Just a conversation
I met them at the meeting point and we exchanged information. I was telling them what happened in the duel and they were telling me about the places they managed to find.
They managed to find the Bolturim inn, which even now being bigger and of better quality, the prices really make it the best. Even though what happened in Level 1 about the earth titan, there were also those moments where we helped the villagers and lived with them… But it seems they treat us with indifference now, as if they didn't know us. There are some players I've also noticed that talk to them as if they were lifeless objects or things and keep calling them NPCs… Don't they have any consideration at all?
Anyway, there's nothing to be done, for now let's leave things as they are...
I told them I was going to get a room (for one person, Raild!) to put Lahri to rest and that I'd be watching her until she woke up. To save money they decided to use the same layout as always, one room for two people with separate beds, two lie on the beds without the pillows and another two lie on the floor with the pillows. Despite being a little tight, it works, but this time whoever lies on the floor will have more space since I'll be in another room! Raild probably will, he always loses when we draw who gets the beds…
While I was taking Lahri to the bedroom, there were several unpleasant looks… can't she have peace even when she's sleeping?
Now that I'm at the maximum level of the game, I must be careful not to end up drawing too much attention, so I avoided trying to teach those people a lesson, but when the time is right I'll make sure they never get in the way again!
I decided not to tell anyone about my level change, including the three of them, because I don't want them to get scared and end up losing their confidence, in me and in themselves. Luckily the system gained some new changes that turned out to be very useful.
As Daizou had explained, it's only possible to analyze a person if their information is open, with the level advancement it's possible to choose some new options and one of them is to hide some information, so I decided to hide my level. As they didn't ask anything about this matter then it must have worked out… It saves me a lot of trouble! Thanks, TT-chan!
I put her to bed and she is still sleeping. They told me they also found some really nice places to eat, but since I have to stay here with her, she said they could buy something for both of us and bring it here and Kaule said he would take care of that mission.
To brighten their hopes I said that Lahri is the last member we were needing and that I will talk to her about getting the money we need to create the guild.
And they really left happy, celebrating that soon they won't have to worry about sleeping on the floor of small spaces (mostly Raild), trying to think of a name and dreaming that we would be rich and famous with the quests that would come… For these moments I realize how it's good to have companions!
I could call them friends, but I still don't have the courage to do that...
***
Luckily, there's a chair inside the room that I placed beside the bed. I sat down to reflect on our situation. We managed to get to Level 2 and Daizou said that it is possible that we will face two more levels of Tower before reaching the top with totally unknown missions, including this one… There are people who have been waiting for a long time for the Tower to choose one level mission, but there's been no announcement and I've heard of some rumors that the system has been corrupted or that the Tower has trapped everyone here, but I think it's a very difficult situation to be true.
That guy must be behind this probably, not only that, but all the problems that have occurred since I came here and besides he knew me and knew my past…
If you're going to take a guess, me and this guy were pretty close and we probably have similar power sources, that would explain my power and his being so great. But something happened between the two of us and he ended up sealing several aspects... Judging by his behavior, he doesn't seem like someone good who just wanted to punish me for making a mistake...
Also, the doctor said that time that he is called the deputy master of the Tower, meaning he is involved with the true master, but I can't imagine what his relationship is with the Imeruani of destruction and how he sealed my memories. remind me who he is, but that first time on the floor when I heard his voice clear, I felt that he really is someone I knew and that he caused me a big hurt in the past…
Maybe he was the one who destroyed my clan… No, if anyone is to blame, it was me, I'm sure of that, even without knowing why!
I have this feeling stuck in my heart that no sealing could hold. Only if he had even changed my heart to feel this remorse… But what does he gain by making me suffer like this?
- Nham…. nham… (Lahri)
…
Hihi
She seems to be having sweet dreams for sleeping happy like this...
Brother Thyrus warned me that it will be an important key to the future… I find it amazing how all the coincidences that have occurred so far have been extremely convenient, it's like someone is making this all happen on purpose but not seeming like that.
I decided to pet her head, I ended up getting addicted to her soft fur and she seems to like it… at least in her sleep ''^^)... I hope she doesn't get mad at me.
Just as it was by chance that I met those three, this time it was you and that's why I don't think I'll need to pay attention to formalities.
But you really were amazing in that duel! I was about to give up if it wasn't for brother Thyrus… by the way, I felt invaded by watching me even in my soul! What's going on with this place?! Does anyone know what privacy means????
