Chapter 0058

The Grieza Canyon, a complete rip off of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, was located 25 km north west of Evanstrial.

Like its non-virtual counterpart, the Grieza can boast of tall cliffs created by a rushing river over an epoch, sandy rocks and an almost deserted atmosphere.

Almost deserted because a group of people, containing one chatterbox, one whiner, one cousin gritting her teeth, one young boy and one tall knight in shining armour slowly making their way to the Grieza Canyon.

[Altreyes whisper to Sylphie]: Why did you let them join our group? Why?

[Sylphie whisper to Altreyes]: Let you cut it out already! Here I thought it was only Erica’s whining capable of giving us endurance points. Now I stand corrected and I hate to be wrong.

The implied connotation is, “You can be worse than Erica. Quit it already!”

Altreyes ignored the jab. She really wants to protest, as she is no where near the mega annoyance that is Erica, but given her action within the last 2 hours she can definitely say she is as bad as Erica when she put her mind to it.

It irritates her more when a likeness to her aggravating cousin is pointed out to her. It makes it worse when she can’t refute the claim.

[Altreyes whisper to Sylphie]: Then you shouldn’t let them join our group!

[Sylphie whisper to Altreyes]: What do have against them?

[Altreyes whisper to Sylphie]: Did you not see me fight them previously?

[Sylphie whisper to Altreyes]: Egarious said it was a misunderstanding.

[Altreyes whisper to Sylphie]: Misunderstanding my hinny. It was deliberate stalking.

[Sylphie whisper to Altreyes]: He was interest in your tail.

[Altreyes whisper to Sylphie]: Which makes it worse since I didn’t want the tail to begin with. A man can’t understand how it feels to have an appendage that doesn’t listen to commands.

[Sylphie whisper to Altreyes]: I hate to point it out to you, but a man is the sex that would understand your little dilemma considering they allow the unruly appendage to dictate the important decision in their life.

[Altreyes whisper to Sylphie]: Ssssyyylllllpppppphhhhiiiiie! Now isn’t the time to crack a joke. I want them gone!

[Sylphie whisper to Altreyes]: No.

[Altreyes whisper to Sylphie]: Ssssyyylllllpppppphhhhiiiiie!

[Sylphie whisper to Altreyes]: No.

[Altreyes whisper to Sylphie]: Ssssyyylllllpppppphhhhiiiiie!

[Sylphie whisper to Altreyes]: No.

Altreyes pouted like a child who didn’t get her way.

She always thought she had the veto power in the family, or a whatever she wants she got situation. Altreyes never abuse her power, quite aware of the slippery slope greed and power creates. Before she knows it, she might be locked up in a golden cage, with all her desired catered to but her freedom limited, with no one to turn to for help.

So it is refreshing but also very frustrating when Sylphie and Erica join hands to refuse her request.

“Why did we allow stalker brat and the onii-sama to join our group?” Altreyes thought she sent the message as a whisper to Sylphie but she said it out loud instead.

“My name is Egarious, not stupid onii-sama,” Stupid onii-sama said, “and my brother’s name is Aetharious, not stalker brat.”

“How am I wrong? You are stupid and your brother is a stalker.”

Egarious growled his frustration but said nothing. Arguing with a woman gets a man nowhere. His father has once told him “Women are notorious for being demanding, unreasonable and most of all hard headed. They always insist that they are right and even when they are wrong they believe they are right!”

The only reason he tolerates this woman unreasonable accusation is due to his brother. Aetharious wanted to observe the group so Egarious wanted to accommodate his brother’s request.

Still, there was accommodating and there was humiliation!

What is so special about this group of ornery women that intrigue his brother

One has a tail like his brother. In the Perrian Let race, having a tail signifies the potential to become an emperor or empress. The fly his brother was interested in has the potential, but that was it, potential. Aetharious also had to the potential to become an emperor and he doesn’t run his mouth of either.

The woman name Sylphie is nothing special either. She adds the horns of the Tajin Nost, another potential to become an empress of their race.

And Soliel. He can’t see through her title and he has the rank as a Knight so she is higher than in in status. It is possible for her to a royalty of Ruse Marren, though that possibility is low considering their protectors.

