Chapter 13

Returning to busy streets of the shopping district, Asher followed the girls from behind together with Marian’s bodyguards.

Gustav the Dwarf, seeing that everything has dead down; he said his goodbyes to everyone and left.

Since the girls are headed to shops that make female clothes, Asher thought that he might only make it awkward if the girls start to pick clothes.

[Asher] “Hey uh…you girls don’t mind if I head somewhere else alone, I want to see other places.”

[Bartila] “Eh? But—“

Not only was Bartila surprised, but also Touwa and Alicia had the same expression. Being part of the maids that work for castle, they are still obliged to protect their prince even if it’s not part of their real duty.

But Asher knew that girls take their time in shopping, no matter what world he is in. Since he didn’t want to waste time, Asher decided to explore the town himself.

[Asher] “Don’t worry; well meet at the same spot, at the fountain. Well then, see you girls later.”

Touwa and the other maids wanted to ether stop him or come along with him, but Asher quickly left and disappeared from the crowed.

[Touwa] “H…his gone, what should we do?”

[Alicia] “Should we go and find him?”

[Bartila] “He did say that we’ll meet at the fountain and I kind of doubt that anyone would mess with his after what happened…but still…”

The maids honestly know that, even by chance that they got into trouble, Asher would be the one who would protect them, but as maids of the royal family, they still want to be there for him just in case.

[Bartila] “I guess we just have to finish this and wait for him at the fountain.”

Though still reluctant, they decided to trust in him and wait.

Making his way towards another area, Asher found more shops that sells things he of course never seen before.

One by one, he walks close to the shop owners and asks them about the product they’re selling out of curiosity.

[Asher] (Seeing these kinds of things kind of makes it feels alright for me not having any elemental affinity.)

With a small smile on his face, Asher continues to walk the streets. Having other races walk the opposite or same direction as him makes it truly a different world.

Enjoying the scenery of other races doing their own business, Asher looks to his left and right with excitement. While doing so, Asher notices people gathering near a large carriage.

Once again feeling curious, Asher walks closer.

[Merchant] “Ladies and Gentlemen, gather round and see a never before seen creature on this great land!”

Asher who slipped through the crowed is now standing in the front row, looking up at the merchant, who is energetically speaking on top of a makeshift stage.

Successfully enticing the onlookers as well as the passerby, the merchant called out one of his helpers inside the carriage. Seconds later, his helper came out carrying a bird cage covered in a white rag.

[Merchant] “Now feast your eyes on a creature that might belong to the uncharted boundaries of our world of Terrafis!”

And with vigor, the merchant removed the rag.

[Asher] “Oh…!?”

Since Asher stood close, he could clearly see the creature inside the cage.

It had a long body that stretches in about 18 inches and its 1 inch wide. It has snow white fur covering its body and has small legs and arms with small claws. On both sides of its head are small stubs what seems to be its horns and long rabbit like ears with blue color on its tip.

It has an adorable head that looks similar to an arctic fox and from below is faddish blue fur covering its long belly. As if it’s wearing black eyeliner, the golden color of its eyes tends to stand out.

Seeing such a creature, Asher made a big smile like a child that found his favorite toy.

The merchant then raised his voice once more and starts to ask for biddings.

[Merchant] “Now then, shall we start with 10 silver coin!?”

[Noble Lady] “25 silver coins!”

[Noble Man] “30 silver coins!”

[Some noble guy] “1 Gold coin!”

[Some other noble lady] “1 gold coin and 15 silver coins!”

[Asher] “Whoa…” (I guess that creature really isn’t born this country.)

The nobles and other rich merchants vigorously raise their hands and kept offering more and more of their money.

Asher, who stood in front, covers his ears due to the onlookers’ voices getting louder.

[Asher] (Man, these people would practically do anything just to have this thing…but still, this little guy looks unhealthy.)

In Asher’s observation, the creature didn’t move much and simply twitch. Though its eyes are open, it blinks slowly and its fur looks dry.

He then looks at the people around him that kept offering their bids. They had the look that didn’t even care about the poor creature.

