"You did an amazing job there, Acht." Said Scarlett as she approached him with a small smile on her face.
She was amazed at how he was able to use his surroundings to his advantage and kill the chief.
Fighting is not always about direct confrontation and raw power. Sometimes, what makes the difference is the intelligence to exploit everything around you to come out victorious. This comes in handy when the fight is between two equal opponents.
Acht nodded his head in approval and looked at the dead chief before pulling a knife and walking towards it.
"Do you really think that knife could open up his body?"
"I know. I wanted to see if I could use gravity to make it work." He answered
"That could work but you could also strengthen your knife with your soul force. It's much more efficient to do so."
Acht didn't think of that idea since he thought that it wasn't possible or it was just not practical but it seemed to not be the case. He then looked at the weapon and tried to channel his soul force into the weapon.
*CRACK*
A few seconds after he sent his energy to the knife, the blade started vibrating followed by a cracking sound. The knife was broken.
"Why didn't it work?" He muttered with a confused look.
"That's because you overcharged the knife. These kinds of objects can't handle the soul force and could get destroyed easily. You need to control the amount you use so it doesn't shatter to pieces." Scarlett answered as she stood beside him.
"I see. But, how could I know the appropriate amount of energy I need to use?"
"It depends on the object you are trying to strengthen. Generally, the bigger the object is the more soul force it could bear. For this knife, though, use the least amount you could properly control."
Acht listened to her explanation while also trying to apply what he understood. He was still not extremely familiar with soul force so the amount he was able to control wasn't very small, since any less than that and it starts dissipating in the air.
Luckily enough, his attempt succeeded. The knife didn't shake or get destroyed, it only got a little bit heavier. Acht felt as if it became a part of his body like an arm or a leg.
He then approached the chief and stabbed his chest. His thick skin resisted at first but soon enough, the knife cut through it and pierced his flesh. He then continued his work swiftly.
When he extracted the soul stone, he was slightly surprised at the size. It was almost the size of his head which was incomparable to the other kobolds. This was to show the difference between normal mobs and a dungeon boss.
"When you return to the city, you can absorb the soul stones you harvested. They should be more than enough for you to level up once or twice."
Then, they left the dungeon and returned to the city. They didn't meet the captain at the gates and they didn't bother to look for him either.
Then, they separated and entered their personal rooms. Acht was slightly exhausted and also dirty so he wanted to rest for the day since he will return to training tomorrow.
The day passed quietly without many problems. Acht spent most of it sleeping to restore his energy.
The next day, he met again with Scarlett. They still had a lot to do and many things for Acht to learn so they went straight to the training capsules.
Acht continued with his initial task which was lifting a huge rock in the air for 5 minutes. He was making fast progress so he was able to finish the task the next day.
Then, they passed to other things. Scarlett made the boy practice the prolonged use of gravity on his body.
"I want you to levitate yourself in the air. But, I want you to be barely hovering a few millimeters above the ground so that no one could see that you were not walk-ing. Keep that activated for as long as you can."
It was pretty hard at first but he was able to get the gist of it soon enough.
And just like that, three weeks passed in a flash. Throughout this time, Scarlett and Acht were together for the most part of the day. They were able to grow a bond between them that none of them could feel.
They trusted each other to a certain degree. The reason is probably because they were similar in many aspects of their personalities and beliefs.
On the last day of their deal, they didn't go to the training but instead went to the restaurant near the hotel.
Both of them had mixed feelings about what was going to happen. But, it was a deal and they had no other choice but to see it until the end.
"So, how was it?" Scarlett asked as they sat down.
"You helped me a lot." Acht responded briefly before looking outside the window for a brief moment. The atmosphere was too awkward for him.
He didn't know why, but he was slightly annoyed at the moment. He had spent some time with Scarlett and had a good idea about who she was as a person.
She was cold, aloof, and emotionless at times but deep down she was a kind, respectful and smart woman who didn't falter no matter what. In a sense, she was the opposite of Acht.
He was a cold person who killed with cold blood and never felt any benevolence toward his victims. He was a killer, a monster, and a rejected human in society. But, even in that dark, disgusting shit hole, he found light, a warm light that made him regain some of his lost feelings. That person had restored a part of his humanity and made him believe that life had a meaning somewhere.
This was the second time he felt that same feeling with another person. It made him confused but he didn't hate that.
"I see….Sigh, beating around the bush is not my thing after all. So, what is your choice? Are you going to accept my offer or not?"
Scarlett was also having the same train of thoughts. She didn't hate being with Acht this whole time. He was cold, mysterious, and sometimes overly mature for his age. But, he was also a very honest, straightforward, and mature person who didn't care about her appearance or social status.
"Since you were straightforward with your question, I will answer honestly." He then took a deep breath and looked at her in the eyes.
"I…still can't join your family." He said as he averted his eyes slightly before shaking his head and looking at her again seriously.
"I know that you are disappointed for wasting three weeks of your time with me. But, I still can't do it. I cherish my freedom more than anything else and I can't entertain the idea of being held off by someone or something."
"...I see." Scarlett nodded her head and sighed quietly with a slightly sad look.
"I guess there is nothing I could do about it. However, don't think that I wasted my time here. I actually enjoyed the past three weeks training you."
The atmosphere around them became less awkward as they ate their food. Then, they stood up and left.
"So, when are you going to leave for Lagradon?" She asked as they marched through the streets.
"I was thinking of buying some necessities for the trip and then leaving tomorrow or the day after it."
"I also need to leave tomorrow too. I left my responsibilities for way too long….I think this is where we should separate." She halted her steps and looked at him.
"Yes…I think so. It was nice meeting you, Scarlett." It was the first time he called her without honorifics and it felt bizarre but also not so bad.
"Me too. I am sure we will meet again in the future. I will be starting to work as a professor at the 'Golden Soul Academy' next year. I hope I can see you attend it in a few years."
"I will try to do so if I can. I have to go now."
They then shook hands and walked in separate ways, not looking back. Each one of them had different goals but fate made them meet by pure coincidence and share a good time together.
Acht was glad he made a good acquaintance in this world that could help him when he needed it.
On the other side though, Scarlett took a turn in a deserted alley and halted her steps. She then slowly leaned on one of the walls.
Her face was abnormal. She didn't have her familiar cold look, but rather a weird, chilling smile that could make anyone shudder. Her cheeks were red and her eyes were moist. She looked as if she was experiencing the best feeling in the world.
"HAHAHHAHA!" She then started laughing loudly without caring. Her eyes had a particular, predatory shine in them that she never had.
She then put her finger on her beautiful lips and muttered a few words without anyone hearing them.
"We will surely meet again…My cute little Acht~"
[END OF VOLUME 1]
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