A soft whistling sound wakes me up, I find myself in my room. I feel much better, but Getting up is still a challenge as my chest aches every time I try.276Please respect copyright.PENANAYA53u2xH6d
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After a few attempts, I drag myself to the edge of the bed and roll down softly to get up, then walk up to the window.276Please respect copyright.PENANAG0kU9VK4qO
276Please respect copyright.PENANAwAZnG8DxPa
The sun is not visible but the sky seem dimly lit, stars are still visible, and now that I see it, the planet has two moons, one is blue and another is silver, except the blue moon is broken.276Please respect copyright.PENANAVSRhSBD5yF
276Please respect copyright.PENANAtnAnmsEhvw
I can hear the whistling sound. And now that I am awake, might as well take a stroll.276Please respect copyright.PENANAplleuRktF5
276Please respect copyright.PENANA6BTF7hXgc1
But before that I tie a cloth around my left eye which is making me feel dizzy, this place is filled with energies.276Please respect copyright.PENANA34FGEGvUui
276Please respect copyright.PENANABoHhIOiuGZ
I open the window, and using the branches as foot hold, climb down slowly, but just as I am about to reach the bottom, my foot slip and I am about to fall flat on my face, but using my unbelievable strength I use my arms and legs like a cat to spread the impact across the ground.276Please respect copyright.PENANAzD4X2yQlCg
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Although it pains my chest, I power through it276Please respect copyright.PENANAXjvNJ8w5xR
276Please respect copyright.PENANAxJ7pUxKWcy
“Cool..., lets go.” I say to myself optimistically.276Please respect copyright.PENANAnFOwo7tayz
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But if someone saw me walking around I am sure they would avoid me.276Please respect copyright.PENANA3Rta4MwPFD
276Please respect copyright.PENANA6GN0QusmqC
There are less people around than I expected, maybe people sleep till sunrise here. And this place feels like it’s based in center of an Oasis, there are lots of trees and bushes.
I follow the sound and arrive into a small clearing not too far away behind the mansion. There are some wooden swords, some sort of equipment.276Please respect copyright.PENANAEH6TprCEi9
276Please respect copyright.PENANAt05UR28f2L
I am sure the whistling sound must be coming from here. But there is no one here?276Please respect copyright.PENANAFYtricHmuK
276Please respect copyright.PENANAAk280txlBj
Just kidding, they think they can ambush me, they are on my right in the darkness of the trees. I summon a dagger just in case.276Please respect copyright.PENANA0ABxxN2eoH
276Please respect copyright.PENANADwbZT5V10s
I quickly turn towards my right, ready to defend, but the flash of bright golden hair dazed me. I snap into action as the sword nears me, I divert it using calculated precision, tilting it so that the flat side slides against my neck, but suddenly Gloria switches her grip, trying to stop herself.276Please respect copyright.PENANA5GfHHzxUe5
276Please respect copyright.PENANALo1DvSAafS
It works for me but seems like it didn’t quite work for her.276Please respect copyright.PENANAeupxp8imYu
276Please respect copyright.PENANA7b5IX31hI3
Gold particles disappearing in the air signified her failed attempt to use her powers.276Please respect copyright.PENANAikCMCGi4Xo
276Please respect copyright.PENANApfAPjzpF58
I catch her shoulders. Frail looking like any woman’s, But she sure is strong, and It felt like I am holding ambers.276Please respect copyright.PENANAoDMvrKaMeb
276Please respect copyright.PENANAvPQ07XptIz
A hissing sound starts to come from my hands.276Please respect copyright.PENANAPC3gW7njwm
276Please respect copyright.PENANAUKHsPb62ME
“Get your hands off me!” she says as she tries to force my hands away.276Please respect copyright.PENANARG9vNa3yJ3
276Please respect copyright.PENANAS8skdTFBCc
“You should be in bed. I nearly killed you.” she says276Please respect copyright.PENANA85AGi04X3w
276Please respect copyright.PENANAoORp8im7iR
“Don’t flatter yourself, and do you attack people out of the blue if they approach you?” I ask in a serious tone276Please respect copyright.PENANAS7TXpTZ2at
276Please respect copyright.PENANAuYvr6Asje0
“Excellent, so you CAN~ talk?!” she says forcing a hint of surprise and frustration in her voice276Please respect copyright.PENANAymqriy7qvn
276Please respect copyright.PENANAL9d9Q9JJDe
“This is my training ground. Restricted. I hate people Intruding during practice.” She says arrogantly.276Please respect copyright.PENANAfCO5uWu6Hc
276Please respect copyright.PENANAXadQrUXF52
She flicks her head to slight right “I didn’t injure you did I?”276Please respect copyright.PENANA23EPRkyOQY
276Please respect copyright.PENANAkgXFqyNdHD
I don’t speak to strangers much, trying to save energy is a habit I developed during my time as the best hitman. She is just my contractor’s daughter.276Please respect copyright.PENANA1YUrM1f6Pz
276Please respect copyright.PENANAsgsQ4PAjzf
I smirk, looking around.276Please respect copyright.PENANAUli8ckp73I
276Please respect copyright.PENANAux8sR5tMes
“Oh, so you can smile. I though you were some serious guy.” She says276Please respect copyright.PENANAwOu4Mzs0Ph
276Please respect copyright.PENANAF5XwXMhCje
I stroll around, looking at the equipment. But as I turn towards Gloria again, I catch a wooden sword. Old memories, unpleasant ones return to me as it instantly crush the sword in my hand and throw it aside.276Please respect copyright.PENANAbrV1k7Y5Lg