[Asher] (These guys just want it because it’s rare.)

Thanks to Asher’s experience in multiple jobs, he could tell if the individual had any ulterior motive. Like one of his jobs in a fast food restaurant, he could tell if the customer came for the food or came for the young cashier attendants.

[Asher] “At this rate that little furry snake thing would die.”

Speaking in a voice only he could hear, Asher raised his hands and made a bid.

[Asher] “10 gold coins!”

Since Asher was given money by his father, he thought he could save the poor creature if he bought it. Inside his coin pouch contains 58 copper coins, 230 silver coins, 95 gold coins and 20 ruby coins.

[Asher] (I guess it’s a good thing that I was given a huge amount of money.)

But in all honesty, Asher almost fainted when he found out just how much Alfern gave him and the amount it has.

[Merchant] “Oh, looks like Mr. Djinn here who wants it badly! Alright, we have 10 gold coins, who else want to bid for this majestic creature!?”

[Noble Person] “10 gold coins and 25 silver coins!”

[Some other noble guy] “11 gold coins and 5 silver coins!”

[Another Merchant guy] “12 gold coins!”

Asher thought that he would be able to make them stop, but apparently the noble as well as the other merchants were ready and carried enough money.

This was actually the first time that Asher bids on something like this, so he isn’t experienced enough. But at least he knows what to do to make them stop and for him to win fairly.

He then grabs his trump card inside his coins pouch, raises his right hand and calls out in a loud voice.

[Asher] “2 Ruby Coins!!”

As soon as he says those words, the whole area went silent. The people around him start to look at him in awe. Asher on the other hand, felt disturbed so he slightly lowered his right hand.

[Middle aged Noble] “T—two ruby coins and 5 gold—“

Asher knew this would happen, he once read it in one of his childhood friends book that nobles tend to buys expensive thing to make them look good amongst the other nobles and high class piers.

That information came from a light novel though.

Since Asher knew, he dint give anyone anymore chances and quickly raised his right hand again, but this time carrying 3 ruby coins.

[Asher] “3 Ruby Coins!”

[Everyone] “Whoa!?”

Everyone around Asher had their eyes wide open as well as their mouths, as they look at Asher, raising his right hand, like a proud warrior raising his hand in victory.

[Asher] (Huh, why did everyone make such a huge reaction?)

Embarrassingly looking around, Asher shakes of his embarrassment and looks at the merchant and his assistant who had the same reaction.

With that silence spreading throughout the area, Asher could hear the merchant’s mouth chattering.

[Asher] (Did I make my bid rise too much? I know that the Ruby coins is the higher than gold, but what’s up with their reactions?)

With a confused look on his face, Asher calls out to the merchant who was still shocked.

[Asher] “Hey old man, do I get it or not!?”

[Merchant] “Huh, oh yes! Um…does anyone still plan to bid?”

Waiting for about a minute and a half, not hearing nor seeing anyone who wants to continue, the merchant finally declared the creature’s ownership.

[Merchant] “Please make your way to the back of the carriage sir.”

[Asher] “Alright…”

Walking towards the back, Asher meets the assistant holding on to the bird cage and the merchant came after.

[Merchant] “Here you are sir.”

[Asher] “Thanks and here’s the money I owe, 3 ruby coin pieces.”

As soon as the ruby coins lands on the merchant’s hands, he quickly bowed along with the assistant that stood next to him.

[Merchant] “Thank you, thank you so much Sir Djinn!”

[Asher] “Huh? What, why are you thanking me like this all of a sudden?”

[Merchant] “Well you see sir, I’ve always wanted to open shop here, but since I’ve just started my business with my assistant here, we didn’t have money to start with anything.”

[Asher] “Ok…”

[Merchant] “But since you’ve given us 3 Ruby coins, we could finally start to build my shop and still have enough to buy different products. So thank you so very much!”

[Assistant] “Thank you very much Sir!”

[Asher] “Y…yeah, s—sure…hehehe.”

