with the gift that she tried giving him. The sign of proof that the two of them were connected
"Is this one of your merch?" Hiroki inquired.
The blonde merchant gave a quick look at the pendant before softly smiling with his arms crossed.
"That's indeed, one of my products that has recently been popular among the folktown." Lucas confirmed, his eyes a bit puzzled by the sudden question. "Is something wrong with it?"
"So a young kid has been able to not only produce jewelry accessories but also has found a way to somehow create and use magnets? That's truly a huge breakthrough for this world." Hiroki gave a small smirk as he made his claim.
The blonde merchant remained quiet as he looked at Hiroki with a stern look on his face. He knew exactly what Hiroki was trying to say, which is why he didn't respond as quickly as he usually does.
Aya, on the other hand, who was still holding back on why Hiroki brought up the pendant she bought, tried to understand what Hiroki was trying to get into.
'Magnets? Breakthrough?....' was all Aya could think at the moment.
The whole room was silent for a few more minutes before the blonde kid chuckled at what Hiroki was trying to say. There was no longer any need to hide it, and he knew he could earn his trust much easier if he came clean about this.
Lucas leaned on the couch with a smile.
"I never imagined that someone other than myself had been brought into this world."
Hiroki's eyes relaxed after Lucas finally came clean about his knowledge.
"So that explains why you have managed this much despite being summoned here."
The blonde merchant raised a brow.
"Summoned?"
"Isn't that how you ended up in this world?" Hiroki asked, quite interested to know how this boy ended up in this world.
Was he brought here like him?
Aya, on the other hand, was taken aback when she realized someone other than Hiroki was in here.
She knew that the place where Hiroki had come from was somewhere that no one was able to go, so she felt that her benefactor might feel a bit nostalgic due to finding someone who was from the same place as him.
"No, unfortunately I was killed while I was on my way to work by someone. And the next thing I knew, I was reincarnated as the child of a wealthy merchant." Lucas let out a sigh as he recalled everything that had happened to him.
"So something different must've happened to me then..." Hiroki mused to himself, slowly putting the pieces together.
"But I sure was surprised as well that you were summoned in here." Lucas smiled. "I thought you were reincarnated as a demon."
"Unfortunately, no. Somehow me and Aya were cursed, making the color of our hair white." Hiroki said his usual lie.
Aya, despite trying to understand some of the unknown words like 'reincarnation', kept listening eagerly to what this secret civilization might be like.
"Hmm, while most of the commoners in this world are slowly believing that demons were just a tale, I can still see how your demon-like traits could cause some trouble."
Lucas rubbed his own chin as he let out his own thoughts.
"Well, not that it matters for now because I wouldn't really care if you were a demon in the first place for as long as you are interested in collaborating on this energy drink."
Hiroki leaned a bit closer, his eyes narrowing.
"Have you ever met a demon before?"
Lucas opened one of his eyes as he glanced at Hiroki in wonder.
"No, I've never seen or met one. I was hoping to find one, then when I found out about you and Miss Aya, I couldn't help but reach out. Are you perhaps trying to look for demons?"
Aya also looked back at Hiroki, waiting for an answer on what he was planning on doing. He never says what he thinks, which is why she thought she could use this opportunity to prepare herself for what Hiroki was up to.
"I don't have any intentions on doing so yet. However, I do have some things that I need to learn about them. Like about their characteristics and why they have been hiding in the demon kingdom for so long." Hiroki stated, earning a bit of surprise from both Lucas and Aya.
"So you think as well that they have been hiding from humans this whole time?" The blonde kid raised a brow.
Hiroki gave a small smirk. "Of course, all the books I've read until now claim that they either disappeared or died off after the final battle with humans. An entire race cannot vanish from the face of the world so easily, which is why I believe a third party must have intervened to wipe those demons from human memory."
As the room fell silent in thought for a few seconds, the same waiter who had brought Hiroki and Aya here entered the room after knocking twice. Lucas immediately knew why his servant was here, that's why he got up after letting out a sigh.
"Seems like this was all the time I had free for today." The blonde merchant said. "I would love to continue our discussion over this topic someday. However, I still have a job to do. You, on the other hand, can continue looking around the mansions as you wish. If there is anything that you need from me, then you know where to find me."
And once the blonde kid left the room, Hiroki and Aya also got up to look around the mansion.
The whole place was very big, and they didn't even know where to look first. Hiroki wasn't interested in any of the rooms because he was a ghost and didn't really need a place to rest, which is why he flew in and out of the walls in search of a specific location where he could work.
