Change?

"How is it?"

Alex casually asked with a smile seeing the happy expression of the one he tricked today. Looking back at Alex, Welf replied with a genuine smile.

"It's the best."

Staring at the figure of Alex filled with reverence and gratitude, Welf bowed his head.

"I thank you for your grace Master. With this, I can now make a good weapon to impress Lady Hephaistos."

"Oho~!"

Hearing Welf, Alex suddenly became intrigued.

"Pursuing a goddess, huh? You totally had high standards man, hehehe."

Welf then became a little flustered as he scratched his head with his finger. He was just that happy that made him share a bit of his secret.

"Well I'm not planning on restricting your movements so you're still free to do what you want."

Alex nonchalantly spoke as he stretched his arms and then looked at Welf.

"I'm gonna say this first but you can just call me Alex."

Hearing it, Welf flinched and was about to reply.

"That! I cannot..."

Seeing his response, Alex simply sighed.

"You see...You might be my retainer based on the system but I'm actually not looking for any servants or underling."

Welf was silent when he heard that. As he was now technically a servant of Alex, he was speechless hearing that as the system also informed and engraved inside of him that he was now the servant of Alex.

"What I want is a friend and an ally. Having a submissive servant sounds boring to me."

Even though Alex was a former transcendent being that was used to rule others, Alex didn't think much of having a follower. Maybe because he had lived in solitude and wasn't able to gloriously live as a god was the reason for this.

"I understand Mas...Alex."

Seeing Alex's genuine expression, Welf smiled and decided to comply. He was inwardly glad to be treated as a friend rather than an expendable pawn. Even though Alex tricked him out of nowhere, he knew to himself that he was the one who benefited the most in this endeavor so he had no grudge or whatsoever.

Seeing that Alex wanted him to continue doing what he had been doing without doing anything for Alex, it made Welf glad.

"Then can I make a request Alex?"

"Hmmm?"

Hearing Welf, Alex turned his head to Welf curious what his request.

"Can I see your weapon? I wanna make a weapon for you as a sign of gratitude."

Welf slightly bowed his head as he spoke. Even though Alex wanted to be treated as an equal, Welf still had a great respect to him although he could make a magic weapon out of it.

Welf holds a deep hatred for magic swords, considering them to be objects that rot the user, as they would always break away and leave the user behind. However even with all of this, he was very thankful for Alex which made him make an exemption to Alex.

"That's quite an easy request you have there."

Alex muttered as he took some Assassin's Decree from his inventory. Looking at a dagger in his hand, Alex couldn't help but sigh seeing how damaged the dagger was as cracks were visible. Handing the dagger to Welf, Alex casually spoke.

"Actually I'm not just using this. You see... I have an interesting ability which required me to have multiple with this."

Even though Welf was implying to make a single weapon earlier, Alex tried to become shameless as he explained the use of the dagger to him as he also explained a bit of the capability of his Flying Raijin.

Throwing three additional dagger in every different places in the room, Alex turned into a crimson flash disappearing from one place to another but he did it slowly to allow Welf to see every time he switched places or when he teleported.

"Amazing!"

Welf exclaimed as his eyes widened seeing the Flying Raijin of Alex. He had never heard of anything like this before but because of the grace he had received, he didn't questioned.

Now knowing that the daggers had another use for Alex beside from attacking, Welf intended to create as many as possible he could now know that this is the basic condition for the ability of Alex.

Both Alex and Welf had no problem in creating that many. For the two of them, even without communicating about it, it was like two birds in one stone. Aside from Alex would acquire more daggers in his arsenal, Welf could also obtain more stats the more daggers he created which the two of them greatly benefitted.

"I guess its time to go then."

Alex casually muttered as he didn't want to bother Welf anymore and also to give the latter the time to forge. Seeing that Alex was leaving, Welf said his gratitude again.

"I'm very thankful for choosing me. I swear I won't let you down Alex."

Seeing his seriousness, Alex and waved his hand exiting to the door. Looking at the leaving figure of Alex, Welf took a deep breath and immediately headed to the forge as he was itching himself to immediately start forging.

Exiting Babel, Alex looked at the sky and saw it was starting to get dark already. Moving his way to the Hostess of Fertility like he originally intended, Alex was quite excited just the thought of eating the delicious foods in that pub especially if it was serve by beauties.

Arriving in the front door, Alex looked at the store symbol for a while and entered.