From the merchant’s explanation, it would seem like the merchant didn’t have much money on his savings, but since Asher paid them with 3 ruby coins, he could finally start his dream.

That would also explain how high the price rate of a single ruby coin.

[Asher] (Th—they’re that high!? Fear the Ruby Coins!)

Still in a slight daze, the assistant gave Asher the cage; he then took a peek to see the condition of the strange creature.

[Asher] (It still looks unhealthy, could it be hungry? Now that I think about it, what does it eat?)

Keeping his eyes on the creature, Asher called out to the merchant, who is preparing to leave.

Since Asher is practically his benefactor, the merchant quickly walks towards him and politely ask what was wrong.

[Asher] “Do you have any idea what this thing eats?”

[Merchant] “Oh, please forgive me. I still haven’t told you have I?”

Putting his hand on the pouch, he took out a fire Mana stone, similar to the stone that the castle uses. The merchant then puts the stone inside the cage.

Lifting its head, the creature started to twirl its body around the red fire stone.

[Asher] “Hmm? Whoa, the stones color is fading.”

[Merchant] “That’s because this creature absorbs Mana, and since this stone is a crystallized concentrate of Mana, it would instantly consume it.”

[Asher] “Hee~”

After completely absorbing the Mana, the creature’s fur became even whiter and silkier than before, it then starts floating around the cage.

[Asher] “Oh, it floats too? That’s so cool.”

Once again getting intrigued, Asher lifts the cage closer to his face and observes the creature slowly floating around. It then looks around and eventually found Asher staring back at it.

Asher wanted to see the rest of it body so he lowers his eye sight and move to the left to see its belly, but the creature’s head followed, still staring at him.

[Asher] “Hmm?”

He then moved to the right, but the creature still followed. Being intrigued from it behavior, Asher moves his head from left to right and surprisingly, the creature followed by moving its head left and right.

[Merchant] “It looks like it’s taken a liking to you Sir.”

[Asher] “You think so?”

Though Asher asked, he could slightly tell it might have.

[Asher] (It would be great if it were true. I mean, I’ve never had a pet for my own before and the closest one I had was the elementary class’ pet hamster. Or maybe it just wants the Mana I endlessly make.)

While in thought about the past and something depressing in the end, the creature starts to shove its head out of the cage, so that it could slip through.

[Asher] “Wha—what’re you doing, you might get hurt.”

In a slightly quick pace, Asher opens the cage and puts its hands inside to make it stop. But before he could even hold on to it, the creature spins it’s body around Asher’s right arm and quickly made its way up to his shoulders and finally spins around Asher’s neck like a scarf.

[Asher] “Oh!”

It then pokes out its head up and looks at Asher again.

[???] “Kyuun?”

Tilting its head while looking at Asher’s face, it made a cute squeak-like noise while it blinks.

[Asher] (This thing is adorable.)

With slightly blushed cheeks, Asher pats its head and rubs it lower chin by using his finger tip. Like a cat, it started to rub its cheeks on Asher’s finger in response while making the same squeak-like noise.

Form the corner, the merchant and his assistant stares at Asher in amazement, as Asher continues to enjoy the creature’s fluffiness.

Asher quickly notices their eyes and lowered his hand in embarrassment.

As a businessman, the merchant noticed Asher’s embarrassment and quickly explained the reason they were staring at him and the creature’s behavior.

[Merchant] “For give us for staring, but we were just surprised on how much it grew to like you in such a short time. It’s usually pretty hostile when my assistant and I try to hold it.”

[Asher] “Is that so?”(The adorable creature that is still snuggling its cheeks on mine, is actually hostile? It doesn’t look like it to me.)

About 30 minutes later, Asher continues his stroll around the district, but this time he wasn’t alone. He now has a companion that’s floating near him, just a few inches away from his right cheek, following him slowly.

Though it has a snake like body, the only thing that’s similar to it is that it moves with an ‘S’ like movement, it doesn’t squirm horizontally, but it move vertically in midair.

