AN: Here's chapter 2. Please enjoy and tell me what you think. Opinions are welcomed, in fact, they're very much needed as I won't know if I'm doing something wrong unless someone points it out for me.
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I find that exploring the Dungeon can be pretty interesting despite the fact that it's a literal death trap. There are plenty of things to see and take note of if you actually took the time to survey your surroundings while you're in there.
Sure, the upper floors of the Dungeon has been explored countless times by other Adventurers who came before to the point where every area has already been scouted but I don't really care. I enjoy going to every corner, checking every dead ends and more or less just take my time as I kill monsters and grind my stats.
It's a habit that still I have from my gaming years. If you enter a new area, the most logical thing to do is look everywhere for loots or hidden areas. I'm well aware that this isn't a game and treasure chests don't exist here but it's hard to change what's been deeply ingrained into my psychic. I find myself constantly looking out for anything of note and exploring everywhere without realizing it.
Besides, just because the upper floors had been thoroughly explored it doesn't mean that it doesn't have any more surprises left for people to find.
Take for example: this dead Adventurer right in front of me.
I pull my dagger out of the head of the Goblin had been busy munching on the entrails of the dead Adventurer and it's body went slack before it fell to the floor.
I frowned as I look at my blood stained dagger and swipe it in the air to get rid of the blood before examining it again more closely. Yep, those are hairline fractures on the blade alright. After months of fighting with it, it's finally showing it's limit after miraculously holding on for so long. Then again, it might be because I kept bashing my dagger against the hard exoskeleton of those Killer Ants. Not my best idea but it did the job at least.
The Goblins and Kobolds here are stronger than the ones up above too, and I noticed that their flesh are a bit harder to pierce through. I shouldn't underestimate the monsters on the 8th Floor even if they do look like their counterparts on the earlier floors. I'll need a better weapon and soon. Preferably before my dagger breaks and leaving me stranded with no way of defending myself.
I use the dagger to dig out the magic stone of the Goblin before I went to examine the dead Adventurer, ignoring how the Goblin dissipate into a black mist to be reabsorb back into the Dungeon.
My eyes scan over Adventurer in order to find any clues as to how this person died.
Young, female, most likely a teenager. Blood is still trickling slightly at the stump of what used to be her left leg. I touch the corpse's exposed skin and felt a bit of warmth still present in it's cooling body. Freshly killed too, can't be more than 20 minutes since she died. Just a bit too late to save the day huh? I thought to myself with a small frown before going back to investigating.
I noted that her equipment consist of armor pieces that could be strapped on parts of her body and a sword of normal quality. No helmet of any kind could be found so I assume that she doesn't have any.
Judging by how her face is indented with it's eyeball popping out, the most likely cause of death is blunt force trauma to the face. She wasn't wearing any gloves so I could see that her hands were bloody with missing nails.
The body is mostly whole save it's left leg being severed and guts being out in the open and there's a very short blood trail leading to where she is. The area where the blood started has many shadows and places for things to hide in so it's possible that she was ambushed there. No, I'm certain that she was ambushed there.
There were only three Goblins present, the first was at the area I've just mentioned, eating a severed leg. The second and third were eating the body together and I had lured one away by throwing stones to make noises. Once separated, I killed that one before moving in to kill the last one.
I took a look around the area that I'm in and scratch the back of my head in confusion.This is an area far from where the main path is; so the question is, why is she here? I wondered as I let my hand down and sighed. Well, there is a lot of reasons that I could think of such as wanting to go on an adventure or hunting down monsters but the why in this situation doesn't really matter now that she's dead.
Alright, putting together what I know: This Adventurer went off path for reasons of her own and without any friends to watch her back. Then she ended up being caught in an ambush that ended with her leg being cut off. She tried to crawl away as hard as she could, causing her hands to bleed and nails to come off but her efforts were for naught and one of the Goblin smash a club onto her face, ending her life. This is the most plausible scenario that I could think of right now.
Pity. Another foolhardy Adventurer had met their end in the bowels of the Dungeon.
I stumbled upon this by complete accident to be honest but I suppose I'll have to put my exploration on hold for now. I need to deal with this corpse first before I can continue. I'm the one that found it so the responsibility of catering to the fallen falls upon me.
There are proper procedures that one must adhere to when finding a dead body in the Dungeon. You loot it.
I mean, she's not going to use all that gear anymore now is she?
No wait, that's my gamer instincts talking again. Shoo, go away gamer instincts. I'm not going to loot this young girl's corpse even if it's as tempting as you're making it sound. Although that sword does look rather nice- NO! Begone foul thoughts! Ye shalt not seduce me into disrespecting the fallen today! Have you forgotten that we're trying to be a better person in this life!?
But you did it last time. My traitorous mind reminded me in protest.
That guy had money on him! Need I remind you that it's something which we are in desperate need of?
What's so different this time? She's dead and is obviously not going to use it anymore as well.
It's a she! I'm perfectly fine with looting dead guys but girls is where I draw the line buddy.
We are a firm believer of gender equality. Besides, look at how shiny it is, you can see your own face on it.
That's tru-No! No and that's final! We are done having this conversation devil on my shoulder. Where's the Angel when you need him anyway?
Ahem, right, back on track. As for the procedures that I've mentioned, if you can bring the dead back to the surface then bring it back to be buried by their Familia. If you can't, find out who that person is and then inform the Guild so they could notify that person's Familia. If you have no way of identifying the body then well shit, that guy is out of luck and will be left in the Dungeon to be consumed. No one will remember them nor will their Familia know of their demise until days later when they realize that they're missing.
However, as a solo Adventurer, I'm not required to return the body and is only expected to take note of it and report it to the Guild later when I get back. I'm just one guy after all; can't really return the body if I can't even protect myself while doing so now can I? I am to collect whatever I can to be used for identification and maybe some items to be returned to that person's Familia.
Well, as it stands, I'm not one to leave the fallen behind because it doesn't sit well with me so it's only natural that I would want to bring this child back to be properly mourned. I don't know why I would even feel this way to be honest. Guilt and pity maybe? I must be getting soft after living such a peaceful life for so long.
Anyway, my agility stat is the highest right now so I'm fairly confident about being able to run all the way to the surface while carrying a body. So long as I don't run into a group of monsters that is.
I took off my bag and set it on the ground. I open it and took out a neatly folded black shroud. The shroud is use to hide the body from being seen and more or less keep it in one piece for easier transport. I started bringing one after the first time I found a body in the Dungeon and I didn't have a shroud with me. Let's just say I may have scared off quite a few newbie Adventurers when I reached the surface.
