28 「Out of the Box」 (2/2)

”Eliminate the Death Cult known as Zurrernorn that claimed the lives of the party I was accompanying. The Lives were are currently celebrating,” His eyes moved towards Ninya who was standing over at the graves. She was fully dressed in her normal attire, though she was wearing the sweater he had given her. ”She is the sole survivor.”

Keno looked over towards the girl who was standing there, firmly holding a wooden staff in her hands. She had a slightly boyish figure, but she was definitely a slender female.

”How exactly did she survive?”

”She was here with me when Zurrernorn attacked E-Rantel. We arrived only in time to find their bodies,” his lower lip twitched, he was still angry about that plus the fact that he hadn't resurrected them. Instead he made that impossible.

Lakyus's combative stance ceased hearing this and she could only stare at him. The amount of emotion he displayed and expressed across his body was too hard to fake. If anything he was holding back.

Lakyus could only imagine losing her whole party in a manner in which they couldn't be revived from.

”She'd be dead if I didn't ask her to inspect the wall with me...”

Keno stared at him now that she heard this part of his story. She had already noticed she was much stronger than she had been the last time she saw Ninya. So he was sure he had her drink one of those potions. She bit her lower lip slightly.

He made her stronger so he wouldn't lose her. So that she wouldn't be a burden. A simple remedy. She knew though, that there was always a bigger fish.

”Anyways...” He gathered their attentions back on him once more. ”You may stay at the Inn over there,” He pointed towards the Inn built near the Citadel. ”Free rooms, free three meals a day for your stay.”

”F-f-free?” Hearing this almost made them curious of his motives.

”As long as you don't mention having to go to the Capital until the time comes.”

Their suspicions immediately dropped the second he gave his condition, the catch to his offer.

After that the group, excluding EvilEye, wandered off to explore the village and see what they could find out about the Citadel.

Keno on the other hand was picking up the pieces of her robe and mask which were on the ground. Separating it from the long locks of her hair. When a shadow was cast over her, she looked up towards Jack who was now towering over her with a hand out for her mask. Puffing up her cheeks, furrowing her brows and her lips frowning to one side angrily she hugged the bits to her chest.

That was until he reached forward, jerked her arm away and caused her things to fall from her grasp.

When she went to reach out and grab the stuff as they fell, all of it stopped and he pulled the things into his hands via telekinesis. Silently, he waved a hand over them causing a shining light to envelope them.

The mask would be placed back together, made whole once more. While the Robe would suddenly repair itself while she was wearing it.

Keno blinked several times as she looked over the hood then over towards the mask which he was holding out for her to take. It looked as good as new, rejuvenated even. Then she paused and tilted her head looking it over. An enchantment had been added. ”What did...”

”I enchanted your mask with a single use of 「Gate」, a tenth tier teleportation magic which opens a portal big enough for a group of people to enter.”

Keno blinked several times as she knew what Tenth tier magic was. ”But why would you give this to me of all people?”

”You know what it feels like to lose your friends, don't you?”

Keno just stood there, staring up at him as he knew she was a companion. She already knew he knew due to their conversation when they first met, but still.

”Think of this as a quick escape, or a toy for a rainy day,” Jack couldn't help but smile candidly at the girl as she slowly brought the mask back to her face. She was cute, she reminded him of his sister due to her apparent age, not her true age.

”I won't forgive you that easily...” She gave him a light prod in the stomach with her fist, before she turned away form him and began to walk after her friends.

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With the Blue Roses going off to do their own thing, he returned to the house and walked inside. Sliding the door shut, he would make his way to the bedroom.

His eyes then rested on Arche who was sleep, even drooling on the comforter. Waking over to the bed, he reached over and undid the knots which kept her restrained. Then tossed the binds onto the floor and healed the marks left around her waists, ankles and legs.

「Widen Magic, Restrict」

With the magic he just cast on her, she was now unable to leave the house even should she be free to move around. A small tilt of his head, and he went on to cast another spell in order to wake her up.

「Revitalize」

With a shining green light, her eyes slowly began to open as energy surged through her body. She felt like she had slept for hours, even though it had only been about a half hour or just ten minutes.

Quickly orienting herself, she shot up onto her knees like a rocket. The moment she noticed she wasn't in restraints, she went to dart off the bed. Only to face plant right into his chest when she turned around to lunge off the bed. ”Ooof!”

Ever so lightly shoving her back onto the bed with a light chuckle, ”You can't leave the house. I mean, you could try, but unless you can cast Eighth tier, I wouldn't bother trying.”

Arche laid on her back with her lower lip folded under her upper as it was inflated with the air in her mouth. She was clearly displeased with the current situation. ”If I'm held here, I can't earn money to pay back my parent's debt!” She spouted as she sat up and glared up at him, her hands gripping onto the comforter.

His eyes rested on her face for the moment, reading her delicate features and her doll-like appearance.

”And...?”

”If I don't.. If...” Feeling as if she was being forced to explain it she was close to bursting into tears. ”If I don't pay back my parents debt, little sisters could be used as collateral...” At the time she was saying this, she initially refused to make eye contact until she did gradually look up at him, curious if he would take pity on her. However, her eyes were still glossy as she was holding back her tears as she was thinking of how her sisters could be forced into slavery.

Arche jumped in surprise as he placed a hand on her shoulder before she finished looking up at him.

”If your friends manage to complete their task, or come back for you, would you mind staying?”

”St..staying?” She squinted up at him as he was suggesting she stay here all of a sudden after she had spoken of her little sisters. ”Where would --”

”You would stay here,” his head dipped to the side slightly while keeping his eyes on her. ”With your little sisters of course. Here you will be protected, you won't have to pay off their debt. Let them alone live with the consequences of their actions.”

Doing this would not only make the quest he had sent her friends on meaningless to them, but only benefit herself and her sisters. Other than her magical talent, she had nothing to offer.

”Why are you being so kind to me...?” She couldn't help but believe this was a bit weird, even suspicious. What could he plan on doing with her? She had taken her hostage, would he take her little sisters hostage and make a similar deal with her!?

”My little sister was killed by a man in a carriage, and because of his power and status, he spent very little time in the local jail. Your sisters are still alive... And you have two things that interests my thirst for knowledge, magic and talent. You have one thing you want and keeping you here is serviceable to my whimsical ambitions.”

”Ambitions...?”

”Taking over the Re-Estize Kingdom, of course. It's Nobles are corrupt, it's Royal Family inept. The underworld is thriving here. It's best to recycle it and start it over, don't you think?”