Of course, the people in the district have never seen such a creature before, so they take a long glance or looks back, while staring at it float around Asher.

In only a few minutes, Asher grew fond of the creature.

[Asher] (It’s like a have a puppy following me…a floating, long, snake like puppy.)

Though his last thought was weird, Asher left it be and continued his walk happily. But then suddenly stops and looks at the floating creature once more.

[Asher] “Now that I have you, I should give you a name, huh?”

[???] “Kyuun?”

Once again tilting its head, Asher looks at the creature and ponders.

[Asher] “But first, I’m going to have to try to find out whether you’re a boy or a girl.”

With that in mind, Asher sat at the nearest bench and made a pose just like the famous statue ‘The Thinker’ while looking at it floating freely in front of him. Though he wasn’t sure if it would answer back, Asher tried asking it.

[Asher] “Are you a boy?”

[???] “Kyunn.”

It shook its head left and right.

[Asher] “Oh, so you can understand me?”

It then made a nod.

[Asher] “So you’re not only smart but an adorable girl too. Alright, I’ll give you a really cute yet cool name…let’s see here…”

Hearing Asher’s words, the creature nods pleasantly.

As he ponders about what to call the creature, Asher suddenly remembered his middle school days.

Asher was once forced by his childhood friend to take a break from doing various odd jobs, so he was dragged and force to have a sleep over. There, he played different kinds of video games together.

He then noticed the names of the characters that the Japanese gave didn’t only sounds nice and cool but they also had meaning into them. So he borrowed his friends PC and searched about the names and their meaning.

[Asher] “Hmm…since you look like you’re covered in snow and you float around…then…I’ll call…you…”

Before he finishes, Asher closed his eyes and think hard for about5 minutes and finally called out its new name.

[Asher] “Fuyuki, that’s right. From this day on, you’ll be called Fuyuki. It means both snow and wind! So how’d you like it?”

[Fuyuki] “Kyuun.”

As a response of satisfaction, the creature that is now called Fuyuki, nods it head and twirls in the air energetically.

[Asher] “So you like it, huh? Well then…”

He then stood up and from the bench and start to make his way to the busy streets once more.

[Asher] “Since 3 of my supposedly date were taken from me, I’ll have Fuyuki accompany me.”

[Fuyuki] “Kyuun!”

Following him, Fuyuki happily floats to his side.

[Human man] “Hey, what’s that?”

[Kobold] “I don’t know, but it looks big.”

Hearing somewhat worried voices, Asher sees two men, one human and one kobold, pointing at something at the sky. Asher, along with everyone else in the street, looks up at where the kobold is pointing.

At the blue sky, they saw a black circular object flying, but Asher soon noticed that the strange object is getting bigger and bigger by the second and soon more came after which counts in about 20 or even more.

[Asher] “Oh shit…”

He then look at his surrounding and raise his voice, similar to the time he shouted at Marian.

[Asher] “Everyone, get down!!!”

Quickly realizing what Asher meant, all the people in the streets ducked down and placed their hands on top of their heads.

[Fuyuki] “Kyunn!?”

Fuyuki on the other hand, curls itself into a ball and hid inside the ornament that is part of Asher’s gauntlet, inside the mouth of Regulus, the lion head ornament that is placed on Asher’s right shoulder.

*Foom!* *Crash!*

Since Asher is doing the same as everyone else, he has his eyes squinting so he wasn’t able to see clearly what flew over them. But then, Asher took notice of two feathered people, one seems to be a mother while carrying a young feathered girl on her wings like arms.

These feathered people, or also known as harpies, are now trying to help a man with a hawk for a head, or known as a Garuda, who seems to have multiple wooden boxes fall on top of him.

The mother harpy tries to help the fallen Garuda, but due to the light body of harpies, the mother couldn’t even lift an inch. Seeing as it was hopeless, the Garuda tells the mother to take the child and run.

Watching her mother desperately helps the fallen man, who seems to be her father, she notices that one of the falling objects is headed straight to them. The daughter wanted to warn her family, but fear got to her, making her voice freeze in her throat.

