26 Tension (1/2)

The village elder walked towards Arnin with a large smile. Behind him, Lilise and Elidia followed with their heads low. Both of the girls were unsure as to why Arnin had suddenly left the village. Lilise was able to feel the tension in Ashia and Florian first hand, so she was even more confused as to why Arnin had left.

”Arnin, when did you get here? It seems you got here quicker than us? You should have gotten here tomorrow at the earliest if you went through the path that I made for you.” The old man looked questionably at Arnin. He knew that if Arnin went by foot, he would have made it here tomorrow at least. Suddenly, Vilis came running from behind Arnin.

”Arnin, watch out!” The old man and the two girls yelled at the same time, but Arnin didn't move an inch.

”This here is my beast, Vilis. I met him in the danger area when he was really injured. I helped him out and he began to follow me around.” Arnin used the same lie he used on Kelnorin, on the three. He couldn't tell them he had demon powers which was the reason behind Vilis following him.

The old man patted his chest and took a deep breath. He looked at Arnin with some complicated feelings before walking towards him. He bent down and moved his head next to Arnin's right ear.

”I met miss Avian at my home before I came. Both of your parents are extremely worried about you and it seems like miss Avian is set on finding you. Are you really alright with being away from your parents?” The village elder whispered silently into Arnin's ear. He didn't want Lilise or Elidia hearing what he was saying. The village elder knew how much Arnin's mother was worrying. He saw her face when she first barged into his home with Avian.

”Old man, you don't need to worry about me. I need to get out and become stronger, that is my goal. All you need to do is abide by the contract and protect my family. If something does happen to them, then pray I don't find out.” Arnin seriously looked at the old man as murder appeared in his eyes. During the five years that he was with his family, he developed a love for them. Ashia and Florian were his second parents, and he didn't want them to die like his first ones. However, he still had his initial goal of breaking through in his cultivation so that he could finally enter the other places. Plus, he could develop his understanding of time and possibly master it, which would bring his power to a completely new level.

The old man moved his head back and stared into Arnin's eyes. Although he could feel the power inside the beast and knew that the beast was possibly stronger than him, he feared Arnin a little more. He had the eyes of a killer, someone who experienced battle and death.

”Don't worry, I will do my best to follow the contract, just make sure you don't forget your own part. You will protect my granddaughters in the academy.” The old man also said what he wanted.

Arnin nodded his head and walked towards the two girls. First, he glanced at Elidia for a moment before walking in front of Lilise. He lifted her hand and inserted his threads into her body. He discovered that she had recovered a good portion of her worldly essence, but she still wasn't in the Orb Birth- Earth realm. The old man watched with his arms crossed over his chest.

”You didn't complete her training so she hasn't gotten to Orb Birth- Earth yet. I was able to help remove a majority of the problem and allow her to cultivate throughout the trip, but it still wasn't enough.” The old man spoke with some annoyance. He trusted Arnin to help her get to Orb Birth- Earth, but Arnin left so early that the job wasn't completed.

”Old man, you talk as though you cured her and helped her get to this stage. Don't forget that I cured her ailment and also got her to finally cultivate with little to no knowledge of how to do so. Plus, you were the one who suddenly dumped her on me, without even ask for my consent. So don't go trying to act like you did most of the work.” When Arnin first bumped into them, he was in a good mood, but because of the old man mentioning his parents, he couldn't help but fall into a bad mood. Plus, the village elder began to act like he was in charge, which bugged Arnin quite a bit.

Lilise and Elidia noticed the tension between the two, and couldn't help but feel that something bad happened.

”Arnin, you know as well as I do why I'm mad.” Arnin didn't budge and only continued to stare at the village elder. He knew the real reason why the old man was pissed. He killed the family of the old man's second-in-command. The old man knew Arnin for a few days, while he knew the second-in-command for dozens of years. He would, of course, have more feelings towards the second-in-command then Arnin. Plus, the contract that Arnin made him sign forced the old man to go against the second-in-command if he wanted revenge. All of these reasons would make anyone very mad.

