Mask

Now that the problem was already created, I should just go with the flow to where the scenario of the novel will take me.

Still...

As my thoughts overcame me, I suddenly heard a soft voice of a girl around the corner.

"You seemed to be having fun. Well, then. Do you want to spar, Athan?"

It was none other than Cossette.

"Sis...ter."

'Why wasn't she worried when the prophecy appeared...? Wait, why did I even asked? I already know it anyway.'

Staring at her indifferently, I once again opened my mouth to spoke.

"What do you want, sis?"

Now, I get that your probably wondering, why did I called her "sister" just now?

Well, it's because she insisted...no, forced should be the right word for that. It was because she said that if ever that I decided to not call her sister, she would immediately go on rampant, obliterating anyone in her path as an revenge for hurting her feelings.

Damn, I never thought that she'd threaten me that way.

"Athan, I get that I'm pretty but please quit staring, because even if you confess your feeling now, I'll just treat you as my little brother."

Sighing heavily, I stared at her body up and down. Although I'm doing this, that doesn't mean that I'm thinking of something perverted...maybe. But, I'm not sure.

"Sorry, but I like mountains more than fields."

-Thud!

Immediately, I regretted everything I said. Letting out a sweet smile, but the smile didn't reach her eyes, she began exuding her deadly aura towards me.

Ba...dump! Ba..dump! Ba.dump!

Everytime my heartbeat race, it become more faster, almost like I was running for hours.

I was starting to sweat like buckets, when I began gritting my teeth tightly to force myself to breathe. Because of the deadly aura she was emitting, the air on my lungs began leaving out of my body by force.

'Shit! I'm going to die if this continues.'

Thankfully, this didn't last long because after she's done taking her anger out of me, the deadly aura started to slowly become calm.

"I-I apologize..."

I murmured out loud. My voice was faint but still, it was loud enough for her to hear.

"Hmph. Next time you say that to your big sister again, I might accidentally destroy the mansion. So be careful from now on."

Letting out a fake cough, I answered in apologizing way.

"Yes... Big sister."

From now on, I learned something that I can never forget. Don't insult a flat girl in front of you. I assure you that you'll regret it.

Thirty minutes later, I was back again with my training when Cossette suddenly asked something.

"Now, then. Do you want to spar?"

She said in bored manner, which I immediately gave a reply by saying, "I-I'll have to pass on that offer another day."

"I see... Anyway, why don't we go to the town for today? Let's go sign up for adventuring."

She smiled.

Opening and closing my mouth a couple of times, I let out a long sigh before replying, "Well, I think I still have enough time anyway, so, let's go."

Since I'm going to train in the dungeon on the near future anyway, I might as well prepare my adventurer card today. And also, it was because I wanted to find out if my training paid off, thus, letting myself fight monster as an experience will be the most logical answer.

"I'll just prepare myself, can you wait for me at the entrance?"

I said, scratching the side of my cheeks.

"Hmm. Yeah."

She turned back preparing to leave the training room. Right were she was about to step out from training room's entrance, she stopped and took a quick glance at my direction before continuing to leave the room.

"...guess he's not ready to know it yet..."

She muttered, which Athan couldn't heard because she was far away from him when she said that.

***

Arriving at the town, Cossette and I decided to go to the market to buy ourselves some proper equipment that we'll both be using in the future.

Everywhere we go, we always come across few adventurer picking up some potions, items, or other important tools that might be useful inside one of the dungeon.

Though, some customers would occasionally be interested in buying antiques, also artifact conversed with the shop owners and brought what they desired.

"-I like this thing, how much?"

"-You mean this artifact, that'll be 65 copper coin in total."

I learned that the currency in this world is straightforward from the book I had read.

Copper was the lowest form of currency, then silver, after gold, followed by a giant gold piece. While for my family's financial case, gold coin is pretty much like a penny in my point-of-view, normal families can seemed to be able to live by a couple of copper in a day.

100 copper = 1 silver

100 silver = 1 gold

100 gold = 1 giant gold piece

"-What?! Isn't that a bit expensive? Can you make it lower please?"

"-Huh, lower?! Do you think that life easy? If so, leave my stall already. You're bothering my other customers, you idiot."

"-Haizz... Fine. No need to shout I can hear ya."

As we were walking down at the market, I could hear some of the shop owner and customer voice conversing from each other about an item.

