"Look at these scales! Have you any concept of how many summers this majestic creature has had?"
"Look at these scales! Have you any concept of how many summers this majestic creature has had?"
The girl grabbed the fish from my clutches and nearly fell over from its weight. She then proceeded to pet the thing, or at least that was what it looked like to me. It was just a fish, but the kid was starting to get me curious.
"Two or three maybe? They fatten these koi up with leftovers and serve them when the season's right. Not a bad cycle."
That was my conclusion in any case. If I owned the [Hunter's Association] I am 100% sure of turning these pretty looking large fish tanks into a fish farm.
But then again I'm a bit more practical than most of these wealthy-types.
Emily helds a hand up and whispered a short prayer that I didn't catch. She laid the fish gently atop a blank, rolled-out scroll and began writing strange symbols around it.
At least she had the decency to tell me what she was up to.
"You can call me as Emily. However, it seems you are [Awakened] one, so I assume you have been deemed with knowledge of a what a [Rune Master] is?"
My eyes lit up on her words, even though [Rune Masters] had not received much screen time from the author, he had described about them.
"You are like the one's who do tricks similar to jesters?"
Giving me a look of widened eyes before retracting, the girl grumbled as she continued, "As you've deemed it before, I am about to do one of my jester 'tricks'. And you're wrong about the age."
This was only the first time I've witnessed a person using the power of [Runes], so I stared intently as if I could puzzle any of it out.
She diligently wrote calligraphy in an odd formation while again grumbling in a low voice.
'Is she going to bring this dead thing back to life...'
Although, there is 0% chance of me departing from [Association] without tasting the delicious lump of meat, I was curious as to the powers of this girl.
The writing stopped, and the self claimed [Rune Master] placed her palms together in prayer.
The characters turned from black to a bright red, and the sound of sizzling reached my ears. The unmistakable smell of cooking fish drifted up my nose.
"..."
'Is she grilling the fish now...'
I et out a breath of air I didn't realize I was holding back. I was just glad that we were finally going to be able to eat the darn thing.
"It was nearly a century old...a hundred summers of life ended like this." The disgust in her voice was hardly hidden and wrought with sadness.
"May its spirit swim on in the afterlife?" Even a rich second-generation like me could feel bad over a fattened carp, it turned out.
My eyes stared over Emily, who looked quite different in the sun's waning light.
Long black strands of hair draped down to her stomach; bangs cloaking her forehead right down to the eyebrows.
Her skin was white as porcelain, though not flawless—the sun was relentless to those with a delicate complexion.
She wasn't particularly fat nor skinny, but she had a babyish face with those chubby cheeks of hers to blame.
As for her physique, there wasn't much of one. Whereas most women's in this world had a height about 5'4 or 5'5 she was fortunate to be over four.
Add that to a non-existent bust and the kid certainly had more room to grow.
The red tigh-fitted combat suit sticking to her body was was darker than most of the summer fashions though styled in the ever-popular pink.
Appearance-wise it was certainly pretty—especially with the white lily clipped behind her ear.
However...it was too flashy, 'Why are you in the first place coloring the combat suit...wouldn't it be enough just leave as it is.'
"Cease your staring this instant! I'll not hear any word about my attire, either."
Emily stared at me defiantly, knowing just how contentious this particular subject matter was.
I had wanted her out of that outfit from the moment I saw this kid, and I didn't mean that in a dirty way either.
'It's just so catchy...'
She gave my attire a staredown in return, and I only just now remembered what I had on.
'Shit! I would have changed my dresss...If I had aware of anyone like this kid would appear before me...'
The leather armor which was damaged for worse and my look that gave off the resemblance of begar.
"Ahem, I just finished my tutorial and exited out of the tower...So, don't mind my current appearance."
Her small plam slightly tapped against my back as she tip-toped to put her arms around my shoulders as not to hurt her I bend down some inches.
"Don't worry, my good friend!" She started as I wondered from which point we became good friends.
"I know you are middle class! It's okay to be poor and I don't mind that..."
"..."
"However, do you know? A rich brat had entered the [Tower] today, his sister is actually NICOLE FLYNN! Alas, I heard he was lazy and stupid man...Do you think he will survive inside the tower?"
I resisted urge laugh at this question, imagining how would this little girl react when she knows that I am the rich brat!
'However, It seems my reputation isn't still getting over with...'
"I don't think so..."
The girl again smacked my shoulders and laughed, "Hehe...See, we even have quite a chemistry between us, I also had the same thoughts of you!"
"How about we hang out together, Later?"
"Forget about it. You might want to turn off your magic symbols—that koi is cooked."
I've always opted to change or otherwise avoid worrisome conversations, and this one was no different.
'I am sure, it will take a long time for her to face me once she learns the truth...'
"Hmph! Excuse me for asking!" Emily's mood went sour and she turned off her flaming runes.