As awkwardness linger in the air, the group of mercernary look at Auyu as she was some out of touch weirdo. Auyu noticed this, can only shake her own head in shame as her habits who interacting with Idun is going to plague her social life from now on.
"Ahem- Let me rephrase that. My name is Apocalypse, i'm just started as a mercernary to be like you, what's your business with me?"
The opposing party, being perceptive decided to ignore the initial surreal introduction and went straight to the point.
"Apocalypse, we've heard some local gossip regarding your actions and class. It seems you're a daredevil right out of the gate, couldn't wait to be famous. Is that it?" calmly remarked the representive, as Auyu observed his appearance as he looked like the typical seafarer with an eye patch but some dark heavy plating armor that suggest he wasn't neither povertious or immature at his job.
"And? Do i look like i have time for your interview? If you want to fight. Then let's not pretend we're friends from the get-go. Also, i don't have a superpower like that." I retorted as it didn't mind the disrespecting tone he's been oozing from 3 meter away, but my own pride wouldn't dare let him waste my precious time. When i could be spending it on exploring or planning strategies that will make it less tedious for when the next time i lazed around.
"...Very well, your attitude prove worthy of our guild. The Eternal Glory party will remember you. But first, you must prove your worth by beating our berylium-titled mercernary, his name is Death seeker." The eyepatch cyclops introduced Death seeker, a Shauden race rogue in a dark blue phantom like cloak with his face hidden. Upon gazing her opponent, she vaguely recollect from the report she read, his name was Omen...or something? Auyu doesn't really care.
"You might wonder how can he get that rank? Well it's all started with-" The parrot-like eyepatch guy just rambling on about his proud party member. Before getting a pause gesture from Auyu.
"Stop, let's fight. Monologuing doesn't prove our capabilities." declared Auyu in a direct manner, because she doesn't have time to hear about someone's life achievement that doesn't serve the plot in anyway if her life was a story.
"Very well then! Since you're eager, let's give Miss Magical girl a taste of the shadow of our group. As soon i finish throwing the stone at that crow over there. You both may duel." Explained the eyepatch human while rubbing his chins with his palms, he was intrigued by how it goes. Since there wasn't any Mune activity in a outskirt like town. So he wanted to see it for himself, how powerful they are.
"I'm ready, but are you?" I mocked him as wanting to sound a bit edgy with my own eyes subconciously glowed in crescent shaped pupils, considering they got their turn, might as well give them the taste of their own medicine. She was muttering some words quietly that no one had noticed.
The Death Seeker responded with a beckoning gesture with his finger back and forth as if accepting my challenge.
As if respecting our agreement, the eyepatch referee threw the stone at the crow.
*Thud*
The sound of crumbling rock as it was thrown with herculean strength it cracked and made a audible noise for everyone to hear.
"I won." declared Auyu as she slowly begun to walk away, as if waiting for the rock to hit the ground.
"But...you haven't fought yet-" questioned the eyepatch mercernary as if he was skeptical of my validity and character, he wasn't willing to let it slide until his gaze wandered toward the direction of Omen.
*Sizzle* *Sizzle*
There he was, his mouth covered in chains made of light magic. his body flinched as it seems all battered and twisted by an explosive power. If he wasn't a faceless shadow race. Auyu would assume that he would be having his white part of eyes showing more after that "duel"
"Oh, i nearly forgot. Here his recovery bills. It was just a friendly competition, i'm not here to make enemies." Auyu turn to face the Eyepatch mercernary as she has an awkward look of forgetting to turn off the stove or her bag somewhere in the mall. As she gave him some of the pocket money she borrowed from the thieves from before.
The mercernary can only open his mouth gaped open as Auyu seemlessly walked away as if picking cabbages from the market. His teammates wasn't any different either, as what Auyu showed can only be described as devilishly and fair.
But, what they didn't know was that as soon they have approached her, she secretly casted a sigil on where they stood, regardless of who they picked. They were going to be defeated. As their strength were already lower than her who was Daleth in strength.
She wasn't the one to invent the quote, "Preparation is half the battle won" but she definitely took it to heart.
With that fianco all but taken care of, Auyu went to visit Houdini. As he was the only acquiantance she found in this place, as he seems pretty polite. No reason to not continue to be getting in contact right?
"Oh, greetings! Miss Yui, what are you doing here? Are you finished with your mercernary applications?" jumped Houdi as if he saw his favourite idol in sight. With him working in his office, Auyu had to ask the nearby clerks to be able visit him directly.
"I did complete it, but it will take a while before it's going to be done. That's why i had an idea to take a tour around the town on foot. But since you're already my guide and the person who going to take me in as i need somewhere to sleep for now. I thought i'd invited you." I spoke bluntly with no restraint, since there wasn't anyway i could beat around the bush that i wanted to borrow his home to doze off. Since i wasn't used to any normal bed, it has to be the best one at the very least.