I spread the shroud open on the ground next to the body and put my bag back on. I stood back up and roll up my sleeves, flexing my fingers as I approach the body. Okay. First things first, I'll need to put the intestines back in place before I can move it to the shroud. Oh, let's not forget about the leg too. I'll need to collect it later before I can wrap her up. With that in mind, I set out to work.
Fun fact: This is not the first time I had to put a body back together for burial. Some of my comrades died via grenades before so I know a thing or two about piecing people together.
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Orario- Babel, First Floor
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Death is a part of Orario, no one knows this fact better than the Adventurers themselves. For all their superhuman feats that they could perform, they're still mortals in the end. That's why it's not strange to see no one batting an eye when they saw me carry a corpse out of the Dungeon stairs.
No wait, I spotted some people blenched at the sight of me carrying a bloody shroud in the shape of a person. They must be new. Hope this sight would make them more careful as they enter the Dungeon so they won't end up like this girl here. Some Adventurers even bowed their heads in respect of the dead as I pass by them.
I continue to walk, ignoring some of the looks that I'm gathering from the ones not used to seeing bodies and make my way to the morgue area in the Babel.
Yes, they have morgue to keep dead people until their Familia can come to collect them. I obviously can't take it directly to the guild as civilians would be upset if they saw me carrying a dead person down the street so it's procedure to dump the body there and go report it to the Guild. That is, if you know who the dead person is to begin with. Since I don't, I'll need the help of someone who can identify the dead.
I push open the door to the morgue with my shoulder and I was assaulted with a wave of cold air. I entered it and immediately saw a wide room with multiple operating tables arranged neatly and almost all of them were occupied.
"Oh, it's you again. How many times does this make? Three? Four?" I heard a grumpy voice said and my eyes flicker towards it automatically. There was a dwarf wearing a brown coat and bloody gloves working on one of the body on the tables.
That guy there is the head mortician. His job is to 'pretty up' dead bodies so they are more presentable for burial. He also has the license to read other Adventurer's Falna in order to identify them if they're just too unrecognizable. He'll even report the deceased to the Guild for you as well so all people like me needed to do is to leave the body with him and he'll handle the rest.
Since I have no clue as to who this person is, the only thing I can do is to leave it to him like I've done previously.
"It's not like I want to come here so frequently." I told him with a frown. "It just doesn't sit well with me to leave them behind you know."
The dwarf didn't say anything, merely nodded towards the table that's currently empty. I got his message and move to place the body down on it.
Knowing that he's a busy man and that I shouldn't take too much of his time, I decide to leave quickly so that I won't bother him too much. "Well, good luck with this one and sorry for increasing your workload." I told him as I set the body down as gently as I could. With this done, all that's left is to go back down to the Dungeon and continue from where I left off.
"Hold it right there boy." The dwarf suddenly spoke just as I've turned around to leave. I pause and glance at him with a quirked eyebrow.
"Yeah?" I asked, wondering what's up.
"You're leaving looking like that?" He pointed at me and I look down at myself to see what he's pointing at and saw nothing of note.
"Looking like what?" I asked as I look back up to him.
I could hear the dwarf let out an exasperated sigh before he spoke again. "Your hands boy. At least wash your hands before you leave." I look back down again and saw that my hands were entirely covered in blood.
"Oh, right. Forgot about that." I said sheepishly before heading towards the nearest sink to wash it off. There's a reason why Adventurers practice proper hygiene and clean themselves off before returning to town. It's scares civilians off for starters and draws the wrong kind of attention to oneself. I mean, who the hell runs around in the city while covered in blood? Some lovesick idiot?
The other reason is to prevent the spread of diseases. Adventurers are more resilient to diseases but the same can't be said for the civilians. That's why there's a shower area in the Babel where Adventurers can wash themselves off whatever blood and grim that they covered themselves with in the Dungeon.
As I remove the blood on my hands, I heard the sound of cloth being moved. I close the tap and turn around to find that the mortician had move over to the body that I had brought in and had already opened the shroud for examination.
"I'm surprise that you didn't lose your stomach at the sight of this, boy. This one is definitely worse off than the rest that you've brought in before." He commented as he look over the corpse.
"Eh, you've seen one, you've seen them all" I told him nonchalantly with a wave of my hand. Besides, I've seen people in worse state than that. Alive too. And screaming, let's not forget about that.
The dwarf just look at me like I'm weird and I merely shrugged. He shook his head slightly before asking another question. "Do you want me to inform her Familia that you're the one who found her?"
I shook my head quickly and started walking towards the door. "No thanks. I'm not sure how to respond if they ever come to me and offer their gratitude for finding her."
Just as my hand touched the door, the Dwarf spoke again. "You have a good heart kid. Not many would do what you've been doing."
I pause, a feeling of disgust suddenly came forth from within me, not at him but at myself. A good heart? Me? He couldn't be more wrong if he tried. If anything, this heart of mine has already been corrupted to the core.
I shook the feeling away easily enough and open the door. "That's where you're wrong my friend. I'm just a selfish person who does whatever he wants." I told him while wearing a sardonic smile on my face. "Besides, it's not like I'm doing this for free." I mutter out the last sentence to myself as I left the place, my eyes gazing towards the sword strapped onto my waist.
In the end I still took the sword instead of leaving it with the rightful owner.
I didn't want to take it at first but I encountered some monsters on my way back and I needed something to defend myself with. My dagger is already about to break so I used the Adventurer's sword instead. It's a lot better than the beat up old dagger that I've been using and I found myself reluctant to part with it. The reach is longer and it's more sturdier than my beginner weapon so I don't have to worry about it breaking any time soon so I made the choice to keep it then and there.
Do I feel guilty for doing so? A bit. Do I have any intentions of returning it? Nope. It wasn't even that hard of a choice to make really. It's either I keep using the dagger or use a superior weapon to plow through the Dungeon.
A good heart my ass. In the end, I'm just a selfish bastard that would would stoop to looting corpses just to make my life easier.
Hows being a better person working out for ya?
Hush you. I don't need your sass.
At any rate, it looks like it's time for Dagger-kun to retire. Thank you Dagger-kun, you have treated me well thus far. I won't forget all the fun adventures that we had over the course of the six months that we've been together.
I make my way back to the Dungeon with the sword in hand, fulling intending to familiarize myself with it as I continue to explore new areas. Who knows, I just might find something interesting again. Let's just hope it's not another dead body.
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Orario- Blue Pharmacy
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"Owowowowow." I cried out as Naaza apply the medical ointment on my back, rather forcefully too.
