'Are you okay, Megumi?! Did you get any wounds?!'
I still remembered your concern amidst ignorance and apathetic people clearly. Despite being discredited about your actions for helping me, your smile bright broadly; brought warmth feeling, rejoicing, and ...
It has given me a seed of delightful amorousness.
until ...
'... He is he who embraces the thorns of limitations and makes peace with the darkness of the past and within himself....'
I didn't know what happened. However, you've changed... a lot. But, simultaneously, I've got a chance to bring my happiness back... right before my eyes.
...
At Dawn, July 28th, 2223 ...
Nine days before the meeting ...
*Kukuruyuk!* *Kukuruyuk!* *Kukuruyuk!*
"Uuh... What A noisy rooster notifications!" I stretched out both of my arms. "I still... sleepy!"
Notifications still rang up. After several times those notifications rang up, I woke up in a sleepy state inevitably. And took a bath as soon as I regained my consciousness. Despite regaining consciousness, my mood was slightly irritated because of those notifications.
After arriving at my bathroom, I prepared everything in a few times movements. Then I began to sit in a wooden bath full of warm water...
"Ah~, What A refreshment!" My ivory athletic-body skin until grey messy long hair was wet soaking. The aromatherapy of lavender flowers tickles my senses. Fresh dawn breezes blew through ventilation holes.
Amidst bathing activities, my gaze stared at the palace house ceiling full of illusionistic paintings. Simultaneously, I thought about that dream for a long time. After a long time of contemplating, I uttered my words,
"This time... I...." My gaze was filled with resolve feeling.
***
On the different side, At Mr. Eddie's yard...
Adolph performed her dawn training. She exhaled in-out continuously. Sweat drenched profusely, enveloping her athletic-fit body, especially her abs and back muscles. Although she was exhausted and her body almost shook, she continued nonetheless...
*Sheesh!* *Hish!* *Tap!*
Unexpectedly, Adolph slipped on her foot...
*Swoosh!* *Held!*
Someone held both of her shoulders. At the same time, someone talked to her from behind,
"You pushed yourself too hard. Is there something in your bird brain, huh??"
"Are you trying to fight with me, you dimwit?! Just because you could've defeated The Goliath, doesn't mean—," All of a sudden, Nagao gave her a towel on her head—"?!!"
While patting her head, Nagao replied,
"Ease your devil-angry, cutie. Your anger intimidated those around you,"
At the same position where a towel wrapped her head, Adolph asked,
"Then why did you approach me in the first place?! Is that because of your "supernatural" board mission, right?!!"
"Ah! You're right! One hundred percent for—," he almost got a punch from Adolph. Luckily, her punch stopped slightly before him—"Wow! What A punch! Is this because of your level right now??"
"Fuck off, you asshole! If you like that, then why... why...." Her eyes welled up with tears. Her tears were about to fall down her cheeks.
Nagao filliped his right index finger on her forehead unexpectedly...
*Tak!*
She was confused by his acts at first and reacted,
"Ouch! What's wrong with you?! Filliped my forehead like a child. Are you trying to mock me??!" she rubbed her forehead several times.
Nagao then replied,
"Like it or not, but that's how we've met, right?" He smiled slightly at her.
Adolph was surprised for a few moments. Her face turned red suddenly like a boiled crab, and her mouth opened up unconsciously. After shaking her head several times and clearing her throat, she spoke,
"H-hah! W-what A Smooth-talker you are, S-stupid!" she said that while punching his chest unexpectedly.
"Ease your power, woman. But let us set aside those matters first," he rubbed his chest while cracking his fingers. "So, how's your level? Did you've any problem of that??"
Adolph started checking her status board immediately. As soon as she opened it, she showed while saying,
"Based on your advices and guides, I've improved my things."
Nagao looked closely at her status board...
[ Name : Adolphus Grey Level : 23
HP : 130 MP : 130
Class : Assassin Skill/Job : Assassination (B).
Blend in the Crowd (B).
Martial arts (A).
Power : 77 -> 115 Strength : 75 -> 120
Agility : 90 -> 150 Mana : 85 -> 130
View more. ]
Nagao immediately clicked to see the "view more"...
*Click!*
[Innate Passive Ability:
1. Stealth: Every tactical movement you make (such as camouflage, sneaking, avoiding detection, ambush, shadow evasion, etc.) increases your Agility stat by 50, and every time your level increases, you gain bonus stats by 10. Despite that, your Agility will return to normal stats once you complete the mission.
2. Weapon Arts: You could use every weapon Instantly. But, this skill did not apply for ultra-rare until legendary rare weapon due to some conditions.]
"I must admit that I am a little envious of your skills, especially your innate passive,"
"The grass looks greener on the other side. Unexpectedly!" She started wiping her body. "By the way, is it the time, right?"
"Time? What do you mean??" Nagao displayed a confused expression.
"A meeting with the hero. Did you skip your mind away when Mr. Eddie explained it yesterday??" Adolph sighed afterward.