He also didn't have to worry about getting caught because the entire place was practically empty.
He continued exploring around until he found an underground floor with a wide space where a lot of storage could be held.
'I could use this.'
He made up his mind after confirming and making up a plan in his mind on how he would use this underground storage floor for the production of energy drinks.
The day was still young, and Aya and Hiroki had basically checked out most of the rooms in this mansion. Even though the whole place was still a bit dusty from not being used, to Aya, this was the most luxurious house she had ever seen before.
She lived in an abandoned, cracked house, so this place seemed like day and night compared to the place she was before.
They still had a lot of stuff to do, so without wasting any more time, Aya waited to see what they needed to do next and where to find people who would work under Hiroki.
Hiroki couldn't just ask random people to work for him, and he was aware of that. Right now, he needed someone who would work in silence without causing any commotion or trouble with their white hair.
But before that, they needed to gather materials to make the necessary amount of energy drinks for Lucas. So Hiroki came up with a plan that would require them to spend two days working outside the town.
And in order to make their activity less suspicious to the guilds, Aya was going to undertake a quest while helping out Hiroki at the same time.
As Hiroki and Aya made their way through the crowded streets towards the guild, they couldn't help but notice that the crowds were denser than usual.
At first, they assumed it was due to an influx of visitors, but soon they spotted the cause of the commotion. A carriage was slowly making its way through the crowd.
People were jostling and pushing to catch a glimpse of what was inside, making it difficult for Hiroki and Aya to get through.
They waited patiently for the carriage to pass, and as it came into view, Aya's eyes widened in shock. The vehicle was more akin to a prison transport than a regular carriage, and the occupants were clearly not willing passengers.
Aya's heart sank as she took in the sight of dozens of young children, huddled together in fear or staring blankly ahead with lifeless eyes. It was a tragic and deeply unsettling scene, one that would haunt her for a long time to come.
"T-thats…." Aya struggled to form a sentence as she immediately recognized some of the children.
They were orphans that she saw in the other town with Hiroki. At the time, they had been struggling to survive, banding together to steal what they needed and hiding in the shadows of dark alleys.
To her shock, it now appeared that the same kids were being held captive by the previous slave trader. As the realization dawned on her, she stood frozen in place, unable to move or look away from the approaching carriage.
"Move out of the way already! There's nothing to see here!" A certain man shouted as he told Aya and all the people to move out of the way of the carriage.
Hiroki, of course, used his skill 'Mind's force' to draw Aya away from danger. He knew what she might have been going through, which is why he waited until she would snap back from it.
Aya was gripping her fist as tightly as she could, staring at the children's state. She couldn't handle the fact that some innocent children like them had ended up like that.
And, in the future, possibly becoming the property of some twisted noble who enjoyed seeing children suffer. Just the thought of it made her heart bump in rage and hatred, remembering her dark past failures and the cruel way this world had treated her.
Yes, she knew how this world worked. And she hated it. People are selfish, cruel, and simply do not care about the weak. This is how Aya saw the way this side of the world worked.
And if it weren't for Hiroki, she would've never been able to realize that.
"I'm okay now," Aya softly said, her hands now loose. "Let's go."
* * *
After arriving at the adventurer's guild, the first one to notice a dark-cloaked young girl was no one other than Mirai. She knew that she was the only one who would walk around while covering her own head, which is why she was the first one to walk towards her and greet her as usual.
"Aya, it's been awhile."
The receptionist gave a warm smile as she immediately noticed her cute face.
"How have you been? Are you here for a quest? If so, then I have several interesting ones that you might like."
"Ah, Miss Mirai."
Aya looked up with a wry smile, trying to hide her true emotions. She didn't want to worry her friend, which is why she thought it would be best to put up an act with her emotions.
"Yes, I'm here for a quest."
"Of course, so what kind of quest... are you....looking....for..."
The receptionist attempted to ask her typical questions when dealing with an adventure, but her gaze quickly shifted to Aya's side, noticing that she wasn't alone.
Beside her was a boy that was wearing casual dark jeans, a white shirt, and a dark cloak similar to Aya's.
However, once she looked closer to the shadow of the cloak this boy was wearing, she noticed his unusual white hair and red eyes. That person gave a small smile as the receptionist finally noticed him being casual with Aya by her side.
The receptionist, on the other hand, narrowed her eyes while glancing at him.
Mirai leaned closer to Aya.
"Do you know that person?"
