Lanele, Blanka and Kim were Just getting back from their whole day of fun (or as Kim called it – the day of misery) fully loaded with all kinds of foods.

“Ah! I had such a great time…!” priestess exhaled air loudly “… we have to do that again one day!”

War dancress nodded, little chimera only whimpered like a scolded puppy. He will never be able to understand the phenomenon of a woman’s shopping. The idea of buying itself was just great! A perfect synergy that allowed to optimize the effectiveness of an individual within a society! If you were a great hunter, you could just spend days collecting meat and fur which you would later trade for money. MONEY – pieces of colored metal! Useless in itself, yet being used as a token that you could use to buy goods from other craftsmen! You couldn’t cook? Doesn’t matter! Just go with money to the inn! You need a tool? Go to the specific shop! You need ANYTHING!? With MONEY you could get all that you could only imagine (literally anything. He noticed that many men were paying women for their help in offspring making. Weird, but there must be a reason for that, in the end, Kim was still learning how this whole complex society works).

And then, there were women shopping. Madness. Woeful carnage.

The money were a critical resource! They had their value and thus they should be treated as such! Measured and counted during every translation!

But Lanele… and Blanka a little too… BUT MOSTLY LANELE…!

She was just getting EVERYTHING she liked! Just like that! “Oh, these boots look great! The shape! The add-ons! Give a second, sweetheart, I will just check how they look on me…”

She would later get into the shop, put the mentioned piece of clothing on herself, look at herself from every angle in front of a mirror… and then she would buy it.

JUST THIS ONE DAY SHE GOT FOUR PAIRS OF BOOTS, TWO COATS AND A NECKLANCE! – not enhanced. Just a piece of flashy metal and rocks. After Kim ask her what kind of spell she would put into it she answered with “None. Silly. The links of chain making a necklace are too thin to withstand forceful mana injection …”

Then why for heaven’s sake did she bought it?!

Mystery. Mystery. Kim knew that he would have to later ask big brother about it. But now…

… now his whole body was itching. Unfortunately, he was forced into getting almost as many pieces of clothing as Lanele, because “he can’t walk in rags”!!! Strangely, priestess had a very weird taste when it came to his clothing. For herself she would get mostly matching clothing in light color, but for him… she was dressing him in clothes of all colors and shapes. Shirts with “standing” collars, with “lying” collars. With huge cuffs, with no cuffs. With fake pockets. With real pockets. Blue. Red. Green.

He saw on the street man wearing (in his opinion) similar clothing. The people were calling him jester and he was making an idiot out of himself for money.

“LOOOOK AAAT HIIIM!” the Lanele would squeal in delight “… he is soo adorable! Charming! Cuuute! Like a little noble! Prince charming!” And then she would toy with his cheeks.

How many times he had to calm him murderous instincts within himself… Only gods and he knew that.

All those silly, pointless clothes! They make him look so… vulnerable. Visible from afar. He was a hunter! Death that no one could see before it was already too late!

… how could he be an invisible death in clothes that disturb his movements and making him so easy to spot!?

In the end, he asked if he could pick something by himself

“BUT OF COURSE LOVE! We are here today for you!”… yeah. Sure. And three men that she hired to carry stuff that SHE bought for HERSELF are supposed to not be taken into consideration.

But, he picked something for himself. Simple, bit baggy clothes, the one that gave him full freedom of moves. In dark color, something between deep brown and black. In woods he would be very hard to spot. At night, it would be almost impossible. Matching pants, long shirt and cape.

Seeing the outfit he picked Lanele snorted deeply dissatisfies.

“You really are Zariel’s kin.” She commented.

It was supposed to be a little offense, instead, hearing that Kim beamed with pride. In the end, in his opinion, he was just compared to the most gracious creature in the world.

They opened the door of the guild, went inside and left everything that they have bought in their rooms. They couldn’t find Gisele nor Zariel in their room or inn-section, so they asked the staff worker if they possibly know where they headed to.

“They took training room… and are occupying it for over three hours now. If you are heading there, could you ask them to… leave? There are other people which would like to check their equipment.”

An ugly expression appeared on priestess face.

“Better no. I have seen then training once, trust me, you don’t want to be near, you see, if they are sparring then they are going all out, which means that they are not very accurate with attacks. And you don’t want to be randomly hit by half dragon waving two-handed sword. Neither hit by the fireball of someone with Zariel’s nature affinity. I just hope the training room would withstand it…” “Please, don’t exaggerate. Our training halls have been enchanted to cope with damages of all sorts…” Lanele just shook her head to the sides while looking deeply in receptionist’s eyes “I want to see it!” Kim’s eyes sparkled

He saw Zariel fighting once before – when he spared with him. Yet, he knew now that he was just toying with him. Idea of watching his true capabilities made his usually calm heart skip a beat.

