章 22: DEADLY TREASURE HUNT (2)
"I heard you got into a fight with Rivo and Nixie."
Oho?
"It wasn't really a fight," Zirkus said defensively. "But I did say some harsh things to them."
"I heard."
"Are you not mad at me?"
"Not really," Enzo said, then he paused for a moment. "For some reason, I find Rivo and Nixie's company boring these days."
Hmm?
"I don't remember why I was desperate to hang out with them before," Enzo said, tilting his head to one side. "Reading your trash fiction is more fun these days."
"Hey, Garuto isn't trash."
"It's trash, but it's entertaining."
"Thank you?"
"Why are you thanking me when you're not the author?"
"Because I was the one who introduced the story to you," Zirkus said with a smiling face. "I feel happy that you enjoy it."
The villain just rolled his eyes at him.
"Enzo, can I ask you a question?"
"You'll still ask even if I turn you down, won't you?"
Zirkus grinned before asking. Although he looked playful, the way he asked was still careful. "Do you feel awkward with Klaus Irvin?" he asked lightly to make it seem like he was merely curious. "You practically ignored him when he greeted you earlier."
Klaus Irvin didn't approach Enzo directly because the dragon saw Zirkus, but Klaus Irvin waved at Enzo a lot.
"Did Klaus Irvin offend you in any way?"
"No, it's just pure instinct."
"Huh?"
"For some reason, I see Klaus Irvin as a prey. My blood tells me to hunt him down," Enzo said casually while browsing the papers in his hands. Just when did he open the envelope? "It's probably because he looks weak in my eyes."
He heard what the future Disaster said, and now he was shocked.
Klaus Irvin was a dragon.
Enzo was saying his blood was telling him to hunt and slay Klaus Irvin?
Zirkus gasped when he thought he finally connected the dots.
Is Enzo from a family of DRAGON SLAYERS???
***
IT WAS pretty shocking.
Zirkus went to the deck to breathe some salty air.
But since there were other people there who looked scared because of his face, he moved to the spot where it was dark and quiet.
And he preferred it that way because he needed to think.
Did the original novel mention that Enzo Fenton was a Dragon Slayer?
He waited for the System to activate his <Nerd for Life Skill.> The Window did pop up, but the message written on it was different from expected.
[New Quest to upgrade your <Trash Reporter Skills!> Find the items you need to unlock the hidden abilities during the treasure hunt! Everything is in the dragon's lair!]
Huh?
'Dragon's lair?'
"Huxford, is that you?"
Zirkus turned around when he heard the familiar voice. "Yelena Dover?"
Yep, it was the Mermaid Princess.
And Yelena Dover was holding a bag of fresh mackerels that she slowly hid behind her back when she noticed him looking.
Aigoo.
***
"I DIDN'T expect to see you here, Yelena Dover."
"Why are you calling me by my full name? You can just call me by either my first name or last name, Huxford. Whatever makes you comfortable."
Zirkus smiled because it was the perfect opportunity for him to call Yelena the way he wanted to. "Then can I call you 'noonim?'"
In the Korean language, men would address older women as 'noona' which meant 'big sister.'
'Noonim' was the polite version.
That's how much I respect Yelena.
"May I know what 'noonim' means first?"
"It's a made-up word from a fiction that I read before," Zirkus lied with a straight face. "It means 'older sister.'"
Yelena tilted her head to one side. "Why am I your 'older sister?' Am I older than you?"
"It just means I respect you a lot."
"That's a relief," she said, smiling. "I thought you were calling me old."
Zirkus just smiled. "Did you choose this place to eat because it's dark here?"
"That's right, but I already changed my mind," she said shyly. "Even though you already caught me once, it doesn't mean I'm not mortified to be caught eating raw fish again."
He chuckled. "You really love fresh fish, huh?"
It was probably because Yelena was a Mermaid Princess.
But since it was a secret that was only revealed in the main story, he assumed Yelena was keeping it a secret at the moment.
Hence, he decided to play dumb.
"Are you not going to ask why I like eating raw fish?" Yelena asked. Even though her question sounded lighthearted, he could tell that she was being cautious. "It's not normal to eat raw fish, after all."
"In our kingdom, it's not usual indeed," he said while nodding. "However, I know a very faraway place where people eat raw fish."
Her eyes opened wide a bit. "Really?"
"They even eat live octopus. Webfoot octopus, to be precise."
She covered her mouth when she gasped. "I love webfoot octopus, too!"
He could only smile while fighting his urge to shed a tear.
D*sney fans would cry if they found out real-life mermaids don't sing with fish and other sea creatures— real-life mermaids actually eat them.
But there was one thing children-friendly shows got right about mermaids.
They're beautiful.
Yelena was just standing there while wearing a simple dress under a cloak, and yet she was sparkling.
"Huxford, do you also eat raw fish?"
"I do," Zirkus said, nodding. "I actually love sashimi."
"'Sashimi?'"
"It's a dish made of thinly sliced raw fish and seafood."
Well, other meats could also be served as sashimi.
But he thought the Mermaid Princess would only be interested in fish and seafood, hence he didn't explain that much.
"I'll prepare some sashimi for you later, Noonim."
Yelena smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Huxford."
"You can just call me by my first name, you know?"
"Really?" she asked, surprised. "Are you sure? I remember you used to throw a fit whenever people call you by your first name."
Ah, so that was why everyone– including the teachers– would call him by his family name.
The original Zirkus Huxford must have hated his name a lot.
"It's okay, Noonim," Zirkus said. Although he found 'Zirkus' a funny name at first, he soon felt uncomfortable that people were calling him by his family name. "You can call me by my first name."
"Alright, Zirkus."
He smiled gratefully at her. "Noonim, are Rivo Creswell and Nixie Winslet here as well?"
Yelena shook her head. "Did you forget that Rivo and Nixie were scheduled to visit Nixie's hometown today?"
Oh.
He thought Rivo Creswell and Nixie Winslet would cancel the trip since Enzo already backed out.
[Did they not get affected by Noonim's words last time?]
"Are you disappointed in me, Huxford?" she asked, smiling. "My friend called me an idiot. Apparently, I was being too relaxed even though my boyfriend and his girl best friend went on a trip with just the two of them."
"Noonim, to be honest with you, I don't feel that close to you yet for me to feel disappointed in your decision."
Yelena looked surprised at first, then she laughed while shaking her head. "What an eloquent way to say you don't care."
"We've only started talking recently, so I can't pretend that I care about you already."
He was curious and intrigued, but it was only because he was a reader of the original novel. Hence, he simply found it fascinating to see the characters' lives happening right in front of him.
But that didn't mean he cared about them on a personal level already.
Not yet, at least.
"That's true," Yelena said, agreeing with his previous statement. "I don't expect you to care anyway." She turned to him and changed the topic. "Enough about me and my pathetic love life. What brings you here, Huxford?"
"I'm just trying to use my brain a little, Noonim," Zirkus said. And since Yelena was honest with him, he decided to be honest with her as well. "Actually, I'm thinking about what Enzo said to me earlier. I asked him about something I've always been curious about, and he gave me a straight answer. And yet, I feel more confused than ever."
"Enzo gave you a "straight answer?""
"Hmm?"
"This may sound like I'm talking behind Enzo's back, but I've known him since we were kids," Yelena said carefully. "And the Enzo I know enjoys playing mind games."
He felt a shiver down his spine.
Why didn't I think that Enzo could just be messing with me…?
クリエイターの想い 
sola_cola
sola_cola Reviews, comments, and power stones are badly needed and highly appreciated. Please let me know your thoughts if you enjoyed the story. Thank you. T_T <3
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