Klein watched silently as the quarter-elf and the pure elf devoured his food with little regard. He doubted that a complaint from him would change their behaviour, so he simply let them carry on as they pleased.
They simply sat on the ground like any common folk, eating quietly.
"It's actually cooked in the right heat," Emir commented, breaking the silence. "If it's too low or too high, you'd either get food poisoning or lose all the nutrients."
Klein stifled a smile. He would need to thank Elowen for that. Although his cooking device handled most of the heat control, she had provided the essential guidance.
"See, at the price of one man, you also get a cook," Emir said with a smirk, directing his words to the elven girl.
Siona grunted in response, while Klein shot Emir a glare.
"Now that you've finished your food, tell me what you want from me," Klein said, his voice steady but firm. "If it's too much, I'll be on my way."
"You worry too much, brother," Emir replied, pinching his index finger and thumb together in a dismissive gesture. "It's just a small task."
Klein raised an eyebrow. "Well, what is it?"
Emir cast a quick glance at Siona. "It's nothing major. You just need to act as Siona's servant for a while."
Klein's frown deepened, but Emir continued before he could protest. "Well, 'servant' doesn't explain it. You might not believe it, but despite her... fiery temperament, Siona here is a princess. Hell, if I didn't know better, I'd say she has the best chance of ascending to the throne. But unfortunately, she uses force to solve every problem, and antagonises everyone around her."
Siona glared at Emir chewing fiercely, but said nothing. Klein's gaze lingered on her as he re-evaluated her. With her pristine appearance and aloof demeanour, it wasn't hard to believe she was royalty. In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if Emir revealed his pompous ass had some noble blood as well.
"So, you wouldn't be just any common servant," Emir went on. "Think of it more like being part of her retinue, where she'd use her resources to empower you. Isn't that right, Siona?"
The silver-haired elf gave a curt nod, her expression unreadable.
Klein's frown deepened further. "Why me, though? As you can see, I don't have any real power to offer."
He was underselling himself, but there was clearly something Emir wasn't telling him, and Klein needed to know.
"You're too modest, brother," Emir said, clapping him lightly on the shoulder. "Not only have you already grasped a Law, but your path is... unique. I'd wager it won't take long before you're giving little Siona here a run for her money."
The princess snorted, clearly unconvinced.
"So, what do you say, Klein? Will you help our princess?" Emir grinned. "I'm not lying when I say there'd be a line of eager volunteers if I announced this in the city."
"That's exactly what I'm wondering—why not look for someone better?"
"The city's thousands of miles away," Emir replied with a shrug. "And besides, the elders are guarding the way out."
"There are still other elves around," Klein pointed out.
"That's a no-go either," Emir said. "The elves are her rivals. On top of that, she's already managed to antagonise most of them before we even got to this trial."
Trial, Klein thought. That word keeps coming up.
"If you refuse," Emir sighed dramatically, "we might have to search for another human."
Finally, Siona spoke, her voice cold and deliberate. She said something directed at him first, before asking Emir to translate it to him.
"She says she'll hand you over to the elders for a few contribution points if you don't agree."
Klein's stomach tightened at the threat. He had no doubt she would follow through. After all, she had been more than willing to hurt him to get her way with Emir earlier.
But Emir wasn't finished. "And trust me, you don't want to get caught by the elders..."
Klein's mind flashed back to the other black-haired human girl he had seen with the elves. "What would they do?"
"They'd throw you in a dungeon until you 'cooperate' with their demands," Emir replied grimly.
Klein's scowl deepened.
"I'm telling you," Emir continued, "it's not a fate you want, unless you have a royal hand to shield you."
"And if I agree, Siona will keep the elders off my back?"
"Obviously," Emir said, though he hesitated for a moment before adding, "But I do feel bad about threatening you like this. Hmm, how about this? Since you're helping me with this too, I'll assist you in reaching Iron rank. I'll use all my knowledge and resources to help you get there. What Siona can offer will easily surpass anything I can, but as a show of good faith, I'll give you something--."
With that, Emir reached into his pouch and pulled out a strikingly silver fruit, its skin shimmering in the light. "--this."
Klein's eyes narrowed at the fruit. He didn't know exactly what it was, but he could sense the extraordinary power radiating from it. Even Siona's expression shifted slightly, her eyes fixed on the fruit with interest.
"You know what this is?" Emir said, pressing it into Klein's hand. "It's a hundred-year-old Dao fruit. And no, it's not one of those inferior ones that only helps with a specific Law. This one can aid you with any Law. You might even advance one or two sub-ranks just by eating it."
Klein stared at the Dao fruit in his hand, and gulped. The aura around the fruit was already tempting him, but Emir was really a good seller.