CHAPTER 62: BEFORE THE CONQUEST (4)

"That old geezer really bends over backwards for you, huh?" I stared at him in a mix of amazement and bewilderment. Who was he, or what did he do that made the headmaster so lenient about him?

"Hey, I'm the one who bent over backwards for him first. Do you think he just trusts me for no reason?" He pouted.

"You're not going to go alone this time?" Elena suddenly asked.

"Not this time. A particular little cub begged me to bring her along." He chuckled as he plopped himself down on a ripped pillow on the floor.

"I did not beg." I said as I clicked my tongue and huffed. Great, this eel came all the way over here after a long trip just to accuse me of begging.

"Well, gramps said I should bring some people along too, so I guess it'll be quite a large party." He sighed as if it was a troublesome thing for him.

"That's good, then. More power means a higher chance of success." I shrugged.

"I don't really like to operate in groups," he said, "I think Jean-jean and porcupine will tag along, too."

"Do you think it'll work out?" Elena asked, "I know you're strong, but we're basically going to face an entire race of monsters here."

I gulped. I was also pretty skeptical about this plan. Maybe it would be too impossible, after all...

"Of course it'll work. I never fail." He smirked.

"Wow, you sure are confident." I sighed.

"My confidence is grounded."

"Sure, sure. So what should we prepare?" I tilted my head to the side.

"No, not 'we'. Just you. Elena will need to stay here. Tee-hee!" He smiled.

"But why? It'd be better if we bring Elena, right? She's strong, you know." I protested. Did he really plan to storm the elves with just 4 people, including me!?

"I can't go. I have things to do here," Elena answered for me while she took a sip, "you'll be fine, kid. Just don't die and that bastard will take care of everything."

"You're making it sound like I'll be useless..." I frowned in annoyance.

"Relax, little cub. You're stronger than you think." General Zhang said as he got up and slapped my back forcefully.

'BAM!'

"Yowch! What was that for!?" I growled at him.

Instead of answering, he just stood there behind me, displaying his annoying grin. I was about to curse when I felt something rising up inside me.

"Huh? What did you do to me?" I raised my hands and stared at my palms in confusion. I tried to open and close my palms a few times before I stared back at him.

"Hmm~?" He just hummed and looked at me in anticipation, still grinning.

I raised an eyebrow as I felt more and more refreshed. Was it... My mana?

I opened my status window silently, and got an unexpected result.

[Stat points: (Yoo Chaerin)]

[Strength: 32]

[Intelligence: 62 (+5)]

[Agility: 24]

[Physique: 30 (+5)]

[Stat points available: 15]

My eyes went wide as I realized that my intelligence had just increased by 10 all of a sudden. How did he--

"Don't tell me you've forgotten already?" He questioned.

"Yeah can you stop speaking in clues and just tell me what happened like a normal person?" I asked in frustration. What was up with people here, thinking I, an outsider, would immediately understand how this world works?

"I returned your 'magic' that I stole earlier, when we first entered the town hall." He smiled.

My brows furrowed for a while, trying to remember and reconstruct the events that happened when we first arrived here. Hmm, I saw the cool architecture, thought about vacation, got greeted by the soldiers--well, the generals were greeted, not me. And then I--

"Oh! That time when I suddenly felt weak?" I beamed.

"Bingo~! That's my smart little cub~" He patted my head proudly.

"Hehe~" I smiled wide, proud of my usually weak memory, "ah, wait! Don't treat me like a pet!" I snapped out of my gleeful moment and slapped his hand away from my head.

"I had to do a lil succy succy on your magic and borrowed it for a while so gramps won't realize how much you truly grew in such a short time. Maybe if I didn't suck you, he would've eliminated you right then and there, tee-hee!" He winked at me while sticking out his tongue a bit.

"Can you please use any other word aside from suck!? Anyway, seriously, isn't there any human rights organization here or something?" I shuddered, "oh, right. How come you have two kinds of magic? Don't you have like water magic or something?"

"Every man has his secrets, remember?" He pinched my cheek playfully.

"Tch."

"Elena, go train her or something, okay? I'll be going until it's time for the raid." General Zhang said as he began walking towards the door.

"Oh, that's right, Elena. I'm going to need your help on something, well two things, I guess." I said as I got up from my beanbag chair.

"What is it?" She asked while smiling widely at me.

"One is regarding my training... I'll tell you later, but for now, can I please borrow some clothes? I really want to take a proper bath." I scratched the back of my head nervously. Please say yes. Let me reunite with my beloved toilet and shower after I lived like a caveman with a talking snake for 2 days.

"Sure! You can go take a bath now, I'll bring you some clothes later~" She gleamed at me.

"Hmm? You want some clothes, little cub?" General Zhang stopped at the door to ask me.

"You lock me here and expect me to magically have luggage?" I asked sarcastically, "this robe isn't even mine. Luke gave it to me."

"Who's Luke?" He tilted his head in confusion.

"If only you'd pay me what you owe, I'd probably have three luggage filled with clothes." I said as I threw Elena's empty beer bottle at him.

"Sure, sure~" He dodged the bottle easily by moving his head slightly to the side, before he stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him.

"How can a guy like him be a general..." I sighed. Weren't generals supposed to be like Jeanne or Owen? Charismatic, strong, high sense of responsibility, and such?

"You'll know why when you see him fight alone." Elena approached me and handed me a freshly washed towel that smelled like lavender.

"Ah, thank you, Elena!" I smiled wide as I caressed the fluffy towel with my fingertips.

"Go ahead and shower. We'll continue your training after that." She said with a grin.

Oh no, what kind of training would she cook up this time...