190 Ancient Red Carp (1/2)
”A purple puffer fish.. I have heard that they taste great.” said Daniel to a smiling Alana.
That was the first time that Daniel had met Alana, and yet, he had already understood what type of person she was. If not for the big red number that floated above her head, just for the reaction that Serf had showed when Alana had moved her hand towards his.
Daniel was not aware of what Serf's family knew or what they suspected. So, he decided to avoid telling the full truth. For all he knew, there might have been people following him around ever since he had been poisoned.
Once Alana heard the name of the item Serf and Daniel had gone out to purchase, her face contorted in feigned worry, and said ”Oh, please be careful of how you handle that fish.. I know that it is extremely poisonous..” Her fake worry was not only directed to Serf, but to Danel as well.
”There is no need to worry, we have already hired an experienced cook, there will be no problems.” Responded Daniel with a reassuring smile. ”I'll take care of your brother for you, don't worry.”
An awkward smile appeared on Alana's face, as she she changed topic by saying ”I have visited the hellblazer company, and they have confirmed that you and your company geniuses have already visited them.. But when I've asked to the head of the Tigg family how it went, he simply said that you had already mastered the comprehension of fire essence.. Is that true?”
Naturally, the muscular old man was fully aware of the fact that Daniel didn't have a perfect comprehension of fire essence. As a master of it, he could feel Daniel's lackings during his demonstration.
Right after the end of his demonstration, the old man had seen Daniel replicate every concept of fire essence perfectly, despite having been shown to him in a hastened and messy way. What had convinced him that Daniel was not a master of fire, was how identical to his messy demonstration, Daniel's was.
Then, Daniel started to get better in a matter of minutes.
According to Alana's words, the muscular old man had reported that Daniel had already comprehended fire essence before coming to visit his company.
Daniel had no idea why the old man would lie for him, but that lie was, at this point, very much appreciated.
”It is true..” Said Daniel while showing an expression that suggested that he had been caught red-handed.
”I don't understand, why give up a perfect treasure and ask for a demonstration of an essence of which you were already a master?” Asked Alana through a dubious frown.
Daniel's expression went back to a polite smile, and responded by saying ”I'm afraid that that is as far as I am willing to reveal about the plans my company has. Pardon me, Miss Navi.”
After hearing Daniel's response, Alana straightened her back, and after smiling politely back, she said ”Very well, I'll leave my dear brother to your care, and stop bothering the two of you. Please, do come visit me in the platinum-badged section of the dormitory if you need anything from us.”
She then bowed politely, and left slowly.. Hoping for an invitation to join their meal that, unfortunately for her, never came.
Once she left, Serf immediately turned to look at Daniel, but just as he was about to say something, Daniel stopped him and said ”I know, she is dangerous, and I shouldn't let her touch me.”
”Don't think that our family only possesses one poison.. The existence of each family of the poisonous rose is directed towards finding ways to stealthy killing.. We don't lack varieties of poison.” Said Serf after taking a deep breath.
Daniel bumped his elbows against Serf's stomach in a friendly gesture, then said ”Don't worry too much about it..”
-----
At the border of the region in which Daniel's company was allowed to work, was an extremely large desert.
This desert did not have dunes of yellow sand, and instead, was a massive patch of dry land which worked as a general border for the two regions. If one managed to cross the desert, they would find themselves into a different region.
At about twenty thousand kilometers from the northern border of the desert, was a small group of heavily dressed men. Each of them wore heavy clothes and goggles that stopped the powerful winds to send dust in their eyes, and mouths.
”Are you sure this is the right place?” Asked one of the men from underneath the many layers of fabric that were wrapped around his head.
The man in the front, which was barely managing to hold onto a piece of parchment, looked up and towards the man that had just spoken, and said ”Look, I'm sick of repeating it.. I don't know.. It's not like there are fucking signs to tell us if we are lost or not..”
”How do you even know it's really here!? Has he ever been here before?” Asked the first man with a complaining tone. He then turned to look back at the parchment that he was holding in his hands, and looked at what was written on it.
On this large parchment, was the depiction of the desert's layout.
”Damn it.. These winds are too strong, I can barely read the map..” Said the man with a deeply annoyed tone. Then, turned towards the cultivator at the far back, and said ”How many do we have?”
The man at the back lifted his arm, and made a 'three' sign with his fingers.
”Alright, fine.. Use one.. Or we'll never find the damn place.” Said the man with the map with a resigned tone.
As the man with the map finished talking, the quiet member of the group pulled a small talisman out of his spatial ring, and broke it with his fingers.
The winds in a radius of twenty meters started to be reflected on the surface of a transparent dome that had formed by the talisman. The whistling sound of the wind quietened, and the group members were finally able to hear each other without shouting.
Once this dome was formed, the man that was holding the map unwrapped the cloth around his face, and took off the goggles from his face.
If Daniel could see this man, he would instantly recognize him as one of his closest friends.. Heimart.
After him, the other men removed their protective gear as well, revealing themselves to be Der, as the man which was second guessing whether they were lost or not, Jerigh as the one that had used the talisman, and finally, Roley.
”Tell me again why we can't fly over these damn winds? I can't see anything unless we are into one of these domes..” Said Heimart with deep irritation.