"here's your money; the parts you brought were of good quality. Immaculate cuts. Who did it? I'd like to shake their hands. Not only is the flesh of a Leochimp superbly dense to first-timers, they usually mess up, but the butcher did so well." she was so caught up in her excitement that she didn't notice the awkward expression on the two hunters' faces.
'There is no way he's coming inside to meet you.' It's not just because Aero was already returning to camp. He just generally wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone when they last saw him.
"Uh, he's tired and has already returned to our group's camp," which was true. "Aw, that's too bad. I would love to have asked about his carving skills...wait, his?"
"Well, we have supplies to buy, so have a good day, and may the zalts and zaltess bless you!" with that, the two of them rushed out of the building and towards the town's market as they indeed had supplies to buy. That didn't take more than two flowers, and they headed towards the camp.
"oh, did you wait for us?" Inna teased, seeing Aero resting in the shade of the forest by the road." yes," Sam replied with a moment of hesitation. Refusing to acknowledge the fact he was blushing. Instead, "There is the fact you two are carrying our group's supplies and money. That makes some people rather daring even if you openly carry weapons."
"So you were worried." she replied, and Aero paused." I supposed I was." There was no reason to be too embarrassed about his feelings. It was unpleasant yet pleasant when he realized what it meant. He was worried because he cared, and it showed how attached he had gotten to his group.
Aero grumbled, taking some of the bags, and they started moving, claiming onto the cart and riding out to the camp. Where they found everyone meditating and cultivating their energy in the light of the midday sun." You're all back!" Tzilia cheerfully shouted, rushing over visible, checking them over as she took some of the bags. pulling a fruit from one of them to snack on.
the next few moments were filled with small chatter and the putting away of supplies. "here, you disgusting vegetable." he handed the small blue roots over to the only person who ate them. So they would only go into her jells; Aero thought they made anything too bitter.
Oh, they could have quickly brought the jells, but the thing was, they didn't last too long.; a week or two, the raw material could last longer, and you could make the batches as you wanted them. most of what they brought was dried, and they could pull water from streams and other places. There were melodies you could use in a pinch.
Aero finished packing away and joined the other in some quiet training over the next few flowers. The next day, everyone was more or less back to their routine, Aero dealing with the beast and his spiritual injury. While training his body and mind, the girls meditate on gathered heaven and earth energy and training their bodies.
'I should probably have them train their mind,' the question was how and when was a good point to intricate that. 'Probably not for a while,' Aero switched arms for his planks. Even though it looked simple, he could see the stress on their faces. How did they fall asleep so quickly on the day they mediated!
It was different from the strain of using his pride energy, but it had such different uses. Aero knew this, but the ability to use his more varied power would be great.
the only thing he could do was train, so he trained. with his staff, with the energy he was building back up. It was slow going, but Aero knew he was making progress. Working his way through the exercises, the helper formed for the lord's future work.
"you've made way to project budgeting form," Aero ground his palms over his eyes, trying to remove the numbers dancing in his vision and head. but they were still there; he might see them in his dreams at this rate.
'I don't want to see numbers in my dreams,' Budgeting so so completed on a universal scale. party because there wasn't a completely accepted universal currency. Well, they didn't accept any universal currency that had the same value everywhere. it was a petty power play. the words of the helper.
"Okay, focus. I just need to convert this from the locate currency and then work from there." he worked the numbers over; it was a 4.7 increase in value. going about 4 trillion..." he mumbled as he tried to work out the number drawn out. The noise brings one of the girls from their meditation.
"I hope that isn't our food budget or something," Aero blinked, looking away from the numbers. "oh, did I distract you idit?" she rolled her shoulder, stretching, loosening up the tension. "nah. Needed to move anyway. though seriously, is that our food budget?" Aero shook his head.
"no, it's a budgeting exercise. a very complicated one." Aero looked over the equations. then adding another line. converting the money and then working to split it up, getting the conversions in mind. which was a little hard; he had to go back and forth between two currencies.
"oh, that is definitely complicated," she said. standing and working on getting her blood flowing." do you really think you'll use that kind of money?" Aero looked up and then back at the numbers." not on Augustine." Idit understood what he was implying." yeah, do people really make use of such big funds?" Aero shrugged, "This is the amount it would take to run an organization."
"what big dreams, but what else would I expect? I mean, whose response to getting kicked out of a hunter school is to start his own?!" Aero only smiled; he wasn't ashamed of his thought process. "hey, I've already started on lesson plans."
"Besides, you might end up one of the teachers."
"Me! Teach! ha! I've never taught anyone anything." Aero asked if she thought that he had more experience. "Like, I've given out advice to a few guys younger than me to help them go for their own goals, and people consider too dangerous. But acutely staying and teaching anyone, I don't think I've done that."
Aero wasn't sure he had the patience for full-blown teaching; it was a different kind of task than holding back when he felt people were insulting him. insulting his biggest pride. He wasn't happy about the, unfortunately, real possibility of him smacking a kid.
"What worried about hitting a kid? She tried to jock, but Aero's face could have been carved from stone." seriously, you'd hit a kid?"
"I don't trust my temper." he just said before turning back to the numbers. "It always gotten me in trouble, and I don't know how far I'll go under it." idit didn't say anything for a moment. She understood. "yes, emotion is a strong thing." when he looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a longing and hurt in her eyes." but fearing your emotions and reaction won't help you with them."
