Chapter 004

THIRD PERSON'S P.O.V.

"What's the commotion all about?!"

All of them unknowingly stopped their further movements and faces the girl shouting at them.

Zero immediately pulled out his hands and stand back straight facing the lovely girl with a white shield while the three bullies immediately scrambles up to her side.

"Casa!"

The leader, almost face planted his self on the dirt, shouted her name as if he's on the other side of a mountain. Zero looked at her with furrow brows.

'Where did I heard that name?'

He stand unmoving on his spot and continuously reminisce where did the girl's name came from.

"What's this all about, Gord?"

Casa asked with a hint of curiosity but with an edge on her tone.

"Well, he's—h-he's our junior. We are just—ahh—c-congratulating him for his first day! Yes—! Yes, his first day! Right?!"

'Oh! I remember. She's the one Avo and Feri was talking about yesterday.'

Zero shift his eyes to the leader as he said his twisted words

The leader widen his eyes nearly having his eyeballs out their sockets as if Zero will fear him out of this.

Yet unfortunately, in return, he only arch his brow while mischievously looking at three adventurer' bullies.

He slowly but surely moved his head side by side, knowing this Casa girl will understand the situation he's under. Too bad the girl just looked more confused than before

'She's not gonna believe those guys, isn't she?'

As he is about to talk, the girl turned her face again to the three and asked some questions.

And, not surprisingly enough for him, they doctored their words as if this is all Zero's fault.

He just sighed from their non-stop rapid talk and immediately pull off his backpack on the soil.

'This is definitely not my day.'

Zero surrendered with this thought.

"Is that true?"

He can hear every twisted scenarios they're talking about and it is all lie.

'One sided, huh? Never thought that this would happen'

Zero slings his belonging behind him and faced Casa with a grin marring his lips. He's not going to lie nor let this three get away from this.

This Casa girl is his only way to survive in this situation.

"Too bad they're all liars—too bad I'm not mister nice. As you can see, they're bullying a very harmless man. I was about to go home when they man me up and forcedly take my backpack."

"Gord!"

Casa bellowed with a threatening tone as she faced the three with a glare who are secretly also giving him a look full of disdain.

"No! No, Casa—no! He was the one who took our bag and actually want to escape from us! That's our bag! He's a thief! After what we did for him, he will thanked us like this."

That's the leader spitting nonsense, stupidly persuading the girl who obviously isn't buying all his words.

Zero was again about to defend himself when the girl punch the leader squarely on his face.

'Aww, that surely hurts.'

"I know you Gord!"

"You—shit!—you bitch!"

"How many times do I have to tell you not to bully other adventurers? Do you want me to draw you a wanted poster? And how dare you call me a bitch, punk?!"

With his visibly dislocated nose, the leader stumbles on his feet as he run off. His teammates tailing him like dogs hurrying after their owners.

Casa sent dagger stares at their retreating backs before looking at Zero, sighing as she did so. Feeling spent from only handling those troublesome men alone.

"Thank you."

He said while giving her a genuine smile.

"That was a relief. You're the only one who seemed to notice us and I thought you're actually going to believe him."

"Nah. I can't trust them at all."

She smiled in return.

"You're Zero, right?"

He just glanced at her and started to walk away, not really keen on starting a small talk.

Casa immediately run up to his side to accompany him.

"You're the one who help Avo and Feri, right?"

"What if I'm not?"

"Well, there's only few new adventurers here and you're just a fit to Avo's description."

Zero did not respond nor looked at her but she have all his ears.

"Anyway, thank you for saving them. And I honestly am here to recruit you as one of us."

Zero silently walks with long strides while Casa continued to her talking as she tried to level his phase.

"Next month, the Capital is launching again the BigBang and our town needs to participate. We already gathered enough adventurer but, unfortunately, one of our team backs out after getting bonded to his partner. Her husband doesn't want her to participate."

"Sorry but I'll politely refuse your...ahh—recruitment. I have nothing but healing. Besides, I don't want to get hurt."

He quickly interjected with a flat tone to hope she get that he didn't want to get friendly with anyone, even her.

"But we have nothing to recruit!"

"Isn't there any option other than me? You said it yourself, I'm not the only one adventurer here. That guy earlier, I bet you can recruit him."

