People started to scream as the fire spread through the boutique, but then the fire began to die out as an aura of ice filled the boutique and a voice spoke up from beside us.
"What are you doing?" Nova said while staring at me. the man opposite me looked shocked to see her there but I just shrugged. Nova narrowed her eyes at me and she turned to the man, "If you wish to have a fight, then you should be prepared to face the consequences. This is a hotel, not a dungeon."
"I know that already," the man said with a frown before he turned to me, "I'll leave after this little shit apologizes and gives me my property."
"Did you buy it before he took it?" Nova asked, and the man clicked his tongue and looked away, "If you didn't then there is no feasible reason for you to call it your property. Leave or I'll deal with this myself."
The man glanced at me one more time and I smirked at him. A nerve on his neck tightened in his anger before he turned and started to leave, "You better watch yourself, boy." he said.
Once I was sure that he was gone, I turned and continued with my payment, "So, it was five silver coins, right?" The terrified attendant nodded her head quickly and I paid before I started walking out of the store. If I account for both the weapons and the outfits, then I've spent close to sixty silver coins in this hotel already. I need a way to make more money as soon as possible.
"You're ignoring me," Nova said from behind me, and I hummed. Of course, I was ignoring her.
"Did you have anything else to say to me?" I asked
"I came down here because I could smell you from upstairs. I thought there was a monster in the hotel."
"Yeah, well, now that you've seen it's nothing, you can leave. Thanks for the help."
"Do you know who that was?" Nova asked, "That man you were about to fight."
"Yes, I know him," I said as I finally stopped and looked at her, " He is Javier Ragnok, the first son of the Ragnok family, isn't he?" Nova nodded, "But I also know that he can't do anything to me, so you don't have to worry."
I also knew that Javier was not going to let this slide. He is the sort o of person that would seek revenge against his enemies till the very end. One hell of a vengeful bastard. And that is what I was counting on.
"The Ragnok house does not forgive easily," Nova said, "They might not be a major house, but they are still a formidable house."
"But you're from a major house, right? So come and protect me again next time," I said.
"No," Nova immediately declined.
"Then we're done here."
I left the room to find the armory. It was located close to the boutique, and there was a lot of high-class armor there. They were mostly C and B rank armor, but there was also some A rank armor amongst them. I started to look through some of them, but none of the attendants would come close to me because of the cold air that surrounded me.
"What the hell are you doing?" I frowned as I turned around to look at Nova. She has been following me since I left the boutique, and she was scaring away all the attendants that could help me pick good armor.
"You seem like the sort of person that attracts trouble," she said simply, "I am simply following you to make sure you don't attract any more trouble."
"Am I some sort of magnet?" I said with a sigh. But I just ignored her afterward and continue looking through the rows of armor. I already spent a lot on a weapon and some clothes, but I still had close to one hundred and fifty silver coins, so there was no need to worry about the cost of armor.
There was an attendant close by that looked like she wanted to come and help me, but Nova's presence was making her unsure of herself. I glared at Nova and she just stared at me blankly before looking away again. "You're scaring them," I said, and Nova shrugged, "Can you at least reduce the aura around you?"
"I already have," Nova said innocently.
'Fucking S rank' I thought and sighed. Even after the restrictions from the tower, she was still freakishly strong.
I walked up to the attendant and asked her where I could find B rank armor. She looked at Nova behind me for a moment before she pointed to a rack at the side. I nodded my thanks and went there.
As I was looking through the armor, Nova spoke up from behind me, "Where did you get this kind of money?" she asked, "Most C ranks don't have one silver coin, talk less of enough silver to buy B rank armor."
"I found a bag of cash on the road," I answered without missing a beat and Nova blinked in surprise.
"Really?" she asked, and I realized that she was actually going to believe me.
"Of course not," I said, "How I make my money is not your business. What the hell do you want from me?"
"It's like I said. I am keeping you from attracting more trouble."
"No, scaring away the attendants is what you're doing," I faced her with a frown, "Just tell me what you want."
"I want you to come to Magus Academy," Nova said, and the sudden change in topic was like whiplash. I looked at her like she had grown a second head. Nova never told me that she was a teacher in my last life. When we met in the future, she was already part of the army fighting against the Others and there was never any mention of her teaching in Magus Academy.
"Why do you want me to join?" I asked.
"I feel like you will be a good fit for my team," Nova said, "Your dark magic is something I've never seen before and I want you to join my team."
"Not interested," I said as I turned back around. I already planned to enter the Academy later for personal reasons, but I wasn't going to join a team. That is one way to ensure that your freedom is taken away from you.
"Why?" Nova asked, "If it's about money, then we can pay you. You'll receive a monthly allowance and there is no need to pay for rent or food."
"Do I look like I need your money?" I rose a brow, "I just don't like being in a team. It's too much unnecessary emotional work."
"Just try it out first," Nova was relentless, "My team will be coming for an expedition in the [Obsidian Manor] in a week. You should join us."
"What?" My eyes widened and I looked back at Nova in shock.
There is no way that this was a coincidence. In my last life, the Obsidian Manor was destroyed by a great catastrophe on this floor. I wasn't a ranker yet when it happened, so I only heard stories about what happened. They called it the First Dungeon Fire, some schoolchildren went into the manor for a mission and they were trapped in there with one of the Others.
I only knew that the children were from Magus Academy and that only one of them managed to survive the incident. I had no idea that Nova was their teacher. Was that the incident that gave her the burn scar? Maybe she never talks about the scar or the school because she felt guilty about not being able to save the children. It all made sense now.
I already planned to enter the obsidian manor with the school children, that was why I told those bandits to look out for the children from Magus Academy. If the Others were going to show up here, then I didn't want to be left out of it. My fight was with both the heavens and the others.
"When are you going into the dungeon?" I asked. Nova was surprised by my sudden curiosity, but she didn't allow it to slow her down as she quickly answered.
"In a week." Nova said, "Did you change your mind about joining?"
"No," I said as I finally picked out some armor, "But I won't mind joining your team in the dungeon."
"Doesn't that mean you've changed your mind?"
"No, it doesn't. Now, stop pestering me and go away."
"Not until you change your mind."