The elf girl had stopped crying and now was looking up to look at Echos face. Echo seeing that made a gentle smile and patted her head. But the kinda happy moment was ruined when the guards arrived and saw the scene. Four dead people: two with a slit throat, one who had his skull caved in and the fourth whos head was half mush from the stabbing.

"What happened here. Did you do all that?"the guard asks Echo and he replies"A bar fight and I did it."

"Your just admitting it. Okay come with is then."the guard says and starts to walk up to Echo, who pulls out a card from his pocket with crest on it and shows it to the guard. The crest faintly glows in neon blue.

The guard stops and says"Sorry for bothering Sir. Continue your business."he continues"Lets go!"

After ordering his man, they left the bar.

"Can't believe your abusing it."Evelyn says and leaves the bar too. Echo watches her leave and puts the card back to his pocket. The card which he had just showed had a royal crest on it and only a royalty could apply it onto an object. So there is no way to copy it.

"Lets go now."Echo says and puts his cloak onto her and pulls the hood up. He puts his hand onto her back and slightly pushing her to move.

"They are paying."he says to the barman and leaves the bar with the elf. Once they stepped outside, he says"Why are you still here?"

"I'm worried what will you do with her."replies Evelyn.

He turns his head towards her and says"Your just lost, aren't you?"

"Shut up!"she says with an angry voice.

"Well whatever. Do what you want."he says to Evelyn and turns to the elf"Lets go get you clothes."

And he starts walking back the store where he had just come from with the elf. Also Evelyn is following them.

Once they arrive back there, the lady says"Welcome back costumer. I see you have two beautiful flowers this time.

'How could she tell that the elf was a girl, when her head is down and the hood up?'

"Yeah. I need clothes for her?"he says and pulls of the elfs hood. She looks at her with a surprised face and asks"What happened to this poor girl?"

"Former slave, previous master must have done something."Ehco replies.

"So you are his new master, but I don't see a choker on her neck."she says.

"She isn't slave anymore. The previous owner freed her after a 'nice' talk."Echo says.

"Okay. Now then. Let me find something for the girl."The lady says and starts going around the shop.

Echo sits down with the help and in english he asks from Evelyn"You don't want anything. Maybe a new pair of panties."

She just looks at him with an angry face and doesn't say anything.

'Mad I see. Well that is obvious.'

The lady had finished looking for the clothes around the store and told her to follow her.

The elf looked at Echo who said"Go with her."

She shaked her head and said"With you."in Elfish.

'She doesn't seem to speak human language, but luckily I have the [Language Comperhansion] skill, so I could understand. She seems to understand human language but doesn't speak in it.'

"Okay. Lets go then."he said and got up with her. They walked towards the changing room and before she entered, she said quietly"Please stay."while looking up to him with her red eyes.

"I'll stay. So go put on your clothes now."he replied to her in Elfish.

She nods and enters.

While Echo is waiting with his back leaned against the wall and his arms crossed, he looks at Evelyn who looks at him back.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"What?"he asks in english.

"Your suspiciously nice to her. Are you planning to abuse her later?"she asks.

"No. You truly think that I am that evil. Well I am not that kind of evil. But why I am nice to her is probably because I saw my younger self in her."

"Younger self? In her? I doubt that. I can't see her being an asshole like you. You probably never received your parents attention." she had completely forgotten about him being raised by a foster father

"Evelyn. Don't even go there. Trust me. Unlike in the First world, where men are taught to protect women and never hit them, they didn't teach that in Third World shitholes. So don't go there and anger me. So If you want to be here, then shut it. If not...Fuck off."Echo says with an angry voice.

She stares at him with hateful eyes and sits down on a chair.

He then feels her sleeve being tugged by the elf and so looks into the room, to see her in a black underwear.

"It looks sexy. Keep it If you like."He says to her, understanding what she wanted to know.

When she heard him, her cheeks turned slightly red, but she shaked her head a little and continued dressing. After a while he was done and walked out of the changing room with her new clothes. She was wearing a brown leather high heels up to her knees and black pants which wrapped around her legs nicely. She also wears black shirt that shows some cleavage and is mostly black with white lines. On her hands, she is wearing gloves. The right on is an archers glove and the right one a regular. Finally she is wearing a clothing that is a mix of a scarf and a hood.

