The Meet-up: Chapter 29

As the clock strikes nine in the morning, the sizzling noise of meat and eggs could be heard over the burning hot stove. Over one of the tables in the left side of the restaurant, sat one person who was eagerly looking down on the menu.

"..."His mind was at an impasse. His mind was in conflict of a important choice…

"Eggs with bacon?…Or Eggs with corned beef…Hmmmm…"

To choose between two balancing meals in the morning was a crucial part in the life of a hunter. Although it didn't matter though because of how each meal would literally give out the same amount of nutrients…what he concerned himself however was the flavor those two menus bring to his pallet.

"...Eggs with bacon is a staple to the everyday breakfast club, the crispiness of the pan-fried bacon toppled with the ever so soft texture of the sunny-side eggs…just imagining the balance between the two makes my mouth water….yet for the corned beef with eggs, they can topple down the bacon combo with its over flowing beef flavor. With how each corned, salted beef beds with the rice and layered with the ever so soft glistening egg…the flavors they bring can be ever so stimulating."

And again , his mind was at an impasse.

"...wait, what about sausages?" a thought that might bring to a new choice came to mind.

"yes…sausages. They're sweet flavors always bring my mind at ease every time I bite into its parts. Yet for some reason, I always think that it never pairs well with eggs…" but alas, the choice was irrelevant.

"What about steak?" said an outsider as she nonchalantly sat in front of the boy whose mind was at war with an important choice.

"Steaks in the morning? Are you crazy? Steaks in the morning are to heavy for any person to digest. Everything in the morning needs to be paired with eggs so that it'll add the soft glistening texture to our lazy taste bud that just woke up in the morning." Said the boy as he explained his opinions towards heavy breakfast in the morning without ever so looking up to the person who gave out such an idea. His mind was still endowed to the choice between two warring choices, this thought completely disregarded the existence of the person in front of him.

"...I got it!" as he finally made his choice, he rang the button on the table to call out for the waitress.

He could see the waitress walking up to his table with a pen and paper on hand, and as she was upfront of the boy, the waitress made a gesture that implied she was ready to take his order.

"...I'll have the Eggs and Corned Beef please and also an additional Bacon to the sides." His choice made it so that he could get everything he wanted for a balanced breakfast. His mind was finally at peace when he ordered his choice.

"And I'll have coffee please." said the girl who was at the front of the boy. She sat there nonchalantly, as if she was always there.

"Eh?" confused of where that voice came from, the boy puts the menu down and tries to look over the other side of his table.

"!!" to his surprise, what sat over the other side of the table was a pretty girl who had her orange hair tied up to a ponytail, her face fully masked with makeup, with her blue eyes covered over a well-rounded glass and clothes that were picked to be especially feminine and eye catching. A frilly dress with colors that matched her well rounded blue eyes.

The girl that sat over the other end of the table was a beauty.

A Total beauty.

And the boy knew this beauty all to well to forget, this beauty was Ranzy Volde Savez. The Girl he saved once in a gate.

"Y-you're here." said the boy as he was shock to see the girl just smiling over at the end of the table as if nothing was wrong.

"Yes, you said 9:00 in the morning, so here I am." said the girl, as she implied a gesture to the boy saying that 'he shouldn't forget his own request to a person, especially to a noble.'

"...yeah, sorry about my reaction. I got too caught up in my choices on my breakfast meals."said the boy as he apologizes for his mistake to forget.

"Its no big deal." the girl didn't mind what the boy did, all she cared for was the transaction of today's meeting.

"Where's your butler?" asked Hamil as he could only see Ranzy in front of him.

"Henry's just waiting by the car. You said you wanted to talk to me, so I made him wait there."

"I see…Okay then." Hamil was quite relieved of this. He wasn't too comfortable with the butler standing in front of him watching his every move, because of what happened last night. With the butler out of the way, they can discuss things more calmly.

"So, while we wait for the waitress to come back with our order, we should start with this meet up then." said Ranzy as she wanted to start talking with Hamil about the contract.

"...*Nod*…" Hamil nods in affirmation to this.