Asher didn’t even want to imagine what might happen, so he quickly changes his crouching position to a sprint starting position. He flexes his muscle on his legs while keeping his eyes to the family. He then took a deep breath and then…

*Foosh!*

He sprints towards the family like a gust of wind and without even noticing it himself, the solid rock pavement has cracked hole where Asher’s feet were placed.

Finally noticing the object that is about to crush them, the father shouts at his family to run but the object is already 10 feet away from them, the mother quickly hugs her daughter close to her.

Just when they’re about to close their eyes and readied themselves for what about to happen, they saw Asher’s figure, placing himself in front of the object in midair.

Asher then twist his body and made a spin kick.

[Asher] “Grrrnn.”

Though it didn’t break, Asher kicks the object towards the sky, making hit another approaching object, thus completely destroying it.

He then land on his feet and starts to shake the leg he used to kick the object away.

[Asher] “Wow, that thing was hard.”

Though he didn’t feel pain, he was still surprised how tough it was and checks if his foot is alright. Seeing as the only damages are some scratches on his shoe, Asher turns and asks the family.

[Asher] “None of you guys are hurt, right?”

[Harpy Mother] “Y—yes we’re fine…but…”

She then looks at her husband and Asher follows her eyesight, though still conscious, the man was still trapped under the boxes and couldn’t move.

Luckily the boxes are placed on a flat surface, so Asher walks close to its edge and lifts the whole thing without any effort.

[Asher] “Hurry up and get to a safe place.”

[Harpy Mother] “Y—yes, thank you very much Sir Djinn!”

[Garuda Father] “Th—thank you for saving my family Sir Djinn, thank you!”

Following Asher’s advice, the mother harpy carries the father on her shoulder and moves away slowly. The little harpy girl, who is walking next to them, turns around and bows.

[Harpy Girl] “Thank you Mister Djinn.”

After leaving those words, she then turns back around and walks beside her father.

[Asher] (I wonder if this is what superman feels like once he saves someone…not bad…)

Keeping those thoughts to himself, Asher notices that another one was aimed at another group of people.

[Asher] “Oh no you don’t.”

While still carrying the platform filled with wooden boxes, Asher grabs the edge and did a single spin before throwing it at the falling object.

*Crash!*

Though the wooden platform and wooden boxes are smashed into pieces and the object still intact, its trajectory changed and it speed was reduced. It then bounces to the ground and eventually stops.

Fortunately for them, what Asher just stopped was the last of it.

Asher then looks at his surrounding once mare and see the people ether help each other or carry the wounded. As he continues to observe his surroundings, Asher notices the cloud of smoke where the Object fell.

Aside from himself, other people gathered and peeks through the cloud of dust by waving their hands.

Asher who was amongst them was also waving the dust away and eventually sees the object in question.

It was like a gray rock that was about 8 or 10 feet in height and in width. It had a rough looking texture and had holes in the shape of pentagons around its body.

A big bodied and tall man with pale green skin walks closer, he then slowly raise his hands towards it. But before he could event touch it; something came out while making a loud shriek.

*Skreeee!!!*

The pale bodied man, or also known as an Ogre, quickly backs off and covered his ears with his hands.

Asher, who was also covering his long pointed ears, looks at the creature that popped out of the pentagon shaped hole.

It was a long, white colored, disgusting looking creature. It had an abnormally fat body covered in slime and it had a small perfectly round head and a mouth that splits in the middle.

Seconds later, the creature stops screaming, stops moving and quickly died. But as soon as it was done shrieking, more and more shrieks resounded throughout the district.

[Asher] (Wait a minute, I know what this thing is, and sure it’s size is completely different from what I know but this thing is a larva and if my guess is right, then that means…)

Finishing his thoughts, the shrieking dead down, but then a new sound starts to resound.

Asher looks at where the direction the sound coming from and there he found in the distance was a gigantic black cloud.

[Asher] “That’s not good.”

But of course Asher knew that it wasn’t really a big cloud, but a swarm of Giant Wasp.

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