*Argus's Narration*
"I went out for like… 2 hours? And you almost cut a man open!" scolded an Elven Loli sitting across me in a café.
Lili used her Cinder Ella to disguise herself as an Elf child. She now had jade eyes, long pointy ears, and long blond hair. Her petite frame and face was a perfect blend of elegance and adorable.
"But he was going to…" But my protest died down as soon as I saw that poker face of hers, getting scarier by the second.
"He was going to do nothing! You should be glad he wasn't an Adventurer… or he would've cut YOU open." Lili said as she bit off a huge bite of the omelet she ordered.
[She did not have this air of authority about her last night…]
/ She's an Elf now… and whether we'd like to admit or not, Elf is a race superior to humanity. /
[That's not true…]
/I'm talking about the averages. /
"So, what's the plan now Lili?" I asked while I took a sip of the coffee I ordered.
"Well… I have some things I wish to confirm but I didn't have the chance last night."
"Anything, my Loli…"
"What do you know about the Soma Familia?"
"Pretty much everything… I did some research before coming to the city."
"And you're still with me?" She asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Yeah… I told you so, didn't I? Other than 'HER' I only have you." I replied as my lips curved into a small smile.
Lili's hands on the table froze for a second while her eyes lost their focus, followed by a small sigh as she said…
"Well… likewise. Anyway, Soma Familia has two Level 2s, our Captain Zanis Lustra… and a Dwarf Chandra Liht. So, keeping that in mind, do you have a plan of action?"
"Yeah… We're gonna join the Loki Familia."
"We…?"
"Yeah… Listen, I got Blink, storage magic, and another magic I haven't told you about… and I never had Falna, you feeling me? I'm easily an investment even more juicy than The Kenki herself."
The elegant poker face of my Elven Loli crumbled as her eyes flashed wide open,
"You're right! And wh-what's you're third magic?" she asked as her breathing surged, while she thought,
[A Non-Leveled with three innate magic is unheard of! Not to mention the two I know of are insanely powerful. He can easily rival The Nine Hell's Reveria by the time he's level 6 or maybe even surpass her!]
Lili's shaking body was a testament to how shocked she was. So much so, that I couldn't help but wonder what her reaction would be if I told her that I could even stop time with little to no effort.
It took a few minutes to whisper to her about my Dark Vision and by the end, Lili lumped onto the chair ready to faint any moment.
"YOU. YOU. YOU! You were not supposed to tell that! I know you trust me and everything and stuff but your Magic is your greatest secrete! Just where the hell did you come from, anyway? Is everyone so trusting to each other at your place?!?" she gasped while trying to gather all the pieces of sensibilities she could muster.
"From a colossal ass castle far… far away, to be honest. And you asked!" I replied with a laugh while gazing at the gasping Elven Loli.
"And you should've lied! Or pass it off!" came her retort.
With a slight blush I looked into her wide eyes while scraping my hair, I strutted out,
"Well… cuz' you're my friend, Lili. And it's not like I'm gonna lie to my friend or anything!"
My words stunned time of ours at that moment as Lili's wide eyes stared into mine, which was doing their best to keep eye contact. But, in the end, I got too damn embarrassed and flung my eyes towards the window in an even more embarrassing effort to change the topic.
"Yeah… Nic-Nice climat- weather today! Isn't it?"
"Chusee… heheha…" a peal of bell-like laughter rang from her.
Turning back to her, I saw a laugh so beautiful… so pure, that I forgot myself in it.
Gazing back at me with a grin on her face and slight tease in her eyes, she said, "Friends, huh? Sure…"
"Yea-Yeah sure! Now back to the topic!" I said, with my nose pointing at the ceiling in a vain attempt to hide my embarrassed face.
[Man, I'm so not good at this…]
/No, you did great! I'm so proud of you… /
"Okay… back to the topic then," Lili said.
"So, being as magical as I am… I'm pretty sure Loki Familia will welcome me with open arms even if I put up few conditions."
"And the conditions are?"
"To buy your freedom, dummy! And accept you in their Familia."
A sigh of relief escaped from her lips as she said,
"That's a great idea…"
"Yup, and if that doesn't work… Then we'll go to Hephaestus Familia."
"But they are blacksmith's Familia. Your magic is not worth much to them…" Lili said while her head swayed in confusion.
"I know… but magic isn't my only bargaining chip."
"You have more!?" She exclaimed, in yet another shock.
"Yep… Here, take this…" I said, while I took out The Corvo's Blade from under the table and drew the blade out, and handed it to Lili.
Blade lost all its sharpness the moment Lili held it.
"What the…? She said as she gazed at the dull blade in wonder. She just saw a razor-sharp blade lose its edge in seconds, right before her eyes.
While, I on the other side of the table, laughed out loud.
It was exactly like I thought.
Grinning ear to ear, I spoke, "Do you know what that means, Lili?"
Lili's agape mouth and frozen stature replied in her stead.
"My short sword is alive… Basically, it's a Pseudo-Devine Construct."
"D-Devine…? She mumbled as she gazed at the dull sword in a stupor.
In a realm where actual Gods roam, the word Devine had a lot of weight.
"Yeah… It will always be just as strong as I am… it will need no maintenance, it will never lose it's cutting edge as long as I am the one using it, and it's indestructible. Gods can forge weapons like these using hieroglyphs they use to inscribe Falnas... that's why I said, this blade is alive. Its status is directly proportional to mine."
I said, still lost in the sweet taste of owning a weapon similar to Bell's black knife- Hestia Knife.
Lili, on the other hand, sat there with hands trembling, while she looked at the sword in her hands like it is the treasure it actually was. Softly placing it on the table, she spoke after a few moments of silence,
"Master Argus… just who are you really?"
"I'd rather not talk about it, Lili… Maybe when I'm drunk or something?" I said with a forced smile. It was a topic I am bound to tackle, eventually. And given my 'No Lies' policy, I just can't make up a story.
"No… it's fine! Don't worry about it."
"Yeah… so we can use this sword as a bargaining chip… and ask Hephaestus to help us, or accept us in her Familia… And if nothing works, then I'll join Freya Familia."
"Freya…?"
"Yeah… coz we would've told two of the strongest Familias about all our cards… and Freya is the only one who will keep us safe even then."
"That makes sense… But I'm sure it won't come to that."
"Yup... and besides your Cinder Ella is nothing to scoff at either. So, what's the plan for now?" I asked.
"Black Market… Dungeon, and then… The Guild to ask about the Loki Familia's recruitment program." Lili replied with an excited grin. The future she was seeing was getting brighter by the second.