Raven arrived at the city hall not long.
He entered and saw the inside of the facility. There's a lot of golded furnitures, the inside is so wide and everything seems flashy.
But not long, Raven got bored looking around and went straight to the reception area.
"Hello sir, how may I help you?"
A woman greeted Raven, that he assumed to be the receptionist.
Not beating around the bush, Raven told the reason of him coming there.
"I want to buy some lands."
"Oh, is there a problem then?"
The woman asked politely.
"Well, the land is unowned."
"Unowned?"
The woman seems confused. So Raven specified his words.
"I'm planning to buy a land inside <The Sad Mountain>.
When buying a land with no owner, you need to buy it from the government. It's because the so called great cataclysm made a lot of land unlivable.
So livable lands are precious and the goverment handles unowned lands automatically.
But in Raven's case, he's buying an ownerless but unlivable land with no single life force is living in.
The woman expressed shock for a brief moment when she heard Raven's words. But she immediately regained her calm.
"I will test some explosives. <The Sad Mountain> is the perfect place for that, right?"
It was then Raven added with meaningful tone.
'With this, she will not dig anymore about the topic.'
Raven predicted, which did happened as the woman didn't ask anymore about him buying an unlivable land and she just nodded her head.
"Please wait for a moment sir."
The woman said and called someone through the phone.
'So phones still exists.'
Raven always use his V.D to make calls and browse internet so he thought V.D replaced the phones in this world.
'I need to buy one later.'
Raven thought while deciding what cellphone he should buy.
But then the woman spoke again to Raven.
"Mayor Rancho wants to talk with you."
The woman then handed Raven the phone she's holding.
Raven took it and placed it near his ear.
"Hello?"
Raven muttered.
-Are you the one who wants to buy a land in <The Sad Mountain>?
In the other side of the line, a deep manly voice was heard.
Raven secretly swallowed a mouthful amount of saliva out of nervousness. He knows that Mayor Rancho is a <B> rank hero.
Mayor Rancho didn't appear in the novel, he's not an important character.
And about how Raven knows about him, it's because Raven investigated about Zreles City before coming there as a preparation. And that included informations about Mayor Rancho.
Calming himself, Raven replied just seconds after the Mayor's question.
"Yes sir."
There was a while of silence as Raven didn't recieve a reply.
-Why would I sell you a land there?
Just after some seconds that a reply came in an emotionless deep voice.
The question made Raven frown, but his mind immediately ran informations he gathered about Mayor Rancho.
'Based on some informations easily found, he likes money, it doesn't matter if it's a small amount money or not. He's greedy for money'
With that, Raven replied in the same manner of Mayor Rancho.
"Because, why not?"
Raven shrugged.
"That mountain has no value, in fact I can just test some explosives there and no one will sue me. I'm just buying a private land in case of unexpected accidents."
"And lastly, me buying the land there will benefit us both."
"You will recieve money and I'll recieve my private testing ground."
Raven used a lot of improvised reasonings.
Raven's words was met by a total silence. Raven is getting nervous but he's not showing it on his appearance.
After a while of an uncomfortable silence, a reply finally came from Mayor Rancho.
-How much will you pay?
'He's asking for my budget not the size of land that I'm planning to buy.'
Raven inwardly smiled seeing that the information he got is most likely to be true.
"100,000 Zeals. I'm not planning to buy a big land."
Raven replied monotonously.
-...Give the phone back to the staff.
At Mayor Rancho's words, Raven handed the phone back to the woman receptionist.
The woman talked for a moment with the mayor. Then she led Raven in a room.
The room is not that big but it's comfy. And as Raven predicted, the room have flashy furnitures, making him frown unconsciously.
The woman made Raven sit on a sofa. And not long after...
Riiiing- Riiiiiiing–
A device on the table in front of Raven rung, the woman immediately pressed something on it and a hologram appeared.
The hologram projected a figure from their shoulders to up their head.
The hologram is projecting a middle-aged man in a proper blue dress suit.
'Looks like I'm not important enough to have the mayor come and meet me in flesh.'
Raven thought as he calmly stares at the figure of Mayor Rancho.
Mayor Rancho then opened his mouth.
