Chapter 109: The Golden Heart

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"Holy Shit, this place is freezing. Mullin, what the fuck are you still doing? Don't tell me your piss got frozen in your dick!"

"What the hell are you yelling for, Andre? Wanna scare the little creatures?" the man addressed as Mullin walked out from behind a tree rearranging his pants in the process and spoke to the other man who sat on a sledge tied to two horsedeer.

The former had a fair enough skin for a man with brown shirt hair. He donned a brown coat about two fingers thick, a great sword rested beside him on the sledge. The latter, however, was on the darker side in complexion, he had long black dreadlocks with bright green eyes. He wore a black vest, although buttoned up his chest was still exposed as he stood 6'10" tall with well defined muscles. Surprisingly he looked like the chill did no damage to him.

"There ain't no fuckin' animals, you blockhead. Only these horsedeer, now get on we can't remain here." Andre retorted.

After getting on the sledge he stirred them forward. Booms of laughter came from the sledge as they sped off leaving the surrounding in a blur as they passed by. When they travelled on for about two miles, they stopped for a rest.

"Haha! You should have seen the face of lady Cecile when that bastard came to flirt with her again, it was like she might as well go mad." Mullin laughed at a memory.

"You know we shouldn't be talking about the lady behind her back..."

""Hahaha...!"" right after Andre's words fell they both burst out laughing.

"What? You don't think it is something not to drink about? She was like 'I swear, I'm gonna kill him one of these days' haha!"

Andre laughed so hard that he couldn't sit straight. He remembered well that on that day what had transpired was indeed funny., but no one would voice that out. "Man, you are so... what's the matter Mullin?" Andre stood up straight ready for battle as the latter stopped laughing in the sledge. He looked at the direction as his eyes turning into slits. "What's wrong lad?" he asked again.

"Someone's coming towards our direction."

"A threat?"

"Not sure..." Mullin answered back.

A hooded figure could be spotted about 1.5 kilometres away from there position, staggering ever so often.

"I smell blood." Mullin said. He held no weapon but clenched his fist ready to give anyone a good punch.

"A trap?"

"Don't know, let me take a look."

"Careful man."

Mullin walked forward decreasing the distance between him and the hooded figure. The closer he came the more his muscles twitched. He opened his palm as though ready to give a hard slap.

"He... Help... Me." a croaked voice came from underneath the thick hood. Before Mullin could make heads of what it meant the figure feel feebly in the snow, seemingly lost consciousness.

Both the chill from with and outside could no longer help suppress the poison coursing through the veins of the hooded figure, they began turning part of the body black every passing minute.

***

"Oh wow, look at this place, it's huge!" Ben softly exclaimed to himself standing in front of what he would call a Five Star restaurant in his previous life. So many luxurious carts were parked in the designated place for parking, the restaurant could be seen surrounded by the rich.

Parthill district is a small sized district that could actually be called a quasi-slum. This is because even though the rich comes from the central area, the underdeveloped district prevented the rich to dwell in such a place. However, there is no other place better than here to be able to find almost anything you seek, be it smiths, tailors, merchants, hotels, restaurants, taverns, inn etc.

Amongst all, there has been a very good business that has been rising speedily drawing more diplomats and wealthy merchants to the quasi-slum. This forced the City Lord to put an eye at the place for restructuring for the rich men and women who go there.

Over the past year the reputation of this restaurants has increased exponentially. The restaurant stood three storeys high, it's windows were fixed with French style glass. A guard in full body armour stood by the entrance, one could see a string of well dressed people going in and put ever so often.

Ben has finally arrived at Nalazi City. He was back to his normal huntings suit covered with a long black leather coat that made him look like one of his favorite vampire hero from his previous life.

This was one of the things he bought when he received the first payment of Contribution Points from the school. A high level magic robe that also have protection runes preventing the wearer from instant death when faced with anything below the Fourth-level.

This is the most expensive magic robe any Unspoken from The Phantom knew of in the Exchange Point. To him there wasn't a need to wear it in its robe form showing his status as a Spellcaster, it made him feel cast out from society... Well that's the main point.

Flamion stood proudly besides Ben, his fiery red coat became even more splendid under the blazing sun, yet Ben had no idea that his horse is having a transformation, even the beast had no idea of this. The process is a very slow one and is very unnoticeable at the moment. It's every muscle was showing its powerful stature to the world. What Ben did notice on his way back however, was that Flamion became much faster and stronger but on a minor scale.