Aya also felt a bit worried about this since she knew this was going to happen. She could've asked Hiroki to wait outside, but at the same time, she also wanted him to stay by her side.
However, not everyone will believe every lie they are going to say, which is why she wasn't sure what Mirai was going to say or do once she noticed that Hiroki also had white hair like her.
Hiroki seemed calm as well, so she wasn't sure how to deal with this.
After a few more seconds of staring, Mirai crossed her arms.
"Based on the distance you two have, I'm guessing that you are close? Tell me, are you two dating? Perhaps lovers? Aya, you need to tell me every single detail about this person and how you two are related to one another. There won't be such a thing as no, as I need to know with whom you travel."
Aya, who was bombarded with so many questions, widened her eyes as her cheeks slightly reddened at the claims that her benefactor was seen as her lover. Just the thought of it made her stomach flutter, and her dark thoughts withered away.
However, at the same time, she didn't want to offend or claim anything in front of Hiroki, so she tried clearing up this misunderstanding.
Or that's what she was going to do before Hiroki took one step forward to introduce himself.
"I'm sorry if I have caused any misunderstanding. My name is Hiroki, a traveling merchant who was saved some weeks ago by Aya. I have settled in this amazing town and have found a great opportunity to spread my products in this place. And to answer your questions, Aya and I have no such relationship with one another, even though it might seem like that. I've hired Aya as my full-time bodyguard, while also looking for a cure for the condition of our hair."
Mirai blinked twice, taken aback by Hiroki's unusual introduction. She then turned to Aya, noticing a hint of sadness in her expression, before letting out a sigh.
As she turned back to face Hiroki, she couldn't help but feel a sense of suspicion rising within her. Despite his friendly demeanor, there was something about him that seemed off, and she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
"I understand." The receptionist spoke before her eyes narrowed. "However, Aya is someone who has been through so I hope that you won't abuse her kindness during your research about your conditions."
Hiroki softly smiled. "I have no such intentions with Aya at all. Actually, she has been a great help to me. This is why I offered her this job where we both can help one another, but also figure out a way to remove this unfortunate condition of our hair."
The receptionist looked at Hiroki as she spoke before softly closing her eyes for a moment.
Perhaps she could tell that Hiroki had no such ill intentions toward her. However, she still wasn't going to let this slide that easily in case anything were to happen to Aya.
"If that's so, then I'm relieved." The receptionist responded back with the same kind of smile on her face.
She had been doing her best to help Aya behind the scenes. Even during moments when she wasn't fully aware of what Aya was up to.
The fact that Aya now had someone she could completely trust brought a sense of relief to Mirai's heart. This wasn't because Hiroki seemed trustworthy.
It was because of the unwavering faith that Aya had in him, a trust that shone brightly in her eyes. The receptionist couldn't help but notice the way Aya looked at Hiroki, with an adorable gaze that made it clear to anyone paying attention that Aya had strong feelings for him.
That alone was enough for Mirai to not doubt Aya's decision on who she chose to be with. But at the same time, that didn't mean she was going to fully leave Aya in this boy's hands.
After they were done clearing out their doubts with one another, the receptionist led Aya and Hiroki to her desk, where they chose a suitable quest that Aya needed to complete. Of course, since Hiroki also needed a few materials, he suggested that he was going to go with Aya.
Mirai found this a bit troubling, but at the same time assuring since Aya wasn't going to be alone during her quest. Despite Aya's approval of trust, she still didn't know much about Hiroki, which is why she was going to keep an eye on him.
The quest that Aya took was another investigation into a certain part of the forest where it has been causing many small monsters to relocate and cause trouble for villagers or travelers. Aya's job was to check this out and confirm whether there is a powerful monster causing this, and if possible, what kind it is.
This kind of quest was usually meant for skilled adventurers with stealth abilities. But also for artists that are able to capture any kind of monster and draw it without getting noticed. Getting some visual information about the guild was something very valuable to them.
Mirai couldn't help feeling a twinge of worry as she assigned the quest to Aya. Although she knew that Aya was no longer the timid novice she once was, this task would still be a challenge. After all, it was yet another test that the guildmaster had singled her out for.
And as Aya was leaving the guild with Hiroki, Mirai could only look on with worry as the once weak little girl was taking matters into her own hands.
'I really hope…. that whatever the guildmaster is planning…. Won't cause any harm to you….. Aya....' Mirai gripped her own dress. '....so please...… be safe….'
* * *
Naturally, the moment the duo in black and white found themselves at a far distance, Hiroki possessed the white haired girl in order to improve her senses and speed.
