The afternoon sun was getting more dark, slowly giving way to the moon.
They had already eaten and mostly went to their tent, to let loose, and wait for tomorrow's journey.
Lazaro put the Boars' hearts on the skew and let it roast slowly. He walked to the edge of the clearing and leaned his back to a tree, waiting lost in thought.
From the tent across, Lila stepped out. Her hair was combed her clothing changed from jean pants and blue blouse into a military uniform. But it stuck to her skin like glue, following her every curve.
'She must've bought it in the middle of the meat party.'
(Barbecue is the name here.)
'At least you know somethin- ugh'
A wave of shock coursed through him.
With a shy smile, Lila slowly trodded over, met eyes with him then averted her gaze timidly. She stopped barely a step away from him sending a faint fragrance of sweet perfume to his nose.
"I-I'm sorry about before, I have this disease where I get like that when anxious."
Lazaro smiled without opening his mouth.
She looked up at him briefly and averted her eyes to the ground again. She held her hands together nervously and muttered.
"M-My innate ability is weak. I can be of little use, but I'm of the hart family, s-so if you take me there safely. My family will reward you."
'Do you know them?'
(No, but it must be some rich family.)
Lila nervously waited for his answer.
She had makeup on her face, but it was clear her state wasn't good. The withdrawn symptoms are surely tormenting her. Lazaro remembered her annoying objections and felt a little pity amidst his annoyance.
"No need to ask, you're part of the group, so I don't mind."
She stopped and looked at this face.
"You misunderstood me." She said. " I'm from the hart family, if you pay special attention to my safety, above others, my family will make you great."
His feeling of pity was gone. But still, she was weak, and as a weak orphan himself, he understood you must steep low to survive. So he didn't resent her behavior. But he also didn't condone it.
"just coordinate with everyone, and we'll all be fine."
She scoffed inwardly and leaned into his chest, held his arm softly and whispered. "If you agree to keep me safe through this travel, well, let's just say I'm a good fighter under the sheets."
She saw his smiling face and grew more courageous. "Give priority to my life, and I'll give you a good, warm, bed fight. You won't regret it in the future either."
She ignored his dirty rags, scrawny physique and hugged him warmly. She looked upwards with licking lips and wet eyes.
"I know you're from the Military's Elite brigade, that's why you dared to kill Ricon's men and also managed to hunt these boars" She whispered.
"Think about it, if you prioritize me, your future on the force will only have ups and no downs. My family has that kind of power."
She distanced herself and blinked. Lazaro admired how she forgot the shy girl act.
"Think about it then come to my tent, if you agree, it'll become your tent too." She giggled and walked away shaking her thin hips sensually.
His squinting eyes followed her moving curves with a sleazy smile.
"Mr elite seems to have gained a girlfriend."
Larissa prickling tone came to his side.
"You conned me." He said.
She flinched but feeling only amusement from his tone she relaxed and laid her palm on his back gently;
"Do you want this elite big brother to protect you too?" She snorted.
The way she moved the essence right into his body and healed his grave injuries directly made his eyebrows rise. Five hours ago she only healed with the essence in her hands, on the very surface of the injury, to suddenly be able to freely manipulate it like this...
"You applied the extraction method into your ability."
The amazement in his tone made her feel proud, and more confident to laid her business.
"Did you like it here?" She asked. Her tone was simple but implied she knew he wasn't from their world.
He didn't answer and just enjoyed the warmth
"The people you killed are dogs of powerful people, and nobody here will dare to help you, regardless if you saved them or not. You probably have no register in this world too. They'll discover that right after we leave here since attention will be unavoidable. And you don't know the customs of this place too."
"Just get to the part where you have the solution to all that." Lazaro groaned in the warmth
The corners of her mouth went up.
"I know how the system in the city works, I know my way around most things. I can tell you everything about it so you won't be moving through the city like a blind man in a shootout"
"In exchange for what?" Lazaro asked.
"Make me strong."
He smiled.
"What you're offering me is too cheap to exchange for strength. And others might not know, but I can feel it, you're the strongest here so I don't need to give you any additional help too."
She squinted but didn't stop the healing, he was a crucial piece for their survival, he must be at a hundred percent tomorrow.
Silence settled between them, Lazaro felt his wounds mend and finally he was completely healed. He took a five-gallon of water and went around the trees He smirked at Larissa,
"This Mr's elite needs a shower for a warm night."
Larissa squinted her eyes. "You'll neglect others for one wealthy person?" She sighed "I thought too highly of you."
He stopped and stared at her in the eyes.
"I love women." He said. "I might be even addicted to them. But I'm not their slave, She wants Mr, Elite, and she'll have it for tonight. Who knows who I'll be tomorrow? There. Is your jealousy quenched?"
He laughed wolfishly and went behind the bushes.
Larissa smirked herself.
She observed him, his every movement was on her eyes when he killed the two guards and came back, he saw how the people were terrified, but he showed confusion, he didn't understand why they were like that. He's too casual about moving in the forest. And he doe sit like it was his home. Nothing, big or small, bothered him. He was, for sure, some sort of barbarian. She had the assumption that he was simple-minded like one too. But if he follows his words of not prioritizing Lila life over others and is truly only doing it to get laid, then he'll not be a simpleton in her eyes anymore. A bastard for sure, but not a simpleton.
Larissa looked up at the dark sky. Thinking of all she did to get here, how, that, when she was finally chained and unmovable, heavens sent meteors, and a chance appeared in front of her.
'I won't be chained down, no matter what.' She thought resolutely when a cold finger laid on her forehead.
Lazaro, with a shaved beard and combed hair, looked at her. She thought he was an olde-man at first, but he looked no older than twenty- five, his golden eyes and clean face astounded her. But she couldn't admire it anymore as a series of muscles exercise appeared on her mind.
She was thinking 'why' when he suddenly grabbed her by the waist and spun her through the clearing, all the way to the firepits.
Dizzy, she tried to push him away but couldn'.t She even tried to use essence but the fast-moving moments didn't let her concentrate. then they stopped.
She gasped unceasingly and looked at him with wide eyes. he was still holding her before she could move, he leaned in.
His face came closer and her only action was to freeze. His lips grazed her cheek and he whispered in her ears "Finish roasting these two hearts and eat one of them, then go to your tent and practice these exercise plus meditate for one hour."
He stepped back and jumped in the direction of Lila's tent with a laugh. "Don't worry, you won't be tired tomorrow."
She clenched her teeth in a fluster. "And why would I cook you a meal!?"
"If you don't want strength, then forget it."
She answered with a cold tsk as she crossed her legs, but feeling the unusuality of the hearts on the skew she knew she had to do it.
"Really a barbarian."
*****
(Bastard. She'll be scared out of her mind.)
'Nobody cons Lazaro of superbia.' He laughed with joy picturing her panic.