-How big is the land that you want to buy?
He asked. Then the woman handed Raven a map of <The Sad Mountain>.
After using a pen to encircle a small place in the map, Raven looked back at the Mayor and showed him the map.
"This big."
Raven made the area he's buying slightly bigger than the dungeon's entrance so they won't suspect anything.
-In the middle of the mountain?
But the Mayor asked Raven doubtfully.
Raven didn't lose his composure and immediately replied confidently.
"If I use explosives near the mountain's base, accidents may happen as some houses are near it, And using explosives on top of a mountain is just plain stupid."
Mayor Rancho squinted his eyes, looking at Raven for a while, he opened his mouth.
-Then pay 150,000 Zeals.
He said.
Raven have that much of money but doesn't want to pay more than needed. Raven also like money.
Raven frowned.
"100,000 Zeals. I didn't say you can bargain."
Raven replied without an ounce of hesitation.
But then a chilling sensation was felt all over the room.
Raven look fine since he have the <Calm Thinker>, but his heart is actually beating rapidly and he's starting to have trouble breathing. So he made the <Calm Thinker>'s effect stronger by intensely activating it even more.
'Looks like people can emit aura even if their physical body is not present. It's pretty understandable but at the same time makes no sense.'
Raven thought as he caught a glimpse of the corner of the room.
The woman was there, slightly trembling as her breathing bacame rough.
Seeing this, Raven frowned even deeper.
Raven activated <Monarch's Presence> to the max and combined it with his mana. He spread it all over the room especially near himself and the woman.
Then the aura pressuring them disappeared.
The woman looked at Raven with a surprised expression. But soon she looked at him with grateful eyes.
Returning his attention to the Mayor. Raven crossed my legs and placed his hands on the top of his knees.
Then with a calm but cold voice, Raven spoke.
"Don't spread your aura carelessly, your people got affected as well."
Raven didn't notice but the woman is slightly blushing at the corner.
Raven's figure at the moment looks dominating and majestic.
Mayor Rancho frowned when he felt Raven's aura.
Raven and Mayor Rancho stared at each other's indifferent eyes. And while that's happening, silence and tension covered the room.
Then after a while, Mayor Rancho waved his hand and his aura completely disappeared.
Raven also retrieved his aura back and deactivated <Monarch's Presence>.
-Don't make any trouble in my territory.
Then the Mayor's frustrated but non-hostile voice was heard.
After that, the woman approached Raven and handen him a mana contract.
What written in the mana contract can't be broken and needs to be fulfilled by the both party who agreed in them. If one broke the contract, they will face consequences, and worst case is they die.
Materials used in mana contracts are acquired in the dungeons and their effects are said to be absolute.
Raven looked at the contents of the contract, seeing no unreasonable and unsatisfying contents in them, he signed it.
It's a low level mana contract and Raven decided that he can annul the contract anytime.
'Mayor Rancho is greedy for money but he doesn't goes back to his words, because If he did, earning money will be harder for him.'
Raven thought to reassure himself from being nervous.
"Thank you for the peaceful transaction."
Raven said after signing.
-So should I name the land to you?
The Mayor doesn't care about formality and just went straight to the business.
Not that Raven mind.
Raven shook his head and said:
"I have an alias, name it after it."
In this time, using an alias in official papers is pretty common as mana contracts doesn't work using names, but souls.
-What's your alias?
Raven smiled and uttered a single word.
"Night."
***
[Raven's POV]
The talk with the Mayor is done, he said tomorrow the land will be officially and legally mine.
The documents processing will be fast thanks again to the latest technologies and the fact that there's no one really interested to the land I'm buying.
As I exited the room the woman talked to me.
"Thanks for earlier."
She said. I looked at her, she was embarrassed and her ears were red.
I shrugged and replied:
"You're welcome."
Being humble is nice, but when someone thanked you, you should recieve it heartfully, especially if it's sincere. Thanking someone is hard.
'Look at this woman being all embarrassed.'
Seeing that, I thanked her too.
"I should also thank you for your great hospitality."
This woman never did once disrespected me, you might think it's normal, but in this world, it's rare to see someone respectful and humble.
The woman lowered her head in embarrassment.
