Chapter 46 - Mutts Discussion (1/2)

”Isn't this...”

The middle-aged librarian fell silent as he looked at the clearance motif in Nik's hand before looking at Nik, this time, with an appraising gaze. His eyes showed a bit of his apprehension through his glasses but overall, the librarian seems to have accepted the situation.

”I see. You must be one of Princess'...”

As he found a word to describe their delicate relation, a cold voice cut the man's thoughts in half as her words sent a spiral of horrific gossips crashing in the surroundings.

”Princess' new pet, right?”

The man gulped while Nik looked back to find a youthful figure with luscious black hair flowing through her shoulders and resting above her bosom while two buns of hair adorned the side of her head with her calm eyes regarding Nik without any expressive emotion.

Straight nose, beautiful eyes alongside a face could define her beauty. But the gloomy aura around her went well with her calm expression.

”M— Miss Mai!”

The Librarian immediately greeted while Mai simply grunted a response as she kept gazing at Nik with her brownish eyes while Nik also regarded her calmly, much to Mai's surprise.

”Your training is still... pending?”

She questioned as the lack of respect for a superior in the dog's eyes managed to tick her off a bit. But she was never the one to express her emotions. That's how she was raised.

Nik's and Pavāka's lips twitched simultaneously at her question.

”Whatever. I thought that it was a bit interesting to see a dog willing to stray from its master.

But seeing that your training isn't complete, you are only a trash in human's skin.”

The Librarian sweated further while Nik took the praise naturally.

”Thank you for your kind words, Miss.”

And that was it. Nik didn't really like dealing with obnoxious girls... at least, not in public. Of course, he would need to retaliate against this Mai, but that is a quest for another day. He still needed to fill in the basic gaps of knowledge through the library.

”Huh?”

Mai frowned while the librarian dazedly handed the badge of golden flame back to Nik before he was stopped by Mai once again.

”Wait.”

”Yes?”

Nik turned back and asked. He wasn't that hurried to learn some basic information. If this Mai really wants to join him, that would be better, too.

”... What's your name?”

Mai questioned after a moment of thought to which, Nik replied his name with a polite bow before making his way towards the interior of the library.

***

[To read the language, the host must purchase the language.]

The contents of the book blurred, only the screen could be read in precision.

”Why am I able to converse?”

The text on the screen blurred before it stated once again.

[The part of having a conversation with the locals of the world is free in the first trial. Technically, this is your first trial.]

Nodding, Nik looked at Pavāka, who had an incredulous expression as she, too, could read the contents of the system.

”Well, you heard the big boss, Teacher. Help me read all the stuff written here.”

And with a stunned expression, Pavāka nodded before floating down the book and started describing the detailed history of the 100-year war.

***

”Oh, if it isn't—”

As a young man, a beautiful one, came up with open hands to welcome Mai, she immediately back-knuckled him with a glare while hissing.

”Shut it!”

As Mai bypassed the minister's son, who was covering his bloodied nose with his hands, Mai's suitors immediately gave way to the maiden as she made her way towards the main attraction of the gathering.

Fire Princess— Azula.

As she grew closer to Azula, her unsteady and impatient gait slowly turned into a calm one while the glowing fury within her eyes hid naturally. She wasn't willing to show her emotions to Azula. Not after she was played in her hands when she naively disclosed her emotions for the greatest failure of the nation— Zuko, Azula's elder brother.

While Mai's relationship with Azula has strained quite a bit, they both knew each other from their childhood and such a change was hard to keep the duo away from each other.

”Oh? How's it going, Mai? Moved over the pathetic mutt, yet?”

She commented when she saw Mai growing closer as the falter in her steps pleased Azula to quite an extent.

”Speaking of mutt, I ran into yours inside the library.

Quit lazying around while training your pets”

”Pets?”