บท 32: Chapter 32 - When Fate Calls
While the robbed dragon roared out in distress, the adventurer trio had flown out into the skies on the witch's broom.
Orihime, who was once the most terrified of this mission, raised both hands in the air and gave a loud shout, happy and excited that they were able to pull it off. They had managed to do the impossible, and she had never felt as alive as she did at that moment.
"I told you we would be able to pull it off," Genta said from the front of the broom, and Orihime placed a hand on her head, messing with her hair playfully while Genta laughed.
Kazuya could still hear the frustrated cries of the dragon from the cave, and he became slightly concerned. So he looked forward at Genta, who was right in front of Orihime, and said, "You are flying a bit too slowly, Genta," pointing out, "Wouldn't the silver dragon come chasing after us?"
"Normally, it wouldn't," Genta said to him.
"What? "Why?" asked Kazuya.
"It's part of their nature," Genta replied.
"So much for being overprotective and paranoid," Orihime added, "Once you steal an egg from it, it leaves you alone."
"You misunderstand, Orihime," Genta replied. "The dragon chose not to chase after us precisely because of its paranoid and overprotective nature."
"That doesn't make sense," Orihime responded.
"It does make perfect sense," Genta replied, "but it is way too overprotective, even among its kind." It is to the point that it wouldn't trust others to watch over its eggs while it comes after us. So it rather acts as if nothing happened to continue keeping watch over the rest of the eggs, having no level of trust in the others."
"Oh," Orihime reacted in realization, "I guess it sucks to be overprotective, huh?"
"Well, you could say that," Genta replied.
While the both of them were having this discussion, Kazuya took note of Genta's brilliance in leading them and her lack of fear even in a situation she was in for barely the second time.
It was at that point that Kazuya made up his mind—he wanted her.
This wasn't because he had his mind focused on something other than the goblin hideout, but rather because something in him felt like finding it and slaughtering all the goblins they could find would just be the beginning of his journey of vengeance.
If that was going to be the case, Genta would be an excellent addition to him and Orihime as a team, and they would have a greater chance against whatever greater enemies they would have in mind after this.
The dragon's egg was kept safely in a large pouch in Genta's little bag as they flew back to the guild. It took less time than it took for them to get to their caves. Maybe it was because of the excitement over what they had accomplished, or because they simply flew faster... Nobody cared anyway.
However, they got back to the guild in less than two hours, and right from the person at the gates, everyone looked at Genta and the others with new respect, as they had done what only a few considered possible.
As they entered the building, Master Shizu saw them from where she was on the highest floor. Without hesitation, she got on a witch's broom and flew down to see them. Then she got down from the magic vehicle to welcome her little achiever.
When she came close to her, Genta brought out the dragon's egg, handing it over to her. Kazuya and Orihime watched as it happened, feeling happy they had achieved this despite the odds.
"Hey, you know this was our mission, right?" she asked Kazuya, who simply replied with a casual nod.
"Now she is handing the egg over to the master as if it were a solo mission she executed on her own," Orihime said to him.
"Just let her be, woman," Kazuya said to her, "we are still the ones who got the egg, whether or not we get to hand it over to the Master personally."
While they were still debating pointlessly, Master Shizu came to where they were, and when they noticed her, they stopped talking, giving her the full attention that was due.
Then, to their surprise, she handed the egg over to Kazuya. The duo looked at each other in slight confusion, wondering what this was all about.
"Come on, child. "Take it," she said to him, and he reluctantly stretched forth his hand and received it.
"Why are you giving it back to us?" asked Kazuya. "What are we expected to do with it?"
"Sell it and use the money to upgrade your weapons and armor," she answered. "Only then will I be able to travel with you without feeling underpowered."
Both of them were stunned by her generosity, not knowing how to properly react to it.
Kazuya frowned, not liking the feeling of having butterflies in his stomach. Now he understood to a greater extent how the Master's kindness had cost the guild so much, and he felt bad to be one of the contributors to that.
Normally their request to Shizu would cost over a million pieces of silver, at best a couple hundred thousand, yet she was willing to lend her service for a single dragon's egg and wouldn't even accept it, instead handing it over to them to boost their weaponry.
This was generosity on another level, on a scale neither Kazuya nor Orihime had experienced in their lives. The two of them remained silent, dumbfounded by the sudden kindness they were receiving from this strange old woman.
"What is wrong with you punks?" "I thought people of your age loved money and fine weapons?" asked the old woman.
"No, it's not that; it's just..." Kazuya became lost for words and remained silent. Then Orihime put a hand on his head and forced him to bow in gratitude the same way she did.
So the two of them gave a bow of thanks, while Genta and the others watching close by laughed, loving to see the way newbies reacted when exposed to their master's kindness for the first time.
"You children are such a drag these days," whined the old woman, "It's just an egg; why are you making a big deal out of it?"
While Kazuya and Orihime stood back, trying to process all that had happened, Master Shizu went to Genta and placed a hand on her head. "I'm so proud of you, little one," she said to her.
Then she brought her hand down to Genta's shoulder and said, "So tell me, how about that promotion you were craving for?" "How about I grant you that promotion right here and now?" she offered.
"Really?" asked Genta with sudden ecstasy.
"Yes, my child." "I can do the coronation right now if you want," Shizu said.
"Whoa!" Genta reacted happily, but not with the same level of excitement as anticipated. Shizu could sense doubt in her reaction and caught her eyes looking back at Kazuya and Orihime, who were standing behind her with smiles on their faces. Shizu took note of this, noticing that her heart and ambition had been captured by something else.
"I see," the master said.
"What?" asked Genta.
"Nothing too important, my child," the old woman said. "Now, why don't you go help those two sell that egg to the guild traders for a reasonable price?" "I have a feeling they would get duped if they went someplace else."
Genta nodded in obedience as she left to talk with the duo, leading them to where they could sell the egg.
While she went with them, Shizu took note of the way she blended with them. They would be perfect as a squad on their own, and she knew it. Then her disciple, the one who was with her on the high floor, came behind her, taking note of who she was looking at.
"It seems I was wrong," the young man admitted. "She pulled it off with them." I apologize for not having enough faith in your little disciple.
"Don't sweat it, my son," she said to him. "A bit of healthy scepticism is allowed in situations such as this, but it does feel rewarding when your optimism gets proven right, despite the odds that are stacked against what you believe in."
Kazuya and Orihime felt quite overwhelmed by the number of silver coins they received, so much so that they wondered if they could exchange them for gold coins instead. They could, but wouldn't, as the gold currency was one that only the rich used and exchanged only among those of the same status. It was like a currency only for the elite, one that felt foreign to the commoners.
They would have to manage the bulk of the pay, at least until they could use most of it to upgrade their weapons and armor.
After receiving their full pay, Genta looked around and pointed at the guild's weaponry, saying, "Come on guys! You want to get your weapons and armor upgraded, right? "Let's go meet the blacksmith!" she said, leading them to the weapons room.
Shizu watched as the trio went on together, and by rightful intuition, she knew that fate had entwined those three for the near future. She almost shed a tear, as she knew she would have to let the little caterpillar leave home to grow into a butterfly.
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