'I feel you, receiving thanks is pleasant but at the same time embarrassing.'
I thought and smiled.
After a while, the woman talked again. And her next words shocked me.
"Umm... Are you the author of *[Exodus]?" *(Raven's novel)
My steps halted and my eyes widened.
I looked at the woman with a surprised face.
"Ah! I'm sorry, I just noticed in your alias, I know that it can be just a coincidence and you're entirely someone else but It's just a hunch... or maybe you don't want to reveal your Identity, I'm sorry!"
She said, she's completely panicking.
Seeing her like that, I laughed.
"No, it's fine."
I said and unconsciously patted her head.
"Oh! I'm sorry for touching you casually, I just thought you're cute and did it unconsciously."
The real reason was that she's so small I had the urge to pat her.
But I'm not kidding, she's really cute. Down to shoulder level brown hair and big blue eyes. Her looks is on par with the main characters.
"N-no it's fine."
The woman said who still have her head lowered, her ears are red.
"I'm just surprised to meet someone who know my novel."
When I said that, the woman finally looked up at me. When her eyes met mine, I smiled.
Meeting someone who read my novel somehow made me happy.
The woman's face became more redder.
"So, you really are the author of [Exodus]?"
She asked again.
"Yes, I am the author of it."
I replied casually. I'm not really trying to hide it anyway.
"I really like your novel! And, you appeared out of nowhere and released different novels with bunch of chapters and even with that, their story qualities didn't drop!"
The woman said like an excited fan. Seeing the woman earlier, I thought she was a serious type, but now she just look cute in my eyes.
"Um, then can we take a picture?"
She then asked.
"Sure."
Though confused, I agreed. I don't get why would she want a picture with me, no one will believe her even if she said I was [Night], well some might, but I'm not that even famous.
So not many will really care.
Well anyway, we still took a picture, she looks satisfied so I didn't pry about it.
"Umm, I'm Keara Scarlett."
The woman then introduced herself.
But I got surprised by something.
"You're not a pure race?"
I unconsciously mumbled. She have an elven blood running in her veins. How do I know? The system sends informations through my mind sometimes.
"Ah! Yes, my mother is an elf but my father is a human, I'm an half-elf."
Keara then hurriedly reply, she looks sad, scared and worried.
"Ah..."
It was then I remembered what i just said.
When 2 individuals who isn't in the same races had a child, the child will be often ridiculed saying that they don't belong anywhere and call them halfling.
I created this novel with the protagonist having a harem, one of his harem members is a halfling. I made all the halfling be ridiculed just to strengthen their story.
Now that I'm inside my story, it's making me feel guilty.
Seeing Keara's reaction, looks like she went through harsh racism.
With a bitter smile. I took Keara's hand.
"So you're an half-elf."
Keara flinched, she was nervous.
Maybe she got traumatized, I got more guilty.
I put the warmest smile I can muster in my face, and spoke in a gentle voice.
"No wonder you're so beautiful."
Keara then looked at me with bewildered face.
Not minding her reaction, I spoke again.
"My name is Raven Obadiah. And if you think you don't belong anywhere..."
After a small pause and looking at Keara warmly, I continued.
"...Then be mine, so you can say you belong to me."
Then I kissed the back of her hand softly.
Keara's face and hand became red as tomato.
I'm not dense not to notice her having a crush on me ever since me helping her earlier back in the room.
Not to brag, but in my pastlife I have a lot of experience in these kind of things.
At first I thought Keara was just embarrassed talking to me, but after she asked me for a picture, I bacame sure.
Also her revealing herself being an half-elf to me made it certain.
I'm a total stranger so I assumed she's throwing a gamble to see what my reaction will be after know she's an halfling.
She's interested in me but scared of being shooed.
I don't know why would she like me though.
"Umm...ahh...emm..."
Keara looks cute panicking. I just looked at her while smiling.
After a while, she calmed down.
"Um, can I have your contact... So we can hangout sometimes?"
At her aggressive approach, my smile deepened.
"Hanging out will be a hard as I'm currently attending the Lunar Academy."
I said with a disapointed face. Keara got shocked at what I said.
"You're a student?!"
She asked.
"Yes."
