"Ehh," Melvin glanced and immediately knew what he was thinking, so he just waved his hands and said, "Don't mind him..." before his voice trailed off for a few seconds, and said, "Anyway, raping and killing huh?"
Hearing the way the subject was broached, Karl froze, and his body couldn't help but tense up, "Yeah... how about that?" He said, chuckling nervously to ease his nerves.
However, when Melvin noticed all of that he heaved a huge sigh of relief.
For Karl to behave in such a way even after letting them inside his house only meant one thing, he still had some faith in him, and at the same time, he was slightly nervous, a reflection of his own doubt Melvin reasoned.
"You know," Melvin said, "I had actually lied to you about something." But he quickly noticed how the man in front of him seemed even stiff, and he quickly chided himself for phrasing it in such a way. Finding the situation slightly amused, he gestured inside the house and said, "Can we talk inside?"
Finally remembering that, Karl nudged his head with his said, "Ah.. yeah, sorry. I forgot, please come in."
Once inside, Melvin sat in one of the comfortable chairs in the living room, and Firrol sat on the soft sofa to his side.
"Do you want to drink anything?" Karl offered, still standing in the opposite direction.
Feeling his mouth, Melvin indeed wanted something, but he didn't want to impose too much that was when his eyes caught sight of a teapot above the table. "Is there something here?" He asked.
"Yes, but it's a bit cold as I drank from it a while ago."
"It's fine," He said, "Just give me a cup of tea."
That was when Firrol let out a long meowing sound.
Awkwardly coughing, Melvin gave a wry smile and said, "For him too, please."
Chuckling to himself, Karl walked into the kitchen and he quickly came back with small glass cups. After pouring tea into the three cups, he positioned each one above the table in the place closest to the three, and he finally sat down opposite the main guest.
With his hands still reaching for the cup, Melvin uttered, "Do you remember that story I told you the first day we met?" he grabbed the cup with his right hand and leaned back against the couch, "About how I was randomly strolling outside the city and I fell in the irredeemable pit?"
Amidst his first sip, he saw the man nodding in acknowledgment. It was then that he heard a gentle clinking of the cup against the table as the cat quickly drank the tea, his tongue darting out in quick, precise movements. The sound was sharper, more urgent than before, punctuating the quiet conversation with a peculiar touch.
Quickly averting his eyes, Melvin continued from where he left off, and then using his title once again, he recounted a story. In the actual story of what happened, he also made an active effort to explain the reason he had lied that day was because he didn't want to impose too much and end the story in a negative tone, which from Karl's expression he knew he appreciated.
In the end, he even told him about his encounter with Johnathan Parker. Melvin suddenly found himself becoming slightly shrewd, and manipulative. Every word of his was laden with motives and double meaning, and he didn't like that one bit. However, he also understood that his life was at stake here, and so some flexibility was necessary.
When Karl processed all of that story, his eyebrows furrowed, and with a slight tilt of the head, he released a heavy sigh, his breath escaping like a gust of wind. As he shook his head slowly, his lips formed a thin line, conveying a mixture of disbelief and exasperation. "Wow, all of that?!" He exclaimed, still unable to believe it all.
But there was something that made him slightly doubt everything he had heard about so far, "But," He said, his voice reflecting his own skepticism, "How were you strong enough to kill those deep sea adventurers? And even the assassins on that roof?"
He had heard of some despicable figures who conflated the bounty of criminals through their own work to gain a bit of money, and though they were vile creatures, they were also strong. How could the man who just four days ago was a classless nobody from the slums be able to do all of that?
Melvin knew that it was time for him to lie, and at the same, he also realized something very crucial he had overlooked before. He was now in a room with two different people who had a different sets of information about him, and if these people were to combine their knowledge, they would immediately notice all of the peculiarities shrouding his existence. Something he knew wouldn't bode too well for him.
After a quick calculation, he gestured toward the cat, and said, "When I was chased by some guards I fell into a house, and that's where I met this cat." He said, introducing him in a way that would force Firrol to remain unverbal, although he knew the feline wanted the situation to remain as such too. "He's pretty strong, and he has helped me immensely in the last few days."
Karl had an enlightened expression on his face as he could tell from the beginning that this cat was special. Several species of domesticated cats were even bigger, so the size wasn't telling enough, it was its intelligence. He could see wisdom behind those innocent eyes that drank tea with a satisfying expression.
