Chapter 75: Real Stage (2/2)

”What?” He asked, frowning. How she would have loved it if he had the same easy-going personality as Markus, but she wasn't any better.

”You held back today. These grades are important, you know?” She shot back.

Unlike what she expected, Arthur simply looked at her blankly as if he had no idea why she would say such a thing. Her fist unnoticeably trembled, making her hope he didn't see it.

”You see…” His voice trailed and lingered in the air, taking resident there for a moment before he continued. ”Jerano is the real stage for me.” He said, leaving her standing there dumbfounded.

When only an obscure outline was left of his figure, she followed after him. She needed to find out how he got stronger. Even if she became a lowly sneaky rat, she must do this for herself and her mother.

Unlike what she had expected, he took a train instead of going home. Amelia purchased the same ticket and sat in the last carriage, away from his view. With a lot of people coming and going, it was no wonder that he was unable to find her.

When the train for the first time, Amelia peeked from the door. Arthur didn't get off the train at this station.

She kept doing this until she found herself outside of Kera city, away in the wilderness. It was then that Arthur got off the train and headed off somewhere.

Amelia followed him through crowds of foreigners and awakeners who earned a penny or two in the dungeons around these parts. After they left the train station and the market, Arthur headed into the wilderness. The blazing sun was on her back, but the cool spring breeze cooled her off. And that's how she kept following him, landing herself in a mess.

***

Arthur stepped into the goblin's village, welcomed by the goblins as their leader. He walked into the largest hut where Dimon was to check on him, but he was nowhere to be seen.

”Where is the boy?” Arthur asked from behind the mask.

”Karu, ka.” Nero pointed somewhere and Arthur followed its finger. In the distance, he could see Dimon helping the goblins fortify the wall. Arthur nodded his head and issued his next instruction.

”Bring every middle-mid-tier monster and follow me.” Arthur then began to walk toward Dimon and Nero went off to gather their strongest forces. Even though the middle-mid-tier goblins were not that strong, Arthur wanted to use them as free labor when he helped Dimon.

”How is your body?” Dimon was startled by the question, and he turned around to face Arthur before bowing.

”Thanks to brother, I am well.” His fierce features mellowed considerably since Arthur first met him, a sign of his gratitude.

”So, are you ready to lead us to your village?”

Dimon's body trembled as he heard this. With long and deep breaths, he calmed himself down. He then met Arthur's eyes and nodded his head.

Arthur could feel his determination to go back, and he nodded his head in approval. The goblins gathered around them and Arthur felt it was the time to help this kid bury his family.

They left the village following the directions of Dimon. The treaded through the periphery of the mountain range toward a valley, per Dimon's words. On the way, they met a few monsters that they took out easily. It was truly a miracle that Dimon wasn't killed off after he ran.

Arthur attributed this luck to Dimon's ability, Resistance. His body could negate the mental and physical attacks it received. A useful ability for a tanker. It seems this was also the reason why he wasn't killed like his parents.

”The village!” They were on the mountain's high grounds when Dimon suddenly called out pointing somewhere. Arthur followed his gaze toward a hollow ground in the middle of a grove, several huts mottling the circular terrain.