The next day, Belialthorn washed and got dressed then went downstairs to the inn. Yesterday's hunt was almost forgotten.
"Oh, you are awake." The innkeeper said. Belialthorn had forgotten his name. He was a thin man that always seemed to be doing something. He was cleaning a set of cups now.
"Yes," Belialthorn said flatly and chose a sit in front of the innkeeper. "Where are the others?"
"They're away, preparing for the bounty, I heard. You are told to wait here for Karina to take you to the Hunter's Association." The man said.
"Oh, that," Belialthorn said. Today must be the day he chooses his fake class, he wasn't excited about it. That last night's failed hunt hadn't satisfied his Demon blood.
The innkeeper gave him a look, hesitant before taking a deep breath and speaking up. "Listen, you can just forget about all these okay? The class and all, don't be a Hunter. They live for killing monsters or Crypt raiding and leveling up."
Belialthorn continued staring at the man.
The man slapped the towel in his hand on the table. "Trust me, I know. It's not as good a life as you might think. I'm unclassified but I run an inn for Hunters I know it's not all sunshine as you were thinking."
Belialthorn sighed softly. He didn't care about being a Hunter too but he must pretend to get a class and start leveling up. He'd rather steal treasures and increase the one he had already. Maybe he should do as Freya requested and kept to Havenbrook to pretend to level up.
The thin man peered at him. "I can give you a job here and maybe you can settle down too. Get a wife and all."
"A wife?" Belialthorn was confused about the word wife. He hadn't heard it before.
"Yes. You know the person you spent your whole life with?" The man gave him a grin and whispered. "You get free unlimited pleasure too."
Belialthorn raised his brows. Did this mean the contract? That was what they did in Demon City if you want little ones. The idea of having someone with you forever seems unrealistic. Why don't you just agree to have little ones together and go your way?
"That would be exciting." Belialthorn blinked. Surprised that he was the one speaking. Since he had been born and it was found out that he had a defect in his system he had always been ignored.
Even the ones who birthed him give him the cold shoulder and everyone doesn't want to catch his "system disease" They would probably have killed him if not for his Noble Demon status that made him a Demon Prince.
"Maybe having someone with you forever isn't so bad." Belialthorn thought doubtfully. But which Demon would choose that with him? A weak Demon Prince?
Belialthorn ordered food then and the innkeeper served him a huge portion of hot meat and bread. "Your room and food have been paid for."
Belialthorn grunted, busy with his food. Maybe Griffin had sold the spell books.
The door opened and Belialthorn smelled Karina before the scout spoke. "Eating I see." Karina eyed Thorn's food, how did he get all this inside that small stomach of his? He studied the boy as he ate, watching the way his blue eyes savored each juicy part of the meat. It reminded Karina of a hunting dog.
"You can join too," Belialthorn said with his mouth full. He could join, not just Belialthorn's food.
"I'll pass," Karina ordered an ale instead and chose a sit, sipping his drink as he waited for Thorn.
He didn't have to wait long, Belialthorn inhaled his food so fast. He leaned back afterwards and rubbed his stomach, washing it down with a cup of ale.
"Let's go if you're done," Karina said. He noticed that Thorn's stomach didn't swell with that massive amount of food.
"Go where?" Belialthorn asked.
"You said you wanted a class? Let's go to the Hunter's Association to get you one." Karina said.
Belialthorn grunted, seems there's no dodging it.
Belialthorn stood up and stretched. "Alright, lead the way."
He followed Karina through the door and outside to the street filled with people. Hunters and unclassified each going their own way.
Karina led him through long roads and short ones, his movement fluid and smooth. Just like any scout would do. His eyes are always moving around, sizing people up.
"A true scout," Belialthorn said as he walked behind him until they reached their destination.
The Hunters Association's building branch in Havenbrook wasn't as imposing as the Holy Church. The building before Belialthorn was made of grey stone. It wasn't imposing but it was large, bigger than the Church.
And it was busy. Hunters in armor and glyphs-inscribed weapons moved in and out in a steady stream. Some returned with large sacks thrown over their shoulder. Belialthorn could smell the monster's blood in those sacks.
Karina saw him looking at a sack dripping with green blood. "This is where Hunters sell their killings. The HA (Hunter's Association) then sells it out to others."
Makes sense, Belialthorn thought.
"This is also where we receive Bounty." Karina beckoned and they joined the flow of people into the building. The building opened up to a large area with lots of tables where attendants tends to Hunter's needs.
Karina led them through another door to the left and they passed a long corridor until they reached another small chamber where they sat, waiting for their turn.
It didn't take long before they were called into the room.
"You are here for the choosing." A bored male attendant said. "The system might give you something by itself or it might allow you to choose."
Karina snorted. "It loved to choose for us didn't it."
The bored man gave Karina a blank look before turning to Belialthorn. "Go into that circle and the choosing circle will do the rest."
The chosen circle was made of green crystals made into a circle, the crystal had been inscribed with perfectly drawn glyphs. They pulsed with power.
"Time to get this over with and get the fake class. Maybe I can force Karina for some meatballs on the way." He thought and crossed into the choosing circle. His world went dark.