20 A handshake (2/2)

The dinner got served soon after and it was roasted wild game with roasted vegetables. It was edible but would not win any Michelin stars in Harrison's opinion. Harrison was pretty sure he could do better if given a full kitchen of utensils. Even his blade roasted foxbit and unsalted ratbit tasted much better.

There were some fruits he never saw before for dessert, and after that the dinner concluded. Harrison only talked with Sheina during dinner using the telepathic option of the magic tool where she mostly complained about Tuk looking at her as if she was his bride to be. How bad Tuk's table manners were. How his face was full of pimples. She repeatedly bashed poor Tuk to Harrison. He even felt sorry for the poor guy until after dinner as Tuk went and offered his hand to Harrison for a handshake.

It was a normal gesture on Earth, and something ingrained into Harrison to return it.

'No. Don't!!! It's a challenge of strength. Ahhhh,'

Sheina yelled by telepathy, but she was too late.

Harrison looked at her and then felt Tuk squeezing his hand with all his might.

”What do I do?” he asked Sheila.

'Fall on the floor to avoid pain or squeeze the bastard until he crawls on the floor!!!', she replied.

He looked up at Tuk who by now was red in the face and was putting all his power into his hand's muscles but Harrison only used his just to resist. Suddenly the situation changed as Harrison put more strength in his hands and squeezed. Tears started rolling down Tuk's cheeks before he started rolling on the floor.

'That is enough.' Sheina said with a satisfied smile as she noticed Harrison looking at her for instructions.

By now the parents also came closer as they noticed the commotion.

Ruk hit the back of Tuk's head with his palm and yelled at him with a voice that conveyed disappointment.

Tuk blushed and ran off.

'He told him he was a little prick for picking on people smaller than he is by a head and that he deserved to being used to wipe the floor with.'

Sheila explained with a smile.

After the intermezzo Tuk was sent home and the rest of them went to the library while Ruk apologized for his son's behaviour on the way there.

The library was a huge two story room with books covering the walls and Harrison already imagined this will be the room he would spend a lot of time in.

Shalmoon and the couple had a glass of some liquor and there was also pastry for the kids. Harrison was looking around the library and trying to figure out how many books were in it.

”Can you read?”, Sheina asked.

”Some words I understand.” he replied.

”How did you learn those words?” Sheina asked in amazement.

”From children's books with illustrations.” he replied and smiled.

”Can I borrow some books from here?”

”Sure. Just return them when you are done. This library is not really ours and neither is the mansion. It's the town magistrate's so if my father gets promoted or has to leave his position these books will stay here. Every former magistrate also added some books on his stay here. You could call it a tradition. This house is over 400 years old and the Emperor has passed the position on to my clan members for over 150 years.” she explained.

”It doesn't look that old.” he said.

”Well, it is. They have renovated it a lot. Every magistrate did it. That is why it's in good condition. The library even has some books older than the mansion itself. Even my father doesn't understand those as they are in foreign languages and scripts we have no way of reading. Maybe you can try reading those.”

She smiled as she said the last sentence.

Harrison ate a pastry and admired the quantity of the books he had available now and smiled back at her.