"That sounds like an experience." she didn't say anything, and Aero didn't push her." well, sounds like it sucked." idit laughed humorously," oh you have no idea." sighing, he laid back in the soft soil looking at the sky above them. the slight clouds, the creature diving at them." by the zalts!" she threw herself to the side.
rolling to her feet, she covered her eyes as the creature threw out its six wings, creating a gust of wind that woke the other, sending them straight into a battle mood. "someone riding that thing!" Inna shouted. eyes snapping toward where her weapons sat. Aero was the only one armed.
"Who are you?"
"I could ask you all the same thing!" the rider returned, landing their mount and looking at the gathering. her skin was a dull brown, and her carapace was slightly brighter. "you're the one who landed in our camp!" aero shot at her staff pointed at her head." only for her to ignore him and turn to Tzillia." girl keep your lover under control, you shouldn't stress them out too much."
"Ugh."
"oh no," idit sighed when Aero tossed her his staff. Followed by him rushing the lady on the creature's back. Now, none of them made an attempt to stop him as he tackled her. The surprised scream didn't surprise them; before they hit the ground, Aero was already throwing blows.
"so when should stop him?" idit asked as Aero put her in a sleep hold. Slamming her face into the first several times." "When we believe he won't bite us." Inna stated, which the girls agreed as he was already banishing his against her. "oh, he drawing blood!"
"I think we're a bit too calm about this," Galia commented, watching Aero spit out a bit of skin and blood. right before the strange lady slammed her head into Aero!" Oh, she's fighting back!"
"what monster has possessed this boy!?" again, they collectively wince as they knew it would only make things worse." are you implying I'd only fight if I was possessed!" rolling, he threw her towards the lake.
She managed to get to her feet, stopping at the lack edge. "Hope you can swim, lady!" he drove his knee into the face, sending them both spiraling into the water. Thanks to weeks of underwater training, Aero has already recovered and moved into holds. "okay, he's planning to drown her. We should interfere."
"I don't want to get bitten." even as Inna stated this, she jumped into the water. the group dived and worked to pull Aero off the lady and drag her away from Aero. This was hard as she couldn't keep her mouth shut, and her aero temper flared each time.
It took reminding him of his progress in controlling his temper and the threat of knocking him out. "All right, I'll rein it in, but I remain willing to knock another out if she keeps insulting me."
"that's fair, but we don't know why she's here yet. wait until then!"
"I'm here on vacation, and you're in my spot!" she shouted, glaring at Aero, who matched and surpassed the intensity. After years of practice warning people off., she flinched before continuing to go on about how she came here thrice a year on break from her very demanding job. Aero didn't think it was that impressive or combat-focused if someone ten years his senior lost to him so easily.
"I'm the head of this country's finances." well, now it might be a political problem. "by the Valts and Zaltess, I want to deal with this never. or at least tomorrow mourning." but unless he did something they would be dealing with this so much longer.
'What a great chance to test your political skills!' someone was way too happy about this. Aero was considering if more violence was worth the latter problems. 'oh, who am I kidding? Violence won't help me here.' he needed his worst against someone who was insulting him multiple times and didn't look like she regretted it once.
'honestly, she seems like the plain arrogant type.' the entire time he had been going through these emotions and thoughts, she was bragging about her job and what she'd done. ; looking at her pride, he was surprised to find it at a manageable size. 'so mostly talk,' Aero let out a sigh before looking at his team, all of them wearing a simple pained expression, knowing her position was causing them a problem.
"what not impressed?" she stated." Aero held back a scuff." not really, seeing as I've met and know people in higher positions." he stated, causing her to pause." of course they're not from this country and going to be very upset that I knocked you on your ass several times."
"you didn't knock me on my ass!" she declared, Aero only smiling knowingly. "alright, I'm staying out of this," Gailia walked away, hands in the air. tzillia and idit followed behind her; Aero watched them go before turning back to the lady who still hadn't introduced herself. They got into a small argument about whether he knocked her down or not.
It was needed when Aero asked if she was willing to spar and settle the matter. Only for her to not only turn him down but also make an excuse for it. "I wouldn't want to hurt you in front of the dates." instead of socking her like he very much wanted to. Aero very sternly informed her he wasn't dating anyone, nor did he intend to start anything this year.
"why not? Relationships are great, most of the time."
"oh, I'm sure, but it's not something I want in my life at the moment." he had actual out-of-the-world problems. Like paying off what he owned, the lord of greed. Or continuing to prepare to venture into space. "You lost," she stated before turning to unpack her ride; seeing that things were done for the moment, Aero turned back to his work, staring at the numbers that determined if people ate or not.
He got through them and another few problems before sunset, and then he switched to a different kind of management problem. Each exercise had been about purchasing supplies in some way, which connected to the next one about managing those purchased supplies. trade and other things, it was still numbers, just in a different way.
At some point, the helper randomly threw in a problem to take him off guard. Aero wasn't dumb enough to admit this was a possibility in real life, that this kind of problem made the difference if someone ate or not because of him.
According to his report, at least five people had to skip meals in order to make their supplies last. Aero didn't like this; he knew what it was like to have to starve yourself for long-term survival. some hunting trips went longer than he expected.
Also, these people rely on him, and he couldn't call himself a good leader if he failed to take care of them. If he failed, the loyalty they gave him, his loyalty in turn.