"Ah, after hearing your words earlier, my mind regained that information!"
"Ugh!" Adolph punched his right shoulder. "Just say you forgot in the first place, damn it!"
"Stop it," Nagao rubbed his shoulder because of her demeanor."No wonder Mr. Schmidt and Mr. Eddie didn't come at training time,"
"Well, basically," she continued wiping her body. "But, still, I didn't know what they were talking about behind us, especially about that meeting!" she said again while sighing.
Amidst their conversation, one of Mr. Eddie's guards, The big guard, commented,
"That's an achievement when you've got a chance to meet the hero. People could've rarely met the hero in one chance!"
Hearing his comment, Nagao replied,
"Rarely? Is that so??"
"It is. You might not believe me, but even the aristocrats have to wait for two weeks just to get a chance to meet the hero!"
Suddenly, A voice shouted at them...
"Both of you, come here! We needed to discuss about the meeting!"
After turning their heads toward the source of voice, it turned out that voice came from Mr. Schmidt's words. As a replying his words earlier, Nagao shouted again,
"Wait for a moment!" Nagao and Adolph immediately walked toward Mr. Schmidt.
Once they arrived, Mr. Schmidt said to two of them,
"Follow me. Eddie wanted to say something about the meeting,"
"At least, give us some spare time to take a bath. Okay?!" Adolph said her arguments to him.
"Just a few moments only. Moreover, it's about the royal ethic. So, hopefully, two of you would have considered it." Mr. Schmidt said gently.
Adolph immediately looked at Nagao. Hearing his suggestion, Nagao said assertively,
"Okay. Just a few moments. Only main topic,"
"That's great. Now, let us go!" Three of them started to walk toward Mr. Eddie's office room.
After several moments, they arrived and walked into his room office. When they met Mr. Eddie, Nagao asked,
"Frankly, what kind of topic did you want to say, Mr. Eddie?"
"First of all, I'm sorry to force both of you due to your condition earlier. Back to the topic, long short story, fortunately, based on what I said yesterday, we would have met the hero this morning," Mr. Eddie changed his tone after this word. "But, I warning you about two things,"
"Two things? What is that??" Adolph said in confused intonation.
Mr. Eddie was quiet for a few moments. Then, he spoke again,
"Topic about marriage and life at the palace,"
"I didn't care about the second topic. But... marriage?? I didn't get it, honestly,"
"Duh! Seriously?! Are you living under a rock??! Ugh!" Adolph commented with irritated feelings.
Even Mr. Schmidt and Mr. Eddie gave a disbelieving look at Nagao. Getting those reactions, Nagao gave his reaction,
"Don't give me a look like that!" he said in confused intonation.
Mr. Eddie was silent earlier, burst laugh abruptly,
"HAHAHAHA! Looks like your nickname is suitable for you, brat!"
"Shut up, Ggrr!" Nagao growled at Mr. Schmidt.
"Now, you growled like a monster! Uh, scary~! HAHAHAHA!" Mr. Schmidt mocked Nagao again.
Adolph shook her head while rubbing her forehead as if she still didn't understand his words. Meanwhile, Mr. Eddie only sighed and began speaking,
"If I wanted to put this in simplifying, it's about politics,"
"THANK YOU, Sir! You helped me A LOT than those guys!"
"Your backhanded compliments are quite amusing me!" he giggled slightly.
"Huh... It's up to you to interpreted my words however you wish," Nagao sighed. "But, that's all, right, Mr. Eddie?"
"That's all. And meet me again at the gate before the sun reaches its peak. Or... did you need a help for how incompetent you are?"
Mr. Schmidt and Adolph were shocked hearing those words. But, instead of being angry, Nagao replied smoothest,
"If I used that word, then... you merely underneath me." Nagao walked outside from that room, along with Adolph. He also closed the door without slamming it.
After both of them left, Mr. Schmidt said,
"Your behavior could be misunderstood by him, Eddie,"
"I don't mind it. As long as humans think, therefore humans are."
On the different side, Adolph, who walked beside him, asked,
"Did you get angry by his words?"
"Me?" Nagao stopped for a moment when hearing her words. Adolph started to anticipate his words next after seeing his demeanor.
But Nagao answered it,
"If I were angry in the first place, my response would be faster than his word." He spoke assertively, with a smile on his face.
"Your words seemed ambiguous to me, honestly!" Adolph commented on his words.
After everything that had happened before, both Nagao until Mr. Eddie began preparing. Time flew swiftly as they met at the gate, and they started walking toward the hero's residence.
Upon arrival, they were greeted by a majestic palace house. It was adorned with intricate ornaments and grayish-white color. Seeing that place, Adolph asked Mr. Eddie,
"Is this it??? You didn't get the wrong address, did you??!"
Mr. Eddie only shooked casually when hearing her question. Realizing this, three of them, except Mr. Eddie, spontaneously reacted,
"Holy shit!!!"