"Yep. This suits you."Echo says when he sees her and this makes her happy even If she doesn't show it.

He walks back to the counter with the girl and asks"How much?"

"Thirty silver."she replies.

"Okay."he answers and pays her. She takes the coins and puts a bag on top of the counter and says"Here is her underwear and an extra."and winks with her right eye.

"Thanks."Echo says and takes the bag.

'What is this little extra.?'

"Come now. Lets go back."he says and immediately the elf clings to him.

'Probably doesn't want to lose me.'

Echo looks around and spots his classmates, so he tells Evelyn"There. There is the rest of the group. You can leave the evil persons side now."

Echo says and walks away with the elf, leaving her back.

'Complete asshole. I fucking hate him. So why do still I care about him still.'

She looks at the group and joins them.

As for Echo he walking back to the castle with the elf clinging to his arm.

After walking for a while, they reach the castle and the elf looks at him with a slightly surprised face.

"Its okay. Now come on."Echo says to the elf and they walk towards the gate, where the soldier stops him and asks"Who is she?"

"A friend. Now let us pass."Echo says.

"I'm sorry Sir, but I can't do that. King has ordered not to let any stranger into the castle, even if the person is with the hero."the guard says.

"Well I guess he wants to lose a hero too then. Now let her in with me or I'll leave for good."Echo says with a serious tone and the elf doesn't say anything

The guards stays quiet and drops of sweat could be seen on his forehead. Losing a hero because of him is far worse then letting a stranger in the castle.

"Only If you take responsibility for her actions, then I can let you in."The guard says.

"Fine. Now remove the damn weapons."Echo says to them.

They remove the weapons, which were blocking their path and the two enter the castle.

After a while they reach Echos room and he pulls the elfs hood off.

"Sit down."he tells her and as she is about to sit on the ground, he says."Not on the floor girl. Come now."

He says and leads her to the couch, where he pushes her to sit down. He sits down next to her and says"Now tell me about yourself."

She looks at him and starts to speak in Elfish.

"My name is Skyeza and I'm a Wood Elf."she introduces herself.

"Wood Elf?"he asks. He only knows dark and high elves.

"Wood Elf is a rare variant of High-Elves. We are extremely rare and not well known outside of elf communities. We live in the woods of Deryus. Because of our rarity, we are hunted down and captured by those who know about us. Supposedly Wood Elves are really valuable."

"Okay. Now continue your story."

"Yes. I was living with my mama, papa and big sister happily, but two weeks ago, our home was attacked by bad people and they burned our village. They...They."Tears starts to run from her eyes again and so he pulls her into a hug and says"No need to say, If you don't want to. I get it. So If you want skip to today."

"Thank you."she says, while Echo is wiping her tears off.

"Well today they were supposed to go to the buyer, who wanted me, but the buyer didn't show up. So they were staying in the bar while waiting and that is when you showed up."

"Okay. Did they do anything to you?"he asks her and she shakes her head."No. Because 'fresh' women were supposed to be more expensive."

"That is good to know. Well then I think I should say something about myself."Echo says.

"My name is Echo Zain, eighteen years old. And currently I am supposed to be a hero."Echo says

"A hero. You mean as a hero from legends?"she asks her with an excited voice.

"Yes. But sorry to break it to you, but I am no hero. I have the title, but not the characteristics for it."Echo says to her.

"No. You are a hero. To me. You saved me and helped me get revenge for mama."she says with serious face.

"A hero wouldn't have killed them. I'm a bad guy"Echo says to her.

"You are a good guy. Your methods are just bad."Skyeza says to him.

"Whatever you want to believe."he continues"So what do you want to do now?"

"If possible, be by your side."she says.

He looks at her and sighs

'Everything so far has been pure truth that she has said. I guess I'll have her. She can be useful to me and she is pretty beautiful and cute. I guess I do need a woman by my side who won't judge everything I do and is fine with killing.'

"Okay. You can be with me If you want."he tell her and with joy, she hugs him tightly and says"Thank you Echo. I love you."

'Too fast. This is too fast emotional development. Must be a suspension bridge effect.'

But he won't mind it. The woman in love is the most loyal. And he needs loyal allies. He won't use her in a bad way. His not a manipulative guy.