^A tarrasque?^ Aella gasped. ^The ancient monster that could eat the world?^
^[The Tarrasque had some earth magic, and the earth spirit is her direct descendant, but I don't think this woman got any of that. She instead got traces of Aunt Tarra's primordial anatomy.]^
"Aella." Nina approached her, "I will contact Sara. You go find Roberta in the central market."
"Yes," Aella rode Mc and turned to leave, glancing back at Nina's back.
^[Push her to death's door, and the blood dormant in her veins will rush out. She might have gotten the jackpot that every melee fighter dreams of.]^
As Aella left, Nina walked toward her desk and hid all of her papers. She looked at the other receptionists and smiled, "I'm going to the lord's house for a moment. Please hold out for me,"
One of the receptionists nodded, "Yes, of course," She didn't know what to say. A monster just appeared and left, They could barely understand what happened, but as long as Nina was fine with it, they were mostly safe.
Nina walked toward the door, all the adventurers moving out of her way. "No need for a response. The ants won't pose a problem," She said, opening the door and leaving.
The adventuers sat back down, taking a deep breath, "What is happening?" One of them sighed.
"I will go check it out," A ranger stood, and soon he was followed by a bunch of druids.
Standing outside the guild, Nina looked toward the lord's castle with a passive face, "I hope she's there," she squatted, the muscles on her legs bulging.
BAM! With a single leap, Nina took to the sky.
***
"I've seen some birds fly out of the forest. Do you think some adventurers are fighting a big monster?" A guard said with a smile, standing at the lord's mansion front gate.
"I bet you so. Those people can be crazy sometimes. Busting fireball on a sleeping ogre or a troll like it's nothing," The other guard smiled, shaking his halberd.
BAM! As they chatted, Nina landed in front of them, scaring their bones out of their bodies. They stepped back, seeing her stand back up with veins around her face.
"Is Sara home?" Nina smiled, standing like nothing happened.
"You could have just walked here!" One of the guards cried, his face drenched in sweat.
Nina looked at the two guards. ^Arad came back, but I couldn't sense his presence around. I suspect his condition is extremely bad. Whatever he needs from Sara, my instincts tell me time isn't on our side.^
"We don't know about Lady Sara. You have to wait a bit while we ask inside." The second guard replied. He has to get permission to speak from the lord first. They can't simply disclose the location of his daughter.
Nina stared at the guards, "You don't seem to understand." She smiled, taking a step forward, "I'm in a bit of a hurry. Where is she? Or her father, I assume he would be just as useful." She grabbed one of the guards' halberds, snapping its shaft in her palm.
The two guards stared at each other, terrified. There was no way they could stop Nina. To her, they are no more than air in her way.
"The lord is in his office. You can speak to him if you want." One of the guards looked down, sighing. "Please don't cause trouble. Our heads are on the line,"
Nina nodded, "Worry not. I merely wish to speak with him." Nina pushed the steel gate with one hand, shattering its lock as if it were nothing.
One of the guards rushed into the barracks to bring a new lock. They didn't dare to stand in her way any further.
***
Inside the mansion, Nina finally made her way to the lord's office, standing at the door with a maid at her side. "The lord is inside. He's awaiting your arrival." The maid bowed, opening the door with one hand.
Nina walked into the office, seeing the lord standing by the window, staring at the mansion's gate. "That was an expensive padlock. Do you know how much it cost?"
Nina approached the lord's desk, "If I wanted trouble, I would have landed in the middle of your mansion. Your guards refused to answer my question, and I don't have time to await their games."
"There were no games. They would have opened the door if you waited one minute." The lord replied, staring at her.
"You know that I don't have the ability to tell when I'm being tricked, so I always act with the simplest solution." Nina replied, "A locked door can always be kicked open,"
The lord sighed, "You not being able to tell if they are stalling for time or not shouldn't be an excuse," He sat back on his chair, "Take a seat. What brought you here."
Nina sat with a smile, "Sorry for the lock. But you should know how to treat a barbarian,"
"You don't know how to act normally outside the receptionist life you've been practicing. Right now, I'm not facing the receptionist Nina, but the blood barbarian Heracles of the seven wars." The city lord stared at her with a smile, "What do you want? Speak,"
"Sara, where is she?" Nina stared at him, and he started sweating.
"My daughter? Why would you need her?" The city lord reached with his hand below his desk.
"I myself don't know. A friend of mine seems to need her." Nina replied, looking at the door with a smile, "I can hear you outside. Come in."
CLICK! The door opened, and Sara walked in, "Heard from the guards you've been looking for me," Sara stared at Nina, "What do you want?"
Nina smiled, "Arad returned, and he wants to see you,"
Sara blinked twice, "You should have said that from the start," She sighed, "If it's about the cursed metal, I found it, but not a way to bring it here."
Nina looked at her, "I do not know what it's about, but you seem to have an idea. If that metal is what he wants, tell me where it is, and I shall bring it."
Sara sat facing Nina, "You don't understand, even you won't be able to move it, it curses people to death." She pulled several drawings, "First, your skin turns red, and blisters cover it. After several minutes, you start vomiting blood as your vision blurs. A bit more, and you start feeling better, but that's only the beginning of what is worse."
Nina looked at the drawing, "Necrosis, is it a form of necrotic magic?"
Sara shook her head, "No, the metal lacks magic. That curse is the property of the thing itself. No matter how we think about it, moving it without tens of casualties is impossible."
Nina scratched her chin, "I'm not a mage, but did you try summons? Those things can be an effective meat shield."
"Nothing short of undead and constructs can get close to it, and even those soon fall. The metal disturbs magic and life alike." Sara growled, "I was thinking of giving Arad its location, letting him decide how to act."
Nina stood, "Fine, but you should go see Arad. Tell him yourself."
Sara stood, "He doesn't trust your words?"
"I don't trust my own words. I might forget the details. And on top. You might be lying, and I have no way of telling." Nina replied, taking a deep breath. "Sorry about the trouble. I will make sure she returns safely," She quickly changed her tone, staring at the lord with the gentle smile of Nina, the receptionist.
The lord sighed, "Please do,"
Sara followed Nina out, "You sure are scary. Not many people can walk into my father's mansion like this and get out with their heads intact."
Nina smiled, "Your father would have died fighting me to protect you if he knew I meant harm. Did you forget your mother? He stood against the church that wanted to purify you with your brother."
Sara smiled, "But it was you who grabbed the pope by the head and almost drowned him in holy water."
"SARA!" Abel rushed out of the hallway, "Nina! Where are you taking her!" He shouted, his knees shaking. His body still remembers when she shattered his bones.
"Arad is back, and he wants to speak to her," Nina replied, and Abel's face changed.
"What does he want from my sister?" Abel growled, getting some courage in his veins.
Sara stared at him with a smile, "He wants me to marry him. I'm going now if you don't mind."
Three veins bulged on Abel's face, "By the hells, He's gonna pay!" Abel rushed toward them.
Sara smiled, "I'm joking. It's about the cursed metal." She shook her head, "You still get angry for me,"
Abel sighed, "But to be honest, I probably won't mind him." He looked at the wall, "People treat tieflings poorly, us devils even worse. But he is different,"
Sara blinked twice, "What are you talking about?"
Abel looked at her, "That's right, that's my whole concern." He stared at Sara, "He might just be the one to treat you fairly. See you and me as Sara and Abel, not two devils."
"BROTHER!" Sara gasped, sweating.
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