Everyone in the Hermes Familia knew how diligent Asfi was with every task. It was the biggest reason for her rise to the captain position. To keep an eye on Asahi, she had arrived outside the Stardust Garden after breakfast. Her Hades Head helped her hide in plain sight., so she just stood with a book in her hand.
She watched Asahi coming out of the Stardust Garden, holding hands with a blue-haired woman. A captivating beauty with seductive curves that would instantly grab the attention of any man.??
'His reputation exceeds him.'
Asfi followed them closely throughout the streets. The fluffy aura surrounding the couple made her a tad guilty.
'They are on a date, and I'm stalking them…'
This wasn't the hardest out of everything Hermes made her do, but this put the most weight on her conscience. She soon noticed they were going towards the eastern gate of Orario. Could they be going to do some wild things in the forest? Asfi's mind started racing as she connected the couple to the ones in the fantasy books in the royal library. Her white skin blushed red.
'I… must be overthinking… yeah. There is no way they do sexual acts in the open. I can't stop observing my target. Lord Hermes said so.'
The eighteen-year-old maiden fell into the trap of curiosity.
Asahi busily showed Ray the streets beaming with life. She was utterly delighted to feel the sunlight touching her skin. The warmth filled her with energy. She just wanted to unravel her wings and took off into the vast sky.
Seeing how the humans interacted, how the children played with each other, their pure smiles, she was feeling giddy.
Asahi glanced over his shoulder with a frown. His instincts acted up for some reason. He felt like someone was stalking him. However, he couldn't filter it out of the crowd unless it showed a strong emotion like hate or malice.
'Am I being paranoid?'
He reached the eastern gate and easily exited the city. The guards didn't dare stop anyone affiliated with Astraea. With fewer people around, he could feel the person's gaze.
"Onii-san, did something happen?" Rini asked after spotting his odd expression.
"Nothing."
He waved off her concern and accelerated toward the forest. Once he crossed the first layers of trees, he stopped and turned around. He let go of the girls' hands and focused his senses toward this person. He faintly made out a figure shrouded in a camouflage.
[—'Instincts' skill ranked up to B.]
An unexpected level up was enough to tear through the figure's camouflage.
"Asfi Al Andromeda, stalking a couple in the daylight doesn't suit a princess."
Asfi froze on her spot as if she was struck by lightning. Her greatest invention was seen through.
Was he really a level 2?
She pushed back the thought and speculated ways to get out of this predicament. She could don her shoes and escape, but her royal pride engulfed the escape choice. She balled up her fists and lifted the hat.
"How did you see me?"
"Never ask a magician for his tricks," Asahi replied. "You owe us an explanation, I suppose. Did your god ask you to do it?"
He questioned despite knowing the answer.
Asfi shook her head. "Lord Hermes is out of the city at the moment."
The way her eyes averted, Asahi realized she was lying. Asahi didn't know much about her other than her level and her serious nature. The anime didn't go deep into her character.
"After the things we revealed to you, this is how you repay us?" he shook his head in disappointment. "I expected more from Perseus."
Asfi hung her head in shame. Her mother always remarked on her weak lying abilities. Even though she honed her deceiving skill, it paled in comparison to Asahi's instincts.
In less than a day, she tasted two defeats because of this man.
"Are you really a level 2?"
"I can show my status if you can read the hieroglyphs."
Seeing an adventurer's status was prohibited. Even the Guild couldn't force someone to reveal their skills. There was no rule restricting her if Asahi wanted to show it himself.
"I can."
Her knowledge of hieroglyphs was out of Asahi's expectations. He had no problem showing his status, but the skills he had, especially World Destruction, would terrorize anyone.
"Maybe later. I'm on a date right now."
"Stop bothering, Onii-san." Rini bared her fangs at the woman disturbing her precious time. "Come back later."
Asfi shook from Rini's cold voice. She swore to scold Hermes whenever he returned for making her go through this humiliation.
"Okay… later."
She was more than fine with Asahi forgetting everything that happened here. She wore her cap and scuttled out of the forest without looking back.
Asahi heaved a sigh of relief. "She is gone."
'I'll have to hide my skills and parameters somehow.'
Deciding to put something to cover his status, he took the two girls into the deeper parts of the forest. Some dino monsters tried to attack them, but Asahi just twisted their necks with telekinesis.
The dense trees opened to a vast plain blanketed in a layer of fresh green grass.
Ray took off the mask on Asahi's order. The fresh scent of nature scattered in the surroundings Ray back to the day she spawned in the dungeon. Now she knew why the dungeon was trying to emulate the surface world.
"So beautiful…"
Yet, the forest made by the dungeon was worlds apart from the genuine thing.
"Can I fly?"
"Go on. No need to ask me."
It was an instinctive action on Ray's part. Unfolding her golden wings, she took off. Drifting with the wind, she lost herself.
"Onii-san… I wanna fly."
Asahi turned to the girl pouting a little. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Hold on to me."
The Phenex wings flared on his back. With Rini clinging to his neck, he chased Ray through the skies. Ray came to a sudden halt and looked back. Seeing Asahi approach, a smile blossomed on her face.
'I forgot he had wings.'
After enjoying the freedom flight for twenty or some minutes, Ray landed on the ground and stretched her wings. Flying in the dungeon was a mediocre experience at best compared to this.
Asahi also landed beside her. Rini stood on her toes and fixed his messy hair.
'I haven't had a haircut since forever.'
Thinking of getting a haircut, he patted Rini's head. He stroked Ray's hair while he was at it.
Ray glanced up. "Uh… why are you so kind to me?"
This question was tugging at her consciousness throughout the day. She did nothing to deserve this treatment from Asahi or anyone else on the surface world, yet he was protecting her, holding her close to him as if she was a part of his pack.
Asahi chuckled at her reasonable question. "Saving beautiful damsels is my part-time job."
"Beautiful?" she muttered, looking down at her figure. She saw nothing special about herself compared to Rini.
"Yup, beautiful."
Asahi ruffled her hair once more and teleported to the mansion.
'Did Asahi show his feelings to mate with me?'
Ray's mind wandered as she stood in the room with Rini.
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