The Outlaw [4]

"Haa... my whole body hurts as hell..." Aisam said as he woke up the next day in the afternoon due to extreme exhaustion that surpassed ordinary human limits.

He was sitting on the bed of the room he didn't remember coming to without anyone except another empty bed across from him, and faint sounds outside the door could be heard.

'I have to get outta here!' he muttered thinking back to how kind of a monster she was, why the hell he got so arrogant to consider he could do it soon, and that accepting this mission was his worst mistake since coming to this world.

'But still... she can be a good source of information and potential 'ally' to have...' he thought then an idea struck him.

"I will get some of my questions out of her then decide," he muttered as he got out of bed.

As soon as he stood up from his bed, he noticed his clothes had changed, he wasn't hungry, his body didn't smell bad, and he didn't have any signs of injuries despite sweating and being injured many times.

'Don't tell me... she changed my clothes, fed me, healed me, and cleaned me somehow while I was deeply asleep?!'

He didn't truly know how to feel about it, it was convenient and beneficial... but that's just crazy behavior!

'How much does he love his brother to do such a thing like it's nothing?' he thought while he also felt a sense of humiliation as he wasn't a 12-year-old anymore or even an 18-year-old.

'Sigh, whatever, thinking about it won't solve anything about her behavior, I gotta focus on more important things.'

Pushing the door of the bedroom, he exited and immediately heard some voices as he turned around toward them.

"Boss, are you sure you just wanna settle this during the fighting tournament?"

"Not every lesson is taught in a class, and not every battle is fought on battlefields, and likewise we don't need a rendezvous point for a 'meeting'."

"Boss is right, we will show them the power of 'The Midnight Roses' and get our territory back."

"Yeah, she is right, as long as we have the boss, nothing can stop us!"

"#$%!"

'... So she is 'the boss', huh?' Aisam thought looking at her sitting at one chair with 10 others sitting in front of her, 10 others standing behind the ones sitting, and 2 standing on both sides of her.

'... But why are they all women?!' Aisam thought seeing how every single member of them was a woman.

All of them wearing simple red clothes with some having darker colors and better designs, some seeming menacing, some muscular, and some skinny yet looked better than his current model.

She noticed him from the corner of her eyes standing a bit far away from them and gazing at them and being silent.

"Good morning, bro!" she said locking eyes with him and smiling warmly like his presence was the switch for her mood change.

"Come on, sit beside me! we're all finished," she said as she placed her hand on an empty seat next to her.

'... Sigh, this body swapping really messes with my mind and thought process,' he thought and walked to sit on the seat already prepared for him.

"You can all leave now, and do your tasks," she said dismissing them with a wave of the hand, and they left with a tap with clenched fists on their chests standing straight.

As soon as the door closed, she swiftly turned around turning his chair and facing him as she lifted his seat too and faced him toward herself, "So, you got enough shut-eye? Shook off your exhaustion?" she said resting her chin on her hands while locking eyes.

"Yeah, thank you... Can I ask some questions?"

"Oh, first thing in the morning! Of course, I'll answer anything for my little bro!"

"Ok... D-" she interrupted him.

"Is this about you hunting for your sweetheart? Just gimme her name or what she looks like, and I'll have her to you by sundown!"

"What? She even kidnaps folks for her brother?... I have to keep her on my side." he thought considering how she could probably be useful and helpful in the future considering the nature of his system.

"I can't just tell you right now! I have to make up my mind about my feelings," he said.

"Aww, my little bro finally confessed! But don't forget, if you don't spill it soon, I'll track her down myself."

"Ok, but please wait more... Now, can I ask my questions?"

"Sure thing, shoot!"

"Ahem! Do you know when the Eldrin Academy is gonna start?"

She fell silent for a moment as her zealous expression toned down a few levels turning into just a gentle smile yet a concerned face, "Are you thinkin' 'bout leavin' me alone and headin' off there?"

"Not exactly... Why did you assume that?"

"Not exactly? What's that supposed to mean?" she said as her gentle smile disappeared too, only a concerned face remained, and her hands holding on her chin pose changed to her hands falling on her legs.

"Calm down, sis, I will visit you as much as I can wherever I go, and I will explain what I wanna do when you've answered my questions, alright?"

"... Fine... listen then," she said and sat straight with interlaced fingers.

"The Eldrin Academy's admission tests are kickin' off... tomorrow, for the older bunch, 18 to 20. But if you wanna snag that scholarship, gotta be 18."

"Wait... wasn't the age to enter the upper academy 16-18? And the scholarship 16?"

"Don't know yet? They announced it across the town the other day's morning! 'Age limit for Eldrin Academy bumped up by 2 years'... Nearly everyone in city gotta know it by now..." she said furrowing her brows.

'Shit! I wasn't even in this world that day's morning!' he thought.

"Yeah... I really didn't pay attention to it."

She gazed at him for a few moments as if scanning him from head to toe, "You know I love you, but... I think Eldrin Academy might not be able to accept you... Sorry!" she said fidgeting with her fingers showing she's ashamed of her inability to provide him what he wants.

"You don't need to worry about that, I have a plan," he said and stood up, "You just have to support me from the back when I need you, and leave the rest to me."

"... So, what's your plan?" she said furrowing brows and gazing at him with inquisitive eyes.

"I will tell it to you when I come back?" he said and walked toward the door.

"... Alright, just make sure to keep me posted."

He exited the room, and went straight until he reached the exit to the outside, "Good morning, Nova, you there?"

[Good morning... Aisam... What's it?]

'Can I generate multiple missions or only one at a time?'

[You currently only can have 2 generated missions at a time.]

'Then, put the current generated mission on hold, and generate another one.'

[Actually, you have a random mission right now. Do you want to generate nonetheless or see the random mission?]

'Huh? I guess it's not called 'random' for nothing. Show the random mission then.'

* DING

[Terrorize a slave marketplace. Reward: 15,000 TPs + 1 model slot, Deadline: 2 days, Punishment: Constitution decreases by 7 for 1 month.]

'What?... There are slave marketplaces?' he muttered feeling confused about the mission and where is even the location of the mission.

He fell silent for a few seconds, "Nova, do you have any idea where is a slave marketplace?"

[That didn't take much thought! Do you wanna pick one slave up for yourself?]

'No, Why would ever I do that? It's just at least easier than that impossible mission.'

[Hmm... We'll see about that.]

'Alright, can you tell me where is the slave marketplace now?'

[Let Nova scan the surroundings...]

[There's no such thing in a 100-meter radius, and Nova can't do more than that.]

'It's fine, I didn't actually expect it to be found easily and from the name, I suppose it's not done openly,' he said, and exited the door standing inside the dark abandoned alley.

[So what do you want to do then?]

'What else would you do if you needed info on something probably illegal? Bribing is the option for me.'

Aisam left the dark alley and turned left, retracing his steps from the day before. After a 20-minute walk through the bustling city of Mathema, he arrived in front of a tavern opposite the 'Adventurers Guild'.

Inside the tavern, he headed straight to the counter where a man was cleaning glasses. "1 glass of beer, please," Aisam said after checking the menu and placing a silver coin on the counter.

The man glanced at the money and replied, "1 glass of beer costs 5 bronze coins."

Aisam met his gaze and smirked, "I see you're quite the professional," he whispered, leaning in. "Any idea where they trade in 'live goods'?"

The man's demeanor shifted from indifferent to sinister as he grinned. "Of course, sir. Be my guest."