I'm currently laying on a mat that had been set out on the floor at the back of the shop with my shirt lift up. As for why Naaza is currently torturin- I mean, treating me, it's because I've made a blunder while I was exploring and paid the price for it. I got too excited with the new sword and decided to challenge an Orc, a monster that only appears a few floors below the one that I'm authorized to go into and got thrown into the wall for my effort.
In my defense, the floor was very foggy and those bastards sure can hide for something so fat. At least I managed to kill quite a bit of Orcs until one decided to pop out from the fog like a ninja and smack me with it's weapon, sending me to a wall like a pinball. I decided to haul ass then and there before more sneaky fat boys appeared. At least I learned not to be too greedy now and best of all, I earned a lot today because of the magic stones from the orcs. They're way bigger than the ones in the 8th floor and I foresee myself going back there again soon but not before being more prepared first.
That reckless venture wasn't all bad as I've learned a few things from that encounter. I know what being hit by a Nature Weapon feels like now for starters. Secondly, while Stealth makes me harder to see, it does nothing to conceal my scent. That's how fat boy found me in the first place as I stood over it's dead brethren covered in it's blood. There's really no excuse for missing that particular fact as I've already noted down that Orcs have keen sense of smell in my notebook. So yeah, I need to be more careful and find a way to hide my scent if I want to keep on being a stealthy Adventurer. Or maybe just not cover myself in blood all the damn time.
"You know, I'll heal a lot faster if you just let me use a potion." I told Naaza as I tried to look at her from my position.
"No using our shop's inventory to fix your own stupid mistakes Nii-san." Came the merciless reply of my little sister. The expression on her face is frigid cold and her usual listless eyes seem to gain some kind of soul piercing ability as she stare at me in displeasure. Naaza-chan, can you please not look at your Nii-san like that? That look hurts more than all the wounds I've ever gained you know. And that's saying a lot considering the fact that I've been hit by a mortar before.
"Are you sure the reason you're not letting me use one is because you're mad that I got hur-OW! Okay, okay. I'll shut up." I wisely stopped myself from any wisecracking when she applied more force on my back with narrowed eyes.
"I must admit, you deserve that one Cain-kun." Miach commented from the front of the shop, likely having heard our conversation from there. I let out a muffled groan in reply and let myself be treated.
I continued to lay restlessly on the floor as Naaza finishes up with her treatment. I saw her putting away the ointment and getting up so that must mean that she's done already so I push myself up and pull my shirt back down. "Naaza-chan is being a big bully." I complained childishly as I puff my cheeks out at her, feeling safer to joke again now that her hands are no longer on my back.
"I feel that Nii-san wouldn't learn his lesson otherwise, so this much should be acceptable as a disciplinary action." Naaza replied stiffly walk towards the nearby table with the ointment in hand. She's upset, I can tell.
"Aww, does this mean I'm going to get punished every time I come back with a little scratch now? Methinks that Naaza-chan is being a bit strict and asks if she can be a bit more lenient. Nii-san will make her favorite herbed chicken for her if she does." I tried getting her to lighten up a bit with my usual goofiness.
Instead of replying or offering a witty retort like I expected, Naaza slam the ointment onto the table, causing me to jolt in surprise as I never expected her to do something like that. She turn around to looked at me with a tight-lipped expression. I was about to say something but the words were stuck in my throat when I saw her eyes. They look like they were barely holding back a torrent of emotions. It was then did I realize that I've fucked up; I don't know just what it is that I've fucked up but I just know that I did.
"Nii-san has been getting hurt a lot recently." She said solemnly to me.
I resist the urge to winched at her tone and failed horribly. "I'll be more careful." I tried to reassure her with a nervous smile.
Rather then being reassured by my words, her expression darkened instead. "You always say that and yet you keep coming home with more injured than before. Before it was only small cuts and scraps that kept increasing in frequency and today your entire back is severely bruised and you'd be suffering from broken ribs if it weren't for the potions that you brought with you into the Dungeon. If you keep this up who knows what kind of injury you'll suffer next!?" She shot back, her voice rising higher as she went on and her hands started clenching into themselves as her small frame started shaking.
"Just stop, Nii-san. Don't keep saying that and then come back with serious wounds and looking like you've almost died. I hate it! I hate seeing you get hurt! I hate it when you joke about it like it's nothing! It doesn't make me feel better at all. Don't you know how worried I get when I see you leave in the morning? I couldn't help but keep thinking that something might happen to you in the Dungeon. What if...what if you didn't come back at all." Her ears drooped as her voice lost her earlier heat. "What am I suppose to do then?" She said, her voice cracking. She look down at her feet after saying her piece and I can see tears were leaking out of her eyes as she sniffled in place.
I didn't do anything, or rather, I couldn't do anything but stand frozen in place.
I...I didn't notice at all. Had all those thoughts been inside her head all this time? Slowly accumulating inside of her right in front of me? I thought that she was just upset because she didn't like the fact that I've become an Adventurer to earn money so I didn't look any deeper than that. I...I'm just too used to being surrounded by people who had already accepted that they or others might die at any given time.
But Naaza isn't one of my comrades from back then, she's is just a little girl who has had her life turned upside down by an accident beyond her control. She had to watch people close to her leave her life after we were settled with a large debt and with only two people left in her life, she would no doubt cling onto them like a lifeline. Like an insensitive idiot that I am, I just have to go and throw my life against the Dungeon days after it had just happened.
I was too busy focusing on my own situation that I neglected to think about how others would feel about my behavior. In fact, it never once cross my mind.
If I did then I would've noticed that she was smoldering in dread back home because of how I keep pushing myself to get stronger so I could go deeper into the Dungeon, not knowing if that day was going to be the last she would see of me.
What am I suppose to do in this situation? What can I do? My mind couldn't think of anything and my body is petrified in place as I watch Naaza struggle not to cry.
I heard the sound of something shifting and my eyes dart to the side. I saw Miach standing at the doorway, making motions with his hands. I saw what he was trying to tell me to do and I nodded. I turn my attention back to Naaza; she look so distressed and fragile that it made my heart twist on itself. I force myself to move and I reduce the distance between us in moments. I stop in front of the girl and I pull her into a hug, wrapping my arms around her gently and securely.
Naaza's body went rigid at my initial touch but she slowly as the seconds tick on. I place my chin on top of her head and I could feel her hands gripping on the front of my shirt as she buried her face into my chest. I didn't say anything as I'm still trying to come up with something to say.
"That's cheating Nii-san…. I can't stay mad at you... when you're like this."
"...I'm sorry. I didn't know that I was causing you pain by being like this. Nii-san is being an idiot, can you ever forgive him?" I said to her, for once actually trying look at my surroundings instead of the narrow path that I had set myself upon.