- Ah… /Sigh/
I don't think I'll ever get used to this series of weird events...
I move my hand away from her head, but she ended up taking my arm in her sleep… Does she know she's not a child anymore?
…
With it we were able to fulfill the requirements to create the guild, but I still don't know what name to put…
…
Hmmmm...
I won't even risk it...
I think I'll take the opportunity to rest a little too...
***
PoV - Lahri
/Yawn!/
I open my eyes slowly...
This nap was really good! I've never felt so…
Wait, whose arm is that?
Kyaaa! I release him quickly!
… Looks like he's sleeping…
And there's something wrong with the place too… /looking around/
If I'm not mistaken I was in the garden near the arena and I…
… it's him…
( 0///0) / turning red with embarrassment /
I can't believe I did all that in front of him!!!
…
But he didn't seem like a bad person.
Only now I'm in a room… with him…
But I don't feel anything different about me…so he didn't try to do anything anyway?
He's sleeping now so this is my chance to get away before he wakes up!
Also, he undid the contract and…
...
"Want to come along with me on my journey? Maybe you don't believe my words, but I promise I will protect you from your fears and help you achieve what you want! But if you don't want to, I'll understand too…"
...At that time I was very emotional that nothing was going to happen to me and I ended up answering yes...
I know it would be best for me to run away now, but after everything he's done for me... I feel indebted to him, and he really doesn't seem like a bad person...
But I can't trust anyone... I've been deceived by men and even women who seemed nice, but only did mean things to me...
/Stare.../
…
But if he wanted to have done something, he would have already done...
Close to him...
/ Smells! Smells! /
He doesn't smell like crumbling substances so he hasn't tried to use things on me and I feel whole and refreshed.
I… ended up hurting him very seriously…
From the tear marks I left on his shirt, he really should have died… I was almost losing control of my power… if it wasn't for him I think I would also be in a bad situation…
…
And him sleeping like that seems harmless, I don't think I need to worry about him right now...
Right! I'll wait for him to wake up to negotiate a favor with him so I can pay my debt to him and go on my way…
Although... I don't think it's a bad idea to continue the challenges with someone's help... in this case, I think being with him will help me a lot to get what I want and he even said he would help me...
…
No! He might be trying to deceive me… but I can't miss that opportunity either… so I'll watch him for whatever favor he asks for and I'll find out if he really isn't a deceiver!
…
/Face it.../
He looks very young, is he my age?
I poke his cheek...
…
Didn't he wake up? Is he those kind of people who are hard to wake up to?!
In fact, he must have expended a lot of energy because of the duel and must be extremely exhausted...
I sit on the bed waiting for him to wake up...
…
I've never had the opportunity to see someone like that before… even more a boy my age…
(0 ////////// 0) I won't be thinking the wrong things! / Red! /
…
Unlike him, I don't want to do anything wrong with him!
So I don't need to be afraid of what he might think, since he's the villain in the story, right?
…
I get out of bed and look around him.
He appears to be a fit person and has several marks from bruises that have healed.
I hold his hand to feel what she is like. Apparently he must be a real adventurer, unlike those rich nobles who just pretend to be.
He has that sword of his in a scabbard... and a necklace around his neck with a stone and an amulet...
- System, analyze!
The name is Lyunil Akinikai and the class is… Zhokin? And don't have the level? Or is he hiding?
Did I end up fighting the wrong person? I was sure he was weak that time we first met. And I've never heard of this class before...
He appears to be an ordinary human and has gray hair... is he some kind of vampire?... That would explain his strength...
And I bring my face close to his face to see his teeth, but his mouth is closed…
I hadn't noticed this before… but he's kind of cute…
…
(0////0) I have to stop thinking about unnecessary things!
I use my hand to squeeze his cheeks (they're very soft) and try to get him to open his mouth, but I can't see straight, if I approach it in another way...
/Door opening/
What?
- Lyunil, sorry for the delay, here it is….
Who is he? Does he know Lyunil?
- I think I interrupted something...
- Wait!!! It's not what you're thinking!!!!
- Rest assured, I understand that young people are like that! I'll leave your food here. Have fun!
He left a package on the floor and closed the door...
...
( 0///////////////////////////////////0) {Note: this emoji turned into Lahri's embarrassment meter}
- WHY? WHY MUST IT BE THIS WAY? HE IS THE VILLAIN OF THE STORY!!! NOT ME!!!!!
- Hun?... Lahri?... Why do you look angry?
- IT'S YOUR FAULT!!!