"Stay here boy, let's see how they've been doing. Don't go about disgracing the other studs okay." said Ben with a stern warned to the mount. Flamion gave a neigh as though a laughter. Ben simply hung Flamion's reign on the horse stand not far off.

"Welcome to The Golden Heart Restaurant, sir. Do you have a reservation or would you like me to take you to a seat." an attendant quickly came to answer Ben when the staffs saw him just standing by the door.

"No actually, I don't. It's actually my first time here. I'd like to see what you can offer." Ben replied with a smile.

Hearing that this is Ben's first time entering The Golden Heart restaurant the waitress babe became ecstatic. "Really? Then you didn't make the wrong choice by coming here, we have a variety of dishes that we can guarantee you'd love. Please, follow me." the waitress led him to an empty table and showed him the menu. "I will return in a while to take your order, sir." with that she turned on her heels and left.

On the menu there was indeed a variety of dishes, some of which he hadn't heard of - Maybe it's local for other places. Some however, he was familiar with such as the scrambled eggs, pork pitch, oatmeal and many more.

Looking through the list written in a very artistic design the price was what gave him a shock. A simple scrambled egg was ten silver coins, and that was the lowest price with the highest going as high as 95 silver coins, almost one gold coin!

'If it's like this for the ordinary customers, how would it be for those VIPs up there? Hehe' Ben thought to himself chuckling at heart.

"Have you chosen what you'd want, sir?" the waitress from earlier came back as promised.

"Yes, mind I ask, do you have Starkin wine?"

"Yes... yes we do." the waitress' eyes began to bulge almost falling off when hearing Ben's first offer. That was the most expensive wine served to the VIP in the third floor.

"Good, I'd want a bottle of Starkin wine, a plate of scrambled eggs and sunny roast and some fruit salad for dessert. The fruits shouldn't be anything specific, I believe you can make a good choice for me, right?" Ben listed as he looked The menu with a serious expression, little did he know that his list left the waitress in a storm of emotions from shocked to happy then numb.

The woman was just speechless. Very few people who stay at the ground floor could at most spend about one gold coin or less. And that was if they were with a partner, definitely not alone and in one sitting.

After jotting down his order she left to get his food ready in the quickest space of time. She felt that such costumer isn't meant to be at the ground floor but the third.

Ben didn't wait long as a waiter brought a dark green bottle and wine glass at hand. With swift smooth motions the waiter was done pouring Ben a cup and left. Ben held the cup, bringing it close to his mouth he took a swift sniff, it has become a habit of his. Glad with the outcome he took a small sip while waiting for his dishes too be served. Luckily, halfway through his drink his food was ready and served.

'Nice moves when pouring the drink and really fast service, very impressive.' Ben commented in his head when he saw how efficient the staffs here were.

"Everybody out! Master Tipher had reserved this first floor to have his lunch break!" a very loud voice that resounded like thunder in the wide ground floor, probably enhanced by a Seed, came from the entrance.

Everyone turned to the entrance only to see... a blub of a person surrounded by five hefty men. Ben was amused by the groups behavior. This wouldn't be the first time he has met with scums along his travels, but this one is among the biggest scum of them all.

'If they feel bigger than others in the grounds floor, why not go to the VIP area?' Ben thought.

"Young master Tipher, welcome. Why don't I lead you to a VIP room so you may have your lunch there instead? As you can see the place is a bit messed up." a rather fat man in a black suit came to the group and pleaded. He must be the manager of the place.

"I don't want a VIP room peasant I want this entire floor to have my lunch break, or would you want me to inform my father that you are going against my wishes?" Tipher sneered making him look like he was closing his eyes. He looked very awkward.

"Th... There's no need to inform the City Lord over a little matter. Just give me a little time to inform the customers first," the manager was gloomy as he turned to face the people inside the place, "Please, I am sorry to inform you that this floor has now been reserved by young master Tipher. If you can kindly put down your name on your menu card, we'll be sure to compensate each and everyone of you when you return. Once again The Golden Heart apologizes for the inconvenience." his voice was even and clear but highly sad when he bowed to the customers.

A clamour ensued as his words left his mouth. People were unhappy with the treatment they were receiving, but like the manager they could do nothing since every person in the grounds floor couldn't go against an aristocrat much less a noble.

Ben watched the drama with a smile on his face. If this is what has been going on for the past two years, things are about to change. Ben decided to continue with his meal with an even more slower pace trying his best to savor the rich taste of the dish before him.

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I want to thank Hex56 so much for pouring in so many Power Stones for my book, The Cold Flames.