Still, this was all too much for him. He knew that he had offered his assistance to the man in front of him before, but that was when he saw him as just a little kid that had potential and he wanted to help him if he could. Now, however, if he was caught offering any kind of assistance to a serial killer fugitive with a 1000 gold coins bounty, he would be finished.
Naturally, Melvin was aware of this too. This could be said to be the biggest point in this meeting that he had thought of many times over, and so with a confident voice, he said, "Look, Karl..." He looked at the man in the eyes and continued, "I think it should be clear enough that for me to come to a man's house who's plenty stronger than I am in this sensitive period is a good indication of both how desperate I am, and also how highly I think of you although we don't know each other than much. Right?"
With an awkward smile, Karl scratched his head, feeling that he was seen through, "Of course."
Smiling back, Melvin assured, "But I only have a very small favor to ask of you, and if something terrible did happen, I can assure you that I will use my words to absolve you of anything that might be thrown in your direction. And if you do this for me, know that you'll have tremendously helped me, and if I were to prevail against all of this... I will pay it back tenfold."
Then, he noticed something and joked, "See how I didn't say a hundred? I am not that confident of repaying that much, a tenfold sounds just right."
Karl began scratching his head with both hands, throwing his hair into a mess before he sighed deeply, and said, "Alright... tell me what is it that you need?"
"It's simple really," Melvin unconsciously glanced at Firrol as he spoke, wondering how he should phrase this with a certain issue in mind. But knowing that he couldn't delay this issue any longer, he decided to risk it, "I will give you money, and I want you to bring me a Thief Stone Class."
As for what he would be risking? It was the fact that he knew that people weren't able to get XP without Classes, and Firrol knew that he was strong enough to have a Class, so his favor would raise a question in the feline's mind, 'What does he want to do with that Class Stone.' There was also the possibility of Karl who knew Melvin had no Class to say something potentially risky and further fuel that doubt.
"That's it?!" Karl asked, clearly expecting something more dangerous.
Melvin smiled and said, "Yes, that's it." But he knew that just this much was serious and could dangerously implicate the man in front of him.
Fortunately, Karl didn't say anything else about that topic, but just directly accepted, "Sure, I will do it."
With a barrage of 'Thank you's' Karl swiftly received a small pouch that Melvin already prepared beforehand with 80 gold coins inside.
"And sorry for making you late," Melvin apologized again. He could guess from Karl's attire that he was an adventurer, and he probably had people waiting for him for some expedition.
"It's fine," Karl waved his hand nonchalantly as he stood up, "Anyway, you just wait for me here, it won't take long."
When the door closed shut, the question Melvin was expecting had finally come. "What do you want to do with a Class Stone?"
Melvin was already thinking of whether there was a lie that he could tell to Firrol and convince him. However, the notion that just his runes alone were capable of making someone at Initiate Rank 1 kill someone at the Novice Tier was unbelievable.
Thus, he just shrugged his shoulders and said, "It's for someone very important. Don't worry about it."
Naturally, Firrol could tell that it was for someone very important, after all, Melvin had worked very hard for it. But the question was who, strain his mind as he could, he wasn't able to think of anyone from the stories he had heard from him thus far, further adding to his intrigue.
He even believed that maybe the Class Stone was for him, and so he said, "You know monsters don't have classes like the ones humans do."
Melvin thinking it was just a random topic of conversation, although one very interesting, asked, "Why is that?"
"I don't know," He said with a smile, noticing the man's expression, "My class is my species I suppose, and those are the skills that I get." Finally remembering to ask something, he said, "What class are you even?"
Melvin smiled when heard that question, and said, "Thief." And he remembered how the cat in front of him wasn't even aware of his own name. Curious, he asked, "Do you know what is my name?"
Hearing such an unexpected question, Firrol's previously cheeky smile froze, and he couldn't help but feel terrible. But it wasn't something he was used to, even his own name was something that he didn't consider very much. However, he understood how such a behavior could be perceived as uncaring and nonsensitive, so joked to defend himself, "No... I am a cat. I know how you smell like, so in human language, I know your name."
Melvin knew the reason behind the reply, and so he just smiled and said, "Melvin."
