7 Is it wrong to be a pervert?

"Oh, kid you're picking up girls now?"

Mia greeted Kai while at the same time giving the new faces a scrutinizing glance.

"Good morning, madam Mia."

Kai ignored Mia's way of greeting and just greeted her normally.

Mia inquired Ryuu about what had happened to them after seeing the state of the two new faces.

Though the girl on Kai's back and Lili were fine now after they've been healed it was clear that they experienced a rough time obvious from the battered state of their clothes and ragged appearance.

Ryuu told Mia about everything that had happened more than the story she had told Anya.

Mia pity the two girls, but she is not a gentle one.

"Cheer up both of you."

Mia told the two girls.

"Why don't you have a meal, fill up your stomachs and be proud that you're able to live a day longer. It's not shameful to ask other people for help. Remember it's always the last one standing who truly wins whether the victory is fair or not. You can die anytime, but living takes true courage."

The two listened attentively to Mia's advice lowering their heads accepting her guidance.

"Though you still need to pay the bill, or I can just charge your meals to someone else's tab."

Mia's advice should have been perfect unfortunately her last sentence shattered it all making the two developed an awkward smile because they're broke.

Seeing their reaction Mia gave Kai a knowing glance making the latter smile wryly.

"Give them what they want. Put it on my tab."

Kai told Mia while he gently placed the girl down, so she could have sat.

"You heard him girls."

Chloe handed the two girls the pub's menu.

They're reluctant to abuse Kai's generosity but seeing his assuring smile the two girls gave up and swore to themselves that one day in the future they'll repay him.

The future is unpredictable, but they did repay him.

…

"You did a great job kid."

Kai who sat down at the counter was praised by Mia for a job well done.

It's uncommon nowadays for people to help strangers.

"It was nothing."

"It might be nothing for you but the same cannot be said for them."

Mia added looking at the two girls who have a troubled face as they calculated the cost of the meals in the pub.

"I suppose you're right."

He fully understands Mia's words.

It might have been a small matter for him but for the two girls it was a very significant moment of their life.

"Every journey begins with a single step."

Kai muttered while looking at the two girls at the same time recalling his own journey until now.

…

Artoria slowly woke up her emerald green eyes scanning the room but finding that she was alone her sleepiness disappeared as she immediately stood up from the bed her focused shifting on the invisible multicolor strings only she and Kai could see embodying their established connection from one another.

Her gaze followed where the string led, and she figured that Kai was downstairs.

So without further ado she stood up on her feet and headed down.

"What's up?"

Artoria greeted everyone.

There were no other customers at the moment except for Kai and the two new faces.

And it seems it was for the best.

Time seems to slow down, everyone's gaze and focus was to Artoria, or to be precise to her bold attire.

"That's one strange yet alluring outfit you're wearing."

Mia commented.

Kai facepalmed as he shook his head.

Artoria forgot to change clothes before leaving the room and was wearing the same outfit she previously wore when Kai woke up; an almost transparent sundress and long white stockings.

Looking down to herself a realization hit her.

"Ah!"

Her lackluster reaction made the girls in the pub question if there's something wrong in her head.

"Artoria, nya. You better change, nya."

Anya who's nearest to her suggested.

"Master like this get up though."

Artoria reasoned.

Those who heard and understood what she meant but those words blushed.

Kai who was minding his own business trying to ignore Artoria after having already grown accustomed to her behavior and antics, couldn't help himself from spitting the coffee in his mouth after hearing her words.

Currently all eyes turned sharp and were on him.

Kai could feel their intense gazes despite looking in the opposite direction.

Worse Mia who was in front was teasing and praising him for his taste.

"Pervert."

Ryuu, Lili and the sensitive girl utter at the same time.

…

After Artoria returned to the room and changed in a formal attire, she accompanied Kai and the new faces in a meal.

Kai also told the staff of the pub to accompany them in a meal to which they agreed after Mia included their meal in his growing tab.

Artoria inquired about the new faces' situation.

But after finding out what happened to them her knightly spirit flared up.

She would have marched to where the three bastards were and execute them herself if it wasn't for Kai stopping her by threatening her that there wouldn't be any food left for her after she left.

Moreover, finding out the whereabouts of the bastards is near impossible because he hadn't placed any tracking spell on them.

That was a lie.

Kai had placed a tracking spell on them and three at that just to make sure they wouldn't escape his grasp.

In the first place Kai doesn't have any plans of letting go the bastards.

After all one of them saw his face.

They will definitely cause trouble eventually.

To pacify Artoria Kai whispered to her ear that he had cast 'Curse Of Misfortune' on them which in turn made her pity the trio.

The chances of death caused by the 'Curse Of Misfortune' is less than 75% but those that had been inflected by the curse will experience something worse than death itself.

Casting a curse of misfortune doesn't have much limitations, purifying it is also near impossible unless the other party possesses power greater than his, but there's a catch and a big one at that.

After the cost magicules that had transformed into a parasitic energy that was causing the misfortune is fully empty/gone the curse will be lifted.

The power of the curse of misfortune always depends on the amount of magicules used during the casting and animosity Kai have for the target.

He is still working on a way to make the curse more lethal.

He could have told her that he had placed a tracking magic on them and was planning to end them himself later, but Kai wanted to do things secretly this time and Artoria isn't really the silent one.

Her mere presence attracts too much of an attention.

She's like a bright light bulb during the night illuminating the darkness.

Moreover, she's a knight after all, and she has her own knightly beliefs, values and conduct.

Kai didn't want to force her to do things his way as he respected her for who and what she truly was.

Forcing or asking someone to change themselves for no apparent reason just to suite his benefits and own beliefs is just plain hypocritical.

Kai who didn't like hypocrites that much doesn't plan on becoming one.

It's no different from asking someone to abandon their identity.

Furthermore, asking Artoria to silently assassinate someone is like telling her that she must pay child support for Mordred.