SS1 10.1 – A Favor from Kara
We arrived at Karmen at noon. Wasting no time, we went straight to Torrak’s office. After hearing about our adventure before we met her, Kara instantly suggested me to make direct report to Torrak with her.
Torrak was about to have a lunch when we arrived at his office. Honestly, I would rather wait until he had his lunch before meeting him. Based on my experience, making direct report to superior officer when they had low sugar level was not wise. However, Kara insisted that we had to have the meeting as soon as possible.
Therefore, when Torrak agreed to postpone his lunch and received us, I couldn’t tell it was a good thing or bad luck. I could only give my best and hope for the best. If things went to direction that put Ariel in shitty situation, I would just take her to leave Karmen for good.
And so, the meeting began. Initially, Torrak was very nervous when Kara introduced herself as member of Silva Family, but his expression return normal after learning she was only member of branch family.
After that, I reported to Torrak everything that happened after we arrived at RV. Torrak’s expression instantly turned bleak as soon as he heard Sum Ting Wong, his pack, and W 0-1 didn’t return to RV as scheduled. Torrak was also very surprised when he learnt I and Ariel had killed Old Jack.
Then, his expression became drop dead serious as he learnt our exfil from Kubran Valley, the fight with Red Warg, the retaliation strike using Orbiter 69 and Dildo 101, and the assist to help the captured hunters made their escape. He also made a small note for body count I mentioned.
“This is magnificent achievement,” Torrak calmly said. “But I have to make thorough confirmation before I can put it in the official report.
Most of all, I have to send team to investigate how we lost W 0-1. She was a great asset for House of Hunter. Losing her is a big loss and whoever responsible for it will receive heavy punishment.”
I calmly said, “I will full cooperate with the investigation.”
“In that case, you don’t mind if I put you in custody for the time being.”
“I don’t mind, but what about Ariel.”
“She will return to her routine, doing intel gathering for House of Hunter.”
Ariel’s face instantly became as pale as white sheet. “Ariel is member of Berg’s team now. Ariel will stay with Berg in the custody.”
After letting out a sigh Torrak said, “I can’t register Berg’s team until the investigation show he has nothing to do with the cause that make us lost W 0-1.”
“Old Dude Torrak, just wrap up the investigation accordingly to what Berg has said,” Kara said in commanding tone, and she still wore the black sunglasses that made her looked super cheeky.
“Little Lady Kara,” Torrak amicably said, “I can’t do such thing. This is not small matter.”
“In less than two weeks, Berg and Ariel have shut down two low-rank nests, killed 2 Warg, 1 Red Warg, 35 Minotaur along with a bunch of orcs and goblins, and saved a hunting team from total annihilation,” Kara casually mentioned the body count I said in my report while looking at Torrak straight in the eyes. “I’m sure you realize that Berg and Ariel manage to depopulate monster faster than any top team in House of Hunter.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“In that case, you should do as I say.” After a short pause Kara said in drop dead serious tone, “Currently, in Kubran Valley, there are more than 14.000 low-rank monsters, along with about 1000 minotaur and several hundreds of warg.
This number is 30% higher compare to last year. You need every killing means in your disposal, especially the effective one, to be on active hunt.”
“Honestly, I don’t mind to end the investigation right here right now,” Torrak said as he looked at Kara straight in the eyes. “However, higher-ups from HQ will still send a team to investigate how we loss W 0-1.”
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“Let me handle those old geezers,” Kara nonchalantly said.
“Little Lady Kara, I think it’s beyond your ability. Even young generations from Silva Family’s main branch won’t dare to mess around with higher-ups from HQ.”
Kara immediately got up and walked until she arrived next to Torrak. Then, she cheekily put her left arm on Torrak’s shoulder while her right hand held a gold medallion right in front of his face. A second later, Torrak’s eyes widened right after he looked closely at the medallion.
“Do you think those old geezers have the gut to mess around with the holder of this medallion?”
“I don’t think so,” Torrak replied as beats of cold sweat suddenly filled his face to the brim.
“Exactly,” Kara said, still in her cheeky tone.
“Milady Kara…” Torrak warily looked at Kara as he continued, “Why did Silva Family send someone at your level to kill mid-rank like Old Jack?”
“First, it’s because I want to personally check situation in Kubran Valle. Second, it’s because you were so slow in killing that damnable wyvern.”
“Milady Kara, you know how hard we have tried to hunt and killed Old Jack,” Torrak said in low voice.
