To say that she was shocked was understatement. There was no way she could refute it. But the fact that he had been here even before the Empire was established was shocking itself.
The Martial Union was founded two years ago after all the noble families came together and helped the world have a comeback in fighting the demons. They were effective and without doubt, they were able to unite all countries into an empire.
They had shown great strength and had helped curb the resistance that had threatened to tear down The Martial Union after crowning the Byron Family which was a descendant of the Royal Bloodline. What did this mean?
It meant that he had explored this place the longest. This did not mention the fact about the useful information he could provide after all that time he was here. If he had been here for all that time and survived, just how much information about the demons did he have on him.
She was already excited. The main issue The Martial Union was facing currently was the lack of information. Her family had been assigned the task of researching for information. If she brought him to her family, he was an invaluable resource.
She stopped and looked at him as if confirming something.
"You really have been here for more than two years?" She asked not hiding her excitement.
"It could even be more. I did not have a way to count my days here. It could even be three years," Athan replied not sure where this was going. Why was she suddenly excited about him?
"Then how much do you know about these regions? How much do you know about demons and their behavior?" She asked.
"Not much actually," Athan said. He was now understanding where this was heading.
"I know its a lie. For you to have survived this long means that you have valuable information about demons. How much do you know?" She asked curiosity taking the best of her.
"Aha, you know that it is valuable information yet you expect me to go spitting it out for anyone? If you want to know about my experiences, do you think I would give valuable information for free?" Athan asked with a knowing smile as the girl sighed and stopped before him.
"Okay. You wanted to know about my family. It is my family that is in charge of research. If you think that your information is as valuable, then why don't you come with me to my family and sell it to them?" She asked as she gave the same knowing smile.
Athan returned her smile but he did not reply.
"What do you think about my offer? Are you going to take it or not?" She asked as Athan took the lead with her following him.
"Let me think about it. I will give you the answer once we are out of this wasteland. I hope your family will have the same opinion as you," Athan said not stopping.
"They are in need of information. With how much you might have, it really could save them the trouble. You have my word," she said as she caught up with him and walked by his side.
Athan was smiling in the inside. How could he have known that the information he was carrying could be sold? This just meant that all he had to do was offer some information once in a while and he would get some money. He could already smell 'soft life' knocking at his door. But her next words were like cold water poured on him.
"You know, no matter how true your information might be or important, you must provide evidence. So you can hold all the information on your own but without proof, it can be said to be nothing but made up stories," she said as his look turned ugly.
And that was how he had said good by to 'soft life'. He did not regret anything though. How could he have known beforehand that information could be sold? He was just going to keep it for himself then.
"You have no proof? A shame! I really don't think I can help you there. So, what about telling me some of the information so that I can help gather proof?" She asked with a coaxing voice.
"Haha. As though I would fall for that. I 'might' be in need of money but as for the information I have, it is you and your family who are 'really' in need of it. I wonder if you can see who is in need of the other.
"I cold sell this sword and with that, I am sure that it is enough to keep me going. Do not forget that I can go to any Guild and get employed there. My skills are enough to give me a ticket to success.
"Now that I think of it, does your family have the capacity to stop me from joining these guilds which will hire me without asking for proof? Anyway, thanks for the offer. But if you think your family can afford me, we are yet to find out." He emphasized the two words.
Athan's words carried a hidden weight on the girl. She had thought she had cornered him but it turned out that there were very many trump cards he could pull out and use to escape. From his words, it was obvious that he had raised his standards. What she did not know was whether her family was going to believe him.
What she found even baffling was whether he was going to accept to go with her to her family and find out or not. Had she just driven him away. But she was sure that if she told her parents, they were going to try to meet him.
She could just not believe how he had turned to be from in need to them being in need. She walked next to him silently no longer willing to talk to him anymore. All she could think him of was a con artist.
"Do you know that the weapons of demons with a higher cultivation have the ability to control demons with lower cultivation? That was how I was able to send the demons away," Athan dropped the first bombshell for her.
This was something they did not know. It was even valuable information that could help in warding off demons. She was sure that this was not the most valuable information he had. It was probable that it was something he did not plan on keeping a secret.
She just realized just how valuable he was. She had to find a way to get him to give the information to her family.
"So you can imagine the value of the sword. This was the reason I did not leave it," Athan said.
She also understood something here. Apart from Noble families, there was not even a single family that could afford it. It was the first of its kind in the first place that was going to fall in the hands of humanity. This just showed that the sword was worth as much as the guy wanted it to! Very shameless of him!
She could only accept defeat.
"How much do you plan on selling it?" She asked and Athan did not reply. Instead, he just gave an evil smile.
"I will know its worth once I see the state of the economy," Athan said without wiping the smile.
The girl once again gave up in defeat. Too shameless! Athan was once again smelling 'soft life' coming in.
"What have you stored in your sword?" The girl asked. But she almost regretted thinking she was going to be passed through another hell of words.
"I have stored nothing in it. It is just that the sword has the ability to increase its weight," Athan replied unsure where this was heading now.
" What do you mean nothing? I felt that the red ring on the swords handle has storage properties," she replied but she was almost about to regret thinking that he was hiding it on purpose.
"What! It has storage properties? I have never known something like that!" He exclaimed truly baffled by this discovery.
The girl looked at him unsure what to feel.
"How long have you had this sword?" She asked in order to clarify something.
"Two years," he replied curiosity taking the best of him though 'proudly'.
"Two years?!" It was her turn to get baffled. Just how come he had spent that long with the sword yet he did not not know such an important thing. She had known with just the first time holding it.
" Mmm," he replied still proud.
She actually face palmed and for the first time, she decided to check his cultivation. She had refused to do so before because it was usually against etiquette checking another's cultivation level. From how strong he was, she had thought that he would sense her probing and get angry at her.
She scanned him and also looked at his face to see whether there was any change in his look but it was like he did not even know what she was doing and was just curious. But when she checked his cultivation, she instantly cursed the Heavens.
"Blossom Plane? Fuck the heavens!"