”Don't blame me. I warned you that this contract might be something burdensome, it was your fault for agreeing, so quit pointing fingers.” Arnin didn't care that the old man was in a bad mood. He had some good feelings towards the old man, but he didn't consider him a friend or any of that sort. The only people in Afloria that he had feelings towards were his own family.

”Umm, can we all calm down? We haven't met in a while so we should be happy, not mad.” Lilise broke the tension when she spoke out. She didn't want to see her grandfather getting into a fight with Arnin.

”Lilise, what are you saying? Arnin and I are not fighting, we are only talking about grown-up stuff. So don't worry, we are not mad. Right, Arnin?” The village elder spoke quickly. Arnin nodded his head and shifted his gaze towards Lilise.

”Don't worry, we aren't fighting. This is just how boy's talk.” Arnin didn't hate Lilise. Since he did train her for a small period of time, and she had a good relationship with his family, he found her to be somewhat likable.

”Back to the main topic. Since we have just arrived, Lilise and Elidia need to go and get signed up for the academy. Arnin, you also need to get signed up so come with me. You guys don't have to do the examination.” The old man was proud when he spoke. He was proud that he had connections with someone in the academy that would allow his family to get in without doing the entry exam.

”About that, I already did the exam yesterday, and I passed. I can wait by the side while you sign them up.” Arnin casually pointed out that he was already accepted. He was early so he had already completed the whole process, plus he was going to possibly join the Moth group.

”Y-you what?! You have been accepted? Wait, when did you get here?” The old man was astonished. He didn't expect that Arnin was already accepted in.

”Wait! Didn't you say that you met the beast in the danger area? Don't tell me! You went through the danger area?” The old man began to sweat. The reason he marked the danger area as off limits was because it was supposed to have beasts who were Rank One - Earth and above. Arnin wouldn't have been capable of traversing the place.

”The danger area wasn't too chaotic. Especially since I had Vilis, the other beasts just stayed away. I got here yesterday because of Vilis' speed.” The old man couldn't help but curse Arnin's luck. It was just too good. He ran into a beast that was very strong and was even able to tame it. Not only that, but he was accepted into the academy.

”Well, since you are already accepted, then let me just get Lilise and Elidia into the academy.” The old man knew that Arnin was very mysterious. He had always ignored the secrets that Arnin hid, so he decided to do the same again.

”Let me come with you. I want to meet this person who is helping you with this process.” Arnin was curious as to who would allow the village elder to enroll his granddaughters into the academy without taking the test. Although the academy allowed for this to happen, a teacher would usually have a quota of three people every half a year.

”Sure. Lilise, Elidia, when you enter the academy make sure that you wholeheartedly cultivate. Listen to all of your teachers and try your best. Arnin will be there to help you with whatever he can, so during emergencies listen to him, alright?” Lilise nodded, but Elidia abruptly turned her head.

”He is younger than me, why do I have to listen to him?” Elidia was stubborn. She didn't want to listen to someone who was younger than her.

”The reason you listen to me is simple. I am strong and you are weak. The weak must follow the strong, that is how the world works.” Arnin dropped a bucket of water on her head with his statement. Elidia knew that she was weaker then Arnin, but she didn't want to listen to a person younger than her.

”Elidia, although you are older then Arnin, you're still young. Arnin is different than other children, he is extremely mature and is also very strong. No one is telling you to listen to his command during your training or anything, but if an emergency comes up, you must do what Arnin says. Alright?” Elidia pouted when she was told that Arnin was mature.

'I am also mature.” She couldn't help but have this thought, however, since her grandfather was the one saying then she could only listen. She nodded her head in approval, but she still didn't look at Arnin. When she first met Arnin, she had high hopes for him and thought of him to be very strong. Later, when she found that Arnin ran away from home, she couldn't help but become disappointed and look down on him.

The village elder lightly laughed before walking towards the gates. There were two long lines in front of the gate, one was for the examination, while the other was for the teacher quotas. The village elder took out two stones that had a butterfly insignia. Arnin looked at them and noticed that there was also a name printed on them. Getek.