“Well, whatever the reason is, letting a mid-rank monster grow into a symbol of terror is the stupidest thing House of Hunter has done so far,” Kara said before returning to her seat. “If you can’t handle mid-rank and low-rank monster properly, you will make people lost their trust on Patrician Family. Sooner or later, it will hinder our works in eliminating high-rank and deity-rank monster.”
“Understood, Milady Kara,” Torrak firmly said. “I will handle the matter accordingly to your suggestion.”
“Also, put Bai In-nu in Berg’s team.”
“But Bai In-nu prefer to receive death sentence rather than join any hunting team,” Torrak said. “Until this very moment, we can’t change her mind.”
“If we put shackle on her, she won’t have other choice other than following Berg’s order,” Kara casually said.
Big question mark instantly popped-up in Torrak’s forehead. “Milady, we can put shackle only on demi-human. We can’t use it in regular human.”
“I have cleared the authorization to put shackle on Bai In-nu. You just have to take Berg to her and recruit her.”
“Understood,” Torrak firmly said.
And that concluded our meeting with Torrak. Thanks to Kara, I didn’t need to spend my time in custody. Most of all, Ariel didn’t need to go back to her old routine.
We then walked Kara to teleportation platform, while deep down in my mind I was wondering about Kara’s real identity. Unfortunately, I got a hunch I wouldn’t know about it for a very long time.
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As Torrak activated the teleportation platform, Kara hugged Ariel tightly. “Big Sis Ariel, get monster kill as many as you can. When you have a good team to support you, I believe you will become a great hunter.”
“Mhm,” Ariel replied while having big smile in her face.
“Then, sooner or later, after you make a name for yourself, I will have solid justification to take you to join my family.”
“Okay,” Ariel firmly replied.
Once the two let a go of their hug, I immediately kneeled in front of Kara while opening my arm widely. However, Kara looked at me while raising her left eyebrow.
“I’m not hugging you.”
“Kara,” I gently said. “This is maybe our last meeting. If I don’t hug you right now and then I meet with my end, I won’t be able to cross to afterlife peacefully.”
Kara instantly puffed up her left cheek, but she stepped forward into my hug, and I immediately hugged her tightly.
“Thank you for helping me and Ariel,” I said while maintaining my hug. “Next time we meet, I will make you the best yakisoba I can make, along with other yummy food I know.”
“Okay,” Kara happily replied after swallowing her saliva hard.
It seemed she really got hooked up by yakisoba, fortunately I knew lot of yakisoba variations. As long as we met again, I would be able to satisfy her craft for yakisoba.
Then, I let a go of my hug and Kara immediately turned her gaze to Torrak. “Torrak Dude, don’t tell anyone about my relationship with Berg and Big Sis Ariel. I have lots of enemy who will target them just to agitate me.”
“Understood, Milady,” Torrak firmly replied.
A moment later, Kara went up to teleportation platform. She made a big smile to Ariel as blinding light slowly covered her. After that, together with the blinding light she was gone without a trace.
Torrak then turned his gaze to me. “Your luck is damn good. You meet a big shot from Silva family and receive their favor.”
“That’s merely because we produce desired result,” I calmly said.
“It’s still a huge luck.”
I lightly nodded and then asked Torrak, “Who is Kara real identity?”
Torrak’s expressions suddenly became drop dead serious. “First, for your own safety, don’t ever tell anyone that you have seen the gold medallion. Second, just treat and remember Milady Kara based on the introduction she gives you.”
“Is her name really Kara?”
“No.”
“I see.” After taking a deep breath I added, “I will do as you say.”
“Well,” Torrak said as his expression returned normal. “I guess you will leave Pukin’ Dog.”
“Yeah.”
“Just a friendly reminder, almost no C-rank team will accept E-rank hunter. I hope you won’t regret your decision,” Torrak calmly explained. “Most of all, once your team officially active, I don’t think you will find C-rank team or above will be willing to work with your team.”
After a smile I said, “I won’t regret it.”
After a moment of silence Torrak said, “You have a good heart, Berg.”
‘Good heart, huh? Not really, I just follow a code from my family,’ I muttered while looking at Ariel’s clear gaze. “She reminds me a kid from my family and I just can’t leave her.”
“I see.” After a smile Torrak then continued, “Let’s visit Bai In-nu and get her to join your team.”
“Okay.”
Wasting no time, I and Ariel then followed Torrak to House of Hunter’s detention center.
*****