276Please respect copyright.PENANApjfRUraWyA
“Wha—Hey! If you didn’t want to practice you could have said so! Why break it?!” she says276Please respect copyright.PENANA8OEeegoxLx
276Please respect copyright.PENANA3FFGW1WXva
“If it were a random person that forced a sword in my hand, they would be draining on the ground by now.” I snap, only to realize that I am way out of line.276Please respect copyright.PENANAB7vs6oDLNS
276Please respect copyright.PENANA75abwAminJ
“….” Gloria flinches276Please respect copyright.PENANAvJNpsQ7eTd
276Please respect copyright.PENANAkblAlVh1mR
“Sorry. I didn’t intend to do that. Swords and I don’t get along.” I say as I pinch my nose disappointed on myself.276Please respect copyright.PENANAGYleemgfei
276Please respect copyright.PENANAN1PpTg58Mk
“No, it’s fine.” A small, almost surprised smile touched her lips. “Startling, is all. Not many outside my family dare raise their voice at me.”276Please respect copyright.PENANAd1Jq4xoV9M
“You aren’t angry?” I ask276Please respect copyright.PENANAcCjIV7b6zg
276Please respect copyright.PENANAGHU9cOiNT3
“No, I was just trying to get you to spar with me, forgetting you are injured. I was the one at fault, so I will let you off the hook this once.” she chuckles, mischief in her voice.276Please respect copyright.PENANArnPXC5atlj
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“A spar?” I considered it. Good exercise, but not worth reopening these wounds. “Maybe Another time.”276Please respect copyright.PENANAdmKvHiw4vD
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“Then we have a deal?” she asks276Please respect copyright.PENANASMWDhszGYJ
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“Deal” I assure her with a thumbs up as I transition into a cross-armed pose.
Keeping up this polite facade was exhausting. So much wasted energy.276Please respect copyright.PENANAc4a74zctHv
276Please respect copyright.PENANAaluTUcP9Ej
“Last night, Old man said you defeated the demon lord. If you didn’t use a sword, then what did you use?” she ask276Please respect copyright.PENANAiqD4xUqSVf
276Please respect copyright.PENANAk5i34YOwOS
“You want to know?” I ask, she nods immediately.276Please respect copyright.PENANAyhpquB1XST
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I point at the moon to distract her “Oh, look! A bird!” It works like it always does.276Please respect copyright.PENANAej3BA9hOXg
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I only need moments to summon my spear using my strange powers.276Please respect copyright.PENANA3Igf3lSrRo
276Please respect copyright.PENANAiLCXDizK7O
Now that it was in my hand, I remember how badly its damaged since the last battle.276Please respect copyright.PENANAnfZyl00OiV
276Please respect copyright.PENANAIAjCRMdmNO
“Hold on—Where did that come from?” she asks276Please respect copyright.PENANAzJMvxQc6u8
276Please respect copyright.PENANAx16sNHgwXm
“Magic?” I offer with a shrug “Maybe, who knows?” motion276Please respect copyright.PENANAZgZnclUaki
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“Don’t take me as a fool. That staff was not there before. How did you make it appear out of nowhere? And I know you have an artifact which stops magic around you, mine didn’t work when I attacked you earlier.” she asks276Please respect copyright.PENANAO3uRsmC9dQ
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I had a feeling she might ask this.276Please respect copyright.PENANAMKJjwjCp2A
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“Fine, It’s a lost technology. I had the staff, but in a miniature form.” I say276Please respect copyright.PENANA1J2NDrHJlt
276Please respect copyright.PENANAWDqEN2llQJ
“Hmm, that might explain how you defeated the demon lord.” She murmurs while clutching her chin and the part of the mask covering it.276Please respect copyright.PENANAinnGtjBqQO
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“What rank are you anyway?” she asks276Please respect copyright.PENANA89dI15ydli
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“Rank?” I ask back in confusion276Please respect copyright.PENANAUXw5qLhgqj
276Please respect copyright.PENANAP6Ry7NHgr6
“Yeah, as in Adventurer Rank. I am called the ‘Flame queen’ and my Rank is called Silver Hand. Burned a Wyvern into a crisp with single blow using my fire magic once Although I was trying to hide my power.” She says with a smug voice.276Please respect copyright.PENANAEnlNhfRi2U
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“Adventurer, huh? I am not one, I am a Hitman.” I say276Please respect copyright.PENANAQ94WsdIVZy
276Please respect copyright.PENANAUuz6u7nqLF
“Oldzheil did mention that before. What does that even mean? Is that some kind of title?” she asks276Please respect copyright.PENANAETpCXFoPaW
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my stomach lets out a deep growl as if a lion roar.276Please respect copyright.PENANA18i9R1SeKA
276Please respect copyright.PENANAJH0Y38gUby
“History can wait for later. But Food? My friend here suggests we Eat.” I say rubbing my stomach under the shirt.276Please respect copyright.PENANA6LwcExwUnQ
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“Now that you mention it, I am hungry too. But…” she hesitates276Please respect copyright.PENANAXUfLtzplun
276Please respect copyright.PENANAPvdYssHt0y
“But I don’t think you would like what I eat.” She says.276Please respect copyright.PENANAQbvtZtH8no
276Please respect copyright.PENANAX1sQm5DEyz
“Anything that doesn’t scream first.” I pause. “Even a tree will do, if it comes down to it.”276Please respect copyright.PENANAn4cf76ZNK2
