Chapter 331 (2/2)

Randidly shrugged. Threats at the level of a newly Classed individual didn’t really scare him. Although that might be a bad habit to get into. It only took one unexpected skill to strike somewhere weak, and then he would lose everything.

Again, Randidly found himself oddly morose, looking at the table, feeling the influence of the alcohol on his System. He grimaced. It was… hard to reconcile the two lives that he had lead, sitting here at the table with Ace, listening to a woman berate Ace. In one, he was like a shadow, floating through life. Kind, and popular in a way, based on his listening, and friendship with Ace, but…

In this other life, he was the Ghosthound. He trained for 2 years against some of the worst criminals Shal’s world had to offer. And he was truly geared to be a mage, rather than a close combat user, with a Control stat that was approaching 300. He was one of the top young fighters in that world, and he returned to Earth, which was just developing.

And no one here could stay in dungeons long enough to catch up to him, due to Aether Sickness, although they would have to discover that piecemeal. There was no one here who could hold a candle to his raw stats. Which was why, Randidly thought, that the battle against Brute ended so quickly. Maybe if they were on the same level, the man could bring his skills to bear, whatever they were. But right now, they were in different worlds.

Shaking her head, Rose turned to Randidly. “Ah well, we will obviously call off the program. Anyways, it is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ghosthound. I am Rose Calloway, and I handle most of the administrative matters here at the Refuge. I also spend the most time talking with Kirki, our Village Spirit, because Dauntless-”

Ace gave her a pained look. “-because having a flowery hippo is exactly opposite the sort of vibe we are going for here at the Refuge. We are talking darkness breathing dragons! Not flower hippos, it’s disgusting. And he refuses to change his form!”

Randidly coughed up part of his drink. “He?”

Spinning around, Ace pointed his finger at Randidly, mock aghast. “That’s not a very progressive thing to be shocked about, Randidly. You have magical fucking powers. And yet the flower hippos gender is what gives you pause?”

Randidly opened his mouth, then closed it. Best to not argue with Ace, while he was like this.

And like that he was, already beginning his next rant. “We have made great strides here in the Refuge, making everyone have a mean and imposing demeanor! Soon all of the north is going to fear those trained here, due to the disturbing rumors! And yet…. HOW CAN WE EXPECT TO BE TOUGH WITH A FLOWER HIPPO?!?”

“Are disturbing rumors really that important…?” Rose asked, joining them now at the table, but she had a small smile on her face. As Ace continued to rant, saying more and more ridiculous things, Randidly smiled too.

But the alcohol was gone from his System, wiped out with a thought. He could feel Rose’s attention on him constantly, even while she teased and prodded Ace onward with small comments, feeding into his momentum. She was sharp.

Randidly’s eyes narrowed. But of course, the people behind him were even more so. Even with a strange skill that she seemed to have to identify skills, she was far from being the opponent of someone like Mrs. Hamilton when it came to planning and awareness.

Well, Randidly didn’t know that for sure. But he did know that no matter what plans were laid in front of him, he would wipe it out of the way with pure power.

Randidly continued to listen to the talk, but didn’t say much. The headiness of seeing Ace was slowly ebbing, as more pressing concerns came back to the fore of his mind. The first was how to deal with the Champions making trouble in the North. Although perhaps Randidly was just a little bitter at Ten’Malla hoisting herself on him during this trip, and the answer was rather simple…

To move against the Skeleton Knight. Even Randidly felt some excitement at the thought of facing that foe. It might be at the level to be a real battle. After Drak, Randidly had basically been an invalid for several weeks, and then a rather crippled person for several weeks more, only able to rely on his physical stats. Which was a good way to blow off steam, but it wasn’t satisfying.

But the mood was too light right now, with Ace ranting, to bring that up. Instead, on the tip of Randidly’s tongue, sat another question: ‘What happened to Sydney?’

Yet Randidly couldn’t bring himself to ask it, at least not now. His instincts told him that if he did… something would change. Some of the light heartedness would fall away. Because Ace knew how close… or rather how connected Randidly and Sydney were. Yet he hadn’t spoken of it.

And Ace wasn’t afraid of talking about anything. Or he used to not be.

So for now, Randidly just watched, a small smile on his face. A time to relax like this was good, every once in awhile.