/PUNCH!/
…
[Attempt to fight started! Analyzing the situation…]
DAMN IT!
I ended up hitting him with my power on impulse and he ended up passing out...
Now I am in deep debt to him….
I crouch down to check his face. I think I hit pretty hard.
[No evidence of disgust feelings found! This will only be a warning, in case of recurrence there will be possible punishments]
(｡T ωT｡) Why does fate have to be so cruel to me?...
***
PoV - Lyunil
...
I feel trapped, as if my body is turning to stone...
The old man approaches me and looking into my eyes says in a weak voice...
- You must live, Lyunil! Now you've become our clan's rightful heir… /Cough! Cough/
- Grandpa Erukaiden! Please do not do this to me!! I do not deserve this!
Damn, I can't move, he activated the sealing so the enemy can't catch me...
- Don't worry, little Ly! Giving my life to save you is a priceless gift for me, and I'm sure that's how others think too...
The scene is full of chaos and destruction, flames consuming houses and bodies, people trying to resist attacks only for the sealing to be completed, as everyone knows they are going to die and all because of me!...
- NO PLEASE GRANDPA ERU! I DON'T WANT TO BE SAVED, I WANT TO DIE WITH YOU TOO!! THIS IS ALL MY Fault, YOU ARE WHO SHOULD BE SAVED!!!
- My little Ly, don't say this as the last parting words to this frail old man...
He put his hand on my head for the last time and smiled, as if he hadn't held any regrets in his life...
- Please I beg you…
As much as I try I can't do it anymore, my body has already been sealed up to my neck and turned into a kind of indestructible magical elemental rock...
- Goodbye, my little Ly. I hope you have an amazing life...
- Grandpa Eru!
- ...and don't dishonor the Akinikai clan!...
/Splash!/
A sword pierced the old man...
- EE ..
My face started to be sealed, but the last region of my forehead was hit by something that looked like an arrow before it was petrified...
***
I open my eyes slowly and feel a tear running down my face. But this time I didn't get agitated like the other times, I already understood what that dream was and the reason for dreaming… even so it hurts my heart just to remember this scene…
I quickly wiped the tear away, but when I touched my face I felt it hurt all over my head.
- Ouch...
- Finally woke up!
Upon hearing this voice, I returned to the real world and noticed the situation I was in…
I knew there was something different about the "pillow"...
- Lahri?
- Yea?
- Why am I lying on the floor with my head in your lap?
- Punishment!
- ...It looks more like a gift from heaven.
- The punishment is for me, you fool! (0///0)
Huh?
I get up and stretch my body… sleeping on the floor always leaves my body a little stuck… (right, Raild?)
- Are you crying?
- It seems so…
- For a man, you're not ashamed to admit...
- There is no shame in crying, especially for people you love!...
- …
- And then you, after what happened in the garden...
- Already understood! Already understood! I'm sorry…
I look near the door and see a package on the floor.
- Is this your package?
- No, someone brought it here while you were sleeping...
- So it's our food! :3
I pick it up and open the package. There are two stuffed breads that are still warm thanks to the magic of the package ( *ω*)
- Thank you very much, Mr Kaule!!!
- …so you know that person?
- Yes, he along with Raild and Adrick are my companions too!
She looks a little worried to hear this, but I haven't mentioned it before, so she's going to start doubting me even more.
- For you! You can take it!
I hand her a loaf of bread.
- I don't want to, you can stay...
/Roonnkk!/
- …(0///0)
- No need to worry, it's not poisoned and if it is I'll die with you, but I assure you it's very good! ^^)
She decides to get the bread.
She takes a bite... and makes a liked expression.
- Delicious! What is that?
- It's probably baker José's stuffed bread, Kaule was right in his choice (although it was a little expensive, I imagine…), the baker calls it "Grilled ham and cheese sandwich"! {Note: Isekai Baker Magician}
- ★ω★)
Looks like she liked it ^^)
- ...Th-thank you...
- Now we can talk about what you want to talk to me.
- …H-how did you know that?
- I think it is not very difficult to perceive through their expressions and actions. Besides, you still didn't decide to run away while I was sleeping!
- ...And why do you think I would run away? I had told you that at that time that…
- If I ask you the same thing now, would you give me the same answer?
- …
- Besides, you were not very pleased when you found out about my companions.
- I thought you were a solo adventurer.
- I was, but I changed and I don't regret it...
- I'm really in the palm of your hand, right?