276Please respect copyright.PENANA757FzM6XnG
She giggles “Your sense of humor sucks just like Oldzheil.”276Please respect copyright.PENANAEtlMkx8cRH
276Please respect copyright.PENANAaHudml6vxv
“Problem with vegetables?” I ask with a flat voice276Please respect copyright.PENANAK6dq8mZBmp
276Please respect copyright.PENANAtyyhE2o5sB
“Not at all stupid, as a matter of fact I am veg too.” she says276Please respect copyright.PENANASMz4DbeSj7
276Please respect copyright.PENANAojlIFLZYwF
“A veg like me in this world? Crazy fantasy world to be in.”276Please respect copyright.PENANA93xxbbHHqD
276Please respect copyright.PENANAqfWiwHF24E
“HEHE, there are many out there. Meat is quite expensive for common folk. And, eating lower beings is the last thing I want to do,” She says276Please respect copyright.PENANARutCoTkSLT
276Please respect copyright.PENANALrwV4iSxZ9
Gloria starts walking excited, and I follow behind her, we both walk for a few minutes, quite. But then she speaks.276Please respect copyright.PENANAvEdNczUN5f
276Please respect copyright.PENANAttPaWJ6Ei0
“You know, when I first saw you, I Mistook you for some god’s descendant too, Your eyes, although strange, speaks of wisdom and knowledge not meant For humans to achieve your age, It’s unbelievable no matter how I think of it.” She says276Please respect copyright.PENANAOgZ1g7Yx4h
276Please respect copyright.PENANAczlbvo43NE
“Seems like the Old dwarf spilled more than I expected,” I say.
276Please respect copyright.PENANAOu1CEVnv6o
Maybe she's right about the age thing, though.
276Please respect copyright.PENANAyx28XRtcMV
Telling her I'm decades older felt wrong somehow.
I lost my childhood working to meet expectations; perhaps being young again wasn't so bad. I shift the topic.
276Please respect copyright.PENANAnTJwBRml0F
“So—these adventurers—they are what, monster hunters?”276Please respect copyright.PENANAFGpBvDXvdS
276Please respect copyright.PENANA9QvXkMVgg4
“It’s an umbrella term, but yeah it involves bandit hunting, monster hunting and many other things.276Please respect copyright.PENANAOrgZ2uEPYy
276Please respect copyright.PENANAqZT1tHVS56
“So it’s a freelancing platform for people?” I ask276Please respect copyright.PENANAu8ix08b3ZR
276Please respect copyright.PENANA1de4hap9ZP
“What’s freelancing?” she asks276Please respect copyright.PENANAzRbn7KmQsm
276Please respect copyright.PENANAUu5XTKqH5l
“Work on hire.” I say276Please respect copyright.PENANAaoWAD7dCRr
276Please respect copyright.PENANAxd697OKNMU
“yeah, more or less. How the hell do you don’t know about adventurer’s guild?” Gloria says, suspicion creeping in her voice.276Please respect copyright.PENANAQGxx7TjE5M
276Please respect copyright.PENANAAAbOaJlJG8
“Geolard scrambled my memory before I met Warzheil. Only the important bits stuck.” I say276Please respect copyright.PENANAIAei7DGVb4
276Please respect copyright.PENANAq8oY7HTflV
“Oh, Oldman didn’t tell us about that.”276Please respect copyright.PENANAHmKzi49rrl
276Please respect copyright.PENANA9d3ig1Zfkz
“He doesn’t know it as well. I just realized that there was something missing in my head.” I say as I make up a random story.276Please respect copyright.PENANAl1Tijcei2D
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”By the way, you don’t quite speak like how one would expect a goddess, I assume you grew up here and not in a castle?”276Please respect copyright.PENANAmakT32xy6r
276Please respect copyright.PENANAaJeqhEDv1k
“It’s that bad? Maybe I should take those classes Sil was telling me to.”276Please respect copyright.PENANA3egZJpZtbi
276Please respect copyright.PENANABzZI5zMWmC
“One’s presence can be powerful when used with knowledge and precision.” I say.276Please respect copyright.PENANAPjnQXpVd9T
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“You should become a Sage.” She laughs276Please respect copyright.PENANAZI711q2kzf
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“So, What’s your plan after this? Like, what do you want to do in life? You already defeated extremely powerful foes and lived to tell the tale. I am sure you can easily become a captain of some knight’s order in a capital city if you wanted.” She asks276Please respect copyright.PENANAQonBXEyiIf
276Please respect copyright.PENANARR0hsfofAi
Her ideas are alluring, now that I reflect on it, I never took time to peacefully sit down and think about what I want to do after I found Ava.276Please respect copyright.PENANAivbjLj42Dl
276Please respect copyright.PENANAwLB44V1tFM
“Maybe I will go visit the man who stole my precious sister’s heart, and show him who the boss of the house is!” I say, cracking my knuckles with a grin.276Please respect copyright.PENANATM6f3kdCWS
276Please respect copyright.PENANAg6QQMeniah
“You mean Ava ‘The Light Borne Hero’, right?” she catches me off-guard by mentioning Ava.276Please respect copyright.PENANAoJL2B6xNOm
276Please respect copyright.PENANAfCLvP6xdBt
“Oldzheil told us about her too.” She says276Please respect copyright.PENANAe1D6MsR0WX
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I sneer “That Oldman…...” tightening my fist276Please respect copyright.PENANAEmPPL7A57H
276Please respect copyright.PENANAm8auIwRJUE
“Hehehe, Don’t hold it against him, Grandma Sil has a special spell that forces other to speak more than they intend.” She explains276Please respect copyright.PENANA7z8pK5IdRx
276Please respect copyright.PENANAVMPzqddIGB
“Fine.” The thought of facing Ava still unnerved me. “Doesn't change that I need to see them.”276Please respect copyright.PENANAWelncyVMZb