"If you know you're being an idiot then stop doing it already."
"I will, I promise. I promise to you that I'll do everything I can to come back home alive and well. Maybe not completely unharmed but not to the point where you'll have to worry about my safety ever again." I said seriously as I continue to hold onto her gently.
"You better." I heard her murmur, noticing that she's calmer now.
You know, I wasn't expecting to get all touchy feely today. It really threw me off my rhythm. I will need to go easy while in the Dungeon from now on instead of forcing myself to go further each time. If this is enough to get Naaza to act like that then I dread the day that Misha found out about all the reckless things I did in the Dungeon. She'll probably go into a never ending rant about how foolish I was or worse, she'll stop making me tea! I may be Japanese now but I'm a British man at heart damn it, I need my tea or I'll go into a withdrawal.
Ah shit, I forgot to report to her today too. Maybe I will pay her a visit tomorrow to tell her that I won't be entering the Dungeon for a while so that she doesn't worry about me.
Anyway, how to do I get out of this hug? It's been going on for a while now and it's starting to feel awkward for both of us. Quick, Brain, think of something.
You still have to make dinner. Ah yes, excellent idea.
"Well then," I let go of Naaza and pat her on the shoulder comfortingly. "I suppose I should get working on dinner now."
"About that," Miach suddenly spoke up after being quiet throughout the time I was comforting Naaza. "I think we should go out and eat tonight instead of here."
"Eh? How come?" I asked, surprised by Miach's decision not to have Dinner at home.
"You did earn a lot more than usual today so I think we can spare some money and eat out once in a while as a reward."
"Are you saying that you don't like my cooking anymore." I utter out in horror with hands on my cheeks. "Is that why you want to eat somewhere else?" I said, sounding like a woman being cheated by her husband. I'm obviously being dramatic here but I feel that it should clear the awkwardness in the air.
Miach chuckled a bit. "It's nothing of sorts Cain-kun. You're injured and tired right now aren't you? I figure that you'll appreciate it if you can rest and recover for the day." Miach explained.
I thought about it and realized that he's right. My body is still kind of sore and lethargic from the venture into the 10th floor so a bit of rest might do me some good. "Well, not having to think about what kind of dish to make for tonight does sound nice. Alright, I'll just put my stuff away first before we go." I told him before I move to collect my things that I had to take off so Naaza could apply the ointment on my back.
I had to grimace at the sight of my armor as it picked it up. It can't really be called armor anymore. Because of that Orc's attack it's more like a metal pancake now, completely flatten and unusable. It looks like I'll be going unarmored from now on until I can loot another dead guy for his armor. Yeah, I'm not even going to bother pretending to have a moral dilemma about that anymore; it gets old fast.
"By the way Nii-san, where did you get that sword?" Naaza spoke up as I pick up the sword.
"I found it on the ground." I answered her as I showed her the sword in my hand.
"Really?" Her reply sounded skeptical as she examine the weapon.
"Yes, really. I think that someone dropped it while they were running away from monsters in the Dungeon." I lied. "At any rate, I got myself a new sword to replace my old weapon that's about to break. Another man's loss is another man's treasure as they say. Anyway, I'll be back down in a bit so you can start closing up the shop first, I'll help when I'm done."
Naaza nodded and went to the front of the store to begin locking up while I move upstairs to put my things away.
When I got back down, I saw that Miach and Naaza were already done with what they needed to do and were waiting for me. We all left through the back door and started walking with Miach leading the way.
The sun had already set by this point and the stars were out in full view. We stroll down the street illuminated by magic lamps, passing by people who are either returning home from work or heading out to eat dinner like we are.
I suddenly wince a bit as my back let out another flare of pain when my shirt brush against it. I can tell that it's going to be troublesome to deal with constantly and it'll hamper me when the time comes where I have to fight again. "So, Naaza-chan, when can Nii-san get a potion to heal his back? I know that it's punishment and all but Nii-san can't really fight well when his back is hurting like an old man's."
Naaza gave me a flat look. "You're not getting one."
I shot her a baffled stare in return. "But what am I going to do about tomorrow? I won't be in my best condition to go into the Dungeon."
"That's easy, you're not going." Naaza simply stated and I pause in my steps, looking at her in confusion.
"Huh?"
"I've discussed it with Miach-sama while you were upstairs. It's your punishment. Until you're fully healed, you're not allowed to enter the Dungeon." She informed me with her arms crossed, looking absolutely steadfast in her decision and is not going to budge on that matter.
A wave of panic washed over me as I processed that fact. "But what are we going to do about the money then?" If I don't go then we'll be solely dependent on the revenue that the shop earns to meet the quota that I've come with. If it falls behind then we won't be able to pay Dian Cecht this month and still have enough left over for ourselves to save for future uses.
"Not buts Nii-san. It's because you kept worrying about the money like that it drove you to do something so reckless." Naaza rebuked while pointing a finger at me.
"I have to agree with Naaza. Because of that, I won't update your status until you're fully healed either." Miach chimed in right when I was about to protest Naaza's decision. He walked over to me, a sad smile present on his face. "There's no harm if you don't go into the Dungeon everyday Cain." Oh shit. Miach dropped the '-kun' part, he must be really serious.
"In fact, I even encourage you to take breaks more often. The only reason why I didn't say anything until now was because I know my words will just fall on deaf ears. Now that you've gone and done something so outrageous, it's crucial that I start enforcing you to take breaks before you hurt yourself further. So until you're better, I won't allow you to enter the Dungeon or do anything dangerous. No using potions to speed up your recovery as well. I know how long it takes for wounds to heal so don't think I won't figure out that you've slipped some in while we aren't looking." He warned me sternly.
With both of them against me, I know that I've lost and trying further will be pointless. I let out a tired sigh and nodded. "Alright." I muttered as I look down at my feet in dejection.
I felt a hand on my shoulder, causing me to look back up and saw that Miach was in front of me. "I know you think that you have to do everything by yourself Cain and I'll tell you now that it's a horrible mindset to have." Miach flick a finger on my forehead and I flinched back slightly and began rubbing it even though it doesn't even hurt. "You need to believe that we can manage on our own as well. We're not so useless that we can't cover for you if you don't go into the Dungeon for a while. You risk your life for us everyday Cain; I know telling you to stop is pointless but do take a break once in a while alright?"
I frowned at Miach's words. I'm not used to being talk to like that, being asked to trust others that they could handle themselves without me looking after them. I'm more used to thinking that people are inept and needed to be look after because I used to be a leader. You just tend to get used to thinking that every one of your soldiers are incompetent or just plan retarded after a while of leading. I don't really think that my Familia is unreliable per se but habits hard you know. The desire to do everything myself just sort of bleeds over to this life without me knowing. "Alright, alright. I get it. I'll rest until I'm fully healed. You two happy?" I crossed my arms and pouted.