"...You're really funny, you know that miss Yui?" joked the blue clothes young Houdi that it was kind of obvious that he was flustered and could not hide his flush outward.
"Nah." I responded, since it wasn't a joke. I thought about it, and it was the best option for now.
"O-oh, i see...i can make it work. Since you're my savior, something like this is a small favor to repay." acknowledge Houdi the seriousness of the situation, as he wasn't going to be unprofessional when it comes to his savior peril's compare to his rising heartbeat.
"Aight, you're busy?" I ask him the same question, since he looked like he still has to run the aftermath of the bearly avoided disaster that was the bandits.
"Nay, i can definitely make some time off for today. I will be your guide, as you wholeheartedly wished. Miss Yui." kneeled Houdi on one knee. As if he was knighted and the one in front of him is the princess he's serving.
"No need to feel dramatic, i'm just going look around. And get in touch with the societal norms." I picked him up and put him in his normal standing posture, although it was weird since he is 20 cm taller than me. What is this strange giant?
"Very well, i have a map here. It should be easy, please follow me. Miss Yui!" responded Houdi enthuisatically as if he was a kid in a candy store. He walked over to a nearby buildings that looked newly built, with billboard outside and a mascot that looked like the hero, the pridestalker. But more..cutesy?
"First, we've arrived at the famous pawnshop that have variety of interesting assortment of rare items, since Miss Yui should be somewhat rich, i figured you might be interested in other kind of items." said Houdi as he spoke in a more haste and conviction as he shown his treasured shop.
"Oh, that sound promising. I'll take a look." Auyu peeked at the merchandise and it seems that it doesn't contain much other than some pretty looking and average in power items, however she doesn't have much use for them, since vampire and magical girls doesn't have anyway to cheat their own power to raise them, it's a natural process that comes with dedication and experience.
However, regardless i brought some. It would leave a bad taste for the one selling them and the person who recommended it. I'm a bad person, but not a crappy one.
With that over, the wonderboy in the blue clothes with his outdoor monocles to look cool? Took me all over the place in town, with examples being. The theater, i took noticed that some childrens were with their parents and watching Mr. President with the elf girl...which irked my mind for some reason, other than that. The regular snack of the restaurant, sight-seeing on the water tower that apparently have a platform up to a building height and the logistic of air travel.
It was a bit amusing i admit, but the real reason i brought this silly man named Houdi is asking him regarding his shyness toward me, i find it abnormal. And i could definitely ignore it for no reason or just be dense like i used to be. But I don't want to, nor do i enjoy playing with other's feeling for no reason.
So, when we about to return. As he going to pay for the tab for the final fees. I snucked up behind him and finally going to unravel this secret of his.
"So, what were you thinking when going with me? I'll just say now, i don't mind that you're hiding things from me, but you better hide them good enough. Cause if i see it, i will question you like this." Auyu spoke in a cold tone, as she wasn't naive enough to believe everything would go according to her needs. Maybe someone will betray her someday, or some incident will happen for her to fight to the death. Life is strange, but it can be prevented with some insights.
She will eliminate all the tedious things, leaving only favorable outcome. No variables that could harm her.
"Miss Yui..." replied Houdi as he wasn't expected to be addressed so quickly, but he was happy that his savior pay attention to his behavior, although she was a dunce. He was esctatics to be in the line of sight for this dunce.
"*Sigh*, just say it and we can get on with it. I'm going to sleep terribly otherwise knowing i left something unresolved." Auyu stated leaving no room to think as people would have less time to excuse themselves that way. As she stop wrapping her arms around him, but that doesn't mean she couldn't destroy him now with magic sigils.
"I wanted to be with you, someone who treated me not as a human being. But personally knowing me. Is that really too much to ask?" spoke Houdi gloomily while looking at the sky that he saw the world but not the one that smiled upon him.
"Last question, sister or girlfriend. Which would you prefer?" replied Auyu emotionlessly, as she wasn't going to react until she finished the inquiry. It will depends on his answer on how she will treat him from now on, judging him will be the consequence, not the cause.
"Well...You're my big sister, of course. I have never love anyone, but i know that if i had a sister. I would tell her about how cool it is when she saved me from those bandits and the one who stood by my side." radiate Houdi's eyes with an answer coming from the depth of his heart. In all his life, he always wanted a big sister or a sibling that would never look down on him and can talk comfortably on equal grounds. That's his thought about siblings.
"Okay, you'ill be my little brother from now on." nodded Auyu as he has confirmed his stance on the manner, and she will respond in kind. Since in the first place, there wasn't any need to be hostile for each other and she doesn't lose anything from this, since this was his wish. Also, she was curious on how she will treat her "little brother" from now on.
With that said, she walked away toward the Vondur Merchant association building as Houdi stood in shock as if he had a sudden realization at the world ending soon.
"W-wait is that it? A-are you my big sister now?"
"Yeah, why not? You said so."