Chapter 12

Rephyia was incredibly excited that Ais would treat her to a meal.

"Ais is treating me to my first meal… Ehehe~"

Immediately, she was lost in bliss.

"The fried rice at this shop is very delicious."

Ais, who was usually economical with words, shut her mouth after speaking.

Then, she looked at Su Mo with anticipation, clearly noticing that the owner was preparing to close up shop.

Seeing her childlike and innocent gaze, Su Mo smiled.

"Two servings of fried rice, four hundred valis in total."

As he spoke, he added oil to the wok again, preparing to cook these two servings before returning to the Familia.

Ais immediately put the money she had prepared into the box.

"Thank you, Mister!"

Rephyia also thanked him politely.

Then, Ais stared blankly, her eyes fixed on Su Mo's wok-tossing movements as he cooked the fried rice.

A few seconds later.

Her pupils suddenly contracted, as if she had seen something unbelievable.

Her whole body shook as if struck by lightning.

Then, the look in her eyes as she looked at Su Mo became ardent.

016 I'll Accept Any Price

Su Mo, focused on cooking the fried rice, didn't notice anything unusual.

Rephyia, who was beside him, noticed something.

"Ais?"

She called out in puzzlement.

Why would Ais, who usually didn't show much emotion, reveal such a look?

If before, she was only concerned because the fried rice was delicious.

Now, judging from Ais's appearance, she was clearly focusing her attention on the owner.

Besides being handsome, what else was special about this owner?

She was filled with confusion.

Interrupted by Rephyia, Su Mo also felt Ais's ardent gaze.

After dividing the cooked fried rice into portions and handing it over, he couldn't help but ask.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"..."

Hearing Su Mo's question, Ais was silent for a moment.

After organizing her words slightly, she spoke.

"You've become stronger!"

It wasn't a declarative sentence, nor was it an interrogative sentence, but rather a very assertive tone.

"——!"

Su Mo was stunned.

Because he only had a brief encounter with Ais, and he didn't intend to hide his strength.

He hadn't deliberately disguised himself before, and his movements were very natural.

He just didn't expect that, despite not having much contact, she would notice his changes.

"Why do you say that?"

Su Mo didn't deny or admit it, but asked with interest.

"From the way you hold the iron wok, I can tell that your strength is not inferior to an LV2 adventurer."

Ais answered obediently and honestly.

As a swordswoman, she was very familiar with the body's structure for generating power.

It was difficult for adventurers to judge their strength from their physique, but they could infer their strength from the weight of their weapons and other factors.

Seeing Su Mo easily lift such a heavy iron wok with one hand, and then stir-fry it for a long time without even really exerting himself, Ais roughly judged that the owner in front of her was definitely far above the level of an LV1 adventurer.

However, whether he was at LV2, LV3, or even higher, she couldn't tell just from that.

In short, one thing she could judge was that Su Mo was definitely not an ordinary person.

He was definitely an adventurer at LV2 or even higher.

However, just a month ago, he was just an ordinary person, even if he had received God's Grace, he was in the state of a novice without any enhancements.

One month, from LV1 to at least LV2.

This abnormal rate of strengthening even broke the record that Ais had created.

It was precisely because she recognized this that Ais's gaze was so ardent.

"Loki told me not to inquire about other adventurers' secrets, especially the secrets to becoming stronger."

"However, I have a reason why I must become stronger."

"No matter how much money I have to pay, no matter what the price, I am willing to trade."

Ais, who had an absolute obsession with becoming stronger, looked at Su Mo with anticipation.

Then, she bowed sincerely and pleaded.

"May I ask, can you tell me how you became stronger?"

As the renowned "Sword Princess" of Orario, Ais, as an LV5 adventurer, could be said to be in the top tier of all of Orario, and could even serve as the main force in the Loki Familia.

However, she was not satisfied with her current strength.

She had been at LV5 for a long time, but had been stuck in a bottleneck.

Not only were her ability scores unable to improve further, but she also had no clue how to level up.

Because of this, she had been troubled for a long time, and had been searching for ways to become stronger, but to no avail.

She didn't expect that just by bringing her junior to familiarize herself with the outside environment, she would be able to discover someone like Su Mo whose rate of strengthening was so abnormal.

Even if it was a bit presumptuous, Ais was unwilling to give up this last straw.

Even if she had to pay with all of her assets, she wanted to obtain a way to become even stronger.

Seeing Ais like this.

Rephyia was shocked.

Although she didn't know why Ais was so obsessed with becoming stronger, she understood Ais's extreme desire to become stronger.

So, Rephyia also turned her gaze to the owner of the shop, wanting to know what kind of reaction he would have.

"Hmm…"

Looking at Ais, who was bowing ninety degrees and looked very sincere.

Su Mo stroked his chin, pondered for two seconds, and asked.

"You said just now that you are willing to pay any price, are you serious?"

Hearing this question, Ais was stunned and was about to nod.

Rephyia, however, felt that she couldn't sit idly by.

"Wait! Ais, you can't agree to such a condition no matter what!"

This elven girl stopped Ais with a flushed face, not knowing what she was thinking.

"The other party is a male, what if he makes some strange requests!"

As Ais's number one fan and a super little admirer, Rephyia felt that she had a responsibility to protect Ais's purity.

To this.

Ais just tilted her head, looking at her with a blank expression.

"Rephyia, what are these strange things you're talking about?"

Having grown up in the Familia since she was little, Ais, who was as pure as a blank sheet of paper, didn't understand Rephyia's implied meaning.

"Ugh…"

She didn't expect to be stumped by Ais's question.

Rephyia's face became even hotter, and her whole body seemed to be steaming like a steam engine.

How could she explain such a thing to a girl in front of others!

Seeing Rephyia so shy that she couldn't speak.

Ais shook her head.

"Rephyia is so strange…"

Saying so, she once again cast her expectant gaze on Su Mo.

"Is it possible?"

The blonde girl asked again expectantly.

017 But, I Refuse

"There must be very few men who can refuse after being asked and begged by the Sword Princess who is famous throughout Orario!"

Looking at Ais's appearance, Su Mo sighed.

Any man would find it difficult to say no after being begged by the girl in front of him with such a pure attitude.

Hearing Su Mo's words, Ais's eyes lit up instantly.

She thought he was going to agree.

Rephyia also breathed a sigh of relief, with a blush still remaining on her face, but she was also happy for Ais.

Just as both of them thought that the other party was going to agree to her request.

"Your proposal is very sincere, and the conditions for the exchange are not bad either."

"However, please forgive me for refusing!"

Su Mo suddenly made a one hundred and eighty degree turn and rejected Ais's request.

"The thing I, Su Mo, like to do the most is to say no to those who think that the other party will definitely agree!"

"...Huh?"

Rephyia was stunned.

There was actually someone who could refuse Ais, and Ais who was offering such generous conditions?

"Ugh…"

Ais's eyes instantly dimmed, and her mood became depressed.

"Why, is it that the conditions are not enough?"

She still asked unwillingly.

"No, that's not it."

Su Mo shook his head.

"It's just that I don't want to trade, not to mention, even if I tell you the way I became stronger, you won't be able to use it."