I can see that they two were smiling that I acceded to their punishment.
"Very." Miach nodded. "Well then, let's go shall we?" He turn around and started walking again while Naaza and I followed behind him.
"By the way, where are we going?" I asked once I realized that I have no idea where we'll be eating at.
Miach turn his head over his shoulder and shot me a smile. "Where else but the place we've used to frequent."
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Orario- Hostess Of Fertility
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"Well, well, well, look who finally decided to show up."Mia Grand, owner of the lovely and ever so popular pub called the Hostess of Fertility, called out loudly from behind the bar when we entered the establishment.
Mia is a dwarf. But instead of being short like all dwarf are known for, she's like a huge giant instead. I dunno why, probably genetics, not that I know how genetics work mind you. She has long brown hair tied into a ponytail and brown eyes and wore a purple dress and a white apron.
The pub is pretty packed right now and the air is filled with chattering and laughter of various customers, each coming over to fill their stomachs or to wind down from a stressful day. I can see Adventurers regaling tales of their exploits in the Dungeon that's most likely exaggerated in some way with people listening in awe or amusement. I've also spotted two waitresses moving nimbly through small gaps between tables and customers, carrying trays on both their hands filled with food and drinks.
All in all, the place give off a very rowdy and energizing atmosphere.
"I haven't seen you three in a while. Where have you been? You haven't been going to other restaurants have you?" She asked with a hearty laugh.
"We've simply been busy back at our place, Mia-san." Miach answered while scratching his cheek sheepishly.
"I see." Mia merely nodded and didn't ask any further. Knowing her, she most likely have already heard of what happened to Miach Familia. "Well, don't just stand there, come on in already. I'll even give you guys a discount since it's been a while since I saw you. Hey girls, we've got customers! Get them seated and take their orders already." She shouted to one of the waitress here before turning around to do her job. Yep, she definitely knew of our situation. Mia giving discounts to people is a rare thing and she only gives it to people who were living in trying times just to help them a bit. She's kind in her own unique way.
"Alright Mama Mia nya." I heard a girl's voice answer Mia's call. That's right lads, Mia Grand's nickname is Mama Mia. Very Italian. I guess that's why they have pastas in their menu.
I saw a waitress came over to where we were, wearing the signature maid uniform that belonged to the Hostess of Fertility. It's basically a green version of what Mia is wearing but with a white headband. The waitress has short brown hair and eyes of the same color. She's also a Cat People.
No, I did no mean that in a 'she likes cat to the point where she adds nya to all her sentences' kind of way. I was being quite literal when I said she's a Cat People. She has legit cat ears and tail and the nya is just a verbal tic that her race has. It can be overcome if one puts effort into it but most never did. As far as race names go, Cat People is the most unimaginative one. "Welcome nya, I'll be taking you to- Oh! It's Cainya. You're still alive nya!" The girl exclaimed as she points a finger at me.
"Yes, it is I Cainya." I deadpanned at the nickname she had given me. "How have you been Nyanya? Not causing trouble for others I hope." I asked, using the nickname I have given her.
"Of course not nya. What kind of person do you think I am? Nya should have more faith in your senpai nya know." She replied confidently as she place her hand on her chest and puff them out proudly.
"Oi, Anya. Get them to their seats already." Mia voice rang out from the back and Anya panicked.
"O-okay! Now seating three nya!" Anya announced before leading us to a free table. The girl's full name is Anya Fromel and is 3 years older than me and she's also an airhead. Sadly for me, she's also my senior as an employee of the pub. Not much to say about her skills in the art of serving save for the fact that she keeps messing up and needing me to clean up her mess back in the day.
Yes, that's right. I've worked here before, mostly as a part-timer. I started only a few weeks after this place first opened up in fact, and had been working here until half a year ago.
We all sat down at our table and Anya began taking our order. Miach and Naaza ordered theirs while I was busy thinking of what to get. "So Cainya. What would you like to eat nya?" Anya asked me after taking Miach and Naaza's orders.
"Has May come up with any new dish yet?" I raise a curious eyebrow at the cat girl.
"Is Cainya going to steal our dish again nya? May's going to cry if you keep figuring out all her recipes that she worked so hard on you know." Anya chided me in a playful tone.
"It's not my fault that they're so easy to figure out." I merely shrugged.
Anya rolled her eyes before breaking out a smile. "Alright then nya. One new dish for the recipe thief. Your order will be ready shortly so please wait for a bit nya. Oh, I'll catch up with you later when I have the time Cainya. It's been a while after all and I wanna know what my kohai has been up to lately nya." Anya cheerfully went off to put in our order in the kitchen.
"My, this place is still as rowdy as ever." Miach commented as Anya went into the kitchen.
"It's too loud." Naaza complained, using her hands to press her ears against her forehead.
"Well, I think that they're swamped with all the customers that they're getting. I wonder when Mia is going to hire more waitresses?" I wondered out loud in curiosity.
"Oh! It's Cain-san!" I heard another girl's voice coming from behind me and I my head around to see who it was.
There I saw a waitress who was busy cleaning up a table when she spotted me. The girl is a human who has bluish gray hair that's being tied in a ponytail style with a small knot and her eyes are the same color as her hair.
"Oh hey, Syr-chan! How have you been?" I asked her while waving at her.
"I'm doing well but I do wish we have more hands out on the front though. It's been awfully busy lately and we barely have time to rest." Syr sigh slightly as her hands continued to move plates and mugs onto her tray. By the way, she's a year younger than me and already acts more mature than I do sometimes. "You also haven't been visiting the orphanage lately and the kids there all miss you. It would make all of us happy if you do drop by sometimes." She told me with a coy smile, blinking bashfully at me.
Syr Flova started working at the Hostess of Fertility about 3 years ago and is a very diligent girl that would never fail to use her days off to visit the orphanage that took care of her in order to help them out. She had asked me if I wanted to come along one time and being the guy who's free most of the time back then, I agreed. I don't know how it happened but it suddenly became a routine for us to visit the orphanage once a week. I blame Syr. She must've manipulated me into doing it while making me think that it's what I wanted it all along.
Even though she looks so cute and innocent on the outside, she's basically a witch on the inside. A kind hearted witch but a witch nonetheless. "Yeah, still needs some work there Syr-chan. I can still see that it's a bit forced" I informed her of what I think about her attempt to look cute. But still, if she keeps polishing her acting skills like that, I have no doubt that she would have no trouble playing with hearts of men in the future to get what she wants. I can tell that there are already a few victims of her wily charms here in the pub.