276Please respect copyright.PENANAv8IGHWfVH0
“Why the long face? You think your sister won’t welcome you because you had a fight with her?” she asks276Please respect copyright.PENANAqJRz4xFpsd
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“It’s---complicated. Right now, she hates me more than I hate the sword” I say276Please respect copyright.PENANAkvC95ccPmE
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Gloria does not enquire further. But after a moment of quite walking she speaks276Please respect copyright.PENANAR0aDasBEV5
276Please respect copyright.PENANASXkKK3yQSd
“Why not become an adventurer just like me? I have never asked anyone this because no one is worthy around here, but maybe we can become friends?” she says as she spins and walks backward while she face me276Please respect copyright.PENANAQDYkzIREYM
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“Friends?” I continue after reconsidering. “Hard pass.”276Please respect copyright.PENANAqv9sN8HHzB
276Please respect copyright.PENANADMjayiFdAq
276Please respect copyright.PENANAu5jM8p3FlD
Gloria, who was excited earlier with her hand raised in joy had suddenly stopped. Her joy was put to an abrupt halt. I stop too.276Please respect copyright.PENANANamlEfTger
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She must be struck hard, but I cannot be friends with my contractor’s daughter. I don’t want anyone else to be hurt because of me.276Please respect copyright.PENANAEdSUOLzB0c
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But, Then I hear a few sniffs. My heart sinks.276Please respect copyright.PENANA088FA0CHqB
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Giggles after sniffs “I was just joking? Why would anyone want to be friends out of the blue with someone who attacked them.” She says276Please respect copyright.PENANAcJghx05Yx8
276Please respect copyright.PENANAQJNl4aCFIo
“Your father taught you well, arrogance is downfall of the weak who think they are strong..” I says with a small smile as I rub my beard.276Please respect copyright.PENANAo9FkfodL4x
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“So, do you think I can become an Adventurer?” I ask trying to divert from the sobby mood.276Please respect copyright.PENANAl8z0aZOdlt
276Please respect copyright.PENANA0XbvPnkQkv
“oh, They don’t let mutants into the guild, but I can vouch for you if you want. The local adventurer guild can only promote you till the Elder Silver Hand rank. But after that you will need to go to one of the capitals.” She says276Please respect copyright.PENANA9UjO0jIiQN
276Please respect copyright.PENANAiUfSGNHByD
“Can I ask for your help? Or did I hurt your feelings and you won’t help me?” I ask276Please respect copyright.PENANAMW9JkN1Rua
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“I am not some fool who dwell on emotions for too long, and you are our guest, so I will help you. We are almost there anyways and Since there is still time until the food stalls open up, we should go there” She says
“Won’t the guild be closed as well?” I ask276Please respect copyright.PENANABGETVAVaYx
276Please respect copyright.PENANAjSMjXH7fok
“No, it opens up early, since adventurers start coming here.” She says as we walk through the town.276Please respect copyright.PENANAA7Z7di1EFM
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“You will need to fight a monster or instructor to get a rank, which should be breeze for you. But I suggest you take off your artifact when you measure your mana.” gloria says276Please respect copyright.PENANAFTRfv83WRL
276Please respect copyright.PENANAq43rYKIp9l
“Take off? Oh didn’t Warzheil tell you? I cannot take off my artifact. It is bound to me with Curse of Binding.” I say276Please respect copyright.PENANAwDED1r5DQV
276Please respect copyright.PENANA2uB2deIY6w
“Curse of Binding? But that’s a curse lost during time of the Elder Gods. Just how old is that artifact? And how did you even get your hands on it?” She asks with a gasp276Please respect copyright.PENANA8OknUlXOid
“Well, Geolard had it.” I say276Please respect copyright.PENANADw43FRgXPB
276Please respect copyright.PENANAfh9qCdmUqM
“Oh, that makes sense.” She says with an analytical nod276Please respect copyright.PENANAOW1Ktl5HFd
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Soon, we arrive near a big, exotic looking building, magical almost.276Please respect copyright.PENANA2CQ2FBMdZn
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The doors are open and a Cat woman is mopping the front of the guild.276Please respect copyright.PENANABn6U2fQ4za
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“Nya-? Miss Gloria? What brings the Flame Queen so early to the guild?” she asks276Please respect copyright.PENANAVo4CG0pBus
276Please respect copyright.PENANAPQx22T64NT
“Good morning Canthrine, This is a guest of our house. And he wants to register as an adventurer.”276Please respect copyright.PENANAgCCxtZqs0Z
276Please respect copyright.PENANAdlFMtRr3L5
I join my hand as a greeting which confuses them.276Please respect copyright.PENANAXNxR0HJV4C
276Please respect copyright.PENANAgtrzGpwWXG
“This is the way of greeting in my homeland” I say276Please respect copyright.PENANAIHeaUWrhE2
“Oh, you gi~yot me nyanfused for a second there. Hahahaha. Go in, Sinfia should be on the reception.” she says with a welcoming gesture.276Please respect copyright.PENANAJ535w0TcZZ
276Please respect copyright.PENANAzD9RS3c7Rh
“Hmm… strange man, I couldn’t feel my mana near him.” Canthrine dwells on the thought for a few moments before getting back to her chore.
