Bab 42: Insistence
The hours of study passed until Ylsean arrogantly declared:
"What you learned from me today about commerce, I guarantee no one will make a fool out of you."
Joe's response was just a smile that filled Ylsean with the urge to pinch his cheeks, which were no longer as chubby as before.
"I have one more surprise for you, Joe, but first, you need to promise me you won't show it to anyone or talk about it."
"???"
"This is my diary, and I'm sure there are some examples here that will help you at some point in your life. My advice is to read one of these examples every three days, as it will give you lessons you can apply in real life. If you read it once and don't understand, read it again and think about it until you feel you've understood something."
And she handed Joe something wrapped like a gift, which resembled a book. "And one more thing, when you're done reading, you have to give it back to me."
"Huh! But wasn't it a gift, sis?" — asked Dimmy while his sister gave him a few slaps on the head.
"Oh, Dimmy, shut your mouth. And hand over your present."
"You ruined my surprise!" — grumbled Dimmy, retaliating with slaps and pulling his sister's hair.
"Look, brother-in-law, I brought this for you! A gold nugget, it's worth quite a bit. And this rare book, *The Manual of Energy Stones*. From the inferior level up to grade 1, it has all the energy stones listed here, with values, weight, size, and their purpose, along with tips on where they can be found."
Both their eyes lit up, and at that moment, Dimmy was sure his present had been far better than his sister's.
Noticing that little Joe was truly fascinated by that particular gift, Ylsean countered:
"Aren't you ashamed of giving such a present to your brother-in-law? These grade 1 and higher stones are already outdated."
Realizing she had said something she hadn't intended to, she tried to fix it, stammering and denying:
"That's not what I meant, not at all."
Meanwhile, Dimmy teased even more:
"You're dating, you're dating!"
"Cut it out, Dimmy, you're already annoying me. Little Joe, is there anything else you need?"
"I'd like to have a disguise because I'll need one soon."
Immediately, Ylsean opened her shoulder bag and pulled out a rubber mask that resembled a very old and wrinkled person.
But before Joe could take it to examine, Dimmy pulled him to his side and once again stole his attention.
"Look at the size of this Grade 1 energy prism. It's perfect for you to create a good illusion disguise. You know how this works, don't you?"
Suddenly, memories of the confusion at school involving Professor Nali, Dimmy, Miau Lee (not the real one) flashed through his mind like a torment.
Noticing Joe's negative reaction, Dimmy changed the subject.
"Forget the past and just think about the power of this prism in your hands. Do you want it? Then I'll lend it to you for a while."
"Lend? Did you say lend? Dimmy, honestly, I'm ashamed to be your sister. How dare you lend a gift? What will the people here say when they find out who your father is and how stingy you are? And what will they think of me? After all, I'm your sister!"
And, giving him a slap on the back, Dimmy shouted:
"Stop being silly, my sister, I'm just teasing him. After all, he's my brother-in-law."
"Come over here and receive a real gift, Joe. This ring is pure gold, and its surface details are made of crafted level 3 energy crystal. It bears the crest of the Silver Claw Order, from Lord Baron, my father."
The boys' eyes widened simultaneously as they looked at each other.
"Since when did you have that, sis?"
Asked Dimmy, an avid fan of stones and energy crystals, still astonished.
Ylsean just ignored him and, more excited by her brother's reaction, continued speaking to her friend:
"If things get too tough for you here, escape to my city, and you'll be under my father's protection there. This ring can guarantee your safety when you're there. But while you're around here, just keep it hidden, or it could cause you great trouble. Did you understand everything I told you, Joe?"
"Yes, Ylsean, I understand, and I promise I won't cause trouble for you or your family."
Ylsean found that too adorable. A child of that age, so clever and confident in things. He didn't even seem like he was under nine years old. If he were a bit older, he could even be her boyfriend…
She gave a long kiss on little Joe's cheek, without realizing she was still lost in her thoughts, almost in love.
Noticing his sister's enthusiasm, Dimmy got very close to her and whispered in her ear:
"If the kiss is long, the marriage is arranged."
Ylsean blushed, quickly pulling away from Joe's face and apologizing repeatedly:
"I'm sorry, Joe… I'm sorry… It wasn't on purpose."
Joe, in his simplicity and wanting to ease the situation, replied:
"You don't need to apologize, Ylsean… I liked the kiss."
And with a charming smile, he added,
"It was so warm."
Dimmy couldn't hold back when he heard such an innocent and, at the same time, ridiculous statement. He fell to the ground, laughing uncontrollably.
Ylsean, already at the end of her patience, didn't hesitate and, in one swift move, gave her brother a black eye, even though he continued saying:
"They're dating… They're dating!"
Hours later, in the middle of the night, Joe woke up, remembering one of the most fun visits he had ever had in his life. Unable to sleep, he lit the lamp and started looking at the ring he had received from Ylsean, which was very beautiful and must have cost a fortune.
He smiled quietly because, after the conversation with Ylsean, it was decided that they would continue their journey only the next day. So, they were sleeping nearby, in the next room, which belonged to his parents.
Joe was surprised by Ylsean's intelligence and cleverness, and if everything went well, before his friends' departure, he would have good news to share with them.
Then, he reached under the pillow and took out the gold nugget he had also received as a gift, and observed it for a long time.
Lastly, he pulled out the object that caught his attention the most: the energy prism that Dimmy had said was Grade 1.
It was beautiful, wine-colored, and had a slight glow inside. But judging by its size and weight, it could never be just a Grade 1. Unfortunately, there was no one he could trust to clarify his doubt.
Suddenly, the blue screen lit up, and it quickly displayed its intentions:
[Do you accept to activate the Dialogue Ability?]
"Out of nowhere, something like this," thought little Joe.
[Do you accept to activate the Dialogue Ability?] [Yes / No]
"I've got nothing to lose, so…"
[… / No].
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Kall_Berti
Kall_Berti Come on, guys. Add me to your library. If there's no firewood, there's no steam. And without steam, the Maria Fumaça train...stops.
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