Laxus POV

"Sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

She covers her upper body with her hands and stares at me in silent, though I could've sworn that she was glancing over my well-developed body before locking her eyes onto mine. Well, It happens all the time, so I can't really blame her.

"No, you have nothing to apologize for , sir. I was just not expecting to see anyone one here, that's all..."

It's very unusual for a girl to be in such a valley alone. I'm curious as to what she's really up to all the way out here. I just have to ask her...

"I see, but what business do you have in this valley? It's not safe for a defenseless girl like you to be traveling all alone out here, you know."

She replies, "But this is the Valley of Life. Look around you, sir. There are no monsters around here, just a vast and beautiful flowers field with mountains, waterfalls, and a river."

I notice her eyes now surveying the lightning scar on my right eye, but that's not what concerns me right now. I feel like I should at least warn her about the possible danger that she could encounter.

"Even so, you never know when a bandit may ambush you. As far as you're concerned, he may already be close by and watching after your every movement right now." I grin at her.

The woman mistook my sarcasm and face expression as a potential threat. She freaks out in an instant.

"Are you a bandit!? Is that why you're half-naked!?" She screams and starts splashing water at me. "I won't let you take advantage of me! Stay away, you pervert!"

"Well I'd never! This is just a misunderstanding! Do I look like that sort of person to you!?"I quickly turn around and sit on the pebbles, waiting for her to ease down. I can still feel the water splashing cold against my back for a while until she finally calms down.

"You still haven't answered my question, woman." I cross my arms, still exposing my brawny back on her. "What's your business here?"

"... As you can see, I'm just here to bath..."

She is trying to avoid the question, and it really ticks me off. So, I turn my head around and scorn at her.

"Well, duh! Don't play me for a fool. Tell me the real reason why you had to go all the way here just to take a bath!"

She gives me a sullen look on her face and also crosses her arms, but I must say that she looks cute when she's angry.

"What does it matter to you, anyway? I mean, we just met..."

"..."

She's got me there. I don't know what came over me, but I was unnecessarily worried about her. Why does her well-being even matter to me in the first place? In fact, How can someone like me who has taken countless of lives just for the sake of living even feel this way? I must shake off this feeling because having an attachment is only a hindrance my mission.

"You know what, You're right. I shouldn't have bothered." I get up on my feet and walk away. "So long, woman!"

"Wait! Aren't you also here to bath under the waterfall?"

I stop, turn around, and cock an eyebrow. "What? Are you saying that you don't mind if I join you?"

"Sure..." she nods hesitantly.

I feel fortunate that she has accepted me. At the same time, I am also curious about how she really feels toward me.

"Heh, what makes you decide to trust me now? A while ago you were quick to suspect me a bandit."

"I never said that I trust you"

"Oh really now?"

"That's it, you can have the waterfall all to yourself." she waddles out of the water in annoyance.

Damn it, I should've kept my trap shut. I feel as if I just passed on a once in a lifetime golden opportunity. Hold on a sec, I seriously sound like a real perverted bandit now...

"Huh, fine. I thought you'd never leave anyway."

Right when we cross past each other, She suddenly stumbles and falls to my arms, much to my surprise.

"Whoa! Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm alright... I just feel a little tired." Her face turns slightly red.

I place my large hand on her forehead and ask, "Did you catch a cold or fever just now? Your head feels kinda hot."

She ignores me and slaps my hand off her forehead. "Get your bulky hand off me! I can take care of myself!"

Geez, what an attitude...

"Fine, but at least tell me your name."

"It's rude and inconsiderate for a man to ask for a lady's name before first introducing himself."

"You know, you've got spunk, woman. I guess that's fair enough, but I'm not telling you my name." I smirk afterward.

"And that makes you quite arrogant yourself, mister."

She purposely bumps her shoulder on me in annoyance when she once again walks past me. Her bump was so weak that it failed to even make me flinch. She heads toward a huge rock where she hanged her dress.

"Don't even think about taking a peek, you hear me!?" she yells from behind the rock.

I giggle and reply, "Forget it, I'm not interested in short skinny woman. Perhaps if you're a little taller, then I might consider."

"Shut up, you pervert!"

She changes to her red dress while I close my eyes and meditate under the gushing waterfall. I know that any girl who sees me like this would scream their eyes out, but she's an exception... because she had left when I open my eyes. Then again, I did rub her the wrong way.

A part of me is glad that she still doesn't know my name and true identity. If she does, ... I don't even want to think about it. She's just... special.

"I'd better get going too."

I jump out the water and start collecting my black cloak, black shirt, red pants, and an angry mask that I hid behind the bushes nearby. I walk past big rock and notice an item she left behind.

"Hmm? A basket of apples? Did she forget to retrieve it?"

I decide to ignore it at first. However something compels me to do otherwise.

"Might as well chase after and return it to her..." I sigh.

I quickly change to my favorite black tight shirt and red pants that I often use to show off my body shape. I decide to temporarily leave out the black cloak and wrap it around my waist instead to avoid her suspicion. Finally, I pick up the basket and dash through the valley.


The Valley of Life

I look left and right and can't help but to notice beauty of the endless spread of colorful flowers and the gigantic mountains that borders them. The river streams in a linear direction and divides the valley into two. Now where is that woman?

I am halfway through the valley and I still can't spot her yet anywhere. That is, until I find some useful clues on the flowery field.

"Apples?"

I attentively follow the trail of apples and finally find the mysterious woman lying helpless and unconscious on the flowerbed. She is holding two wooden baskets of apples on her hands, however the apples are now scattered all over her.

I immediately drop the basket of apples on my right hand and gallop to her side. I crouch down to place my left hand under her neck and my right hand around her waist before I gently raise her head closer to my face. Her body temperature is high, and I don't think that I have ever felt so worried in my entire life.

"Hey, can you hear me!? Answer me!"

I make a desperate attempt to wake her up by shaking her body and yelling at her, but to no avail. What should I do now!?


To be continued...

To conclude so far, Laxus has traveled from Magnolia, Fairy Hill, and is now half-way through the Valley of Life. Laxus will still have to journey through The Forest of Lost to get to Grimoire Castle. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next chapter. Feel free to let me know what you think so far in the comment section ^_^.