I replied without batting an eye.
"Tertiary?"
Keara asked. I shook my head.
"Sophomore?"
I shook my head again. Then spoke.
"I'm a freshman, I'm 17 years old."
Keara was shocked.
"But... I thought you're older than me."
Keara muttered. And before I could say something, she opened her mouth again.
"Ah! I didn't mean that your face looksl old, I mean you look very handsome, it's just that you gives off a mature aura!"
'Is that so?'
Do I really act mature?
I was about to say something, but Keara talked again.
"Ah! I didn't mean you act like an old man, I mean you seems confident and reliable, it also makes you attractive."
She said as she became more redder. Keara was feeling more shame as she talks, maybe smoke will come out from her head like in the cartoons any time soon.
She's panicking so bad. And I thought she was cute.
"My age doesn't matter."
I said, Keara then calmed down. Then she looked at me.
With a mischievous smile, I spoke again.
"You see, I find older women attractive."
Keara became red again.
'Teasing her is really fun.'
I thought.
In the end, Keara and me exchanged contact informations.
"Hanging out will be hard, but not impossible."
I said to Keara.
Keara lowered her head again. I'm taller than her, her height only reach up to my shoulders. She's even wearing heels. So maybe she's as high of my chest?
Then I slouched and placed my lips near Keara's ear.
Keara got startled and flinched. Her whole face started to be red again.
Not minding that, I whispered.
"But if you really want to hang out..."
Ping-
A message was sent to Keara's phone.
"... Here's the hotel I'm currently in, I'll be there until Sunday."
I straightened my body back and started to walk away.
Keara didn't move on her place and just looked at me leave, then she checked the message she received from me.
"If you want you can visit me tonight."
I teasingly said to Keara. I didn't wait for her reply as I exited the city hall.
'Teasing her was fun.'
I thought as I started to head back to the hotel I'm staying.
But something unexpected happened that day.
***
The next day.
I woke up at <5:28 A.M>.
I had the best sleep after getting transferred in this world.
I looked at myself, I'm naked.
Then I looked beside me.
Keara is lying beside me, sleeping, and also naked.
"Haaaaa..."
I recalled what happened last night.
Keara really did came last night and we drank few alcohols. She talked about herself and I listened to her, because I'm also interested on Keara.
And just as I expected.
Like other halfling, Keara also got discriminated and so on, her family is away at the moment as they work in different place, Keara is a second child, she have an older brother.
Keara is 23 years old.
Anyway, after Keara finished telling about herself, she got silent, she looked sad as she remembered all the discrimination she went through.
So I patted her head. Keara didn't resist, as a matter of fact, she seemed to like it.
But after a while, maybe because of the alcohol, Keara got aggressive as she hugged me.
Keara then looked at me enticing eyes, after that, being swept by the mood.
I kissed her in the lips.
Keara didn't push me away, instead, she used her tongue. I got surprised but I didn't let her steal the lead.
The kiss got deeper and deeper and it continued for a long time.
We got carried away by the atmosphere and maybe also because we drank a little, as we kiss, our clothes were slowly being taken off.
And after that, I lost my virginity in this life.
I have experiences in my pastlife, but all of my past relationships didn't work well.
That's why I didn't look for a lover in the past life and got transmigrated after being single for 3 years.
I sighed and stood up.
Then I wore a sleeveless white top and a comfy pants.
I washed my face and prepared breakfast.
After that, I returned where Keara is.
She's still sleeping peacefully. I shook her body gently.
After a few shake. Keara opened her eyes, then she saw me. Her eyes widened and she sprung up of the bed.
After recalling what happened last night, Keara's face got as red as tomato again and she lowered her head.
"I'm sorry..."
Keara said in a small voice.
I placed my hand on her shoulder and smiled.
"It's not just your fault, I'm at fault too. So there's no need to feel guilty."
'In times like this, instead of taking all the blame, I should just share it with her so she wouldn't feel too burdened.'
I thought as I lightly patted Keara's shoulder.
"I cooked something, we should eat."
I diverted my eyes from her.
"But wear something first and wash your face."
Keara then started to move with a shy expression.
I already cleaned her clothes and placed them beside her.