Proving Oneself to the Lord of Fittoa

I felt intimidated, not only by the imposing figure of the man standing at the entrance but also by the intensity of his presence and voice. Despite my unease, I gathered my courage and stepped forward to address him.

"Over here, Sir," I began, trying to match his assertiveness with my own. "It's me who spoke of the Metastasis Event."

The man's gaze snaps to me before he marches in my direction with heavy steps. Once he stops right in front of me, he scrutinizes me intently, his expression stern and unwavering.

"So, you're the one who claims to know about the Metastasis Event," he demands, his voice roaring in the small tent.

Before I could speak, Alphonse arrived just in time. He seems out of breath, perhaps due to him chasing this fierce person. Clearing his throat, the butler spoke, "I'd like to introduce you to the Lord of the Fittoa Region, Sauros Boreas Greyrat."

Hearing the introduction, I meet the lord's gaze head-on, trying my best not to falter under his intense scrutiny. "Of course, Lord Sauros. My name is Dante Greyrat, and I, along with my companion Nanahoshi Shizuka, know the truth about the disaster we experienced."

The man's eyebrows furrow as he listens to my words, his expression unreadable. After a moment of silence, he speaks again, his tone still brusque but tinged with a hint of curiosity.

"What evidence do you have to support your claims?" he asked, his eyes boring into mine.

Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself to explain our proof. I first informed him about my personal experience with the catastrophe and how it teleported me to the middle of a grass field. Then I explained about my encounter with an important person who knew about the Metastasis Event and how it functions.

Lord Sauros's eyes narrowed, his skepticism palpable. "And who is this so-called important person you're talking about?"

"Perugius Dola, the Armored Dragon King," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

For a moment, silence hung in the air. Then Sauros let out a boisterous laugh, his tone quite brusque and doubtful. "Perugius Dola? Do you expect me to believe that a child like you has connections with such a powerful figure?"

As I was about to justify my encounter with Perugius to Sauros, another figure entered the tent. It was Almanfi, one of the Armored Dragon King's twelve servants. We all turned to him, and the lord wasn't happy with his presence.

"Who the heck are you? And what are you doing in my territory?" Sauros barked, his voice dripping with indisputable authority.

Almanfi, unfazed by the lord's harsh tone, stood tall and composed. "I am Almanfi, a servant of Perugius Dola. I am here to give the boy a certain item and a message."

"What did you bring, Sir Almanfi?" I asked, curious about his intention.

In response, he reached for his pocket and took out two yellow whistles, offering each to me and Nanahoshi. "Master Perugius told me that you might need these whenever you want to visit the Chaos Breaker."

"I see, how about the message?" I pressed onward.

Almanfi looked around the entire room, inspecting everyone present. His gaze then settled on Sauros, who stood with his arms crossed, his expression a mix of suspicion and irritation.

"The message is simple," Almanfi began talking, his voice calm and calculated. "Master would like everyone present in this room to refrain from disclosing to anyone about his identity and credit to the knowledge given to these two individuals."

Sauros's expression hardened further, even if that were possible. "And why should I obey the whims of a child and his supposed powerful ally?" he challenged, his voice booming.

Almanfi did not flinch, responding, "Because Master Perugius's involvement with these two is very sensitive. Revealing his identity could lead to unintended consequences. We're trying to prevent further chaos, not to create more."

Sauros glared at Almanfi, clearly displeased but sensing the gravity of the situation. After a tense silence, he grunted, "Fine. I'm keeping this a secret, for now."

"Thank you for understanding, Fittoa Lord," Almanfi acknowledged nonchalantly. "Remember, this is for the greater good of all involved."

With that, Almanfi turned to leave, but not before giving me a reassuring glance. The tension in the room eased slightly with his departure.

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Once the encounter with Almanfi was over, I turned my attention to Sauros, confident that I would win his trust and cooperation. I took a deep breath and spoke my mind.

"Lord Sauros," I began, meeting his intense gaze, "now that we've shown some credibility, do you believe me now?"

The lord's eyes narrowed as he considered my question. "So, what if I do? What is it that you intend to do next?"

"We want to help the people affected by the Metastasis Event," I declared earnestly. "There are still many who are suffering and need assistance in this camp. I may be young, but I will do everything I can to aid them."

Sauros regarded me with a measured expression, his skepticism still evident but tempered with a hint of curiosity. After a moment, he finally spoke, his voice stern but not aloof.

"I will admit, your conviction is commendable, Dante Greyrat," he conceded, acknowledging my resolve. "But the situation here is dire, and I can't afford to trust just anyone who comes claiming to help."

"I understand, Lord Sauros," I complied understandingly, recognizing the seriousness of his words. "But please, allow us a chance to prove ourselves. Even if the task is minimal and insignificant, we will do it."

Sauros regarded me thoughtfully, his gaze flickering between Nanahoshi and me. Then, with a rough sigh, he finally relented, "Very well. If you're truly sincere about helping, then prove it through your actions."