"Ehhh~ And here I thought I've finally gotten it right this time." Syr pouted in dissatisfaction.
"Well, you've been using me as a guinea pig in the past so it's easier for me to spot when you're acting than others. I'm sure other people wouldn't be able to tell if they weren't looking as closely as I have. Also, tell the kids that I'll visit them when I can for me will you? It's not exactly been easy for me to make time you know?"
"I see." She nodded with a thoughtful look as she began to walk away with the tray of dishes in tow. "I'll be sure to tell them that when I head over next time. Oh, before I forget, welcome back Cain-san." She smiled warmly at me and I smiled back.
"Yeah, it's good to be back."
"By the way, May-san has been missing her favorite assistant for quite a while now so I do hope that you're prepared for what's coming. Since Anya was the one who took your order, it won't be long until she blabbed to May-san that you're here." She giggled as she left, leaving me with rapidly paling complexion.
True to Syr's words, the moment she walked away, the door to the kitchen burst open and a white blur shot forth from there to my location. The blur reached me without issue, completely avoiding everything and everyone in it's path flawlessly until it rammed into me. I crashed onto the ground with the air knocked out of my lungs but managed not to land on my back so I won't aggravate my wound further.
Still reeling from the impact and crash, I shook the stars away from my head and look down only to find that my waist was being hugged by a cat girl. "Waaa! Cain-kun! You're back!" The girl cried with tears streaming freely from her eyes. "First you barge into the pub out of the blue one day, saying that you're going to be an Adventurer so you won't be coming over anymore. Then you immediately cut all contact with us for half a year like it's nothing! Do you know how worried I-we were!? We thought you've died!" The girl continued to cry while refusing to let go of me.
"Ack, Shishou! My back! Your hug is hurting my back!" I tried to detach the girl from my body but sadly for me, she's obviously too strong for me to pry off as I am right now.
If any of you were wondering, this is May, one of the chief working in this pub. She has short brown hair and eyes and is wearing a white chief uniform as well as a brown hat with two slits that let her ears pop out. You can say that she's also one of the reason why I worked here seeing that she's the one teaching me how to cook. What, you thought I already knew how to cook when I was born here? Hell no. I don't even know how to turn on the stove when I started. It exploded when I tried, dunno why.
May's also prone to emotional outbursts if you push her pass a certain threshold, something that I have apparently done without knowing because of how she's acting now. It's also ill advised to give her drama novels because she'll just bawl whenever she gets to the emotional part. The staffs of the Hostess of Fertility all have special circumstances for being here, May here included. They all have their own baggage to handle and most of them are here because Mia offered them a helping hand.
I got my part time position here easily enough because this place had only opened up recently back then and were still a bit short staffed. I took the opportunity to ask for a position where I can assist the kitchen and ask for lessons in cooking in return instead of money. Normally, Mia only accepts girls but back then I was very androgynous because of my figure and childish face so Mia mistook me as a tomboy and hired me. Yeah….less said about that the better. But even after she found out that I'm a guy, she didn't fire me because of all the good work I've put in.
It's a good arrangement that we have. I get to learn more cooking techniques and they get more hands to help out. Best part is, Mia even paid me for working here even though I only wanted to learn how to cook.
"*Hic* You could've drop by and *hic* tell us that you were alright you idiot." May just buried her face into my stomach and continued sob.
Not knowing what to do, I could only place my hand on top of her head and stroke it consolingly while ignoring the pain coming from my back because of how she wrapped her arms around me. You know, lately all I've done is making girls cry because of my actions... is it a curse or something?
Also, Naaza-chan, why have you been glaring at me like that for a while now? Your Nii-san is getting scared you know?
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. Things just happened one thing after another so I keep forgetting. I'll try to come by more frequently now alright?" I told her and I could feel her nodding.
"Mama Mia! May just ran out of the kitchen!" I heard someone shouted from the kitchen, probably one of the kitchen staff.
"What the hell!? We're practically drowning in orders here and she just up and left just like that! How could she!?" Another voice rang out.
"I heard that Cain-kun is here so maybe that's why." The first voice spoke again and was followed by a bunch of 'Oh's' and 'Ah's' of understanding.
"May, get back into the kitchen! We're already understaffed as it is!" Mia's angry voice came loudly from the bar, easily surpassing the other noises from the pub and the cat girl immediately let go of me and sprung up from the ground.
"Y-yes Mama Mia!" May straighten and wipe away her tears before turning to me. "I'm sorry about crushing you into the ground Cain-kun and, it's good to see you again." She gave me a wavering smile, looking like she wanted to keep on crying but was steeling herself so she won't. When she left, I noticed that there was a light spring in her steps as she vanishes into the kitchen.
I got back up and sat back on my chair tiredly, ignoring the curious (read: jealous) looks that the other patrons were shooting me.
"Nii-san is always getting friendly and touchy with other girls. Stupid casanova passive skill." I could hear Naaza mutter out coldly as I place my elbows on the table. I do believe that she is sulking right now.
I'm pretty sure I don't have that kind of skill Naaza-chan. We're just friends here and nothing more. Also, where did you learn that word? You're like, 13. I thought to myself wryly and offer her a sheepish smile which she ignored.
Miach on the other hand, is merely content in watching the shenanigans that I'm getting into. "Cain-kun sure has a lot of friends here doesn't he?" He said with a contented smile. I don't know if he's just being himself and merely commenting on what he sees or if he's teasing me right now; it's hard to tell when it comes to him. It's most likely the former now that I think about it. This is Miach that we're talking about, the man is as dense as a black hole when it comes to women and their feelings.
"I guess so. They're a pretty interesting lot to be around that's for sure." I answered truthfully. I didn't really think I'd make any friends here to be honest. The most I expected was a typical professional co-worker relationship when I started out seeing that I'm a guy and everyone else is a girl. Most of all, I clearly wasn't expecting to learn about how this place is a haven for those with special circumstances to start over.
I guess that's why I could fit in and get along with everyone so easily. We are all damaged in some way and could rely on each other for help. I'm pretty sure they would help me with my problems if I were to ask but I wont. My problems are my own and I can deal with them just fine. The only kind of help I would accept is a way for me to earn money-
"That's it!" I exclaimed all of the sudden, causing the other two to jolt in surprise at my outburst. I quickly got up from my seat and rush over to the kitchen. I push open the door and was greeted with the sight of busy staffs working frantically on cooking, preparing ingredients and pushing out dishes after dishes of food as quickly as they can while maintaining a set pace. I don't see May anywhere so I can assume that she went to the storage to get more ingredients.
