V2 Chapter 125
Levelia stumbled backward.
A swoosh of frigid air blew toward her, seemingly with enough power to knock her back. She grimaced and pressed a hand against her brow. She felt her head suddenly turned blank, “Easy there,” then, she heard his voice again, accompanied by the warm strong arms that caught her.
“I think you’re really not alright.” The strange youth before her started to say something when he took a step closer and hugged her. He then paused and leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Just calm down, and breath,”
Suddenly, Levelia finds herself wanting to reach out and grab Cian’s arms to keep from crumpling to the ground in a heap of mush. But before she could do that, she snapped out from it. Her strength that seemed to have disappeared came back, giving her strength to at least keep her balance. However, when she was about to break off from Cian’s arms, the latter didn’t let go and instead, gently led her to the dim alley—
“I think you need to rest for a while. You don’t seem to be in a good shape,” he muttered, close to her ears that it caused a jittery in her nervous system—it tickles.
Blank, she could only nod her head and let herself be led by him.
What is happening to me? I think I’m really tired…? Levelia heaves a helpless sigh. In fact, she and her comrades just finished a mission and just returned to the City. They already had their eyes on the Four-Winged Basilisk for quite some time, but to be sure they gathered some information and data about the monster first, so they waited and prepared for it.
However, when they returned today, suddenly, they had heard a rumor about several clans preparing for the Four-Winged Basilisk. Levelia and her friends, hearing this were instantly alarmed.
Actually, in this City, there exist four groups—most called them Clans.
They are a gathering of Adventurers, like a small guild.
FireClaw Clan.
Thunderhawk Clan.
MoonSlayer Clan.
…and lastly, Levelia’s Clan; FlameTyrant Clan.
These four Clans are the most famous within the City, two of them having B-rank Adventurers as a pillar of supports. And just like any organizations, these four Clans are vying for supremacy in this City—who is the strongest, who is the weakest. Although, they are not showing in the process, however, everyone can see their conflict and rivalry.
The people thought they would remain peaceful for a while, however, suddenly there’s a rumor of a B-Grade Four-Winged Basilisk that was sighted within the Outer Region of the Winter Mountain, attacking many people who entered the forest.
And now, this situation broke that peace…!
There’s a rumor that says, those who can subjugate the Four-Winged Basilisk and root out the impending danger, the City lord would give them a reward. To the four clans, this reward is like a ticket to stardom!
Hence, the four Clans were eyeing the Four-Winged Basilisk like mad dogs.
Feeling this desperate, she wanted to be the first one to hunt the Four-Winged Basilisk…not anyone else. However, even though they were renowned among as one of the Big Clans in Icegrass City, but that is only because she was a true B ranked Adventurer, giving the group some prestige and influence. In reality, they were actually the weakest, with few members and most were weaker and not elites. Going toe to toe against the other Great Clans would be difficult.
Hence, they wanted to win this chase and receive the City Lord's Reward.
Nevertheless, even with Levelia's elite party, she was still a bit anxious. What if their party is not enough? But they just cannot allow the weaker members that were not even Brown rank Adventurers to join, or else that would just be like asking them to die. Not like they wanted to join the hunt against this kind of monster anyway...
To Levelia, at the very least, they needed one more elite rank powerful combatant to be sure. She had been looking around for almost an entire day, inside the guild. She had recruited several, but after hearing that the one they were hunting was the Four-Winged Basilisk, they chicken out. Well, not like she can blame them. Four-Winged Basilisk is not like any other beast. It was one among those type of seen and be killed monster—even if adventurers wanted fame and fortune, dancing with their life on the line against such monster is like signing a death wish.
She could only sigh.
She was about to give up, but suddenly she found him…
He was a youth, so young he could pass as underage—though not rare, as young as he is, being an adventurer was not something anyone could be. Many hot-blooded young men who thought that being adventurer was a cool profession, but she knows better. There were already many young people who had lost their lives in an instant because of naivety.
This was not an easy profession that can anyone do… fighting and killing are not the only requirements to be an adventurer.
However, he was different from any young people she had seen before.
He wore gorgeous and expensive looking clothes, although simple but anyone could see that it was made from rare and expensive materials. He was always wearing a smile on his handsome face. He clearly wasn’t from around here. He was citified. The way he moves talks and looks at things, anyone could see that he was a noble, or at least an Aristocrat.