“Sweetie, trust me, it would be safer for bystanders to see that in the open space… you know, more places to run… in four walls the risk is…” “Big sister! I beg you!” “S-sister!?” Lanele’s cheeks flushed red.

Kim was adapting very quickly. He learned that his current vessel is considered cute and harmless, thus he can sneak upon someone or… use his other charms to get something he wanted.

And priestess was like an open book to him.

“Lanele, that’s a really bad idea.” Blanka said quietly “A-a-a quick peak can’t hurt, I think…” “Thank you, sis! You are the best!” little chimera hugged elf tightly making her almost squeal in delight.

They quickly headed in the deepest part of the guild, found the right door and Lanele put her hand on the handle, ignoring wooden plate hanging on the door which said “occupied”.

“That would be our last chance to back off…” Blanka raised her voice one final time “Oh come on, don’t make such a monster out of them…” Lana smiled while pushing the door slightly ajar…

… letting a huge beam of flame out of the room.

She quickly closed it back.

“THE HELL!?” “I told you so.” Blanka sighed exhausted “THAT WAS SOOO COOL!” Kim yelled before jumping to the door, opening them and running inside. “KIM!”

Lanele jumped after Kim being followed by the black-haired wariorress which cursed loudly.

Inside, there was an inferno raging free.

“STOP RUNNING YOU LITTLE SHIT!” Giselle was yelling at her sparring partner bringing her colossal sword down trying to turn Zariel into bloody pulp.

He quickly jumped to the side, turned in the place and attacked, from right with his blade, from left with a firebolt that was already dancing atop of his palm.

“SURRENDER, FOR FUCK SAKE! I ALREADY GOT YOU!” “A-HA! IN YOUR DREAMS!” “I LANDED MORE CLEAN ATTACKS! IT’S 133 TO 109 FOR ME!” “YOU LANDED SOME SCRATCHES WHILE I SEND YOU FLYING NUMEROUS TIMES!” “ARE YOU BLIND OR JUST DUMB!?” “DON’T CALL BE BLIND!... HEY!!!”

They pounced at one another one final time and started trading the blow. They were fast, very fast, Giselle was balancing her whole body supporting herself with her tail to deliver blows so powerful, that they would completely throw the normal person off their balance, Zariel, was morphing within seconds answering with his perfectly selected forms to keep up with someone that was using a sword since the time she could lift it.

Wood swords kept hitting one another, if they weren’t magically boosted, they would shatter from the mere force of the impacts.

Block, parry, dodge, counter. They locked their swords pushing at one another while clenching their teeth. Their faces were focused, annoyed, with pure malice, anger and passion painted all over them. It was a pat, that none of them wanted to admit.

At the same time they jerked their head back before hitting one another forehead.

“Hey, hey… it was supposed to be just a sparring…” Blanka said quietly “They always start peacefully… but somewhere in the middle they tend to get a little bit… competitive…” Lana smiled weakly “That’s what you called ?!”

Sparring partners jumped back gathering some distance and swung their swords one last time. The impact was so powerful, that their tools were literally rip from their hands and send flying toward opposite corners of the room. They raised their fists and targeted their opponent face with one final straight punch. Giselle, with her huge fist. Zariel, with morphed colossal abomination, apparently minoutaur’s hand armored with white exoskeleton.

Both blows hit perfectly chins, forcing a wave of impact spread across their faces.

And then they just stood like this for a second. And another one, and yet another.

And then, they collapsed in unison the ground .

Instantly, everything calmed down. Flames that were burning inside of the room ceased their existences.

“That was… terrifying.” “Ha, in the end Giselle is rank S… Zariel will be one of S-rankers too. We should praise the divines that the numbers of monsters like them is really small. Imagine everyone having this kind of raw, brutal strength? The world would be torn apart…” Lanele, once again this day, shook her head in disbelief. “Sooo… what are we going to do with these two? Lana, you are a priestess, could you…” “Heal them?” “Yes, please.” “Absolutely not.” “What? Why?!” “You will see once they would wake up…” “I don’t get it…” “No one does. Understating these two is something outside of reach of greatest sages.” “So… maybe we would just bring them back to their room?” “No. Just leave them. Wait till they would wake up on their own.” “But… there are people waiting.” “I don’t care. I prefer dealing with slightly dissatisfied lesser adventures than angered Giselle. Less casualties.”

Blanka tried getting some more information from priestess, but each and every time she would just respond with “just wait” or “you won’t believe me even if I would tell you.”

So that’s what they had to do now. They had to wait.