- Feel free to ask and ask what you want, I will listen and answer what you need.
- First I want to know what you want from me?
- I won't hide my curiosity or my desire to have you in our group due to your powers, but the main reason is because of the guild I want to create together with my companions and we need one more person for that (I won't say about the that brother Thyrus said, but it's also a reason) and…
- AND?
- I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to protect you and help you fulfill your wish, although I don't know...
- You don't need to worry about that, I know how to handle myself...
- I'm not just talking about protecting you from other people, but from yourself and your fears… I could see a little bit of what you really are like inside…
- …
- And it may seem a little rude of me... but even if you've gone through experiences maybe even worse than mine, I can understand how you feel about other people, because I was like that too...
- Aren't you afraid your companions will end up betraying you? That you end up being just used as an object and then thrown away? To use…
PoV - Lahri
- No need to continue...
I think the questions were more for me than for him...
- I understand this concern, but I started to see things differently and besides that I found people who helped me and who gave me strength. Also, they help me more than I can repay, if they end up just using me to achieve their goals I will feel happy that I was useful to them.
You mean he doesn't care about that?!
- For you it may even be like that, but for me it's not so simple…
- Lahri! You don't have to believe my words...
He looked into my eyes with a serious expression…
- ...but trust my actions, I will definitely protect you from any of these things happening again!
…
( 0/////////0)
I look to the side quickly, looking away from his gaze…
He's too dangerous… He looks very different from the person I met that time, or has he always been like that and hides it from others…
- O-okay… I think I'll give you a chance…
After having done all that and the problems I caused for him, I can't deny a proposal that, even so, I'm the one who is being favored...
- Thanks!! ^^)
He smiled…
- You're welcome... I think... (0///0)
- I think in the end everything turned out well!
- But if something happens and I realize that you can't keep your promise, I'll run away without thinking twice!
- Of course, you can do whatever you want!
He really is a hard guy to understand...
- I still haven't been able to repay my part of the agreement because you won the duel...
- And what do you want to do about it?
- IT'S FOR YOU TO CHOOSE! After all, you were the one who won!!
- Aaaahh… we need a platinum coin to pay the entry fee!
- Only that?
- You don't know how difficult it is for us to get money… (T-T)
- I can help with that, I got a lot of money from the competitions I won.
- Perfect! (✧ω✧)
- ...Only that?
- I think so…
So he really won't ask for anything?...
He's definitely a villain inside (not me) and I'll be able to prove it...
- You... won't ask me any favors?...
- What do you mean by that?
- Our agreement in the duel was for me to submit to you… are you telling me you didn't think of anything about it?…
- I understand…
Haaaa! I knew you had a soft spot!
- And what would you have done to me if you hadn't broken the agreement?
- Maybe a caress on the head.
- Caress?
- It's because your hair is very soft and you looked like a child…
- YOU FOOL! HOW CAN YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A HELPLESS WOMAN?!
- But it looked like you liked it… Even more, did you seem to be doing something to me while I was sleeping too, or are you going to tell me that you just got out of bed to hit me?
- ...It's not really that... I just wanted to check that you hadn't done anything wrong with me... ( 0///////////////////////0)
- Besides, from what you said you met Mr. Kaule, I think I'll ask him what was going on...
- WAIT, WAIT, WAIT! It's just a caress you wanted to do, right? So you don't have to worry about unnecessary details… I'll let you do it!
I fold my arms and keep my eyes closed.
- Do not worry…
- Please! I want you to do it!
- ''^^)>...
/Stroking/
/Wag! Wag!/
- Your tail...
- Do not say anything!
…
- I don't think I needed that….
- It's important to me, because I don't want to feel indebted to you!
- You really are a kind girl!
- …. (0///0)... T-thank you...
- Now you don't have to worry about it anymore!
He really is a weird boy, he knows I have a lot of money, he knows my powers and my sword, and he knows... I'm a girl... and he just asked me to help with the guild I'll also join, caressed my head (which wasn't bad (0///0)...) and he even promised me he would protect me...
How can I say he was the one who won?...
- There's one more thing...
- What?
- I will call you master!
- Why?
- That was one of the conditions of whoever lost.
- I don't care about that, if you want you can just call me Lyunil or Lyu...
- Thank you, but at least I want to do that, until I'm satisfied with this situation!
He then got up off the ground and held out his hand to me.
- Then I won't be against your decision… I hope we can get along well, Lahri!
I hold his hand and stand up too.
- I say the same… Master!