Author: Thank you for reading

I hope this chapter will set some of your thoughts to rest. =)

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Belle’s POV

“Hey...what do you all think of Kuro?” (Belle)

Alright let’s get some information on this Kuro guy. I never had the chance to gather information on him before because my brother was an idiot, and asking the two that usually follow him would be a bad idea. Something tells me they would just endlessly praise him or something.

“Hmm? What do you mean?” (Beth)

“Like his personality and stuff (Let’s see what he is really like, I don't believe he would help me on some whim).” (Belle)

“Ah, could it be you don't trust him?” (Tammy)

“Uh...it’s just he isn’t really that readable. I just want to know what your opinion on him is.” (Belle)

“Brother is nice, he-*Starts ranting about Kuro*.” (Illis)

“...” (Beth and Tammy)

This group...is it really so hard to talk about Kuro’s personality. That Illis girl is one thing, but the other two just look lost in thought.

“Kuro has a lot of issue’s, like he is afraid of something.” (Shirley)

“Shirley, are you sure we should tell her?” (Tammy)

“Yea, we don't know her that well.” (Beth)

“It’s fine...something tells me it’s better she knows what we have learned about him so far.” (Shirley)

Huh, they suddenly got really serious. Even Illis stopped ranting about how nice Kuro is. Maybe I asked something I shouldn’t have after all.

“Like all of us here, Kuro seems to have his own set of trauma’s. It took me a while to finally figure that out, the brat seriously keeps his issues hidden.” (Beth)

“Yea, we figure it's one of the reason’s for him to train so much. I have never seen him smile except for a few rare occasions.” (Tammy)

“Plus his refusal to break a promise, even with how busy he is...he always sets aside time for other’s. I can't help but respect that.” (Beth)

“He even found traces of my missing dad. Though it seems he was taken to a pretty dangerous area, he is gonna see about retrieving him when he finishes up here.” (Tammy)

These two are suddenly taking off with the conversation. I can't even sense any lies with the things they are saying. Tammy herself is suddenly crying, but she looks more happy than anything. But…

“So he is adamant about promises, but how does that make him afraid? The guy seems dangerously fearless in my opinion.” (Belle)

“He is afraid of getting attached to people.” (Shirley)

“Huh?” (Belle)

“He seriously puts up physical and mental barriers. If you let him, you’ll never see the real him. I was dumb enough to ignore this fact for a whole year before I realized it.” (Beth)

“Realized?” (Belle)

“That...I’m pretty sure he is afraid of watching the people he cares about dying.” (Shirley)

“He does all types of things to ensure people’s safety after all. To the point where even if he is away they’ll be safe.” (Tammy)

“I don't know what happened to him...but the dude seriously considers our safety above all else.” (Beth)

“Yet, he never tries to willingly interact with us *pout*.” (Tammy)

“It’s more like he sees interacting with us as dangerous. Even though he often fights monsters and the like, dealing with people is were he tends to shy away.” (Shirley)

“Ah…” (Belle)

So...he has trust issues, or is it more serious? These guy’s are looking more remorseful as the conversation passes. Illis is just sitting with a sad expression without saying a word. It makes me wonder if that really is just it. There has to be something else to make them like this. Wait was Shirley like this before, I thought she was more reserved when I first saw her.

“Um, Shirley, before I thought you were more-” (Belle)

“Ah, I have a bit of trouble talking around men. Even with Kuro I get a bit nervous. Usually though I can't talk at all when they are present.” (Shirley)

“Bad men hurt mom, but Kuro saved her.” (Illis)

“Yea he did didn’t he sweety.” (Shirley)

What’s up with this guy, even though I thought I would finally get some dirt on him. He keeps coming off more and more decent. There is no way someone with such cruel ideas to hurt someone would be a nice person.

“Then what about when he fights people, he-” (Belle)

“Oh you mean when he has that dangerous expression.” (Tammy)

“Yea...he was a bit...” (Belle)

“Don't worry we all know he is a bit crazy.” (Beth)

Seriously, they are acting so nonchalant about it. The guy was smiling as he tortured Butch.

“*Sigh* alright, then what about when you guys said he is more afraid of interacting with people rather than fighting. That sounds a bit strange considering how he gave Shiro and Puerial a massage and bathed together so openly (He gave me one too but…yea that doesn’t count...it was just treatment...yea...treatment).” (Belle)

“Well...like I said before, he puts up barriers around himself.” (Beth)

“He tries to interact as little as possible with other’s like the thought itself was a taboo.” (Tammy)

“But how do you know this?” (Belle)

“A big clue is how he complains about his ability to heal with direct touch, though he said it can do other things. He often wished it didn’t have such a limitation.” (Shirley)

“We all came together when he was away and discussed it, we think he lost people important to him. Though Shiro doesn’t know anything about it.” (Tammy)

Hmm, they seem to be getting a bit flustered about something. Beth has a really big grin on her face.

“Hehe, so we figured out a solution to help him overcome his problem.” (Beth)

“*Blush* even though it’s a bit intrusive.” (Shirley)

“Uhm, what solution?” (Belle)

“Tehe, we force him to give us massages and interact with us no matter what.” (Tammy)

“Pfft, remember when we all burst into the bath area when he was bathing, we were all naked demanding a massage, hahaha, and he went all red yelling about decency while trying to run cursing us, bwahaha, but slipped on his soap in his panic, ha, and fell right into us, Ahahahaha- my stomach.” (Beth)

“Hehehe-, brother looked so funny.” (Illis)

“Haha, yea...now he can't even get away from Shiro and Puerial when he bathes.” (Tammy)

“T-That was so embarrassing, for me to do that too...though the massage was nice.” (Shirley)

“Haha, for a shrimp he is growing pretty well in the right places though.” (Beth)

“!?” (Belle)

“Yea, hehe, since then he always enters the bath with a towel.” (Tammy)

This group...are they serious, how does intruding into someone's private time going to help him overcome his problem with interacting with people! They just keep laughing with tears in their eyes. Are they seriously talking about the boy who can easily torture someone without even flinching.