"Okay, my butler explained to me that you wanted some demands on our contract. You wanted to change some of the contents as well as add some things as well. First, I should read the followings contents written in here so that we can discuss the problems between my demands." she acted rather formal when they came to the discussion of the contract, which does makes sense, since she is in need of his cooperation.

"Okay." and Hamil confirms the start of their meet-up.

As she reads through the contents of the contract with the demands and labels, it was full of benefits showing how they should support each other in the need of the situation. The following pertains…

-First and foremost, you are my ally. When I call upon you, you will respond to my request. As I am your benefactor, I am your priority.

-You are under the support of the Savez family in regards to making you stronger. As in the benefits of potions, training centers, living quarters, Financial support and any at all requirements that will give you the strength to carry me to the top of the Academy.

-You must try your best in the Activities that may pertain to giving us the credits to be the top of the Academy.

- Duels under my name shall not be declined as it is the line of honor and that Group members will fight with their lives on the line if the situation permits.

-You are to work under me from the Start of Monday until the Half-day of Saturday. The rest of the weekdays are yours to do as you wish.

-If a time may come that you will leave for emergencies for personal reasons, you must discuss this with me without lies and doubts and receive my permission.

-If a new member will come aboard the Social Group, know that you are the first in command of my group.

-Romantic Relationships under our group are banned and should not be allowed.

-With throughout our years inside the Academy and if conflicts arise between our contract, I have the right to change certain aspects in the Contract for three times.

These were the demands she wrote in the contract. it seemed reasonable enough for any person that was attending the Royal academy, as this was usually what the deals within the social groups would pertain…except for the Noble family backing part.

Usually people wouldn't get the full benefits from the backing of a single family, such as limitless potions and a personal living quarter, but that was only because of how many members were at a single Social group.

As everything was read and finished, Ranzy looks to Hamil in the eyes and smiles formally as if she was content with the demands.

Hamil however, was in deep thought as he looked over the contract with an indifferent look.

"My benefits here is that, I get the backing of the Savez family. From high tiered potions to exceptional armor…but some of the demands seemed a bit restraining for me."

"Like what?" she asked as she was curious to the demands of the boy.

"One things is that I don't need my own personal living quarter. I know you were thinking of putting me in a student dorm since it was closer to the Academy but I don't need that. I've heard it was expensive to live in one and that most of the students there are from nobility. Attending a noble filled building seems a bit suffocating for me."

"Yes...I was planning on placing you in a student dorm since it was closer to the school and its closer to where I was since I intend to attend a school dorm myself. But since you feel that way, I guess it can't be helped." said Ranzy as she agrees to this change in the contract.

"I'm satisfied with where I'm staying right now. Inside a one-man apartment in Fester Town, there I know a few people, so keeping in touch with them can be beneficial to my mental capacity."

"...I see, I guess I can cross off the personal living quarters then, but promise me that you will always be 30 minutes early before the school starts. A perfect attendance is something a noble should always pertain to, and since you are part of my group, you will follow my standards."

"I guess that's manageable." said the boy as he didn't find any issue with that demand.

"Should I send a chauffeur to pick you up Or will you go by train?" Asked the girl, conflicted whether or not he could keep up with the pacing of his schedule every morning to arrive at school at 6:30.

"The train is fine, its not hard to wake up in the morning. Also, I'd like my duties to be only from Monday till Friday...Saturday till Sunday, I need those times to improve my rank in the Hunter's Association." said the boy as he added another not-so complicated demand.

"...I guess that's fine but if ever a time may arise that I may need your help in the weekends, you will come forward without without question." Ranzy agreed as she also didn't find any conflicts with that demand but added certain aspects of it as if the rule didn't change whatsoever.

"Since this contract will be effective the moment the Academy starts, I'll still have a few days to sort out my personal issues. Is that okay with you?" asked Hamil as he partained to a certain issue he had to solve before the start of the school year.

"It is, but on the first day of the Academy, make sure you accompany me to the entrance of the school to show our own social group to the other groups."

"Wouldn't it be better to avoid socializing with other groups? I mean, it seems like it'll only cause problems if we did show ourselves to them." said Hamil as he seemed a bit worried from Ranzy's bold choice to show-off.