I look around and easily spotted the one that I'm looking for.
"Mama Mia!" I called out to the giant dwarf who was busy cooking a pot of stew and drawing the attention of the staffs while I'm at it.
"What the? What are you doing here Cain? This is a staff area and you are no longer an employee anymore remember." Mia had a stern visage on her face as she addressed me but I can tell that she's feeling curious as to why I'm here as well since she hasn't yelled at me yet.
"I'm came to ask if can I work here again. Same arrangement as before." Mia raised an eyebrow at my words while I heard the kitchen staffs letting out gasps of surprise and began chatting with each other excitedly.
"Oh? How come? Didn't you become an Adventurer already? Do you even have the time and energy to come over and work?" The proprietress questioned with slightly narrowed eyes. I know her well enough to know that she can read people well enough to know if they're lying or not so the truth is the only option for me here.
"I'm banned from going into the Dungeon for the time being because of my own stupidity so I need another source of income to keep my Familia afloat until I can return there." I replied seriously.
"Eh, good enough." She shrugged. "You can start tomorrow."
"Yes!" I did a fist pump before I turn around to head back to my table. "Thanks a lot Mama Mia, I'll be sure to come by tomorrow."
I got back to my seat and was immediately questioned by my little sister. "Where did you go Nii-san?"
"I went to ask Mama Mia if I could get my old position back and she agreed." I answered her with a smile. "Since you only forbid me from going into the dungeon, there's nothing stopping me from earning money here."
"Nii-san, you're suppose to be resting." Naaza gave me a disapproving stare. "I wanted you to relax for a few days for once instead of working tirelessly."
"But cooking is relaxing for me Naaza-chan." I tried to assure her. "If I work here, I get to relax and earn money at the same time so I won't have to lose sleep over the time that I've wasted by not going into the Dungeon. Besides, the Hostess of Fertility is the safest place in Orario right now so I won't be in any danger here at all."
"I shall allow it." Miach spoke up before Naaza could say anything. Her head swivel and stare at our God with slightly wide eyes of surprise that he would actually approve of my decision. He look at her with a gentle smile. "Naaza, I think this is the best choice for everyone."
At her skeptical look, Miach explained his reason for allowing me to work here. "Think about it this way, it's better than having Cain-kun sneak off into the Dungeon when we aren't looking isn't it? You know how he is, there's no way he's going to sit still for long. So by giving him something safe to do, we can be assured that he won't be putting himself in harms way."
Naaza looked conflicted, eyes look at Miach and then at me repeatedly before she let out a defeated sigh and her entire body just shagged listlessly.
"Alright." She said quietly as she look down at the table and I was stuck with a sense of guilt that it's my fault that she's like this now. I realized that I need to do something to make her feel better, otherwise she would no doubt be extremely depressed again.
"Hey Naaza-chan, I don't start until evening rolls around so I'm free to spent time with you until then." I told her and her head immediately sprung up.
"Really?" Life seem to return to her and her eyes were hopeful as she stared at me for confirmation.
"Yeah." I nodded. "Since I haven't been able to spent time with you like I used to, this might be a good chance for us to do so. I'll let you decide on what you want to do too."
Naaza's lips turn upward into a small smile and she nodded. I can tell that she's practically beaming at this point even though she doesn't show it. I just have to look at her tail that's more or less spinning like a rotor right now.
"Excuse me nya! Here are you orders nya." Anya said as she came up from the side with trays on her hand. It seemed that our food has been prepared while we were talking. She set them down on the table and move the wooden plates filled with food from the tray to the table in front of us.
"Please enjoy your meal nya." Anya gave us a courteous bow before she left with the tray in hand.
With our food before us, we started digging in with gusto. I took the time to examine mine first before I start taste tasting it. It looked like some kind of meat coated with a golden sauce. I've never seen this kind of dish being serve here before but since May's the one who came up with this, it should be good. I wonder how long it will take for me to crack the code for this dish.
"WHAT!? Cainya is coming back to work with us nya!?" I heard Anya's voice blaring out from the kitchen. It looks like she had just heard the news.
"REALLY!?" Anya's voice was soon drowned out by May's own. I see that she had returned to the kitchen from wherever she was and had just been informed of my reemployment because of Anya's shouting.
"Both of you, stop shouting and get back to work!"
I couldn't help but smile to myself; hearing all the shouting coming from the kitchen sure does bring back a sense of nostalgia. I chucked at the sound of Anya and May being scolded by the proprietress before eating the food presented before me.
As I ate, I kept my ears open to listen to the gossip going around this place. Since this is a pub, it's naturally a hot spot for people to talk and gossip about the ongoing in the city. Sometimes you get to hear something very juicy and liquor does a fine job at loosening lips. You'll never know what people will let slip in their inebriated state.
A magnitude of voices all reached me and I let my mind sort out the jumbled mess like a filter, ignoring the pointless things while paying attention to what seem like new information or interesting tidbits. I can hear people talking about the usual things like how their days went or complain about how bad they had it but those were filtered out of my mind easily enough. Then, someone's voice filtered into my ear, talking about something that perked my interest.
"-rd that they found another one. It's the third one this month."
"Really? Man, just when I thought the streets are getting safer again too."
"Yeah. Someone found him in one of the alleys near free market. People from the Ganesha Familia went to crime scene to investigate and concluded that the killer is the same person. The victim is from the Rudra Familia just like the last two. I don't know what they did but they've apparently pissed someone off enough that they began hunting down their members."
"*Sigh* Not much we can do except stay at home and pray that trouble doesn't find you. The Ganesha Familia is doing their best to keep the peace but they've already spread themselves thin dealing with the fallout from last year's mess with Evilus. If only the Astraea Familia were still around to help..."
I frowned at the news that I've heard. Another murder? That kind of thing is getting more common lately. It's almost like Orario is reverting back to the dark age again.
While it's hard to believe now but Orario used to be a place filled with fear and sorrow, a time that is commonly referred to as the dark age by the people who had lived through that time.
The culprit that caused all that is called Evilus; a group of radical Familias who all share the same goal of spreading chaos and fear, led by a so called evil God. They did what they wanted and didn't care about anything else. They were finally destroyed about a year ago but before their demise, they were a force to be reckon with and brought nothing but misery and death with them.
Only through the effort of Loki Familia, Freya Familia, Ganesha Familia and the Astraea Familia did peace finally returned. A lot of Adventurers rose up and fought against the encroaching evil too. These unsung heroes suffered many casualties and fatalities but even then, they persevered and continued to fight against evil.
It took a long while but they managed to destroy Evilus after a coordinated attack on all their bases and peace finally return to the Labyrinth City.
