"Mmmh! This is absolutely delicious" the villainess of the game, the ice-cold princess that turns into a monster capable of freezing the entire world.
She's currently with me, enjoying some sweets at a bakery we found the other day.
After our previous adventure following Kaida's group, it seems that the captain of the golden troupe stuck to her words and did inform director Goldenlaw about our victory.
"I personally find it way too sweet for me, I prefer sour tasting things"
Director Goldenlaw did reward us, for Fran and I the points weren't enough to rank up. But most of Kaida's group, including her, did rank up.
"Sweets aren't that common on Montanev, so I really enjoy to try lots of them when I'm away from home" I swear the gap between how she acts with other people compared to how she is with me is something I'll never get used to.
"I've never been to Montanev... or any other place... how is it?" I already know how Montanev is, I played the game. But I don't like awkward silences, even if I never felt a silence awkward when I'm with her
"There's not a single day when snow doesn't cover the streets, and it gets dark really early so kids usually tend to stay inside their houses a lot" we stopped at a park to sit on a bench.
"Then Aurum Academy is totally different, right? I mean, I heard that snow is pretty rare here, even on winter" it's currently winter here, the second week of the game.
"Your peasant mind clearly doesn't understand that I've traveled to different countries ever since my childhood" she scoffed as she took a bit of a relatively small cupcake.
"I guess that you're right" her comment made me remember the time before I was transmigrated here, even then I didn't travel that much.
Actually, it's a weird feeling that I don't really remember much about my previous life. My previous life, and Alen's life before I took over his body... they're only blurry and formless thoughts.
"Is something wrong Alen?" she placed a hand on my shoulder and had a worried tone on her voice "You look unfocused"
"I-I'm fine... I was just thinking"
"About what?"
"About how even if we were given a free day by miss Gildenlaw, I still need to attend my close-combat applied magic class" I can only let out a defeated sigh escape mi lips.
"I already told you! You're not going to that class, not with those things on your face!" She poked the bruises and bandages on my face, the sensation of her harsh pokes made me retreat my face.
"But I need to go"
"You don't! I told you last night, you're getting punished for being so reckless. Specially for helping that disgrace of a human"
"She's not a disgrace" although I know I shouldn't laugh at it, her comments insulting Kaida sometimes catch me off guard.
"She's incompetent and had to resort to asking you to help her" she crossed her arms and angrily pouted "And don't get me started on her sins"
I let out a small laugh as no matter what I say, I won't be able to convince her to not hate Kaida.
"I'm serious you... peasant! I don't like nor want you to be close to that sinner" her face is really close to mine... "got it?"
I look to the side and see an old woman laughing at us with a blush.
"But I simply couldn't just ignore someone that asked for my help"
"Then I'll have to watch you closely to make sure that you're not tainted by her"
I awkwardly laugh as she leans away from me "Then I feel like I can be a bit more carefree if you're watching over me"
"No! You're getting it completely wrong!" She looks at me with a slightly angry face, although her blush showed me that she isn't really angry "You should try to not get harmed so I don't get worried! Not put yourself more in danger..."
"I-I'm sorry..."
"As long as you understand..." she said on a low tone while she looked to the side.
She stood up and started walking on the path of the park without even waiting for me.
"Are you hungry again?" She'll make me lose all my savings... I'll have to go dungeon exploring one of these days.
"N-no, I don't eat that much..." how does one girl eat that much and keep her figure...
"Hey boy, you look specially interesting, interested in joining our group?"
Group...
"I can see how you truly have an exceptional talent only true adventurers can show"
This man, he clearly looks mid-thirties and with a receding hairline that showed enough forehead to have my head reflected on it.
"I promise you that our group [Mountain Hoppers] is well known here on Aurum Academy city, specially amon students like you" this old man ignored a pretty important princess, a powerful princess with even more talent than myself.
He started to aggressively shake my hands with the fakes smile I've ever seen.
He hands me a card either the name of his guild "I assure you, student of Aurum Academy, that we at [Mountain Hoppers] are affiliated with your prestigious academy"
Fran grabbed him by the back of his shirt and yanked him away from me, making him fall to the ground.
"Let's go Alen, this park has suddenly become really filthy with pests"
I followed behind her, not caring about the man recluting.
"Why didn't you push him away as soon as he entered your view?" I finally get to walk next to her. "That trash deserves absolutely none of your time"
"I was just a bit surprised, I didn't expect to be scouted so suddenly" I place my hand I the back of my head.
"At least he recognized that you're... someone to be reconized"
...
...
"Hey Fran, I was thinking of going to a low-level dungeon to earn some money" I don't know why I feel so embarrassed by asking this "Want to come with me?"
"... If I have some free time... then I can maybe go with you..." she started blushing a lot, to the point where her cheeks turned as red as her eyes.
We stopped walking and began to pay attention to a group of street dancers performing in front of a crowd.
After she somewhat agreed to go with me, we said no words to each other. It wasn't an awkward silence that formed due to a lack of topics to talk about. It was a silence born from our shared embarrassment.
"I-it's a nice dance..."
"I-it's nice... for a bunch of lowly peasants"
...
...
"T-tell me when you want to go explore a dungeon... I-I want to make time for that"
"I-I will..." I coughed and we stood there to watch their performance to its end.
Once their performance ended, one of the members started to walk through the crowd with a hat. While we aren't forced to put our gold coins, the group highly appreciates the monetary help.
"Pff. Those peasants are getting no coins from me" she crossed her arms and close her eyes. But when the girl with the hat approached us, she took out a couple of silver coins to pay.
I just laughed as she began to blush.
She turned away and began to walk away "Wait Fran, I need to go somewhere before we finish this free day"
She stopped and waited for me to lead the way.
We started walking south-west for about five minutes, reaching the poor part of the city.
"Why is this the place you wanted to visit?" I could feel how annoyed she is right now.
I just chuckled as i looked around "I have some things to do here"
Then, I found him.
"Hey man, how's it going?" I asked to a homeless person, he has bruises on his head and his clothes have a couple of red wet spots.
He looked at us with a weary expression, sighing and looking away "I have nothing to give you kids" he continued sitting on that old and dirty couch.
"No man, I want nothing from you" I tried to sound as friendly as I could with him "Quite the contrary actually" I held out a small pouch with some copper coins inside "last night you were... robbed of this, right?"
He stood up and got close to me "Wh-why do you have that!?"
"Oh, you know... last night the group that settled here was taken care of, and I've been ordered to return this to you" I left the pouch drop on his hand before taking a step back.
"B-but no one was..." he seemed to understand that both Fran and me were part of the group that ended with [Crossed] last night.
"And one more thing, have you seen a demi-human around here? She's a woman that works... at night, and has bunny ears" the two people I caught getting terrorized while I followed Gissy are him and that woman.
He couldn't believe what I was doing "You can search on the August the eight street if you want to find a woman with that work" he started going back to his couch "Thank you..." he whispered, and I could feel a grateful tone on his voice.
"Let's go Fran" I smiled and we both started making our way to that street.
"Since it's still daytime, you won't easily find her! Search for a place with a logo of a cat girl called [Cat Scratches]" he yelled at us as we were leaving.
"I can't believe you're making me do this" Fran pouted her lips and crossed her arms.
I only chuckled and rubbed the back of my neck "I'm sorry Fran"
"Don't say that... I'm not angry..." a small blush formed on her face as we kept walking.
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