That is why even though there were many boorish people in the Guild who likes to make fun and tease young adventurers, no one dared to say or do anything to him. In this world, teasing and insulting a noble is like signing a death wish for commoners, even adventurers. With just a single word, soldiers would flock out like a herd of sheep in front of a shepherd.
No one is stupid enough to claim death in vain.
However, what made her startled were not his looks, but something else.
He was not simple... aside from the fact that he was a Blue Ranker, as young as he is, that was quite a rarity. Even some veteran Adventures were stuck in the Brown rank and just couldn't get promoted. A number of Quests done are not the only thing needed to raise your rank. Ability as well as the type of Quests done. The Adventurer Guild was always strict about it.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
But more than that, Levelia was certain that the Blue ranked Youth surely possess an ability beyond Blue Rank. There's no proof, but she knows that she was not making a mistake!
... ...
Levelia looks at the youth who was supporting her as they made their way towards the isolated part of the alley where a wooden box was laid—he then carefully placed her on the wooden box, making her sit. His movements were gentlemanly and Levelia could feel her heart beating wildly.
Why? This question has already eluded her at this very moment, the masculine smell coming from him seemed to have penetrated her mind, making her awareness blurry.
Maybe she was really tired… she thought, not realizing something was off.
“Thank you,” She said with a shy smile, looking at him, embarrassed as he straightened up after making her sit comfortably, a small, nervous smile playing about his thin lips. She cast her eyes directly at him. Yes, he was handsome and young; perhaps seventeen or nineteen, at the very least, not yet twenty.
His dark hair, although somewhat messy and seemed wild, was neatly trimmed. His eyes were large and kind, gentle even, and his nose proportionate to the rest of his features. His clothes were sober grays and crimson, but made of the finest stuff.
Levelia knows that the youth before him was not simple… he was strong, skillful even. Not mentioning that he was a true Blue Ranked Adventurer—she noticed it as she was near when the young receptionist had checked his Guild Card. But she didn’t need it to know he was strong, because the apprehension she was feeling coming from him was real.
No one knows aside from herself about her unique skill; {Warning Bell}. This skill warned her whether her enemy is stronger than her or not, letting her escape in dangerous situations. Although not offensively powerful, she had been relying on this skill ever since she had started as an Adventurer…and it helps her stood at the stage where she was now.
And now this skill was once again ringing like crazy inside her mind as the youth before her stood, still with that harmless and innocent expression on his face.
She thought she had become stronger all these years, that barely anyone could contend her strength in this small City…. but now, she was proven wrong.
With her ability, she felt as if even two of her would not be enough to fight against this youth in direct combat. How strong is he, exactly…?
“Are you really okay?”
Levelia heard Cian’s concerned voice and smiled sweetly.
“I’m fine, just probably a bit too tired,”
“Really?” Cian replied.
But at this time, Levelia’s body stiffened because, she suddenly felt his finger brushing against her face—his touch gentle. Cian seemed to have not noticed her difference as he carried on what he was doing, rubbing her flushed cheek with his slender finger.
“I, I’m really fine,” she moved back, her hand grasping his pushing it away. But who would have expected, Cian’s hand remained unmovable… did I lose my strength? She wondered, confused. After all, she was still slightly dizzy.
Warm finger tickled her flushed cheeks and she shivered as beads of sweat rolled down her back; “Are you scared of me?” The black-haired youth asked, clearly amused. “Don’t be, I’m harmless,”
“… …” Levelia took a deep breath.
She doesn’t know what’s going on with her.
This is so sudden she didn’t prepare herself… what is this sudden development? She was actually being pushed by a young guy and she was barely standing? Was it because she was too tired? Never did she felt she was too weak…not until now.
She bit her lips, the pain slowly snapping her out from her reverie. Her anxiety and panic slowly returned to normal, helping her gain ground as she stared at the presumptuous youth before her calmly.
She glared at Cian in front of her, who was still staring at her with an amused and playful smile.
She felt her heart suddenly throbbed. But she endures it and stared at him, ever so defiantly; “Are you hitting on me? If not, please give some distance…I might need your help, but I am not a casual person,” she muttered, fighting the blurry sensation inside her mind.
Truthfully, she was not sure what to do about him. She wasn’t good with the flirting and she was pretty sure that was what he was doing. No one had flirted with her in years. Once she had broken up with her love a few years ago, her days had been consumed with her job and then her mom, who was currently sick and needed a large amount of money to be healed by the Church Healers.