'It's really getting more rowdy this days, huh?'

Suddenly, I noticed a certain shop at the distance. There were some different kind of colorful plastic and wooden masks displayed at the mask store.

'Perfect timing.'

Without looking at Cossette, I spoke up and immediately handed her some money.

"Be a good sister and buy your little brother an storage ring, okay?"

Just like the name itself, it was indeed a storage artifact. This artifact had the ability to store and preserve items inside, depending on it's rank and quality. Some of this storage artifact were able to hold a three wagon's worth of size and weight and it's weight won't even change.

Storage artifact is an accessory that can be rings, bracelets, necklace, and other various accessories.

Without waiting for her reply, I walked through the crowds, heading towards the mask store just around the corner.

"Ath-!"

As I was nearing the store, I could hear Cossette trying to protest but I ignored this fact, and continued walking.

'I'm sure that I'll receive a good sermon after I get back home... Sigh.'

I was about to step inside the door when I noticed a scene not far from where I was standing.

"-Brat, if you don't want to get beaten up here, come with us."

Cracking his knuckles, the bald man with a mustache smirked, but was ignored by the boy he was talking to.

-"You, brat--!"

I deliberately ignored them, and walked inside the store without even giving the scene a look or spare glance. Thanks to what I did when I first saw Cossette, I learned an important lesson that helping others will only bring you more bad luck.

'Sorry, but not today'

I inwardly thought, before turning my attention to the old man at the counter. Opening my mouth, I spoke up, making the old man turn his head to face my direction.

"Hey, mister. Is there any mask I can use when heading inside the dungeon that won't fall off even when using in battle?"

The old man glanced at me lightly, before turning around to take something off the shelf.

"Is this two your liking?"

The old man opened the small box and inside, was two simple designed fox mask.

Picking up the first mask, I began inspecting it. The mask was colored dark-red. It's eyes was utterly similar to fox that was slits upward. The design was a combination of blue, and white patterns; the patterns was designed to be lines, and dots that look somehow good with the dark-red color of the mask.

After I finished inspecting the dark-red mask, I turned my head to the left, only to see a completely white mask that seemed to be the a little bit bigger than my head.

"That's an size adjustment mask." The shop owner spoke. "If you put it on, it will automatically adjust it's size to about the right size of your face. Also, it doesn't need a strap because when you put it on, the mask will be tight enough for it not to fall off on its own. There's also a button mechanism on both ear part. If you want to take it off, just press both of them to let loose."

"I see..."

Picking it up, I started inspecting it like the last time. The design was very simple. It's eyes was slits carved long; it was almost similar to the first crest I saw when I got reincarnated to this world, the white fox. But, unlike the other fox masks that almost has the same design on each other, this mask has a long horn on the right, as if it was representing two faces; one was pure while the other was evil. Whilst on the left, it has three simple red dots just below the eye.

I tried the mask on, and just like he said, it really did adjust it's size automatically, fitting enough for my whole face.

"Hey, mister. I'll take th-"

"Pops!"

I was about to finish my mid-sentence when suddenly, a child came out on the other room beside the counter.

"Pops. Can you come here for a minute? I'll just show you something."

"But, there still-"

I cut his sentence off by speaking, and gesturing my hands for him to do what he have to do.

"Go on. I'll just wait here. Besides, I'm not in a hurry anyway."

"Thank you for understanding, young man."

He bowed his head slightly to thank me.

After they left and went inside the room, I turned my head to face the mirror, as I put on the mask I had chosen.

It was the one-horned fox mask.

'I guess this is good enough, no? The only thing I need now is probably clothing.' Placing my hands to my chin, I lightly glanced at the formal clothes I'm currently wearing. 'Yup, I really need to buy some later.'

I let out a long sigh. After I removed my mask, I suddenly felt a sting in my right eye.

I know that I've already felt this feeling, but where? That's when a certain thought overcame me.

It was when I first met the Onyx.

It did hurt a lot, but it's not that painful than the first time. The first time felt like a drill, but now, it felt like a whole needle was being pushed inside my pupil.

Covering my right eye slightly using my hands, I weakly raised my head up to look at the mirror to see what was happening to me... Oh, boy. Guess I'll have to prepare myself because I know that I won't be sleeping tonight.

'What the fuck is that!?'