But the peace came with a large cost. During the time where Evilus was still running lose, they managed to eradicate an entire Familia whose main focus was to safeguard Orario like a police force, the Astraea Familia. I've never seen them for myself but I've heard a great deal about them. They were a strong Familia whose members consist of Second Class Adventurers only but even so, the were still wiped out because they fell into a trap set by Evilus. They were well loved by everyone for all the things that they have done and the lack of their presence was very noticeable.
I continued eating in silence, thinking about the current state of Orario and what the future might hold. I don't know what's going to happen but I do hope I don't get dragged into the troubles that never seem to stop popping up. Since I don't go out of my way to look for trouble, I'm pretty sure that I'll be fine in that regard.
….
…..
Why do I get the feeling that I've just jinxed myself?
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Orario- Route To Blue Pharmacy
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After dinner, I decided to stay behind a bit to catch up with the people in the Hostess of Fertility while Miach and Naaza went home first. Miach was fine with it and so was Naaza but she did had a very thoughtful look on her face the entire time as she left though. I wonder what she's been thinking about?
I spent my time mostly talking to Syr and Anya, listening to what they had been up to and telling them about the things that I've done until now. I've obviously neglected to mention about the all stupid things that I've done of course. I'm not stupid enough to give them any ammunition to tease me with, especially to Syr.
It was fun, just chatting away without any worries to be had. But because I had too much fun, I neglected to keep track of the time and before I know it, it's near closing time already. I quickly bid them farewell and started making my way back home.
"Oh man, it's so late already." I muttered to myself as I walk along the chilly and empty street. I wasn't really in a hurry to get back as I don't need to get up early to go to the Dungeon tomorrow and I don't need to sleep as much as others. Being able to get 4-6 hours of sleep is good enough for me to feel fully recharged. Even if I didn't sleep at all I'll still be fine; I have lots of practice with that because of my insomnia from my past life. Hard to fall asleep when you're constantly under fire from the enemy after all.
I kept my head tilted upwards, looking towards the stars and taking in the beautiful sight of diamonds in the sky. I could never see them anymore back on earth so I'm taking the time to enjoy it now. Who knows when I'll have the time to stare into the sky so leisurely again. It was when I was lost in thought and moving on autopilot did I noticed a green blur flying overhead.
Just as the blur pass by, something drop from the sky and landed on my face with a wet splosh. I blink in surprise and use my hand to wipe it off. I brought my hand up and examine just what it is under the street light. My entire body became tense and alert immediately when I saw what it was.
Yep, that's blood alright. I thought to myself as I stare at the red stain on my hand. That blur just now is most likely a person. They could've either gotten into a fight and gotten hurt or had just finished unaliving some people.
I quickly look back up to see if I could find where the blur went but I found that the roofs were empty. Whoever that flew by me had long since vanished. I narrowed my eyes and look towards the direction where the blur had came from. I calculated the trajectory in my mind and came to a conclusion that it came from the south.
Should I investigate? My home isn't far so I feel that it would be prudent to check it out just in case. With that in mind, I turn towards where I assume the green blur came from.
I move quickly towards a building in the south and used all my strength to kick myself upwards. With the strength granted to my by my Falna, I managed to scale halfway towards a 6 story building with just a single kick. I grab onto the bricks that's sticking out and easily climb the rest of the way up. My back stings when I move so vigorously but I ignored it easily enough now that I have something to focus on.
When I reached the rooftop, I stuck to the shadows, moving soundlessly and swiftly as I hop from roof to roof, keeping an eye out below to see if I could locate any place that showed signs of battle.
I reached the shady part of the district after a bit of searching and came to a halt when I saw a particular building that I think is where the killing took place. It's pretty obvious with the dead body by the entrance. A guard presumably. I walk towards the edge of the roof that I'm on and crouch down to survey the place.
No sign of movement. I noted as I look into the windows for any silhouette or moving shadows. Either the people in there are laying low to gather themselves after repelling an assault or they're all dead.
I rack my mind to see if I could remember anything about this particular area. Doesn't that place belong to the Rudra Familia? I frowned as I recalled that tidbit.
The Rudra Familia, they're a secretive bunch that no one really knows about. They seem like a normal Familia but tend not to socialize with others at all and always exhibit a sketchy behavior. In fact, I haven't seen or heard from that particular Familia for a while now. I think the last time I saw anyone from that Familia moving around in broad daylight was last year.
Very sketchy indeed.
Oh shit. Was that the killer that I heard about in the pub that flew by me just now? I blink in surprise when I recall the conversation that I've overheard in the pub. Nope. I'm so not going to get involve with this. I quickly stood back up and make ready to leave.
I was stopped from doing so when I saw movement from the building and I quickly crouch back down to make my profile smaller so I won't be spotted.
There was someone coming out of the front door. A male judging by the profile. I saw him trip over the dead body by the door before getting back up with a bit of trouble. I quickly realized just why when I saw that he only have one arm. The other one is nothing more than a small bleeding stump tied in thick layers of blood soaked bandages. I briefly wondered if he's either a survivor or another attacker that got left behind because of his wounds and settled on the former when I saw the emblem on his shoulder. That guy is obviously a member of the Rudra Familia. I can't really see his face from here but I can tell that he's a Cat People as he's got the cat ears, or rather, a cat ear, as the other one is missing and covered in bandages.
I came to the conclusion that this person must've survived the attack and patched himself up before trying to get away.
I watch him tried to get up and fall to the ground in a pitiful manner. I scratch the back of my head as I wonder what I should do in this situation. I don't really care much about people I don't know but there is someone who needed help in front of me right now so it's only natural that I should go help right?
But that might cause me to be associated with the Rudra Familia in some way. I don't want the killer to think that I'm with them and come after me as well. I don't know much about them either so I don't know if it would be a good thing if I help one of their member. They could either thank me later or start looking for me and ask me to do more for them just because I showed a little kindness. I also don't know what they did to piss off the killer so much or if the killer is just an assassin that was hired by someone else to kill them.
I watch as he crawl back up to his feet and started moving while leaning against a nearby wall. I sigh to myself and began rubbing my temples. This is such a piteous sight. I grumbled internally, wondering just what my God and little sister would want me to do in this situation.
Miach would most likely want me to help but Naaza would urge me to be more cautious and think before leaping into action. So in the end I still have no idea what I should do.
I heard the sound of metal crushing and I look down to see that the guy had knocked over a trashcan and fell back onto the floor.
"Oh, fuck it. I'll deal with the consequences later." I said as I jump down from the roof. I'm really getting soft. Hope this doesn't bite me in the ass in the future.