"Ehh," Melvin glanced and immediately knew what he was thinking, so he just waved his hands and said, "Don't mind him..." before his voice trailed off for a few seconds, and said, "Anyway, raping and killing huh?"
Hearing the way the subject was broached, Karl froze, and his body couldn't help but tense up, "Yeah... how about that?" He said, chuckling nervously to ease his nerves.
However, when Melvin noticed all of that he heaved a huge sigh of relief.
For Karl to behave in such a way even after letting them inside his house only meant one thing, he still had some faith in him, and at the same time, he was slightly nervous, a reflection of his own doubt Melvin reasoned.
"You know," Melvin said, "I had actually lied to you about something." But he quickly noticed how the man in front of him seemed even stiff, and he quickly chided himself for phrasing it in such a way. Finding the situation slightly amused, he gestured inside the house and said, "Can we talk inside?"
Finally remembering that, Karl nudged his head with his said, "Ah.. yeah, sorry. I forgot, please come in."
Once inside, Melvin sat in one of the comfortable chairs in the living room, and Firrol sat on the soft sofa to his side.
"Do you want to drink anything?" Karl offered, still standing in the opposite direction.
Feeling his mouth, Melvin indeed wanted something, but he didn't want to impose too much that was when his eyes caught sight of a teapot above the table. "Is there something here?" He asked.
"Yes, but it's a bit cold as I drank from it a while ago."
"It's fine," He said, "Just give me a cup of tea."
That was when Firrol let out a long meowing sound.
Awkwardly coughing, Melvin gave a wry smile and said, "For him too, please."
Chuckling to himself, Karl walked into the kitchen and he quickly came back with small glass cups. After pouring tea into the three cups, he positioned each one above the table in the place closest to the three, and he finally sat down opposite the main guest.
With his hands still reaching for the cup, Melvin uttered, "Do you remember that story I told you the first day we met?" he grabbed the cup with his right hand and leaned back against the couch, "About how I was randomly strolling outside the city and I fell in the irredeemable pit?"
Amidst his first sip, he saw the man nodding in acknowledgment. It was then that he heard a gentle clinking of the cup against the table as the cat quickly drank the tea, his tongue darting out in quick, precise movements. The sound was sharper, more urgent than before, punctuating the quiet conversation with a peculiar touch.
Quickly averting his eyes, Melvin continued from where he left off, and then using his title once again, he recounted a story. In the actual story of what happened, he also made an active effort to explain the reason he had lied that day was because he didn't want to impose too much and end the story in a negative tone, which from Karl's expression he knew he appreciated.
In the end, he even told him about his encounter with Johnathan Parker. Melvin suddenly found himself becoming slightly shrewd, and manipulative. Every word of his was laden with motives and double meaning, and he didn't like that one bit. However, he also understood that his life was at stake here, and so some flexibility was necessary.
When Karl processed all of that story, his eyebrows furrowed, and with a slight tilt of the head, he released a heavy sigh, his breath escaping like a gust of wind. As he shook his head slowly, his lips formed a thin line, conveying a mixture of disbelief and exasperation. "Wow, all of that?!" He exclaimed, still unable to believe it all.
But there was something that made him slightly doubt everything he had heard about so far, "But," He said, his voice reflecting his own skepticism, "How were you strong enough to kill those deep sea adventurers? And even the assassins on that roof?"
He had heard of some despicable figures who conflated the bounty of criminals through their own work to gain a bit of money, and though they were vile creatures, they were also strong. How could the man who just four days ago was a classless nobody from the slums be able to do all of that?
Melvin knew that it was time for him to lie, and at the same, he also realized something very crucial he had overlooked before. He was now in a room with two different people who had a different sets of information about him, and if these people were to combine their knowledge, they would immediately notice all of the peculiarities shrouding his existence. Something he knew wouldn't bode too well for him.
After a quick calculation, he gestured toward the cat, and said, "When I was chased by some guards I fell into a house, and that's where I met this cat." He said, introducing him in a way that would force Firrol to remain unverbal, although he knew the feline wanted the situation to remain as such too. "He's pretty strong, and he has helped me immensely in the last few days."
Karl had an enlightened expression on his face as he could tell from the beginning that this cat was special. Several species of domesticated cats were even bigger, so the size wasn't telling enough, it was its intelligence. He could see wisdom behind those innocent eyes that drank tea with a satisfying expression.
