Celia

"And what makes you think I won't Alexjin?" Geraldine crossed her arms around her chest, "If this is the only place we can get then I'll take it with open arms," She added and proceed to look inside to meet the care taker.

Alexjin just shook his head and followed her while trying to look around as he knows that the place they are now is quite dangerous especially to a young lady like her.

*Knock knock*

"Hello?" Geraldine knocked several times but no one answered, "It looks like this place is empty," She added before turning her back and was about to go away when the door of the house opened to reveal an old woman with a cane, wearing an all black dress.

"What do you want, young lady?" The old woman said in a soft tone while looking at the two youngsters in front of her, "Are you perhaps, running away from your parents to live with each other?" She added which makes Geraldine and Alexjin blushed due to the misunderstanding.

"You're wrong madam, he is my apprentice - Alexjin and I'm.. Dine and I would like to purchase this store," She said with a small smile but the old lady didn't look convinced.

"I'm Celia Martin, please come inside for a while as it's getting cold this days," Celia opened the door wider and stepped aside for her to enter.

Geraldine became agitated inside but remained poise outside, "Sure," She looked at Alexjin and gestured for him to come with her but Celia stopped him.

"I only wanted to talked to the young lady," Celia said with her old hands holding Alexjin back.

"I must accompany my master as it's part of my job as her apprentice," Alexjin insist on going inside but Celia is determined to keep him away.

Geraldine noticed something glinted in Celia's eyes which she finds interesting, "You stay outside Alexjin and guard the door," She gives him a smile and waved in dismissal.

Alexjin was dejected and wanted to object but he kept his mouth shut as he didn't want to trouble Geraldine with his whining, "Understood, master." Standing outside, he made sure to stay near the door, so that in case something will happened inside, he can easily access the door and protect his master.

Geraldine saw how spacious is the inside of the store even though outside, it looks like a small broken house, "It's spacious in here," she mumbled as she sits on the chair where Celia directed her.

"It's because, it's under a spell young lady," Celia directly spoke while looking at Geraldine with a knowing look, "I know what you are lady."

Geraldine was surprised at how she just reveal the truth, "I don't know what you mean madam Celia," She spoke with caution as she don't want to blow her cover.

"There's no need to hide what you really are lady Dine as I can sense your mana blended with poison," Celia leans back on the chair, holding her cup of tea, "If you're just a normal girl then, you would already find a healer to take out the poison but you blended it in your body." She added with a smirk.

"And what does that mean, madam Celia?" Geraldine asked, testing Celia on what she knows.

"It means, that you either wanted to get the Paru - paru or you're interested in black element," Celia said without beating around the bush, she already sense the first time she saw Geraldine that the girl is not an ordinary one but special. She also sensed something strange coming out of her but can't point it out but Celia is confident that Geraldine is interested in black element as she's a black element user herself.

"I don't know what you mean but I'm here to buy the store for my business," Geraldine replied, still not accepting Celia's words as she wanted to see how far will she go.

"Oh, please, stop beating around the bush, I already sensed what you are so let's be direct and get down to business," Celia stands up and went to her drawer and take out an envelope, "You know, there are others who wanted to purchased this store but I declined them because I'm finding a specific buyer to sell this place."

Geraldine remained silent as Celia goes back to the chair in front of her and slides the enveloped towards her.

"This is the documents of this store, you can have it." Celia handed it to her like nothing as she chilled at her chair.

"How much is it?" Geraldine asked while taking out her purse.

"Just pay me 20 gold and this land and store is yours," Celia narrowed her eyes as Geraldine placed the 20 gold coins at the table.