Gloria nods as we walk into the Adventurer’s Guild. Polished hardwood floors gleamed under soft, magical light emanating from runes carved into the ceiling beams. A long counter dominated one wall, several empty stools before it, while comfortable-looking leather chairs were arranged near a large, unlit hearth on the other side. Quiet, for now.276Please respect copyright.PENANA8cCrq3pohv
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A half Dragon half Human girl sat on the center counter.276Please respect copyright.PENANAn69nODXiq6
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As far as my knowledge go, they are called dragonewt.276Please respect copyright.PENANA14hB3gsvKU
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There are 5 counter openings and she is on the center.276Please respect copyright.PENANAyISCfxH3l0
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She Seems busy with some paper work, and doesn’t notice us.276Please respect copyright.PENANArjecDMflpt
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“Hey Sinfia!” Gloria says waving her hand.276Please respect copyright.PENANA95EL6qod0u
276Please respect copyright.PENANA1y0WI3lO1U
“Oh, If it isn’t Sister Gloria.” The girl says276Please respect copyright.PENANAPsmbF8amqT
276Please respect copyright.PENANAzfMd5HGxwh
“Kid, Where is the receptionist?” I ask, teasing her276Please respect copyright.PENANAIYehaUTQ9V
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“Wha-?, Excuse me, I am THE receptionist and I am 19, a full fledged adult. And I will soon be posted to a capital city too. Sister, Who is this rude per…..son?!” her voice drifts from annoyed to shocked when she notices my hand.276Please respect copyright.PENANAw1tnMNvXNE
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Seeing her stare at my hand, I and realize that my hand really makes things complex for me.276Please respect copyright.PENANAexDfsN5D27
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“You mean This? Standard issue. Made For certain specialized… professions.” I say276Please respect copyright.PENANAOS1cMYffdV
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“A gauntlet?” she asks suspiciously276Please respect copyright.PENANAV8ZF9IbxOv
276Please respect copyright.PENANAYKt7wCEjHX
“You don’t need to hide it when I am with you Ronin, I will fill her in later.”276Please respect copyright.PENANARhkrZYXB1d
276Please respect copyright.PENANAuIl3IZLJD3
“If you say so Big sister. But what brings the Flame Queen here today?” Sinfia says, letting her guard down slightest.276Please respect copyright.PENANAVO11faJ4Pu
276Please respect copyright.PENANA2qXLhyucTM
“I am here to vouch for this man, Says he wants to be an adventurer.”276Please respect copyright.PENANAHFVrlSFatR
276Please respect copyright.PENANAvkPRwOThat
“Him? I don’t see much in him though. His left eye is patched by a cloth, his left hand looks like a gauntlet out of the demon treasury.” She says with a bored expression276Please respect copyright.PENANAv3z5RqJQ2M
276Please respect copyright.PENANAltJ5AwZ0H0
“Fia, If one of your adventurer becomes above Vanquisher Rank, you would finally get a job in one of the main branch, Right?” Gloria says, gesturing at me.276Please respect copyright.PENANAnby98OKmxK
276Please respect copyright.PENANAbGA0yU2vkn
“So you are telling me this guy here is that capable? Even if it’s you, I need some proof to accept your vouch.” She says276Please respect copyright.PENANAlAICtn7Jq1
276Please respect copyright.PENANADQ92BE0V3E
“A proof? I don’t think we have….” Gloria says but I know exactly what to do.276Please respect copyright.PENANAmkrbtBMWzP
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So I interrupt her as I step forward and put my index finger on the desk. “Listen kiddo, you saw the flash of light in the sky a few nights ago right?”276Please respect copyright.PENANAXc9sgcyKxY
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“I am not a kid!” she recoils276Please respect copyright.PENANAqEIJVquHkb
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“Tell me that, When you learn to control your temper. For now answer the question.” I say which annoys her but she answers276Please respect copyright.PENANArcw0QU9RD5
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“Yeah, what if I saw it? The Heroes must have defeated the demon lord.” She says276Please respect copyright.PENANAJYluR8ExFE
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“Heroes didn’t kill that monster.” I lean forward slightly. “I did.”276Please respect copyright.PENANA2ZNMJ6YXoj
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At first Sinfia covers her mouth and then starts laughing wildly almost falling off her chair.276Please respect copyright.PENANAiqdjMIFHdE
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But Shortly after, I hear another giggle. I look up, slightly backing away from the counter, and see a powerfully built woman perched atop a counter. Muscle corded her arms and shoulders, compact and dense beneath practical white clothes and a half-leather jacket, but she moved with a surprising grace when she later jumped down. Not just brute strength, but honed power.276Please respect copyright.PENANANdvFi7QvaI
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“Guild Master Kainia, You returned from Holy Kingdom?” Gloria asks.276Please respect copyright.PENANANYbKjj9Hxj
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“Hello, Gloria. Thanks for taking care of our town in my absence.” She says as she jumps down from the top near Gloria.276Please respect copyright.PENANAfRBmIxBWkr
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Walking up to me she realizes something is wrong with her mana, her expression gives her away.276Please respect copyright.PENANAVnagbXKfhL
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Kainia’s eyes narrow on me. “No mana In or around you… An artifact?”276Please respect copyright.PENANA7byOdkuRA4