"Tch. No! Absolutely not. I know that guy. He's just using his brute without thinking. I can't let our life be on his hands—"

"And you don't know me. How could you trust me?"

He irritatingly cut her, teeth clenching on how he hardly stop himself from snapping at her.

"I know you. You're Zero."

"You—no, I mean, rather than my name. This is just our first meeting."

"Does it matter?"

Zero's patience cut short. He sharply craned his neck to his side to look at her with a glint of annoyance in his eyes.

"You know what matters?! You following me. So could you olease stop?! I have two things to say: first, I'm not interested—second, I'm not dependable."

"Yes, you are!"

Her high pitch argument made Zero run his hand across his face and stop his frenzied legs that still not tired of getting away from her presence. Not initially intended, he towered over the girls' figure that sent a glimmer on her eyes as he speaks again on a flat tone.

"You don't know what you're saying."

"You helped Avo and Feri with your healing powers, so, you are dependable."

"Yes. I helped because I expected for them to accompany me. I was lost and I can't even remember where I am. I have no choice. So please, you are being a nuisance. S. Top. following me. Clear?"

Zero lied again. He can't possibly tell her he saved those two because of the dreadful past of him. He just want to distance himself from this Casa and why not from everyone.

But he was left to look with bafflement on Casa, his hand tightening their grip on the strap of his bag. It never cross his mind that she is a knight. How she carry herself as a bug to annoy him didn't really made him think that she can be this high. He familiarized himself with the symbols and seeing what she have, this girl in front of him is a big shot.

"You can't refuse me. Considering your silence, you already see that I am Knight Casa, The Frozen Witch. If you won't come with just an invitation, then I'm sorry but I have to do it with brute force. I will personally drag you on the Capital. But if you can be persuaded, I will have Avo to talk to you. She's with us."

Zero blinks and stared more. With the silence that engulfs them, he raised both of his hands hopefully stop the rush of words that already stopped earlier. He blinked once again before walking his way out of the conversation

"I can't really be in you group. As you can see, I can't fight without any sort of help. Didn't you just save me from those bullies?"

"Avo told me everything. You have a healing power and you have a strong body. As for them, I'm not quite sure why are you hiding your prowess."

"That was a lie. A big fat lie. She's in dilemma when that happen, she's just exaggerating. Look at me—with this body..."

Both of them looked at his frail looking body.

"I can't even have some abs with the training I used."

"What's wrong with the 'no abs'? You look awesome to me."

If he was a teenager with no any means of how to properly accept a good comment, maybe he will have this red tint on his face down to his neck. But this definitely is not his teenage years nor his own body.

It's his reincarnated body!

"And I'm not even a candidate for a knight."

His body deflates as he tried his luck again.

"Who says Knight is the only one who can participate?"

Zero closed his eyes to calm his self as he sighs in defeat. He can't withstand this girl. She's just like a walking lawyer. Everything he had said is easy for her to retaliate.

"No more buts, young man. Moreover, not often much, healers can fight with their power. You're a healer but I'm not expecting for you to fight monsters. Just focus on your healing charm"

Casa spoked as if that's his problem to deal with himself.

"Is this the reason why you approach and help me?"

Zero narrowed his eyes at her. Accusing is an understatement for the matter, he's just sure of it.

"Ahh—Well—"

'I can't let myself be in trouble again. I need to hide this power.'

Zero wrack his head to find a way how to refuse and make this Casa girl believe that he is nothing but a low-key adventurer. But unfortunately, with this kind of girl, he doesn't have any exit to escape on.

Yet his whirling thoughts of rejection went into an abrupt halt as their staring contest when they heard a loud sound.

"Oh, shoot! I need to go back!"

Before hurrying over, Casa shouted.

"Tomorrow when the sun is at its highest, in the front part of the forest! We will wait you there!"

Casa waved her goodbye to the perplexed Zero.

"Oh c'mon! I don't want to be the center of attraction and this is happening?!"

Zero huffs in frustration.

"I can't even end my day simple! Tch."

And with that, our protagonist, let himself be engulfed by this unwanted situation. He has nothing to do rather than killing monsters so better keep it as an adventure to his new home.

After the guild, Zero went home and pack his things for tomorrow. He used the money he collected from the guild to buy new things and some necessary foods