"...most groups would find it laughable that we might be the only group with two members but remember our contract, you have to be oblige to do what I say." said Ranzy. Although it may seem a bit reckless to show-off her single member, she was confident for some reason.

While they continued to talk out the forms and changes of the contract, the waiter returned with a pitch of black coffee and a plate that had Hamil's order put on it. Rice with Corned beef and eggs, as well as bacon on the side.

As the waitress left, they continued on with their discussions.

"It may seem strange for me to know this but I already knew your results in the Hunter's Association. I say this because I don't want any secrets kept from the both of us."

"...I guess I should have expected that, you are a noble after all. Getting my information is easy for you." said Hamil as he understand Ranzy's intention to be truthful.

"Also, at the day of your retaking on the Physical Exam,I will be there to see the results of your best attacks."

"Wait what? But my strength well be just as the same as the scores in the Hunter's association."

"That was a few days ago. In the day of the Physical Examination, you must show me your improvements. Prove to me that you are more than just a simple hunter in the field."

"...Okay." Hamil didn't mind this request as he could easily adjust his strength to an acceptable result.

As he affirmed the request of Ranzy, she took a quick sip of her coffee.

"...Egh..its bitter." she immediately pulls the cup away from her mouth. Showing how she despises bitter things.

"...hmm, it seems like the young miss doesn't like bitter things." said Hamil as he finds the interest of Ranzy a bit amusing.

"...call me Ranzy."

"Eh?" Hamil was taken aback by this…

"Only servants call me formally, but I want you to call me as if were partners. So lose the formalities and just call me by my first name, Hamil." said Ranzy as she reasonably told the reason.

"Okay…Ranzy." said Hamil as he felt weird calling a noble by their first name.

".…" yet Ranzy's response was total silence.

"Whats wrong?"

"...Nothing, it just seemed weird for someone to call me that. Only my Family members gets to call me by my first name, so…" she said.

"But you said-"

"I know! It just seemed weird is all." she said, embarrassed by her reaction to be called just by her first name.

"..."

"..."

"Hmm, looks like everything is settled now. The only changes were the Living quarter and cutting half a day off from my service hours. I don't really have any additional thoughts to this contract because it seemed okay to me. " said Hamil as he summarizes over the changes off the contract.

"Well, it seems like nothing much has changed from the contracts so I say this is a done deal then. You will receive the contract by mail, also I should get your phone number too." said Ranzy as she pulls the contract and folded it back.

"...I don't have a phone number." said Hamil.

"Eh?" to Ranzy, this was an unexpected conundrum.

"More specifically, I don't have a phone…"

but it wasn't that hard of a problem to solve.

"Oh…then I'll provide you with one. It'll come along with the Contract by mail. So expect it to arrive tomorrow."

"You don't have to do that, I can buy my own phone." He said as if to humble himself to her and not make inquiries.

"Contract." she said while pointing out the demand on the contract that tackles the backing of the Savez family.

"Eh…I guess that's what the contract says." said Hamil, admitting to the words written in the contract.

"Then it is agreed upon, by tomorrow you will receive a phone with the already picked out contacts inserted into the card. My number will be there, as well as Henry's and other Contact information that I need you to get in touch with. Numbers like my personal Blacksmith, My Families Personal Alchemist, Tailor, Fund Manager, Merchant of the Company, my Botanist, My personal Tutor, Physical Instructor, Mage Conductor, Tame Master, Necromancer, Biblical Priest and all other people will be added into the phone for you to fully utilize and become stronger."

"..."

"Well, looks like everything will be settled then." she said as she moves her right hand to the front for a hand shake, and Hamil in return unconsciously received her hand. The somewhat formal meeting was adjourned and everything was settled.

She started to stand up from the table to look at his face, give a smile, waved goodbye and walks away as if what she said at the end was nothing to scoff at…

But it was…it was for the poor mentally unprepared boy known as Hamil.

his mood was utterly shooked by how powerful nobles were.

His food has gone cold.

His breakfast is ruined

"W-What?" his reactone was delayed.

I guess this was a good deal after all. Is what he should think at the moment.

Connections were key in the world of becoming stronger. Even to Main Characters like Arthur, he himself gained many connections along the way with his adventures. And through those connections, he became stronger. Even though he wasn't a noble.