"I look forward to watching you grow stronger. Maybe you'll be different from all the others." Iren pulled me from my thoughts. "I may reach out to you later. I'm going to research this skill of yours. So, keep in touch."
"I'd rather not," I stated flatly. She just clicked her tongue in reply before vanishing into thin air.
"Well…that was fun."
"Stavia," I demanded.
"Y-yes!" She stuttered.
"Why was she more helpful to me than you?"
"Ack! Shut up!" She childishly pointed her finger at me. "She may have given you Pyrokinesis, but I dare you to use it."
"Why are you smiling like that? What's going to happen?"
"Nothing. I just dare you to cheat on me," she frowned.
"What does that even mean? "I blinked slowly.
"If you use another Gods ability, you cheat on the God that chose you. Of course, that's never happened before you came along. But it's the rules."
"Never happened before I can around?" I tilted my head. What did that mean? Cheating on the God that chose you? What does that even mean or do? Who cares, I'm going to use this skill if I have to.
"Well, no one has ever had to worry about a hero getting another Gods skill or abilities. They used to just demand money or fame. Sometimes they demanded things that were…degrading," she shivered, making me wonder what it was that was done. "But you," she put a hand on her hip. "You're different. You don't care about any of that. You don't care what others think of you. You don't care about money; you already have a lot. You asked for a skill and that was it."
"Well, yeah. So what?" I started with a frown. "Who cares about fame? It's fake anyway. People who know you but you don't know them. Them calling out your name, cheering it. Always approaching you like some hero. What kind of life is that? Not one I want to live, no thanks. I'd much rather be alone and unknown."
"Well, I don't think you'll ever be alone, what with your party and friends, and as for going unknown," she put a finger to her chin with a smile. "It's a bit to late for that as well."
"Wait, what?"
"Yeah. Word of you completing the dungeon has spread around fast. People are calling you the Reaper."
"The hell they calling me that for?"
"Well, that dungeon was tried by many, and many failed. You and your team completed it first try with no injuries or withdraws. They say that someone that's that strong has to be some kind of Grim Reaper of sorts."
I was already rubbing my temples with my fingers. Not only did I get a nick name, which isn't bad on its own, but word of my party and myself are spreading around.
That means that people are going to know who I am. Some may even challenge me. Oh man this ain't good. That's the last thing I wanted was to draw attention to myself or my party.
"Whatever," I groaned. "I don't care anymore. I just wanna go back."
"Okay."
"Wait wha-"
"Kichi?" Sora was waving her hand in my face.
"Huh?"
"You okay? You kinda zoned out. You said we should do a hard quest?"
"Oh, yeah," I laughed softly as I scratched the back of my head. "We should do a difficult quest to help us get back in the groove."
"Are you sure?" Rubellia asked hesitantly. "It's been a week since we did any quests. Should we really start back up by accepting a hard one?"
"I don't see why not," I stated. "We may have taken a week off, but we didn't level down. Nor did we forget how to fight, right?" I asked hopefully as I looked at them all.
"I didn't," Han shrugged. "So, I'm good with accepting a difficult quest. But nothing crazy, if that makes sense."
"Of course. There is such a thing as to difficult."
"Well, if you two are cool with it, I am too." Sora clapped her hands together.
"Well…I guess I don't have a choice except to follow." Rubellia sighed.
"I'm just excited to start questing with you all!" Patora jumped up and down in excitement. Everyone in the Guild Hall was looking over at them, and it wasn't because Patora jumping and squeaking. It was the fact she was an Elf.
They weren't hated, so don't think that. They're actually loved by the Humans, and this showed it. All the men stared over at her in longing, and the woman stared with spite.
"I just wish Ellie was here to quest with us."
"Well, she's a blacksmith, not an adventurer. So, she can't exactly quest with us," I stated. "She has to run her family's business."
"Yeah," Patora sighed, her ears dropping down a little. "But I'm glad you're still here," she smiled as she wrapped herself around my arm.
I felt all the men's attention turn towards me instead of Patora. I could feel their gazes burning a hole through my body. The jealousy, the bloodlust. I could sense it. I started to sweat slightly. "S-So," I started. "Should we pick a quest and go?"
"Well first off," Han started. "We have to get Patora registered into our party."
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." I laughed nervously. I had forgotten we had to get her registered which means…. We have to go through her.
What was her name again? She was the reception lady…umm…Liz? Emily?
"That means we get to see Ezra," Han stated, a smile on his face.
I wonder why he acts the way he does around her. He's gay, isn't he? Why does he get flirty and excited with this Ezra person? I mean, she's also scary, who could ever like her!
We walked up to the reception desk, and when we were in sight, Ezra's gaze fell unto me. The fire in her eyes burned bright and hot.
Man, it's hot in here. Is anyone else sweating? No? Just me? Damn.
"Yahello!" I raised a hand as we were in talking distance.
What was that?!
"…." She just looked at me, a frown on her face and a fire in her eyes. She really hated me, didn't she! What did I ever do to her? Not that I care to know.
Even if I find the reason someone dislikes me, why the hell would I change who I am to please them? I wasn't born into this world to entertain anyone, so why the hell should I care what anyone thinks?
If you change yourself for one person, you're surrendering yourself to the world, stating that you're fine with changing to fit in. It's like signing a contract to slowly start changing who you are, one belief at a time.
Yeah, it may start off small, such as changing something that you do that they dislike, but what's next? The world never asks only one thing from you, and even if it did, it wouldn't be something so small. Sooner or later, you'll have to give up more and more until finally you're a different person.
"What do you need?" She sneered at me. I simply said nothing, not wanting to entertain her. My ignorance just made her more pissed as I felt her gaze burn hotter.
"We just need you to add Patora to our party," Han smiled nervously, feeling the tension between the two of us.
"Is that it?"
"Yep." I replied.
"I wasn't talking to you, criminal!"
"Hey watch it! I'm not a criminal, if anything you are for the amount of life you're sucking from my body with your blatant ignorance towards me!"
"Did you just try to insult me?" She put a hand to her chest as if I had hurt her heart. "Cause it was a weak one if you were. God, even your insults are criminal like. You should be locked up."
"Really? Is that why you don't like me?" I sneered.
"I hate you." She sneered back at me as she filled out some papers as Patora gave her her adventurer license in the middle of our argument. "There. She's been registered to your party." She gave the license back to Patora. "And since you're here," she rubbed her temples. "I should tell you that the King has requested and audience with you."
"Haha. Nice try," I frowned. "You're going to tell me he invited me to his dungeon or some crap."
"Tsk. I wish that was it," she sneered towards me. "But no. He actually requested an audience with you and your party."
"Mmm, I see." So, the King really wanted to see us? That's…not that odd the more I think about it. Stavia had told me that my party and I had been growing in popularity and that I had even earned the nick name "Reaper".
"So, I have to fill out these forms that state you accept the summon and that you'll be meeting with him so-"
"I'm good." I interrupted her.
"Huh?" Ezra looked at me like I was a sick dog.
"Yeah, what do you mean you're good?" Sora asked. "The King summoned us; do you know what that means? We could be getting a job that could set us up for life!"