"I'm sorry, hehe, it's just that your technique was a bit intimidating," the girl stammered, her eyes wide with lingering fear. After Laura reassured them, the couple finally accepted that James was, indeed, human; at least, that's what they wanted to believe.
James glanced at the pair, their bodies still trembling, but he chose to remain silent, letting them stew in their anxiety.
Laura, with a playful smile in her crescent-shaped eyes, teased, "With the bravery you two showed by entering this massive cave, you really shouldn't be scared of him!"
The man quickly interjected, "Oh, this beautiful lady is just joking! We were in a group that got attacked by aliens. After narrowly escaping, we got a little jumpy when we saw... well, him." He gestured nervously at James, who raised an eyebrow.
James took the opportunity to press further, "Given that you've been attacked, why would you come to a place with signs of a battle?"
The siblings exchanged a glance, clearly hesitant. Finally, the brother cleared his throat and spoke up. "I'm Harvey Stone, and this is my sister, Hailey Stone. We're from the Mercenary Association. As you may have noticed, the alien species on the second underground floor work together, attacking outsiders with alarming coordination. We've formed a camp nearby for protection." He handed an electronic disk to Laura, indicating their camp's location.
"Thanks," Laura replied, her curiosity piqued.
Harvey continued, "Our previous team consisted of seven members, all from the camp. We found some G-grade spiritual medicine, the red fruit, in a cave. Just as we were about to collect it, we were ambushed by a low-grade F-level giant scorpion. Only my sister and I survived."
A shadow of sadness crossed his face, mirrored by Hailey's somber expression.
"We fled from the cave and saw signs of a fight with giant rats. We thought they were from the Mercenary Association, so we rushed over to help, only to run into you two," he explained, his voice trembling slightly.
James studied Harvey, unblinking.
Harvey chuckled nervously under James's intense gaze. "Is there a problem?"
Laura jumped in, her interest piqued. "You mentioned your team had some strength. How many were top-grade G-level? And what about the Detoxification fruit?"
"There were seven of us, including the two of us. Four were top-grade G-level, and three were mid-grade. We had two Detoxification fruit. Although the giant scorpion was low-grade F-grade, we managed to break one of its pincers. It's just unfortunate that only Hailey and I made it out," Harvey replied, frustration evident in his clenched fists.
James couldn't help but smirk inwardly. He sensed no real grief from Harvey; it felt more like a rehearsed tale.
"Could you show us the location of that cave? I'm quite interested in those red fruits," Laura asked, her tone growing serious.
Harvey hesitated, clearly caught off guard by her eagerness. "Uh, sure. I mean, it's dangerous, but..."
"Lead the way, then!" Laura urged, her eyes sparkling with determination.
James, watching the exchange, remained silent but alert, aware that their next steps could lead to unforeseen dangers.
"I'd love to!" At Laura's eager response, Harvey's face lit up with excitement. He grasped her hands, his grip firm and his voice filled with enthusiasm, "We'll accompany you! I'll lead the way to the cave."
Laura hesitated, her eyes flicking between the eager faces of Harvey and his sister, then over to James. "But... there are only two red fruits..." she murmured, her voice trailing off in uncertainty.
James's lips curled into a knowing smirk. He could almost predict Harvey's next words; something noble about not caring for the fruits, only seeking vengeance for his fallen comrades.
"Think nothing of it! The fruits are all yours. My only desire is to avenge my fallen brothers," Harvey declared, his grip tightening as he looked earnestly into Laura's eyes. James saw that look; a glint that often betrayed underlying schemes.
Despite recognizing the potential manipulation, James held his tongue. If Laura was set on this course, he would let her pursue it, all the while staying vigilant.
"This doesn't feel right..." Laura turned to James, her expression seeking guidance.
James observed her; strong yet so naïve.
"It's settled then," he said nonchalantly. "There's no harm in it."
"Yes, let's take a short rest," Harvey quickly added, seeing his plan aligning. "You must be exhausted after today's ordeal. How about we pause before we head out?"
"Um, okay," Laura agreed, still somewhat unsure.
As they settled around a large rock, Laura reached into her surprisingly small waist bag and pulled out four bottles of purified water and a handful of compressed biscuits, distributing them to the group.
Harvey and his sister watched in amazement as she produced the items. "Is this a storage bag?" Harvey asked, his voice tinged with a mix of wonder and greed.
"Yes, is there a problem?" Laura replied, genuinely puzzled by their reaction.
"No, not at all," Harvey quickly said, his eyes not hiding his covetousness. "It's just... such a valuable item suits a beauty like you."
"It's just a bag for holding stuff," Laura shrugged, downplaying its significance as she opened a bottle of water.
Harvey didn't press further, turning his attention to the food instead.
James eyed the magical waist bag curiously. Such artifacts were rare and not to be flaunted carelessly, he thought. Laura would have to learn this on her own, the importance of guarding her treasures against greedy eyes.
Politely declining the food offered by Laura, James leaned back against the boulder, closing his eyes for a moment. He didn't need sustenance or rest in the same way humans did, but moments like these allowed him to pretend, if only briefly, that he was still fully human.