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Blooangel: Hey, it's been a while since you reviewed, good to see you reviewing again. I know they're kind of short, school started and I moved to a new one, so it's kind of hectic, the schedule and all.

Chapter 9: The engagement

Triet

"How come you never told me!" Mithos asked with rage as I shook my head, hoping he would calm down.

By the way Mithos was acting, I thought he hated Yuan or something. Martel was explaining everything about how it was happened to happen, but her younger brother wasn't taking that as an answer. I thought Yuan and Martel was a perfect couple, why did Mithos hate it so much? He really disliked it. But the innkeeper kept on interrupting about paying for the due, or selling Yuan and me. Then he said something that satisfied me even more.

"Or would you rather sell me the little one? She would probably live longer than the male." Although calling Yuan rather old bothered me.

"We're not selling her to anyone. She'll live in a home where she'll be comfortable." Martel rejected as I got up, and walked over to the innkeeper.

"W-where is it that you're going?" Mithos asked as I stood next to the innkeeper.

Yuan understood this and explained to everyone else, while Kratos stood next to them. He seemed to know too. I heard Mithos' shouts of objecting, and Martel said something like she didn't want that either. But Martel seemed to know that I really wanted to do this for their sake. Yuan only stood next to Kratos after that, waiting for Martel and Mithos to finish their conversation. After a while, Mithos accepted his defeat, quite sad.

"So you're going to sell her to me, right?" Martel only stood sadly as I kept staring at the ground.

"Well, come again." The innkeeper said as he grabbed me by the wrist and dragged me rather in a rude way.

"Hey, you! We didn't say anything about giving her away!" Mithos yelled as the man stopped.

"Then are you willing to pay 500,000 gald?" That price seemed strangely a bit too much, but I couldn't say anything.

Triet-A few minutes later

Mithos and the others had to go and gain the gald without me. The innkeeper had told them that if they were going to get money from somewhere outside of Triet, he would keep me for now, since they won't leave me. They won't, right? I wasn't quite so sure; maybe they were going to leave me. But Mithos won't allow that, I'm sure of it. I was forced to clean up the rubbles and mess that Mithos had made with the powerful flame magic. I didn't think Mithos really cared much for swordsmanship. I really think he only uses a sword because Kratos is teaching him how to, and when you're not all that skilled yet, I'm sure you need a weapon as some kind of staff.

Triet-A few minutes later

My back ached, and my legs were now wobbly due to the fact that I've almost been standing for over thirty minutes. And considering that I was moving around a lot in those thirty minutes. Of course, I would have to put the pile of rubbles and such onto the side until Martel came back with the gald. I doubt they can come up with 500,000 gald in a few hours. But I had to believe in them, and if they didn't, I'm sure the innkeeper would either have me or Yuan, or worse, both of us. Losing Yuan would be a great deal of pain for Martel, and then they would only have four of us to begin with again. I can never replace Yuan, I don't know magic or how to fight, can't speak, and not as experienced as he is. I was practically total opposite of him.

"What are you thinking so hard about? Get back to piling them up!" The innkeeper shouted as he sort of helped me pile them up by throwing one of them at me right next to my left shoulder, which it pierced like a paper cut.

Triet-A few hours later

It was only a few minutes before midnight, and I see Martel and the others coming. I sat down, trying to rest my legs as it pained and ached all over. For crouching so much, my neck also began to hurt. The cloths were a mess, covered by dirt and dust, and even some rubble was clinging on to the sleeves. There was a small piece clinging onto my cheek, and it was on there for about an hour, and it stung greatly. Mithos made his way to me as he had a worried look on his face.

"What did the man do to you? Did he make you do that?" He pointed to the pile behind me as I simply nodded.

"That wasn't very nice, and… we didn't get 500,00… we only have 487, 864 and don't have enough time to look for any more monsters." My head slumped down, looking at the ground.

"Well, then I guess I'll have one of these two or both." The innkeepers looked at me, and then back at Yuan.

"I guess I'll take the male, he seems more built and healthier than the girl." This got me enraged inside, for he was taking Yuan away from Martel.

Martel had a look so horror struck on her face as Yuan kept his usual expression, somewhat cold. I never saw Kratos' actual expression, pretty much the same as Yuan's, and he never really changed his look at all. Mithos' jaw had dropped, mouth open. I was blinking several times, hoping it was just my imagination. Unfortunately, it wasn't, this was reality. Life was extremely hard these days, and I was actually living in it at a young age, which wasn't quite appealing. Martel shook her head.

"No, please, don't." But the innkeeper only went on and on about the payment and that they didn't have enough as someone extremely familiar passed by me.

"What's all the racket? I was just about to leave when all of you are screaming and yelling about something." At the voice, Mithos turned around.

"Ashura! I thought you already left!" Ashura shook his head.

"No, I was about to, but you five were making all of the racket, which made the villagers somewhat upset. What did you do to the inn?"

Triet-A few minutes later

It was five more minutes. Then it would be midnight. Honestly, I didn't enjoy the last five minutes. As Martel explained everything to Ashura, I noticed he still had those Triet cloths on. But I knew he probably had another set of his usual cloth, because the ninja cloths can't be his, and he must've had a spare or default. Ashura only sighed as he shook his head rather sarcastically. Mithos frowned at this.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. Look, you need 12,136 gald, right? Mithos nodded lazily as Ashura went through his pack and took out a small pouch.

"There's 20,000 gald in this, use it for your own sake." With that, he went through the Triet gate as the small pouch was on Mithos' hand, which had a bright smile on his face.

As they paid for the inn debt, they still had much left over thanks to Ashura, and I was actually surprised rather than happy. Why was he so caring about me or even the others? Normally, people aren't like this are they? And he was a human, while everyone excluding Kratos was a half-elf. Well, I guess some people care while others don't. I was only glad that Ashura was still there as informed of the racket by one of the, well, complainers. I had my cloths clean, and because of me being worn out, Yuan ended up carrying me. But I was glad with that, I missed that warm feeling for a while now, and I was glad to feel it again. I wish this would carry on forever.

Next chapter

Body Host Number 876407: We go to the Triet ruins, and what do we find? A monster chest, how surprising. The ruins are actually quite a challenge, but am I going to survive to the end, for it's rather dangerous? Why are these monsters keep popping out of nowhere.

Body Host Number 876407: Find out on Chapter 10: Ruin challenge.