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“As expected of the boss of the place. You know your stuff.” I say276Please respect copyright.PENANA1AxdPphoeW
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The guild master’s expression changes, now she feels like someone who is worth talking to.276Please respect copyright.PENANAWybscMMFQj
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“Kid, going around, telling other that you have precious commodity doesn’t raise fame, it raise chances of death.”276Please respect copyright.PENANAxrSttSmC3v
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But Her bossy attitude won’t work on me, putting bossy people in their place has been a big part of my history.276Please respect copyright.PENANA3IWeAoW6op
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“I am confident I won’t meet someone who can take it from me, I know just fine how to go against odds.” I say276Please respect copyright.PENANA7WaioZx47e
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Kainia nods slowly, her sharp eyes assessing me. "So it is true." She lets out a short, barking laugh, devoid of humor. "I like you already kid."276Please respect copyright.PENANA3F76Fu9oo7
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Kainia leans a hand on the counter, her expression turning serious. "And to think such a youngling is the 'Demon Traitor'. You're already a hot topic in the Holy Kingdom, you know?"276Please respect copyright.PENANAmzcLYERTSP
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“Me?” I ask276Please respect copyright.PENANAmtTzVXALGI
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"Yeah, you," Kainia confirms, seemingly enjoying the dramatic effect. "The Holy Kingdom realized you killed the Demon Lord – their prophet, the one who talks to gods, apparently saw the whole thing."
Sinfia gasps, her earlier mockery vanishing, replaced by wide-eyed shock as she glances nervously between me and the Guild Master. She had heard my claim.
"They're saying," Kainia continues, ticking points off on her fingers, "that a 'half-demon' betrayed the demon race..."
Half-demon? Where did they get that? I think, catching Gloria giving me a quick, questioning look.
"...held his own against the Light Borne Hero..."
Gloria's eyes widen “So Oldzheil wasn’t lying?” she asks276Please respect copyright.PENANAHkTFz8xAc5
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“You still had your doubts, huh?” I ask with a sigh
"...and then killed the Demon Lord," Kainia finishes, driving the point home.
Sinfia looks faint, clutching the counter for support, finally grasping the reality behind my earlier statement. Gloria lets out a slow breath, seemingly confirming this part to herself while the other details swirl.
Kainia smirks slightly. "Made you a wanted criminal and a legend overnight." She pauses, letting the weight of her words settle in the now silent reception area. "Point is, they’ve put out a request to every guild, mine included. Compulsory quest: report any information on your whereabouts."276Please respect copyright.PENANAeQK4hWGBSJ
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“W-w-wait, tell me you aren’t joking boss!” Sinfia says276Please respect copyright.PENANAStrunj5uxd
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“Not at all, Sinfia, you should apologies this man before he eats you.” She says teasingly to Sinfia, which works.276Please respect copyright.PENANAhPDe1aUAcx
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Sinfia is about to get up but I gesture her to sit down and relax.276Please respect copyright.PENANAcfIrwkfs41
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“Ok, first of all, I may look like this, but I am not a Demon. I am human by heart.” I pause “I am here to apply as an adventurer, so, are you going to let me take a test or should I leave? Because I have other things to do.” I get straight to the point.276Please respect copyright.PENANAW5nzdBmC6i
“Hold your horses now, there is no way we can make a demon into an adventurer, but I will make it a special case for you. I have ears around the town you know. Since you are a guest who saved our elder Warzheil, I will be delighted to help you create a fake card.” She suggests276Please respect copyright.PENANALtDcUSC3rp
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“I see a fake card….” I dwell on it for a moment276Please respect copyright.PENANALupQAg2j94
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“I can register you as a human adventurer with a prostitute hand or something. As for the test, I need you to bring some big hunt with you while you are here. I am sure you don’t want people hunting you know where you are because that’s what will happen if I told the main branches of adventurer guild about you.” She says276Please respect copyright.PENANAL0FFbJe5Xt
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“I think that’s a good plan, so I just need to register as a newbie, hunt some beasts, and rise through the ranks?” I ask276Please respect copyright.PENANATa3VPi8u32
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“Bingo. It seems like our Gloria found a smart boyfriend for herself, I was starting to think she would be alone all her life.” The guild master huffs teasing Gloria.276Please respect copyright.PENANAR4IMw8HRAm
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“B-b-boyfriend? We aren’t like that! How can I- with him.” She starts to stammer.276Please respect copyright.PENANA7ThzQxxo7F
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“She is teasing you, snap out of it.” I say in a commanding voice276Please respect copyright.PENANAHtqbxDoqEa
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“so? What did you decide?” Kainia asks276Please respect copyright.PENANArhDSvhGWhk
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“Your proposition is not bad, ok let’s go with that.” I say276Please respect copyright.PENANAftQjXBVeBL