Still, this was all too much for him. He knew that he had offered his assistance to the man in front of him before, but that was when he saw him as just a little kid that had potential and he wanted to help him if he could. Now, however, if he was caught offering any kind of assistance to a serial killer fugitive with a 1000 gold coins bounty, he would be finished.
Naturally, Melvin was aware of this too. This could be said to be the biggest point in this meeting that he had thought of many times over, and so with a confident voice, he said, "Look, Karl..." He looked at the man in the eyes and continued, "I think it should be clear enough that for me to come to a man's house who's plenty stronger than I am in this sensitive period is a good indication of both how desperate I am, and also how highly I think of you although we don't know each other than much. Right?"
With an awkward smile, Karl scratched his head, feeling that he was seen through, "Of course."
Smiling back, Melvin assured, "But I only have a very small favor to ask of you, and if something terrible did happen, I can assure you that I will use my words to absolve you of anything that might be thrown in your direction. And if you do this for me, know that you'll have tremendously helped me, and if I were to prevail against all of this... I will pay it back tenfold."
Then, he noticed something and joked, "See how I didn't say a hundred? I am not that confident of repaying that much, a tenfold sounds just right."
Karl began scratching his head with both hands, throwing his hair into a mess before he sighed deeply, and said, "Alright... tell me what is it that you need?"
"It's simple really," Melvin unconsciously glanced at Firrol as he spoke, wondering how he should phrase this with a certain issue in mind. But knowing that he couldn't delay this issue any longer, he decided to risk it, "I will give you money, and I want you to bring me a Thief Stone Class."
As for what he would be risking? It was the fact that he knew that people weren't able to get XP without Classes, and Firrol knew that he was strong enough to have a Class, so his favor would raise a question in the feline's mind, 'What does he want to do with that Class Stone.' There was also the possibility of Karl who knew Melvin had no Class to say something potentially risky and further fuel that doubt.
"That's it?!" Karl asked, clearly expecting something more dangerous.
Melvin smiled and said, "Yes, that's it." But he knew that just this much was serious and could dangerously implicate the man in front of him.
Fortunately, Karl didn't say anything else about that topic, but just directly accepted, "Sure, I will do it."
With a barrage of 'Thank you's' Karl swiftly received a small pouch that Melvin already prepared beforehand with 80 gold coins inside.
"And sorry for making you late," Melvin apologized again. He could guess from Karl's attire that he was an adventurer, and he probably had people waiting for him for some expedition.
"It's fine," Karl waved his hand nonchalantly as he stood up, "Anyway, you just wait for me here, it won't take long."
When the door closed shut, the question Melvin was expecting had finally come. "What do you want to do with a Class Stone?"
Melvin was already thinking of whether there was a lie that he could tell to Firrol and convince him. However, the notion that just his runes alone were capable of making someone at Initiate Rank 1 kill someone at the Novice Tier was unbelievable.
Thus, he just shrugged his shoulders and said, "It's for someone very important. Don't worry about it."
Naturally, Firrol could tell that it was for someone very important, after all, Melvin had worked very hard for it. But the question was who, strain his mind as he could, he wasn't able to think of anyone from the stories he had heard from him thus far, further adding to his intrigue.
He even believed that maybe the Class Stone was for him, and so he said, "You know monsters don't have classes like the ones humans do."
Melvin thinking it was just a random topic of conversation, although one very interesting, asked, "Why is that?"
"I don't know," He said with a smile, noticing the man's expression, "My class is my species I suppose, and those are the skills that I get." Finally remembering to ask something, he said, "What class are you even?"
Melvin smiled when heard that question, and said, "Thief." And he remembered how the cat in front of him wasn't even aware of his own name. Curious, he asked, "Do you know what is my name?"
Hearing such an unexpected question, Firrol's previously cheeky smile froze, and he couldn't help but feel terrible. But it wasn't something he was used to, even his own name was something that he didn't consider very much. However, he understood how such a behavior could be perceived as uncaring and nonsensitive, so joked to defend himself, "No... I am a cat. I know how you smell like, so in human language, I know your name."
Melvin knew the reason behind the reply, and so he just smiled and said, "Melvin."
