Chapter 17: Party

It is almost afternoon. Karl is sitting on bed with ice his right cheek. Andressa is making Don't-talk-to-me-face. Zena is nowhere to be seen. There is only silence between the two of them. Karl finally breaks the silence.

"Was the fight between Zena and Martin big?"

Andressa looks at Karl's face and sighs. "You really don't know how to please a girl, do you?"

'I do. But trust me, you are not that girl.'

"Yes, I suck at it."

"Then, please never ignore me again. Do you even know how worried I was?" Andressa's voice breaks at the last the words.

"I know. I won't do it again."

Andressa then gets up and sits right next to Karl. "The fight itself wasn't too brutal. But the damage was enormous. There is only one infirmary in the entire academy and it was destroyed over a lover's quarrel. Many rare herbs were destroyed too."

"Well, if it was this big. Why didn't Ian tell me anything about this?"

"I doubt that Ian himself knows about it. As you were taken to federation, he too disappeared somewhere. Also, this fight was reported around evening."

'Evening? But I send Zena towards the second floor around 3:30. Am I missing something?' Karl wonders.

The door knocks and Andressa goes and opens it. Zena comes in with wet hair and a fresh smell of shampoo, this time fully dressed.

"How was the shower?" Karl asks.

"Great! But I don't think that I can stay here much longer. Some students saw me coming here."

"You can stay in my room? I have a bed vacant." Andressa offers.

"No, but thank you for offering Andressa."

"I think I am going leave this Block." Andressa gasps in shock. Karl doesn't show any reaction.

"Why so suddenly?"

"I was in a relationship with Martin for 9 years. I dreamed about having a family with that man. But I lost that dream and he is out for my blood. Not to mention his brother, Sian. He is the top adventurer of this block. He won't let me live in peace."

"But where will you go?" Andressa asks in concern.

"Oh, don't worry about me child. I used to travel a lot in my youth days. I will manage." Zena looks at Karl.

'Youth days? When did her days ended?'

"Leo. No. Leonard, I know this is shameless of me as a senior and your instructor. But can you return my money? I need every penny possible."

Karl looks at Zena for few seconds and answers "I am just as broke as you are. I don't have a single penny on me." Zena looks disheartened as she looks down.

"Leo, what happened to the reward that principal was supposed to give you?"

Karl recalls, "I don't know about that, they haven't contacted me or anything."

"You requested a item equivalent to the Gale rapier. It was a genius move but I doubt that the academy can arrange something so expensive so quickly." Zena states her opinion. Karl looks at Zena's depressed state and his chest feels heavy.

'Damn you, Leonard.' 

Karl gets up and asks "What is the fastest way to make money without selling anything of any sorts."

Zena looks at Karl standing in front of her. 'He looks big.'

"By hunting rare beasts and completing quests." Andressa answers.

"Then, Zena." Zena almost jumps. "Y-Yes?"

"Form a party with me. We will hunt beasts and gather money while we wait for my reward to arrive."

"W-What?" Both Andressa and Zena opens their mouth in shock.

'Parties exist in this world, right? Please don't ruin my moment.'

Zena clears her throat and answers "Leo, I appreciate your efforts. But the difference between our ranks is too large."

"True. You may have defeated Mikaela but at the end she is a student too. We are talking about wild ferocious beasts." Karl takes a step back.

"You don't have to worry about me." Karl uses Levitating steps and appears behind Zena. 'Too fast.' Zena's senses fail to sense Karl's movement. Karl's speed causes books kept on shelf near Zena to fall down. A memory flashes in Zena's mind.

She remembers, how she found Leonard on a rainy day. His clothes all torn, body shivering from cold, face beaten up. Now, she smiles at Karl and lightly touches his face. Karl waits for Zena to respond.

"HEY!" Andressa pushes both of them away. "Miss Zena, stop acting like this." Zena nods with a blush on her face. "So, we are forming a party, right?" Karl asks.

"Yes, we are."

"Now the only problem remains is the residence. Like where will you live?"