"Crap! The place is full already."

Alex muttered in dissatisfaction seeing that every seat was already occupied. He began to wonder if he should have not come here at all seeing that there was no vacant space.

Like most other places in Orario, one of the busiest time is in the evening and knowing how well known this pub was, this place was pretty full in the evening.

Moving forward towards a tall and burly woman wearing an apron in the counter, Alex saw her busy taking some orders and relaying them back at the kitchen.

As he had talked to him before, Alex recognized her. She is the tavern owner, commonly called as Mama Mia. Upon noticing his arrival, Mama Mia quickly greeted him.

"Welcome to my tavern, boy! What should you like to order?"

Seeing that Mama Mia still asked him even though the place was already packed, Alex thought that he could still eat in this place. He then approached the counter and asked.

"Well, do you have any recommendations for dinner?"

Mama Mia smiled after hearing his question and confidently, "Of course! We have bacon, omelet, fruit salad, bread, milk and drinks as well. Do you want them all?"

"Cough, cough, No! I can't eat that much." Alex immediately rejected her offer and wondered how many people had she cheated so skillfully.

"Fruit salad and a glass of water is enough." Alex quickly gave his order but he was aware that he had no much money left in him so he had to be thrifty.

"Don't you want any alcohol, kiddo?" Mama Mia asked curiously.

"Nope. I don't intend to drink any alcohol now or in the future." Alex shook his head and politely rejected her offer.

"Heh, how come an adventurer not drink? Well you're still a newcomer so you haven't understand the life of an adventurer."

She didn't give him the chance to speak and went to the back of the kitchen with his orders.

"°_°, •^•." Alex didn't know how to complain.

"Well-nya! Mama Mia has no malicious intent. She just wants everyone to relax and enjoy their drinks. Don't mind-nya!"

Turning around, Alex saw a familiar acquaintance.

"Chloe...Nice to see you again."

Alex politely greeted her seeing a lovely smile on her face. Chloe who heard her name flinched in surprise.

"Alex. That's you, right?"

Alex rolled his eyes and said. "I just haven't visited her for the past few days and the super cute Chloe can't recognize me anymore?"

"Yes." Chloe quickly nodded. "You are...you have grown taller~nya?" She walked over and stared at him examining Alex up and down. Unlike the last time, Alex didn't look like a child anymore.

Not sure what she was referring, Alex shrugged it off and said. "I suppose I did have a bit of a growth spurt."

"A bit?"

Chloe was surprised hearing him. He was much more taller than her now, surpassing her height of 158 centimeters.

"Well I am in my growing phase. I mean, I'm only 15, you know?"

"Fifteen?" Chloe blinked as she was confused. 'Wasn't he's supposed to be 12 or 13?'

As the mortal body he created or he wasn't born naturally, Alex didn't put much importance on his age. Age is the concept that he was still confused until now when he was mentally million year old plus entity. For him, its okay to miscount his mortal age when its just a trivial matter.

"Later again Chloe, I don't want to disturb your work anymore so I guess I should find a place I could eat."

Alex spoke in a smile making Chloe looked around seeing there was no vacant table left.

"Wait a moment~nya! I'll arrange a place for you~nya."

As she was about to move, Alex immediately replied.

"No need to go that far. I think I can manage so probably you should focus more on your work. I could feel someone is glaring at you."

Chloe flinched hearing that as the image of being scolded by Mama Mia came into her mind. She then asked Alex one more time.

"Are you sure~nya?"

Alex nodded.

"If you insist-nya..."

Reluctantly saying those words, Chloe returned to her busy work which Alex didn't mind. Moving around the tavern looking for a table he could settle, Alex sighed that there was none.

As he was about to surrender and ask Chloe for assistance, Alex heared something.

"Little Rookie? Is that your title, Bell-sama?"

"Whaddya think, Lili?"

"Um...well, I guess it's...Normal?"

"Right? My goodness said it was "nice and normal", but..."

Looking at a table that has two people but with a vacant seat available, Alex saw a white haired boy whining about something.

'Is that Bell?'

Recognizing him and seeing that there was a space in the table of Bell was occupying who was apparently with someone, Alex decided to be shameless for a bit.

"Excuse me!"

Calling out to them, the two of them turned their attention towards Alex. Seeing that he had caught their attention, Alex awkwardly smiled.

"Can I sit with you guys?"