Chapter 1834: What Lotus Wants
Karl watched the next match as Dana and the mage beside her happily chatted, and then Lotus inevitably got bored, and dragged her to her feet.
"Sorry to interrupt, we need to go do a thing."
The mage laughed. "Alright, welcome to the Clan, young Beast Master. You did well, and your daughters are adorable."
Lotus smiled and bobbed her head rapidly in agreement.
"Right? They’re absolutely perfect."
As if to make the point, Tifa stood on her hind legs and nuzzled Lotus’ face, which made the mage laugh.
"It’s like the System just found you the perfect class. What skill is that?"
"Oh, it’s not a skill. It’s the rare drop from the Spirit Bear Tyrant dungeon. Tifa is a Spirit Bear cub, an actual daughter, not an active skill."
Tifa nodded in agreement.
"{The Karl found me and brought me to mama Lotus.}" Tifa announced, shocking everyone.
They didn’t realize that the bear could speak.
Ophelia ruffled the bear’s fur, and Tifa held up her arms to be carried. It was so similar to the motion that Lotus used when she wanted to be carried that there was no doubt where the bear learned it.
"Fine, but next time, you can walk on your own. You know that you’re faster than Lotus is, you’re not saving time by getting carried."
Then she jumped down from the bleachers to exit the arena and get away from the packed crowds watching the fights.
"Wait for me, I’ve got little legs."
Karl picked Lotus and Dana up, one on each arm, and simply flew off over the top of the arena to join Ophelia outside.
"Oh, right. I could have transformed and flown away."
Dana laughed and shook her head. "Only if you wanted them to treat you like a toddler forever. Did you forget how small your dragon form is?"
"Right. That could be bad. Nobody takes me seriously to begin with. It’s not easy being short, I tell you."
Karl set the ladies down to temper the number of envious glares that he was getting.
However, the envious glares that he was getting were nothing compared to the ones that Ophelia was getting. It seemed that most of the visitors to the Clan had assumed that Tifa was her actual biological daughter.
Many Werebear cubs stayed in bear form until they were a few years old, and while Tifa was large, most of them had seen Ophelia’s bear form.
They knew that she was not a small species of bear.
For a change, it actually meant that there was nobody coming up to hit on Ophelia while she was in town. That was a win in her book, even if it was partially because everyone assumed that there was a berserker loving husband around somewhere.
If he could survive Ophelia in a bad mood, he was almost guaranteed to be both very scary and very possessive.
That’s how it always went.
Unless he was the sort that liked to be bullied, but the Immortal Gentlemen preferred to quietly pretend that sort of man didn’t exist.
Lotus took the lead, and Ophelia fell in behind her, with the rest of the group wondering whether they were going for snacks, or just exploring the city. Lotus and Ophelia hadn’t gotten a chance to really see the place yet.
"Alright, we’re going exploring! What is there to see? I heard that there is a shopping district, and there are so many new things to see here," Lotus finally insisted.
"Oh, that is perfect. Right this way, ladies. Allow me to be your tour guide for the day."
Dana laughed as he looped his arm through hers and began to lead the group through the streets with his best tour guide voice.
Such a good tour guide voice, in fact, that others began to join their group, thinking that Karl was a legitimate service that the New Home Merchant Clan was offering to guests and visitors.
He was the only one other than Dana that had the Clan tag turned on, and none of them knew Cara, as they were visitors.
So, it seemed logical that he was an actual tour guide showing off the highlights of the city.
"Excuse me, Sir. Is there a clothing shop here that sells and modifies leather armour?" A passerby asked.
"In fact, there is." Karl replied, checking with Rae first. "There is one three blocks down, and then a block to your right. There is also one behind us that does alterations to leather, but they do not specialize in armour.
Alternatively, you can utilize the portal in the park four blocks to your left and check out the Darklight Silk Emporium in the Darklight Host Guild village, formerly the Hyperion Sect’s location.
The portal is open full time during the event, so you may come and go freely."
The visitor smiled as Karl openly plugged his own faction’s shop, though it was not in the city. If you could get to it through a free portal, that was close enough for most people. But they would check the local shops first.
"Thank you."
The visitor wandered off to the first shop that he had mentioned, and another guest, a teenage boy with shockingly orange hair, darted forward to take her place.
"Sir, might I ask if you know where I can find a room? I arrived much too late, and even the campsites are full."
Karl checked the Guild Chat, hoping for some sort of information on the topic.
"Ah, I see here that there are still a few members renting hostel style bunks. If you go left to the portal then west down the street to the large bulletin board, you’ll find the listing and a contact person on duty who can arrange a hostel room."
"Thank you so much."
He ran off, and Karl led the ladies down the street, pointing out various shops that the beasts liked.
"And then there is the second most important building in the entire town."
Everyone stopped and looked in the direction of Karl’s gesture.
It was a café and bakery.