'Should I ask Ian?' As Karl is wondering about this Zena speaks.

"We can just take a week-long mission and camp outside the city and Andressa can inform us if the reward arrives." Karl thinks for a minute and agrees.

"Wait. What about the lectures?" Andressa asks.

"Meh. Like I can attend every lecture. Just cover for me in the mandatory lecture." Karl answers.

"Give me one day. I need to gather my things and meet some people before leaving."

"Okay, tonight stay at Andressa's place and meet me tomorrow at the main gate. Sharp 9 am." Zena's face visibly turns sad as she heard that she has to stay at Andressa's place but she agrees anyway.

After this Karl goes to take a shower and does his daily necessities. He wears a clean and fresh uniform and sees himself in mirror. 'No matter how I see myself, it's still too ugly.' After half an hour of trying to fix his facial posture.

Karl comes down. He opens the door and sees Zena reading [Conquer your mind.] Karl walks in without making much noise. Zena notices Karl and waves at him.

"Did Andressa left?"

"Yes, she said that she had some lectures to attend."

"When are you leaving to Andressa's dorm?" Karl asks.

"Oh my, tired of me already?" Zena asks in a sweet voice.

"No. I am asking genuinely."

"You are no fun." Zena pouts. Karl does not say anything.

"I will leave when Andressa will call me after her lectures."

"Okay, lock the door as I am leaving to do some work."

"Sure, best of luck in your work."

"Thanks." Karl steps of his room and searches for libraries on his watch. He selects the nearest path. Just as Karl is about begin his journey his watch rings.

'Ian?'

Karl picks up the call. "Hey."

"Hello."

"What happened?"

"I just found out about the man who tortured you and almost killed you?"

"You mean Barret?"

"Yes, Barret Soirock. He is a low knight and a member of the Soirock Knighthood."

'That was the power of a low knight?' Karl recalls.

"He is a quite experienced knight. But due to harming the federation officials and trying to disrespect the Chief, he is going to be stripped of his title and forced to work in the mines for 20 years."

'20 years? Is he even going to live that long?'

"This chief guy, is he someone important?" Karl asks.

"Oh brother! A chief is someone who monitors a city and controls crime rate, smuggling, drug use also hunting greater and stronger monsters which cannot be handled by adventurer."

'Basically a cop.'

"Okay. Do you know anything about a man named Sian?"

"Ugh! That man. He is currently Renock city's top adventurer. He is favored by many low knights. Only because he is a scum. He abuses his authority. He harasses general public on daily basis, steals treasures of other weak adventurers and threatens merchants or dealers to sell in his area where he collects special tax. Unofficially he runs a slave market at the Helm Street in Renock city."

"Why doesn't federation arrest him?"

"Apparently, he is the son of the chief of internal affairs in the federation. Although, federation doesn't believe much in lineage. He still gets a lot of power from his father. Whoever takes action against him will get transferred to the red border. That is why the Chief is silent."

 "Then, we might have a problem."

"What?" Karl explains Zena's situation to Ian.

"To be honest, you should not involve yourself with Miss Zena. You have your worries and your things to look after. You can actually die in a month and if you keep overexerting yourself, your time might arrive sooner."

"I know. But I cannot ignore her. She helped me in my tough times and I will pay her back a hundred folds." Karl declares. Somehow Karl's chest feels so light with this declaration.

Ian sighs loudly on the other side. "Do as you like. But remember if you get in trouble, I might not be able to help you."

"Sure."

"Anyways, I have to go. Keep reporting me your co-ordinates while your out of the city." Ian hangs up.

Karl continues his journey towards the library. While there he searches for blocks and continents on his watch. He reads few articles about them. 'Apparently leaving a block is same as leaving a country. Due to humans being in war, traveling through blocks is more difficult and expensive than said. A block consists of 30 to 35 cities. I am in the U block. Assuming that each city has the same size of the Renock city. This planet must be twice or thrice the size of earth.'

Karl looks up as he reaches his destination.