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“I will get register you on Steel Sentinel rank which is the 8th rank out of 10, hunt a good beast and I will raise your rank.” She says handing me over a small tempered Blue-Steel wristband that fails to attach to my wrist, so I try to bend it to fit my wrist.276Please respect copyright.PENANAadz7od3mZt
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“Killing the demon lord has it’s benefits It seems. Thank you. Although it doesn’t fit my hand.” I say trying to fix the band, Gloria turn to leave, I follow her as I fix the band, but Kainia stops us as we near the gate.276Please respect copyright.PENANAREXcsPDmfg
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“Take this advice to heart. Do not use your powers, items or artifacts openly. Kingdoms rage Wars over such precious commodities. They will try anything to strip you off your things if you are not under a kingdom.” She says276Please respect copyright.PENANAHonNg1R5RU
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“Why tell me this?” I ask276Please respect copyright.PENANAtIEwGTwqhV
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“Your ancestors must have worked hard as adventurers to obtain such precious artifact. I can respect that.” She says276Please respect copyright.PENANA8I1YfxVcqS
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Well, It’s good that she doesn’t know that it’s not an artifact. She is a good person.276Please respect copyright.PENANAR2UX7F3wsg
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We step into the pre-dawn twilight. Just as our eyes adjust, a party of five adventurers approaches the entrance, moving with the synchronized efficiency of a veteran team, their boots crunching softly on the street. Their gear, though travel-worn, is high quality; the leader, encased in gleaming golden plate armor, wears the unmistakable Obsidian Black wristband of a Reaver. The bulky warrior beside him sports the Burnished Bronze of a Vanquisher. Slightly ahead of them, hurrying towards the door while glancing back, is a man in flamboyant silks carrying a lute.276Please respect copyright.PENANAouSSoRfgTK
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Preoccupied in adjusting my band to my wrist, I don't sidestep quite fast enough as the bard reaches the threshold. Our shoulders collide. He yelps as the waterskin he was lifting flies from his grasp, splashing dark liquid down his colorful tunic.
"Seven bloody hells!" Valerius—the bard—exclaims, stumbling back and staring aghast at the spreading stain with theatrical horror. "My Aquarian silk! Utterly ruined! Have you no eyes, man?!" Real irritation underlies his dramatic tone.
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"Easy, Valerius," the Vanquisher rumbles, planting his heavy frame squarely in the doorway, blocking our path. His Bronze band is prominent as his hand rests near his axe hilt. He looks me up and down, gaze lingering contemptuously on my blue-steel band. "Watch yourself when approaching your betters, Sentinel. Some 'accidents' have steep prices."
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Gloria Step forward, he hair flaring with amber particles.276Please respect copyright.PENANAf9ta9a5ZcF
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Gloria draws herself up beside me, her posture unwavering, her hand near her Polished Silver band. "He was rushing blindly toward an occupied exit. Perhaps even those," she adds coolly, pointedly glancing at the leader's Obsidian Black band, "self proclaimed ‘betters’ should mind their own path."276Please respect copyright.PENANA0VWAyzqG0Y
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The leader in gold armor remains silent, visor fixed forward, assessing. Behind him, the veiled mage and the shadow figure watch impassively.
Valerius recovers, striking a pose despite his damp tunic. "A tragedy! Such artistry warrants recompense! Perhaps," his eyes flick to Gloria's rank and bearing, "the lady understands? A private performance, maybe?"
I step slightly forward, drawing the focus. "It was unintentional," I state raising my left hand a little suggesting a gesture of de-escalation, my gaze fixed past the others onto the impassive golden helm of the Reaver leader.276Please respect copyright.PENANAHYjsGYAVbD
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My stance is relaxed, although the Vanquisher seems to be raring for a fight.276Please respect copyright.PENANAznUGOfkwFV
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The Vanquisher bristles. "That all? It seem we need to teach you how to respect elders. You think that Silver Hand protects—"
"Rank means less out here," I cut him off, I say flatly, going out of my way to avoid an unnecessary fight, addressing only the leader. "Rank doesn't grant you the whole doorway. Travel costs coin. And Don't mistake the colour of a man's wristband for the threat he might be hiding just because he works the fields."
The challenge hangs, palpable. The Vanquisher glares, momentarily silenced. Valerius raises an intrigued eyebrow. The leader remains still, but I sense his focus sharpen behind the visor. The veiled mage shifts, lifting a hand subtly.276Please respect copyright.PENANAnHqx7rLleT
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“A small lesson for one so young as you.” She says in a whispering voice.276Please respect copyright.PENANA5nrf1bAzsc
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A faint thrum vibrates the air as mana gathers around her fingertips, Condensing into a sharp water stream aimed my way. It touches the field around me – less than a breath against my senses – and then its form destabilises, falling at my feet, wetting them. A silent crack like static discharge, and the nascent spell vanishes utterly, leaving no trace near my inert Blue-Steel band.