“Oh, you seem a bit skeptical *grin*.” (Tammy)

“Well, even if it’s a bit unorthodox…he has become less and less unwilling to talk and stuff with us.” (Beth)

“Um, who was it who came up with such a method (I seriously want to know who in their right mind thought of such a perverted thing.).” (Belle)

“Me! *Triumphant smile*” (Illis)

“...(Who raised this kid!)” (Belle)

“Well yea, we were all pretty stumped on how to help him and decided that her idea would indeed be the most effective.” (Beth)

“But isn’t it embarrassing for him to see you all naked!” (Belle)

“Hmm...Kuro doesn’t come off perverted to us.” (Tammy)

“Though the way he blushes does show we affect him *grin*.” (Beth)

“I-It’s a bit cute…” (Shirley)

“Hey, Shirley, for a while now you’ve been getting more and more meek, even though you’ve been trying to teach those two how to snatch Kuro’s heart.” (Tammy)

“Even if you say that...after all, it’s embarrassing to think about. Normally though I wouldn’t be affected by such a thing. But he is different...” (Shirley)

“True, he is different. I just wish I realized it sooner. Would’ve made my time here more enjoyable.” (Beth)

These guys...they just took off into their own world didn’t they. I don't know whether to admire the fact the Kuro has all these girls worrying about him, or pity him...to have such people target his private life in such a way…

“Do you guys like him then...in a more, you know, intimate sense.” (Belle)

“Well, he is fun to tease. But real feelings, hmm...can't say I feel such a thing. I trust him at least.” (Beth)

“Being intimate is a bit...yea can't really see it. I like his massages, but beyond that I don't see anything between us besides being friends I guess.” (Tammy)

“...He’s a bit too young for me, rather he feels more like a doting son.” (Shirley)

“Is it bad to like my brother?” (Illis)

Well...I don't think I can get any dirt on him from this group. Seriously, how can people not in a relationship be so open with each other. To not mind being naked around a guy without being in an intimate relationship. What the hell did Kuro do?

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Kuro’s POV

*Acho!*

“Cold?” (Shiro)

“You're not getting sick right?” (Puerial)

“Someone’s probably talking about me.” (Kuro)

Hmm, I have a feeling people were saying unnecessary things...well, it doesn’t matter. Right, based on the story of the two in front of me...yea this city may be in for a lot of trouble. The three sect’s fighting is only part of the problem. Since nobody protected the villages that produced goods from the monsters, shortages of produce and the like has been increasing in the area.

The end of their cold war is due to them needing resources, and taking it from each other is the cheapest way. They are close, and they could monopolize the area when they are gone. Out of all the powers in the area these three are too close together, literally.

From my count, minus the Lord I killed, there are five real powers. My father has become the strongest one in the area, followed by the group that influential guy I made crap himself was a part of. The remaining three are the ones in this city. When everyone was gunning for Labridel my father came out on top.

These sects are more large families with personally trained soldiers. Each having their own fighting style, or arts, of various strengths. Usually when a sect is defeated their arts are incorporated into the victors arsenal making them more stronger.

An art is the technique someone uses to utilize the strength of their body to deal out attacks for more powerful than they would normally be able to do. Hank and Lock don't have fighting arts and would never be able to actually fight against a sect. Without an art the most anyone could achieve in their lifetime is the estimated guild rank of B-.

Even if these three sects are considered weak, the disciples that passed the training period are said to be B rank and up. The estimated strongest rank someone could be in a weak sect as rank A in a guild.

The really powerful arts in the Upper ranks are said to level mountains and such with a mere punch, but their ranks aren’t recorded so I don't know what level something like that would be. Since my father’s sect is said to be middle ranked...yea, best not to fight him yet.

There are only four tiers to a sect based on the strength of their arts. Each rank isn’t specifically named and only signifies their estimated strength. Low rank, middle rank, upper rank, and peak rank.

If an upper rank can level mountains, then what about a peek rank? I can’t find anything on them at all.

Well it doesn’t matter for now.

From my talk with the Leader and second in command, they know about my bombs, and want to take down these groups. If one of the other two powerful sects take over, at the very least there will be stability. As expected of thieves to uncover the fact I was responsible for the explosions in Labrindel. Well I have no problem causing mayhem for these three groups.

I have read a lot of reports on their activities. Let’s see about making life here a bit more bearable before my group leaves. After all I finally found where Khan is and don't want to waste time here. Though I wanted to head there with just the usual group, leaving the other’s here would be a bad idea.

Plus I could just leave my stores with the thieves guild, we already arranged that they would give me a percentage of the profits put to the side whenever I return to this place.

Heck I never thought these guys would appreciate the fact the slums no longer smell like a dung heap, due to all the cheap soap being sold. Enough for them to cry while thanking me. Glad to know I wasn’t the only one complaining about the smell and such. People have even stopped trying to smell me so much...well, at the very least they are not so vigorous about it.

*Sigh* stupid trait.

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A/N: Well i have no clue how else to give Kuro an alibi for his actions.

The trauma of losing his important people make it difficult to accept others, plain and simple.

What do you guys think?