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[At Malsia]
Naoto, an A rank adventure who is always being nominated with a job from the royal family, being called by Princess Nurhaliza
"I see, so you want me to infiltrate Kiserre and find out what's happening there" [Naoto]
"Yes please, and if possible, you should capture "that person" alive, so that we could prosecute him" [Haliza]
"So, that person is there, but this might be hard" [Naoto]
"Well, Ash will be there as well, plus, that should only be your secondary objective. The primary one should be investigation as to avoid any unnecessary conflict in near future" [Haliza]
"Understood, I'll accept this job" [Naoto]
"Thank you for your hard work, Naoto" [Haliza]
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"So this is how you look like" [Ash]
"..." [Alaric]
Alaric, he's one of Diana's twelve hidden guards that for some reason, will always accompany her. Even with one search magic, they're quite hard to be exposed, as expected of a royal hidden guards.
He's from the Beastman race, the vampire race. I'm sure with his black hair and pale face, the maid inside the castle goes crazy. He also has a large bat wings protruding out from his back as well as a long fang (maybe, but I guess that must be a small one if the folk fore tales of Dracula back on earth can be trusted, since, the tip just barely visible)
Still,
"Are you sure you're fine with this? This is Kiserre, you know. They aren't exactly the non human friendliest human I know of" [Lisa]
"Just what one would expect from the old follower" [Ash]
"I can take care of myself perfectly fine" [Alaric]
'But..." [Lisa]
"I can just do this" [Alaric]
He hides both his wing and fang, but that still does not wipe off the worried look from Lisa's face.
"I can do this as well" [Alaric]
He then transform into a bat
"Huh, a regress beastly transformation. Can you do the evolved beastly transformation?" [Ash]
"Secret" [Alaric]
"I'll take that as a yes" [Ash]
To replied to me just now, he had to transformed back into his normal form. All beastman, by right can perform two type of transformation. Regress beastly transformation and evolved beastly transformation, but most of the time, we just refer it as beastly transformation. The regress version is more predictable and consistent as they will just changed to the animal they're closely related, and as for Alaric, it's bat. For the kids, Elise will become a fox, Singa will change into a lion and Savel into a lizard (albeit they still haven't mastered it completely).
As for the other version (that is the evolved beastly transformation), it's slightly difficult to say. They're said to be the higher and more powerful version of their current form (and that's why the term evolved is used here) and can differ from person to person as they're variation even among the same species of beastman. For example, Elise might change into the mythical nine tail fox, or maybe a ghastly fox. Who knew. The only sure way to know is for them to transform into it
"Still, I'm not convinced!" [Lisa]
"..." [Alaric]
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"Lisa, he's one of the royal bodyguard, I'm sure he's more than capable to take good care of himself" [Ash]
"But, I'm worried" [Lisa]
"Don't worry, I'll take good care of myself, plus..." [Alaric]
"Plus..." [Lisa]
"I don't plan on dyeing yet" [Alaric]
His eyes, it looks like he have some big ambition that motivates him to work harder than the rest, but...
(God, forgive me for thinking about it, but that's a splendid death flag right there...) [Ash]
Well, to prevent that, why don't I take the initiative to discuss with him on what we should do
"Say, how about we discussed something" [Ash]
"It's fine. Just like how you prefer to go solo most of the time, so am I. We can just meet at a regular basis where Sir Crow is staying, or some new location to avoid being sniffed" [Alaric]
"Alrighty then" [Ash]
Guess that settle it nicely
~Gate open~
"Sorry for being late" [Crow]
"Well, that's fine and all but..." [Ash]
"Ohh, I have to brought this many people and carriage with me. I'll also act like a spoiled child near the Kiserre entrance, that way, all of this will allow the two of you to enter safely" [Crow]
"So, you act like a typical noble son then? Like that idiot noble that I knew of?" [Ash]
"Well, yes..." [Crow]
"..." [Guard]
"..." [Lisa]
"..." [Alaric]
"Huh, can't wait to see for myself" [Ash]
Well, off we go then. Near the entrance
"Well, that's to be expected" [Ash]
"Why didn't you wake us up!" [Mara]
"Yeah! We want to send you off properly!" [Farhah]
"Bad boy! Bad boy!" [Charlotte]
"Yeah! Bad boy!" [Cupid]
"That's cute!" [Lisa]
"I wonder who did she copy" [Ash]
"Well..." [Rafiah]
"Well, she's growing..." [Diana]
"..." [Liyana]
"And the three of you? I can see why Flinar and Erinmorlin is here, but not the three of you. Plus, you have noble school to attend, right Liyana" [Ash]
"Well, it's cancel for today, and so I dragged her with me after knowing that. She wanted to meet with you, but midway through, we stumble upon the bus golem and here we are" [Diana]
"I see, well, Elise, did you tell her about the assignment?" [Ash]
"I did" [Elise]
"Well, good" [Ash]
It will be great if that assignment bore some result, otherwise, it will simply be a good practice for them
"Take good care of her, will you" [Flinar]
"And don't do anything funny to her" [Erinmorlin]
"I won't, but the other way around could also be possible" [Ash]
"Hey!" [Lisa]
"Alaric, watch her out" [Diana]
"Understood" [Alaric]
""What understood!?"" [Ash, Lisa]
I can't tell from her voice, whether she ask Alaric to monitor or Lisa. She sure is an expert in this kind of thing
As the younger group have their fair share of hug and sending off me with bye-bye gesture (waving their hand like there's no tomorrow, which is honestly cute), we enter the open field dungeon and stay on the mid road until
"So that's Mahsuri" [Crow]
"Mind if I talk to her for a bit?" [Ash]
"Just be careful. I was informed about what happened yesterday" [Crow]
"I will" [Ash]
I approach her cautiously. With my hand right in the air, signaling her not to attack me. Annoyed (or maybe not, but this is what I imagine she felt like as she dashed towards me)
"What is it?" [Mahsuri]
"Well, Cupid ask me to say hi to you, and..." [Ash]
"And..." [Mahsuri]
I explained to her regarding my job, and
"I don't know if that's possible, but please take care of them" [Ash]
I don't know why I have to say that, but it just doesn't feel right if I didn't ask her.
"..." [Mahsuri]
Guess it's impossible
"Understood..." [Mahsuri]
"Thanks!" [Ash]
That sure is a surprise, but a welcome one
As I go back to the now pale group of people (excluding the already naturally pale Alaric), they keep on asking me what happen, for which I explained to them
.
.
.
"There's the entrance. You two, act natural!" [Crow]
""Understood"" [Ash, Alaric]
As Crow approach the bewildered guard, he begins to put up the act of a spoiled noble child. Demanding his envoy to be treated better than this, cutting the line etc etc, for which
(He really is a good actor!) [Lisa]
(Is he really acting though...) [Ash]
(I have the same doubt) [Alaric]
Well, it's just too convincing, so bravo to him if it's really an act, plus
"Alright, alright sir, you will pass through first" [Guard]
"That is what I would like to hear you mere guard" [Crow]
Yup, I can't tell whether it's his act or not, but i do know he is one of the good noble, and just when we pass through the goddess orb
"So, this is Kiserre!" [Lisa]