Three potentially high-class players in a group… three possible empresses in a group!

No wonder.

No wonder Aetharious is interested in them.

Still, he has to put up with them and one of them doesn’t like him. All he can do is grit his teeth and bear it.

Or not.

Smack!

“What was that for Erica?”

“Your stubbornness and general obtuseness never cease to amaze me.” Erica always wanted to say that.

“Whadda ya mean?”

“Aetharious is a child. A child. Get it into that small brain of yours: Aetharious is a child. He has his brother to protect him in this strange new world, but he isn’t enough. Finding trustworthy people to group up with isn’t easy. You don’t know what stupid bullsh*t people will pull now that there isn't the law to protect the innocent or punish the evildoers. The first to suffer when society breaks downs are the weak, the poor, women and children.

“The poor is always exploited no matter the situation. The weak will be killed whereas women and children are kidnapped and sold into brothels or slavery. Perverts prey on a beautiful child like Aetharious. Look into that selfish brain of yours and ask yourself if you are willing to let a cute innocent child like him wander this lawlessness new world with only his brother as protection?”

Erica had always had a softer side though she tried to hide it as much as possible since she’s surrounded by liars, betrayers and greedy sharks out to take advantage of her. She knew if she showed a weakness then they’d pounce on her like a cat pounces on a mouse.

Arashia is Earth. Erica is much clearer about that fact than anyone else in the group, hence the reason why she wanted to go back to Earth so much. Because Arashia isn’t Earth, Erica doesn’t need to be as guarded as she was on Earth.

She can allow her softer side to show up once in a while.

“Of course I would.” Altreyes answered honestly only to elicit a gasp of astonishment from Erica. Altreyes isn’t a cold hearted person. She wouldn’t go into nursing if she was. She simply didn’t believe Aetharious and his brother was as weak and helpless as Erica made them out to be.

Aetharious’ excusing for stalking her is flimsy at best. The reason, couple with his child like guile and innocent appearance can convince most people of their validity, however, Altreyes isn’t most people.

Altreyes had open and covert bodyguards tailing her for most of her life. She knows how to judge the intent of her stalker.

The ones that follower her but scans the people around her are bodyguards sent by one of many relatives to ensure her safety. The ones who follow her, scan the people around her and the entrances and exits are generally kidnappers. The ones who focus on her and her alone are the ones Altreyes is wary of. Those guys are the psychos who later morphs into kidnappers.

The little brat falls into none of those categories. Those black innocent eyes Erica keep harping about flickers with dubious intentions. No doubt the boy is planning something but the plans themselves don’t involve Altreyes and her relatives. It is more like a speculative calculation rather than an a lull you into a sense of security then stab you in the back situation.

“Sylphie, you talk some sense into her.” Erica knew she couldn’t budge the stubborn mule known as Altreyes so she tosses the ball to Sylphie.

“They stay with us.” Sylphie’s words were like a royal edict, final and unchangeable.

“Sylphie!” Altreyes tried to protest but knew her cousin wouldn’t change her mind when she gets like this.

[Sylphie whisper to Altreyes]: Why are you so adamant about them leaving?

[Altreyes whisper to Sylphie]: The have a sinister agenda.

[Sylphie whisper to Altreyes]: I know they have an agenda but I don’t think it is as bad as you make it out to be.

[Altreyes whisper to Sylphie]: You know they are planning something and you didn’t tell me?

[Sylphie whisper to Altreyes]: I couldn’t with all your whining.

[Altreyes whisper to Sylphie]: Sylphie!

[Sylphie whisper to Altreyes]: Truth hurts. Live with the pain.

[Altreyes whisper to Sylphie]: If you know they are planning something, why do you let them stay with us.

[Sylphie whisper to Altreyes]: Because I want to know what they are planning. It is better to keep them close. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer and all that.

[Altreyes whisper to Sylphie]: Hmph. Bad cousin! I’m going to grind to vent my stress.

“You shouldn’t wander off on your own Altreyes. The mobs here are level 40 and above.”

“Ssssyyyyllllppppphhhhiiieee!”