As they drank their stuffy tea and dry biscuit the butler once again came into the waiting room and told them that the earl was ready to meet them.
They were led to a small library and saw the Earl sitting at the desk. Upon entering the room the Earl stood up and stuck his hand out for a handshake while giving a happy expression. Kotori gave the hand of the man who was much larger than her a handshake and thought about the fact that the Earls's hand was very soft. The Earl was a person who likely had not done manual work in his life.
Kotori who had once done farmwork in her old village still had calluses on her hand. It wasn't very "girly" but she didn't really care about it.
The Earl's library seemed like it doubled as an office and was made of intricately carved wood. Kotori recognized the wood as the type of wood that the tree had in the wood elf village. Which was a lighter-colored oak. It was covered with a varnish to make it darker and looked almost like lighter mahogany.
Upon the wall were rows of books, many of them were covered in dust. Evidently, the Earl didn't seem to be a heavy reader either.
Earl Parth himself was middle-aged. He couldn't be more than 40. He had a head of thinning blonde hair, and the pasty complexion of someone who was a homebody. His face was slightly pudgy and almost gave him a pig-like appearance.
"Hello! Adventurer Kotori and Amelie!"
He said enthusiastically. Based on her first impression the Earl seemed rather harmless.
"Apologies for the wait, I was working on some paperwork"
"Hello, a pleasure to meet you," Kotori said politely in response.
"No, No, No The pleasure is mine," He said genuflecting
[Alright, what vase do you want me to buy] Kotori said being reminded of the wandering salesman in her past life who would come to her door every day to sell vases.
"So to what do we own the pleasure of being invited to your uhhh… house," Kotori said, unsure if this vast estate could be called a "house" in the first place.
"Oh, yes!" Earl Parth said
"I've invited you here to talk about an opportunity to join the military"
[ugh] Kotori thought
Earl Parth continued obviously aware of Kotori's shift in expression
"It would be a great opportunity for someone as talented as you!"
[There's the vase] Kotori thought.
"Just tell me why you are recommending me," Kotori said in a tired voice. She wanted to quickly reject the Earl and make an exit.
"Oh your abilities have been of great interest to the kingdom," The earl said putting extra emphasis on "great"
[I see, they want me as a tool] Kotori thought
"I'm sorry I'm going to have to humbly reject," Kotori said
The Earl flustered
"I...I'm sorry?"
"I don't want to join the Military," Kotori said flatly
"But it would be a great honor!" The earl said almost shouting
"Not in the mood," Kotori said, gesturing to Amelie, Shu, and Umi that they were leaving.
"Please!" The Earl said, "It would…"
The Earl's voice was cut off by a chuckle from the doorway.
"It seems negotiations have broken down," a familiar voice said
Amelie looked back and saw a familiar man.
A thin man with grease blonde hair and pasty skin
"You!" Kotori said as she saw the figure of Giorgio in the doorway.
Giorgio raised his hands in fake surprise
"Wow! Pleasure meeting you here" He said sarcastically
"Small world right?" he said shrugging his shoulders
Kotori grabbed her horn and instantly Amelie shouted in pain.
"Ta ta ta" Giorgio said
"We wouldn't want that little slave collar on your friend activating would we?" he asked
Amelie quickly activated the hunter and saw a line of mana from Amelie's collar to Giorgio's ring. She also saw another line of mana from Giorgio's ring to a ring on the Earl's hand. All of them had a purple mana crystal attached to them.
Giorgio smirked thinking he had won.
"Now, just play nice…"
"[Hunter]" Kotori said
In an instant, the mana crystal in Amelie's collar and Giorgio's ring turned to dust.
Giorgio looked in shock as the gem on the silvery ring in his hand disappeared.
"Hmm, It seems you are a lot more than you seem, I had felt the mana bond "
He gestured and another familiar figure entered through the doorway. Kotori once again looked in shock.
She saw Yooma took up a stance.
"Shishou!" Amelie said in surprise and pain.
"A master should not strike down his student," He said, his face almost looking sad.
"But also a samurai should not disobey his master"
Kotori quickly cast a targeted [Mana Buff] on her party. Her lizard horn blaring a mournful note.
She had gotten much better at her control now and wouldn't accidentally cast it on enemies.
Shu and Umi instantly grew to their battle forms
"Please not in the house!" Earl Parth yelped
And thus a battle began in the Earls house