With Sauros's approval, a surge of resolve coursed through me. "Thank you, Lord Sauros. We won't let you down," I vowed earnestly.

The Lord nodded, his expression still guarded but with a hint of cautious optimism. He then turned to Nanahoshi, now noticing her presence after he was done talking to me.

"And you? What's your business here?" he inquired, directing his attention to her.

Nanahoshi, now the center of attention, seemed unsure how to respond. She quickly turned to me and asked, {"Hey, what is this scary person talking about?"}

{"He's asking about your business in this place,"} I answered bluntly.

She grimaced at my response, clearly feeling the pressure. {"How am I supposed to respond to that? Help me here, Dante."}

Realizing her understanding of the Human Language was limited, I stepped forward to intervene on her behalf.

"Excuse me, Lord Sauros," I interjected, "but my companion doesn't speak our language."

"Huh?! What are you talking about?! Explain!" the lord demanded, his tone doubtful.

Feeling tense under his scrutiny, I chose my words carefully. "You see, she isn't from around here and is still learning the Human Language. Please bear with us."

"Then why is she even here in the first place?" Sauros pressed, his skepticism growing.

This was really tricky. If I told him she was the cause of the catastrophe, he would most likely be furious. I needed to find another plausibly true answer.

"It's because... she's my escort," I responded firmly. "After all, I wouldn't be able to travel on my own."

Sauros looked at us both, his expression skeptical but also reflective. After a long pause, he finally nodded. "Fine. I don't completely trust you yet, but I'll give you both a chance. There are many tasks here that need attention."

"Thank you, Lord Sauros," I said, relieved. "We won't disappoint you."

With those words, the Lord turned his back and spoke something to Alphonse. After that, he left the tent without glancing back at us.

"Master Sauros told me to provide you with a tent to stay in and later a list of tasks that need attention," Alphonse asserted as he approached us, his demeanor calm and welcoming.

I nodded, acknowledging the Lord's provision for the job. "Understandable, Sir Alphonse. But if you excuse us, my companion and I have something to discuss on our own."

"Very well, take your time," the butler complied, leaving the tent as well.

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Nanahoshi and I sat in silence for a moment, gathering our thoughts. Eventually, she turned to me and spoke her mind.

{"Dante, what exactly do we plan to do here?"} she asked, her expression tinged with worry.

I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and responded, {"We're going to stay for a while and support the people with their needs."}

{"Say what now? I thought we only came here to gather information,"} Nanahoshi assumed, {"but didn't expect you would say we're staying in this place."}

{"I know, but hear me out. If we help these people, we might acquire the information we need from them,"} I explained. {"Not only that, you'll have time to master the human language and earn the recognition you need for the special privilege in Ranoa Magic Academy."}

Nanahoshi frowned, considering my words. Later on, she sighed and nodded, understanding my words. She turned to me with a weary expression and spoke.

 {"I suppose that makes sense,"} she conceded reluctantly.{"But we should tell Orsted about this. He might be waiting for us and expect us to come back with the information."}

{"You're right. Let's go,"} I agreed, knowing it was essential to keep Orsted in the loop.

After that conversation, we stood from our seats and headed towards the entrance. Once we exited, I noticed Alphonse standing at the side, noticing our presence.

"Oh, where are you two heading?" he asked curiously.

Feeling nervous about telling our intentions, I bluntly responded, "My companion and I were just going out for a walk to get some fresh air."

"Hmm, is that so? Very well, come back once you're done," Alphonse considered my answer.

I nodded understandingly, signaling for Nanahoshi to follow me. We moved through the tents of the refugees and made it to the outskirts of the camp where Orsted was waiting for us.

"Hey, Sir Orsted, over here!" I called out to him.

Noticing my voice, he looked at us as we approached his direction. As we arrived in front of him, he spoke. "So, what seems to be the problem?"

"No, there's no problem. We're just here to tell you about something," I reassured calmly.

Orsted raised an eyebrow, curious about my discretion. "What is it then?"

Answering his inquiries, I informed him about what happened in the camp, telling him about the suffering of the people, my meeting with Alphonse and Sauros, and our intention to stay in the camp to help with the tasks needed to be done.

"I see..." Orsted absorbed the information, nodding understandingly. "Very well, do what you must. I'm going to leave for now and check on you two once in a while."

"Wait a second," I called out before he could leave, remembering something important.

Orsted paused and glanced back at me. "What is it?"

"In case you check on us, could you teach me more magic," I requested, "I only had learned beginner fire and water magic. Besides, I might need them for the task given to us."

The Dragon God considered my plea, pondering what to do. Eventually, he sighed, seemingly relenting to my proposal.

"Fine, I'll see what I can do about it," Orsted complied. "Now, go back in there and help those people as you said."

"Understood."

With that conclusion, Nanahoshi and I separated from Orsted and we returned to the refugee camp, prepared to help the people in desperate need.