During the time they have spent together, Hiroki has also tested many experiments on his own or with Aya, and he has figured out that if he possessed someone who was in a soul contract with him, his senses and strength would improve drastically.
This was something that he could use to improve his own status without having the means to spend his spiritual points all the time.
Using Aya's significant speed, they were able to reach the same dead forest where they would gather more Funky trees for Hiroki's energy drink.
There were a lot of Funky trees in this place, so Hiroki and Aya didn't hesitate to cut as many as they could. This was also another experiment where they would test the very limits of the dimensional storage on Aya's cloak.
The cloak itself worked by inserting the user's hand inside the pocket.
However, Aya figured out that if she kept her hand inside, while touching and focusing her eyes on a nearby object, she would be able to create a glowing white circle from underneath, where the cloak would be able to store. And to their surprise, they managed to store more than ten tons of Funky Tree by dividing them into smaller pieces.
'To think that even after trying to overload it…. It still feels like that dimensional storage is bottomless….' Hiroki thought, still feeling surprised that it was able to hold this much material.
It was clear to him that whoever possessed that cloak was no ordinary person.
They were undoubtedly gifted with a creative mind and a powerful core. However, Hiroki couldn't shake the feeling that the owner of the cloak was someone who had once lived on Earth. Only they would have the ingenuity to create a dimensional storage unit with a bottomless capacity.
It was a formidable piece of creation, and he knew that anyone who wielded it would have a significant advantage over their rivals.
Unfortunately, during his time in the dungeon core, he didn't find anything useful. That's why he assumed whoever owned that dungeon had died.... Or abandoned it….
Once they gathered whatever materials Hiroki felt were enough for his energy drink, they headed to the south of the forest, where they would now investigate the main pathway that led to another faraway kingdom called 'Evandal'.
Just as it was reported, on the way there, there were many monsters that were seeking a hideout. T
hey knew that this would cause much trouble to merchants or traveling humans, which is why Aya, with Hiroki now supporting her from the inside, continued following the pathway.
"You really think that a powerful monster is causing this?"
Aya asked after hearing Hiroki's thoughts regarding her quest. They were now walking near the same pathway, trying to avoid any attacks from any monsters.
~Yes, it's very likely that either a powerful monster is behind this…. Or a demon ....~ Hiroki claimed while still being inside Aya.
Aya's eyes widened for a moment before gripping her own daggers.
"A demon..."
~It's just a hypothesis, so you don't need to get this excited just yet.~
"Ah, no….Sorry…." Aya's eyes narrowed, now looking below her in thought.
~But that doesn't mean we have to take it easy. That's why you should try to keep your guard up. After all, if you manage to complete this quest successfully, you'll be able to rank up once again.~
"Huh? How do you..?"
The white-haired girl looked up again, as if trying to look at Hiroki in his eyes, almost forgetting that he was now inside her body, looking at everything through her own eyes.
~I could tell from the way Mirai was acting when she gave you this quest. It was clear that this was the guildmaster's doing.~
Aya fell into her own thoughts, recalling how the guildmaster had been trying to help her this whole time.
Why was he going to such lengths to test her? Was this to confirm that Aya was indeed a relative of the strongest knight in the kingdom? Was she lied to once again?
"What do you think I should do?" Aya asked for her benefactor's opinion, dejected at being played with once again.
~I think you shoul— CROUCH!~
Hiroki attempted to express his opinion, but his words were cut in half as he made Aya's body crouch to the lowest point where she could keep both her hands on the ground.
Aya, who was taken aback by Hiroki's sudden change of behavior, tried to follow Hiroki's instructions on reflex before feeling the air above her blow so hard that dust and leaves were almost blown away.
"What happened?"
She attempted to question what had attempted to hit her. That's why, without letting go of her daggers, she raised her eyes and saw something that made her eyes go wide.
"That is….."
What was some meters away from Aya was a huge lizard-like monster with large stiff scales.
Its red glaring eyes that had vertical slits, were looking at Aya in rage while growling at her. Its whole body shifted colors from the way its surroundings had. And right now, it was a mix of brown yellow and dark green colors that almost mixed with its own surroundings.
~An Earth Dragon.~ Hiroki said while looking closely at the kind of monster that had tried to hit them.
[ STATUS ]
Race: Earth Dragon
Health: 15,000/300
Condition: Demonized
INT: ? | STR: 6,000 | AGI: 18 | VIT: 140 | DEF: 10,000
" Skills "