Basically, she had no time for anything else. Guys didn’t bother her either… as someone of the Red Ranker, she was quite feared by many in this City as a Man-Eating Ogre. She beat people up if they tried to take liberties with her…
Even nobles would not easily try to pick a fight with her as the Adventurer Guild was behind her.
This is one of the privileges of being a High-level Adventurer—a B Ranker.
However, for some strange reason, she can’t actually dare to start with this youth…why? She didn’t know, and she was utterly confused. She could only try to pretend to be tough.
“And for your information, you don’t scare me. I’m just not used to this kind of thing,” she replied with a polite smile. Her blurry mind stopping her to think on how to respond properly.
“What kind of thing?” he asked curiously.
“Guys. And flirting. At least, I think that is what is happening,”
Levelia sounded like an idiot.
And she knows that too.
The amused smile that slowly stretched across Cian’s face made her wants to run away and hide.
She was completely confused.
“Yes, this is definitely flirting. And how is it that someone as beautiful and incredible as you are not used to this kind of thing? I bet many people tried to get to know you, wanting you to be part of their life…I guess as much as me.”
Levelia tensed at his words and shook her head. She then suddenly huffs out a skeptical laugh. "Really. Coming from the kid who was yet to become a man—I’ll give you a warning, I’m not simple…I’m not easy to bully!”
Although she said that, she didn’t do anything…in fact, she seemed couldn’t.
"I’m actually not planning on doing anything."
It's a miracle Cian manage to sound so truthful and dignified.
Levelia bit her lips, frustrated about the lack of strength she was feeling. "Oh, you said you don’t have any plans. Then, what are you doing right now? I’m just a little bit weak at the moment, if you tried to do anything bad, I can tell you, you can’t leave this place unscathed. Even if you are a noble." She says the first thing she thinks of; it's a stupid reply, but it doesn't get her off the hook.
"Now you have me intrigued."
She didn’t have an answer to give. Her first thought was to run away, and escape—this scene was extremely hard to deal with, she felt ashamed of her weakness. Did approaching this man, a bad decision? Did she make a mistake?
However, who knows that her two feet seemed to have been rooted on the spot and could not move, she could only stand there numb and petrified. She was unknowingly mesmerized and she seemed to be to see flowers in the background.
Truthfully, he was so visibly hot. She doesn't mean just handsome—except she does—but there's a glow under his skin. His clothes are steamed and molded onto his body. Beautiful eyes bright. His hair is curling away from his temples, having a comfortable and relaxed demeanor.
He looks like he's been locked out of his house, not even making him do chores—his hand so slender, so pale, so clean—not even a muscle. He didn’t have a smelly stink of men or sweat, in fact, his smell makes her somewhat attracted…tempted even. But she still held on her moral nature…!
"What?" He blinks.
"Being too hot is a good look for you."
She smirks, seemingly teasing. She closed her hand then open, feeling her strength slowly coming back and her mind clearing. She then looks at the youth before her, staring at her smirking, seemingly amused about what she suddenly blurted out. He then ducks his head and grasps at his shirt. Cute and self-conscious is an even better look. His boots squeak on the floor and Levelia put her eyes all over him because it's causing a reaction.
Something's happening.
Her, sitting here looking at him, is making him hot more.
"Well, thanks for worrying. In any case, I’m fine…let’s meet up tomorrow at the guild, at noon. If you comply, then be prepared will immediately embark," She muttered with an offhand tension killer, when he huffs out a breath, stands up straighter and, unless she was mistaken, mentally bracing himself.
When she stood up and was about to turn around and run, suddenly she felt an arm grasping her waist and before she could react she was turned towards him, making her face him.
“What are you doing?!” She snarled angrily. She lifted her hand and was about to punch him but before she could, another hand grasped her hand and stopped her. She growled but she only met with a sweet smile from him.
The nervous demeanor he'd seen a while ago returned; her expression wary, guarded.
Without thought, Cian took a step forward. Levelia’s hand splayed against his chest, directly above his heart. Her palm burned hot through his tee. A small gasp escaped her at the same time her large eyes snapped to his, all emerald shine and beautiful.
"You can touch me," Cian told her gently. "Don't be afraid. Not of me."
“… …?!”