The mage gasps audibly, physically recoiling, her entire frame rigid beneath her veil.
Every member of the Reaver party reacts instantly. The Vanquisher stares, his jaw slackening in disbelief. Valerius pales, eyes wide. The shadow figure becomes a knot of pure tension. The Reaver leader's helmet snaps fully toward me, his stillness radiating sudden, intense scrutiny. An Iron Guard nullifying magic? Impossible.276Please respect copyright.PENANAa2bOC3UCDX
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“Now I am wet too, that makes us Equal.” I say
The Reaver holds the stunned silence for a long, calculating moment, clearly recalibrating the threat assessment. When he finally speaks, his voice is dangerously smooth, stripped bare of any condescension. "Enough. Hedvard" The command is clipped, directed at the Vanquisher, but his unseen eyes bore into me. "Inside. Now."
He starts to turn but pauses deliberately beside me, his presence radiating controlled power. His voice drops, a low murmur meant only for me, sharp as obsidian shards. "Don’t think I didn’t notice your artifact, Sentinel." The leader says with a voice dripping with venom. "Artifacts attract attention. The wrong kind. And that behavior of your will be your gravedigger." He holds my gaze through the visor slit, a silent promise of future scrutiny. "Remember that."
Without awaiting acknowledgment, he brushes past me and disappears through the open doorway into the quiet shadows of the guild hall. The bulky warrior gives me a final, hateful glare before lumbering inside. Valerius, looking thoroughly unnerved, scurries after them, followed swiftly by the still-shaken mage and the silent shadow, their figures quickly swallowed by the hall's depths.
The immediate threat recedes, but the tension lingers heavily in the air, the silence from the empty guild hall behind us somehow amplifying it. Gloria lets out a slow, shaky breath beside me.
"Well," she murmurs, looking from the empty doorway back to me, her expression troubled. "That was… more than I expected. I have a very bad feeling we'll be seeing that Obsidian band again."
I stare into the guild hall's depths where they vanished, the leader's parting words echoing. "No," I agree quietly, a cold certainty settling within me. "I have a feeling this isn’t the last we will see of them." I turn away from the guild entrance. "Let's go I am Hungry."276Please respect copyright.PENANAaS8cqsuWqP
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And we walk into the streets looking for cuisine that would satiate my hunger.276Please respect copyright.PENANAUcHusqfrQc
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It's an old stubborn habit of mine to observe surrounding to almost minute details even when relaxed. I always feel insecure if I don’t, so I do what I am best at.276Please respect copyright.PENANAlK7esHOYGn
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passers talking about Jortheus’s death, omens, wars and demon attacks on various kingdoms, Species trafficking etc. but there is one interesting think I noticed to be odd.276Please respect copyright.PENANALw0SgWlDCk
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There were birds chirping in the trees unlike in the Kobe forest, who suddenly went quite. I look around, scanning the trees, but my right eye can see only so much, so I force my left eye open under the bandage while it’s still on it.276Please respect copyright.PENANAkAhLIC7bjN
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I see outlines of beings, as if using some sort of sensor to outline things, even if it makes me nauseous, its handy in these situations and surely I see many figures in the trees watching me.276Please respect copyright.PENANAKqYDpcxJRt
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2 have pointy ears, elves, 1 has ears and a tail, a beastman?, another have a bow and its hiding under a hood, they all have a very thin line of colorful outline unlike gloria whose is overflowing, which means they are suppressing their power, but the hooded person doesn’t have any outline maybe I can try to peek…..I try to focus my left eye on the person, but it sends a dizzying pain in my head, maybe I shouldn’t force my strange powers, I don’t know enough about them.276Please respect copyright.PENANAvNXOZgzAaF
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They aren’t too bad, but they are unlucky I am the best at the game they are playing. I smirk at them to put them off their game.276Please respect copyright.PENANAOb7BuUb6Yj
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anyone would see me as crazed guy if they saw me smirking to thin air but I am certain I saw them flinch. I can even hear bits of murmur if I concentrate my enhanced hearing, but its no use.276Please respect copyright.PENANALKipZ2ikPm
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I notice them using sign language and then using magic to disappear like they were never there.276Please respect copyright.PENANAOisypnRXpD
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“Hey! What you gawking at up there? The stall is very close, come on I am hungry too, it’s Oldzheil favorite too.” Gloria shouts from a distance which snaps me from the Simulator phase of my thoughts.
For now, let’s see what happens.
Dear Reader, be kind enough to leave a comment in the chapter about it, as it inspires me to keep improving and doing better. And like if you enjoyed this chapter.276Please respect copyright.PENANAqVJVSw9Osk
It hardly takes a few seconds to write "Good", but it boosts the confidence of us authors.276Please respect copyright.PENANA2ZpHLXsJIt
;)276Please respect copyright.PENANALeWp48RCZ4
Join my Discord server If you want sneak peeks or early access to chapters of Cosmeta series. Discord Server link: http://discord.gg/Q27uA8vnfu276Please respect copyright.PENANAZxXUP0iY47
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